Each year, the world produces 430 million tons of plastics – and that figure is set to triple by 2060. How did plastics become such a big part of our lives? And what can we do reduce the harm they cause? Today, we share an episode from our colleagues at On the Green Fence, who delve into the plastic problem in their new season.

How did we become planet plastic?

As the northern hemisphere's summer heat intensifies, wildfires burn from Greece to Algeria to California, and climate scientists admit that even some of these extremes were beyond their predictions, we talk drought, heat, fire — and what happens when that collides with mass tourism.

Extreme heat & mass tourism

We visit the state of West Virginia in the United States to hear from people grappling with the phase out of coal mining. What's next for this poor state where the coal industry has dominated for more than 100 years? Julia Kastein investigates.

Leaving coal, not people, behind

Solar energy is about to get a push in Croatia which has a lot of sunshine, but so far hasn't really done much with that potential. Food waste is a global problem. In many countries of the global south, it's often down to being unable to keep produce cool. Could solar power help? And we check in with a low-lying coastal community in the US that's already feeling the effects of sea level rise.

The power of solar

Why the survival of the Mexican axolotl matters for keeping Mexico City's temperature down. The special carbon-capturing capacities of clams. And a new, all-natural woolly lawnmower taking off in France.

Cooling amphibians & carbon-capturing mollusks

We hear about how used cars from wealthy countries are getting a new lease on life in Ghana. And we talk to a transport sustainability researcher about why that kind of upcycling isn't as good for the environment as it might seem, as well as what reform could look like. And we visit Norway, where we meet those for and against the idea to mine its deep sea for critical minerals.

Where your dirty old cars end up & Norway's bid to mine the ocean floor

As fires are burning in Canada in what's been called an unprecedented wildfire season, with smoke drifting over to the United States and even across the Atlantic Ocean over to European countries, we talk fires and drought on the show. How should we deal with wildfires? What can we do to prevent the worst? And do controlled fires have a place when it comes to prevention?

The world on fire: How to deal with wildfires

How do sperm whales express their cultural differences? And what kind of music would birds and the wind make if you gave them the chance? In today's episode, we listen to some curious soundscapes, as well as hear from the climate scientists in Maryland trying to figure out what the future will look like if we change one of Earth's hardest working carbon sinks: saltwater marshes.

Whale speak, nature's opera & tidal marshes (rebroadcast)

Bill McKibben

We talk to author &amp; environmentalist Bill McKibben about the link between power, Russia's war and the climate crisis, and what people often overlook in the fight against it. We also travel to a place bearing the consequences of Germany's exit from Russian coal. And, from Lithuania, we ask: how is climate change altering the way we understand seasons?

Bill McKibben on power & the climate emergency (rebroadcast)

Amitav Ghosh

We talk to renowned Indian author Amitav Ghosh about the origins of the climate crisis, the story of one very important spice, and why he prefers the term "planetary crisis" to the climate crisis.

Amitav Ghosh on colonialism & the climate crisis

Every Thursday, a new episode of Living Planet brings you environment stories from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day. The prize-winning, weekly half-hour radio magazine and podcast is produced by Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster - visit dw.com/environment for more.

This week we're sharing an episode of Drilled, a true-crime climate podcast we love that describes itself as Law &amp; Order meets the climate crisis. This is episode one from their new season that follows the story of a Guyanese reporter as she tries to find out what kind of deal was struck between ExxonMobil and the Guyanese government after they discovered oil reserves off the country's coast.

Introducing: Drilled on ExxonMobil's oil colonialism in Guyana

We hear from people in Puchuncaví, Chile, who want to reclaim their region from industrial exploitation. And we talk to author and expert Saleem Ali about how to reduce the harm of mining and refining the minerals critical to harnessing renewable energy and powering electric vehicles.

Critical minerals & decarbonization: Can we have our cake and eat it, too?

In this special episode, three experts on climate mis/disinformation discuss the way factually inaccurate and misleading information about the environment travels around the web. Climate journalist Stella Levantesi, climate communication researcher John Cook and Wikimedia strategist Alex Stinson join Sam Baker for an engaging round-table discussion, which originally was broadcast in 2022.

Climate misinformation: How do we tackle it? (rebroadcast)

We hear why Kenyan farmers are rejecting genetically modified seeds, meet the biodiversity guardians protecting peace in the rainforest region of Caquetá, Colombia, and find out how Ghana's coastline is at severe risk of being swallowed by the sea.

Genetic modification divides Kenya, swapping coca for biodiversity in Colombia & Ghana's eroding coastline

This week we're sharing an episode from Heat of the Moment, a podcast from Foreign Policy in partnership with the Climate Investment Funds. In Season 3, they explore the idea of a "just transition" away from fossil fuels — not only what that means for the coal miners whose jobs are going away, but also how the opportunity can be used to address wrongdoings such as racism, sexism and colonialism.

Introducing: Heat of the Moment on what a 'just transition' really means

On Living Planet this week, too many deer in the Scottish Highlands are leading to community disputes over how to deal with them. As India works to clean up its air, scientists have realized there may be a surprising trade-off: even higher temperatures. And we venture into the heart of the humanitarian disaster that is cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo with author Siddharth Kara.

Conflicting priorities: The cost of cobalt, dealing with deer in Scotland & fighting heat and air pollution in India's slums

This week on Living Planet, we hear how refugees in Cameroon are creating shade and fresher air, as they connect their tree-planting project to the Great Green Wall of Africa. We also unpack Uganda's electronic waste problem, which has been made worse by a flood of cheap, counterfeit mobile phones on the market. And we learn about the promise and drawbacks of compostable packaging.

Fake electronics lead to e-waste, the pitfalls of compostable packaging and a greener refugee camp

We head to the Hawaiian Islands to hear how climate change and the touristic obsession with a dreamy island getaway is steadily eroding the archipelago, driving local people, flora and fauna to extinction. And we learn from South African scientists and teachers trying to protect 200 species of shark off the country's coast.

Hawaii: Paradise in peril

Are two of the world's most beloved beverages – coffee and wine – viable in a world warped by climate change? And how's the world going with the whole 'sustainable aviation' thing?

A change of taste: Coffee, wine & flying

We hear how the next zoonotic disease could be brewing in Kenya, and speak to a non-profit group trying to save the world's rainforests, who may have just struck upon a way to ward off the next deadly virus while they're at it.

Preventing the next pandemic

My favorite podcast i always learn such important information that impacts my decisions and consumption habits. Keep it up!

Excellent!

I just love this podcast for the international stories they follow!

A Wonderful World View!

Every Thursday, a new episode of Living Planet brings you environment stories from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day. The prize-winning, weekly half-hour radio magazine and podcast is produced by Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster - visit <a href="http://dw.com/environment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dw.com/environment</a> for more.

Living Planet | Deutsche Welle

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