Green Sense Radio

Carbon XPRIZE finalists/Liability and autonomous cars

A 20-million-dollar prize to innovators coming up with ways to solve humanity’s grand challenges is being split 10 ways among the  Carbon XPRIZE finalists who were just announced.  Joining us with a look at the winners is Dr. Marcius Extavour, XPRIZE senior director of Energy and Resources.  

 
Autonomous cars continue to make headlines. While offering reduced accidents, reduced fuel usage, not to mention the ability to allow the driver to kick back and at let the car do much of the driving,  it still leaves unanswered legal questions. Attorney Art Harrington of the law firm Godfrey & Kahn in Milwaukee is part of an upcoming autonomous car symposium which examines these issues. 

Earth Day 2018/Plastic in plastic water bottles

Earth Day weekend will be celebrated by nearly a billion people worldwide. We speak with Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers about this year's Earth Day theme, and how to best live up to it: reducing plastic pollution.  

Drinking from a plastic water bottle likely means sipping microplastic particles with just about every mouthful.  This is from a new study from the nonprofit journalism organization Orb Media and State University of New York at Fredonia.   We're joined by Professor of Chemistry Sherri Mason on the possible health hazards involved.  

Monarch butterflies in jeopardy/Cities going solar

The monarch butterfly population has declined more than 80 percent in the past 20 years. And, the latest numbers aren’t very encouraging.  What does the monarch population tell us about the state of food safety, what could it mean if we lose this species, and what can we do to make sure the monarch population becomes healthy again.  Bill Freese is Science Policy Analyst with the Center for Food Safety. 

Cities continue to be the driving force when it comes to more sustainable ways to generate energy. But for solar energy, there’s great untapped potential for cities. A new report from Environment America provides the Top 10 Ways for Cities to Go Solar. Emma Searson’s part of the Go Solar Campaign with Environment America.   

Green tech. expert Michael Kanellos/Chicago Auto Show

 He’s always an insightful and enthusiastic contributor to Green Sense when it comes to green technology. We’re joined  by Michael Kanellos, Industry Champion for water at OSIsoft to talk about the latest green tech, including ways to reduce water loss via leaks in our aging infrastructure. 

 
The auto industry does its best to break up winter doldrums with some of its major auto shows in the US happening around the time those of us in colder climates are feeling the cabin fever set in. Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel recently wrapped up a visit to the Chicago Auto Show and has a look at the green cars on display.  

Solar tariff and U.S. jobs/Detroit Auto Show

President Trump recently announced a 30-percent tariff on imported solar cells and panels. What does this mean for the industry in the US and elsewhere? We’re joined by Dan Whitten with the Solar Energy Industries Association, the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry.

Back from the Detroit Auto Show with a look at green car technology, we’re joined by Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel.

South Africa tap water crisis/Autonomous trucks

In the past on Green Sense we’ve talked about the possibility of future conflicts over water supply. That future could now be here as “day zero” could arrive in the coming months in Capetown, South Africa where municipal water supplies could dry up completely. We're joined by Capetown native and South African journalist Udo Carlese.

Transport history was recently made during the first commercial “last-mile” delivery made on public streets in a fully self-driving van. We’ve talked about autonomous cars potentially revolutionizing transport, but also trucks could have just as significant an impact, if not more. John O’Dell writes for Trucks.com and is editor of TheGreenCarGuy.com and has been following the development of autonomous vehicles.

Rob Trice of The Mixing Bowl/Maple Syrup in jeopardy

With the world population continuing to grow, in order to feed everyone, the people who feed the world are in need of connecting with those who are changing the world through technological innovations. The Mixing Bowl works to help make those connections and we’re  joined by Founder Rob Trice.  

 As if climate change affecting coffee, chocolate, possibly wine production wasn’t enough, there’s news that maple syrup could also be in jeopardy.  If current emission trends continue by the end of the century the warm climate will kill the trees that make maple syrup. Ines Ibanez is with the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan and has published research on this possibility. 

Saving polar bears/Environmental Law & Policy Center

Video of a starving polar bear - emaciated and possibly just hours from dying - went viral on social media in recent months and quickly became a symbol of the threat many wildlife populations face because of climate change. Dr. Steven Amstrup has studied polar bears for his entire adult life and currently heads up Polar Bears International.

Attorney Howard Learner is one of the nation's leaders when it comes to environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation. He heads up the Environmental Law & Policy Center and we'd like to dive into a few environmental issues he's been involved with.

Saving National Monuments/Replacing pipes with plants in drainage systems

Millions of acres of public land in Utah are no longer protected, thanks to President Trump late last year reducing the size of both the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monuments in Utah. How much of what is now unprotected land will be stripped away for mining and other purposes? What does this mean for other protected lands in the future? And, how do we protect what could soon become unprotected. We’re joined by Adam Markham, Deputy Director of the Climate and Energy Program for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

 

 

Ingham County, Michigan Drainage Commissioner Patrick Linnemann is internationally known for his drainage projects. They replace pipes with plants, creating wetlands and fountains for public enjoyment.

2017 - the year in green cars/Climate Engine

With a look back on Green Cars for 2017– sales, new technology and other trends inEVs, hybrids and high-mpg cars – we're joined by Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel.

As much of the national conversation over climate change seems tobemainly over whether or not it’s real, anyone and everyone who can get online can use ClimateEngine.org to research all kinds of climate data - current and historic. Here to tell us more is John Abatzoglu with the University of Idaho and co-principle investigator of Climate Engine.