This Green Earth

Washington County in the southwest corner of the state wants to divert tens of millions of gallons of water each day from the Colorado River to satisfy their growing demand for water. But the proposed 140-mile-long Lake Powell Pipeline just suffered a setback from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Chris and Nell visit with Zach Frankel, the Executive Director of the Utah Rivers Council.

This morning on This Green Earth, Chris and Nell speak with Earl Swift, author of the book: "Chesapeake Requiem - A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island". The book chronicles the lives of crabbers and oystermen residing on a small island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. It's a story of an island that is undergoing physical, biological and economic loss and what residents believe should be done to save it.

Today on This Green Earth, Chris and Nell first speak with Jeremy Jackson, co-author of the new book "Breakpoint - Reckoning with America's Environmental Crisis". The book shows how America's mounting environmental crises like droughts, fires, floods and rising seas are not only connected by human activity but together, are re-shaping our land, water, coastlines and economies.

In the second part of the show Chris and Nell talk about growing cougar populations in the U.S. with Jim Williams, author of the book: Path of the Puma - The Remarkable Resilience of the Mountain Lion.

Today on This Green Earth, Chris and Nell speak with Lisa Lynch, environmental attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, about the EPA's canceling of their own Clean Power Plan and replacing it with something called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. She'll talk about why EPA is doing this and the major differences between the two plans. Then, find out many more 90 degree days Salt Lake City is experiencing today versus the 1980's. Hint, it's more than just a few.

Dave Pacheco with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance talks about a public meeting being held August 29 th at the Salt Lake City Public Library to discuss the Emery County Public Lands Management Act.

Summit Community Power Works has launched a new website, www.scpwchallen ge.org . The website is a collaboration between Utah Clean Energy, Summit County and Park City and outlines dozens of activities residents can employ to reduce their energy, water, solid waste and fuel consumption.

Paul Burnett with Trout Unlimited talks about the challenges facing Utah’s cold water fisheries and aquatic habitats.

Hosts Nell Larson and Chris Cherniak are joined by author Jana Richman to talk about her new book: Finding Stillness in a Noisy World. In a culture where every voice wants to be heard, Richman's essays asks us to put down our phones, pull out our earbuds and listen to the one "voice" that, many times, matters most - nature.

Professor John Bailey from Oregon State University's Department of Forest Engineering Resources and Management joins This Green Earth. The average number of wildfires great than 1,000 acres has roughly doubled since 1980. The conversation surrounds the size, frequency and intensity of western wildfires and the role of climate change on these conditions.