Episodes

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. beekeepers lost 1 in 3 honeybees during the winter of 2012, and this is cause for alarm. Declining bee populations have been making news recently, and this is much more than an endangered species story. Certain crops we take for granted are dependent upon bee pollination to grow. Among these are: apples, almonds, blueberries, watermelon, cherries, peaches, avocados, cucumbers, cranberries, onions, blackberries, grapefruit, oranges, raspberries, cantaloup...

Concerned citizens of the UK are pressuring their supermarkets to revert to requiring use of non-GMO feed, not just for poultry and eggs, but for ALL their livestock products. In April 2013 Tesco, Co-Op, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsbury’s announced that they would switch their egg and poultry production to genetically modified (GMO) feed, reportedly to save consumers a few pennies on animal products. But many shoppers are concerned about the human health implications of consuming animal products t...

These days, consumers have a lot of choices when buying a car, and “green” options have never been more plentiful. Today’s show will help us understand the difference between EVs, Hybrids, and Eco-friendly vehicles and which option best suits our lifestyle. James Bell, auto expert and Head of Consumer Affairs for General Motors will join us to discuss the “Do’s and Don’ts of Green Car Shopping.” Prior to joining GM, James was Vice President of Corporate Communications and Executive Market Analys...

Defining environmental finance is tricky as there's no widely agreed upon definition. Instead, there are a variety of certifications, standards and attributes that can be used to help identify greener businesses. Wells Fargo set a goal of providing $30 billion in environmental finance by 2020, and is asking for public feedback on the categories they have established for environmental financing. Today we will talk about the environmental impact of the projects Wells Fargo is currently funding, an...

With over 30 yoga videos produced, and gushing endorsements from followers like Oprah Winfrey and Donna Karan, today’s guest has helped some of the busiest people on the planet learn how to bring their minds and bodies into alignment with their health goals. But much more than simply being a fitness instructor, Rodney Yee works in conjunction with Gaiam, Inc. to produce products and tools that respect natural resources, and help people tread more lightly on the Earth. Tune in to learn more about...

The Natural Resources Defense Council has just released its annual report on water quality at U.S. beaches, and found that the number of beach closing and advisory days exceeded 20,000 for the 8th time in the past 9 years. On today’s show, we’ll talk with Jon Devine, NRDC’s Senior Attorney for their water program, who will help us understand the sources of pollution that impact our beaches, and what can be done to mitigate or eliminate the pollution altogether. For anyone who loves a great day a...

Yearly plug-in vehicle sales increased 198 percent in 2012, and the number of available models in the U.S. market is expected to triple by model year 2015. Since entering the market just more than two years ago, more than 70,000 plug-in vehicles have hit American roads. Today we’ll be joined by Brian Wynne, President of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), to discuss both performance and public policy issues that impact the electrification of light transportation in the U.S.

Defining environmental finance is tricky as there's no widely agreed upon definition. Instead, there are a variety of certifications, standards and attributes that can be used to help identify greener businesses. Wells Fargo set a goal of providing $30 billion in environmental finance by 2020, and is asking for public feedback on the categories they have established for environmental financing. Today we will talk about the environmental impact of the projects Wells Fargo is currently funding, an...

One of the drawbacks of solar and wind energy is the intermittency of power generation, and the inability of our current electricity grid to handle an inconsistent flow of electrons. If solar and wind power were coupled with large-scale energy storage capacity, this could create the steady flow of electricity that is optimal for our grid. One of the promising technologies for mass energy storage is vanadium flow batteries (VFB’s). Today we’re joined by the CEO of American Vanadium, a Canadian mi...

As Terry Walters writes in the introduction to her book, CLEAN FOOD, “In this country, the topic of food is charged with emotion and controversy…Our produce departments and grocery shelves are lined with…pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, chemical additives…stripping our food of its inherent nutritional value. Behind each glass of milk or piece of meat is an agenda, a lobbyist, a Fortune 500 company, a distribution chain, a processing plant…The further we remove ourselves from the source o...

Today’s guest is Dr. Sarah Janssen, senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council's health and environment program. Her work has included research on flame retardants, cosmetics, plastics and plasticizers, breast cancer and threats to adult reproductive health and child development. She is an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco where she is conducting clinical research. She completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in molecular and integrative physiology a...

If you are concerned with your family’s health and the environment you leave to the next generation, then it’s time to consider the impact that factory farming is having on both. Today’s guest has been hailed “the conscience of the food movement” by Time magazine. Gene Baur is the President and Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that is on a mission to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan li...

