United by Fire: House of Cards (S4 Ep2)
Laws of Notion
The summer of 2020 was one of Colorado’s hottest and driest on record, setting the stage for a devastating series of megafires. The Cameron Peak Fire ignited in the Roosevelt National Forest and burned for nearly four months, consuming almost 209,000 acres. In this episode, we’ll hear from people who stared into the Cameron Peak fire and the difficult choices they faced. What should we try to protect? And what risks are we willing to accept? Learn more about the podcast at and . Sign-up for the . Follow us on , , , . If you like...
info_outline
United by Fire: Rethinking Fire (S4 Ep1)
Laws of Notion
Today’s megafires raise questions about how we manage our forests and where we choose to live. In 2020, Colorado experienced the two largest wildfires in the state’s history: Cameron Peak and East Troublesome. Together, these high-intensity blazes ripped through communities and challenged what we thought we knew about how wildfires behave. Fire has devastating power, but it’s also a necessary part of our ecosystems. Can we learn to live with it? In this episode, we begin to explore that question through the eyes of wildfire survivors, researchers, and...
info_outline
Trailer: United By Fire Launching October 9
Laws of Notion
Wildfire is here to stay, but on whose terms will it burn? Join us for , a new series where we investigate the two biggest wildfires in Colorado’s history and explore hard truths about our landscapes and ourselves. Season four of the award-winning podcast Laws of Notion starts Oct. 9. Learn more about the podcast at and . Sign up for the . Follow us on , , , . If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible . The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest...
info_outline
Clearing the Air BONUS: The Right to Breathe
Laws of Notion
In this special bonus episode, we talk with Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, founder and director of The based in South London, UK. We first met Rosamund in episode 4, . She and her legal team made history when a coroner found a direct link between her nine-year-old daughter Ella Roberta's death from a fatal asthma attack due to the air quality near her home along one of London’s busiest roads. Ella then became the first person in the world to have air pollution appear on a death certificate as a cause of death. Eleven years after this tragic life-changing event, Rosamund reflects on her...
info_outline
Clearing The Air BONUS: Dry Air
Laws of Notion
The San Luis Valley has always had dust storms, for as long as humans have been there. The problem now is that as water dwindles, temperatures warm, a multi-decade drought rages on, and people continue altering the landscape, dust is increasing. Dust and sand storms impact farming economies by reducing valuable topsoil, and breathing in dust can have immediate and long-term respiratory and health impacts. We talk with farmer and rancher Kyler Brown and Dr. Lisa Cicutto about the impact of dust on public health and the state of farming in the Valley, along with the constant challenge of...
info_outline
Clearing the Air: Steps Forward (S3 Ep8)
Laws of Notion
From supporting the wickedly smart and engaged next generation to learning how to work together in new and more meaningful ways, our last episode explores what it means to truly empower people to solve our air quality issues. Change has been slow and incremental, but change is happening. And while bad air affects us all, no matter where we live, the burden is not equal. Since our air is often invisible, it can be easy to ignore. But as we gain knowledge, it just might be harder to look away. Learn more about the podcast at . Sign up for the . Follow us on , , , . If you like our work,...
info_outline
Clearing the Air: A New Wave (S3 Ep7)
Laws of Notion
Often there is a cultural catalyst that sparks change. And that catalyst can come from people being empowered with data, knowledge, and opportunity. From Pueblo to Aurora to other parts of Colorado, communities are finding traditional and new ways to engage in the change they want for their future. This could be things like a closer collaboration with the government to install a community air monitoring network, training individuals on how to engage in policy, or pushing for large-scale change, such as the energy transition, which can have the co-benefits of helping with both climate change...
info_outline
Clearing the Air: Harnessing Energy and Numbers (S3 Ep6)
Laws of Notion
Colorado is the fifth largest oil-producing state in the country, and the state’s economy benefits from keeping the industry running. But oil and gas are also a major source of emissions to local air quality and climate change. And we all have a vested interest in reducing emissions, which has economic and social costs to our health and environment. So how do we balance the demand for energy with the realities on the ground? What does the dance look like between the speed to clean up operations, the transition to new innovation, the limitations of business models, the standardization of...
info_outline
Clearing the Air: Driving Behavior (S3 Ep5)
Laws of Notion
Whether you’ve had a direct experience with bad air, followed the air quality index on your phone, or formally learned about the importance of clean air, awareness can be a key driver for change. But once we know how poor air quality can impact our health, what does it take to change our behaviors — either to reduce our exposure or how we contribute to it? Learn more about the podcast at . Sign-up for the . Follow us on , , , . If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible . The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward...
info_outline
Clearing The Air: The Road to Change (S3 Ep4)
Laws of Notion
An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths are associated with outdoor air pollution each year. And traffic emissions are one of the leading contributors, with those living within a quarter mile or so of a busy road at greatest risk. But statistics and facts will only get you so far. To change perceptions and policy, the issue must be brought to a human level. And while our air quality has improved over the years, there is still work to be done, especially with communities most at risk. Learn more about the podcast at . Sign up for the . Follow us on , , , . If you like our work, consider...
info_outlineA 40-year-old calculation on the back of an envelope fuels something of a gold rush in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. But instead of gold, the attraction is water. And the plan is to move it and sell it to Colorado’s growing – and thirsty – metro areas on the Front Range.
But how much water is there really? And how do we decide who gets it and who doesn't? This is episode one of Water Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future.
Learn more about the podcast at waterunderpressure.org.
Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.
Episode Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee
Production: Ann Marie Awad
Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long
Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play
Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds
Sound design: Ameeta Ganatra
Marketing: Tricia Waddell
A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks