Mothering Earth Podcast

While consumers are trying to cut down on the use of plastics, the oil, gas and petrochemical companies are ramping up their plastic production. In her new book, award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner details the plastic industries manipulation of consumers and the government, while continuing to damage the environment in multiple ways. The book is "Plastic, Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil’s Biggest Bet".

When you throw something away, it’s gone as far as you are concerned. But in fact, it’s still around and will most likely end up in a landfill. Landfills are where solid waste goes to build up into unpleasant mounds and where organic waste, like food that is thrown away, goes to fester and decompose, giving off huge amounts of methane gas. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and a big contributor to climate change. Whether you call it trash, waste or garbage, it’s in our interest to reduce the amount we generate, so that less is sent to landfills. In this program, we are getting to zero waste with Richard McHale, Director of Austin Resource Recovery.

Most people use several different personal care products every day. For example, you may use a shampoo and conditioner, creams or lotions, shaving cream, fragrances, toothpaste and some makeup, including lipstick, eyeliner and eyeshadow. If you read the labels on these products you'll see a list of chemicals, and you may assume that these chemicals have been tested to make sure that they're safe. However, the Food and Drug Administration does not do any long-term testing on these chemicals. They may be tested to see whether they result in short-term problems, such as skin irritation, and the FDA may act, if they get complaints about harmful effects from a product. Several nonprofit groups are finding or conducting the necessary studies and distributing that vital information to us consumers. One organization is the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and in this program, we feature Kaley Beins a senior scientist of chemical safety and toxicology at the EWG.

There are quintillions of insects in our world. Some are harmful to humans, but most are not. In fact, most insects provide vital ecosystem “services”, such as pollination of food crops and decomposition of animal and other wastes. They provide food for other insects and for birds and even humans. They give us silk, wax, and other products and they have inspired us to come up with practical and important inventions. This is just some of what entomologist and author Barrett Klein details in his beautifully written and illustrated book, The Insect Epiphany.

Most of the animal food products you buy come from what are called factory farms. That includes beef, chicken, turkey, and pork, as well as eggs and dairy products. The animals in these “farms” live miserable lives in horrible conditions and have a one-way ticket to the slaughterhouse. Compassion in World Farming is an organization dedicated to ending factory farming and to educating people about animal welfare, air, water and land pollution, human health and social justice, issues which are inextricably intertwined in factory farming. My guest in this program is Allie Molinaro, who was campaigns coordinator for Compassion in World Farming when we recorded this show. She is now Campaigns Manager.

Do you have a favorite tree? Whether you do or not, almost all of us have enjoyed the shade of a tree or eaten fruit or nuts that came from a tree. Trees provide us with numerous “services” while just standing there, looking stately, for the most part. The Arbor Day Foundation is all about trees and the pretty amazing things they do. The foundation is also a great resource for anyone who’s trying to decide what kind of tree to plant.

A recent survey commissioned by the Arbor Day Foundation found that ninety percent of Americans say time spent in green spaces makes them happier and less stressed. Practitioners of ecopsychology wouldn’t be surprised. Ecopsychology has long supported the notion that humans need to spend time communing with nature, and that both physical and mental health are improved as a result. That’s why Mothering Earth is featuring Dr. Moira Martin, a university professor who teaches a course on ecopsychology. Martin has found students receptive to the main tenets of ecopsychology, especially as they face a future where the natural world appears to be fighting back, after years of ill-treatment at the hands of us humans.

Humans have created millions of miles of roads all over the planet. Roads are useful to move goods and people, but they are also intrusions into what were once wild places, where animals roamed free. The millions of vehicles that drive on roads spew polluting gases and assault our ears with noise. To animals big and small, who try to cross roads, cars and trucks bring death and destruction. In this edition of Mothering Earth, we hear why this matters with Ben Goldfarb, environmental journalist and author of the book Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet.