Peter Ward— “A World Without Ice Caps” Part One & Two

When the polar ice caps melt, sea level will rise. That’s happened earlier in the history of the world, and it appears it will happen again.

In this edition of Radio Curious, we bring you a two part series on global warming and sea level rise, with Peter D. Ward, a paleontologist and professor of biology and earth and space sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is the author of “The Flooded Earth: Our Future in a World Without Ice Caps,” in which he describes expected conditions in 2050, 2300 and 2500.

This series with Professor Peter D. Ward, was recorded on August 2, 2010, from his office in Seattle, Washington. In part 1, Ward begins with a description of what will happen when the level of the sea rises. In part 2, we begin with a discussion of why, in the face of rather clear evidence, there continues to be a denial of global warming.

The books Peter Ward recommends are, “An Inconvenient Truth,” by Al Gore and “Weather Makers,” and any other book by Tim Flannery.

Click here to listen to part 1. 

Click here to listen to part 2. 

Glenn McGourty – “The Slow Food Movement”

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How can we assure ourselves that the food we eat is safe, nutritious and energy-efficient? If we are what we eat, we ought to know what we will become. That may be the concept underlying what is coming to be known as the slow food movement. Glenn McGourty is the wine growing and plant science advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension for Lake and Mendocino Counties in Northern California.

Glenn McGourty recommends “The Origins and Ancient History of Wine,” by Patrick McGovern.

Originally Broadcast: January 4, 2005

 

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Deborah Koons Garcia– “The Future of Food”

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Director of, The Future of Food

“The Future of Food,” a film written and produced by Deborah Koons Garcia, discusses our food’s conflicting relationship with both mass agri-business and local agriculture. Our discussion was conducted in the context of the passage of Mendocino County’s Measure H, banning growth of GMOs in the county.

Deborah Koons Garcia recommends “Women’s Diaries fo the Westward Journey,” edited by Lillian Schlissel.

Originally Broadcast: April 25, 2004

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Lester R. Brown– “The Earth and Economy in Crisis”

This episode was first broadcasted on October 7, 2003

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Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble
Our earth is in big trouble. The environment and our economy are in crisis. Essentially, we have created a bubble economy in which we are over-consuming the earth’s natural resources. In this program, we will visit with Lester R. Brown, the author of “Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble.” Lester Brown is the president of the Earth Policy Institute, a nonprofit interdisciplinary research organization based in Washington DC.

Originally Broadcast: October 7, 2003

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Tim Stoen – “Litigation to Save Old Growth Redwoods”

This episode was first broadcasted on September 13, 2003.

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The California law prohibiting unfair business practices is the basis for the 2003 lawsuit brought against the Pacific Lumber Company by the People of the State of California. This case was brought when the Humboldt County, California, District Attorney alleged that Pacific Lumber provided inaccurate information to the California Department of Forestry as the basis for a timber harvest plan which would preserve certain old growth redwood trees in “The Headwaters” forest. Tim Stoen is the Assistant District Attorney in Humboldt County and the lead attorney representing the People of the State of California in this case.

Tim Stoen recommends “John Adams and the American Revolution” & “The Lion and the Throne,” by Catherine Drinker Bowen.

Joshua Tickell– “Biodiesel: An Oil-less Fuel”

Originally Broadcast: July 22, 2003

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From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel

Biodiesel, an alternative to the dwindling supply of fossil fuels, is created from processed vegetable oil and is available anywhere vegetable oil is grown or used. Joshua Tickell is the author of “From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel.” In this program, he shared his ideas on the topic.

Joshua Tickell recommends “Connections,” by James Burke.

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Dr. Joao Magueijo– “Was Einstein Wrong?”

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Faster than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific Speculation

Joao Magueijo, a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Imperial College of London, disputes some of Einstein’s most accepted theories. In his book, “Faster than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific Speculation,” he argues that the speed of light is not constant, questioning the basis of the Theory of Relativity.

Dr. Joao Magueijo recommends “Angela’s Ashes,” by Frank McCourt.

Originally Broadcast: February 25, 2003

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Jeff Ruch – “How to be a Whistleblower”

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The Art of Anonymous Activism: Serving the Public While Surviving Public Service

“The Art of Anonymous Activism: Serving the Public While Surviving Public Service” is a short book published by three public interest organizations based in Washington DC: POGO, the Project on Government Oversight (www.pogo.org), GAP, the Government Accountability Project (www.whistleblower.org), and PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (www.peer.org). Jeff Ruch is the executive director of PEER and the book’s co-editor.

Originally Broadcast: January 20, 2003

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Dr. Frank Vertosick — “Evolutionary Intelligence”

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In this program we visit concepts of evolution and intelligence, some of which were raised after our series on near term human extinction.

What is intelligence?  What kind of intelligence do non human creatures have?  What are the different levels of intelligence that can be found in single cells, or invertebrates, up to human beings?

Neurosurgeon Dr. Frank Vertosick, author of “The Genius Within: Discovering the Intelligence of Every Living Thing,” discusses these and other questions about learning among all species.   He talks about the learning that occurs through evolution or alteration of the genetic structure and about the learning, of the way we commonly think of it, by studying or by experience.

When Dr. Frank Vertosick and I visited by phone from his office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in early October 2002, we began when I asked him to describe the different levels of intelligence and the development of intelligence in invertebrates.

The book Dr. Frank Vertosick recommends is “Linked: How Everything is Connected to Everything Else and What it Means for Business, Science, and Everyday Life,” by Albert-Lasio Barabasi.

Click here to listen or on the media player below.

 

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Eric Schlosser- “Do You Really Want to Eat That?”

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Fast food is what many people eat in America, and increasingly in other countries. It is advertised to be fun, tasty, and easily available. Americans spend more money annually on fast food than is spent on higher education.

Eric Schlosser is our guest in this archive edition.  He’s the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Schlosser writes that it is not only what is served for human consumption that is the problem, but the art of mass-marketing to children through organized promotions and ads for the products—in school busses, hallways, and even bathroom stalls—has serious side effects on society.

Working conditions for employees at meat-packing plants and the resulting contamination of the product resulted in the July 19th, 2002 recall of 19 million pounds of beef. In addition to the acute health hazards of contamination, a fast food meal often contains more fat in one meal than the average person needs in a day.

I spoke with Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation, in mid-summer 2002, we began with his description of the problem of excess fat in fast food.

Eric Schlosser is the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. The book he recommends is “Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing,” by Ted Conover.

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