Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode (EWG)
Explore every episode of Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode
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| 11 Mar 2024 | Trailer | 00:00:36 | |
Join Founder and President of Environmental Working Group Ken Cook as he helps folks connect with their inner environmentalist. Through conversations with diverse innovators and disruptors, Ken delves into the challenges we face and the solutions available to address them.
www.ewg.org
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| 11 Feb 2025 | Goodbye Red Dye 3 | 00:25:12 | |
Ken Cook is having another episode, and this one is all about two R’s: Red Dye 3 and RFK Jr. Ken is joined by his fellow public interest leader Dr. Peter Lurie, the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. He has a storied career in public health, including a stint as the Food and Drug Administration’s associate commissioner for public health strategy and analysis during the Obama administration. Thanks to a petition CSPI filed with the FDA in 2022 FDA petition, Red Dye 3 is now banned from use in food products in the U.S. In today’s episode, Ken and Dr. Lurie celebrate that victory and discuss how CSPI, EWG, and other public interest groups are rising to meet this challenging political moment for public health. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion:
Thank you to our live-stream guests
Dr. Rob Davidson, Executive Director of The Committee to Protect Health Care
Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of American Public Health Association
Tom Philpott, Senior Research Analyst at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
Executive Director Northe Saunders and Advocacy Director Jen Herricks at SAFE Communities Coalition Action Fund
Max Goldberg, founder of the newsletter Organic Insider
Darya Minovi, Senior Analyst at The Center for Science and Democracy at The Union of Concerned Scientists
Author and entrepreneur, Robyn O’Brien
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| 04 Jun 2024 | Mark Jacobson & Greg Jaczko on clean energy alternatives to nuclear power | 00:44:35 | |
Climate change, air pollution, jobs! These are buzzwords that have helped the nuclear energy industry stay in power. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by author and environmental engineering professor, Mark Jacobson and former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and author, Greg Jaczko to discuss why we continue to waste so much money in nuclear power, what the new clean energy alternatives are and why we are still using both. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Mark Jacobson’s Book, No Miracles Needed Greg Jaczko’s Book, Confessions of a Rogue Nuclear Regulator EWG’s Green Energy Guide The Economic Viability of Nuclear Power Is Only Going Down Why Small Modular Nuclear Reactors Won’t Help Counter the Climate Crisis Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 31 Dec 2024 | EWG 2024 Wrapped | 00:48:47 | |
At EWG we believe everyone should have access to safe products, clean drinking water, healthy food, and clean air. We believe in that so much that we’ve spent decades fighting for you. Ken sits down with his colleagues Scott Faber and Jocelyn Lyle to discuss EWG’s impact in 2024 and what’s to come in 2025. From a potential Red dye-3 ban to pesticides in produce to PFAS in your drinking water, EWG has made incredible progress. We’ll have our challenges in 2025 but we’re ready to face them head-on, but not before we celebrate this year’s successes with you, our listeners. Thank you for your support and we’re excited to do it again with you next year. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion:
Alaska Community Action on Toxics Center for Environmental Health Clean Water Action Defend Our Health North Carolina Conservation Network
Break Free From Plastic | |||
| 30 Jul 2024 | Protecting children from the risks of pesticides | 01:02:18 | |
Many people find EWG while seeking information about pesticides. In today’s episode Ken is joined by our in-house Senior Toxicologist, Dr. Alexis Temkin whose research establishes safety guidelines to help people (including children) minimize their exposure to toxic crop chemicals. In the second half of today’s episode, Ken is joined by renowned pediatrician Dr. Phillip Landrigan whose decades of research and advocacy is integral for understanding the effects of pesticides on children. We see this episode as Pesticides 101, to help give our audience agency over how they (and their families) are exposed to pesticides. Our government isn’t doing enough to protect us from harmful chemical residues often found in healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Until that changes, we’re grateful for the work of Dr. Temkin and Dr. Landrigan which has helped people, including parents and caregivers, better understand how they can take steps to reduce their exposure to pesticides while eating plenty of healthy fruits and veggies. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: EWG’s 2024 Clean 15 Food Quality Protection Act Signing Safe Drinking Water Act Signing Children and Environmental Toxins: What Everyone Needs to Know® Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise (contributed by NPR) | |||
| 18 Jun 2024 | Chemical exposure in people and how companies conceal risks from the public, with investigative reporter Sharon Lerner and Professor Philippe Grandjean | 00:51:50 | |
In a recent New Yorker article, investigative reporter Sharon Lerner writes about former 3M scientist Kris Hansen who conducted a study in the 90s where she found PFAs forever chemicals in the general public's blood. 3M executives told her PFAS chemicals weren't harmful, she believed them. Decades later she would learn the truth about the serious risks of PFAS exposure, and why she decided to speak out against the company she worked at for decades. We are aware of the harmful effects of PFAs because of Professor Philippe Grandjean, a Danish Toxicologist. In the first part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by Sharon Lerner and talks about the human experience 3m scientist Kris Hansen has gone through since finding out her employer lied to her and the general public for decades. Sharon Lerner refers to Professor Philippe Grandjean’s groundbreaking work in her article and in the second part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by Professor Grandjean to speak about one of his own articles that explores the vested interest in keeping facts about chemical exposure a secret from the public. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: How 3M Discovered, Then Concealed, the Dangers of Forever Chemicals (The New Yorker) Is Pollution Value-Maximizing? The Dupont Case (National Bureau Of Economic Research) Paracelsus Revisited: The Dose Concept in a Complex World Lead: Celebrate its ban, but don't cross it off your list (EWG) | |||
| 02 Jul 2024 | Austin Frerick on the corruption of America’s food industry | 00:48:07 | |
Local businesses and local farms are being lost in this era of monopolizing America’s food system, but the food industry didn’t become corrupt overnight. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Austin Frerick, expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. His debut book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry” profiles a series of powerful magnates to illustrate the concentration of power in the food system. Policy language used effectively by the food industry is designed to wall people off, Austin’s book let’s people in. During the 2020 presidential campaign, Austin advised candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg on agricultural policy before ultimately serving as Co-Chair of the Biden campaign’s Agriculture Antitrust Policy Committee. He now works at Yale University, collaborating on research related to competition policy and antitrust enforcement. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry” EWG's Meat And Dairy Product Labels Decoder EWG’s quick tips for reducing your diet's climate footprint EWG’s Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate & Health Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 19 Mar 2024 | Erin Brockovich is still pissed about contaminated tap water | 00:49:53 | |
Erin Brockovich is synonymous with environmentalism, which is why she is our inaugural guest. She is an environmental activist, author, and subject of the self-entitled Oscar-winning Steven Soderberg film, Erin Brockovich. Erin joins Ken on today’s episode to discuss the state of U.S. drinking water and why many toxic contaminants are allowed to flow from taps at levels that are legal, but nowhere near safe. Despite the promise of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act, woefully inadequate regulation persists 50 years later. Join Erin and Ken as they have an episode. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: EWG’s national tap water database Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 17 Dec 2024 | Why are there so many sketchy chemicals in our food? | 00:49:11 | |
No matter your politics, you want the food you and your family eat every day to be safe. So why do so many of the products on the grocery store shelves have worrisome food chemical additives that have been banned in other countries, including many linked to cancer and behavioral problems in children. To help unravel this, Ken is joined by EWG’s Vice President of Government Affairs Melanie Benesh to do a deep dive into the world of food additives. They discuss how the failures by federal regulators at the FDA have allowed food companies to add troubling chemicals linked to serious health problems into countless foods, and how some states like California are taking a stand on behalf of consumers. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Propyl Paraben: Are you eating an endocrine disruptor? Common food additives in Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks cereal may harm human health Thousands of children’s sweets STILL contain additive unsafe for human consumption Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 24 Dec 2024 | Mona Vand on rethinking healthy | 00:35:49 | |
We know which healthy choices we need to make to improve our diet and health but it can seem so daunting in the moment. In today’s episode Ken is joined by pharmacist turned wellness content creator, Mona Vand to tackle exactly that. Sometimes it doesn’t feel convenient to eat healthy or find healthy options when you need something quick but Mona helps reframe how to approach food prep and what to look for. If you travel as frequently as Ken and Mona, eating healthy can be very tricky. Mona provides some great tips to improve your energy and how to eat healthy and move your body while on the road. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: MonaVand.com Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 02 Apr 2024 | Moby and Chef Andrew Zimmern: Eating and Advocacy | 00:34:10 | |
Each individual’s journey with food is unique. At 19, Moby confronted the contradiction of loving animals but consuming a bacon double cheeseburger, leading him to embrace veganism. Andrew Zimmern believes that our food systems are entirely broken, questioning the industrial food production practices in the U.S. and the dying art of small-business fishmongering. How can we change the public’s moral framework in regards to meat and food consumption without finger-wagging…? Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Andrew Zimmern's Spilled Milk (Substack) Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture EWG’s quick tips for reducing your diet's climate footprint EWG: Animal feeding operations harm the environment, climate, and public health EWG: The health benefits of a whole foods, plant-forward diet EWG: Climate Change & Agriculture EWG: Meat & Dairy Alternatives Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 25 Feb 2025 | The future of meat | 00:33:16 | |
The meat industry has been consolidating rapidly for decades, concentrating its power in a way that creates problems not only for the environment but also for farming communities in the U.S. and around the world. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Chloe Sorvino, a journalist at Forbes and author of the new book “Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat.” Chloe unravels a tangled web of bribery, deceit, and international corporate intrigue as she explores the dark side of the modern industrialized meat industry. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat. Decoding Meat And Dairy Product Labels Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 16 Jul 2024 | Missy Sims and Richard Wiles take on Big Oil for causing the climate crisis | 00:52:10 | |
Oil companies have known about their enormous and “catastrophic” contribution to climate change since the 1950s. They lied about it for as long as they could and are now lying about their newfound commitment to solving the problem they created. Who will hold them accountable? Melissa “Missy” Sims, a lawyer from Illinois, is currently representing 52 Puerto Rican municipalities against Big Oil for hurricane-related damages caused by the climate crisis. Richard Wiles is the president of the Center for Climate Integrity, which helps state and local elected leaders, including state attorneys generals hold Big Oil companies accountable for climate damages through litigation. In today’s episode, Ken, Missy and Richard talk about how they got to the front lines of protecting our planet by working together on a mission to sue Big Oil and what their hope for the future looks like. She’s on a Mission From: God Suing Big Oil Companies for Damages The Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan “The Victory Memo” T.I.N.A. Group Sceanarios 1998 Exxon’s 1978 report “The Greenhouse Effect” Exxon’s 1979 report “Controlling Atmospheric CO2” Exxon's 2019 Corporate Strategic Planning memorandum Shell’s 2020 “Let’s Talk Energy Transition” emails and deck House Oversight documents reveal Big Oil’s “greenwashing” climate claims to hide investments in fossil fuels | |||
| 05 Nov 2024 | Get Out and Vote | 00:00:56 | |
We are interrupting our regular programming for Election Day to encourage you to vote. Make your voice heard at the ballot box and if you have any last-minute questions on how or where to vote head on over to VOTE.ORG. Who knows what episode I’ll be having after the results are in but tune in to find out. Happy Election Day. | |||
| 21 May 2024 | Dr. Mark Hyman on treating toxic chemicals in our bodies | 00:41:47 | |
Almost 100% of Americans have toxic substances in our bodies and it negatively affects our health in numerous ways. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by functional medicine pioneer and EWG board member, Dr. Mark Hyman. Functional medicine is a complete approach to your whole interconnected biological system. Dr. Hyman came to functional medicine after being diagnosed with mercury poisoning and after using functional medicine to detoxify his body, he became determined to help as many people as possible.
