As we kick off summer, looking forward to school breaks, barbeques and live outdoor music, it can also mean wildfire season and with it, bad air. This week on Sea Change Radio, we revisit discussions with the heads of two companies doing their best to let consumers know if the air they are breathing is healthy. First, we speak with Glory Dolphin Hammes, the CEO of IQAir North America, to discuss how her companys online technology gives us a snapshot of air quality. Then we learn about PurpleAirs unique crowdsourcing model from the companys founder, Adrian Dybwad.

In 2016, the leader of the MAGA cult (who believes that climate change is some sort of hoax) incorrectly referred to the EPA as the "Department of Environmental Protection," then vowed to, "get rid of it in almost every form." After listening to this week's guest on Sea Change Radio, you might think that getting rid of the EPA actually would have been preferable. Rather than protecting the environment, the EPA in its current iteration is rolling back sensible regulations and frankly wreaking havoc. Today we hear from John Walke, a senior attorney at the NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, to discuss the enormous environmental cost of artificial intelligence, or AI, whose data centers consume ungodly amounts of water and electricity. We learn about the unquenchable thirst of these data centers, how much of this problem is uniquely American, and why new EPA policies constitute a Trojan horse filled with enemies of the environment, poised to pollute and consume at will.

Several times a day I find myself noting that this administration stinks. It turns out it's not just the stench of cruelty, chaos, and corruption - it's air quality issues, too. This week on Sea Change Radio, we are joined by ProPublica reporter Lisa Song to learn how the Trump administration is affecting the air we breathe. First, we discuss Songs reporting on the EPA's roll-back of air monitoring systems which allow big polluters to self-report their emissions. Then, we talk about how the EPA is actually questioning its own legal authority to enforce the Clean Air Act. Lastly, we turn to an upsetting story about how the unchecked use of tear gas and pepper spray by federal agents is harming children.

If you havent yet personally witnessed the very odd feeling of driving up to a four-way stop sign only to realize that the vehicle across the street from you has no driver behind the wheel, chances are you will soon enough. Like it or not, autonomous vehicles are coming, and this week on Sea Change Radio we are speaking with Samuel Abuelsamid, an expert on self-driving technology. We take a look back at the evolution of autonomous vehicles, examine the purported full self-driving mode offered by Tesla, and discuss some of the sustainability issues surrounding this technology.

The recent Supreme Court ruling Louisiana v. Callais not only eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and allowed states to enact discriminatory maps with impunity, it was also a brutal reminder that despite record low approval ratings for the current president, reversing the negative impacts of this administration will be a big job. This week on Sea Change Radio, we enjoy a wide-ranging political conversation with John Stoehr of The Editorial Board. We discuss why holding Trump administration actors accountable should be a primary short-term goal for Democrats, look at how the illegal US/Israeli war against Iran is a bridge too far for many progressives, and touch upon the upcoming Senate race in Maine between Graham Platner and Susan Collins.

For decades, Republicans have been echoing the same mantra, that "government is not the solution, its the problem." And for the most part, when the GOP is in power, this aphorism sadly rings all too true. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor and former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about her new book, Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air. We discuss the sound governmental policies and practices that allowed Los Angelenos to breathe easy again, talk about how private industry lacks sufficient motivation to tackle climate change, and get a glimpse into how todays law students regard government service.

Most of us arent aware of just how much carbon dioxide is emitted from biomass waste such as sawdust, forest thinnings, and agricultural residuals but woody biomass energy production emits roughly double the carbon pollution per unit of electricity of coal, and 4.5 times that of gas. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to Hannah Murnen, the Chief Technology Officer at a carbon dioxide removal startup known as Graphyte to learn more about the company and the industry as a whole. We discuss how their technology is able to safely store biomass waste that would otherwise decompose or be burned, and get a better understanding of how carbon offsets work.

With all the havoc the Trump administration is currently wreaking on humanity, its easy to forget the threat this reign of terror poses for wildlife, as well. Luckily, there are still many people fighting the good fight to protect vulnerable flora and fauna. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ryan Shannon, a Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. We discuss the landmark case he helped argue to protect four key Endangered Species Act provisions that the Trump administration had weakened, examine the potential impact of the court's ruling, and learn about a separate case where this administrations God Squad is endangering whales under the guise of national security.

If you're still driving a combustion engine vehicle, you've probably noticed that within a matter of weeks the price of gas has increased by about a third,courtesy of the illegal war being waged on Iran by the US and Israel. This week on Sea Change Radio, we welcome returning guest and oil expert Daniel Dicker to get an inside perspective on the latest spike in the global price of oil. We discuss the impact the high prices have on the renewable energy industry, ponder how it could affect U.S. domestic oil producers, and examine how the Trump Administration's manipulation of markets has made oil a very risky commodity to trade.

This week on Sea Change Radio we speak with environmental journalist Meera Subramanian about her new YA graphic novel on climate change, A Better World Is Possible, written in partnership with illustrator Danica Novgorodoff. We talk about the need to educate and entertain young people on current events, and discuss the challenges of engaging young readers on heady topics like economics, religion, and science.