The state of the world’s environment is one of the most important stories of the new century. Debates over the impact of climate change reverberate throughout the globe. So do disputes about what actions might be necessary, both to preserve the environment and to develop sources of energy for a growing global community.
The World’s environment coverage, led by environment editor Peter Thomson, examines the health of the planet and explores the impacts of human activity on everything from the earth’s ecosystems to the food we put on our plates.
Environment
Geo answer
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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s far east. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with David Quammen who wrote about this remote area “where salmon rule” for this month’s National Geographic.
On the Road to a Climate Deal: Bismarck, North Dakota
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The World’s Jason Margolis tells us why Bismarck, North Dakota has such a major role in determining US legislation on climate change.
Afghanistan’s new national park
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For our Geo Quiz today we’re looking for the name of Afghanistan’s new national park. It’s nestled in the Hindu Kush mountain range of Central Afghanistan.
Geo Quiz
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Our daily geography puzzler.
Geo answer
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It’s nestled high up in the Hindu Kush mountain range of Central Afghanistan. Jessica Weinstein — says getting to this national park from the capital Kabul was a long and winding journey.
DDT use provokes political battle in Uganda
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The pesticide DDT, long banned in the United States, has made something of a comeback in Africa. DDT can be an effective weapon against malaria. The U.S. government, and the World Health Organization are encouraging African countries to use the insecticide, and say it is safe when handled properly. But in the East African nation of Uganda, DDT has provoked a fierce political battle. Reporter Alison Hawkes traveled to northern Uganda.
Reality check on DDT use
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So what’s the reality when it comes to DDT? Is it really necessary for fighting malaria? How dangerous is it to people? We run those questions and others by May Berenbaum, head of the department of entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She studies the relationship between insects and people. (Photo: Sinclair Stammers/Science Photo Library) >>>Ask May Berenbaum about DDT use in our latest World Science Forum.
A DDT debate in Uganda
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In Uganda, a government program to battle malaria using the pesticide DDT has provoked a fierce backlash. Farmers, politicians, and villagers fear the government is poisoning them. Yet many public health experts say the risks of DDT are far less than the risks of malaria. Alison Hawkes traveled to northern Uganda and sent this report.
An entomologist’s take on DDT
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So what’s the reality when it comes to DDT? Is it really necessary for fighting malaria? And how dangerous is it to people? Anchor Marco Werman gets some answers from May Berenbaum, head of the department of entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
What are you doing to conserve water?
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Seawater covers 71 percent of the planet. Fresh water is a much more precious commodity. So, a Brazilian environmental group has come up with a novel proposal for conserving clean water. SOS Mata Atlantica is urging people to urinate in the shower. Doing so could save households more than a thousand gallons of water a year in toilet flushes. Leave your comment…(photo: flickr.com/photos/gehat)
Geo Quiz and Answer
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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is the Ionian Sea. It’s the site of a environmental battle over endangered loggerhead turtles. The BBC’s Malcolm Brabant reports from the island of Zakynthos
Going in the shower to save water
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A Brazilian environmental group, SOS Mata Atlantica, is campaigning to conserve water. It says households can save more than a thousand gallons of water a year by cutting back on one toilet flush a day. So it’s running ads urging people to urinate in the shower to save water. Anchor Lisa Mullins has details.
Restoring Indonesia’s Mangroves
A hidden culprit in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was degraded shorelines. Now Indonesia’s moving to protect its coasts by restoring thousands of miles of mangrove swamps. Ari Daniel Shapiro has the story.
Lake Baikal: Putin Takes a Dive
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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has dived in a tiny submarine to the bottom of the world’s deepest lake — Lake Baikal in Siberia. Anchor Marco Werman has details.
Restoring Indonesia’s mangroves
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Mangroves were once widespread throughout the world’s warm coastal areas. The maze of tangled trees along the shore are a crucial ecosystem and a buffer against erosion But over the past few decades, mangroves have been disappearing around the globe. Now there’s growing recognition of their importance, and renewed efforts to restore and preserve them. Reporter Ari Daniel Shapiro visited one such project in Indonesia. >>>Click here to see more of Ari’s photos.Download MP3
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