What on Earth?

There was booing and calls of bullsh*t during a recent government town hall in Sturgeon County. It’s where tech giant Meta is building its largest data centre outside of the U.S. Locals have a variety of concerns; we’re zooming in on the promise that this facility will use less water. Can the plans for ‘closed-loop’ cooling help fix AI’s thirstiness? We break down what the tech can do, and what’s really happening at data centres already operating. 

From the best of What on Earth - Online communities are hunting for items that last. At #BI4L, members crowdsource reviews and recommendations to try to find the “best” version of, well, everything – from blenders to husbands (really). It’s all in an effort to save money, AND the climate. 

If you’ve breathed in smoke, or worse, had to flee your home this summer, you might be thinking more about our warming world. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip hopes this season of fire translates to climate action. As wildfire tears through his territory, the First Nations leader is calling on Mark Carney and Danielle Smith to pause a proposed pipeline. At the same time, pollster Shachi Kurl tells us about a surge in climate concern among Canadians this wildfire season. But will the data lead to political change?

It’s made of mycelium and hemp, it’s better for the earth and it’s now available in Canada. CBC’s Anand Ram introduces us to an American woman who laid her father to rest in one of these biodegradable coffins. And we hear how innovations in green burials are comforting options for those who want to honour their loved ones’ environmental values.

From the Best of What On Earth – Wildfire smoke has choked Canadians across the country this summer. Air purifiers are expensive, but there’s a cheaper way to clean your air indoors. We visit a workshop teaching seniors in Vancouver’s Chinatown to build DIY air cleaners, and get some tips for how you can make one yourself.

From the best of What On Earth – You’ve got climate questions, Hannah Ritchie has answers. She’s “Clearing the Air” in her new book, drawing on her expertise as a data scientist to delve into some of the common — and not so common — queries that come up in climate conversations. Her goal isn’t just to shift opinions on climate action, but to also to spark hope at a time when it may feel like the climate fight is a losing battle.

Flood-prone communities are doing everything to keep water out. But as climate-fuelled storms become more severe, some architects say we need to work with water, not fight it. We learn how amphibious engineering kept Bangladeshi kids in school and allowed a Louisiana community to stay afloat.

From the Best of What On Earth – Mother Nature is a real wild child and has a bone to pick with us humans when it comes to how we’ve treated the planet. Punk rock legend Iggy Pop voices her whiskey-soaked rage in the climate podcast “Sweet Little Human.” Its producers hope a little dark humour can help shine a brighter light on our need to address the climate crisis. 

People on both sides of the Canada - U.S. border have been choking on smoke in recent weeks, much of it coming from fires burning in Canada's forests. Now, U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening new, fire-related tariffs in retaliation. Climate scientists like Zeke Hausfather say wildfires in Canada’s vast boreal forest are linked to global warming and can't be blamed on just one country. And environmental law expert Godwin Dzah explains, when health hazards cross borders there are ways to hold governments and companies to account. But the question of liability gets hazy when climate change enters the conversation.

Sixteen-year-old Evon Murphy loves thrift shopping. Partly because she enjoys fashion and likes to save money. But also because buying secondhand is one way to reduce the impact of the fashion industry on the climate. We meet up with Evon at a Vancouver thrift store to talk about the stories she’s written for CBC Kids News about emissions from clothing production, and how young people can push for solutions. And we sneak in a little browsing among the leather jackets and band tees while we’re at it.