KQED's Forum

Some people may think palm trees are native to California, but they’re not. In fact, non-native flora abound throughout our state. A bill moving through the California Legislature aims to boost the proliferation of native plants by requiring landscaping on some public and commercial areas to use at least 75 percent low-water, native plants by 2035. The idea is to promote cultivation of California’s native plants, increase biodiversity, and respond better to climate change. Native plants play an important role in supporting wildlife and insects that have evolved together over thousands of years. We’ll talk about efforts to grow more native plants in California, how they benefit the environment and how to incorporate them into your garden.

Guests:

Andrea Williams, director of Biodiversity Initiatives for the California Native Plant Society

Michael Wilcox, senior lecturer of Native American Studies and Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Stanford University

Kathy Crane, owner of Yerba Buena Nursery at Pastorino Farms

Nina House, museum scientist at the University and Jepson Herbaria, at University of California Berkeley

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Citing an increased risk of natural disasters, two of California’s largest property insurers, State Farm and Allstate, are no longer selling new homeowners insurance in the state. Insurers have been shrinking their coverage areas in California for the last few years, especially in wildfire-prone regions, but the latest moves signal just how much insurers are accounting for the increasing costs of climate change. We’ll talk about the impact on homeowners, homebuilders and would-be home buyers and how the state is responding.

Guests:

Ivan Penn , Los Angeles-based reporter covering alternative energy, The New York Times.

Michael Wara, policy director for the Sustainability Accelerator at the Doerr School of Sustainability and director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program and senior research scholar at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University

Kimiko Barrett, research and policy analyst, Headwater Economics

Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner of California

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For most of its history, Santa Clara based company Nvidia has been known primarily as a designer of computer parts meant for video games. But in recent years, those parts have become a crucial part of artificial intelligence programs. Now, Nvidia dominates the market of graphics processing units, or GPUs, meant for AI at a time when interest in AI is exploding. Skyrocketing demand for these GPUs have raised stock prices for Nvidia, giving the company a rare market valuation of more than$1 trillion, a distinction shared by only four other U.S. companies: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet. We’ll talk about Nvidia’s history in Silicon Valley, its recent climb to elite status, and what the rise of AI might mean for the Bay Area.

Guests:

Cade Metz, technology reporter, the New York Times; author, “Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought A.I. to Google, Facebook, and The World”

Margaret O'Mara, Scott and Dorothy Bullitt professor of American History, the University of Washington; author, "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America"

Max A. Cherney, senior tech reporter, the Silicon Valley Business Journal

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Haggling. For some people, a transaction is not complete if it doesn’t include a request for a discount, an upgrade or something more. For others, the very idea of haggling makes them cringe. They don’t want to look like a jerk or seem petty about money. But, in an economy where it feels like things are more expensive than ever, haggling can save you money and time. With a little or a lot of haggling you might be able to score reduced rent, get a better hotel room or shave thousands off a medical bill. We’ll talk to experts about why people are reluctant to haggle, how to haggle, and where to haggle. And we’ll hear from you: What’s the best deal you’ve haggled for recently?

Guests:

Veronica Dagher, personal finance reporter, the Wall Street Journal; author, Wall Street Journal's ebook "Resilience: How 20 Ambitious Women Used Obstacles to Fuel Their Success"

Richard Shell, professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics and Management Organization, the Wharton School; author, “Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People” and “The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas”

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When music streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music recommend a song or an album, it can be a make-or-break moment for lesser-known artists. But it still doesn’t pay the bills: musicians earn on average less than half of a cent per stream unless they’re among a platform’s top artists. Streaming fraud and copycat tracks can also cut into their pay — types of theft that could be made even easier with generative artificial intelligence. We’ll talk about how automation and technology are changing how we consume music, how that music sounds and what artists are paid.

Guests:

Nastia Voynovskaya, associate editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Zack Nestel-Patt, bassist and composer; organizer, Union of Musicians and Allied Workers

Marc Hogan, senior staff writer, Pitchfork

LaRussell, artist; founder, Good Compenny - an organization that promotes rising Bay Area artists

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In her new book, “Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs,” author and comedian Jamie Loftus dials in on why America loves the hot dog: “They’re high culture, they’re low culture, they’re sports food and they’re hangover food and they’re deeply American for reasons that few people can explain but everyone has been told their entire lives.” Loftus chronicles her cross-country journey eating some of the country’s most famous hot dogs like JJ Red Hots in North Carolina, Nathan’s Famous in New York, and Ben’s Chili Bowl in D.C. Along the way, she also delves into the history of the hot dog and devotes an entire chapter to how a hot dog is made. In her words, a hot dog is “garbage being repurposed as mass-appeal food.” While light-hearted, Loftus offers a steely look at the meatpacking and food services industry. We’ll talk to Loftus and hear from you: How do you feel about hot dogs?

Guests:

Jamie Loftus, author, "Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs"; Emmy-nominated TV writer; podcast host, “My Year In Mensa” and "Bechdel Cast"

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Beginning in the 19th century, Americans harvested ice from frozen lakes and transported it to warm places, turning ice harvesting and delivery into a lucrative business. Then came manufacturing and refrigeration, ice cream and iced tea. One of the first films made in America was of an ice hockey game. These are some of ice’s cultural moments that historian and journalist Amy Brady explores in “ICE: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks—a Cool History of a Hot Commodity.” We talk to Brady about the history of ice, the industries it has spawned and its place in present life as we face an ever-warming planet.

Listen to the recent KQED reporting on alleged child labor violations in California.

Guests:

Amy Brady, author and historian; executive director, Orion Magazine; coeditor of "The World as We Knew It: Dispatches from a Changing Climate"

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In recent months, protesters targeted businesses including the Los Angeles Dodgers, retailer Target and beer maker Anheuser-Busch for celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. While many companies rushed to embrace the queer community in recent years, in the face of intense backlash, they are now struggling to navigate the political and social divides. Meanwhile, gay rights advocates say now is the time for companies to take a strong stand against bigotry and hate. As Pride Month kicks off, we’ll talk about the recent surge of homophobic protests and how individuals and companies are responding.

Guests:

Tom Temprano, managing director of external affairs, Equality California, an LGBTQ+ rights advocacy organization

Sister Unity, board member, Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc.

Leticia Miranda, U.S. retail & consumer columnist, Bloomberg Opinion

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Child labor violations are on the rise across the country. Yet Republicans in multiple states are working to roll back regulations for underaged workers, including lowering age limits, removing restrictions for dangerous work and extending allowable work hours, including on school nights. Critics say the new laws endanger children, depress wages and make it harder for regulatory officials to catch bad actors. California may have stronger regulations by comparison, but we’ll explore the limits of the state’s oversight and the conditions that push so many children into the workforce.

Guests:

Jacob Bogage, business and technology reporter, The Washington Post

Hernan Hernandez, executive director, The California Farmworker Foundation

Elizabeth Strater, director of strategic campaigns, United Farm Workers

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More data from the 2020 Census reveals demographic changes that paint a picture of a different Bay Area today than that of a decade ago. In conjunction with migration out of the area during the pandemic, the region’s population is getting older and homeownership rates are dropping. Racial demographics throughout the nine counties are also shifting, but maybe not in the way you’d expect. We’ll talk about these evolving population trends and what they could mean for the local economy and the housing crisis.

Guests:

Harriet Blair Rowan, data reporter, Bay Area News Group

Hans Johnson, demographer and senior fellow, Public Policy Institute of California

Ethan Varian, housing reporter, Bay Area News Group

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