sustainable

Pesticides: Out of Our Soil, Air, Water, and Food-PW089

Brain-Harming Chlorpyrifos just the latest agricultural pesticide poisoning our children and our planet Californians for Pesticide Reform  co-director Mark Weller, and author/pesticide activist Mary Flodin talk with with Planet Watch hosts Rachel and Joe about challenges and successes in the decades-long struggle to protect communities from toxic pesticide exposure (www.facebook.com/CaPestReform). Based out of the Salinas office of the • Read More »


Agricultural Policy and Our Health: Crafting National Standards for Organic Farming-PW088

Organic farming policy pioneer Mark Lipson talks about crafting the national standard for organic farming, and how our federal agricultural policies impact our health and the health of our environment. Mark started his advocacy career as the first paid staff member at the California Certified Organic Farmers (now the nation’s largest organic certification organization). He • Read More »


The Dirt on Climate Change: a New Film on Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change-PW087

Today’s interview is with Lois Robin, producer of The Dirt on Climate Change, a film about ecological and biological approaches to climate change. Lois has been an author, filmmaker, and environmental activist for thirty years. Her newest film takes on what we can do to enhance nature’s ability to sequester carbon through naturally occurring processes. The • Read More »


Electric Bike Share: Part of the Transportation Solution-PW084

A major fraction of all driving consists of  “cross-town-scale” trips (20 miles or less).  If you’re paying attention to our oncoming climate “train wreck” you’re well aware of the great importance of getting people out of their cars. Better public transportation can do some of that, but how about a new public system for electrified • Read More »


Micro-Hydro Power Guru Don Harris – PW070

Ever thought of making your own electricity in a nearby stream? We’ll talk with Don Harris, world-class guru on micro-hydropower and inventor of the Harris Hydroelectric Permanent Magnet Turbine about his experiences with these low-cost, high-return devices. Don lives up in the hills in the off-grid community of “Last Chance”, north of Santa Cruz, but • Read More »


Green Skyscrapers? Tiny Changes Can Save Big Energy-PW067

What’s so green about skyscrapers? What are the top three best ways to “green them up”? How long until owners recoup their investment in green retrofits? Find out with green building guru, Barry Giles, CEO of BREEAMUSA. Barry is the CEO of BREEAM USA and BuildingWise, as well as a LEED Fellow and a BREEAM • Read More »


Protecting America’s Coastline-PW057

In this podcast we present an interview with former Director of the California Coastal Commission, Charles Lester. Lester presided over the most powerful regulatory body in the nation when it comes to coastal protection under Governors Davis, Schwarzenegger, and Brown. He’ll talk about protecting our coasts against drilling, development and sea level rise among other • Read More »


Saving American Democracy and the Planet-PW056

A conversation with David Orr, writer and professor emeritus of environmental studies and political science from Oberlin College about the future of American democracy. What do we do to repair the damage being done to our basic institutions by the current administration? What happens after 2018, 2020, and next week if there is a constitutional • Read More »


The Best of Planet Watch 2017-PW051

Happy New Year from Joe and Rachel! Welcome to a new bunch of shows and an expanding network of radio stations running the program. In the coming year we’ll have more interviews with leading scientists and engineers and big thinkers helping us figure out how to live more wisely on this planet. For this week, • Read More »


A Passive House That Uses 80% Less Energy-PW049

Chie Kawahara and Kurt Hurley designed their passive house to save tons of energy. Find out how they turned a 95-year old house into a modern energy saving miracle. And they did it without solar electricity! More at Midorihaus.com. Plus, what’s greener, fake or real Christmas trees? Alexis Navarro explores this vexing question.  Air Date: • Read More »