Synopsis
Every Thursday, a new episode of Living Planet brings you environment stories from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day. The prize-winning, weekly half-hour radio magazine and podcast is produced by Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster - visit dw.com/environment for more.
Episodes
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Introducing: Up from Dust
07/11/2024 Duration: 34minThis week we are sharing an episode from Up From Dust – a podcast from the NPR stations of Kansas. "Healing the ground we broke" takes us to the majestic prairies of Kansas to the get the dirt on why soil health is so important to maintaining our food systems and protecting the land from climate disaster.
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Deep Dive: Can planting trees really offset my flight emissions?
01/11/2024 Duration: 30minEver been in this situation? You want to fly, but when you start looking at carbon offset websites, you can’t tell what’s real? Then this episode’s definitely for you. We asked around, and got some pretty interesting answers, including from an unlikely carbon credit b.s. detector.
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Naturally Connected: What wild geese teach us about teamwork
25/10/2024 Duration: 13minWild geese migrate with remarkable success. They navigate thousands of miles thanks to their unique social structure and provide valuable lessons on teamwork and resilience. But how do these birds know exactly when to embark on their epic migration?
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Deep Dive: Why green funerals are on the rise
18/10/2024 Duration: 33minAs traditional funerals take a toll on the environment, a new wave of eco-friendly options is emerging. This episode reveals the surprising choices for sustainable farewells. Are you ready to rethink your final act?
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Deep Dive: Advertising - the battle to ban fossil fuel ads
11/10/2024 Duration: 35minIt's so common it's easy to overlook. But what if advertising has more power to shape our choices, our world and our climate than we realize? For decades, the fossil fuel industry has used marketing to buy our support and delay climate action – with remarkable success. Now some cities have had enough. They're banning ads for cruises, cars and flying – and they say that's just the beginning.
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What’s better: leather vs vegan leather?
04/10/2024 Duration: 30minVegan leather, synthetic leather, faux leather. Whatever you want to call it, demand for this non-animal-based leather alternative is on the rise, especially when it comes to shoes. Some consumers don’t want to pay leather prices, others want a clean conscience when it comes to the environment and animal cruelty. So, how do these materials stack up against leather?
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Naturally Connected: Chirping from the crypt
27/09/2024 Duration: 13minThere are an estimated 50 to 430 billion birds worldwide. They're everywhere, but few of us take the time to listen. In this episode, our reporter Ben Restle joins a nocturnal Berlin birdwatching workshop in a rather eerie location. It’s perfect for witnessing the magical dawn chorus - you just need to make it through the night…
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Introducing: What on Earth
20/09/2024 Duration: 26minThis week we are sharing an episode from What On Earth — a CBC Podcast dedicated to bringing you a world of climate solutions. “Ghosts in their fishing nets” takes us to the Yukon, where Indigenous communities are sounding the alarm over critically endangered Chinook salmon populations – and fighting to help the fish return.
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Deep Dive: What happens when ants invade?
13/09/2024 Duration: 35minWhich creatures tend their own gardens, keep livestock, wage wars and have been around since the dinosaurs? We’re talking about ants of course. Tiny but mighty, the ant universe is complex, fascinating, and mostly hidden. Ants are crucial for sustaining healthy ecosystems. But, as residents in one German town discovered, they can also wreak havoc when they invade new habitats.
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Deep Dive: Suck, bury and store – Denmark wants your CO2, but why?
06/09/2024 Duration: 32minIf you can't beat CO2 pollution, then bury it? That's basically the thought behind carbon capture and storage. Denmark wants to become a leader in these efforts, and has the geological underground to lock away billions of tons of CO2. But locals ask, will it blow up in their face? An exploration of carbon capture technology.
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Deep Dive: The dirty truth about laundry
30/08/2024 Duration: 32minOur laundry routine impacts the environment with chemicals, microplastics, and energy use. Is our fear of being viewed as dirty making us overwash our clothes? Find out how to make smarter and greener laundry choices.
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What’s Better: Dairy vs plant-based milk
23/08/2024 Duration: 23minWhether you're an almond or soy milk enthusiast, or just curious about the latest trend in plant-based alternatives, find out which milk is the best choice for your health and the environment.
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Naturally connected: The fox's tale
16/08/2024 Duration: 13minFoxes have thrived alongside us for centuries. Despite facing numerous threats, they continue to adapt and survive in our ever-changing world. But how are these clever animals finding their place in urban areas?
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Naturally Connected: Finding humanity beneath the Arches
09/08/2024 Duration: 32minAmerica's iconic national parks are a great place to reconnect with nature. But are the crowds killing the vibe? Among the red rocks and tourists of Arches National Park in Southern Utah, reporter Sam Baker asks: Do we need solitude to find serenity in nature?
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Naturally Connected: The lost art of foraging
02/08/2024 Duration: 15minAn urban park in the heart of Berlin might not seem like an ideal place to forage for hidden food treasures. But it's actually blessed with richer biodiversity than the sprawling countryside that wraps around it. And, if you lean in close enough, you'll find an astonishing diversity of plants to nourish, heal and soothe - and you might even untap some old wisdom within yourself along the way.
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Deep Dive: Murky waters - what's stealing the light from our oceans?
26/07/2024 Duration: 32minCoastal waters are darkening, with drastic consequences for marine life and the fishing industry. We explore what’s causing our once clear coastal waters to go murky.
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What's better - the 4 or 5 day workweek?
19/07/2024 Duration: 33minScrapping the classic five-day workweek sounds great when it comes to a better work-life balance. But could less time at work also benefit the environment?
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Deep Dive: Why you’d better check the sunscreen you use
12/07/2024 Duration: 26minHawaii and other tourist hot spots have banned some UV filters found in sunscreen, in part thanks to a fateful snack run for Oreos that put one ecotoxicologist on the trail of unsuspected coral killer in the ocean. Twenty years later, his search continues amid a cacophony of misinformation about sun protection.
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Deep Dive: Euro 2024 – can soccer go green?
05/07/2024 Duration: 17minWith over 2 billion dollars in expected revenue and a projected carbon footprint of 500,000 tons of CO2, we're diving into whether this "most sustainable European Championship" is hitting its eco-friendly targets. From discounted train rides to plant-based snacks, discover the real impact of this soccer fest as business interests clash with sustainability goals.
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Deep Dive: Are we blind to our pets’ climate crimes?
28/06/2024 Duration: 32minWe're obsessed with our pooches, our kitty cats and our cockatiels – how could we not be? They're cute as heck! So, it's easy to turn off to news of how they might be hurting the environment and putting their own health in danger. But don't worry, pets can help us too – if we let them.