Planet Policy Pals Podcast

EP 50: Are we losing seasons? (Is it true?)

A study in the geophysical research letters journal found that summer in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes has lengthened, whereas winter has shortened, owing to shift in their onsets and withdrawals, accompanied by shorter spring and autumn. Over the period of 1952–2011, the length of summer increased from 78 to 95 days and that of spring, autumn and winter decreased from 124 to 115, 87 to 82, and 76 to 73 days, respectively. Our health and well-being are inextricably linked to our natural environment. So much, in fact, that the World Health Organization has called climate change “the single biggest health threat facing humanity.” The link between changing climate and erratic weather is clearer than ever. Join us as we dive into the complicated game of predicting seasonal changes!
Show notes and references available at  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jLk46tmRSKwKS3maPM5NyOZKvoHumnIiDVdbsdbhBB0/edit?usp=sharing

EP 49: Alternative fabrics (Is it true?)

As a follow up to our fashion episode, we are providing general tips on the best fabrics to help guide ourselves and our listeners when expanding our wardrobes.

EP 48:Is reproduction stalling? (Is it true?)

For four years, male sea turtles have been declining in Florida, and a study in Australia confirmed similar findings with 99% of the hatchlings born female, with both linked to rising temperatures. Earlier this year, we breached the planetary limit for hazardous chemicals. There are over 350,000 human-made chemicals on the market with numbers expected to triple by 2050. This cocktail of facts got us thinking about the impacts of synthetic chemicals and rising global temperatures on the reproductive health of human and non-human species, as well as the possible impact of reproductive ability? Are we gonna run low on babies? Join us as we discuss.
Show notes and references available at  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_6QmU2lSfd16X2K_35MdrS5Cu_Er-XMHBAbLgVRJC24/edit?usp=sharing

EP 47: Do Celebs Worsen the Climate Crisis? (Is it true?)

For every 4,434 metric tons of carbon produced beyond 2020 levels, one person globally will die prematurely due to extreme temperatures, according to an analysis published in Nature Communications. If you then consider the fact that in the first half of 2022, those 10 celebrities’ planes released a staggering 3,376.64 metric tons of carbon emissions, you might be a little angry. Especially since that amount is about 482 times more than the average person’s annual emissions, according to Yard. So, why should we all keep trying? Is there hope? Are rich people ruining the climate faster than we can save it? All these difficult, passive aggressive questions and more are answered in this episode.
Show notes and references available at  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J4TrikUSeBCA73YgciOryzc7OXEyIBd-gfMdI214BOs/edit?usp=sharing

EP 46: Is fast fashion poisonous? (Is it true?)

A viral TikTok video of a woman claiming SHEIN nail flakes sent her to the hospital led internet sleuths down a web of contaminants and bad environmental practices that the fashion industry has engaged in for decades. Yoga pants and gym leggings sold by Lululemon and Old Navy contained Perfluoroalkoxy alkanes, PFAS, according to testing done by consumer health activist blog Mamavation. Outdoor apparel brands Columbia, REI, and L.L. Bean received either a D or F grading for PFAS by Fashion FWD. H&M is fighting greenwashing allegations as of this episode being published, and SHEIN has given vague responses whenever it has been challenged on lead and other metals in its clothing. So, what is the deal? Should we go naked? We get into these chemicals, their effects, and verified claims in this episode on the toxic nature of fast fashion!
Show notes and references available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m6-E0M4NRIH93B6QgyYPFBnZSLQXUIbgeZup6jssQ_c/edit?usp=sharing 

EP 45: Will Pakistan’s Floods Stop? (We’re Back!)

From June through August, Pakistan has received 190 percent of its normal rainfall. The heavy rainfall saturated soil, preventing the ground from soaking up more water from storms in August. Pakistan’s downpours have flooded a third of the country, according to officials, affecting 33 million people, and killing at least 1,100. In southeast Pakistan, the city of Nawabshah hit 49.5 degrees Celsius (120.2°F) on May 1. The Global Climate Risk Index puts Pakistan as the eighth most vulnerable country because of disasters caused by climate change, yet the country is responsible for less than 1 percent (0.7%)  of the global carbon emissions. The health, ecosystem, economic, and infrastructure fallout is estimated to cost $10 billion. We discuss the details, climate science, the money, and what can be done to reduce future damage. Ultimately we answer the question “Will Pakistan’s flood stop?”
 
