Go Green Radio

Education is a dynamic institution. Every few years classrooms are introduced to new technologies and reforms that alter the learning experience in many ways. Throughout all these changes, however, two things have remained the same: first, human beings are completely dependent on natural systems, and second, human beings are capable of rendering natural systems incapable of supporting life. To wha...

When a large environmental disaster occurs – like the BP oil spill in the Gulf – we take notice of the impact that energy extraction has on wildlife. But we tend to think of this impact only when a catastrophic event causes egregious pollution. The fact is that wildlife and wilderness areas are under constant pressure due to the expanding footprint of energy exploration, which is taking up more an...

"How much economic risk does the United States face from the impacts of climate change?" The Risky Business initiative will help us find out. Risky Business is a joint initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Office of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, and Next Generation. The Risky Business Initiative includes two core components: • An independent risk assessment to reveal the likely fin...

Are there upsides to fracking? Are consumer fears warranted? What are oil and gas companies doing to manage the risks involved? At the top of the hour, we'll explore this topic with Karen Moreau, Executive Director of the New York State Petroleum Council, who will discuss hydraulic fracturing from an industry perspective. Later in the episode, we'll be joined by Richard Heinberg, author of Snake O...

It comes as news to no one that the energy industry is the most profitable on Earth. Based on their rise to prominence in the 20th Century, the annual earnings of the top five oil companies alone (ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Conoco Philips, and Chevron) are now measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars. In his new book, Following the Money, Craig Shields presents a set of interviews with subject...

Geoengineering is a generic term for a multitude of technologies and theories aimed at changing the Earth's climate. There are two basic categories into which all geoengineering concepts fall: solar radiation management and CO2 removal. Numerous governments around the world are looking to scientists who study geoengineering for possible "quick fix" solutions to global warming, which include sprayi...

When a large environmental disaster occurs – like the BP oil spill in the Gulf – we take notice of the impact that energy extraction has on wildlife. But we tend to think of this impact only when a catastrophic event causes egregious pollution. The fact is that wildlife and wilderness areas are under constant pressure due to the expanding footprint of energy exploration, which is taking up more an...

"How much economic risk does the United States face from the impacts of climate change?" The Risky Business initiative will help us find out. Risky Business is a joint initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Office of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, and Next Generation. The Risky Business Initiative includes two core components: • An independent risk assessment to reveal the likely fin...

In 2007, coal-fired power plants generated 50% of all the electricity in the U.S.; it's now down to 37% thanks to cheap natural gas prices. About two-thirds of the coal used in America comes from surface mining, including mountaintop removal (MTR). But because the communities around these operations are small, rural, and less likely to receive media attention, most Americans have no idea about the...

The rapid spread of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") has temporarily boosted US natural gas and oil production . . . and sparked a massive environmental backlash in communities across the country. The fossil fuel industry is trying to sell fracking as the biggest energy development of the century, with slick promises of American energy independence and benefits to local economies. Richard Heinber...

Linda Marsa is an investigative journalist and contributing editor at Discover who has covered medicine, health and science for more than two decades. A former Los Angeles Times reporter and author, she has just released her new book, Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Hurt Our Health, and How We Can Save Ourselves. The book includes interviews with the world's leading climate scientists and health...

Part autobiography, part treatise, in Creating Climate Wealth, Jigar Shah demonstrates how all of us can participate in the largest wealth creation opportunity of our time. Shah explains that proven, scalable climate solutions, using an infrastructure-as-a-service model, will create the next economy. The book draws lessons from what Shah learned in the creation and success of SunEdison and as CEO...

Climate change isn't bad news for everyone. As Arctic ice melts at historically rapid rates, some people brace for rising sea levels, and some brace for new opportunities to drill for oil in waters that were once too icy for rigs. Recently, several Greenpeace activists were captured by Russian forces and charged with piracy after protesting one such drill site in the Arctic. Today, Phil Radford, G...

The Natural Resources Defense Council has just released its annual report on water quality at U.S. beaches, and found that the number of beach closing and advisory days exceeded 20,000 for the 8th time in the past 9 years. On today's show, we'll talk with Jon Devine, NRDC's Senior Attorney for their water program, who will help us understand the sources of pollution that impact our beaches, and wh...

Women bear a heavy burden from the impacts of climate change, particularly in low-income and developing countries where drought, flooding and unpredictable temperatures present difficult challenges for women that are responsible for providing food, water and firewood for their families. Until now, their voices were under-represented in global discussions about climate change. From September 20th-2...

In 2007, coal-fired power plants generated 50% of all the electricity in the U.S.; it's now down to 37% thanks to cheap natural gas prices. About two-thirds of the coal used in America comes from surface mining, including mountaintop removal (MTR). But because the communities around these operations are small, rural, and less likely to receive media attention, most Americans have no idea about the...

Marion Nestle, one of the nation's most prominent voices on the political forces that drive our food choices, has authored a new book, Eat Drink Vote – An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics. She teamed up with The Cartoonist Group (more than 50 leading cartoonist, including 9 Pultizer Prize winners) to illustrate and explain the most pressing issues of our food system today. In the book, she discu...

The Natural Resources Defense Council has just released its annual report on water quality at U.S. beaches, and found that the number of beach closing and advisory days exceeded 20,000 for the 8th time in the past 9 years. On today's show, we'll talk with Jon Devine, NRDC's Senior Attorney for their water program, who will help us understand the sources of pollution that impact our beaches, and wh...

With over 30 yoga videos produced, and gushing endorsements from followers like Oprah Winfrey and Donna Karan, today's guest has helped some of the busiest people on the planet learn how to bring their minds and bodies into alignment with their health goals. But much more than simply being a fitness instructor, Rodney Yee works in conjunction with Gaiam, Inc. to produce products and tools that res...

The rapid spread of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") has temporarily boosted US natural gas and oil production . . . and sparked a massive environmental backlash in communities across the country. The fossil fuel industry is trying to sell fracking as the biggest energy development of the century, with slick promises of American energy independence and benefits to local economies. Richard Heinber...

In our culture, pregnancy, birth, and childrearing are deeply connected to consumption and resource use. From the baby shower to the minivan and the larger apartment or first house, the baby-raising years are the most hyper-consumptive of our lives, and can set a family on an unsustainable track for years to come. The Zero Footprint Baby: How to Save the Planet While Raising a Healthy Baby shows h...

Linda Marsa is an investigative journalist and contributing editor at Discover who has covered medicine, health and science for more than two decades. A former Los Angeles Times reporter and author, she has just released her new book, Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Hurt Our Health, and How We Can Save Ourselves. The book includes interviews with the world's leading climate scientists and health...

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. beekeepers lost 1 in 3 honeybees during the winter of 2012, and this is cause for alarm. Declining bee populations have been making news recently, and this is much more than an endangered species story. Certain crops we take for granted are dependent upon bee pollination to grow. Among these are: apples, almonds, blueberries, watermelon, cherries, peaches,...

Concerned citizens of the UK are pressuring their supermarkets to revert to requiring use of non-GMO feed, not just for poultry and eggs, but for ALL their livestock products. In April 2013 Tesco, Co-Op, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsbury's announced that they would switch their egg and poultry production to genetically modified (GMO) feed, reportedly to save consumers a few pennies on animal products...

These days, consumers have a lot of choices when buying a car, and "green" options have never been more plentiful. Today's show will help us understand the difference between EVs, Hybrids, and Eco-friendly vehicles and which option best suits our lifestyle. James Bell, auto expert and Head of Consumer Affairs for General Motors will join us to discuss the "Do's and Don'ts of Green Car Shopping." P...