Gulf Streams

Today's episode takes a deep dive into three spooky stories: Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Giant Wisteria. Dr. Chaney Hill (Rice University) walks our researchers Antara and Sarah through how these 19th century Gothic authors turned to the environment to set mood and create haunting backdrops in three of the best known American short stories of the era.

Today we speak with two policy experts, Jennifer Walker (National Wildlife Federation) and Luke Metzger (Environment Texas) about upcoming policy decisions with immediate impact on Houston. First, Jennifer walks up through Proposition 4, which is on ballots in November and would guarantee funds for future water projects throughout the state. Second, Luke explains what the Roadless Rule is and how its repeal might impact forests in Texas and across the US. At the end of the episode is an update from our researcher Nomin on garden prep. 

How are local farmers working to make agriculture more sustainable? On today's show we sit down with August Stubler, the head farmer at SkyFarm at POST Houston to talk about the innovative work being done to create newer, more ecologically friendly, agricultural systems. 

Today we sit down with Mary Anne Piacentini, Executive Director and CEO of Coastal Prairie Conservancy, to discuss the role of conservation organizations in building better environments all around us. Beyond the work of habitat creation and maintenance, conservation is a complex mix of science, law, education, and outreach that creates spaces that plants, humans, and animals can enjoy. Piacentini discusses the work of Coastal Prairie Conservancy throughout Southeast Texas, and how they are helping to protect our natural areas for generations to come.

Today we're sitting down with Yilun Cheng (Houston Chronicle) to talk about her recent series of stories focused on where and how we're building new homes in the Houston metro area. Through her reporting, the Chronicle has learned that nearly 1 in 5 new homes built in the area are in FEMA designated floodplains. We talk through what this means for flood risk throughout Houston, and what can be done about it. Later in the hour our researcher Nomin discusses how new parks are built in unlikely places, and our researcher Sophia has another piece in her Critter Corner series on animals around town.

With Hurricane Katrina's 20th anniversary landing in August, we sit down with Dr. Andy Horowitz (University of Connecticut) to discuss his book Katrina: A History, 1915-2015. Together we discuss the longterm impacts of the disaster, how the conditions in New Orleans were primed for disaster, and what recovery means -- and what we can learn -- in an age of more frequent extreme weather. 

Today we sit down with Brandon Ballengée, a biologist and artist, who researches and makes art that explores the unique ecosystems of the Gulf Coast. Reflecting on the fifteenth anniversary of the capping of the capping of the oil leak  caused by the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Dr. Ballengée helps us understand the ongoing harm caused by the spill and the ways we can remember the devastation and continue to understand its relevance.

A thriving economy exists around our natural resources: tourists flock to take in beautiful destinations. But maintaining and leveraging these sites takes work. So today we're talking about EcoTourism, both how nature can attract tourists (and their dollars), and the ways that tourists are increasingly thinking about how they can "travel green." Our guests are Sasha Francis (Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council) and Dr. Bryan Schmidt (William and Mary). 

On today's show our researcher Jadyn turns the tables to sit down with Weston Twardowski (Rice University) to talk all about the environmental consequences of the agricultural system how what we choose to eat impacts the world around us. 

In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Chris Funk (Director of the Climate Hazards Center at UCSB) and Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon (Texas State Climatologist) about the growing impact of drought across Texas and how global climate patterns are shaping local conditions. They break down the science behind water scarcity, what to expect in the coming years, and what communities can do to prepare. Then, we learn a bit more about local animals and fauna from our student researcher, Sophia. This episode is guest hosted by our researcher Nomin Rentsendorj.