Show notes and references available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xlf7NaWg-YTHpUpYCZUGa-5kJAXZfgv3tYQT7_wFRo8/edit?usp=sharing 
Donate and help: Akhuwat Foundation, Alkhidmat Foundation. The Citizens Foundation, Balochistan Youth Action Committee

EP 44: Ocean Acidification with Katrina Dutton

This week our guest is a professor, marine biologist, and fellow FL Tech alum, Katrina Dutton. Surface waters are now 30 percent more acidic than they were at the start of the industrial era. Projections show that by the end of this century, ocean surface waters could be more than twice as acidic as they were at the end of last century if we do not reduce our carbon emissions. How are we doing this? What are the effects? Are there any solutions? Will we implement them? Listen now to get into it with us!
Links used for references are below: 
The Oceans Feel Impacts from Acid Rain
Acid Rain Has Disproportionate Impact on Near-Shore Ocean Waters | NSF
Effects of Ocean and Coastal Acidification on Marine Life | US EPA
Acidifying Oceans Could Get Help from Kelp - Eos
climate change performance index  
CO2 and Ocean Acidification: Causes, Impacts, Solutions 
Captions of transcript available on our YouTube Page
Head to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code PLANETPALS to receive a 1-month free subscription on the revolutionary app that lets you listen to news, podcasts, and pretty much the internet in one place.

EP 43: Climate Finance Resources in Pakistan with Risham Amjad

Agriculture provides employment for roughly 25 million people in Pakistan and is the main income source for 34% and 74% of economically active men and women respectively in the country. The sector is taking hit after hit due to our rapidly changing climate and the resources for adaptation and mitigation are limited here, as they are in most developing nations, even though the country is considered a low emitter and contributor to the climate crisis. Our guest, Risham Amjad, is an environmental policy consultant who focuses on research to raise climate funding for the agricultural sector in Pakistan. Her experience studying impacts of climate change on rural economies, livelihoods and weather patterns in Pakistan, makes this episode exciting and enlightening!
Links used for references are below: 
Defeating environmental degradation in Abia
(PDF) Analysis of Post-Consumer Solid Textile Waste Management among Households in Oyo State of Nigeria
AfricA - Waste Management
Municipal solid waste management in Aba, Nigeria: Challenges and prospects 
Captions of transcript available on our YouTube Page
Head to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code PLANETPALS to receive a 1-month free subscription on the revolutionary app that lets you listen to news, podcasts, and pretty much the internet in one place.

EP 42: Textile Waste in Abia State with Ken Ajah

An estimated 70–80% of the MSW generated in Africa is recyclable, yet only 4% of MSW is currently recycled. 5% of all textiles go to the dump every year, according to the World Economic Forum, enough to fill Sydney Harbor annually. In a state with growing businesses and clothes manufacturers, the issue of fast fashion that is quickly disposed of is adding to a dire solid waste management crisis. We speak with Ken Ajah, owner of fabrics by Nonso, on the solutions, what he sees happening with implemented government strategies, and where he thinks the future of waste management and sustainable fashion are headed in Abia state, and Nigeria as a whole.
Links used for references are below: 
Defeating environmental degradation in Abia
(PDF) Analysis of Post-Consumer Solid Textile Waste Management among Households in Oyo State of Nigeria
AfricA - Waste Management
Municipal solid waste management in Aba, Nigeria: Challenges and prospects 
Captions of transcript available on our YouTube Page
Head to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code PLANETPALS to receive a 1-month free subscription on the revolutionary app that lets you listen to news, podcasts, and pretty much the internet in one place.

EP 41: Integrity in Green Finance with Ibrahim Pam PT 2

The conversation with Mr. Pam, who is the head of the independent integrity unit at the GCF, continues in this episode. This time we talk about projects, the process for handling reports, the tools that ensure accountability and more. 
Links used for references are below: 
How can we meet the urgency of financing climate action in cities?
The broken $100-billion promise of climate finance — and how to fix it
Who Funds th e Fight Against Climate Change? - Means and Matters 
FP095: Transforming Financial Systems for Climate 
Captions of transcript available on our YouTube Page
Head to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code PLANETPALS to receive a 1-month free subscription on the revolutionary app that lets you listen to news, podcasts, and pretty much the internet in one place.