Living on Earth World Media Foundation

At the UN Climate Ambition Summit in New York, some developed nations promised more money to help vulnerable countries adapt, but biggest emitting countries including the US and China had no new plans to put on the table.
Also, microorganisms can generate carbon-rich soil and help plants grow, but too often our food comes from industrial farms that limit beneficial microbes by depleting the soil with tillage and toxic chemicals. Farmer and author Dorn Cox joins us to describe his collaborative high-tech vision of harnessing the power of microbes in the fight against climate disruption.
And hunted and trapped for centuries, wolves had all but disappeared from the contiguous US by 1960, but thanks to Endangered Species Act protections they’re bouncing back. A new pack with four pups was recently discovered further south in California in places where wolves hadn’t been seen for a century.
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In 2022 the US EPA opened a civil rights investigation into whether the State of Louisiana overburdens Black communities along “Cancer Alley” with toxic industries. But the agency abruptly closed the inquiry when the Louisiana attorney general filed a suit charging reverse discrimination.
Also, Africa has emitted a tiny fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions but is experiencing catastrophic impacts with little ability to adapt. So, climate finance was a focus of the recent Africa Climate Summit, which took place in advance of the Climate Ambition Summit that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is convening in New York on September 20th.
And overfishing, warming oceans, invasive species and unsustainable tourism threaten the rich marine life in the Mediterranean. So, a Turkish civil engineer and diver got together with local fishermen to pilot a community-run Marine Protected Area that led to expanded marine conservation in Turkey, and he was recognized with the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for Asia.
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Want to dig deeper on these stories? Check out our website loe.org for a full transcript, photos, and links to further reading.
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As extreme heat linked to climate disruption becomes more common during the school year, many U.S. schools lack adequate cooling and ventilation systems to keep kids safe and focused on learning. And temperature and air quality affect learning outcomes for low-income kids and students of color the most.
Also, the wildfires that killed more than 100 people and displaced thousands on the Hawaiian island of Maui left in their wake a toxic mess of melted and charred metals, plastics and more. How testing air, water, and soil can keep communities safe from contamination as they rebuild.
 And if you combine hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell, you get water and clean, green electricity. This chemical reaction is fueling visions of future, carbon free flights to change voyages of fantasy into reality. 
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Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events.
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Because of its unique geography, the United States is particularly vulnerable to nearly every kind of natural disaster: tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, and more. And these natural disasters are getting an unnatural boost with climate change.
Also, some Florida sugarcane growers near the Everglades still use the archaic method of burning fields to remove the tops and leaves before harvesting the sweet cane stalks. Communities of color nearby assert they bear a disproportionate burden of the smoke and ash pollution with adverse health effects.
And over the past four decades, sperm levels among men in Western countries have dropped by more than 50%, and female fertility is also declining. Some chemicals that disrupt hormones are key culprits, including those found in plastics, cosmetics and fracking solutions.
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Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events.
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New York state has adopted a law aimed at using federal funds to boost public power from renewables and shut down six polluting “peaker” gas power plants. Advocates say this will bring huge benefits for public health, environmental justice, and energy access.
Also, unhoused residents help keep California clean by collecting recyclables. But many unhoused people say the state has rarely engaged with them and can even make it more difficult for them to do their work.
And in her book The Hawk’s Way, author Sy Montgomery takes a deep dive into the world of hawks and falconry.
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Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixteen young plaintiffs have won their suit against the state of Montana over its refusal to protect them from climate change. We explain the unprecedented ruling and where the case could head next. 
Also, children and adolescents are facing increasing health risks from extreme heat, and a study that looked at heat and pediatric emergency department visits found that black and brown children are especially impacted.
And koalas begin life naked and tiny as a jellybean with none of the fur that makes them look so darn cuddly later. The natural history and uncertain future of the beloved koala.
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We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org.
 
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