PODCAST · science
A Little Greener
by A Little Greener
This weekly podcast features conversations on topics ranging from backyard birding to global conservation projects, and everything in between.
Episodes
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Meet the Moose
After being side characters in two episodes (Rocky Mountain Adventures and White-tailed Deer), it's time for moose to step into the spotlight! Casey and Sara discuss what makes moose special, the tangled web of moose population control, conservation, and climate change, and why in the world the...
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Florida State Park Shenanigans
Unless you're living in Florida, you may have missed out on the fallout from a proposed development plan involving nine of Florida's state parks. Casey and Sara discuss the whole situation, from the problems with the proposals to the odd secrecy around the plan to the fallout--and share some...
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Sustainability at the Chicago Marathon: A Conversation with Cat Morris
The Chicago Marathon is one of six World Major Marathons, and this year will host around 50,000 runners from around the world, not to mention the spectators, vendors, and volunteers. So, is it possible for an event of this magnitude to be sustainable? On this episode, Casey and Sara chat with Cat...
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Rocky Mountain Adventures
This week, Casey and Sara recap Sara's first trip to the Rocky Mountains, covering everything from road trip musings on land use to wildfires to amazing wildlife encounters! Resources for this episode: Natural Features & Ecosystems - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Moose...
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White-Tailed Deer
White-tailed deer may not be the first species that pops to mind when you think of conservation, especially if you live across much of North or Central America. For many of us, these animals are commonly seen around our own homes and (unfortunately) roadways. Depending on your perspective, they…
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Lithium-ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are found everywhere, from watches to power tools to e-bikes and electric cars. But perhaps you've heard a thing or two about these batteries that make you unsure. This week, Casey and Sara discuss some of the environmental, social justice, and safety issues associated with...
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Butterfly Conservation: An Interview with Dr. Vaughn Shirey
This week, Sara and Casey chat with conservation biologist and data scientist, Dr. Vaughn Shirey, for a wide-ranging conversation about his work in butterfly conservation and climate change. Learn what got Vaughn interested in the field, how artificial intelligence is being used in his work, and...
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Should We Eradicate Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes are common flying insect that inhabit all continents except Antarctica. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes worldwide, but only somewhere between 6 and 9.3% bite humans and are disease vectors. That said, mosquitos are the deadliest animal on the planet, thanks to their role as a...
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Can Artificial Intelligence Save the Planet?
What do you think of when you hear the phrase "artificial intelligence?" Does chatGPT or Alexa come to mind? Do you imagine robots taking over the world? What might not immediately come to mind are things like biodiversity preservation, green energy optimization, and water conservation, but AI is...
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Zero-Carbon Industry: A Discussion with Jeffrey Rissman
Jeffrey Rissman is the Senior Director of Industry at Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan energy and environmental policy firm. He is also the author of a new book, Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity. Casey and Sara were thrilled to…
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Who Gets the Trees?
Trees help give us clean air to breathe, keep us cool, and can even benefit our mental health. But not everyone has equal access to trees. In this week's episode, Casey and Sara discuss the benefits (and challenges) of urban trees and take a look at the factors involved in tree disparity across...
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Don't Look Directly at the Sun!! (Animal Behavior and the Solar Eclipse)
With the total solar eclipse visible over parts of North America in just a few days, Casey and Sara discuss what we know about animal behavior during eclipse events. Listen to find out: What are Baily's Beads and why does Sara like them so much? How would Casey's pets respond to a total solar...
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North Atlantic Right Whales
Join Casey and Sara for a discussion on the North Atlantic right whale. Learn where you can find these amazing animals, why they're called "right" whales, and what we can do to help save this incredibly endangered species. Resources for this episode: Reducing Vessel Strikes to North Atlantic…
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Herbicides
Pulling weeds around the yard isn't most people's idea of a good time. Busting out a spray bottle of herbicide might be the easy way out, but what's the price we pay for that? Casey and Sara discuss the use of herbicides in agriculture and urban areas, including the recent news surrounding the…
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Greening Up Baby Revisited
Last spring, Casey and Sara discussed some of the ways parents might be able to make eco-friendly choices while expecting and raising a baby. Now that Casey is a mom, she's taking a look back at how things went for her and sharing some additional tips and resources based on her experiences....
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The Art of Conservation
In this reunion episode, Casey returns to the podcast, joining Kristen and Sara in a discussion about the impact of various art forms on the environment, as well as the other ways that art and nature intersect. Nature often inspires art (and might be considered art in and of itself), art often...
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Coral Part II: Coral Conservation
Kristen and Sara discuss the threats facing coral reefs around the world, what conservationists are doing to help, and how we can all get involved! Resources for this episode: Visual Feature | Status of Coral Reefs of the World What Florida’s coral bleaching means as high ocean temperatures...
