This Green Earth

Nell and Chris speak with Brian Maxfield about the Utah Division of Wildlife Resource plans to introduce more than a dozen black-footed ferrets in the northeastern part of the Utah next week. Only a few decades ago, biologists thought black-footed ferrets were extinct. Now, thanks to successful breeding and release programs, there are ferret colonies throughout the west.

Sabrina Helm, an associate professor of family and consumer science at the University of Arizona surveyed hundreds of people and found that psychological responses to climate change seem to vary based on what type of concern people show for the environment. With those highly concerned about the planet’s oceans, insects, birds, animals and ecosystems experiencing the most stress. The paper is titled: Differentiating environmental concern in the context of psychological adaptation to climate

Chris and Nell speak with Ashley Solstiak , Executive Director of the Utah Sierra Club about a proposed bill moving through congress that , among other things, would lessen the size of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument by nearly 50-percent.

Millions of birds use the Great Salt Lake as either a permanent home or rest stop in their annual migrations. Jaimi Butler of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College joins Nell and Chris to talk about how a changing Great Salt Lake is impacting the health and welfare of one bird in particular, the iconic American white pelican, and how citizen scientists can help with the research to learn more about them.

Phil Bondurant with the Summit County Health Department joins Chris and Nell to discuss a joint grant with the UPHE which would help homeowners cover the cost of replacing wood burning fireplaces with gas fired units.

Hurricanes Florence and Michael are recent examples of how a warmer planet is already influencing tropical storm intensification, magnitude and impacts. And the Union of Concerned Scientists just released a report detailing how rising sea levels and stronger storms will increase flood risks to coastal communities - on a property by property basis. Kristina Dahl is a senior climate scientist for the Climate and Energy program.

Last week, the EPA announced that they where eliminating the Office of Science Advisor, a position that has been around for 37 years advising the EPA's chief administrator on the science behind environmental policies and regulations. Why is an office that has been around since 1981 suddenly going away? Chris Cherniak and Nell Larson speak with a policy expert from the Union of Concerned Scientists to answer that question and others, on This Green Earth.

In the second half of the program, Chris and Nell speak with Paul Greenberg, the author of the new book, “The Omega Principal, Seafood and the Quest for a Long Life and a Healthier Planet.” Omega 3 fatty acids – or fish oil – have long been touted by doctors and dieticians as a key to a healthy heart and sharper brain. But, what’s the impact of harvesting tons of anchovies and sardines to the marine food chain?

This summer was Utah's warmest on record. September was well above average and also one of the driest. And today most of the state is facing warnings for "flash floods". What's going on? Chris and Nell speak with Brian McInerney from the National Weather Service to better understand our shifting temperatures and weather patterns.

Chris and Nell talk to Meredith Reba, the co-author of a fascinating new book titled: City Unseen, New Visions of an Urban Planet. The book compiles satellite images of one hundred cities around the globe showing how geography shapes urban settings while also showing how cities impact the surrounding environment.