Military veterans know what it means to work hard. They have leadership skills, an ability to adapt, team-oriented values, and a desire to continue serving their country. That’s why they expect to find good employment opportunities after leaving the service. They want a job that is well-suited to their skills and interests, and allows them to take care of themselves and their family. But when it comes to finding those jobs, veterans may not know where to start. Veterans Green Jobs can help. Vete...

Traffic in National Parks during peak season is significant. Americans have long enjoyed packing in to bring their families to visit our national treasurers, and the fondest memories of many generations happen in our National Parks each year. Adding to the long lines of traffic are trucks bringing in something for sale that is already in the park for free – water. In addition, there are trucks heading out of the parks carrying tons of plastic water bottles. Does this make sense? We’ll discuss th...

Are industrial meat operations to blame for the rise in drug-resistant illnesses and superbugs? How can consumers protect themselves, and what role should the government play in safeguarding our food supply from unhealthy farming practices? Today we are joined by Russ Kremer, a.k.a. the “Pope of Pork”, a recipient of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 2013 Growing Green Award, and Dr. Jason Newland, Medical Director of Patient Safety and Systems Reliability Director, Antimicrobial Stewardsh...

Traffic in National Parks during peak season is significant. Americans have long enjoyed packing in to bring their families to visit our national treasurers, and the fondest memories of many generations happen in our National Parks each year. Adding to the long lines of traffic are trucks bringing in something for sale that is already in the park for free – water. In addition, there are trucks heading out of the parks carrying tons of plastic water bottles. Does this make sense? We’ll discuss th...

Currently, the world derives 86 percent of its energy from finite fuels: oil, coal, and natural gas. If we have not already reached peak oil production, we are close to it, meaning that half of planet’s oil supply is already gone. At some point, we will reach peak coal and natural gas production, as well. Renewable energy delivers less than one percent (1%) of the world’s energy supply, and is not being deployed on a scale to replace even a small percentage of the world’s current and projected e...

Yearly plug-in vehicle sales increased 198 percent in 2012, and the number of available models in the U.S. market is expected to triple by model year 2015. Since entering the market just more than two years ago, more than 70,000 plug-in vehicles have hit American roads. Today we’ll be joined by Brian Wynne, President of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), to discuss both performance and public policy issues that impact the electrification of light transportation in the U.S.

According to my guests today, we may be witnessing the dawn of a new industrial revolution. But instead of raw ingredients like coal, steel, and lumber, this century’s boom is likely to be fueled by lithium, tantalum, vanadium, and a host of other rare earth minerals and metals. These are the elements that will make possible infinite vs. finite energy technologies, medical device advances, and communication capabilities that will touch all people around the globe. Because these elements are only...

Today’s guest is Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association. We will discuss how geothermal energy works, how it differs from other energy sources in cost and cleanliness, and how U.S. energy policy (or the lack thereof) impacts our nation’s capacity to fully utilize geothermal energy. Currently, geothermal plants generate less than 1% of total U.S. electricity, but according to a report released in 2006 from the Department of Energy, our domestic reserves of geothermal...

Military veterans know what it means to work hard. They have leadership skills, an ability to adapt, team-oriented values, and a desire to continue serving their country. That’s why they expect to find good employment opportunities after leaving the service. They want a job that is well-suited to their skills and interests, and allows them to take care of themselves and their family. But when it comes to finding those jobs, veterans may not know where to start. Veterans Green Jobs can help. Vete...

The global clean energy marketplace is expanding rapidly, but the competitive position of American industry is at risk because of increased competition abroad and uncertain policies at home, according to a report to be released Jan. 17 by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, Innovate, Manufacture, Compete: A Clean Energy Action Plan, states that revenue in the clean energy sector worldwide could total $1.9 trillion from 2012 to 2018. Yet roundtable discussions with more than 100 U.S. industry l...

Some of the leading voices in the American environmental movement restate the case that population growth is a major force behind many of our most serious ecological problems, including climate change, habitat loss, air and water pollution, and food and water scarcity. The new book, Life on the Brink, is a compellation of essays contributed by leaders in a range of disciplines, offering varied perspectives on hard issues regarding contraception, abortion, immigration, and limits to growth. Today...

What do coal plants, volcanoes, and your breath have in common? Carbon emissions. Of course, there are countless examples of additional sources of carbon emissions – some natural, some man-made – but our planet’s ability to absorb all that carbon is strained, to say the least. Wetlands, forests and oceans are the systems that bear the greatest capacity to extract carbon from the atmosphere, but as Earth’s CO2 levels continue to rise, and forests and wetlands increasingly succumb to development, ...