Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode

Will Westmoreland became an influencer overnight when he directly addressed a farmer's concerns over not receiving a rotational grazing reimbursement. The first/second Trump administration’s Department of Agriculture promised the money but then rescinded it. Will’s story made an impression on millions of people with the straightforward way he shared how the farmer voted against his best interest b...

Under the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other key federal departments are shedding thousands of experienced scientists. This assault on federal scientists will have a lasting effect for generations, eliminating much-needed expertise that has historically played a central role in developing rules that protect human health...

Food production is responsible for a third of the climate crisis, yet it’s the part of the problem we talk about the least. With agricultural land making up forty percent of our planet, we are literally eating the Earth. The first step is acknowledging the mess and the second is addressing it. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by investigative reporter Mike Grunwald. They discuss Mike’s exploratio...

The Republican-led Congress is considering a “Big Beautiful” reconciliation bill that might include new hurdles for crucial assistance programs like Medicaid and SNAP, such as adding work requirements and increasing paperwork. GOP lawmakers claim the changes aim to tackle fraud, waste and abuse in the programs. In today’s episode, Ken talks with Bob Greenstein, founder and president emeritus of th...

While there are positive aspects of having top government officials talking about chronic disease prevention and diet, the food industry's primary goal remains profit – not public health. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Marion Nestle, one of America's most respected voices on nutrition and food politics. Marion believes that truly addressing human health and equality in food requires getting...

Eric Garcia is a journalist and author who challenges the misconceptions about autism spectrum disorder through his own experience living with autism. In Eric’s book, “We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation,” he explores how society can improve support for people on the spectrum through policy, education and healthcare. In today’s episode Ken is joined by Eric to refute Health Secretar...

There are times when society needs to act, the government needs to act, and today we’re going to focus on how you can act for your health. It’s rare for physicians to help you live a healthier life by integrating the whole notion of environment health. But in today’s episode Ken is joined by one of the country’s leading medical and legal experts in environmental health, Dr. Aly Cohen – a triple bo...

The U.S. faces a growing measles outbreak. At the time of this recording, there are more than 800 confirmed cases and at least three deaths, including two young children who were unvaccinated. These tragic losses were almost certainly preventable with the MMR vaccine, which is safe, highly effective and widely available.     Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on earth, and it spreads q...

Unraveling decades of environmental progress, the Trump administration is systematically dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s dismantling critical statutes that have protected public health and the environment for years. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by his old boss and mentor, former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly, who served in various roles under four U.S. presidents — Richa...

Ken is continuing his cook's tour of the who’s-who at public interest organizations. He’s joined by DJ Gerken, the president and executive director of the Southern Environmental Law Center. SELC is the largest environmental nonprofit organization in the southeastern United States. It fights daily to protect our right to clean water, clean air, and a liveable climate. Ken and DJ discuss the latest...

Ken’s having another episode, one that quite a lot of people are having lately, all about the federal job layoffs. This is a little bit tricky, as Ken and EWG have at times been critical of the very agencies that are in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. To help Ken unpack this, he’s joined by his friend and environmental hero, Peter Galvin. Peter is one of the founders and the director of pro...

The meat industry has been consolidating rapidly for decades, concentrating its power in a way that creates problems not only for the environment but also for farming communities in the U.S. and around the world. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Chloe Sorvino, a journalist at Forbes and author of the new book “Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat.”...

Ken Cook is having another episode, and this one is all about two R’s: Red Dye 3 and RFK Jr. Ken is joined by his fellow public interest leader Dr. Peter Lurie, the  president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. He has a storied career in public health, including a stint as the Food and Drug Administration’s associate commissioner for public health str...

Our skin is our largest organ, and applying some personal care products may let harmful chemicals sink into the body. That’s why Ken feels so strongly about the importance of non-toxic beauty alternatives. In today’s episode, he’s joined by Hillary Peterson, the founder of True Botanicals, a skincare company offering products without problematic ingredients. Hillary is a cancer survivor who was mo...

Chemicals in our food, water, and air are risk factors contributing to the rise of Parkinson’s disease. It’s  the fastest-growing brain disease in the world, creating urgency to address not just treatment for Parkinson’s but also its causes. Today’s guest is Dr. Ray Dorsey, a neurologist who co-authored the book, “Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action.” He explains why Parkinson’s...

At EWG we believe everyone should have access to safe products, clean drinking water, healthy food, and clean air. We believe in that so much that we’ve spent decades fighting for you. Ken sits down with his colleagues Scott Faber and Jocelyn Lyle to discuss EWG’s impact in 2024 and what’s to come in 2025. From a potential Red dye-3 ban to pesticides in produce to PFAS in your drinking water, EWG...

We know which healthy choices we need to make to improve our diet and health but it can seem so daunting in the moment. In today’s episode Ken is joined by pharmacist turned wellness content creator, Mona Vand to tackle exactly that. Sometimes it doesn’t feel convenient to eat healthy or find healthy options when you need something quick but Mona helps reframe how to approach food prep and what to...

No matter your politics, you want the food you and your family eat every day to be safe. So why do so many of the products on the grocery store shelves have worrisome  food chemical additives that have been banned in other countries, including many linked to cancer and behavioral problems in children. To help unravel this, Ken is joined by EWG’s Vice President of Government Affairs Melanie Benesh...

Babies are our most vulnerable population when it comes to chemical exposure. And yet, many baby products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Entrepreneur, environmentalist, and trailblazer Shazi Visram wants to protect the next generation. Shazi’s mission isn’t just business, it’s personal, and the subject of neurological health is particularly close to her heart.    Shazi is the creator of t...

Do you need an election recovery tool kit? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by activist, educator, author, and podcast host, Jenna Arnold. Her book, Raising Our Hands, dives deep into conversations with white women about their identity, role in the country, and how to become more engaged citizens to make the changes we desperately need. As a Women’s March Org...

Everyone wants cleaner, cheaper energy. Well, almost everyone. Powerful utility companies like PG&E, Sempra, and Southern California Edison aren’t going down without a fight, and they fight dirty. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Bernadette Del Chiaro, the Executive Director of the California Solar & Storage Association, who was instrumental in passing the Million Solar Roofs Initiative into l...

In today’s episode, Ken is deep-diving into the intersection of environmentalism and animal welfare. First, Ken speaks with veterinarian Crystal Heath who has been bravely raising the alarm of how her profession enables and endorses animal abuse from veterinarian school to factory farms. In the second part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by longtime friend and founder of Animal Wellness Action,...

 Hi, it's Ken Cook from EWG. I'm here in Washington and we're here to get ready to fight.  It already feels like Trump's Washington. That feeling reminds us of what we went through during his first term where we saw a massive assault on environmental protection. We haven't always been happy with everything that happened over the last four years with the Biden administration. And we have called tha...

We are interrupting our regular programming for Election Day to encourage you to vote. Make your voice heard at the ballot box and if you have any last-minute questions on how or where to vote head on over to VOTE.ORG . Who knows what episode I’ll be having after the results are in but tune in to find out. Happy Election Day.

If you’ve followed the world of pesticides for as long as Ken has, it can be hard to be shocked. But journalist Carey Gillam (The New Lede) has dug up a story that has rattled even Ken. In her newest piece “Defend or be damned’ - How a US company uses government funds to suppress pesticide opposition around the world” ( The New Lede, The Guardian, Le Monde ) Carey exposes a government-funded (psss...