Possibly Podcast

The R/V Endeavor, which spent the last 49 years operating out of URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus, was retired last month. Possibly took a tour of the vessel before it’s decommissioned. The post The oldest research vessel in the country was just retired. What does it mean for Rhode Island scientists? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Spotted lanternflies have been hopping around Rhode Island this year. Maybe you’ve been told to squish them when you see them. But why? This week on Possibly we’re taking a closer look at our new insect neighbors. The post What should you do when you see spotted lanternflies? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

You’ve probably seen pictures of tree-lined rooftops on skyscrapers and new buildings. But are these green roofs just for show? Or do they have real benefits? This week on Possibly we take a look. The post What’s the deal with green roofs? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

On Possibly we're always thinking about the most effective way to talk about climate change. So we turned to Potential Energy, a marketing firm for planet earth, for some tips. The post How should we talk about climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Science has a communication problem. This week on Possibly we’re taking a look at an audio-storytelling organization, called Transom, that’s trying to help fix it. The post How can we help scientists tell their stories? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

The Seine River in Paris has been closed to public swimming for more than 100 years, but it reopened to swimmers this summer. We talked to two people who took a dip. The post Is the Seine River really safe for swimming? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

The biggest city in the country has taken a proactive approach to protect its residents from extreme heat. Programs have tried to make cooling centers, pools, and air conditioners more easily available to people. The post How is New York City keeping its residents cool?  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Last month the Department of the Interior stopped construction on a Rhode Island wind farm that was 80% complete. This week on Possibly we break down what the order means for clean energy, jobs, and your utility bill. The post What does the stop-work order on Revolution Wind mean for Rhode Islanders? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management works with brewers to develop tailor-made plans to reduce the amount of harmful wastewater coming out of their breweries. On this episode of Possibly we visit Buttonwoods Brewery in Providence to understand what’s going on. The post Brewing craft beer poses challenges for our water treatment system. How is RIDEM working to reduce these impacts?...

Apps that connect customers to discounted leftovers that would otherwise be thrown out, are a great way to reduce food waste, but when you zoom out and look at the data, how much do these apps actually help the environment? The post Do food-sharing apps reduce waste? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

President Trump’s tax bill is about to end a number of tax credits for homeowners who install clean energy appliances. But some people are racing to beat the deadline. The post What does the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ mean for homeowners? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

President Trump’s tax and spending bill will end a program offering up to $7,500 for Americans who buy electric cars. But you still have a little more time to claim the tax credit. On this episode of Possibly, we break down what potential car buyers need to know. The post What does the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ mean for Electric Vehicles? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Back in July, President Trump signed a major tax bill into law, which will make it significantly more expensive to build wind and solar projects around the country. The post What does the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ mean for renewable energy? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Lights from cars, flashlights, houses and streetlights can all prevent turtles from navigating to their nesting grounds. This week on Possibly we explain how you can help keep sea turtles safe. The post How do bright lights affect sea turtles? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

This week on Possibly, we’re taking a look at what’s going behind the scenes of your local grocery store’s seafood aisle. When you choose between farm-raised and wild caught salmon, what environmental impacts are you actually choosing between? The post Should you buy farm-raised or wild salmon? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

If you’ve been outside on a smoggy day, you’ve probably noticed that your body reacts poorly to bad air quality. Maybe you coughed, or got a headache. But what actually happens to your body when you breathe in polluted air? The post How does air pollution affect our health? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

This week on Possibly, we’re looking at a practice called assisted migration – physically moving organisms whose habitats are shifting due to climate change. Should humans intervene to help species keep up with climate change? The post Should we help plants and animals move if they can’t keep up with climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Carbon benchmarking is an important first step in tackling one of the US’s largest sources of carbon emissions: the buildings we live in. The post What is carbon benchmarking? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Earlier this year Rhode Island College hosted its annual Rhode Island Compost Conference and Trade Show. The Possibly team attended the conference to hear from some compost-enthusiasts about why they love turning food scraps into soil. The post What happens at a Compost Conference and Trade Show? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

The syndrome, which can make you allergic to red meat, is spread by a type of tick that has become more common in Rhode Island. What should you know to stay safe? The post Tick Season is Here – What is Alpha-gal Syndrome? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Even though wind turbines offer emission-free energy, manufacturing, transporting and installing those turbines does create greenhouse gases. This week on Possibly we do the math and find that turbines deliver emission savings in less than a year. The post What’s the climate impact of building wind turbines? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

If refrigerant, the key substance inside a heat pump leaks into the atmosphere, it can warm the planet thousands of times more than CO2. The Possibly team does the math to see if that risk outweighs the climate benefit of heat pumps. The post Heat pumps run on a substance that can create a lot of emissions. Is it still worth buying them? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

When four dams were removed along the Klamath River in the Pacific Northwest, it meant giving up a source of renewable energy. But clean energy wasn’t the only factor the company had to consider. The post Why would an energy company remove its dams? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

As our planet warms and heat waves become more common, we wondered how that heat affects our bodies. In today’s episode, the Possibly team explains how heat impacts two key organs: your kidneys and your intestines. The post How are rising temperatures affecting our organs? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

It always feels better to go outside, move around a little bit, and get some fresh air. But this week on Possibly we look into the research, do green spaces actually improve our health? The post Can green spaces make you happier? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .