Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode

In today’s episode, Ken is deep-diving into the intersection of environmentalism and animal welfare.

First, Ken speaks with veterinarian Crystal Heath who has been bravely raising the alarm of how her profession enables and endorses animal abuse from veterinarian school to factory farms.

In the second part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by longtime friend and founder of Animal Wellness Action, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, and former CEO of the Humane Society, Wayne Pacelle. Wayne,  like Crystal, is advocating for animal welfare across many industries.

Crystal and Wayne are great examples of individual integrity and commitment to a cause.

They are also great reminders that, as consumers, what we choose to invest in with our dollars makes a difference.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Our Honor (Crystal's organization)

Animal Wellness Action

Center for a Humane Economy

Crystal Heath wants veterinary medicine to live up to its values (Vox)

New Documents Reveal How the Animal Agriculture Industry Surveils and Punishes Critics (The Intercept)

What are gestation crates and are they legal in the U.S.? (Farm Forward)

Supreme Court Upholds California’s Prop 12, Protects Rights of States to Set Humane Treatment, Food Safety Rules (Animal Wellness Action)

The Bond Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them

The Humane Economy How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

 Hi, it's Ken Cook from EWG. I'm here in Washington and we're here to get ready to fight.  It already feels like Trump's Washington. That feeling reminds us of what we went through during his first term where we saw a massive assault on environmental protection. We haven't always been happy with everything that happened over the last four years with the Biden administration.

And we have called that out. We will always do that.

We don't favor Democrats or Republicans. We favor environmental protection. We favor human health. We favor your health.

But I have to tell you, this is a very, very different situation that we're facing now. Different than we've ever faced before.

We have every reason to think that appointees are, for the most part, here to tear down the ability of the government to do its job, starting with EPA. One of the first announcements was an EPA administrator, and he was instructed to deregulate Environmental protections. So we know that's coming.

And for whatever reason, you may have voted for President Trump. That's your right.

We're not here to suggest who you should vote for. But we will say that when you vote for someone, you get the whole package. There is no such thing as a single-issue politician.

And so what we're seeing now is the consequences of someone coming to power, using that power in ways that we predicted would happen, to deregulate the economy, weaken environmental law, and weaken food safety.

Now, there's plenty that we can do as individuals. EWG has tens of millions of people who come to us every year, seeking information so you can protect your family yourself.

You can protect your health yourself, and that's vitally important to do. But there are some things we can't do for ourselves.

There are some things we can't shop or behave our way out of. Those belong in the realm of policy and politics.

So we're here for the fight. We wake up every morning ready to fight. We have for 31 years.

We're fighting against companies that don't do the right thing when they make their products. We're fighting against polluters. We're fighting against them and won't ever stop.

But now we're facing a really serious challenge that's structural across the entire government at the federal level. We'll be pushing for advances at the state level to make up for what doesn't happen here in Washington.

We'll be giving you advice so you can protect yourself without having to depend on the government, as ever. That's who we are.

But I'll tell you, I'm very concerned about what we're seeing already with this Trump administration. We're not counting on any help with our agenda from the inside.

If we're proven wrong, that would be great. But in the short term, we're preparing for the worst.

I'm asking you for your feedback, for your help, as we do that. Because my feeling is, we're in for a long battle.

On this show, we're going to be your eyes and ears on Trump's Washington. And we're going to be reporting from the front lines of the fight.

So, please keep tuning in.

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

We are interrupting our regular programming for Election Day to encourage you to vote. Make your voice heard at the ballot box and if you have any last-minute questions on how or where to vote head on over to VOTE.ORG.

Who knows what episode I’ll be having after the results are in but tune in to find out.

Happy Election Day.

If you’ve followed the world of pesticides for as long as Ken has, it can be hard to be shocked. But journalist Carey Gillam (The New Lede) has dug up a story that has rattled even Ken.

In her newest piece “Defend or be damned’ - How a US company uses government funds to suppress pesticide opposition around the world” (The New Lede, The Guardian, Le Monde) Carey exposes a government-funded (pssst, that means funded by your taxes) covert social network that has worldwide tentacles.

