Laws of Notion

The San Luis Valley has always had dust storms, for as long as humans have been there. The problem now is that as water dwindles, temperatures warm, a multi-decade drought rages on, and people continue altering the landscape, dust is increasing. Dust and sand storms impact farming economies by reducing valuable topsoil, and breathing in dust can have immediate and long-term respiratory and health impacts. We talk with farmer and rancher Kyler Brown and Dr. Lisa Cicutto about the impact of dust on public health and the state of farming in the Valley, along with the constant challenge of embracing change and uncertainty amid climate change. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuel with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

From supporting the wickedly smart and engaged next generation to learning how to work together in new and more meaningful ways, our last episode explores what it means to truly empower people to solve our air quality issues. Change has been slow and incremental, but change is happening. And while bad air affects us all, no matter where we live, the burden is not equal. Since our air is often invisible, it can be easy to ignore. But as we gain knowledge, it just might be harder to look away. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Meredith Sell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuel with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

Often there is a cultural catalyst that sparks change. And that catalyst can come from people being empowered with data, knowledge, and opportunity. From Pueblo to Aurora to other parts of Colorado, communities are finding traditional and new ways to engage in the change they want for their future. This could be things like a closer collaboration with the government to install a community air monitoring network, training individuals on how to engage in policy, or pushing for large-scale change, such as the energy transition, which can have the co-benefits of helping with both climate change and local air pollution. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Meredith Sell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

Colorado is the fifth largest oil-producing state in the country, and the state’s economy benefits from keeping the industry running. But oil and gas are also a major source of emissions to local air quality and climate change. And we all have a vested interest in reducing emissions, which has economic and social costs to our health and environment. So how do we balance the demand for energy with the realities on the ground? What does the dance look like between the speed to clean up operations, the transition to new innovation, the limitations of business models, the standardization of data, and the need to protect the health of each other and our planet? Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Meredith Sell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

Whether you’ve had a direct experience with bad air, followed the air quality index on your phone, or formally learned about the importance of clean air, awareness can be a key driver for change. But once we know how poor air quality can impact our health, what does it take to change our behaviors — either to reduce our exposure or how we contribute to it? Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Meredith Sell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths are associated with outdoor air pollution each year. And traffic emissions are one of the leading contributors, with those living within a quarter mile or so of a busy road at greatest risk. But statistics and facts will only get you so far. To change perceptions and policy, the issue must be brought to a human level. And while our air quality has improved over the years, there is still work to be done, especially with communities most at risk. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Meredith Sell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

There is a long history of disproportionately impacted neighborhoods, which are predominately communities of color and low income, experiencing the unequal impact of pollution. This has been the case for many communities in Colorado when it comes to air quality. And while there are competing interests, values, and needs when it comes to deciding what to do, it’s critical to consider who gets represented and heard. Do the policies truly address the issue? And who bears the cost? We all have the right to clean air, no matter where we live. But safeguarding our air is about making hard decisions. It’s about changing our thinking and our behaviors. It’s about looking at the issues from multiple angles. People often want there to be a single source or single industry to blame for air pollution, but unfortunately, the air doesn’t work that way. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Writing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

For years Colorado’s Front Range has repeatedly failed to meet the EPA’s national air quality standards, putting local policymakers and regulators under pressure to fix the air pollution affecting us all. Now air monitoring and data gathering are slowly starting to catch up to the reality that many communities experience living in proximity to industries, highways, railroads, and other sources of pollutants. But what made us care about air quality in the first place? From the Brown Cloud that hung over Denver in the ’70s and ’80s to the landmark Clean Air Act, we break down the science and policies that propelled us to start to clean up our air. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org. Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Writing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

Our air is a complex soup of ingredients – which impacts the health of all of us, our economy, and our climate. But those health burdens are not shared equally. They disproportionately impact children, the elderly, and lower-income or historically marginalized communities. What does it mean to have equal and fair access to clean air? And when emotions are high, people’s health is at risk, and tradeoffs need to be made, how do we solve this complex problem? This is episode one of Clearing the Air, a podcast about air pollution in Colorado and beyond, and how we are navigating this complex problem that knows no borders. Learn more about this season of Laws of Notion at clearingtheair.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Writing, marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional writing: Shel Evergreen Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

From our first breath to our last exhale, air is a vital shared resource. But what’s really in the air we breathe? Stay tuned for Clearing the Air: The Hazy Future of Our Skies, a new eight-part series about air pollution in Colorado and how we are navigating this complex problem that knows no borders. Season 3 of the award-winning podcast, Laws of Notion, launches September 27, 2023. Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org and lawsofnotion.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

The closure of the coal plant and mine in Craig, Colorado will greatly impact the economy and result in the loss of jobs. However, there are conversations about the potential to repurpose the plant and existing infrastructure. From geothermal to hydrogen to nuclear, what could happen with the Craig station remains to be decided. In this bonus episode of Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition, we’ll talk about what’s next. What could happen with all the infrastructure and workforce? And is nuclear energy a potential option? Featuring Christine King, GAIN, Idaho National Lab, and Tim Osborn, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Learn more about our podcast at lawsofnotion.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Writer, Reporter, Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producer and Marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional Production: Nicole Delaney Fact Checker: Kate Long Sound Design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

It's been almost two years since we shared the story of Craig, Colorado, and the forthcoming closures of the coal power plant. In this epilogue to Coal at Sunset, you'll hear from some of our former guests reflecting on what's changed, what hasn't, and what the road ahead looks like. We’re coming back to this story to provide a firsthand glimpse into how Colorado's energy transition will ultimately affect us all. Learn more about our podcast at lawsofnotion.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Episode Credits: Writer, Reporter, Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producer and Marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional Production: Nicole Delaney Fact Checker: Kate Long Sound Design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

The history of soil degradation is not new. Humans have been altering the landscape for thousands of years. But what does it mean to have healthy and functional soils and how is this critical to a productive and sustainable agriculture system? In this bonus episode, we spend time with Gene Kelley, a professor of Pedology and the Deputy Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station at Colorado State University. We had a wide-ranging conversation talking about the innovation happening in agriculture, soil health and the impacts on water, and even the difficulties of behavior change. Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing and marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Sound design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

In January 2023, a new Colorado Water Plan was released. This document evokes hope and caution as the scarcity of water looms over our state. It’s a guide for how to bring people together and prioritize water projects across Colorado that serve the most uses and benefits. In this bonus episode, we talk with Lauren Ris, Deputy Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, to learn more about how this plan came together and its significance to our state. Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing and marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Sound design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

Control of water. Who has it, who doesn’t? How was water historically used? What is it being used for today? And what about future uses? In this first bonus episode, we are talking about power and decision-making, including the controversial topic of water speculation, with James Eklund, a prominent Colorado water lawyer. The conflict over water speculation goes deeper than just dollars. It’s sometimes about values. Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Producing and marketing: Tricia Waddell Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Sound design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

Laws of Notion Listeners! More on our state's water issues with our friends at City Cast Denver. Ever since Denver Water was founded in 1918, the agency has demonstrated enviable foresight, building out a massive infrastructure across 4,000 square miles to ensure Denver’s population (and economy) can continue to grow. But now that reservoirs and rivers are drying up across the West, is it time for Denver to share the wealth? Colorado’s top water reporter, Luke Runyon of KUNC, joins producer Paul Karolyi, City Cast Denver, to explain where Denver fits into the recent conflict over the Colorado River and offer an outsider’s perspective on Denver Water’s ambitious growth. This episode originally aired on August 29, 2022. Learn more about City Cast Denver and subscribe to their daily morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ or follow them on Twitter @citycastdenver. Learn more about the Institute for Science & Policy at institute.dmns.org and follow us on Twitter @institutescipol.

In this series, we’ve investigated the pressures around water in Colorado – from climate change to population growth to different values – and how they shape the management of this vital resource. But where do we go from here? And how do we change the relationship we’ve had with water historically, to better reflect the realities of our future? Because we should all care about where our water comes from, where it goes, what it’s used for, and the true cost to use it. Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Sound design: Seth Samuel Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

The need to use every drop of water – multiple times over – matters. In Colorado, 80% of the precipitation falls on the western side of the continental divide, but 90% of the population lives to the east, in the Front Range. As the urban corridor continues to grow rapidly, the need for water is even more urgent. And often that water is coming from somewhere else. This time on Water, Under Pressure, the Front Range of Colorado perspective. What are the water needs of a growing city? And is water from the San Luis Valley really the only solution? Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Sound design: Seth Samuel Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

When people learn that 91% of Colorado’s water is used for agricultural purposes, farmers are the first to blame for its overuse. But there’s a lot more baked into this figure than many realize. There are compromises that farmers are making, trying to ensure they are in the black financially while adapting to drought and a changing climate, in order to ensure we all eat. So as Colorado approaches 6 million people with most of us living in the Front Range are people aware of the sacrifices needed to keep up with the growing demand for water? This is episode three of Water, Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Sound design: Seth Samuel Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

One of the most controversial pieces of real estate in the San Luis Valley isn’t because of anything it’s got above ground, but because of the water below it. Water is needed for all living things to survive. It can also be controlled and has been by civilizations for millennia. So how is it decided where the water goes and what it can be used for? In order to understand this, we must understand how water rights work. This is episode two of Water, Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.org. Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation. The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod. Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Sound design: Ameeta Ganatra and Seth Samuel Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks