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Blue Wave, Green Hope
Though climate was not directly on the ballot in the midterm elections, high fuel prices and concerns about data centers boosted Democrats to a “blue tsunami.” And the new Democratic majority in both houses of Congress means Republican anti-environment measures like fossil fuel expansion and public land exploitation may be slowed down or even halted. Colleagues from our media partner Inside Climate News talk us through the results.
Blue Wave, Green Hope (Cont'd)
We continue our roundtable discussion with colleagues at Inside Climate News about voters’ frustration with high fuel prices and the opportunity for a Democratic-led Congress to now focus on clean energy to reduce energy costs. And we talk about what voters expect the Democratic party to deliver in the final two years of the Trump presidency and beyond.
Microplastics, Inflammation, and Your Health
Plastics have been widely adopted in all sorts of products from food packaging to toys to medical devices, in part because they don’t tend to chemically react. But new research challenges that notion when it comes to microplastics, finding that contact by tiny chips of plastic with water releases unstable molecules which in the human body are linked to inflammation.
Wolf Seeks Revenge on Humans in Novel Blacktail
This year, bookstores have a nature-based tale in the “eco-horror” genre to feature: Blacktail by Scott Hawkins. The novel tells the story of one wolf’s quest for vengeance on the humans who have wronged him. And to get his revenge, he’ll have to find and wake the Forest God. The author joins us for this spoiler-free chat.
Big Bug ‘Down Under’
The Wētāpunga is the heaviest known insect on the planet, weighing as much as a mouse. They’re found only in New Zealand and were recently endangered, but thanks to an innovative breeding program, they’re making a comeback. We talk about the conservation effort and why these giant cricket-like insects deserve our respect and care.
Fracking and Data Centers
One of the states where data centers to power AI are growing is Pennsylvania, which also has a large supply of natural gas. In Upper Burrell, a town just east of Pittsburgh, a data center expansion could be fed by fracking rigs already pumping gas out of the ground. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier reports the town is trying to keep pace with these two big industries in its backyard.
A Fossil Fuel Treaty Beyond the UNFCCC
Thirty years of UN climate sessions and the persistent wide gap between discussion and action to slow the climate crisis have left some countries and NGOs frustrated as they face a dire future. So even as COP31 begins in Turkey in November, an alternate path already began in April in Colombia when roughly 60 countries met for the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, with a treaty in the works.
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Blue Wave, Green Hope
Though climate was not directly on the ballot in the midterm elections, high fuel prices and concerns about data centers boosted Democrats to a “blue tsunami.” And the new Democratic majority in both houses of Congress means Republican anti-environment measures like fossil fuel expansion and public land exploitation may be slowed down or even halted. Colleagues from our media partner Inside Climate News talk us through the results.
Blue Wave, Green Hope (Cont'd)
We continue our roundtable discussion with colleagues at Inside Climate News about voters’ frustration with high fuel prices and the opportunity for a Democratic-led Congress to now focus on clean energy to reduce energy costs. And we talk about what voters expect the Democratic party to deliver in the final two years of the Trump presidency and beyond.
Public Lands Protection in the New Congress
Congressional committees originate legislation and oversight investigations, and as Democrats take control their senior members will presumably become chairs with broad subpoena powers. Congressman Jared Huffman, who has represented northern California since 2013 is in line to chair the House Natural Resources Committee, and he joins us to share his priorities for the committee in the new Congress.
This Week’s Show
November 6, 2026
listen / download
Blue Wave, Green Hope
listen / download
Though climate was not directly on the ballot in the midterm elections, high fuel prices and concerns about data centers boosted Democrats to a “blue tsunami.” And the new Democratic majority in both houses of Congress means Republican anti-environment measures like fossil fuel expansion and public land exploitation may be slowed down or even halted. Colleagues from our media partner Inside Climate News talk us through the results.
Blue Wave, Green Hope (Cont'd)
listen / download
We continue our roundtable discussion with colleagues at Inside Climate News about voters’ frustration with high fuel prices and the opportunity for a Democratic-led Congress to now focus on clean energy to reduce energy costs. And we talk about what voters expect the Democratic party to deliver in the final two years of the Trump presidency and beyond.
Public Lands Protection in the New Congress
listen / download
Congressional committees originate legislation and oversight investigations, and as Democrats take control their senior members will presumably become chairs with broad subpoena powers. Congressman Jared Huffman, who has represented northern California since 2013 is in line to chair the House Natural Resources Committee, and he joins us to share his priorities for the committee in the new Congress.
Special Features
Field Note: "After the Storm"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, ruminates on the storm as it meets the shore.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: "Countermeasures"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, shares observations about shorebirds in flight.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
...Ultimately, if we are going prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we are going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them...
-- President Barack Obama, November 6, 2015 on why he declined to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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