Do you really know what happens to the stuff you throw away? In this episode, we follow the dirty trail of British waste, from the moment households toss their trash into the wheelie bin and diligently sort their recyclable goods, to where it actually ends up — revealing shocking illegal dumping and the farce of recycling.

Into the wasteland: An investigative special

Looking to reconnect with nature? Want to make better decisions for the health of the planet? Every Friday, Living Planet brings you the stories, facts and debates on the key environmental issues of our time.

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Nature

This week we are sharing an episode from Feet in 2 Worlds — a project that brings the work of immigrant journalists to online news sites, podcasts, and public radio. This story was produced as part of Home, Interrupted, a podcast series by Feet in 2 Worlds that explores how the climate crisis affects immigrants across the US.

Introducing: Feet in 2 Worlds

It's no secret that humans have a deep and abiding relationship with water. Whether the ocean, lakes or rivers, we often go in search of, and take great delight in, the experience of bold bodies of water. And perhaps that means sometimes we overlook the smaller ones. Like the streams that have trickled along the same routes for hundreds and thousands of years. Time for a closer look.

Naturally connected: The significance of a stream

For some species being hit by a car is the number one cause of death above hunting and disease. What does this mean for wildlife populations and endangered species? How do we make roads safer for animals?

Deep dive: The hidden toll of roadkill

Plastics have only been around for a little over a century. But in that time, they've become a huge part of our lives and a growing burden for the environment. Each year, the world produces over 430 million tons of plastics, and that figure is set to triple by 2060. A binding global plastics treaty is key to solving the problem. But just how did we get here in the first place?

Deep dive: The evolution of our plastic dependency

Mercury’s a known pollutant in fish, but did you know one of the biggest mercury emitters is actually small-scale gold mining? From sunken ships to shihuahuaco trees, we take a deep dive into the astounding history and science of mercury and the solutions that could break its toxic cycle.

Into the wasteland: An investigative special

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