The Planet Today

Matt and Nick talk about ( Ocean Temperatures Are Hotter Than Ever. What Does It Mean for Earth? ), President Biden designating a new national monument ( Biden creates a new national monument near the Grand Canyon ), A prediction for a 2024 election strategy ( A Republican 2024 Climate Strategy: More Drilling, Less Clean Energy ), Carbon recycling ( Biden admin seeks to jumpstart carbon recycling...

Matt and Nick talk about the current El Niño lasting into next year ( El Niño will likely last into 2024, and more heat is coming : NPR )And conservation efforts in Africa’s wildlife parks ( Africa’s wildlife parks managers meet to boost conservation | AP News )! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on oth...

Matt and Nick talk about July being the hottest month on record ( This Looks Like Earth’s Warmest Month. Hotter Ones Appear to Be in Store ),Cacti struggling with global heat waves ( Even cacti struggle under extreme weather ),The Biden Administration’s response to high temperatures ( Biden announces new actions to help people deal with extreme heat ),Germany’s increased fossil fuel will be tempor...

Matt interviews Tucker Perkins, the president and chief executive officer of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and host of the Path to Zero podcast. Tucker believes climate change is both real and man-made, and his goal is to meet the world’s energy demands while reducing carbon in the atmosphere through the use of cleaner liquid fuels, such as propane. Make sure to check out our...

Matt interviews Sean B. Carroll, the head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. His studio has partnered with PBS Nature on a new eight-part series called Wild Hope , which began airing on pbs.org and on the PBS App on June 15. You can watch the Series Trailer here. Sean’s team highlights stories of change makers who are restoring and protecting our planet through hyper-local initiatives. More Wild Hope s...

Matt interviews Martha Hunt Handler , the Board President of the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), a New York-based non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the survival of wolves by inspiring a global community through education, advocacy, research and recovery. They're also playing a leading role in increasing the numbers of two critically endangered wolf species, the Mexican Gray wolf...

Matt interviews Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware’s Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology. Dr. Tallamy’s book Nature’s Best Hope Young Readers’ Edition: How you can Save the World in Your Own Yard is an adaptation of his New York Times Bestseller Nature’s Best Hope that aims to inspire kids to join the Homegrown National Park movement and learn how to protect the planet throug...

Matt and Nick talk about mosquito-borne virus risk on the rise because of climate change ( Climate change leads to growing risk of mosquito-borne viral diseases, EU agency says ), A train derailment in in the Yellowstone River ( Train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana ), A quick note on the wildfire smoke still affecting the United States, Power companies fight...

Matt and Nick talk about the temperature spikes around the world ( Fears of hottest year on record as global temperatures spike | Climate crisis ),Antonio Guterres calling for an end to fossil fuels ( UN chief says fossil fuels are ‘incompatible with human survival,’ calls for credible exit strategy ),Switzerland’s new net-zero goals ( As Switzerland’s glaciers melt, Alpine nation backs climate bi...

Matt interviews Beth McDaniel . Beth is a c-suite executive in the science and technology space, a successful entrepreneur, an accomplished attorney, and an advisor on climate technology. Beth’s company, Reactive Surfaces , works to make naturally-occuring, non-toxic paints and coatings that can be used to remove carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into biochar and other environmentally frie...

Matt and Nick talk about last week’s wildfire smoke ( Maps, satellite images show Canadian wildfire smoke enveloping parts of U.S. with unhealthy air ), How fungi can help in the fight against climate change ( Fungi may offer ‘jaw-dropping’ solution to climate change ), Environmentalists fighting for a healthy, livable climate in Montana ( Youth environmentalists bring Montana climate case to tria...

Matt and Nick talk about Earth reaching several tipping points ( Earth is 'really quite sick now' and in danger zone in nearly all ecological ways, study says ), Exxon’s decarbonization deal through carbon capture ( Exxon signs decarbonization contract with steel maker Nucor ), Germany and Denmark’s offshore wind cooperation deal ( Germany, Denmark sign offshore wind power cooperation deal ), Ariz...

Matt and Nick talk about Finland’s electricity prices decreasing thanks to nuclear and renewables ( Nuclear power helps bring down electricity prices by 75% in Finland ( thenationalnews.com )/ )And how climate change is impacting rice ( How Global Rice Farming Is Being Transformed by Climate Change - The New York Times ( nytimes.com ) )! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Ki...