Carey and Ken discuss secret dossiers on pesticide critics, including sensitive personal information of journalists and public health advocates, agendas to attack pesticide and GMO opponents, and private social networks used by pesticide industry lobbyists and government officials worldwide to conceal their collusion from public scrutiny.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

“Defend or be damned” – How a US company uses government funds to suppress pesticide opposition around the world (The New Lede)

Carey Gillam’s website ([email protected])

Revealed: the US government-funded ‘private social network’ attacking pesticide critics (The Guardian)

Poison PR Media Library (The New Lede)

The Monsanto Papers: Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man's Search for Justice (Carey Gillam)

Lighthouse Reports

VFluence

AcademicsReview

Academics Review Form 990 2014

Bonus Eventus

The Monsanto Papers: Poisoning the Scientific Well (National Library of Medicine)

Farm to Fork strategy (EU Commission)

Secret files suggest chemical giant feared weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease (The Guardian)

OIG Reports (Sept 2024)

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

Endocrine disruptors are chemical compounds that interfere with our hormones. For years, it was seen as a fringe theory. Today, it’s embraced by The Endocrine Society and Endocrinologists worldwide. A new study by our guest today shows that chemical exposure to young brains impacts their hormones, which can result in early-onset puberty.

In his latest episode, Ken is joined by Dr. Natalie Shaw, a pediatric endocrinologist and clinical investigator, to discuss her team’s findings and the dangers of early-onset puberty. EWG has been following this topic for quite some time. Join us as we jump back to 2010 when Ken interviews Dr. Louise Greenspan and Dr. Juliana Deardorf about their book, The New Puberty.

We’ll explore the unfolding of this story over the past decade, which leaves us to wonder - what are we doing to our girls, and why?

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Identification of Environmental Compounds That May Trigger Early Female Puberty by Activating Human GnRHR and KISS1R (Endocrinology, Volume 165, Issue 10, October 2024, bqae103)

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Hormones And Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals What You Need To Know (The Endocrine Society)

Exposure and potential risks of thirteen endocrine- disrupting chemicals in pharmaceuticals and personal care products for breastfed infants in China (Environment International)

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Threats To Human Health Pesticides, Plastics, Forever Chemicals, And Beyond (The Endocrine Society)

The New Puberty, How to Navigate Early Development in Today's Girls (Louise Greenspan, M.D., Julianna Deardorff, Ph.D.)

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

People come to environmental work in many different ways. Our first guest today, Kari Rhinehart, came to environmentalism after experiencing a parent’s worst nightmare, the loss of a child, due to a rare brain tumor. When other children in her community of Franklin, IN started getting sick, parents in the community began asking questions and putting data on a map. What they found shocked them. Contaminated drinking water.

Our second guest, Kari’s attorney, Chris Nidel, is a former chemical engineer turned environmental lawyer. People like Kari and her daughter, Emma Grace, are why Chris does the work that he does (and we wish there were more people like him!) Both Kari and Chris are incredible examples of how one person can have an enormous impact and affect change.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

If It Was Your Child

Nidel & Nace, P.L.L.C.

Emma Grace Creative Arts Scholarship

TCE Interactive Map (EWG)

EWG Tap Water Database

Tap water of more than 19 million Americans polluted by ‘Civil Action’ carcinogen that EPA is poised to ban (EWG)

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation (EPA)

What is Vapor Intrusion? (EPA)

Search for Superfund Sites Where You Live (EPA)

Health Consultation and Analysis, Franklin, IN (ATSDR, HHS, CDC)

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

First things first, the onus shouldn’t be on us to find food options without chemicals and additives. If it’s in a store, it should be safe to eat. Right? Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by noted nutritionist Courtney Swan. Courtney is on a mission to empower people to understand what healthy eating is and how to go about it within our broken food system. She is also on a mission to empower people to make their own food and dispel the myth that healthy doesn’t taste good. Ken and Courtney encourage people to trust their gut (in multiple ways) when making food choices and they believe everyone deserves access to healthy and affordable food.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Realfoodology

