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The Sweaty Penguin — Nature
The Sweaty Penguin

Sometimes, climate change IS a laughing matter. Every week, The Sweaty Penguin cuts through the noise and the doom-and-gloom of the climate conversation with late-night-comedy-style monologues and in-depth conversations with leading global experts on a variety of environmental issues. Through a nonpartisan approach, The Sweaty Penguin makes environmental issues less overwhelming and politicized and more accessible and fun. In partnership with Peril and Promise, a PBS/WNET public media initiative on climate change, The Sweaty Penguin invites you to join the hottest conversation in town.

Copyright: © Ethan Brown

Latest Episodes:

64. Orangutans Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

Today, orangutans are confined to just two islands in Indonesia and Malaysia, and due to forest loss, poaching, and climate change, they’re endangered. And although there’s tons of conservationists doing interesting work to protect orangutans, finding a long-term solution for the species may require us to think more outside the box. Today, we explore why orangutans are important, what threats they face, and how we need to reframe these issues in order to identify a path forward. With special guest Dr. Liana Chua: Tunku Abdul Rahman Lecturer in Malay World Studies at the University of Cambridge.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

63. Worker Productivity Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

We may never notice it ourselves, but climate change and air pollution can actually affect our day-to-day performance at our jobs. Studies ranging from agricultural workers to call center workers to chess players and baseball umpires find measurable decreases in productivity because of these environmental issues. And whether you’re concerned about your health, your paycheck, your career advancement opportunities, your employees if you’re an employer, or you just like your job and want to do it well, we all have cause for concern. Today, we explore the impacts of heat stress, hurricanes, particulate matter, and more on worker productivity, and consider how we might adapt to these challenges in the future. With special guest Dr. Matthew Neidell: Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

62. Nuclear Energy Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Is nuclear energy good or is it bad? Is it the answer to our climate woes or is it Chernobyl 2.0? Or, maybe, is it a little bit more nuanced than that? Today, we break down some of the criticisms of nuclear energy such as safety, radioactive waste, water use, and cost, consider to what degree these criticisms are issues, and discuss the future of nuclear energy in a carbon-free world. With special guest Dr. Jacopo Buongiorno: TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

61. Chocolate Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

The chocolate industry is under the control of three companies called the cocoa traders who essentially force the cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana to sell their cocoa at ridiculously low prices. This setup pushes farmers into poverty, and many of them resort to illegal deforestation and child labor in order to grow enough cocoa to survive. And as climate change intensifies, the problems for these farmers only stand to worsen. Today, we explore what issues the chocolate industry faces, how climate change affects them, and why there’s absolutely reason to be optimistic that these problems can be fixed. With special guest Dr. Sophia Carodenuto: Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Victoria.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

Bonus: Tinderbees Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

After some of the latest environmental news updates, Ethan sits down with The Sweaty Penguin’s Researchers Olivia Amitay, Megan Crimmins, and Dain Kim to recap season 3. They’ll share favorite episodes, biggest takeaways, best behind the scenes moments, and then face off in the second ever Sweaty Penguin finale bonus episode Kahoot! See how much you remembered from season 3 and find out which researcher takes the crown!

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

60. Rethinking UNEP Reform Oct 01, 2021

Show notes

Despite being the world’s most powerful international body on the environment, the United Nations Environment Programme is anything but powerful: monetary contributions from member countries are voluntary and enforcement of environmental treaties is non-existent. With climate change looming and UNEP struggling to facilitate bold climate action, many scholars have called for UNEP to be reformed into a new type of international organization with more power. But would a more powerful UNEP actually be more effective? Is there an even better way forward? Today, we take a step back to contemplate if the grass would actually be greener on the other side or not, and what considerations we must have in order to meaningfully reform UNEP in the future. With special guest Dr. Maria Ivanova: Associate Professor of Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

59. Gentrification Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

The Sweaty Penguin has covered many of the benefits of adding greenspace in an urban neighborhood, building jetties or seawalls to protect a coastal community, or simply living on higher ground in a city prone to floods and hurricanes. But could these seemingly great climate resilience strategies actually cause a problem for the people living in these neighborhoods? Today, we explore what gentrification is, consider how the environment plays a role in gentrification, and wrestle with the historical injustices and economics principles that, put together, make gentrification such a challenging issue to tackle. With special guest Dr. Malo Hutson: Dean of the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

58. PFAS Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals used in nonstick pans, food packaging, cosmetics, textiles, firefighting foam, and more common products. Unfortunately, PFAS has terrifying health effects such as liver damage, immune system damage, and even cancer. And to make matters worse, (1) PFAS doesn’t break down, (2) 95% of Americans have already been exposed to PFAS, and (3) climate change could make the PFAS crisis even worse. Today, we discuss what PFAS is, what problems it presents, and how we could address those problems moving forward. With special guest Dr. Cheryl Murphy: Professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Director for the Center for PFAS Research at Michigan State University.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

57. Wine Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

Winegrowing is all about controlling the slightest variations of flavor. With climate change causing warmer temperatures that change wine flavor, wildfires that turn grapes smokey, and sudden frosts that can entirely ruin a harvest, wine lovers certainly have reason to be concerned. This week, we discuss how climate change impacts wine, how these challenges fit into the rapidly globalizing wine industry, and what needs to happen to ensure you can still buy your favorite wines in the future. With special guest Dr. Michelle Moyer: Associate Professor of Viticulture and Enology at Washington State University.

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

Bonus: Scrotum Frogs Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

After some of the latest environmental news updates, Ethan sits down with Leo Brother and Velina Georgi for a bipartisan conversation on episode 29: “Maple Syrup.”

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

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