The Planet Today

Matt interviews Leah Rampy, the author of Earth & Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos . In her book, she leads her readers on a soul journey into grief and loss to also claim the beauty, joy and possibilities available when we reconnect with Earth. The book highlights the intersection of spirituality, ecology, and storytelling to discuss nature’s connection to our collective souls. Earth &am...

Matt talks about the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to overturn “Chevron” ( Supreme Court Chevron decision: What it means for federal regulations ), And Hurricane Beryl’s significance ( Hurricane Beryl: sign of things to come in warming world? ). Check out our May 31, 2024 Episode for more information on the second story today. Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta usin...

Matt and Nick talk about heat’s impact on our cognitive ability ( How Heat Affects the Brain ), Edinburgh has become the latest city in Europe to ban fossil fuel ads ( Why some cities are banning fossil fuel advertisements ), A petition for FEMA to classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as disasters ( Fema petitioned to make extreme heat and wildfire smoke major disasters ), Italy’s Prime Minist...

Matt interviews Osprey Orielle Lake, the Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN). Osprey is also the Co-Director of the Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegations, and actively leads WECAN International's projects. Her new book, The Story is in our Bones , weaves together ecological, mythical, political, and cultural understandings and shares her experienc...

Matt and Nick talk about improving America’s electrical grid ( White House to announce new actions to modernize America’s aging electrical grid ), The Transportation Department strengthening vehicle fuel mileage standards ( Biden Administration Tightens Mileage Rules to Buoy Electric Vehicles ), Increasing natural gas usage in the Philippines ( The Philippines goes all in for natural gas, a climat...

Matt talks about Hailstorms in the U.S. ( 2024 Could Be a Banner Year for Hailstorms ), Coldplay reducing emissions by 59% on their current tour ( Coldplay say they have beaten emissions target for world tour ), Solar’s surge and wind’s struggles ( As Solar Power Surges, U.S. Wind Is in Trouble ), Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s new President ( Mexico elects Claudia Sheinbaum as its first female presi...

Matt and Nick talk about this year’s projected hurricane season ( NOAA predicts above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season ), The tragic landslide in Papua New Guinea ( Papua New Guinea landslide: As many as 2,000 people feared buried massive landslide, survivors dig with hands and spades ), Florida’s ban on intentionally releasing balloons ( Florida Bans Release of Balloons, Citing Harm to Wildl...

Matt talks about Venezuela becoming the first nation to lose its glaciers ( Climate change: Venezuela may be first nation to lose all its glaciers ), The world’s largest carbon capture plant opened in Iceland ( ‘World’s largest’ plant to suck carbon out of the air and turn it into stone opens in Iceland ), Vermont to charge oil and gas companies for their historical damages ( Vermont poised to bec...

Matt interviews Shubber Ali, the CEO of Garden for Wildlife . Shubber helped the National Wildlife Federation launch Garden for Wildlife as its own for profit e-commerce company. Garden for Wildlife allows people to make a difference for the environment by shipping plants native to their zip code that support local wildlife. Their team of experts have thoughtfully utilized 50 years of experience,...

Matt and Nick talk about how harmful gas stoves are in smaller homes ( Gas Stove Pollution Risk Is Greatest in Smaller Homes, Study Finds ), Synthetic coffee made from date seeds ( The synthetic coffee revolution: are ground date seeds really as delicious as the real thing ), Environmental Justice in Ithaca, New York ( Ithaca, N.Y., adopts new climate justice spending pledge ), A ban on lab-grown...

Matt talks about Azerbaijan’s continued fossil fuel investments leading up to COP29 ( COP29 climate summit host Azerbaijan defends oil and gas investments ), The Oriental Pied Hornbill’s recovery in Singapore ( Meet the strange-looking bird making a spectacular recovery amid the skyscrapers of Singapore ), Fossil fuels being banned in Federal buildings ( Fossil fuels will be banned from new and re...

Matt and Nick talk about a progress report for a plastic pollution treaty ( During plastic pollution treaty, the U.S. faces calls to do more ), There is officially 50% more carbon in the atmosphere than pre-industrial times ( Carbon Dioxide Levels Have Passed a New Milestone ), Expanded protections for national monuments established by President Obama ( Biden plans to expand two national monuments...

Matt interviews Sam Schutte of Synthica Energy . Snythica Energy is a company that is developing anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities designed to convert organic waste into renewable gas. Their ambitious goal is to divert one million tons per year of organic waste from landfills and generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 30,000 homes. Sam Schutte is a renowned expert in the fields of ana...

