Laws of Notion

Wildfire is here to stay, but on whose terms will it burn? Join us for United by Fire , a new series where we investigate the two biggest wildfires in Colorado's history and explore hard truths about our landscapes and ourselves. Season four of the award-winning podcast Laws of Notion starts Oct. 9.    Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire and lawsofnotion.org . Sign up...

In this special bonus episode, we talk with Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, founder and director of The Ella Roberta Foundation based in South London, UK. We first met Rosamund in episode 4, The Road to Change . She and her legal team made history when a coroner found a direct link between her nine-year-old daughter Ella Roberta's death from a fatal asthma attack due to the air quality near her home a...

The San Luis Valley has always had dust storms, for as long as humans have been there. The problem now is that as water dwindles, temperatures warm, a multi-decade drought rages on, and people continue altering the landscape, dust is increasing. Dust and sand storms impact farming economies by reducing valuable topsoil, and breathing in dust can have immediate and long-term respiratory and health...

From supporting the wickedly smart and engaged next generation to learning how to work together in new and more meaningful ways, our last episode explores what it means to truly empower people to solve our air quality issues. Change has been slow and incremental, but change is happening. And while bad air affects us all, no matter where we live, the burden is not equal. Since our air is often invi...

Often there is a cultural catalyst that sparks change. And that catalyst can come from people being empowered with data, knowledge, and opportunity. From Pueblo to Aurora to other parts of Colorado, communities are finding traditional and new ways to engage in the change they want for their future. This could be things like a closer collaboration with the government to install a community air moni...

Colorado is the fifth largest oil-producing state in the country, and the state's economy benefits from keeping the industry running. But oil and gas are also a major source of emissions to local air quality and climate change. And we all have a vested interest in reducing emissions, which has economic and social costs to our health and environment. So how do we balance the demand for energy with...

Whether you've had a direct experience with bad air, followed the air quality index on your phone, or formally learned about the importance of clean air, awareness can be a key driver for change. But once we know how poor air quality can impact our health, what does it take to change our behaviors — either to reduce our exposure or how we contribute to it? Learn more about the podcast at clearingt...

An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths are associated with outdoor air pollution each year. And traffic emissions are one of the leading contributors, with those living within a quarter mile or so of a busy road at greatest risk. But statistics and facts will only get you so far.  To change perceptions and policy, the issue must be brought to a human level. And while our air quality has improve...

There is a long history of disproportionately impacted neighborhoods, which are predominately communities of color and low income, experiencing the unequal impact of pollution. This has been the case for many communities in Colorado when it comes to air quality. And while there are competing interests, values, and needs when it comes to deciding what to do, it's critical to consider who gets repre...

For years Colorado's Front Range has repeatedly failed to meet the EPA's national air quality standards, putting local policymakers and regulators under pressure to fix the air pollution affecting us all. Now air monitoring and data gathering are slowly starting to catch up to the reality that many communities experience living in proximity to industries, highways, railroads, and other sources of...

Our air is a complex soup of ingredients – which impacts the health of all of us, our economy, and our climate. But those health burdens are not shared equally. They disproportionately impact children, the elderly, and lower-income or historically marginalized communities. What does it mean to have equal and fair access to clean air? And when emotions are high, people's health is at risk, and trad...

From our first breath to our last exhale, air is a vital shared resource. But what's really in the air we breathe? Stay tuned for Clearing the Air: The Hazy Future of Our Skies , a new eight-part series about air pollution in Colorado and how we are navigating this complex problem that knows no borders. Season 3 of the award-winning podcast, Laws of Notion, launches September 27, 2023. Learn more...

The closure of the coal plant and mine in Craig, Colorado will greatly impact the economy and result in the loss of jobs. However, there are conversations about the potential to repurpose the plant and existing infrastructure. From geothermal to hydrogen to nuclear, what could happen with the Craig station remains to be decided.  In this bonus episode of Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transiti...

It's been almost two years since we shared the story of Craig, Colorado, and the forthcoming closures of the coal power plant. In this epilogue to Coal at Sunset , you'll hear from some of our former guests reflecting on what's changed, what hasn't, and what the road ahead looks like. We're coming back to this story to provide a firsthand glimpse into how Colorado's energy transition will ultimate...

The history of soil degradation is not new. Humans have been altering the landscape for thousands of years. But what does it mean to have healthy and functional soils and how is this critical to a productive and sustainable agriculture system? In this bonus episode, we spend time with Gene Kelley, a professor of Pedology and the Deputy Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station at Co...

In January 2023, a new Colorado Water Plan was released. This document evokes hope and caution as the scarcity of water looms over our state. It's a guide for how to bring people together and prioritize water projects across Colorado that serve the most uses and benefits. In this bonus episode, we talk with Lauren Ris, Deputy Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, to learn more about h...

Control of water. Who has it, who doesn't? How was water historically used? What is it being used for today? And what about future uses? In this first bonus episode, we are talking about power and decision-making, including the controversial topic of water speculation, with James Eklund, a prominent Colorado water lawyer. The conflict over water speculation goes deeper than just dollars. It's some...

Laws of Notion Listeners! More on our state's water issues with our friends at City Cast Denver. Ever since Denver Water was founded in 1918, the agency has demonstrated enviable foresight, building out a massive infrastructure across 4,000 square miles to ensure Denver's population (and economy) can continue to grow. But now that reservoirs and rivers are drying up across the West, is it time for...

In this series, we've investigated the pressures around water in Colorado – from climate change to population growth to different values – and how they shape the management of this vital resource. But where do we go from here? And how do we change the relationship we've had with water historically, to better reflect the realities of our future? Because we should all care about where our water come...

The need to use every drop of water – multiple times over – matters. In Colorado, 80% of the precipitation falls on the western side of the continental divide, but 90% of the population lives to the east, in the Front Range. As the urban corridor continues to grow rapidly, the need for water is even more urgent. And often that water is coming from somewhere else.  This time on Water, Under Pressur...

When people learn that 91% of Colorado's water is used for agricultural purposes, farmers are the first to blame for its overuse. But there's a lot more baked into this figure than many realize. There are compromises that farmers are making, trying to ensure they are in the black financially while adapting to drought and a changing climate, in order to ensure we all eat. So as Colorado approaches...

One of the most controversial pieces of real estate in the San Luis Valley isn't because of anything it's got above ground, but because of the water below it. Water is needed for all living things to survive. It can also be controlled and has been by civilizations for millennia. So how is it decided where the water goes and what it can be used for?  In order to understand this, we must understand...

A 40-year-old calculation on the back of an envelope fuels something of a gold rush in Colorado's San Luis Valley. But instead of gold, the attraction is water. And the plan is to move it and sell it to Colorado's growing – and thirsty – metro areas on the Front Range. But how much water is there really? And how do we decide who gets it and who doesn't? This is episode one of Water Under Pressure,...

This year, we're taking you deep into the world of water. Where values, science, law, and our identity collide, as communities in Colorado face tough choices about this dwindling vital resource. Stay tuned for Water, Under Pressure, a five-part podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future....

Science was revolutionized by Newton's laws of motion. But how can we revolutionize our ideas? Laws of Notion is a podcast by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where we push against our preconceived beliefs and think critically about the world around us. Each season, we'll tell a story about an issue facing a community, where there are no easy answers. We...