What Trump 2.0 means for our environment
State of Change
What does a new, better-prepared Trump Administration mean for the water we drink, the air we breathe, the safety of our food, our climate? We know a long list of federal environmental protections and programs will be rolled back or dismantled during the next presidential administration. We’re talking about erasing new standards for toxic PFAS chemicals in our drinking water, pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, diminishing wetland protections, pulling funding to replace lead pipes, undermining the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon, axing programs that help people weatherize their...
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Neurotoxins On Our Plates
State of Change
For the past 25 years, we've been putting neurotoxins on our food. Neonicotinoids are potent chemicals that attack the central nervous systems of insects. Not only are they widely used on our food and in our soil, they're showing up in our drinking water in Wisconsin. And that leads to a big question -- what do they do to us? In this episode, Amy uncovers the truth about neonicotinoids with experts from Clean Wisconsin and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guests: Sara Walling, Water & Agriculture Program Director, Clean Wisconsin Carla...
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A Case for Optimism: The energy transition we need, and what's standing in the way
State of Change
What's it going to take to get Wisconsin to 100% clean energy? If you listen to the state's biggest power companies, it's more methane gas. Wisconsin is on the verge of an expensive gas construction boom if utilities like We Energies in Alliant Energy have their way. But what about wind and solar? Is it possible for Wisconsin to finally trade in fossil fuels for clean energy right now? Amy talks with energy expert Dr. Ciaran Gallagher. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Dr. Ciaran Gallagher, Energy Manager, Clean Wisconsin Background Reading:
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All the Money in the World: The cost of removing PFAS from our environment
State of Change
New research reveals how much it would cost to remove toxic PFAS 'forever' chemicals from the environment at the same rate we're currently producing and using them. Spoiler alert: we don't have enough money in the world. Hear from the researcher behind the study who says it should inspire optimism not hopelessness in the face of our growing PFAS problem. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Ali Ling, PhD Background Reading:
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Supreme Court Power Grab
State of Change
What keeps you safe -- when you drink water, take medicine, get on an airplane, or take out a loan? It’s often a government agency charged with implementing our health, safety and consumer protection laws. But recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court have cast a long shadow. Legal experts say the rulings point to a Court that is actively working to unravel longstanding protections and policies, not just for the environment but across the board, and the harm will be far reaching. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Evan Feinauer, Clean Wisconsin attorney Background Reading: ...
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Who Are the Science Moms?
State of Change
How do you get people to start paying attention to the urgency of climate change? Just like the name says, Science Moms is a growing non-partisan group of scientists and mothers who are spreading the word about our climate and joining forces to demand change from our leaders. Amy talks with UW Madison professor Dr. Tracey Holloway, who is a member of Science Moms. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Tracey Holloway, Professor of Environmental Studies & Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Science Mom Background Reading: : Take advantage of sweeping...
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Three Cheers for Climate Beer!
State of Change
What if there was a grain that didn’t have to be replanted every year? One with deep roots that stay in the soil, trap carbon, prevent erosion, filter water. Kernza – the world’s first perennial grain crop – could be a game changer when it comes to sustainable food production and using our land to help fight climate change. But the big question: does is make a good beer? In this episode, Amy heads to Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee to find out. Kernza® is the trademark name for the grain of an intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) being developed at The Land Institute in...
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No Mow May: Does it work?
State of Change
No Mow May is here, but does it really make a difference in the battle to save our bees and butterflies? Amy walks through a typical Wisconsin yard with pollinator expert Elizabeth Braatz. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Background Reading:
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Truth About Natural Gas
State of Change
When you think about the future of energy, do you picture you gas-fired power plants? In this episode, Amy looks at why power companies are racing to build new gas plants and what it means for the future of energy bills, our health and our climate. We Energies, the largest power company in Wisconsin, recently announced plans to transition two major power plants from coal to natural gas, build two more new gas-fired facilities, and build another new facility to hold liquefied gas. If you think it sounds like a major shift toward more fossil fuel development, you're right. We Energies’...
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Last Line of Defense: Battle over Wisconsin Gas Plant intensifies
State of Change
Wisconsin's Public Service Commission approved a large methane gas plant four years ago. The site: a bluff overlooking the Nemadji River near the Minnesota border in Superior. At the time, Superior's city council unanimously supported the project. But it didn't take long for opinions to change. In this episode, Amy talks with Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle who at first supported the plant and is now helping lead the charge to stop it. Find out...
info_outlineWhat does the We Energies rate case tell us about how Wisconsin energy companies make money?
Spoiler Alert: It’s not by promoting energy efficiency.
We Energies customers across Wisconsin are bracing for higher bills. The company is asking the Public Service Commission to approve a large rate hike, insisting its investment in new solar and wind infrastructure is driving the increase. But We Energies customers are still paying off a $2 billion construction price tag for the company’s Oak Creek coal plant completed in 2011, and they’ll keep paying long after it’s shut down in two years.
The Oak Creek coal plant may be a burden for customers, but it was a windfall for We Energies’ shareholders. Experts say that points to a big problem with the way energy utilities in Wisconsin make money.
Hear from Clean Wisconsin attorney Katie Nekola about what has to change – and find out and what other states are doing to bring power to the people in the face of rising bills.
Find out more about Clean Wisconsin's legal work at the Public Service Commission here: https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/our-work/legal-action/
Episode Host: Amy Barrilleaux
Guest: Katie Nekola, General Counsel, Clean Wisconsin