The Sweaty Penguin

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Tip of the Iceberg E58: No, the Gulf Stream isn't collapsing in two years Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

As Hurricanes Idalia and Lee hit Florida and ocean temperatures reach record highs across the world, there's much reason to be concerned about the state of our oceans. Unfortunately, some in the media took this sentiment way too far. A few weeks ago, several news outlets published stories with headlines saying the Gulf Stream could collapse as soon as 2025, sparking global climate chaos. The study they reference found that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) — not the Gulf Stream — could collapse sometime in the next century, with error bars spanning from 2025 to 2095. Moreover, this was one study, far from scientific consensus. An AMOC collapse would be very bad, but it is extremely unlikely to happen in two years. Ethan breaks down the current state of our oceans, the difference between the Gulf Stream and AMOC, and why this mixup damages the public’s understanding of climate change in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

Now more than ever, The Sweaty Penguin needs your help to continue! Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writer: Ethan Brown, Velina Georgi, Mo Polyak, Emma Quarequio

Fact Checker: Aana Shenai

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Megan Antone

Ad Voiceover: Emma Quarequio

Music: Brett Sawka

127. Oysters Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

In addition to being a tasty appetizer, oysters produce $186 million dollars and supports 1.7 million jobs in the U.S. each year. They’re also essential role players in the global nitrogen and carbon cycles, making them building blocks for life on earth. Unfortunately, climate change and other human activities have posed some serious threats to these important mollusks. Today, we explore why oysters matter, what challenges they face, and how we can best conserve them moving forward. With special guest Dr. Wally Fulweiler: Professor of Earth & Environment and Biology at Boston University.

Now more than ever, The Sweaty Penguin needs your help to continue! Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Dare Fitzpatrick, Maddie Salman, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Mikaela Gonzalez

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Megan Antone

Ad Voiceover: Mo Polyak

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E57: Hurricane Hilary Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

On August 18, the National Hurricane Center issued the first Southern California tropical storm watch in history as Hurricane Hilary barreled up the coast. At its worst, Hilary was a category four Pacific Hurricane, which hit 145 mile per hour winds, brought flooding, mudslides, and torrential rainfall to the Pacific Coast of Mexico, the Baja California Peninsula and the Southwestern United States, and broke state rainfall records as far away as Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon.,In California, portions of I-8, I-10, I-15, SR 14, and the Pacific Coast Highway closed due to flooding and rockslides; more than 5,000 customers in LA were left without electricity, and rainfall totals reached as high as 11.74 inches around San Jacinto Peak. The worst of the damage, however, was in Mexico, where nearly 1,900 people were evacuated to shelters in the Baja Peninsula and the country has faced two casualties. In Los Angeles, this was many people’s first hurricane, and while understandable that people may not have known what to do, it was a bit surprising to see the degree to which individuals failed to heed basic safety recommendations and downplayed the storm on social media. Ethan explores how climate change and El Niño could have impacted this historically unusual storm and why the response from Angelenos was so unsettling in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

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.

CREDITS

Writer: Ethan Brown, Velina Georgi, Mo Polyak, Emma Quarequio

Fact Checker: Ainsley Jane Tambling

Editor: Megan Antone, Saige Gipson

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Mo Polyak

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

126. Vinyl Chloride Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

Vinyl chloride is a manmade chemical primarily used to make PVC, which is found in a variety of everyday products, including cables, pipes, flooring, shoes, and credit cards. The chemical is linked to cancer, liver disease, and a variety of other human health impacts. In February, a Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, resulting in 23,000 gallons of the chemical being released which caused air pollution, contaminated waterways, and harmed the health and environment of the surrounding community. Today, we explore what vinyl chloride is, why it’s so dangerous, and how we can protect ourselves moving forward. With special guest Dr. Juliane Beier: Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Aana Shenai, Hallie Cordingley, Velina Georgi, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Alia Bonanno

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Megan Antone

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E56: The Maui fires Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

On August 8, intense winds from nearby Hurricane Dora led to around 30 downed utility poles causing outages for over 12,400 customers. These winds and downed power lines contributed to fires in various parts of Maui. In Kula, a fire scorched about 1,000 acres, threatening 544 structures and burning 16, with evidence suggesting a fallen power line as the ignition source. Meanwhile, Lāhainā experienced its most devastating fire on August 8 due to a downed power line. This fire led to widespread evacuations, gridlock, and desperate escape attempts, including people diving into the ocean. As of August 15, 106 deaths were confirmed in Lāhainā, with search operations still underway. This fire consumed 2,170 acres and destroyed over 2,200 buildings, resulting in damages estimated near $6 billion. The Lāhainā fire's death toll became the highest for a U.S. wildfire since 1918. In the immediate aftermath of the fires, many began discussing the connections between these fires, climate change, and colonization. But what are these connections, and why are they important? Ethan explores how climate change worsened the fires, how colonization worsened both climate change and the fires, and what lessons we can learn going forward in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

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

CREDITS

Writers: Ethan Brown, Velina Georgi, Mo Polyak, Emma Quarequio

Fact Checker: Dare Fitzpatrick

Editor: Ethan Brown

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Velina Georgi

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

125. The Denver-Julesburg Basin Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

Last year, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. For our twelfth deep dive on carbon bombs, we take a look at the Denver-Julesburg Basin: an oil and gas formation in Colorado with the potential to emit 5.9 billion tons of carbon dioxide. The DJ Basin also brings some unique air and water pollution concerns, as well as a fascinating economic reality in a region where — unlike with many other carbon bombs — oil and gas are not the backbone of the economy. Today, we explore the local impacts of oil and gas extraction in the DJ Basin, how it fits into a diverse Colorado economy that is already transitioning toward cleaner energy industries, and how Colorado can continue making progress while sharing lessons with other states along the way. With special guest Dr. Joseph Ryan: Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Emma Jones, Emma Quarequio, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Aana Shenai

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Velina Georgi

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E55: The Mountain Valley Pipeline Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

On July 27, the Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling in favor of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), allowing the controversial West Virginia gas project to continue construction. The MVP is a 303-mile under-construction natural gas pipeline from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia, with a possible 75-mile extension to North Carolina. Following years of broken laws, failed permit applications, and courtroom losses, Congress included a provision in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) that demanded the completion of the pipeline and stripped all courts of jurisdiction to hear any cases questioning pipeline approvals. The Fourth Circuit Court, which oversees appeals in the West Virginia/Virginia region, issued a stay, halting pipeline construction while they reviewed this provision. Construction resumed, however, when the Supreme Court affirmed Congress’s right to strip this jurisdiction and bar the court from getting in the way. And it appears that the Supreme Court may have been right in that decision purely from a legal perspective, but the reason why points to a bizarre loophole Congress found to skirt the spirit of the Constitution’s separation of powers clause, a tactic reminiscent of one used to strong-arm court decisions during the Reconstruction era. Ethan explores some of the history around jurisdiction stripping, how it relates to the MVP, and why regardless of one’s feelings about the pipeline itself, Americans ought to understand the legal theory behind Congress’s gambit in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

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

CREDITS

Writer: Ethan Brown, Velina Georgi, Mo Polyak, Emma Quarequio

Fact Checker: Mikaela Gonzalez

Editor: Ethan Brown

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Velina Georgi

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Bonus: Owen Started the Canada Wildfires Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

The Winner’s Circle is back! Ethan welcomes Producer Hallie Cordingley back to the show to first share some behind the scenes stories and insights regarding Boston University’s New Venture Competition, where Hallie pitched The Sweaty Penguin and won the first place $20K prize. Then, Hallie looks to defend her championship from our first Winner’s Circle against the two most recent Kahoot champions: Producer Owen Reith and Social Media Manager Sabrina Rollings. Whether you’ve followed our past Kahoots or it’s your first time, join us for a trivia contest on some of the biggest environmental news stories over the last year and find out who will be crowned the ultimate Sweaty Penguin Kahoot champion.

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

124. Whales Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

From Whole Foods announcing they would stop selling Maine lobster due to concerns about right whales last November to people on both sides of the aisle misattributing a humpback whale mortality event off the coast of New Jersey to offshore wind development in early 2023 to a slew of recent orca attacks on boats in the Iberian Peninsula, whales have found themselves consistently in the news, often accompanied by misinformation. The public is right to be concerned: seven out of thirteen species of large whale are endangered. But while unproven claims about wind turbines steal the spotlight, issues of entanglements, ship strikes, and climate change may be slipping under the radar. Today, we explore why whales matter, the real reasons whales are threatened, and how we can conserve these beloved mammals going forward. With special guest Dr. Erin Meyer-Gutbrod: Assistant Professor of Earth, Ocean, and Environment at the University of South Carolina.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Ainsley Jane Tambling, Maddie Salman, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Aana Shenai

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith

Ad Voiceover: Velina Georgi

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E54: The Fossil Fuel Correspondents Dinner Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

A new bombshell investigation from F Minus released this month found more than 1,500 lobbyists in the United States are working on behalf of fossil fuel companies while, at the same time, representing some of our favorite cities, universities, public school districts, tech companies, restaurants, sports teams, museums, environmental groups, and even ski resorts. That’s certainly not to say these organizations are being disingenuous, but it does create vulnerability since lobbyists can share information between clients, and it creates conflicts of interest if a pro-environment organization is represented by a lobbyist tasked with lobbying against a pro-environment bill on behalf of a fossil fuel client. Ethan breaks down some of the nuance necessary to understand this investigation, argues why the fossil fuel industry is making a poor business decision investing so heavily into lobbying, and invites you to The Sweaty Penguin’s “Fossil Fuel Correspondents Dinner” to meet some of the notable and surprising organizations hiring fossil fuel lobbyists in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.” 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. CREDITS Writer: Ethan Brown, Velina Georgi, Mo Polyak, Emma Quarequio Fact Checker: Mikaela Gonzalez Editor: Megan Antone Producers: Ethan Brown, Hallie Cordingley, Shannon Damiano, Owen Reith Ad Voiceover: Madeleine Salman Music: Brett Sawka The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

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