Shedding Light on Light Pollution: An Evening with Christopher Page
Release Date: 07/27/2024
Tadpoles, Horse Troughs, and Backyard Habitats
The Backyard Naturalists
What do you do when tadpoles take over a horse trough? In this fun and wide-ranging episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie, Laurie, and Chris dive into the fascinating world of tadpoles after a listener from California asks how to handle an unexpected amphibian boom in her horses’ water troughs. Along the way, the conversation explores why frogs choose certain places to lay eggs, what tadpoles need to survive, and how understanding wildlife habitat — food, water, shelter, and places to raise young, can help explain nature’s behavior right in your own backyard. Listeners will also...
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Celebrating Earth Day the Backyard Naturalists Way
The Backyard Naturalists
In this special Earth Day episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie, Laurie, and Chris celebrate Earth Day 2026 by exploring the history behind this global movement and sharing practical, everyday ways listeners can make a real difference for the planet. From the surprising origins of Earth Day in 1970 to the staggering number of people who now participate around the world, this episode is packed with inspiration, useful resources, and plenty of the lively conversation listeners love. The trio highlights simple but meaningful actions you can take right now — from skipping plastic bags and...
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How Big Is It? Part 2: Nature’s Biggest and Boldest Creatures
The Backyard Naturalists
In this fun and fast-moving second installment of “How Big Is It?”, Debbie and Laurie explore some of the biggest creatures in the natural world—from the world’s largest vulture and giant hummingbird to the Komodo dragon, Goliath frog, capybara, and even a massive Australian sea snail. Along the way, they share surprising facts about size, habitat, diet, and behavior, with plenty of laughter and off-the-cuff conversation that makes this episode feel like you’re sitting right at the kitchen table with them. Listeners will come away with a new appreciation for the incredible diversity...
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Encore Episode: Spring Weeds, Pests, and Planet-Friendly Solutions
The Backyard Naturalists
This week on The Backyard Naturalists, we’re bringing back a timely favorite from last spring as an encore presentation packed with practical, eco-friendly garden advice. Debbie and Laurie revisit smart, natural solutions for some of the season’s most common backyard headaches, including weeds, garden pests, and unwanted plant invaders. From weed control methods like solarization and hand-pulling to chemical-free pest strategies using neem oil, diatomaceous earth, and even beer traps, this episode is full of easy, earth-friendly ideas for a healthier yard and garden. You’ll also hear...
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What’s It Called? Animal Homes from Nests to Dens
The Backyard Naturalists
What do you call the place an animal lives? In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie dive into the surprisingly fascinating world of animal homes. From bird nests and squirrel dreys to eagle aeries, bobcat dens, bird rookeries, and bee hives, they explore the wide variety of places wildlife builds, borrows, and calls home. Along the way, they share fun facts about everything from turtles, termites, and raccoons to alligators, snakes, wolves, and even octopuses. As always, the conversation is lively, curious, and full of the kind of nature trivia that makes you look at the...
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Use It Up: Project Pan and Mindful Consumption
The Backyard Naturalists
In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie take a fresh look at Project Pan, a social media trend encouraging people to use up every last bit of the products they already own before buying more. What starts with makeup and toiletries opens into a bigger conversation about mindful consumption, reducing waste, saving money, and making more environmentally responsible choices in everyday life. From cleaning supplies and pantry items to clothing and online shopping habits, this episode explores simple ways to cut back on excess and rethink what we bring into our homes. Along...
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Encore: Spring Yard Cleanup That Helps Birds and Pollinators
The Backyard Naturalists
In this popular encore episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie team up with Chris to tackle a timely spring topic: how to clean up your yard in ways that support birds, pollinators, and other backyard wildlife. From scrubbing bird feeders and bird baths to preparing bird houses for nesting season, they share practical, easy-to-follow tips for creating a healthier habitat just as migration and breeding season begin. Along the way, they explain why fresh water, mealworms, suet, and properly placed nesting boxes can make a big difference for the wildlife that depends on your yard....
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Feathers, Flurries, and the Biggest Animals on Earth
The Backyard Naturalists
This week on The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie, Laurie, and Chris talk birds, snow, and some seriously giant wildlife. After sharing observations from the Great Backyard Bird Count and recent winter weather in the Carolinas, the conversation turns to a big topic, literally. From blue whales and African elephants to ostriches, whale sharks, ravens, and giant owls, the team explores some of the largest creatures on Earth with plenty of laughs and wow-worthy facts along the way. It’s a lighthearted, fascinating episode that blends birdwatching, backyard nature, and wildlife trivia...
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How Well Do You Know Nature? (Encore Episode)
The Backyard Naturalists
Think you know your nature facts? Think again! In this encore episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie revisit one of their most entertaining and eye-opening shows—a fast-paced true/false nature quiz led by Chris that’s packed with surprising science and plenty of laughs. From the important role squirrels play in reforesting our forests to the age-old question about whether earthworms really can regenerate after being cut in half, this episode separates backyard biology fact from fiction. Along the way, the hosts share personal stories, friendly debates, and...
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Take a Walk on the Wild Side: The Healing Power of Forest Bathing
The Backyard Naturalists
In this encore episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie revisit their inspiring conversation with certified forest therapy guide and author Melanie Choukas-Bradley to explore the healing power of forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku. Originating in Japan in the 1980s, this mindful practice invites us to slow down, unplug, and fully immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds, scents, and textures of the natural world. Melanie shares the fascinating science behind forest bathing—including research showing it can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, boost immune...
info_outlineWelcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the award-winning podcast about anything and everything connected with nature, heard in 115 countries, 50 states, and all throughout the Carolinas. Honored with the Best of the Weeklies podcast award by the readers of the Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, we bring you engaging and educational content each week.
In this episode, hosts Lori and Debbie are joined by Christopher Page for an enlightening discussion about light pollution and its impacts. Christopher reminisces about his childhood in North Carolina when the night sky was filled with stars, but laments the increasing light pollution and the light domes over cities at night. The hosts share their own memories of seeing the Milky Way with less light pollution.
Christopher introduces the Bortle scale, which measures light pollution from 1 to 9, rating Charlotte as an 8 or 9 and Matthews as a 7. They discuss an Audubon initiative aimed at reducing city lights during bird migration.
Christopher also shares his experiences photographing the northern lights in Virginia and the Milky Way on the coast, noting the challenges of capturing faint nebulae and star clusters. The conversation touches on how light pollution affects animals like sea turtles, migratory birds, and dung beetles, which use stars for navigation.
To help reduce light pollution, Christopher offers practical tips such as using motion sensors, shielding lights, and opting for warmer colored lights. The hosts and Christopher emphasize the importance of preserving dark skies and share fond memories of clearer night skies from their childhoods.
Christopher also provides information on how to access his astrophotography online and offers astronomy resources. Before concluding, he extends his photography services to listeners.
Tune in to learn more about the significance of dark skies and how we can all contribute to reducing light pollution.
If you have ideas for topics that you'd like us to pursue, send us a message either on our Facebook page or our website. We would really like to hear from you.
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Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com/. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.
Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists. We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.
Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to info@downtownpodcasting.com.
While recording the Backyard Naturalists podcast, Debbie and Laurie enjoy coffee provided by the Good Cup Coffee Company in Matthews, North Carolina. Follow Good Cup Coffee on Instagram and look for them at the Matthews Community Farmer’s Market this Saturday morning.