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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Clearing the Air: The Heart of a Debate (S3 Ep3)
Laws of Notion
There is a long history of disproportionately impacted neighborhoods, which are predominately communities of color and low income, experiencing the unequal impact of pollution. This has been the case for many communities in Colorado when it comes to air quality. And while there are competing interests, values, and needs when it comes to deciding what to do, it’s critical to consider who gets represented and heard. Do the policies truly address the issue? And who bears the cost? We all have the right to clean air, no matter where we live. But safeguarding our air is about making hard...
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Clearing The Air: Clean Up Your Act (S3 Ep2)
Laws of Notion
For years Colorado’s Front Range has repeatedly failed to meet the EPA’s national air quality standards, putting local policymakers and regulators under pressure to fix the air pollution affecting us all. Now air monitoring and data gathering are slowly starting to catch up to the reality that many communities experience living in proximity to industries, highways, railroads, and other sources of pollutants. But what made us care about air quality in the first place? From the Brown Cloud that hung over Denver in the ’70s and ’80s to the landmark Clean Air Act, we break down the...
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Clearing The Air: Something in the Air (S3 Ep1)
Laws of Notion
Our air is a complex soup of ingredients – which impacts the health of all of us, our economy, and our climate. But those health burdens are not shared equally. They disproportionately impact children, the elderly, and lower-income or historically marginalized communities. What does it mean to have equal and fair access to clean air? And when emotions are high, people’s health is at risk, and tradeoffs need to be made, how do we solve this complex problem? This is episode one of Clearing the Air, a podcast about air pollution in Colorado and beyond, and how we are navigating this complex...
info_outlineThe closure of the coal plant and mine in Craig, Colorado will greatly impact the economy and result in the loss of jobs. However, there are conversations about the potential to repurpose the plant and existing infrastructure. From geothermal to hydrogen to nuclear, what could happen with the Craig station remains to be decided.
In this bonus episode of Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition, we’ll talk about what’s next. What could happen with all the infrastructure and workforce? And is nuclear energy a potential option?
Featuring Christine King, GAIN, Idaho National Lab, and Tim Osborn, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
Learn more about our podcast at lawsofnotion.org.
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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.
Episode Credits:
Writer, Reporter, Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Producer and Marketing: Tricia Waddell
Additional Production: Nicole Delaney
Fact Checker: Kate Long
Sound Design: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds