How We Survive

In the past decade, 1.5 has become an important number when talking about the climate crisis. (As in 1½ degrees Celsius, which equates to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.) It’s considered the maximum increase in temperature since preindustrial times that Earth can handle before all sorts of terrible things happen. But on the surface, 1.5 degrees doesn’t sound like a huge number. So what gives? In this episode, Amy chats with climate experts to dive deeper into what this number actually means.

Have you ever wondered where it’s safe to buy (or rent) a home? Maybe you’re looking to make more environmentally friendly choices at the supermarket. Or, you’d like to know how to keep climate despair at bay. We’re here to help! The “Burning Questions” series from “How We Survive” responds to your concerns, big and small, about the climate crisis. Join us as we navigate how our choices intersect with the well-being of the planet, starting June 26.

Leigh Harris, a resident in the American West, and her husband Franck Avril discuss their struggles with severe water scarcity in their dream home. They reveal the pressing challenges faced by communities relying on the Colorado River amid climate change. The couple addresses innovative solutions like ocean desalination and recycled wastewater. They also highlight a growing movement advocating for nature's rights, suggesting rivers and ecosystems deserve legal recognition. Their personal journey underscores the emotional ties to water and the urgency for sustainable practices.

We are working on another season of our series Burning Questions and we want to hear from you! What are your most pressing climate questions? Are you trying to figure out when to invest in an electric car? Or maybe you want to make climate-friendly changes to your diet?Whatever your question is you can send us a note or a voice memo to survive@marketplace.org

We have a special episode for you today. We’re sharing an episode of the new podcast from APM Studios and Western Sound called “Ripple.”The largest oil spill in American history captivated the public’s attention for the entire summer of 2010. Authorities told a story of a herculean response effort that made shorelines safe and avoided a worst case scenario. Was that really the whole picture?“Ripple” is a new series investigating the stories we were told were over.In Season One, the reporting team traveled hundreds of miles across the Gulf Coast to learn the ongoing effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill — which are still impacting many coastal residents more than a decade later. Here is episode 1! And if you’d like to hear more episodes, you can find “Ripple” wherever you get your podcasts.

Participate in the cycle of life and sequester some carbon while you’re at it — even if you don’t have a city-provided green bin! Caleigh Wells and Candice Dickens-Russell geek out about their own composting methods, and discuss what they’ve learned from an urban farm owner.

It’s been quite a year! The “How We Survive” team piloted a new series, “Burning Questions,” answering your most pressing climate concerns. We also spent months traveling across the South West, from Arizona and New Mexico to Nevada and California, to report on the West’s water crisis for our fourth season. We could not have done this kind of reporting without your support. So thank you! Your support keeps our non-profit newsroom and podcasts going and helps us keep bringing you the climate solutions journalism you love. If you’re able, consider making a (tax deductible) year-end donation today.Contribute what you can today at marketplace.org/survive.

Discover the revolutionary movement advocating for rivers to have legal rights, inspired by Indigenous values. Learn about New Zealand's landmark decision granting personhood to the Whanganui River. Explore the emotional connections between communities and nature, and hear about the ongoing legal battles concerning salmon rights. Journey to the Colorado River's headwaters and reflect on the urgent need for sustainable water management. This discussion challenges us to rethink our relationship with the environment and consider nature's rights in modern legal frameworks.

As water supplies in the west dry up, finding solutions is critical. The good news is that water is all around us, if you know where to look and how to treat it. In this episode, we’re going on a road trip to check out the fascinating technology producing water from the sewer, the ocean and even out of the sky! Plus, Amy tastes the next generation of water and shares her favorite.

Las Vegas is a fantastical Disneyland for adults in the middle of the desert. It features fabulous displays of water — like the thousand dancing fountains of the Bellagio Hotel or the winding canals that recreate Venice at the Venetian Hotel. But surprisingly, it’s a city that has also become known for water conservation and innovation.In this episode, we sit down with Pat Mulroy, who was the top water manager in Southern Nevada for 25 years and led conservation efforts in the desert city. We talk with her about the existential crisis that Las Vegas and other desert cities face, how Southern Nevada has been able to cut its Colorado River water use by 31% in the past two decades, and what that means for the trade-offs that we all may have to consider to keep living where we want to live.