Peril and Promise

Climate change is everywhere in our media today, from the twenty-four hour news cycle to TV and movies. Many have experienced it individually when the heat hits unexpectedly or the rains drench suddenly, when the flowers bloom early or the snow comes late. It seems it's all about climate change these days, but what's new and with all the bad news, how do we hang on to hope? Does most news media make us feel worse?

Frank Sesno is joined by Sadie Babits, an environmental journalist and storyteller. As the Supervising Climate Editor at NPR and former President of the Society of Environmental Journalists, Babits knows first hand the challenges of telling the story of climate crisis. She shares her insight into how public media shapes their stories for consumers to actually use, shifts in public opinion regarding climate science, the book she is currently writing, and much more.

Major funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vagelos with additional funding from Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, and the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith.

The summer of 2022 saw many extreme weather events across the country. While the East End of Long Island was spared the worst, there was a lengthy drought and coastal areas flood regularly. WLIW-FM and award-winning journalist Frank Sesno welcomed community leaders from across the region to discuss what can be done to address the crisis. Frank Quevedo of the South Fork Natural History Museum, Darr Reilly of Carbon Crew Project and Drawdown East End, and Mark Haubner of the North Fork Environmental Council share their perspectives, and Sesno follows the panel with a conversation with Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski. How are we doing? Are there breakthroughs on the horizon?

Please enjoy this extended, uncut edition of the conversation.

South Fork Natural History Museum

Carbon Crew Project

Drawdown East End

North Fork Environmental Council

Major funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vagelos with additional funding from Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, and the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith.

The summer of 2022 saw many extreme weather events across the country. While the East End of Long Island was spared the worst, there was a lengthy drought and coastal areas flood regularly. WLIW-FM and award-winning journalist Frank Sesno welcomed community leaders from across the region to discuss what can be done to address the crisis. Frank Quevedo of the South Fork Natural History Museum, Darr Reilly of Carbon Crew Project and Drawdown East End, and Mark Haubner of the North Fork Environmental Council share their perspectives, and Sesno follows the panel with a conversation with Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski. How are we doing? Are there breakthroughs on the horizon?

For a more in-depth conversation, listen to the extended discussion.

South Fork Natural History Museum

Carbon Crew Project

Drawdown East End

North Fork Environmental Council

Major funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vagelos with additional funding from Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, and the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith.

Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change is a national reporting initiative of The WNET Group. This special WLIW-FM half-hour program focuses on the unique challenges and choices confronting eastern Long Island. The program is hosted by veteran journalist and Planet Forward creator, Frank Sesno.  Together with a panel of experts and local officials, he explores the effects climate change is already having on eastern Long Island, what communities are doing about it now, the challenges ahead, and what citizens can do to engage and take action.

The qualities that make eastern Long Island a distinctive and beautiful place make the stakes of climate change especially high. The consequences are already being felt: sea level rise and coastal erosion, warming waters and endangered marine life, more frequent downpours and flooding, pine beetles that flourish in warmer temperatures and are now common here.

Panelists include local officials who are experts on the issues and have deep roots in this region: Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, and Alison Branco, Director of Coastal Programs for The Nature Conservancy in New York.

For additional information about climate change and what communities are doing about it on eastern Long Island, and to see how you can get involved, here are some useful resources:

Suffolk County Energy and Climate Action

East Hampton Climate Action Plan

Concerned Citizens of Montauk Coastal Resiliency

Climate Central Surging Seas Risk Finder

The Riverhead Local: Suffolk County Task Force on Sea Level Rise and Coastal Erosion

This WLIW-FM special program is distributed in part by Peril and Promise, a public media initiative from PBS flagship station WNET in New York, reporting on the human stories of climate change and its solutions. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise and on the WLIW-FM website at wliw.org/radio. Major funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy and Diana T. Vagelos with additional funding from The Marc Haas Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, and the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family. 

Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change is a national reporting initiative of The WNET Group. This special WLIW-FM half-hour program focuses on the unique challenges and choices confronting eastern Long Island. The program is hosted by veteran journalist and Planet Forward creator, Frank Sesno. Together with a panel of experts and local officials, he explores the effects climate change is already having on eastern Long Island, what communities are doing about it now, the challenges ahead, and what citizens can do to engage and take action.

Listen to this extended version of the conversation for a deeper dive into the issue, and find the condensed version here.

Learn more and find resources here.

Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change is a national reporting initiative of the WNET Group. This special WLIW-FM half-hour program focuses on the unique challenges and choices confronting eastern Long Island. The program is hosted by veteran journalist and Planet Forward creator, Frank Sesno.  Together with a panel of experts and local officials, he explores the effects climate change is already having on eastern Long Island, what communities are doing about it now, the challenges ahead, and what citizens can do to engage and take action.

The qualities that make eastern Long Island a distinctive and beautiful place make the stakes of climate change especially high. The consequences are already being felt: sea level rise and coastal erosion, warming waters and endangered marine life, more frequent downpours and flooding, pine beetles that flourish in warmer temperatures and are now common here.

Panelists include local officials who are experts on the issues and have deep roots in this region: Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, and Alison Branco, Director of Coastal Programs for The Nature Conservancy in New York.

Peril and Promise premieres Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm right here, at wliw.org/radio, and at 88.3 on the FM dial for eastern Long Island, southern Connecticut and coastal New England.