Dan Shapley is the Water Quality Program Director at Hudson Riverkeeper. In this episode Dan discusses various challenges the Hudson River faces as it flows from the Adirondack Mountains to New York City, which include legacy PCB pollution and emerging PFAS problems. He explains how the movement to protect the…
Fay Hartman is the Conservation Director of the Colorado River Basin Program at American Rivers. In this episode Fay talks about the federal government’s history of investing in river and water projects that damage rivers and perpetuate injustices against people of color and low-income communities. She discusses how rivers are…
Travis Thompson is the Communications Manager at Denver Water. In this episode Travis discusses the utility’s ambitious plan to remove between 64,000 to 84,000 lead water pipes over the next 15 years. He explains the decision to take a proactive approach to protecting customers from lead and why replacing pipes…
Steve Davis is Senior Ecologist and Communications Director at the Everglades Foundation. In this episode Steve describes the unique landscape, hydrology, and wildlife of the Florida Everglades. He talks about the need to restore water flow and improve water quality in the Everglades, as well as build the ecosystem’s resilience…
Marleah LaBelle is Owner of Turning Pages Consulting and a Tribal member of the Native Village of Port Graham, Alaska. In this episode Marleah discusses the place of water in Alaska Native culture and how the lack of running water in many villages negatively impacts health and well-being. She talks…
Anne Schechinger is Senior Economics Analyst at the Environmental Working Group. In this episode Anne discusses new research from EWG that shows nitrate contamination of drinking water increasing across 10 states. She explains that nitrate is a health risk for infants and is tied to increased risk of several types…
Tim Wheeler is Associate Editor and Senior Writer for the Bay Journal. In this episode Tim discusses the current health of the Chesapeake Bay and the status of key indicators of nutrients, underwater grasses, and blue crabs. He talks about progress toward meeting the “pollution diet” for the Chesapeake by…
Julia Stein is Project Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. In this episode Julia discusses the scope of single-use plastic production and pollution, why recycling isn’t an adequate solution, and the importance of source control.…
Chad Nelsen is the CEO of the Surfrider Foundation. In this episode Chad discusses how the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically impacted beach access and surfing, and how the Surfrider Foundation assembled an expert task force to provide recommendations on public access. He explains that this is also a challenging time…
Communities need to think further into the future about the impacts of sea level rise and realize it may be higher than projections, says Ramiro Diaz of Waggonner & Ball. Cites should encourage investment away from the water's edge. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/Ramiro-Diaz
The way the Dutch manage water holistically inspired the architects and designers at Waggonner & Ball to reimagine New Orleans as a city where water is part of life and the landscape rather than hidden and pumped away. Watch the #podcast at https://bit.ly/Ramiro-Diaz
The Mirabeau Water Garden is a 25-acre site in the heart of New Orleans being transformed by Waggonner & Ball to capture stormwater, reduce flooding, provide a park for the community, and feature native trees and wildlife. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/Ramiro-Diaz
When Katrina hit New Orleans it led Waggonner & Ball to adopt a Living With Water approach to design that embraces water as as asset for the community and addresses resilience, climate change, and sea level rise. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/Ramiro-Diaz
"No level of lead is safe." To help residents determine if they have lead pipes running to their home, DC Water provides sampling bottles with specific directions, picks up the tested water, and shares the results. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/JohnDeignan
Raising public awareness about the health hazards and presence of lead pipes for drinking water is vital, so DC Water conducts comprehensive communication efforts to inform customers about lead lines and options to deal with them. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/JohnDeignan
To help residents understand if their drinking water may come through a lead pipe, DC Water built a robust online map using a variety of data. But as is the case in most cities, historical records of lead lines aren't fully accurate. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/JohnDeignan
The high cost to replace lead pipes puts low-income and African American households in Washington, D.C. at greater risk of lead exposure in drinking water, says John Deignan of DC Water. Now the Lead Free DC program provides funding. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/JohnDeignan
Cities and citizens benefit when giant, old highways and other transportation infrastructure that blocks public access to waterfronts are removed, says Rob Puentes of the Eno Center for Transportation. Examples include NYC, San Francisco, and Seattle. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/RobPuentes
The water impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, intense rainfall, and stronger storms are damaging transportation infrastructure and forcing cities to adapt now and design a resilient future, says Rob Puentes of the Eno Center for Transportation. Watch the podcast: https://bit.ly/RobPuentes
Water and transportation intersect in many ways, says Rob Puentes of the Eno Center for Transportation, from how the nation has failed to strategically invest in both areas to how the intertwined #infrastructure is impacted during construction. Watch the full podcast at https://bit.ly/RobPuentes
When by the water, don’t rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin, says Carla Burns of the Environmental Working Group. Minimize exposure to the sun by wearing a hat and sunglasses, find or create shade, and avoid the sun in the middle of day. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopSunscreen
For sunscreen, a high SPF does not necessarily mean it provides protection against skin damaging UVA rays. SPF is only for protection from UVB rays that cause sunburn. Carla Burns of the Environmental Working Group says choose sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection. Watch the full podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopCarlaBurns
People should opt for mineral-based sunscreens made with zinc oxide and titanium oxide, which are much safer and more effective than sunscreens made with chemicals like oxybenzone, says Carla Burns of the Environmental Working Group. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/waterloopCarla
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network uses citizen science to gather information about water quality at public access spots along the river and that data is fed to the Chesapeake Monitoring Collaborative and then to Swim Guide. Watch the podcast at https://bit.ly/NancyStoner