Mothering Earth Podcast

While many bird populations are facing serious declines, other birds are flourishing thanks to the work of bird conservationists all around the world. Ornithologist and author Scott Weidensaul has a new book, "Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet", in which he introduces us to the people and groups that are restoring and preserving bird habitat and who are studying bird hab...

While consumers are trying to cut down on the use of plastics, the oil, gas and petrochemical companies are ramping up their plastic production. In her new book, award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner details the plastic industries manipulation of consumers and the government, while continuing to damage the environment in multiple ways. The book is "Plastic, Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking F...

Amidst the cornfields and hog barns of Iowa is the town of Storm Lake, where Art Cullen is editor and co-owner of the local newspaper, the Storm Lake Times Pilot. Cullen is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist whose new book calls attention to the environmental damage resulting from agriculture and climate to the soil, water and air in Iowa. The book is titled "Dear Marty, We Crapped in Our Nest: N...

What is a just and sustainable food system? It is a question many people struggle with, but for the organization Mercy For Animals (MFA), it is clearly defined. It is a system that produces positive results for people, for animals and for our earth and environment. To that end they work to end factory-farming and to promote plant-based food. MFA is working with restaurants, corporate food service...

The Houston, Texas ship channel area is home to hundreds of petroleum and petrochemical facilities. These include refineries, and plants that produce the materials that will become the millions of tons of plastic items produced each year. They also produce toxic emissions that pollute the air, water and soil and that endanger the health of all area residents. Fenceline Watch is a community-based e...

For generations, we humans have been taught that we are superior to the rest of nature, that we alone can reshape all of nature and the environment, to serve our needs, which leads to a sense of separation from nature. At the same time humans have a need to connect and be in nature. In this program, we explore those competing ideas and how they shape our lives, with author William Powers. His late...

How do we stay cool on a planet that heating up? It’s a tough question, because we have been relying on fossil fuels, like coal, oil and gas to keep the air conditioners and fans running, and it is those same fuels that contribute mightily to global warming. Rather than promoting the use of renewable energy sources, it appears we are going to be using even more oil, gas and coal. So we turn to an...

A changing climate with hotter and drier weather is a challenge for people, but also for lakes, reservoirs and rivers. The Rio Grande river, which runs from Colorado into Mexico, crossing several U.S. states, continues to shrink and to run dry in places where it used to flow. Most of the water from the river is used to grow crops like alfalfa and hay to feed livestock, Other crops are cotton and p...

Whether your outdoor space is a large garden or a tiny apartment balcony, you can plant plants that are native to your part of the world. For those with lawns, you can reduce or eliminate the lawn and replace those areas with native plants. The result would be a greater sequestration of carbon by those plants, and increased support for all forms of life, including birds, insects, pollinators and o...

The Rio Grande river has been immortalized in movies and in songs, but sadly, the river itself has shrunk and now regularly runs dry in certain areas. The World Wildlife Fund has prioritized restoring the river and to that end is funding programs to revitalize the Rio Grande. One such program called Rio Grande Return is building beaver dams and other wood structures in the river, in an effort to i...

Many people spend hours on their lawns, running the sprinklers, pouring on the “weed and feed”, driving large riding mowers back and forth and using another noisy machine to makes the edges perfect. Why do we have an obsession with lawns? Have we thought about how lawns and manicured yards do great harm to biodiversity and to the natural ecology of the Earth, and contribute to climate change? In t...

Many of us feel uncomfortable going out into nature once the sun goes down. The natural world after dark is something of an unknown, mysterious and perhaps dangerous. In this program, we meet naturalist and author Charles Hood, who wants us to awaken to what he says is a strange but surprisingly beautiful nighttime world.

What happens when a man who grew up on a factory farm learns about environmental sustainability? In this case, he was driven to make changes on the farm that would benefit the environment, and his search for alternatives was nurtured when he found an organization called Mercy for Animals. Their goal is to end factory farming, through a program they call Transfarmation. That's our story in this edi...

When you throw something away, it’s gone as far as you are concerned. But in fact, it’s still around and will most likely end up in a landfill. Landfills are where solid waste goes to build up into unpleasant mounds and where organic waste, like food that is thrown away, goes to fester and decompose, giving off huge amounts of methane gas. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and a b...

Bats are pretty amazing little creatures, yet for years they have been pictured as evil animals associated with witchcraft and the devil. In. this program, you’ll meet behavioral ecologist and bat biologist Alyson Brokaw who’s written a book called The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats, in which she demystifies bats and brings to light some of their remarkable characteristics and the ways in which...

Most people use several different personal care products every day. For example, you may use a shampoo and conditioner, creams or lotions, shaving cream, fragrances, toothpaste and some makeup, including lipstick, eyeliner and eyeshadow. If you read the labels on these products you'll see a list of chemicals, and you may assume that these chemicals have been tested to make sure that they're safe....

What if farmers who feel trapped in an agricultural system where large corporations make all the decisions, even down to how many animals the farmer will raise, what he or she will feed them and when the animals will be slaughtered; what if those farmers had other options? An organization called Mercy For Animals has created an innovative model of alternative farming opportunities, and helps farme...

There are quintillions of insects in our world. Some are harmful to humans, but most are not. In fact, most insects provide vital ecosystem “services”, such as pollination of food crops and decomposition of animal and other wastes. They provide food for other insects and for birds and even humans. They give us silk, wax, and other products and they have inspired us to come up with practical and im...

Photographs showing environmental devastation caused by humans can have a powerful impact, and can change minds and drive people to take action. In this program, you’ll meet an acclaimed National Geographic photographer who has spent much of his life illustrating environmental issues that affect us all. His name is Jim Richardson and as he puts it, he believes that “photographs have a job to do” a...

Most of the animal food products you buy come from what are called factory farms. That includes beef, chicken, turkey, and pork, as well as eggs and dairy products. The animals in these “farms” live miserable lives in horrible conditions and have a one-way ticket to the slaughterhouse. Compassion in World Farming is an organization dedicated to ending factory farming and to educating people about...

Perhaps later today, you will head to the grocery store to get some fresh fruits and vegetables, which are important for a healthy diet. In this program, we’re looking at the issue of pesticide use on our produce, with Dr. Alexa Friedman of the Environmental Working Group or EWG. The EWG has shopper’s guides to help people evaluate what they say are the healthier choices in the produce aisle; item...

Do you have a favorite tree? Whether you do or not, almost all of us have enjoyed the shade of a tree or eaten fruit or nuts that came from a tree. Trees provide us with numerous “services” while just standing there, looking stately, for the most part. The Arbor Day Foundation is all about trees and the pretty amazing things they do. The foundation is also a great resource for anyone who’s trying...

Are milk, cheese and other dairy products really the best source of calcium in our food? You may be surprised to learn that plants are a better source of calcium and the many other nutrients we need for bone health. In this program, we take a hard look at the dairy industry with Mark Rifkin, a registered dietitian and sustainability specialist.

A recent survey commissioned by the Arbor Day Foundation found that ninety percent of Americans say time spent in green spaces makes them happier and less stressed. Practitioners of ecopsychology wouldn’t be surprised. Ecopsychology has long supported the notion that humans need to spend time communing with nature, and that both physical and mental health are improved as a result. That’s why Mothe...

The extreme weather we've been experiencing lately has it roots in climate change according to most scientists. Intense heat, extreme storms that bring damaging winds and hail and that result in flooding, or raging wildfires all have human costs, but they also have powerful economic costs. Property losses have ripple effects. Who will bear the costs? More and more, insurance companies are reluctan...