KPFA - Terra Verde

Indigenous activist and education Melissa K. Nelson. As the climate crisis deepens, our educational systems have a foundational role to play in developing an informed citizenry and charting a path forward. Yet traditional Indigenous knowledge often remains marginalized in these spaces. On this episode of Terra Verde, co-host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren speaks with Indigenous ecologist and scholar-activist Melissa K. Nelson about the importance of integrating Indigenous learning models in our educational system and engaging the mind, body, heart, and spirit in learning. Melissa has spent her career advocating for Indigenous Peoples rights and advancing Indigenous ecological knowledge, including through her decades at the helm of The Cultural Conservancy, her time as a professor at San Francisco State University, and now her work at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability. The post Whole Body Learning on a Warming Planet appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly public affairs show that delivers news and views about the most important environmental issues in California and globally. The post Terra Verde – September 4, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

A gray whale mother-calf pair migrating along the central California coast from the wintering grounds in Mexico to the summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Long term ocean warming and changes in sea ice have affected supplies of the high-fat prey that these cetaceans, researchers say. Photo Courtesy of NOAA Fisheries.Photo Courtesy of NOAA. Since the start of this year, at least 187 gray whales have washed up dead or dying up and down the Pacific coast, making 2026 one of the deadliest years for the species in recent history. Marine conservationists are calling this a “catastrophic mortality event.” And on Tuesday, August 25, three conservation groups — Oasis Earth, the International Marine Mammal Project, and the Center for Biological Diversity — sent the Trump administration an intent to sue notice for failing to protect the species. In this episode of Terra Verde, Earth Island Journal editor-in-chief and cohost Maureen Nandini Mitra talks with conservation biologists Mark Palmer, associate director of the International Marine Mammal Project, a Berkeley-based environmental group that works to protect dolphins, whales, and their ocean environment (and an Earth Island project), and Rick Steiner founder of Oasis Earth, a global consultancy that focuses on policy solutions to the environmental crisis, to understand what is causing this spike in whale mortalities and what can be done to prevent it. The post Why Are So Many Gray Whales Dying Along the Pacific Coast? appeared first on KPFA.

The Trump administration advances a plan to rescind the federal “Roadless Rule,” which protects millions of acres of national forest lands from new roads and timber harvesting. Photo by Mick Haupt / Pexels. For more than two decades, the federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule has limited new road construction and certain forms of development across millions of acres of undeveloped national forest lands. Now, the US Forest Service is proposing to rescind the rule, potentially opening up more than 4 million acres of roadless forest in California to new roads, logging, mining, and other development. In this episode of Terra Verde, host and producer Hannah Wilton speaks with Wendy Schneider, executive director of Friends of the Inyo, and Benjamin Pitterle, director of advocacy and field operations at Los Padres ForestWatch, about what’s at stake for California’s public lands. The US Forest Service is accepting public comments on the proposal through September 21. Californians can learn more about the proposed rule on the federal registrar, and can submit comments by visiting Roadless.org. The post Protecting the Roadless Rule appeared first on KPFA.

The West faces extremely high fire potential this season, with a number of major wildfires already burning across the region. No single fire is the same as any other, yet public information about wildfires often lacks geographic specificity and historical context — which are critical to understanding both specific fires and our broader fire reality. Zeke Lunder started The Lookout during the Dixie Fire in 2021 to communicate more nuanced information about wildfires to the general public in real time. He has worked in wildfire for almost 30 years, including two decades as a wildfire mapping specialist and analyst on many of the largest fires in California history. Zeke has also designed and managed wildfire fuels reduction projects, and worked as a prescribed fire instructor and burn boss. He joins Terra Verde host Fiona McLeod to discuss our current fire reality and what we can all do to improve fire literacy and preparedness. The post How to Talk About Wildfire appeared first on KPFA.

Author and speaker Jeremy Lent suggests that as climate change, inequality, and social fragmentation intensify, humanity faces an imminent choice. We can either continue with the same system of extraction, exploitation, and endless growth that created the polycrisis we now face—which will almost certainly lead to collapse—or, we can reimagine civilization itself.  In his new book, Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All, Jeremy Lent presents that reimagination. Guided by proven design principles of ecosystems, the book provides a practical framework that shows how every major sector of society could be redesigned to achieve ecocivilization. Terra Verde co-host Fiona McLeod speaks with Jeremy Lent about this vision for deep, system-wide transformation. They discuss some of the important work already in motion that shows how another world is entirely possible—even against the tremendous odds we collectively face.  The post Imagining an Ecological Civilization [Encore] appeared first on KPFA.

In his new documentary Fog Eaters, filmmaker Kyle Baker follows environmental toxicologist Peter Weiss-Penzias and a team of researchers investigating unusually high levels of methylmercury in mountain lions along California’s central coast. Tracing mercury pollution through the food web, the researchers ultimately tie it back to an unlikely source: coastal fog. In this episode of Terra Verde, host Hannah Wilton speaks Baker about the scientific discoveries at the center of film. They explore the legacy of mercury mining and pollution across the Bay Area and the enduring presence of fog in the region’s ecology and cultural imagination. Baker also reflects on his creative process, multispecies storytelling, and the interconnectedness of our ecologies. The post Following the Fog [Encore] appeared first on KPFA.

