The Planet Today

Matt and Nick talk about repurposing landfills in the US as solar farms ( U.S. Landfills Are Getting a Second Life as Solar Farms | Time ), A thermal power plant in France and its carbon impact ( Largest thermal power plant in France prevents as much CO2 as 1000 cars emit - Innovation Origins ), A bill to conserve endangered species passing 231-190 in the House of Representatives last week ( U.S....

Matt interviews Nick Schalitz, a Zone Engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Nick’s team covers 52 counties in North-Central Texas. The NRCS is within the United States Department of Agriculture and works with farmers and ranchers to provide the technical expertise needed to improve conservation efforts on their land. Learn more about the U.S. Department of Agriculture here: USDA...

Matt and Nick talk about climate activists concern about FIFA’s claim that this year’s World Cup will be carbon neutral ( Why climate activists aren't buying the FIFA World Cup's 'green' claims - CNN ), Flooding in Yellowstone National Park ( Yellowstone Park, Staggered by Rain and Floods, Will Stay Closed for Days - The New York Times (nytimes.com) ), Climate change’s impact on well water ( Clima...

Matt and Nick first talk about Australia’s new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. He is from the center-left Labor Party and wants Australia to become a “renewable energy superpower”. Climate change was a key concern of voters, according to the BBC. Australia has a history of climate denial in their politicians similar to that of the United States, so they guys discuss Australia’s history and talk...

Nick is back in the studio for his first episode since May 20! Matt and Nick talk about the results of No Mow May in the UK ( ‘It looks beautiful’: UK gardeners on leaving lawns uncut for No Mow May | Gardens | The Guardian ), The Rio Grande River drying up and its impact on local communities ( The Vanishing Rio Grande: Warming Takes a Toll on a Legendary River - Yale E360 ), The USPS is reconside...

Matt talks about the European Union’s decision to ban importing Russian crude oil by sea and what this means for the continent’s energy portfolio. Analysts say that this will hurt the Russian economy in the long-term, but the move will also impact European energy residential and commercial energy prices. Matt breaks this down and then gets into what this means for Europe’s renewable energy transit...

Matt is joined by recurring guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about an ancient forest in a giant Chinese sinkhole ( A giant sinkhole in China has an ancient forest growing inside : NPR ), Farmers in Nigeria vs. oil giant Shell ( Shell escaped liability for oil spills in Nigeria for years. Then four farmers took them to court -- and won - CNN ), President Jimmy Carter vs. a proposed road through a...

Matt talks about one story detailing massive oil and gas projects that could derail climate progress entirely and another story explaining one more reason to divest from fossil fuels. An investigation by Damian Carrington and Matthew Taylor of The Guardian found that “Oil and gas majors are planning scores of vast projects that threaten to shatter the 1.5C climate goal. If governments do not act,...

Matt makes his producing debut and is joined by recurring guest co-host Dan Walsh to talk about the EU increasing wind power in the North Sea ( 4 EU countries pledge tenfold rise in North Sea wind power | News | DW ), Will Amazon be cutting back on its plastic use? ( Amazon shareholders vote on resolution to require the company to address its colossal plastic problem (apnews.com) ), Electric vehic...

Matt interviews James Leitner, the Founder and Executive Director of Mission Clean Water (MCW). MCW aims to address a major issue with clean water projects in Africa: 60% of them fail within the first two years, according to the World Health Organization. MCW says this is because projects are implemented too quickly, and without proper consultation and coordination with local communities. Their fo...

Matt and Nick talk about the Lone Star Tick spreading alpha-gal syndrome in the U.S. ( The Tick That Causes a Meat Allergy Is on the Move - The New York Times (nytimes.com) ), A California coastal panel rejecting a proposal to build a seawater desalination plant ( Agency unanimously rejects California desalination project | AP News ), Oil refineries spreading benzene, a carcinogen, into communitie...

Matt and Nick talk about the latest section of this year’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC website describes this section by saying “The Working Group III report provides an updated global assessment of climate change mitigation progress and pledges, and examines the sources of global emissions. It explains developments in emission reduction and mitigation efforts...

Matt and Nick talk about forever chemicals impacting vast amount of US Cropland ( ‘Forever chemicals’ may have polluted 20m acres of US cropland, study says | PFAS | The Guardian ), One of the largest mangrove forests in Puerto Rico impacted by development ( Builders hurt protected areas in climate-weary Puerto Rico | AP News ), The Great Pacific Garbage Patch supporting life ( The Ocean’s Biggest...

