NPR; WWNO; WRKF; KCRW; KCUR; WBUR
Climate change is affecting our food, and our food is affecting the climate. NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about the search for solutions.
Looking for solutions to our food needs in a changing climate? Add these episodes to your listening rotation! And visit the Climate Solutions Week podcast collection on the NPR app for even more recommended episodes.
The podcast episode descriptions below are from podcast webpages and have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Life Kit — NPR
Meat production is hard on the environment: It requires a lot of land to raise cattle. And globally, many forests are being cleared to make room for those animals. Deforestation releases lots of heat-trapping carbon dioxide that had been stored in the trees into the environment. And cows release a lot of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, in the form of burps. NPR’s Life Kit explains how to dial back your meat intake and make a big impact. Start listening.
The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast — KCRW
Which is better for the planet, being pescatarian or eating chicken every once in a while? And what about eating a little lower on the food chain? KCRW’s The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast breaks down daily decisions with the biggest planetary impact. Listen now.
Short Wave — NPR
Inside a large freezer room at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, tens of thousands of seeds are stored at a constant temperature of minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. In this episode of NPR’s Short Wave, we learn more about these stores. Many of the seeds come from crops as old as agriculture itself and some may hold keys to helping the planet’s food supply adapt to climate change. Start listening.
Up From Dust — KCUR
Humans opened a Pandora’s box by moving plants, animals and fungi around the planet where they didn’t live before. Some of those species become so successful in their new surroundings that they crowd out others. Come along with KCUR’s Up From Dust on a hunt for rogue Bradford pears, meet the teens turning cityscapes into butterfly havens and learn how to turn invasive plants into delicious food. Listen now.
Endless Thread — WBUR
Shirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. But no controlled studies have been published confirming the advertised benefits. Yet, the popularity of a carnivore diet online is undeniable. WBUR’s Endless Thread looks at how social media cooked up this anti-establishment wellness trend. Start listening.
TED Radio Hour — NPR
Imagine a world with less of the food we love and need: grapes, salmon, wheat, chocolate, coffee. From the farm to the lab to our tables, climate change is impacting what we eat and how we grow it. New agricultural technology and farming practices promise a way to feed people without hurting the planet, but is it too good to be true? In this episode, NPR’s TED Radio Hour digs into the future of food. Host Manoush Zomorodi hears from chef and policy adviser Sam Kass, rice farmers Jim Whitaker and Jessica Whitaker Allen, biotechnologist Isha Datar and artist Sam Van Aken about what we’ll eat on a warmer planet. Listen now.
Sea Change — WWNO & WRKF
Food connects us to our past, to our memories, to each other, and to the world around us. But food systems — from how we grow or catch things to how we transport them — are also incredibly complex. As climate change increasingly impacts the world, we are seeing some of the first effects through our food. In this episode of Sea Change from WWNO & WRKF, we meet chefs balancing what they put on our plates with protecting the planet. Start listening.
Higher Ground — WSHU
Climate change is already here. Rising tides, extreme weather and heat waves. WSHU’s Higher Ground tells the stories of communities exploring solutions that may give them the best chance at survival and help save the places millions of people call home. In this episode, farmers at a Long Island winery try ancient techniques to prevent sea level rise from damaging their crops. Start listening.