On Second Thought

Our series Pulitzer Peaches continues. In it, we feature Pulitzer winners from or connected to the state of Georgia. We talk to author Edward Larson. He won his Pulitzer for History in 1998, for the book “Summer of the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate over Science and Religion”. Larson is formerly a professor of History at the University of Georgia, and still serves there as senior fellow at the Institute of Higher Education.

The City of Atlanta announced last month it is the test pilot for a new, software-based trash pick-up system. Atlanta is the first partner of waste management company Rubicon Global. That company says the program will cut costs for the city and help combat climate change. We talked to Atlanta sustainability director Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield and Michael Allegretti, who is the head of public policy for Rubicon Global. We then turned things over to our acting senior producer Don Smith for a rant

Let’s talk some trash. The City of Atlanta announced last month it is the test pilot for a new, software-based trash pick-up system. Atlanta is the first partner of waste management company Rubicon Global — who says the program will cut costs for the city and help combat climate change. We talk to Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield, Chief Resilience Officer and former Sustainability Director for the City of Atlanta. We also have with us Michael Allegretti, Head of Public Policy for Rubicon Global.

Many people wound up with excellent gifts during the holidays, but one really annoying thing is getting something with a sticky price tag on it. On Second Thought's acting senior producer Don Smith has a thing or two to say about those pesky price tags.

Atlanta teenager Nzinga Braswell, 17, traveled to Ghana in 2015 and documented her journey on film. The result was “A Queen’s Discovery,” which was recently honored by a PBS film festival . The film compares Nzinga's Black American experience with what she saw in Africa. We talked about the documentary with her and her father Kenneth, who is the director of President Obama’s Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1LG0jvKqa0&t=905s

The first living organisms on Earth were probably single-celled organisms similar to bacteria. It took eons for those tiny forms to evolve into humans. But how did they begin? Georgia Tech researcher Nick Hud is working to answer that question . We talked with him about his work to discover the root of life on Earth.

​In​ ​November,​ ​voters​ ​approved​ ​the creation​ ​of​ ​two​ ​new​ ​cities​ ​-​ ​South​ ​Fulton​ ​in​ ​Fulton ​County​ ​and​ ​Stonecrest in​ ​DeKalb​ ​County.​ ​New​ ​ commissions​ ​appointed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​governor ​ ​are working​ ​to​ ​help​ ​each​ ​community​ ​operate.​ ​We talked more about this with Joel​ ​Thibodeaux​​, the chair of the​ ​committee​ ​overseeing Stonecrest.​

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, it is unclear what effect his administration might have on renewable energy. Trump has raised concerns about wind and solar energy , and several of his Cabinet picks have ties to the oil and gas industry . However, the renewable fuel industry may have reason to be hopeful. According to a recent report from the World Economic Forum, the cost of wind and solar power has dropped in more than 30 countries to rates that are the same or cheaper

When​ ​Joan​ ​Kroc​ ​died,​ ​she​ ​gave​ ​billions​ ​to​ ​various​ ​charities--money​ ​that her​ ​husband​ ​Ray earned​ ​as​ ​the​ ​founder​ ​of​ ​McDonald’s.​ ​Kroc​ ​left​ ​$225​ ​million​ ​to NPR,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​also​ ​gave​ ​almost​ ​two​ ​​billion​​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Salvation​ ​Army​ ​to​ ​build magnificent​ ​recreation​ ​centers​ ​in​ ​poor​ ​communities—including​ ​one​ ​in Atlanta.​ ​​ ​ She​ ​also​ ​endowed​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Morehouse’s​ ​Medical​ ​School,​ ​a gift​ ​that​ ​endures​

As​ ​President-elect​ ​Donald​ ​Trump​ ​prepares​ ​to​ ​take​ ​office,​ ​it’s​ ​unclear​ ​what affect​ ​his​ ​administration​ ​might​ ​have​ ​on​ ​renewable​ ​energy,​ ​like​ ​solar​ ​and wind.​ ​Several​ ​of​ ​his​ ​Cabinet​ ​picks​ ​have​ ​ties​ ​to​ ​the​ ​oil​ ​and​ ​gas​ ​industry. Trump​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​vocal​ ​supporter​ ​of​ ​coal.​ ​But​ ​the​ ​renewable​ ​fuel​ ​industry may​ ​have​ ​reason​ ​to​ ​be​ ​hopeful.​ ​A​ ​new​ ​report​ ​by​ ​the​ ​World​ ​Economic Forum​ ​says​ ​in​ ​more​