Courtney’s Instagram

EWG's Food Scores

EWG, “Monsanto Emails: ‘Let’s Beat the S*** Out of’ Moms Worried About Cancer-Linked Weedkiller”

Seed Oil Scout

United States District Court, Northern District of California, Case 3:16-md-02741-VC Document 246-2

New York Times, "A Florida Professor Works with the Biotech Industry"

New York Times, "Food Industry Enlisted Academics in G.M.O. Lobbying War, Emails Show"

Oxfam, "These 10 companies make a lot of the food we buy. Here’s how we made them better."

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

Astounding advancements have been made in clean energy technology, and rooftop and community solar initiatives have been shown to drive consumer costs down and help us reach carbon emission reduction goals. So why are solar projects hitting a regulatory brick wall? (hint: it’s about corporate greed and value for monopoly utility shareholders). In today’s episode, we’re joined by the co-director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, John Farrell, to unravel the ins and outs of why rooftop and community solar and other clean energy advancements are being stoned-walled, and what we can do about it.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Local Energy Rules Podcast

EWG's guide to solar energy

Fight to save rooftop solar in California heads to state Supreme Court (EWG)

Upcharge: Hidden Costs of Electric Utility Monopoly Power (ILSR)

What the Monopoly Utility Model Really Costs Us (ILSR)

The Free Delivery Farce in Solar

KIUC 2023 Annual Report

PG&E to pay $55 million for two massive California wildfires (PBS News)

Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise" (The Heritage Foundation, made public by NPR)

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

A cleaner, greener, and brighter future is within our reach. But often the path we have to walk is littered with discriminatory hurdles put up by the male-dominated financial sector. From subsidies that suppress organic farming to everyday biases preventing the funding of new startups and innovative ideas from women and people of color, Wall Street often stands in the way of progress.

No one can speak to this better than our guest today, Robyn O’Brien. Robyn is a bestselling author, speaker, entrepreneur and investor. After earning her MBA from Rice University, Robyn went on to work as an equity analyst on Wall Street where she covered the food and tech industry. After falling down the convoluted rabbit hole of contaminated food and personal care products, she now sits at the intersection of environmentalism, equality and finance.

Robyn's website

Detox Development -The World Bank

Reforming federal cosmetics law: What is the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act? (EWG)

EWG welcomes cosmetics law reforms in end-of-year spending bill

MontCalm

HR5050

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup

Many people find EWG while seeking information  about pesticides. In today’s episode Ken is joined by our in-house Senior Toxicologist, Dr. Alexis Temkin whose research establishes safety guidelines to help people (including children) minimize their exposure to toxic crop chemicals. In the second half of today’s episode, Ken is joined by renowned pediatrician Dr. Phillip Landrigan whose decades of research and advocacy  is integral for understanding the effects of pesticides on children. We see this episode as Pesticides 101, to help give our audience agency over how they (and their families) are exposed to pesticides. Our government isn’t doing enough to protect us from harmful chemical  residues often found in healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Until that changes, we’re grateful for the work of Dr. Temkin and Dr. Landrigan which has helped  people, including parents and caregivers, better understand how they can take steps to reduce their exposure to pesticides while eating plenty of healthy fruits and veggies. 

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

EWG’s 2024 Dirty Dozen 

EWG’s 2024 Clean 15
EWG’s Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Chemicals: The top 12 to avoid

EWG’s YouTube
Alexis Temkin, Ph.D. 
EPA warns farmworkers about risks of Dacthal

60 Minutes (CBS; 2/26/1989)
National Research Council (US) Committee on Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children

Food Quality Protection Act Signing

Safe Drinking Water Act Signing

Children and Environmental Toxins: What Everyone Needs to Know®

Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise (contributed by NPR)

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

@kencookspodcast

www.ewg.org

@environmentalworkinggroup