The Sweaty Penguin

Wastewater treatment plants made national news this month after the mayor of Danbury, CT (the city where Ethan was born) responded to a joke on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” by naming Danbury’s sewer plant the “John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant.” But in addition to being the ~butt~ of a joke, wastewater treatment plants have been responsible for some environmental issues. Today, we discuss a...

The global vanilla market is ridiculously unstable, with vanilla prices  swinging from $20/kg to $600/kg in the span of a few years, higher than the price of silver. And 80% of vanilla is grown in Madagascar, an island facing extreme poverty and, increasingly, cyclones which threaten to destabilize the market even further. Today, we break down why the  vanilla price swings so dramaticall...

Join us for a conversation with The Sweaty Penguin’s three Researchers  Olivia Amitay, Megan Crimmins, and Dain Kim about mega(n)cities, fast  fashion, salmon, and some of the recent climate-induced hurricanes and  wildfires currently hitting the United States.

As fibers like cotton and polyester became cheaper to procure, fast  fashion stores began creating items that appeared fashionable at a  fraction of the price. In doing so, they created a culture where people  buy a lot more clothes and wear them for much longer periods of time,  and that over-consumption has spurred countless environmental, economic,  and humanitarian problems. Today, we touch on...

During the coronavirus pandemic, a global economic collapse, and  increasingly frequent and severe droughts, what better time for southern  African countries to see upticks in another disease: pellagra.  Pellagra, a disease caused by chronic deficiencies in Vitamin B3  (niacin), is prevented with nothing more than a half-decent diet. So why  is it still here in 2020? Today...

In the last thirty years, the number of cities with a population of over  ten million jumped from 10 to 34. Today, 55% of the world population  lives in a city. And those numbers are only going up, which creates  concerns since megacities face disproportionate effects of climate  change due to their population densities and geographic locations.  Today, we’ll break down so...

We often hear about projects that will harm salmon such as the recently  proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska, but why does it matter? As it  turns out, salmon isn’t just a tasty meal, but a multi-billion dollar  economic engine, a centerpiece of Native American and Alaskan culture,  and a species that rivers, streams, and nearby ecosystems can’t survive  without. Today...

On this week’s bonus episode, we’re discussing the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, reflecting on last week’s Rethinking Climate Change episode as Frank’s home in Puerto Rico experiences a tropical storm, sharing some behind the scenes stories about the making of “The UNEP Song,” and more. With Sweaty Penguin Researcher Olivia Amitay and Producers Frank Hernandez and Caroline Koehl.

Climate change is so often framed as a problem for “our kids and our  grandkids,” and that’s true, but climate change is also here right now,  and it’s causing a lot of problems. We’ll take a look at a few of the  countless problems climate change causes today, and how we can better  conceptualize climate change as we move forward and try to adapt to  these issues. With sp...

Murder hornets may be getting all the attention, but gypsy moths are another invasive insect species causing a lot of damage by defoliating trees, disrupting wildlife, causing skin rashes, and costing cities, homeowners, and the timber industry millions of dollars. Today, we’re talking gypsy moths: why they’re so harmful and what we can do about it. With special guest Dr. Valerie Pasquarella: Eart...

Aside from some scary climate change reports you may hear in the news, what does the United Nations Environment Programme do? As it turns out, a lot less than you might expect, and that’s because UNEP was designed to have less power than many other UN affiliates. Today, we break down what UNEP has and hasn’t accomplished, some proposed improvements to UNEP, and why international cooperation on the...

As coronavirus continues to spread, people with asthma have faced a higher death rate. And asthma itself is a huge issue too, killing ten Americans every day. This week, we take a deep dive into the South Bronx in New York City, a low-income, high-density, predominantly Black and Latino community nicknamed “Asthma Alley” due to its high asthma rate, and discuss what causes and triggers asthma, why...

This week, we bring you our top environmental news headlines, and then sit down with The Sweaty Penguin’s Producers Shannon Damiano, Frank Hernandez, and Caroline Koehl to share updates and reflections on Beef and Natural Gas Compressor Stations.

Whether it’s for heat, cooking, or electricity, most Americans use natural gas regularly. But before arriving at your home, natural gas traveling through a long pipeline enters a compressor station, and compressor stations release greenhouse gases, neurotoxins, carcinogens, and an absurd amount of noise. To make matters worse, compressor stations are disproportionately built in low income and mino...

Most environmental issues we hear about are caused and controlled by humans, but earthquakes happen whether we’re here or not. But just because we can’t stop them doesn’t mean we can’t significantly reduce the injuries, casualties, and economic damages. Today, we discuss why earthquakes happen, why they’re so hard to predict, what problems they cause, and how earthquake-prone cities can better pre...

What do cell phones, computers, airplane engines, and wind turbines have in common? They all require rare earth minerals, and while these minerals can be mined and processed sustainably, they currently are not, leading to environmental, health, and national security issues. Today, we discuss these issues, and consider ways to clean up the supply chain, scale back on our rare earth mineral consumpt...

Wondering why there’s so much fuss in the news over cow farts? We’ve got you covered. This week, we discuss why beef’s environmental impact far exceeds most other food products and consider ways to reduce those impacts without giving up too many of our steaks and burgers. We’re joined by Sebastian Bishop (Reed College), Adrian Castanon Galicia (Boston University), and special guest Dr. Rachael Gar...

This week, we bring you our top environmental news headlines, and then sit down with The Sweaty Penguin’s Producers Shannon Damiano, Frank Hernandez, and Caroline Koehl to discuss some updates and clarifications on our Traffic, Lawn Pesticides, Yosemite National Park, and Lead Paint episodes, as well as how each issue has developed during the coronavirus pandemic.

We often think of lead paint as a problem of the past, but in reality, any house built before 1978 could have lead paint on the walls, and when they do, the health risks are enormous, especially for young children. We’ll discuss the environmental and health problems lead paint poses and consider ways to test for and abate lead in our homes. We’re joined by Frank Serpe (Boston University), Katherin...

Yosemite was set aside as a national park in 1890, and since then, we haven’t done a spotless job preserving and managing it. There’s even a Starbucks in the park! We’ll discuss the economic inefficiencies, inequities, and environmental degradation currently taking place at Yosemite and consider ways to both solve these specific issues and think about the land where we live. We’re joined by Leo Br...

We often hear “pesticides are safe” or “pesticides are toxic,” but in reality, it’s not that simple. We’ll discuss the impacts of various lawn pesticides on public health and the environment, what improvements could be made from a policy perspective, and how you can safely control weeds and insects on your lawn. We’re joined by Ben Brod (University of Connecticut), Spencer Brown (Quinnipiac Univer...

Not only does traffic contribute to climate change, but it costs the average American $1,377 per year in lost time. We’ll break down the issue, and debate some possible solutions like mass transit renovations, bike sharing, congestion pricing, and smaller market-based mechanisms. We’re joined by Christian Alberga (Williams College), Matt Grottkau (Washington University), and special guest Dr. Cutl...