Today on This Green Earth , Robert Adler gives us the breakdown on the 26th Annual Wallace Stegner Symposium titled: "The Plastics Paradox: Societal Boon or Environmental Bane?". The program will present a number of speakers who explore the role of plastics in our lives, including its history, benefits, impacts, and solutions. Adler is a professor at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he teaches and writes in the areas of environmental and water law.

On This Green Earth , Max Wilbert, who co-authored the new book, Bright Green Lies - How the Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It, comes on to share his viewpoint surrounding our unwillingness as a society to sacrifice any of our consumptive behaviors. The book explores the rift between two types of environmentalists. The first being the "deep greens", who want to protect the Earth by cutting back on consumption and restoring natural landscapes, and the "bright greens"

On this episode of This Green Earth : Maria Najera, Government Affairs Director at Western Resource Advocates joins Chris to discuss the appointment of Debra Haaland as the Senate-confirmed United States secretary of the interior. Haaland is the first indigenous cabinet secretary in US history.

On this episode of This Green Earth : Adam Brewerton with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources talks about the outbreak of salmonella that is happening in songbirds throughout the pacific northwest. He will share what we can do to recognize infected birds, and how we can help the outbreak from spreading by keeping our backyard feeders clean.

On this episode of This Green Earth : Group leader with the Wasatch Back chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby Lauren Barros joins the show to talk about the major changes in Climate Legislation. Barros also discusses the Executive Orders expected under the new Biden administration.

Birders around the world are rejoicing with the rediscovery of a bird that has not been seen for 180 years. The illusive Black-browed Babbler has been captured, photographed and then released back into the tropical forest of Borneo. Dr. John Mittermeier of the American Bird Conservancy talks with Nell and Chris about this unique feathered creature, its accidental capture, and why its rediscovery is so important to both birders and conservationists.

Today on This Green Earth : Sean Sublette from Climate Central is talking about last week’s record-breaking cold temps in the Midwest and Southern U.S. Sublette will have answers about what role the jet stream played in this event, and the influences a warming planet can have on the jet stream. Sublette also lets us know if we should expect more cold snaps like this, even as the planet warms.

Today on This Green Earth : A fascinating conversation with Kim McCoy, an oceanographer and co-author of the book: Waves and Beaches: The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coast. McCoy discusses the ongoing physical, chemical and biological impacts that rising sea levels are having on our beaches and coasts.

On today's episode of This Green Earth : Mary Farnsworth was recently named the Acting Regional Forester for the Intermountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service. Farnsworth addresses the responsibilities of this position and what the Intermountain Region faces with a new administration.

On today's episode of This Green Earth : Nell and Chris welcome Jordan Clayton. Clayton is the Data Collection Officer with Utah Snow Survey. He discusses the Survey's latest report on the state's climate and water, and provides a summary of the snow and reservoir conditions up through the end of January.