KQED's Forum

When Carol Offen’s son needed a kidney, she did not hesitate to offer her own, but she still had a lot of questions. In the United States, nearly 100,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant with waitlists as long as five years or more, and every day 12 people die of kidney disease. As a result, living kidney donations have become increasingly popular. We talk to Offen, co-author of the book “The Insider’s Guide to Living Kidney Donation,” and Dr. Nancy Ascher, an organ transplant expert who is also a kidney donor, about organ transplants and what it takes to make what organ recipients call, “the greatest gift.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One tenth of the world's mature giant sequoias were killed by the Castle Fire that scorched the southern Sierra Nevada late last year after a flurry of lightning strikes according to a new draft report prepared by the National Park Service. That’s an estimated 7,500 to 10,000 trees that had previously survived thousands of years of wildfires. Giant sequoias capture carbon dioxide from human pollution, provide critical habitat for wildlife and protect the watershed that communities rely on. We’ll talk about how far-reaching the consequences of losing these trees could be, the impact of this year’s extreme drought conditions on sequoia seedling regrowth and the outlook for sequoias in a changing climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A growing number of adults are choosing to not become parents, a lifestyle described as “child-free.” Yet many people, especially women, say they feel judged by their families, friends — and even their own doctors — when they vocalize not wanting children. By the same token, some parents say that to express regret — for the age at which they had kids, for their partner choice or for becoming a parent at all — is entirely taboo. As birth rates decline in the U.S. and globally, we’ll talk about the societal taboos around parenthood, why they’re so pervasive and how the conversation may be shifting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could biologists be America’s next generation of farmers? By now, we are all familiar with plant-based burgers, but dozens of Silicon Valley start-ups are hoping to transform what we eat by using ingredients like algae, mycelium and pea protein to create a wide range of foods. Tech-driven food has been lauded as good for the environment, but what exactly are we eating? Is lab food like fake eggs and seafood from a petri dish healthy and sustainable? We’ll talk to author and investigative reporter, Larissa Zimberoff, about her new book - “Technically Food: Inside Silicon Valley’s Mission to Change What We Eat.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than a year into a pandemic that's left millions of Californians jobless, it's harder than ever to reach the state’s Employment Development Department. That's according to a new San Francisco Chronicle analysis which found that in May, nearly a third of callers couldn’t get through to EDD, and each caller averaged more than 10 tries. The frustrating situation has led some to hire intermediaries, like Autodial and Claimr, to help them break through jammed lines. We’ll talk about how those services work and hear about your experiences dealing with EDD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her new book “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment,” author and sustainability advocate Maxine Bédat explores the complex world of how clothes end up on our bodies. While clothing has become cheaper and more plentiful overall, the clothing industry’s productivity comes at a great cost to garment workers and the environment, Bédat argues. By chronicling the life cycle of a garment, from cotton seed to a finished pair of jeans, Bédat demonstrates the need to rethink our obsession with “fast fashion,” low prices and overstuffed closets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on Monday, her decision set off a flurry of reaction well beyond the world of tennis. Before the tournament began, Osaka announced she would not be doing any post-match press conferences, a decision that cost her $15,000 in fines and resulted in threats from other Grand Slams of future punishment and possible expulsion for failure to talk to the media. In response, Osaka issued a statement withdrawing from the tournament, saying she has been suffering from “long bouts of depression.” Her sponsors and athletes like NBA star Steph Curry have lauded her candid response. Critics have argued that press is part of the game. What obligations do professional athletes have to the press, and what responsibility does the press have to them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the vaccinated shed their masks and rejoin the world, they may be required to prove their vaccination status to enter events or to travel. But while many countries are developing a federal vaccine passport, the Biden administration says the U.S will not. That’s left private companies and some cities and states to develop systems for digital proof of vaccination. We’ll check in on the progress of vaccination passports and when and where you may need one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Researchers estimate that some 20 to 40 percent of food in America goes to waste at some point in the span from farm to kitchen. Strategies for reducing food waste — such as upcycling, artificial intelligence and expanded cooking education — are gaining traction among producers and consumers alike. Americans throw out roughly a quarter of the food they buy. At the same time, the number of people struggling to afford food on a regular basis increased during the pandemic. We talk about methods to reduce food waste, climate change and food insecurity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even amid a global pandemic, weight stayed center stage in the national consciousness as many bemoaned their lockdown weight gain, commonly called the “Covid 15.” That’s no surprise to critics who say that the cult of thinness and the pervasive message that being skinny equals wellness have long been part of American culture. While society has become more size inclusive, some argue that the damage to self image, particularly for millennial women, has been done. We’ll talk about body image, diet culture, and what it means to equate health with thinness. To get help with an eating disorder, the National Eating Disorders Association has toll-free warm line at 1-800-931-2237 and for 24/7 crisis support, you can text 'NEDA' to 741741.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices