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What On Earth

CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand

The climate is changing. So are we. Explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. We find inspiration in unexpected places, scrutinize new technologies, hold powerful people accountable and join you on the journey to fix this mess. New episodes every Wednesday and Saturday.

Location:

Canada, ON

Description:

The climate is changing. So are we. Explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. We find inspiration in unexpected places, scrutinize new technologies, hold powerful people accountable and join you on the journey to fix this mess. New episodes every Wednesday and Saturday.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Do we need a 'Value Village' for used building materials?

12/11/2024
Home renos are super popular. That means more waste from old houses. But what if you could salvage that waste and turn it into something useful? That’s what one woman did and now other homeowners are doing it, too. CBC climate reporter Emily Chung shows us how old homes are now being deconstructed to dodge the dump and reduce emissions.

Duration:00:18:25

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There’s a fix for our plastic problem

12/7/2024
Plastic pollution is a climate issue but the world can’t seem to agree on how to deal with it. Those fighting for a global agreement say the longer we wait, the longer future generations will have plastics polluting their environment, their bodies and contributing to climate change. There are solutions, but people from Indigenous communities around the globe say a good deal needs to include their voices. Then, CBC’s International Climate Correspondent Susan Ormiston's conversation with venture capitalist and entrepreneur Tom Rand about the future of clean tech.

Duration:00:27:39

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HOW TO: Make vacation choices with climate in mind

12/4/2024
There are a lot of ways to travel long distances. You can carpool, take the bus, ride the train…but for international destinations, figuring out the most climate-friendly method can be tricky. After a listener asked for help, What On Earth’s Dannielle Piper goes cruising for answers.

Duration:00:12:55

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Fighting burnout when the fight for the planet is exhausting

11/30/2024
The world is heating up. Money is tight. News is bleak. Are you burning out? Mental health columnist Abhay Singh Sachal gives us a breakdown of what’s behind burnout and how to stop it from stopping you.

Duration:00:22:33

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A mineral rock with climate-fighting superpowers?

11/27/2024
A bright white mineral promises to boost crop yields while sucking up atmospheric carbon, and its name is wollastonite. Join CBC Ottawa’s environment and climate reporter Stu Mills as he walks us through why some farmers are cautiously embracing this new mineral, and sprinkling it on their fields.

Duration:00:20:41

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How rain buckets with ‘brains’ help warn against landslides

11/23/2024
When a deadly landslide hit Sitka, Alaska in 2015, it sparked conversations about safety and risk. The community has an early warning system for tsunamis. Could it work for landslides? Or would another solution have to be developed? Producer Molly Segal finds out. Then -- with climate change increasing the risk of landslides, we hear how sound waves imperceptible to the human ear can tip us off minutes before the hazard occurs in the Pemberton Valley, north of Whistler, B.C.

Duration:00:28:19

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Can we cool Earth by blocking the sun’s rays? And should we?

11/20/2024
Come with us to California where entrepreneurs are sending balloons full of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. It’s a form of solar geoengineering known as stratospheric aerosol injection, and the company Make Sunsets isn’t waiting for scientific consensus before they launch. We hear about their business model, and then from the researchers who question both the science and ethics of the practice.

Duration:00:27:04

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Separating fact from fiction about EV battery fires

11/16/2024
EV fires can be scary and challenging to fight. But they’re not as common as they may seem. Online misinformation and a lack of reliable data can contribute to misconceptions about what happens when an electric vehicle battery fire erupts – and even firefighters aren’t immune.

Duration:00:28:39

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HOW TO: Get kids to school without all those cars

11/13/2024
Have you heard of a 'bike bus'? It's just one of the answers Rachel Sanders found to a listener's concerns about the gridlock that can form around schools.

Duration:00:16:28

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So Trump won. What now for climate?

11/9/2024
He's promised to "drill, baby, drill". He's cast doubt on the risks of global warming. And one of his biggest donors is EV magnate Elon Musk. But what does a second Donald Trump presidency really mean for U.S. climate policy – and our warming world? Emily Atkin of the newsletter Heated helps us untangle what's possible over the next four years, and reflects on why climate barely surfaced as an election issue.

Duration:00:26:56

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The unsexiest words that could help save the planet

11/6/2024
The language of COP29 is brain-melting. But these soul-unstirring terms are key to solving climate change. We decode what's really at stake as leaders gather this month in Azerbaijan. Then, we hear how corruption can derail international climate action – and what solutions could help.

Duration:00:28:07

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Rain, rain won't go away. New landslide risks are here to stay.

11/2/2024
With deadly levels of rainfall happening across the world, we see the destruction first-hand and learn how it can be stopped. First, we visit the site of school teacher Sonya McIntyre’s home after an atmospheric river took her life. We then learn how understanding climate systems can prevent future loss of life.

Duration:00:26:49

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The contest trying to turn Swifties into climate crusaders

10/30/2024
When some climate-conscious Swifties learned that Canada’s biggest fossil fuel financier, RBC, is an official partner for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Vancouver and Toronto, they jumped into action. But can uniting Swifties online translate to change? Or is it a trend that will fizzle over time? Meanwhile, What On Earth youth columnist Aishwarya Puttur breaks down why social media campaigns are on the rise for Gen Zs.

Duration:00:31:19

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Here’s the climate dirt on leaf blowers

10/26/2024
They can be noisy. And smelly. And, as Cate Blanchett (yes, Cate Blanchett!) complains, don’t they just move “leaves from one place to another, only for them to be blown back again"? Gas-powered leaf blowers create a lot of opinions and a lot of emissions. Molly Segal takes us through why they're so particularly polluting and unhealthy. And, she explores the solutions underway — from political bans to incentives for switching to electric.

Duration:00:27:21

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Why insurers are hiring wildfire SWAT teams (via Cost of Living)

10/23/2024
They might leave you a huge mess, but a "free for now" fire prevention service may be taking hold in Canada. Insurers have started contracting a private company to swoop in and do last-minute fireproofing on homes in B.C. and Alberta. Paul Haavardsrud and Danielle Nerman explain what that looks like, and how this new strategy could keep insurance premiums from going up faster than they already are. For more Cost Of Living, find and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://lnk.to/CostOfLiving

Duration:00:09:34

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Meet the woman guiding First Nations away from fossil fuels

10/19/2024
Come along to the AFN’s annual Climate Gathering where columnist Melina Laboucan-Massimo is teaching Indigenous communities how to transition to clean energy. According to Melina, it's not just about swapping out technologies. Culture and language are key.

Duration:00:23:03

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HOW TO: Read a little greener

10/16/2024
Is there a climate cost to your reading habit? A listener asks about the emissions of paper books versus e-readers, and we go looking for answers.

Duration:00:10:01

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A prescription for climate disasters like Milton

10/12/2024
Florida has been hit by a one-two-punch. But death and injury can come long after the winds subside. A doctor details the many ways hurricanes can disrupt health care, something he witnessed first-hand as a responder to Hurricane Katrina. Now, he's training a new generation of medical professionals willing to speak out about climate change as a "health risk".

Duration:00:16:07

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A climate fix that starts with ‘hi-diddly-ho neighborino’

10/9/2024
When natural disasters hit home, knowing your neighbours could be a lifeline. Edmonton is leading the way in creating climate resilience on a hyperlocal level. We hear how something as simple as a neighbourhood bonfire can build support networks, and mobilize communities to fight climate change.

Duration:00:19:43

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Drought be dammed! How beavers can help.

10/5/2024
They’re an iconic symbol of Canada. But are they also role models for climate adaptation? CBC producer Allison Dempster introduces us to the people trying to mimic beavers by building their own dams to restore the water table. And we hear about a close encounter with a surprising ending.

Duration:00:24:41