Possibly Podcast

When we talk about climate change, we often think about the big issues- sea levels rising, extreme weather, melting polar ice caps. But climate change has small, intimate consequences too. It turns out, our warming planet is even affecting the flavor of our wine. The post How is climate change affecting the flavor of our wine? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Some take-out food containers, cups, and utensils are called “certified compostable.” What does that really mean? The post Can you really compost compostable plastics? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

On our show, we talk a lot about how to reduce our carbon dioxide, or CO2, emissions. But some scientists are developing another approach to climate change — techniques to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The post Can we address climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

These days, it seems like there’s an organic option for every type of food out there, including meat. But organic usually means more expensive. That made us wonder, is it worth it to pay more for organic meat? And does it create fewer greenhouse gas emissions? The post Is it worth it to pay more for organic meat? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

On our show, we tell stories to make climate change seem less overwhelming. We know that our episodes are no replacement for massive policy changes, but we hope that they help to shift your perspective or at least make the path forward seem a little clearer. Today, we’re going to talk to an artist who also tries to unpack climate change using a very different medium. The post Using Art to Unpack C...

How would you like to get all of your electricity from renewable sources? It turns out, you can, and you don’t even need to put panels on your roof to do it. Harrison Katz and Fatima Husain from our Possibly team are going to walk us through our options. The post How do I get renewable energy for my home? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

I order a lot of takeout food these days. And I often cringe when I see the packaging, especially when I get all of those little soy sauce packets. I mentioned this to our founder, Stephen Porder. And he says, it doesn't have to be that way. Stephen is in Paris this year on sabbatical, and he says his take-out has way less packaging. So, we tried a little experiment to see if his claims stack up....

There are about 5.5 million different species of bugs and they make up nearly 80% of all animals on Earth. But all is not well with the world’s most abundant critters. What’s happening to insects? And why should we care? The post What’s happening to all of the insects? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today, we have a question from listener Tom Chun. Recently, his water heater stopped working. Tom didn’t have time to spare, so he just went with the water heater his plumber recommended. But now, he’s wondering if he should have bought something else. Are there more efficient water heaters out there that are worth the price? The post What kind of water heater should I buy? appeared first on TPR:...

Take a look out your window. What color is the ground? It turns out that what you see plays a big role in the speed of climate change. The post How does the color of the ground affect climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

If you follow the news about climate change, you’ve probably heard the phrase “net zero.” But what does “net zero” really mean? The post What does ‘Net Zero’ really mean? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today we have a question from Natalie Herbermann. She’s heard that when you put your clothes in the washing machine, they can leave behind harmful particles... And she’s wondering if there’s anything she can do about that. The post Do my clothes release harmful particles when I wash them? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Taking into account the energy that goes into making a whole new car, is it more energy efficient to keep the gas car you already have, or to get a new hybrid car? (This episode originally aired in September, 2019). The post Is It Worth It To Buy A Hybrid Car? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today, we have a question from listener David Kellogg. He’s a big fan of solar power, but he wants to know, is it better to put solar panels on your roof, or to put your money towards large scale solar installations? The post What’s the best way to get solar power? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today, we’re answering a question from Ada, a student from Bristol, Rhode Island. She wants to know the best thing kids can do at home to help stop climate change. The post What’s one thing kids can do to fight climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Twenty-twenty was quite a year, and we're guessing that most people are hoping 2021 will be better. So, our Possibly team got together to think about some New Year’s Resolutions that fit with the themes of our show. Here’s what everyone had to say… The post Our 2021 resolutions appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Is an oil furnace or wood stove better to heat a home during the winter? The post Oil-Burning Furnace Or Wood-Burning Stove? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Is it better to heat one room with a space heater or use a furnace to heat your entire house? The post Space Heater For One Room Or Furnace For The House? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Hydroelectric power is the most widely-used renewable energy source in the world. It creates about one-sixth of the world’s electricity. But how exactly does it work, and how does it fit into our energy future? The post How does hydropower work? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today, we have a thought experiment on our minds. What would happen if we stopped creating greenhouse gas emissions right now? Would climate change be over? The post What would happen if we stopped creating greenhouse gas emissions right now? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Wind turbines have been popping up across the world as a more sustainable way to create electricity. But these turbines can’t last forever, and not all of their parts can be recycled. In this episode, we look into what happens to wind turbines when they wear out. The post What happens to wind turbines when they wear out? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Over the last few months, many of us have turned to digital devices to stay connected. We wondered: how much energy are we using with all of this time online? The post What’s the energy cost of using the internet? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Today we have a question about paper recycling. What happens after you throw paper into the blue bin? How much of that paper actually gets reused? And is it worth the energy it takes to process it? The post What really happens when you recycle paper? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Earlier this year, we did an episode comparing emissions for flying versus driving the same distance. But what if you're driving an RV? Megan runs the number with Stephen after she finishes her own cross-country trip. The post Is driving an RV across the country worse than flying? Part 2 appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Earlier this year, we did an episode comparing emissions for flying versus driving the same distance. But what if you're driving an RV? The post Is driving an RV across the country worse than flying? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .