IPR

Iowa Experts Discuss How Current Global Crises Intersect With Climate Change

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Via Flickr

Nicole Welle | June 17, 2020

On yesterday’s episode of Iowa Public Radio’s River to River, experts in environmental health and sustainability discussed the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, police brutality and the ongoing issue of climate change.

Eric Tate, associate professor of geographical and sustainability science at the University of Iowa, spoke on how health and climate crises can highlight disparities already impacting the country’s most vulnerable populations. Peter Thorne, another professor at UI and head of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, compared COVID-19 to climate change by speaking on how early action can cave lives and minimize harm. Finally, Ulrike Passe, associate professor of architecture and director of the Iowa State University Center for Building Energy Research, spoke on the importance of considering both climate and social factors when designing and constructing buildings.

Click here to listen to this episode of River to River.

An in-depth look at GMOs

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Screen shot 2014-01-10 at 1.18.54 PMNathanael Johnson from Grist.org, and environmental news and opinion site, has gone on a six month adventure to create a  26-part series on GMOs.

To explore the series, follow this link. 

To learn more about Johnson and his work, head over to IPR.

Iowa Public Radio: “Could Electric Cars be Bad for the Environment?”

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Photo by freefotouk; Flickr

Conservationist and author of the book “Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism,” Ozzie Zehner spoke with Iowa Public Radio yesterday about the negative effects electric cars have on the environment, highlighting that they can have an even worse impact on the environment than average cars. Continue reading →

Conservation Reserve Program in Iowa

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Tom Vilsack announcing adding 400,000 acres to the CRP. Photo by USDAgov, Flickr.
Tom Vilsack announcing adding 400,000 acres to the CRP. Photo by USDAgov, Flickr.

Iowa Public Radio details the efforts of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Iowa.

The CRP is a program where farmers receive money to keep portions of their land out of production. This reduces runoff, prevents erosion and creates more habitats for migrating birds.

Read about CRP and its future here.

Experts discuss radon testing in Iowa’s schools

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Radon mitigation system. Photo by theglauber, Flickr.
Radon mitigation system. Photo by theglauber, Flickr.

Iowa Public Radio spoke with Senator Matt McCoy, a radon–induced lung cancer survivor and a member of the Iowa Association of School Boards about radon testing in Iowa Schools.

As detailed in our radio segment, a bill was proposed in Iowa that would require schools to test for radon ever two years. If the schools fail the test twice, they would have to install radon remediation systems.

Listen to Iowa Public Radio’s story here.

Climate change alters animal reproduction

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Photo by GraphicReality, Flickr.
Photo by GraphicReality, Flickr.

Climate change could affect reproduction in some animals.

Specifically, some animals – especially reptiles – have temperature dependent sex determination. In other words, the temperature leading up to some animals’ birth will determine if the offspring is male or female. Cold weather usually leads to more males, and warm weather leads to more females.

The worry is that this could lead to the extinction of some species as the planet continues to warm.

Listen to the full story, including interviews with Iowa State University researchers, here.

Farm bill could lead to less organic agriculture

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Photo by Sarah Cady, Flickr.
Photo by Sarah Cady, Flickr.

The new farm bill extension that went into place on January 1st could limit the amount of organic agriculture.

This new legislation cuts most funding for organic agriculture programs. This includes a program that reimburses much of the cost of organic certification.

For many farmers, this means that they will not pay the $800 it costs annually for organic certification.

Listen to the whole story here.

Des Moines selected for Greening America’s Capitals project

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Photo by jimmywayne, Flickr.
Photo by jimmywayne, Flickr.

Des Moines has been selected this year as one of five cities to take part in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greening America’s Capitals project.

This project incorporates green building and green infrastructure strategies on parts of the cities, which can be used as a model for future construction projects.

In Des Moines, the project will focus on the 6th Avenue Corridor. The environmentally friendly plans include adding street trees, permeable pavement and rain gardens.

Read more from Iowa Public Radio here.

CWD’s impact on Iowa

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Photo by James Preston, Flickr.
Photo by James Preston, Flickr.

A couple weeks ago, Iowa Public Radio explored the impact of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Iowa.

During the radio segment you will hear from a wildlife biologist, the wildlife management supervisor of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources and Iowa state Senator Dick Dearden.

Although they explore the general impact of CWD, there’s a particular focus on the relationship between CWD and hunting in Iowa.

The radio segment is available here.

Check out some of our CWD coverage here