Matt and Nick talk about the United Nations’ report on plastic pollution ( Plastic pollution could be slashed by 80% by 2040, UN says | Plastics ),The Supreme Court weakening an EPA rule on water pollution ( Supreme Court Limits EPA’s Power to Address Water Pollution ),California’s plan to fix its transmission line system ( California has a new $7.3B plan to fix its… ),State Farm has stopped accep...

Matt and Nick talk about the UK potentially banning products being labeled “carbon neutral” through offsets ( Adverts claiming products are carbon neutral by using offsetting face UK ban | Carbon offsetting )A temporary deal to protect the Colorado River ( Deal Is Reached to Keep Colorado River From Going Dry, for Now ),Colorado moving to protect pollinators ( Save the Bees: Legislature passes bil...

Matt and Nick talk about the EPA’s power plant pollution plan ( The EPA has a plan to eliminate climate pollution from power plants, but will it survive in court? ( msn.com ) ),Deforestation in the Amazon down under Lula ( Amazon Deforestation Down 40 Percent So Far This Year ( yahoo.com ) ),The EU’s latest renewable energy plan ( EU countries to finalise 42.5% renewable energy target | Reuters ),...

Matt interviews Carlton Ward Jr. Carlton is a National Geographic Explorer and photographer who founded the Florida Wildlife Corridor project in 2010, for which he trekked more than 2,000 miles during two expeditions supported by the National Geographic Society. In 2015, he launched the Path of the Panther project, an impact campaign with National Geographic and other partners that helped inspire...

Matt and Nick talk about New York’s ban on natural gas in new buildings ( New York first US state to ban natural gas in new buildings - BBC News ), Apple’s pledge to use 100% recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025 ( Apple to use only recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025 | Reuters ), New pro-fossil fuel regulations in Montana ( New Montana laws plow through environmental regulations for fossil fuels...

Matt and Nick talk about Shell’s decision to pull out of one of Britain’s largest carbon capture projects ( Shell pulls out of large carbon capture project in northern England | Reuters ),A fourth nuclear reactor at the Plant Vogtle in Georgia has completed testing ( Fourth reactor at Georgia nuclear plant completes test phase | AP News ),Asian Elephant habitat loss ( Almost two-thirds of elephant...

Matt and Nick talk about ( Support the Big Cat Public Safety Act ( aza.org ) )And parrots’ ability to use video chat ( Can Parrots Talk Over Video Chat? Experiment Shows How They Adapt and Connect - The New York Times ( nytimes.com ) )! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.

Matt and Nick talk about protections for old-growth forests in the US ( Biden plans protections for old-growth forests - E&E News ( eenews.net ) ),The SpaceX explosion’s environmental impact ( Debris from SpaceX rocket explosion rained down on protected wildlife refuge | The Independent ),Threats to the Chilean dolphin population ( Pollution, bird flu threaten 'very fragile' Chilean dolphin po...

Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration’s Colorado River plan ( Amid Colorado River crisis, these California farmers may face water cuts - The Washington Post ), Germany has officially closed its last nuclear plant ( As Germany ends nuclear era, activist says there is still more to do | Reuters ), Drunk birds ( Wildlife officials warn of drunk birds ( msn.com ) ), Sea level rise outpacin...

Matt interviews Clare SantaColoma . Clare’s love of animals and the outdoors have led her to some fantastic wildlife conservation positions, including a new role she is about to start with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory in California. She was most recently a Coastal Waterbird Monitor for the Massachusetts Audubon , where she worked with a team of researchers and wildlife managers to protect th...

Matt and Nick talk about the EPA strengthening its air pollution limits on power plants ( Biden EPA cracks down on mercury pollution from power plants ( cnbc.com ) ),The EPA’s new rules for electric vehicles ( New EPA rules will upend industry as automakers' EV plans are too low | Electrek ),How climate change is impacting baseball ( Climate change adding 50 homers a year in MLB, study says | AP N...

Matt and Nick talk about the massive storm and tornadoes that hit the US last week ( 32 dead as tornadoes torment from Arkansas to Delaware | AP News ),The Tornado that hit Mississippi and Alabama on March 24 ( Mississippi tornado destruction: A breakdown of what happened in Rolling Fork, other areas ( yahoo.com ) ),Germany’s reversal on an EU ban of internal combustion cars by 2035 ( EU was set t...