Gulf Streams

Ep. 107 Water Strategies

On today's show our researcher Sarah sits down with two different practitioners working around the world to combat water scarcity. Later in the hour Dr. Chaney Hill and Sarah talk to a local wolf and wolf dog sanctuary about their work saving local animals. 

Ep. 106 Building Ecosystems

What happens when we view spaces big (acres) and small (a patio) as its own ecosystem? On today's show, we sit down with Dr. Shaun McCoshum to discuss his new book Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening: Inviting Nature into Your Backyard. He walks us through ways to consider our landscapes, however big or small, as part of larger ecosystems and ways to support animals and plants in our lives. Later in the hour we explore some of our favorite parks and wildlife in recurring segments of Urban Explorer and Critter Corner with Sophia.

Ep. 105 Urban Farming

Our researcher Antara and a guest researcher Paolo take us through a tour of Houston urban farms. Along the way we learn about the challenges of farming in a city, the rewards for community, and how local groups are working to improve their neighborhoods and footways all throughout the city. 

Ep. 104 Gulf Coast Demise?

The US Gulf Coast faces many, often compounding, threats. On today's show, we sit down with Dr. John B. Anderson (Rice University), whose recent book Gulf Coast Demise explores the unique challenges facing the reason, how sea level rise is exacerbating risk throughout the region, and what we are doing -- and should be doing -- to address these challenges. 

Ep. 103 Toxic Air in Our Homes

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, a slow moving public health disaster followed in the form of disaster recovery: the ubiquitous FEMA trailers that were quickly utilized by rebuilding families turned out to often have extremely high levels of formaldehyde in them. Dr. Nicholas Shapiro (UCLA) spent years following these trailers to understand the impacts of living in toxic environments. His new book, Homesick, offers lessons not only in disaster recovery but for how we continue to build homes (especially amid a housing crisis) and the risks of running to the fastest, cheapest solutions. Across our conversation we discuss ways to improve indoor air quality, as well as discuss how we can ensure healthy homes going forward as we continue to meet the rising demand for houses across the country. 

Ep. 102 Saving Animals and Writing to Save the World

On today's show, our junior researchers sit down with folks doing very different kinds of work to help protect our wildlife, natural resources, and planet. First, we speak with Nicole Rogers of Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary about their work saving wolves and wolf dogs. Then we talk to Tristan Ahtone at Grist about the importance of journalism and telling unheard stories for promoting climate awareness and protection. Finally, another in our series of urban explorer segments focused on local parks. 

Ep. 101 Can We Make It Rain?

Drought is increasing around the world, and with it desperate conditions for farmers and rural communities. Water shortages present major economic and political threats in the coming decades. One potential solution, much speculated on but less evidenced, is the controversial practice known as "cloud-seeding." Today we sit down with scientists and entrepreneurs to discuss how this practice is being deployed, what its effects are, and what its future might be.

Ep. 100 The Mineral Challenge to Electrification

Scientists agree that more electricity will be needed to power the world, and that we should use more renewable energy to meet that demand. But electrifying our world takes more minerals to build that infrastructure, especially lithium. How can industry keep up, and what are the risks and challenges in building out new mining facilities around the world? We sit down with Thea Riofrancos (Providence College) to discuss her new book, Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism, all about these challenges. 

Ep. 99 How Urban Park Revitalization Took Over

Ever since the development of the High Line in New York, urban leaders have recognized the potential for unconventional spaces -- especially in economically marginalized areas or in deindustrialized spaces -- for new greenways. These spaces are often privately led, and explicitly aim for economic development as a goal of the new amenity. We sit down with Kevin Loughran (Temple University) to talk about his book, Parks for Profit, and the development of urban parks across the country, including Buffalo Bayou Park in Houston. 

Ep. 98 New Ways to Find Nature All Around

On today's show we have two segments both thinking through how to bring more natural solutions and greenery into the world. First is a conversation with the team at SPARK, a local non-profit that builds park spaces for students, and how they're thinking about green initiatives in parks. After that we learn about Nature's Burial, a new organization working to preserve local landscape while helping put loved ones to rest in planet healthy ways.