Living Planet

It's perfectly natural and something we do every day. Whether you use a squat toilet, a pit latrine or a water closet, humans need to go. But the ways we do so are often not very efficient, useful or good for the environment. So we're taking a look at the history of human excrement and some creative solutions to dispose of and repurpose our waste. This episode originally aired in September 2022.

Microplastics have been found everywhere — from the deepest parts of the ocean to the heights of Mount Everest. A problem that is set to intensify as we produce over 400 million tons of new plastics every year. But just how dangerous are microplastics? And what can we do about them? We share an episode from our On the Green Fence colleagues, who delve into the plastic problem in their new season.

We hear from people in California whose home insurers have left them in the lurch as weather extremes intensify in the state, and talk to an expert on disaster risk and adaptation about what we need to help protect our homes against the inevitable. And from high up in the Austrian alps, we get a reality check from climate scientists about the future of our alpine glaciers.

Writer and stylist Aja Barber on the imperialism of the fashion industry and how to kick your shopping addiction. And how Kenya's dealing with your unwanted clothing.

What do you do if there isn't enough fresh drinking water around? According to the World Resources Institute, a quarter of the world's population doesn't have enough water to meet demand. DW explores ways to combat water scarcity.

We hear from Russian climate activists and environmental organizations working in exile. And we take you to Svalbard in the Arctic to learn about life on this remote archipelago and hear from the climate scientists studying its unique ecosystem.

Each year, the world produces 430 million tons of plastics – and that figure is set to triple by 2060. How did plastics become such a big part of our lives? And what can we do reduce the harm they cause? Today, we share an episode from our colleagues at On the Green Fence, who delve into the plastic problem in their new season.

As the northern hemisphere's summer heat intensifies, wildfires burn from Greece to Algeria to California, and climate scientists admit that even some of these extremes were beyond their predictions, we talk drought, heat, fire — and what happens when that collides with mass tourism.

We visit the state of West Virginia in the United States to hear from people grappling with the phase out of coal mining. What's next for this poor state where the coal industry has dominated for more than 100 years? Julia Kastein investigates.

Solar energy is about to get a push in Croatia which has a lot of sunshine, but so far hasn't really done much with that potential. Food waste is a global problem. In many countries of the global south, it's often down to being unable to keep produce cool. Could solar power help? And we check in with a low-lying coastal community in the US that's already feeling the effects of sea level rise.