What On Earth (CBC)

Spoiler: it’s not Chem 11. We hear how a B.C. science teacher learned to support her students after the 2021 atmospheric river. Now, she’s teaching other teachers how to do the same. Then, we head to Toronto to hear how young Muslims are connecting with nature, and learning to make change, thanks to the group Green Ummah.

Not everyone is hungry for climate content in the crowded social media landscape, but some Canadian content creators are determined to get Tik Tok, Youtube and Instagram users engaged in the climate conversation. Karishma Porwal (a.k.a. @karishmaclimategirl), Hazel Thayer (a.k.a. @hazelisonline), and Aaron Hagey-MacKay (a.k.a. @the_goose_media) share their strategies – from connecting climate to the housing crisis, to debunking carbon tax myths, to pushing back against fashion hauls with "underconsumption core" videos.

Drought is on the rise in Canada. And science is looking to the sky for solutions. Join producer Molly Segal as she takes you on a journey to explore the history, ethics and future of cloud seeding in Canada.

Wildfire fighters say working conditions threaten the safety of crew and the public in that province. As climate change leads to more intense forest fires, the people on the front lines say they’re losing team members to other employers and something needs to change.

Jane Goodall believes we’re living through very dark times indeed, but the renowned primatologist continues to see hope as a basic survival strategy. 

In a special bonus episode from The Current with Matt Galloway, she explains why. Goodall offers her perspective as someone born during the Great Depression, who lived through World War II, and who sees the events happening around us today with the clarity of a wise elder. 

She officially turned 90 since this interview, recorded last October, and we want to make sure our listeners have a chance to consider her key message — especially if you’re still young. (Remember, her world-changing work began in her 20s. Her passion for nature started even younger.)

For more stories to expand your worldview, find and follow The Current wherever you get your podcasts, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/Twob3407

In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. But more than five decades later – is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots? Organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – he transformed Earth Day from a campus teach-in to a national protest. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his best OG advice to the next generation of climate leaders. Then, environmental warriors Maria Blancas and Axcelle Campana share ideas on what a revamped Earth Day could look like – including making it a public holiday.

When some climate-conscious Swifties learned that Canada’s biggest fossil fuel financier, RBC, is an official partner for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Vancouver and Toronto, they jumped into action. But can uniting Swifties online translate to change? Or is it a trend that will fizzle over time? Meanwhile, What On Earth youth columnist Aishwarya Puttur breaks down why social media campaigns are on the rise for Gen Zs.

They can be noisy. And smelly. And, as Cate Blanchett (yes, Cate Blanchett!) complains, don’t they just move “leaves from one place to another, only for them to be blown back again"? Gas-powered leaf blowers create a lot of opinions and a lot of emissions. Molly Segal takes us through why they're so particularly polluting and unhealthy. And, she explores the solutions underway — from political bans to incentives for switching to electric.

Yep, we’re naming names! We meet a researcher who combed through millions of pieces of plastic trash and traced half of the branded items back to just 56 companies. We hear the case for why manufacturers should be responsible for their plastic products and how addressing this can help lower CO2 emissions to tackle the climate crisis. And – we dish the dirt on cleaning your plates, cutlery and more after a listener wrote in to ask: is the dishwasher or washing by hand better for the planet?

It’s like “CSI in the ocean,” only these scientists are racing against climate change off the coast of B.C. Next, a satirical spin on climate action with Canadian oil producers the brunt of the joke. Then, we head to Saskatchewan where drought is sparking debate over the waters in one lake.

When Eli Milton started working on farms in Nova Scotia almost a decade ago, heat wasn’t an issue in the summer. Now, hot and humid conditions are just one of the climate impacts farm workers like her contend with. And – extreme weather has put safety and livelihoods at risk for migrant workers, from out in the fields to inside greenhouses. We hear from an advocate on what policies could improve conditions for seasonal workers.

A stuffed dalmatian. An album of precious photos. A scorched doorknob. These are some of the personal items on display recently at Climate Week NYC. Meghan Fandrich and Diana Boston travelled to New York City from Lytton and Merritt, B.C., to share these remnants of the fire and flood that devastated their communities. They tell us why they hope the exhibit can make climate disaster tangible, and lead to change.

As the fires rage on in Jasper National Park, we check in on a former firefighter about the battle beyond the flames. Meanwhile, Olympic organizers may have had green dreams for the 2024 Paris Games. But will those dreams melt away under the threat of extreme heat? Journalist and New York Times bestselling author, Jeff Goodell, says it’s a pivotal moment as the city adapts to a warming planet.

Fair warning in the age of three word slogans: today we're talking about the complex policies behind the politics. If ever there was a time to dive deep into climate plans — it's now. Simon Donner, co-chair of the independent Net Zero Advisory Body, walks us through new ways Canada could cut emissions. Then the CBC’s Aaron Wherry breaks down the politics of a cornerstone climate policy. How did the carbon tax get so politicized?

Have you heard of a 'bike bus'? It's just one of the answers Rachel Sanders found to a listener's concerns about the gridlock that can form around schools.

He's promised to "drill, baby, drill". He's cast doubt on the risks of global warming. And one of his biggest donors is EV magnate Elon Musk. But what does a second Donald Trump presidency really mean for U.S. climate policy – and our warming world? Emily Atkin of the newsletter Heated helps us untangle what's possible over the next four years, and reflects on why climate barely surfaced as an election issue.

Is there a climate cost to your reading habit? A listener asks about the emissions of paper books versus e-readers, and we go looking for answers.

A listener got in touch wondering what she can do to help the birds in her garden when wildfire smoke is choking her neighbourhood. We share advice from Birds Canada and check in with American researchers who are searching for answers about how fire and smoke affect our feathered friends.

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah doesn’t want any other kids to die the way Ella did. The 9-year-old suffered a fatal asthma attack, which has since been linked to air pollution from her neighbourhood in London. Now, her mom is suing the U.K. government and taking her campaign global. And – Alberta has declared an early start to wildfire season, even as so-called zombie fires continue to burn underground. Next, as climate change shifts from abstract threat to lived reality for many Canadians, columnist Abhay Singh Sachal says our mental health system needs to adapt to support people after disasters. Plus, a drag queen ice skating show about climate change is derailed by warm weather.

Climate change may be last on your mind when you're dealing with discrimination, insecure housing and other barriers. But marginalized communities are hit harder than most by the impacts of climate change. Our columnist Chúk Odenigbo and activist Shelly-Ann Skinner walk us through how to meet Black, queer folks where they're at in order to include them in climate justice work. Then, we hear from an Ontario woman who's being recognized for her fight against climate change – and city hall – one lawn sign at a time.

Could letting young people vote be a climate game changer? We hear from Vancouver teens on whether or not they think they’re ready to vote and whether climate would shape their choice at the ballot box. Then, a Canadian senator and a 17-year-old student share why they’re fighting for a proposed bill making its way through parliament.

People are switching up plans to avoid fire, smoke and heat. And that includes festival organizers, powwow planners and camp directors. We get advice on navigating our changing summers.

Conservation photographer Neil Ever Osborne was on a dream expedition to see emperor penguins in Antarctica, but the images he brought back are haunting. Now, in a new exhibit in Toronto, Neil says he's trying to "put these images to work" for the planet. Meanwhile in Vancouver, three choreographers aim to express their inexpressible frustration about climate change… through dance.

Soon, a little-known international tribunal will release a precedent setting decision that could force developed nations to do more to protect small island states from the ravages of climate change. A Canadian lawyer represented those tiny countries at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. He shares what’s at stake, along with another member of the legal team - Naima Te Maile Fefita of Tuvalu. Then our listeners get into a lather about the dishes. Hand wash or dishwasher?

What is nature saying when a lake drained a century ago keeps flooding farmland? First Nations leaders say the message is to make room for the water. Then, why the story of Sumas Lake is just one example of how Indigenous connections to the land must inform climate action.

The language of COP29 is brain-melting. But these soul-unstirring terms are key to solving climate change. We decode what's really at stake as leaders gather this month in Azerbaijan. Then, we hear how corruption can derail international climate action – and what solutions could help.

The climate is changing. So are we. Twice a week we take you across Canada and around the world, in search of climate solutions.

We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question? Email Earth@cbc.ca

In Alaska and Barcelona, money from visitors is paying for heat pumps. What do we owe to the places we go on vacation? We hear how travellers can contribute to climate solutions. And, we answer a listener’s question about whether our beloved maple syrup will disappear in a warming world.

Come along to “La Chicanerie” – or The Conflict Cafe – in Montreal where What On Earth guest host Falen Johnson finds out why we need to get comfortable with uncomfortable discussions about climate change. And climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe shares some of her most awkward climate conversations and offers advice on how to talk to people in ways that lead to collaboration instead of division.