Ken and Dr. Hyman discuss why we are exposed to so many toxic substances, where we are exposed to them, and what you can do to help yourself reduce exposure and increase detoxification.
EWG's Dirty Dozen: Cancer Prevention Edition
EWG's 2024 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 16 Apr 2024 | 25 Years in the Making: EPA Cracks Down on “Forever Chemicals” in Tap Water Thanks to Rob Bilott | 00:54:23 | |
For decades the American people have been exposed to toxic forever chemicals known as PFAS with no protection from our government. Until now… In today’s monumental episode, Ken travels to Fayetteville, North Carolina to join the EPA as they announce the first-ever legal limit on PFAS in the drinking water of tens of millions of Americans. In anticipation of this announcement, Ken spoke with environmental attorney, Rob Bilott, who has worked tirelessly for 25 years to make this legal limit on PFAS possible. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare Dark Waters featuring Mark Ruffalo EPA Says ‘Forever Chemicals’ Must Be Removed From Tap Water Ruffalo: PFAS drinking water standard delivers justice to poisoned communities Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 28 Jan 2025 | True Botanicals founder on better beauty for all ages | 00:34:18 | |
Our skin is our largest organ, and applying some personal care products may let harmful chemicals sink into the body. That’s why Ken feels so strongly about the importance of non-toxic beauty alternatives.
Every True Botanicals product is EWG Verified® and sourced with organic regenerative farm and wild harvest ingredients. Now entering their tenth year, True Botanicals is dedicated to reimagining what responsible, ethical beauty looks like. Ken and Hillary discuss her journey, influences, and what’s next in the world of better beauty.
Body Burden: The Pollution in Newborns (EWG)
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| 13 Aug 2024 | The environmental and economic benefits of empowering women | 00:47:35 | |
A cleaner, greener, and brighter future is within our reach. But often the path we have to walk is littered with discriminatory hurdles put up by the male-dominated financial sector. From subsidies that suppress organic farming to everyday biases preventing the funding of new startups and innovative ideas from women and people of color, Wall Street often stands in the way of progress. No one can speak to this better than our guest today, Robyn O’Brien. Robyn is a bestselling author, speaker, entrepreneur and investor. After earning her MBA from Rice University, Robyn went on to work as an equity analyst on Wall Street where she covered the food and tech industry. After falling down the convoluted rabbit hole of contaminated food and personal care products, she now sits at the intersection of environmentalism, equality and finance. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Ted X - "Real Food Evangelism" Ted X - “Patriotism on a Plate” Seeding Innovation: The Path to Profit and Purpose in the 21st Century The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother's Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America's Food Supply-- and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself Detox Development -The World Bank Lifting financial performance by investing in women, Long-term capitalism at BlackRock (Nov. 2023) Reforming federal cosmetics law: What is the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act? (EWG) EWG welcomes cosmetics law reforms in end-of-year spending bill Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 18 Nov 2024 | Elections Have Consequences | 00:03:13 | |
Hi, it's Ken Cook from EWG. I'm here in Washington and we're here to get ready to fight. It already feels like Trump's Washington. That feeling reminds us of what we went through during his first term where we saw a massive assault on environmental protection. We haven't always been happy with everything that happened over the last four years with the Biden administration. And we have called that out. We will always do that. We don't favor Democrats or Republicans. We favor environmental protection. We favor human health. We favor your health. But I have to tell you, this is a very, very different situation that we're facing now. Different than we've ever faced before. We have every reason to think that appointees are, for the most part, here to tear down the ability of the government to do its job, starting with EPA. One of the first announcements was an EPA administrator, and he was instructed to deregulate Environmental protections. So we know that's coming. And for whatever reason, you may have voted for President Trump. That's your right. We're not here to suggest who you should vote for. But we will say that when you vote for someone, you get the whole package. There is no such thing as a single-issue politician. And so what we're seeing now is the consequences of someone coming to power, using that power in ways that we predicted would happen, to deregulate the economy, weaken environmental law, and weaken food safety. Now, there's plenty that we can do as individuals. EWG has tens of millions of people who come to us every year, seeking information so you can protect your family yourself. You can protect your health yourself, and that's vitally important to do. But there are some things we can't do for ourselves. There are some things we can't shop or behave our way out of. Those belong in the realm of policy and politics. So we're here for the fight. We wake up every morning ready to fight. We have for 31 years. We're fighting against companies that don't do the right thing when they make their products. We're fighting against polluters. We're fighting against them and won't ever stop. But now we're facing a really serious challenge that's structural across the entire government at the federal level. We'll be pushing for advances at the state level to make up for what doesn't happen here in Washington. We'll be giving you advice so you can protect yourself without having to depend on the government, as ever. That's who we are. But I'll tell you, I'm very concerned about what we're seeing already with this Trump administration. We're not counting on any help with our agenda from the inside. If we're proven wrong, that would be great. But in the short term, we're preparing for the worst.
On this show, we're going to be your eyes and ears on Trump's Washington. And we're going to be reporting from the front lines of the fight. So, please keep tuning in. Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 11 Mar 2025 | Can deregulation make America healthy again? | 00:46:12 | |
Ken’s having another episode, one that quite a lot of people are having lately, all about the federal job layoffs. This is a little bit tricky, as Ken and EWG have at times been critical of the very agencies that are in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. To help Ken unpack this, he’s joined by his friend and environmental hero, Peter Galvin. Peter is one of the founders and the director of programs for the Center for Biological Diversity. They talk about policy, strategies for the next four years, and how their organizations will rise to the occasion to ensure all Americans have a cleaner, safer, non-toxic future. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: The Center for Biological Diversity Frequent Questions and Answers: Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for PFOA and PFOS (EPA) WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to Unleash American Greatness as Head of EPA PFAS in sludge spread on farmland poses health risks, EPA report says OPM-OMB Memo Guidance on Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans Requested by Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative 2-26-2025 She Lobbied for a Carcinogen. Now She’s at the E.P.A., Approving New Chemicals (NYTimes) Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 08 Apr 2025 | EPA was a success story - and that was a problem for polluters | 00:42:28 | |
Unraveling decades of environmental progress, the Trump administration is systematically dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s dismantling critical statutes that have protected public health and the environment for years. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by his old boss and mentor, former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly, who served in various roles under four U.S. presidents — Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. As EPA chief from 1989 to 1993, Reilly championed landmark policies like the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. He also played a key role in responding to major environmental disasters, including the Exxon Valdez and BP Deepwater Horizon oil spills. The Trump administration claims to be defunding the EPA for “economic reasons.” Bill and Ken, however, highlight how environmental regulations have historically driven economic growth rather than hindered it as the agency’s critics claim. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Three Former E.P.A. Leaders: You’ll Miss It When It’s Gone Administrator William K. Reilly, 1989-1993 (EPA Archives) Lee Zeldin "Power the Great American Comeback" Clean Air Act Revisions (C-SPAN) Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling (C-SPAN) Alaskan Oil Spill Update (C-SPAN) Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 23 Apr 2024 | Carey Gillam on how corporations conceal the dangers of toxic weed killers from consumers | 00:43:59 | |
When buying or eating food, we don’t often think about the chemicals used in weed killers…but we should. In today’s episode, we go in-depth with Carey Gillam, Managing Editor of The New Lede, EWG’s journalism initiative, and the widely used commercial toxic pesticides found in weed killers. Ken and Carey discuss their link to Parkinson's, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and childhood leukemia, and her ground-breaking investigations that have exposed corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta that have concealed health risks from the public for decades.
Earlier this month, EWG partnered with California assembly member Laura Friedman to introduce Assembly Bill 1963 which would end the use of Paraquat on fields and orchards in California by January 2026. The passing of this bill could enormously impact the lives and the health of California’s farmworkers, their families, and agricultural communities across the state. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Toxic Weed Killer Found in Breast Milk, Infant Formula The New Lede’s ‘Paraquat Papers’ scoop recognized by agriculture journalists Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 19 Nov 2024 | Animal Welfare and the Cruelty of Factory Farms | 00:57:33 | |
In today’s episode, Ken is deep-diving into the intersection of environmentalism and animal welfare. First, Ken speaks with veterinarian Crystal Heath who has been bravely raising the alarm of how her profession enables and endorses animal abuse from veterinarian school to factory farms. In the second part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by longtime friend and founder of Animal Wellness Action, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, and former CEO of the Humane Society, Wayne Pacelle. Wayne, like Crystal, is advocating for animal welfare across many industries. Crystal and Wayne are great examples of individual integrity and commitment to a cause. They are also great reminders that, as consumers, what we choose to invest in with our dollars makes a difference. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Our Honor (Crystal's organization) Animal Wellness Action Center for a Humane Economy Crystal Heath wants veterinary medicine to live up to its values (Vox) What are gestation crates and are they legal in the U.S.? (Farm Forward) The Bond Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them The Humane Economy How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 27 Aug 2024 | Power clashes between utilities and clean energy innovation | 00:51:06 | |
Astounding advancements have been made in clean energy technology, and rooftop and community solar initiatives have been shown to drive consumer costs down and help us reach carbon emission reduction goals. So why are solar projects hitting a regulatory brick wall? (hint: it’s about corporate greed and value for monopoly utility shareholders). In today’s episode, we’re joined by the co-director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, John Farrell, to unravel the ins and outs of why rooftop and community solar and other clean energy advancements are being stoned-walled, and what we can do about it. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Institute for Local Self-Reliance Local Energy Rules Podcast Fight to save rooftop solar in California heads to state Supreme Court (EWG) Upcharge: Hidden Costs of Electric Utility Monopoly Power (ILSR) What the Monopoly Utility Model Really Costs Us (ILSR) The Free Delivery Farce in Solar PG&E to pay $55 million for two massive California wildfires (PBS News) Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 24 Sep 2024 | Advocate Like a Mother; One Parent’s Fight for the Truth | 00:54:36 | |
People come to environmental work in many different ways. Our first guest today, Kari Rhinehart, came to environmentalism after experiencing a parent’s worst nightmare, the loss of a child, due to a rare brain tumor. When other children in her community of Franklin, IN started getting sick, parents in the community began asking questions and putting data on a map. What they found shocked them. Contaminated drinking water. Our second guest, Kari’s attorney, Chris Nidel, is a former chemical engineer turned environmental lawyer. People like Kari and her daughter, Emma Grace, are why Chris does the work that he does (and we wish there were more people like him!) Both Kari and Chris are incredible examples of how one person can have an enormous impact and affect change.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation (EPA)
What is Vapor Intrusion? (EPA)
Search for Superfund Sites Where You Live (EPA)
Health Consultation and Analysis, Franklin, IN (ATSDR, HHS, CDC)
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| 10 Dec 2024 | Everything your Baby Touches Should be Safe | 00:39:48 | |
Babies are our most vulnerable population when it comes to chemical exposure. And yet, many baby products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Entrepreneur, environmentalist, and trailblazer Shazi Visram wants to protect the next generation. Shazi’s mission isn’t just business, it’s personal, and the subject of neurological health is particularly close to her heart. Shazi is the creator of the groundbreaking baby food company Happy Baby and has launched her newest venture - HealthyBaby. Her line of baby personal care products are all EWG Verified. In today’s episode Ken and Shazi sit down after an EWG board meeting to talk about her journey, what inspires her, and why being EWG-verified is so important to her. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 14 Jan 2025 | Parkinson’s is an avoidable man-made disease | 00:40:08 | |
Chemicals in our food, water, and air are risk factors contributing to the rise of Parkinson’s disease. It’s the fastest-growing brain disease in the world, creating urgency to address not just treatment for Parkinson’s but also its causes. Today’s guest is Dr. Ray Dorsey, a neurologist who co-authored the book, “Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action.” He explains why Parkinson’s is a man-made disease and how eliminating harmful chemicals in food, water, and air could help get rid of it. EWG is on a mission to ban harmful pesticides like paraquat that have links to Parkinson’s disease. We’re thrilled to have Ray as an ally and leader in the fight. Head on over to BanParaquat.org to join the effort. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 03 Dec 2024 | Your Election Recovery Tool Kit with Jenna Arnold | 00:44:50 | |
Do you need an election recovery tool kit? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by activist, educator, author, and podcast host, Jenna Arnold. Her book, Raising Our Hands, dives deep into conversations with white women about their identity, role in the country, and how to become more engaged citizens to make the changes we desperately need. As a Women’s March Organizer, Jenna is constantly asking questions about what went wrong, what can be done next and what we need to learn more about. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Jenna’s Instagram @itsjenna Jenna’s Podcast Let’s Begin Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 25 Mar 2025 | Trump’s environmental impact on the South | 00:34:12 | |
Ken is continuing his cook's tour of the who’s-who at public interest organizations. He’s joined by DJ Gerken, the president and executive director of the Southern Environmental Law Center. SELC is the largest environmental nonprofit organization in the southeastern United States. It fights daily to protect our right to clean water, clean air, and a liveable climate. Ken and DJ discuss the latest coming from Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency that has unleashed a wave of controversial moves, from deep budget and staff cuts, office closures and unprecedented rollbacks of critical environmental and public health protections. They debate the current playing field, and how both EWG and SELC are rising to protect American health. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: Southern Environmental Law Center E.P.A. Plans to Close All Environmental Justice Offices Lee Zeldin "Power the Great American Comeback" EPA shuts down 10 environmental justice offices, axes EJ division EPA eliminating environmental justice jobs Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 26 Nov 2024 | Where the Sun Don’t Shine: The Attack on Rooftop Solar | 00:57:48 | |
Everyone wants cleaner, cheaper energy. Well, almost everyone. Powerful utility companies like PG&E, Sempra, and Southern California Edison aren’t going down without a fight, and they fight dirty. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Bernadette Del Chiaro, the Executive Director of the California Solar & Storage Association, who was instrumental in passing the Million Solar Roofs Initiative into law with then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Since then the solar industry in California has created over 70,000 jobs and has installed over 2 million solar rooftops. But thanks to the monopoly utility giants and the leadership of Governor Gavin Newsom—along with his handpicked regulators—the once-vibrant rooftop solar market has been decimated. Misinformation and deceptive tactics from the utility monopolies, threatened by solar's growth, are systematically dismantling the industry in a bid to protect their profits. For a deeper dive into today’s discussion: The California Solar & Storage Association California Public Utilities Commission 1 Million Solar Roofs InitiativeEnergy Cities & Regions (Climate Action Stories) Milestones: A million solar roofs (Public Interest Network) Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||
| 22 Oct 2024 | A PR Firm Got Your Tax Dollars to Track and Dox Pesticide Critics | 00:31:22 | |
If you’ve followed the world of pesticides for as long as Ken has, it can be hard to be shocked. But journalist Carey Gillam (The New Lede) has dug up a story that has rattled even Ken. In her newest piece “Defend or be damned’ - How a US company uses government funds to suppress pesticide opposition around the world” (The New Lede, The Guardian, Le Monde) Carey exposes a government-funded (pssst, that means funded by your taxes) covert social network that has worldwide tentacles. Carey and Ken discuss secret dossiers on pesticide critics, including sensitive personal information of journalists and public health advocates, agendas to attack pesticide and GMO opponents, and private social networks used by pesticide industry lobbyists and government officials worldwide to conceal their collusion from public scrutiny. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: “Defend or be damned” – How a US company uses government funds to suppress pesticide opposition around the world (The New Lede) Carey Gillam’s website (CareyGillamNewsNow@gmail.com) Poison PR Media Library (The New Lede) Academics Review Form 990 2014 The Monsanto Papers: Poisoning the Scientific Well (National Library of Medicine) Farm to Fork strategy (EU Commission) Secret files suggest chemical giant feared weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease (The Guardian)
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| 10 Sep 2024 | Legal but not safe: fixing our broken food system | 00:42:49 | |
First things first, the onus shouldn’t be on us to find food options without chemicals and additives. If it’s in a store, it should be safe to eat. Right? Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by noted nutritionist Courtney Swan. Courtney is on a mission to empower people to understand what healthy eating is and how to go about it within our broken food system. She is also on a mission to empower people to make their own food and dispel the myth that healthy doesn’t taste good. Ken and Courtney encourage people to trust their gut (in multiple ways) when making food choices and they believe everyone deserves access to healthy and affordable food.
Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:
EWG, “Monsanto Emails: ‘Let’s Beat the S*** Out of’ Moms Worried About Cancer-Linked Weedkiller” United States District Court, Northern District of California, Case 3:16-md-02741-VC Document 246-2 New York Times, "A Florida Professor Works with the Biotech Industry" New York Times, "Food Industry Enlisted Academics in G.M.O. Lobbying War, Emails Show" Oxfam, "These 10 companies make a lot of the food we buy. Here’s how we made them better." Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 08 Oct 2024 | Endocrine disruptors and early puberty for girls | 00:36:53 | |
Endocrine disruptors are chemical compounds that interfere with our hormones. For years, it was seen as a fringe theory. Today, it’s embraced by The Endocrine Society and Endocrinologists worldwide. A new study by our guest today shows that chemical exposure to young brains impacts their hormones, which can result in early-onset puberty. In his latest episode, Ken is joined by Dr. Natalie Shaw, a pediatric endocrinologist and clinical investigator, to discuss her team’s findings and the dangers of early-onset puberty. EWG has been following this topic for quite some time. Join us as we jump back to 2010 when Ken interviews Dr. Louise Greenspan and Dr. Juliana Deardorf about their book, The New Puberty. We’ll explore the unfolding of this story over the past decade, which leaves us to wonder - what are we doing to our girls, and why? Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Hormones And Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals What You Need To Know (The Endocrine Society) Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.
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| 30 Apr 2024 | Disruptors Diane Cotter and Peter Arlein are determined to protect their communities, stretching from Massachusetts to Colorado, against toxic 'forever chemicals' | 00:57:09 | |
In today’s episode, Ken is joined by two guests, Diane Cotter and Peter Arlein who both came into environmentalism as a way to protect their families, friends, and communities from toxic ‘forever chemicals.’
Worcester, MA native Diane, wife of firefighter Paul Cotter, plunged into the PFAS rabbit hole when she questioned whether Paul’s exposure to the chemicals contributed to his prostate cancer. Her relentless pursuit for the truth revealed numerous sick firefighters and afflicted firefighter communities nationwide.
Former ski-shop wax tech Peter took matters into his own hands by creating the Colorado-based company MountainFlo dedicated to making ski wax and bicycle lubricants without PFAS and petroleum, to protect the Rocky Mountains he cherishes and the outdoor sports community he belongs to. Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below: Peter’s Company: Mountain Flow & Mountain Flow Take Back Program Diane’s Documentary Burned: Protecting the Protectors Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week. | |||