Living Planet

Hawaii and other tourist hot spots have banned some UV filters found in sunscreen, in part thanks to a fateful snack run for Oreos that put one ecotoxicologist on the trail of unsuspected coral killer in the ocean. Twenty years later, his search continues amid a cacophony of misinformation about sun protection.

With over 2 billion dollars in expected revenue and a projected carbon footprint of 500,000 tons of CO2, do the 2024 Euros deserve being called the "most sustainable European Championship" and is the competition hitting its eco-friendly targets? From discounted train rides to plant-based snacks, discover the real impact of this soccer fest as business interests clash with sustainability goals.

We're obsessed with our pooches, our kitty cats and our cockatiels – how could we not be? They're cute as heck! So, it's easy to turn off to news of how they might be hurting the environment and putting their own health in danger. But don't worry, pets can help us too – if we let them.

Sugar has changed the world. In this episode, we hear how this ubiquitous commodity reshaped economies, fueled the slave trade and influenced global health trends. And our desire for sugary foods has also left a mark on the environment. Is it time to question the sustainability of our sweet tooth? Or can we have our cake and eat it too?

A handful of sea water contains more than 50 million viruses. But they’re nothing to be afraid of, at least where human health is concerned. In fact, some scientists wonder if they can be harnessed to help fight climate change.

Roses are red, cornflowers are blue. Most flowers are grown on a different continent, what's it to you? There’s nothing quite like the gift of cut flowers – a special little piece of nature’s bounty in your hands. But the thing about flowers is, they've gotta be fresh and we want them year round. So, how do we grow them and how do they get to us?

We've been busy behind the scenes tweaking and updating the Living Planet podcast and we're finally ready to let you in on a few of our secrets!

We generate so much e-waste per year that we could easily fill enough garbage trucks to circle the globe. In this episode we learn about innovative solutions to our growing e-waste problem, the EU's new right-to-repair legislation, and how this shift is challenging our throwaway mindset. Can we fix our way to a more sustainable future?

On the road to a carbon-free future, a lot of drivers are facing a tough dilemma: Is it worth switching to an electric car if the gas-powered car I have can still run a few more years? Is the environmental footprint of an EV really that much better? We spoke to several experts about the upside and downside of e-mobility from range anxiety to charging infrastructure and more. Click here to listen.

This week we are sharing an episode from Feet in 2 Worlds — a project that brings the work of immigrant journalists to online news sites, podcasts, and public radio. This story was produced as part of Home, Interrupted, a podcast series by Feet in 2 Worlds that explores how the climate crisis affects immigrants across the US.