This Green Earth

Shopping online and overnight delivery has become incredibly convenient over the past five years. It may save you money and time, but does the environment pay a price for this growing consumer practice? In a recent piece on the NRDC blog OnEarth, Journalist Jeff Turrentine writes about the surprising impacts shopping online and, more importantly, overnight delivery does to out air quality, our consumption of fossil fuels and ultimately the generation of carbon dioxide.

In the second half of the show is a representative from the Citizens Climate Lobby talking about what a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives might mean for renewable energy policy and a carbon dividend. Tom Moyer from the local chapter of the Citizens Climate lobby join Chris and Nell to discuss that and the CCL’s agenda for the upcoming year.

The Fourth National Climate Assessment was released a couple of weeks ago. The report was a collaboration and consensus of nearly 13 different government agencies that human-induced climate change is real and it's impacts are being observed in increasing magnitude and frequency. One of the co-authors of the report, Dr. Brenda Ekwurzel of the Union of Concerned Scientists discusses the findings and recommendations of the Fourth NCA on This Green Earth this morning.

Blake Spalding, co-owner of Hells Backbone Grill and Farm in Boulder, Utah, joins Chris and Nell to discuss her advocacy in support of Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments.

Carly Ferro with the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club Joins Chris and Nell to discuss the State of Utah’s petition for an exemption to the Forest Services “Roadless Rule.”

Chris Cherniak with guest host Katy Wang have a great show today. Summit County continues to expand their implementation of renewable energy, this time with the installation of solar panels and vehicle charging stations at the Transit Center and Richins Building. The County's Sustainability Program Manager, Lisa Yoder, joins us to discuss these installs and several other projects the county has going on with respect to electrical energy retrofits and the savings they provide. Then we chat with

Park City became the first community in Utah to establish an ordnance against excessive vehicle idling. Chris and Nell speak with Celia Peterson with Park City Municipals Sustainability department about the ordinance and an online complaint form you can fill out if you observe cars or trucks idling their engines when they should not be.

Some 25 different measures impacting energy and environmental measures and policies were voted on around the country. Everything from renewable energy to fracking for oil and gas to habitat protection was on the ballot. Chris and Nell have a rundown of all these measures and initiatives in the first part of the show.

Chris and Nell speak with Dr. Jeff Masters, meteorologist and co-founder of the weather and climate website, wunderground.com, about recent research suggesting that summertime jet streams patterns are becoming more stationary or "stuck" in place. Why is this happening and what does this condition mean to our summers out here in the mountain west? Find out this morning on This Green Earth.

Today on This Green Earth, hosts Nell Larson and Chris Cherniak speak with Darren McAvoy of Utah State University about biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from biomass that has a number of uses including improving soil health and sequestering carbon.