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The Secret Lives of Coral
When we think of coral most of us probably think of giant, colorful reef structures. But there's so much more to coral! We take a deeper look at the tiny animals that make up those reefs--and that can be found beyond those reefs, as well. Video for Weekly Challenge: Lens of Time: Corals in Motion...
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Hydropower!
Kristen and Sara discuss the pros and cons of using water to produce electricity. Listen in to learn the three main ways we currently produce hydropower, the environmental impacts, and how hydropower might fit in to the future of energy production. Resources for this episode: Planning a...
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This Barbie is Eco-friendly?
With all the hype around Barbie these past few weeks, Sara and Kristen decided to take a look at the environmental impact of the iconic doll--and some of our other toys, as well. Listen in as they chat about their favorite Barbies, the challenges of plastic, and how to balance our desire to give...
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Amazing Aardvarks!
Kristen and Sara chat about one of Kristen's favorite animals, the aardvark! Learn about the behavior and adaptations of this unique African mammal, the conservation issues they face, and what on Earth aardvarks have to do with cucumbers. Resources for this episode: National Geographic: Aardvark...
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Is there Conflict Between Honey Bees and Wild Bees? A Discussion with Jon Elmquist
With increased awareness of bee pollinators and the value of their conservation over recent years, there has been growing discussion (and controversy!) over the nature of the relationships between managed western honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wild bees. In this episode, Kristen and Sara chat…
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Local Conservation Resources
We often think about conservation on either the global scale (climate change!) or on a personal level (sustainable swaps!), but community-based, local conservation is an extremely important piece of the puzzle. This week, our guest co-host, and Soil and Water Conservation District professional,...
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Exploring Under the Sea
In order to protect the planet, we have to care about it. And pop culture can sometimes help make nature more relatable and accessible. With that in mind, Sara and our amazing new guest co-host, Kristen, have some fun discussing the real-world counterparts to the sidekicks in the new live action...
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Parental Care in the Animal Kingdom
Parental care in the animal kingdom takes a variety of forms. Who are the gold star parents and who never even sees their kids? Do animals babysit? And do quakkas really throw their babies? Resources for this episode: Parental Care - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics Patterns of parental care in...
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Should We Farm Rhinos?
The state of rhinos around the world is precarious. At worst, rhino species are critically endangered, and even the species with the largest population, the white rhino is still classified as near threatened by IUCN, and their population is declining. Despite protection and education efforts, the...
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Get to Know the Rhino
Rhinos are iconic animals that most of us can recognize from the time that we're little. However, there's more to rhinos that most people realize! For example, did you know that there are more species of rhinos outside of Africa than inside? Have you ever heard of the hairy rhinoceros? If not…
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The Willow Project
The Willow Project is an oil drilling project set to begin in the National Petroleum Reserve in northern Alaska--albeit in a scaled down version of the original plan. Casey and Sara explore the history of the project, look at the environmental impacts, and discuss the challenges of breaking free...
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Cleaning Up Concrete
Chances are you've heard about the environmental impacts of plastics and how air travel contributes to climate change, but did you know that there's a man-made substance that contributes more than double the emissions of the aviation industry? It's estimated that up to 8% of global carbon dioxide...
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Greening Up Baby
Expecting your first child can be an overwhelming time, with so much to acquire, learn, and do before baby arrives. The thought of trying to do all that and be environmentally friendly at the same time might feel like too much, but never fear! Casey and Sara are here to discuss being a little...
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Should We Free Tokitae?
The Dolphin Company, owner of the Miami Seaquarium, recently announce plans to release an orca from the Sequarium back into the wild. Many headlines suggest this is a positive story, and indeed, a whale returning to the wild and rejoining their family would be amazing to see. But, is it reality?...
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PFAS Explained
You may have seen or heard the acronym PFAS floating around, or perhaps heard of "forever chemicals." Or maybe you've heard that there are some potential concerns with using non-stick cookware, but weren't sure what it was all about. Around since the 1940s, PFAS are used in a variety of ways...
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The Price of Chocolate
Chocolate is a much beloved treat around the world, but chocolate can have some high environmental costs. By some calculations, chocolate can have a higher environmental impact that some types of meat. Sara and Casey discuss why that is, and what small steps we can take to make our chocolate a...
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Food Gardening 101
Growing food at home has so many upsides, from a lower environmental impact to saving you some money at the grocery store to benefiting your physical and mental health. It's also something you can do even if you don't have a yard! In this episode, Casey and Sara talk through some tips to help you...
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All About the Elephant Shrew
If you look at a picture of an elephant shrew, you might assume that it's perfectly named. It certainly looks similar to shrews found in many parts of the world and has an elongated nose, reminiscent of an elephant's trunk. While the elephant shrew was initially grouped in with shrews, we now…
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The Ohio Train Derailment
On February 3rd, a train owned by Norfolk Southern Railroad was traveling from Madison, Illinois to Conway, PA, when it derailed near the town of East Palestine, Ohio. Some cars on the train were carrying hazardous materials, and ultimately this resulted in the temporary evacuation of residents...
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Climate Proxy Data
Articles on climate change will often talk about carbon dioxide levels being higher than they've been in thousands, or even millions, of years. You may also hear things about temperature moving in cycles, or about how different the climate of a certain area used to be. But how do scientists know...
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Busting Climate Myths
Have you ever heard that climate change is a result of solar cycles or volcanoes? Or maybe you've found yourself thinking that it's too late to do anything about climate change anyway, so why bother? Casey and Sara talk through those myths and more, as well as share some tips for having...
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Zombie Fungus
With the TV show The Last of Us currently all the rage, Sara and Casey talk the real-life zombie fungus. They discuss how zombie fungus works, what the show gets right and wrong, and whether we should be afraid of a zombie fungus pandemic. They also discuss the amazing diversity of fungi and some...
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Sloths
Many people may have a passing familiarity with the slow-moving sloth, especially with their recent explosion in pop culture, but there is so much more to the sloth than most people realize. Casey and Sara discuss some of the incredibly unique features of sloths, and also take a look at the pros...
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A Greener New Year
Wondering how to be a little greener in your own life this year? Join Sara and Casey for a discussion on making environmental resolutions that you can stick to, their personal eco-resolutions, and podcast goals for 2023...plus, a VERY special announcement!
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The Best Can of Tuna
Tuna is a popular seafood choice, but the tuna fishing industry has a number of potential environmental impacts. Casey and Sara talk through how you can determine which tuna is a more sustainable choice simply by the information provided right on the can. Resources for this episode: Statista…
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Nuclear Fusion
Towards the end of 2022, headlines declared a new breakthrough in nuclear fusion experiments: for the first time ever, scientists were able to get more energy from a fusion reaction than they put in. Like nuclear fission, nuclear fusion does not produce any carbon emissions during the energy...
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A Guide to Responsible Pet Ownership
There is a lot to consider before choosing to bring a new pet into your home. Do you have the appropriate space? Can you find and afford veterinary care? Is it even legal for you to own the animal (did you know it's illegal to own a hedgehog in Pennsylvania)? Casey and Sara walk though five big...
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The Big Cat Public Safety Act
Sara and Casey discuss some of the laws governing ownership and care of exotic cats in the United States, including the new Big Cat Public Safety Act. They explore what this new law means for the welfare of big cats currently in human care, as well as the future of exotic cat ownership. Resources...
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Red Pandas
If we asked you to think of a cute, furry, bamboo-eating animal, we suspect a certain black and white bear might come to mind. But, this week, we're talking about another panda. The red panda shares a name and some other characteristics with the more famous giant panda, but is actually a very...
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Wind Energy
Our series on energy continues as Sara and Casey discuss wind energy. They focus on a couple of specific concerns, especially the impact that wind farms have on birds on bats, and how or if this should impact our use of wind energy moving forward. Resources for this episode: Onshore vs Offshore...
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69% Less Wildlife?
You may have seen recent headlines about the loss of 69% of wildlife from 1970. This data comes from a World Wildlife Fund project called The Living Planet Index, which comes out every two year. Casey and Sara take a look at the report, highlighting what it shows, what it doesn't, what the major...
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Talking Turkeys
Turkey for Thanksgiving dinner is a big tradition in the United States, but how much do you know about the bird itself? Sara and Casey discuss some of the features of the wild turkey and take a look at their conservation success story. Resources for this episode: PBS: Wild Turkey Fact Sheet The...
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How the Moon Impacts Nature
The moon is a constant in our lives. Most of us have marveled at a full moon, some of us remember when man first walked on the moon, but what we probably don't think about much is how the moon impacts life on Earth. In this episode, Casey and Sara discuss the ways, both large and small, that the...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does A Little Greener have?
A Little Greener currently has 125 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is A Little Greener about?
This weekly podcast features conversations on topics ranging from backyard birding to global conservation projects, and everything in between.
How often does A Little Greener release new episodes?
A Little Greener publishes regularly with 125 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to A Little Greener?
You can listen to A Little Greener on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts A Little Greener?
A Little Greener is created and hosted by A Little Greener.
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