Matt and Nick have a massive episode today and start by talking about Switzerland being held liable for human rights violations ( Switzerland’s Climate Shortfalls Violate Human Rights, European Court Rules ), The EPA strengthening its regulations on chemical manufacturers ( New EPA rules for about 200 US chemical manufacturers take aim at ‘cancer alleys’ ), The EPA tightening its requirements for...

Matt and Nick talk about the rise of secondhand clothing ( Secondhand clothing on track to take 10% of global fashion sales | Retail industry ), Climate change has endangered certain types of cheese ( Camembert and Brie 'could disappear,' scientists in France warn ), Restored wildlife protections by the Biden Administration ( Biden restores endangered species protections rolled back by Trump ), An...

Matt and Nick talk about fossil fuel subsidies ( The Zombies of the U.S. Tax Code: Why Fossil Fuels Subsidies Seem Impossible to Kill ), The first large offshore wind farm in the U.S. ( First large offshore U.S. wind farm delivers power to local grid ), Protections for the Sage Grouse ( Conservationists slam federal proposal for greater sage-grouse protection ), U.S. vehicle standards set to phase...

Matt interviews Wendy Baker of Dynapower . Dynapower is powering the world’s leading brands and institutions with reliable solutions in energy storage systems and other electrical components for renewable energy. Wendy is an award-winning business development professional who is passionate about developing sustainable power options. If you like today’s episode, follow Dynapower on LinkedIn . Make...

Matt and Nick talk about climate change impacting the US maple syrup industry ( Maple syrup season came weeks early in the Midwest. Producers are doing their best to adapt ), Colorado River water rights ( Colorado River drought climate change ), Record high ocean temperatures in February ( Ocean temperature hit record high in February 2024, EU scientists say ), The Biden administration delaying cl...

Matt is flying solo for this episode to talk about support for Nuclear Power growing in US federal government ( Nuclear Power Bill Passed by House, Support Grows in Congress ), Using artificial intelligence to track humpback whale movements ( How AI is already helping scientists track threatened humpback whales ), France debating whether to fine fast fashion brands ( France mulls penalties to rein...

Matt and Nick talk about how climate change could impact winter sports ( Climate change clouds future of winter sports ), Environmental disasters displaced 2.5 million Americans in 2023 ( Disasters Forced 2.5 Million Americans From Their Homes Last Year ),  A 2016 moratorium on new coal leasing has been lifted ( Federal appeals court revokes Obama-era ban on coal leasing ), And Bangladesh has...

Matt and Nick talk about the environmental impacts of solar energy ( Can We Invest in Solar Power Without Harming Nature? ), Cities on the U.S. east coast are sinking ( As Aquifers Are Depleted, Areas Along The East Coast Of The US Are Sinking ), The EPA tightening its fine particulate matter regulations ( Biden Administration Toughens Limits on Deadly Air Pollution ),  The EPA loosening its...

Matt interviews Matthew Krayton, the founder and Principal of Publitics . Publitics is a political consulting, strategy, and media company that focuses on strategy, communications, public relations, and public affairs. Their blog can be found on InfluenceIQ and you can follow them on Instagram and TikTok with these links. Matthew has been working on projects on the political side of the clean ener...

Matt and Nick talk about just how powerful hurricanes are becoming due to climate change ( Dial it up to Category 6? As warming stokes storms, some want a bigger hurricane category ), Tragic forest fires in Chile ( At least 112 dead in as Chile’s deadliest ever forest fire rages on ), John Podesta named new U.S. Climate Envoy ( John Podesta: Biden’s new top climate diplomat is ‘uniquely qualified’...

Matt and Nick talk about how in vitro fertilization could save the northern white rhino ( World first IVF rhino pregnancy could save northern white rhinos from extinction, scientists say ), The benefits of sustainable food systems ( Move to sustainable food systems could bring $10tn benefits a year, study finds ), Protections for whales near offshore wind farms ( U.S. sets plans to protect endange...

Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration imposing fines on oil and gas companies over their methane production ( Biden Administration to Fine Oil and Gas Companies for Excess Methane ), Greenland losing ice much faster than previously understood ( The more scientists study Greenland, the worse its ice melt looks ), John Kerry stepping down as U.S. Climate Envoy ( John Kerry to step down a...