What On Earth

Carter Vigh died when wildfire smoke brought on a severe asthma attack. Now his mom is part of an effort to teach other kids about the risks of smoky days and poor air quality. We hear the case for having these kinds of lessons in classrooms everywhere, as the planet warms, creating the hot, dry conditions that lead to longer lasting and more intense fires. And – we meet Roland, another nine-year-old kid with asthma, to find out how climate change is changing his life.

Cori Lausen remembers the first time she saw a bat killed by a wind turbine. It looked like a “black banana peel.” That unlocked a years-long search to understand what was happening and how to fix it. Decades later, Cori says not enough has been done to keep those bat species, which act as natural pest control, from becoming endangered. As wind energy developments continue to pop up in a rush to add renewables to the grid, the question looms: will we be able to do enough to keep both climate solutions on the landscape?

Here’s a pitch for a national project that could bring cheaper power to Canadians, reduce emissions, protect our energy sovereignty and promote Indigenous reconciliation. How about a cross-Canada electricity grid powered by wind and solar? What On Earth’s Indigenous climate solutions columnist, Melina Laboucan-Massimo, is with a delegation in Ottawa making the case for why this project should be a priority for Mark Carney’s government.

The Yukon government is betting on a first-in-Canada solution to help protect Whitehorse from wildfire: a permanent fuel break made of trees. Replacing conifers with the more fire-resistant, deciduous aspen trees, the community hopes it will keep fire from encroaching on the city. But, the process takes a lot of work, starting with harvesting tiny seeds.

Bike lanes equals “bikelash” in parts of Canada. Why? And what is Paris doing right? We travel the path to the heart of the debate about making cities more bicycle friendly, finding out what difference they make to cutting emissions. Then we’ll hear about one Calgary man’s cycling adventure in Paris (croissants by the Seine anyone?) and what he learned about the city’s campaign to build better routes for bikes. We’ll also head to a neighborhood meet-up where one enthusiast is trying to teach the youngest to safely ride on Vancouver city streets in hopes of building a stronger cycling culture and community.

They’re popping up on balconies across Europe. You can even buy them at IKEA in Germany. Solar panels designed to hang over a railing and plug into your wall. We hear about what’s driving the trend, and what’s standing in the way of bringing balcony solar to Canada.

The debate over EV adoption reached its peak after the PM put the mandate on ice. Now auto industry leaders want to scrap the rules altogether, while advocates say Canada risks falling behind if it doesn't aggressively pursue electrification. We trace the politicization of EVs over the years with an industry reporter, and ask Electric Mobility Canada whether their goal of more EVs on highways is falling by the roadside.

For more than 35 years, the outspoken American environmentalist has been raising the alarm about the climate crisis, starting with his groundbreaking book The End of Nature. Now Bill McKibben says, for once in his life, he is spreading good news. In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, Bill explains why the recent boom in solar and wind power has given him hope for the planet's future, and he implores everyone to buy in.

For over a decade, Alberta’s capital has been building a groundbreaking sustainable neighbourhood, right in the middle of the city. But some say the development has moved too slowly and is costing too much. With a municipal election looming, one mayoral candidate says the city needs to change course with this prime piece of real estate.

From the Best of What On Earth – They can be noisy. And smelly. And, as Cate Blanchett (yes, Cate Blanchett!) complains, don’t they just move “leaves from one place to another, only for them to be blown back again"? Gas-powered leaf blowers create a lot of opinions and a lot of emissions. Molly Segal takes us through why they're so particularly polluting and unhealthy. And, she explores the solutions underway — from political bans to incentives for switching to electric.

A hiking ban in Nova Scotia is getting lots of attention this summer, from Joe Rogan to former Freedom Convoy supporters. The temporary rules have ignited an international debate about government overreach during fire season. Some Nova Scotians are calling the criticism fearmongering and want outsiders to butt out of the province’s affairs. We hear from an emergency management expert who says governments should prepare for more backlash against wildfire rules as the climate changes and summers become potentially more restricted.

From the Best of What On Earth - A tale of two First Nations pushed to live on lands that face increasing flooding risks as the climate changes. We hear their stories of survival and their fight for justice and a safe place to live. Also, want to travel cargo? As in cruising onboard a cargo ship? It may just make for a greener vacation.

Communities on Reddit and elsewhere are crowdsourcing reviews and recommendations in an effort to find the “best” version of, well, everything. It’s partly an ode to items that have withstood the test of time, and partly a quest for durability, longevity and repairability – all in an effort to save money, and the environment.

From the Best of What On Earth – The coastal city of Aberdeen, Scotland, has long made its living off the North Sea, first from fishing then oil and gas. Now, a new transition is underway: offshore wind. But who wins and who loses? Laura Lynch has some surprising conversations on the windy shores.

Shutting off the electricity to prevent wildfires is becoming the new normal in some west coast states, leaving thousands living through extreme heat without air conditioning or medical devices. Now, policies allowing this to happen are coming to B.C., Alberta and possibly other parts of Canada. We hear from people who say this could put their lives at risk, and get some advice on how to cope.

From the Best of What On Earth - A CBC News investigation found unsafe temperatures in homes across Canada during the summer, with people often living in dangerous heat for long stretches of time with no relief. Reporter Tara Carman shares stories of people who suffered, including a man who died after his home was close to 30 degrees for several weeks.

Polar bears, bowhead whales, melting sea ice – the students on these ships see it all. We hear from two students sailing across the Davis Strait from Nunavut to Greenland about what life is like onboard the Students On Ice ships. We also hear from a former student about how her trip sparked her career in climate solutions, and from the founder of the program about how the polar regions have changed since he started the expeditions 25 years ago.

From cuts to U.S. weather agencies, to the rise of AI predictions, there are big changes in the world of extreme weather forecasting. We talk with the former head of the Canadian Hurricane Centre, about what it all means for our ability to warn Canadians before hurricanes hit. Then we hear how well the current AI forecasting models can predict these weather events — and how the technology needs to improve.

In 2023 Nova Scotia pledged to investigate how Black and Indigenous people in the province are disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental hazards, including climate change. As part of our "Best of What On Earth" series, we revisit our interview with the chair of the panel tasked with that work. Then we hear an update from one of the people who took part, who says the province is now withholding crucial information.

From the Best of What On Earth – It might not sound like a climate job, but mechanical insulators help make buildings more energy efficient. We head out to meet a young woman who trained in the trade through a program set up by the Youth Climate Corps BC. The group is training young people around British Columbia for a wide variety of good, green jobs and hopes to expand across the country.