Climate Denial in Government: The Need for Voter Awareness
Release Date: 08/16/2024
How Deep Sea Mining Could Break the Ocean’s Most Important Wildlife Highways
How To Protect The Ocean
How Deep Sea Mining could permanently disrupt the ocean’s most important animal routes, and most people have never thought about it. This episode asks the critical question: what happens when mining operations collide with species that rely on vast migratory pathways to survive? We break down the science in a way that makes the stakes impossible to ignore, from whale communication and sea turtle navigation to seabird feeding routes and shark migrations. Whales: Our guest, Dr. Andrew Thaler, explains how mining doesn’t just damage the seafloor. It sends noise, light, sediment, and pollution...
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Fish Farm Clean Up: What they pulled from a Forty Ton Ghost Farm will SHOCK you!
How To Protect The Ocean
Fish Farm Clean Up reveals the hidden reality beneath a quiet coastline in Methana, Greece, where a ghost fish farm left behind more than forty tons of plastic cages, nets, metal frames, pipes, and even sunken boats. What looked peaceful on the surface hid a toxic underwater scrapyard that had been breaking apart and polluting the Saronic Gulf for years. Shocking Footage from this cleanup shows how abandoned aquaculture sites become long-term pollution hotspots. The divers, Healthy Seas Foundation, and the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation worked together to cut, lift, tow, and...
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Whales don’t get cancer: How bowhead whale DNA could change human health
How To Protect The Ocean
Whales don’t get cancer as often as you might expect, and in this episode you learn how the bowhead whale’s unique DNA repair system is helping scientists understand cancer prevention and healthy aging. This Arctic giant lives more than 200 years, grows to airplane size, and still avoids the runaway mutation patterns that lead to tumors in other species. Whales don’t get cancer at high rates because their cells repair DNA damage with remarkable accuracy, and recent studies show that bowhead whales have powerful repair proteins like CIRBP that might someday guide cancer research. You will...
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Fish feed in aquaculture, understanding what goes into feeding farmed fish
How To Protect The Ocean
Fish feed in aquaculture is at the center of a complicated global story that most people never hear about. In this episode, Andrew sits down with marine biologist and policy expert Marine Cusa to explore the hidden world of fishmeal, fish oil, feed ingredients, and the surprising connections between aquaculture, wild fisheries, West African communities, and even penguin populations in Antarctica. Marine breaks down what actually goes into the pellets fed to farmed fish, why transparency is lacking in the supply chain, and how her genetics research is uncovering the real species being...
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Orcas vs Great White Sharks: How Killer Whales Are Changing Shark Populations
How To Protect The Ocean
Orcas vs Great White Sharks is more than a dramatic headline—it’s a sign of how ocean ecosystems are shifting before our eyes. New drone footage shows orcas in the Gulf of California attacking and killing juvenile great white sharks in what scientists believe are nursery zones. The footage, captured in 2020 and 2022, reveals orcas flipping young sharks onto their backs, inducing tonic immobility, and surgically removing their livers—a precise and efficient hunting technique that may reshape predator-prey dynamics. For years, scientists have known about great white shark nurseries, but...
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Seagrass Decline in Moreton Bay: What Long-Term Research Reveals About Ocean Change
How To Protect The Ocean
Seagrass meadows are among the most vital yet overlooked ecosystems on our planet. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, Andrew Lewin explores a new 19-year study from Moreton Bay, Australia, which shows that seagrass coverage and diversity are declining over time despite short-term recovery periods. This long-term research reveals that while short-term studies might show seagrass bouncing back after storms or floods, the bigger picture tells a story of gradual loss and ecological transformation. The episode also highlights why this decline matters: seagrass meadows are nurseries for...
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Animals Affected by Climate Change: How Seabirds Reveal the Hidden Impacts of Warming Oceans
How To Protect The Ocean
Animals affected by climate change are showing us how fragile our ecosystems have become. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, host Andrew Lewin speaks with Dr. Helen Killeen, a marine ecologist whose research connects seabird reproduction to shifting ocean temperatures, prey diversity, and climate pressures across the northern hemisphere. Animals affected by climate change, from seabirds in the Arctic to those in the Pacific, serve as living indicators of ocean health. Helen explains how changes in prey diversity and warming oceans disrupt seabird breeding success, what this means for...
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Marine Conservation Projects: Why Recent Wins for Endangered Species Matter
How To Protect The Ocean
Marine Conservation Projects are driving real wins: green sea turtles downgraded to least concern in many regions, North Atlantic right whales showing a small but meaningful uptick, and a new vaquita calf sighting offering hope. In this episode I explain the common thread behind these stories, targeted local projects, science monitoring, and laws that actually get enforced, and I share practical ways you can support the people doing the work. From night patrols that protect turtle nests to whale disentanglement teams and community programs in Mexico that replace gillnets, you will hear how...
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Bill Gates & Climate Change: Why His Latest Comments Shocked the Climate Community
How To Protect The Ocean
Bill Gates and Climate Change have become a trending topic after the billionaire philanthropist argued that the world is too focused on cutting carbon emissions and not focused enough on improving human welfare. In this episode, I unpack what Gates said, why it caused such a reaction, and how his argument connects to decades of work in climate justice and climate equity. Many climate justice organizations have long emphasized that people struggling with hunger, illness, or poverty cannot prioritize environmental action until their basic needs are met. Gates’s claim—that people fighting to...
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Are These Whales Doing Better?
How To Protect The Ocean
North Atlantic right whales have been teetering on the edge of extinction for decades, with fewer than 400 individuals left. But recent reports hint at a small sign of hope: the population may finally be stabilizing, or even slightly increasing. In this episode, Andrew Lewin explores what that really means. Conservation efforts, from slower ship speeds to ropeless fishing gear, are starting to make a difference—but are they enough to ensure these whales survive? Andrew breaks down the latest science, the hard numbers from NOAA’s newest technical memo, and why every calf, especially every...
info_outlineThis episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast delves into the critical issue of climate denial among politicians in the US and its impact on climate action. Despite the urgent need for eco-solutions and renewable energy, a significant number of politicians are climate deniers, hindering progress. The episode explores the importance of enacting laws and regulations to incentivize individuals, businesses, and governments to adopt sustainable practices.
Tune in to learn more about the challenges posed by climate deniers and the actions needed to drive positive change for our planet.
Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/05/climate-change-denial-congress
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Climate deniers in the US government are significantly impeding progress on climate action. The episode highlights how 123 elected officials in the US, including 100 members of the House of Representatives and 23 Senators, deny the existence of human-caused climate change. This denial is a major obstacle to enacting laws and regulations that would incentivize individuals, businesses, and governments to adopt eco-friendly solutions and renewable energy sources.
The presence of climate deniers in the government is concerning, especially given the US's status as a superpower. These deniers not only reject the reality of climate change but also hinder efforts to address it effectively. The episode points out that these lawmakers have received a combined $52 million in campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry, which further influences their stance on climate issues.
While the American public is increasingly recognizing the urgency of climate change, with fewer people rejecting climate science, the representation in the government does not reflect this shift. The discrepancy between public opinion and the views of elected officials underscores the need for change in leadership to align with the public's concerns about climate change.
The episode emphasizes the importance of voting for candidates who prioritize climate action and are willing to take steps to combat climate change. It also discusses how the fossil fuel industry and its allies have used various messaging tactics to undermine concerns about climate change, including attacking renewable energy solutions and spreading misinformation about their environmental impact.
Overall, the presence of climate deniers in the US government poses a significant challenge to advancing climate action and addressing the pressing issues related to climate change. It underscores the importance of electing officials who are committed to environmental protection and sustainability to drive meaningful progress in combating climate change.
One of the key issues highlighted in the podcast episode is the disconnect between the American public's growing concern about climate change and the lack of representation of this sentiment in their elected representatives. The episode discusses how polls show that a significant proportion of Americans are now alarmed or concerned about climate change, with fewer than one in five people in the U.S. rejecting the findings of climate science. This shift in public opinion is significant, with more people recognizing the impacts of climate change on their lives and communities.
However, the episode points out that this sentiment is not adequately reflected in the U.S. Congress. The transcript reveals that a quarter of U.S. lawmakers deny the climate crisis, with 123 elected officials, all Republicans, dismissing the existence of human-caused climate change. This discrepancy between the views of the American public and their representatives is concerning, especially given the power and influence the U.S. holds as a superpower.
The episode emphasizes the importance of having elected officials who represent the values and concerns of their constituents. It highlights the need for politicians who acknowledge the reality of climate change and are willing to take action to address it. The podcast suggests that the current composition of climate-denying lawmakers in Congress, who have received significant campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry, is hindering progress on climate action.
In conclusion, the episode underscores the urgency of aligning political representation with the public's increasing concern about climate change. It calls for voters to be informed about the climate stances of their candidates and to support those who prioritize climate action. By electing officials who reflect the public's concerns about climate change, there is a greater likelihood of enacting meaningful legislation and policies to address this pressing global issue.
Importance of Voting for Politicians Prioritizing Climate Action
In the podcast episode, it was highlighted that individuals play a crucial role in shaping climate action by voting for politicians who prioritize environmental efforts. The episode discussed how 123 politicians in the US government are climate deniers, hindering progress in climate change legislation. This emphasizes the importance of individuals making informed decisions when voting to ensure that elected officials align with their values and prioritize climate action.
The episode also touched upon the tactics used by some individuals and groups to spread misinformation and attack environmental efforts. It was mentioned that the fossil fuel industry and its allies have long used messaging to rebuff concerns of climate change, creating confusion and hindering progress. This underscores the need for individuals to combat misinformation by staying informed, fact-checking claims, and supporting politicians who advocate for science-based solutions to climate change.
By voting for politicians who prioritize climate action and combating misinformation and attacks on environmental efforts, individuals can contribute to driving positive change and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet. It is essential for individuals to engage in the political process, advocate for science-based policies, and hold elected officials accountable for their actions on climate change. Through collective action and informed voting, individuals can play a significant role in addressing the climate crisis and protecting the environment for future generations.