Matt and Nick break down the news that California’s attorney general has opened an investigation into companies promoting the idea that plastics can be recycled, when in reality, it’s not that simple. They also talk about recycling aluminum, glass, and paper compared to recycling plastic. Source material for today’s show: California Investigating Oil Companies For Alleged Plastic Recycling Decepti...

Matt and Nick talk about the link between big banks and climate change ( Wells Fargo and Citigroup Vote to Keep Financing Fossil Fuels | The New Republic ), Drought in the Western U.S. ( New government maps show nearly all of the West is in drought and it's not even summer yet: "This is unprecedented" - CBS News ), Wildfire in New Mexico ( Dangerous New Mexico wildfire forces historic city to evac...

Matt and Nick talk about rooftop solar in American cities and how far solar has come in the past decade ( 9 U.S. cities now produce more solar power than the entire U.S. did 10 years ago (yahoo.com) ). Full report: Shining Cities 2022 (environmentcalifornia.org)

Matt and Nick talk about inspect populations declining due to climate change and agriculture ( Climate change and farming driving insect decline - BBC News ), Permafrost thawing in Alaska and what that means for climate change ( https://grist.org/science/alaska-permafrost-thawing-ice-climate-change/ ), Wynn Alan Bruce’s fatal climate protest on Earth Day ( Wynn Alan Bruce: Climate activist dies af...

Matt and Nick are joined by guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about something they last spoke about on June 11, 2021 - cryptocurrencies and their climate impact. This is a longer episode, but there's a lot to cover with this topic. They start off with a refresher on crypto and mining for them, a discussion of the Crypto Climate Accord, then dive into a thought-provoking question posed by the Revea...

It’s Earth Day! Matt and Nick celebrate by talking about the U.S. resuming drilling for oil and gas on public lands ( U.S. to resume oil, gas drilling on public land despite Biden campaign pledge | Reuters ), The shock-wave from the Tonga Volcanic eruption in January 2022 ( ‘It’s Super Spectacular.’ See How the Tonga Volcano Unleashed a Once-in-a-Century Shockwave. - The New York Times (nytimes.co...

Matt interviews Brian Alderman and Nate Truitt! Brian is the Founder and CEO of IvyCo, a financial technology company that aims to increase engagement with the climate crisis and raise money to protect our American forests and fund environmental non-profits. Nate is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at the American Forest Foundation, which aims for meaningful conservation impact th...

Matt and Nick talk about the White House’s Office of Management and Budget calling the financial risks of climate change “immense” ( White House details ‘immense’ risks of climate change for federal budget | The Hill ) African nations ramping up renewables to mitigate climate change and boost their economies ( Africa looks to renewables to curb warming, boost economies - ABC News (go.com) ), Could...

Matt and Nick talk about the Spinosaurus: a dinosaur with penguin-like bones. National Geographic’s Michael Greshko reports that this is a sign of underwater hunting. The Spinosaurus and its cousin, the Baryonyx, are the only known dinosaurs other than birds with this adaptation. So what did we learn about the Spinosaurus? What does this discovery mean for the species? And what else have we learne...

Matt and Nick talk about a Sumatran Rhino born in Indonesia's Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park ( Heartwarming News As A Critically Endangered Sumatran Rhino Is Born At The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary In Indonesia - World Animal News ) Logging in Tongass National Forest ( A logging loophole is clear-cutting the Tongass National Forest - Grist | Grist ), The fight to protect little...

Matt and Nick review the 2020 documentary Kiss the Ground on Netflix. The documentary’s description says “Science experts and celebrity activists unpack the ways in which the earth’s soil may be the key to combating climate change and preserving the planet.” Matt and Nick read the documentary’s summary before getting into some discussion questions and chatting about it.

Matt and Nick talk about European waters being impacted by oil discharge from ships ( Revealed: ships may dump oil up to 3,000 times a year in Europe’s waters | Oil spills | The Guardian ), The USPS announced it would be buying mostly traditional vans and trucks to deliver mail - would a fully electric mail service be possible? ( USPS Could Serve Nearly All Its Mail Routes in Electric Vehicles, a...