What on Earth?

Can rebranding 'natural gas' as 'fossil gas' lead to faster climate action? A former coal industry chemical engineer in Whistler, B.C. thinks it can, and he’s pushing governments to make the switch. Weddings can come with a big carbon footprint, so we explore how you and your sweetheart can make your big day more climate friendly. We hear from the creator of the 15 minute city concept about the abuse and death threats he’s faced, and we hear suggestions for how to tackle the growing problem of climate disinformation and online conspiracies. And we meet a pair of climate champions advocating for wetlands with some wild wonder and a Joni Mitchell cover.

Laura Lynch takes you up to Mount Meager, where dormant volcanoes could hold the future of geothermal energy in Canada - and another path to reconciliation with one First Nation. Two Canadian TikTok creators bring smart, funny climate messages to Gen Z.

Want to start a climate conversation? Mention your busted food processor, phone, dishwasher, coffee maker, etc. We’ll start a journey toward fixing what’s broken and learn how it could help repair the climate. Wealthy, white communities are more likely to oppose wind farms, says a new study. A Yellowknife doctor returns after a year away to find her home and herself changed by a harrowing summer. How some small businesses are adding EV chargers to boost tourism and help the planet. Could seafood-inspired skins slash emissions from buildings? And meet a musician who wants you to pull out your cell phone and tune into nature.

Danielle Smith has a plan to reach net zero by 2050, only it doesn’t involve moving away from oil and gas production. Laura asks her how she plans to get to carbon neutrality by 2050, and her snub of Ottawa's plan. And people across the country are on a mission to plant millions of trees, even as wildfires decimate forests in Canada. A documentary on what drives them, and what’s standing in the way.

A CBC News investigation found people across Canada lived with unsafe indoor temperatures this summer – often for long stretches of time with no relief. Reporter Tara Carman shares stories of people who suffered, including a man who died – after his home was close to 30 degrees for several weeks. And, environment minister Steven Guilbeault says his role in government 'is not to make friends.' In this feature interview, host Laura Lynch asks Guilbeault if Canada is falling short in its efforts to prevent heat deaths and respond to wildfires – and asks about his relationship with Alberta, as tensions mount over a planned emissions cap on the oil and gas industry.

As Canada continues to grapple with a record breaking wildfire season, some say it's a wake-up call to rethink our relationship with forests. For years, the logging industry has been built to maximize profits, rather than maximize wildfire resilience. What On Earth's Zoë Yunker introduces us to two B.C. communities doing things differently. And – cooking jerk shrimp without the smoke. Story producer Dannielle Piper tells us why a group is building cleaner-burning stoves in Nicaragua. Bonus, Dannielle teaches Laura how to make traditional Jamaican jerk shrimp!

Wildfires are getting harder to fight, so what can we do about it? A lot, actually. We’ll hear a former firefighter’s ideas on how we can use smarter technology and preventative measures to tackle wildfires. And we’ll learn about Indigenous food sovereignty and security, from teaching traditional hunting to planting native plants.

The Liidlii Kue First Nation breathes new life into Scotty Creek Research station, after a brutal wildfire decimated it last fall. Now, this climate research hub is jumping on a new opportunity to rebuild and take stock of data from before and after the fire to help tell the story of a rapidly changing North. Reporter Liny Lamberink visits this world-class climate research station in N.W.T. to explore the damage and survey the progress against the backdrop of a relentless season of wildfires. Alberta presses pause on renewable energy projects in a move one law professor calls “undemocratic.”

Hope is more important than ever, says Rebecca Solnit, amid another summer of climate-linked disasters. The writer, historian and activist says hope for the future is what fuels action to save it. We meet Sustainable Gabriola, a group working to make life on the B.C. Gulf Island more environmentally friendly. Youth columnist Aishwarya Puttur explores the differences between climate action in a major urban centre and in a small community in the Canadian North. And we revisit a climate slam poetry event at UBC.