Organizers are keeping up the fight against a proposed coal export terminal in West Oakland, where residents already face a high burden from environmental pollutants. Photo of Port of Oakland by Ronan Furuta. More than a decade ago, residents of Oakland, California, first got wind of a plan to export coal from their city through a proposed bulk commodity export terminal. Initially, developers reassured residents that the facility wouldn’t export coal. But it soon became clear that wasn’t the case. Community members and environmental groups have been organizing against the plan ever since. Then, in June, the project got a major boost: President Trump announced that he would provide $75 million to support its construction, part of a larger influx of cash for the United States’ dying coal industry. The announcement injected new life into the terminal, and also into the opposition. Margaret Rossoff, coordinating committee member of No Coal in Oakland, and Veronica Eady, executive director of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, talk with Terra Verde Co-host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren about where things stand. The post Keeping Coal Out of Oakland appeared first on KPFA.

In his new documentary Fog Eaters, filmmaker Kyle Baker follows environmental toxicologist Peter Weiss-Penzias and a team of researchers investigating unusually high levels of methylmercury in mountain lions along California’s central coast. Tracing mercury pollution through the food web, the researchers ultimately tie it back to an unlikely source: coastal fog. In this episode of Terra Verde, host Hannah Wilton speaks Baker about the scientific discoveries at the center of film. They explore the legacy of mercury mining and pollution across the Bay Area and the enduring presence of fog in the region’s ecology and cultural imagination. Baker also reflects on his creative process, multispecies storytelling, and the interconnectedness of our ecologies. The post Following the Fog [Encore] appeared first on KPFA.

Veteran environmental activists André Carothers and Annie Leonard have spent decades protesting for climate action, environmental protection, and human rights. Photo by Brooke Anderson. The right to speak freely, to organize and protest injustice is under threat across much of the world right now. In the United States, in particular, protesters — especially those focused on environmental justice and immigrant rights — are facing targeted violence from state forces. Yet, peaceful protest— which is a protected right in this country — is a cornerstone of participatory democracy. In this episode of Terra Verde, Earth Island Journal editor-in-chief Maureen Nandini Mitra speaks with two veteran Berkeley activists, Annie Leonard and André Carothers, about their new book Protest: Respect It Defend It Use It, which showcases the role peaceful activism has played over centuries in advancing the public good. Both Carothers and Leonard have been watching the increasing vilification of protest with growing concern, but they say, we must continue exercise this fundamental right even when it might feel unsafe to do so. The post A Call to Exercise Our Right to Protest [Encore] appeared first on KPFA.

Author and speaker Jeremy Lent suggests that as climate change, inequality, and social fragmentation intensify, humanity faces an imminent choice. We can either continue with the same system of extraction, exploitation, and endless growth that created the polycrisis we now face—which will almost certainly lead to collapse—or, we can reimagine civilization itself.  In his new book, Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All, Jeremy Lent presents that reimagination. Guided by proven design principles of ecosystems, the book provides a practical framework that shows how every major sector of society could be redesigned to achieve ecocivilization. Terra Verde co-host Fiona McLeod speaks with Jeremy Lent about this vision for deep, system-wide transformation. They discuss some of the important work already in motion that shows how another world is entirely possible—even against the tremendous odds we collectively face.  The post Imagining an Ecological Civilization appeared first on KPFA.

Veteran environmental activists André Carothers and Annie Leonard have spent decades protesting for climate action, environmental protection, and human rights. Photo by Brooke Anderson. The right to speak freely, to organize and protest injustice is under threat across much of the world right now. In the United States, in particular, protesters — especially those focused on environmental justice and immigrant rights — are facing targeted violence from state forces. Yet, peaceful protest— which is a protected right in this country — is a cornerstone of participatory democracy. In this episode of Terra Verde, Earth Island Journal editor-in-chief Maureen Nandini Mitra speaks with two veteran Berkeley activists, Annie Leonard and André Carothers, about their new book Protest: Respect It Defend It Use It, which showcases the role peaceful activism has played over centuries in advancing the public good. Both Carothers and Leonard have been watching the increasing vilification of protest with growing concern, but they say, we must continue exercise this fundamental right even when it might feel unsafe to do so.   The post A Call to Exercise Our Right to Protest appeared first on KPFA.

Eighteen young people are challenging the EPA’s repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding” on constitutional grounds. The finding provided the basis for federal climate policy,including the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, and power plants. Photo by Sila Lundquist / Unsplash. Earlier this year, the Trump administration repealed the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health. The determination was, until now, the foundation for federal climate policy. Among many challenges to the repeal, one stands out: a youth-led petition based on the constitutional rights to life, liberty, and religious freedom. Terra Verde host Zoe Loftus-Farren speaks with Elena Venner, a college student and the lead petitioner, and Julia Olson, the founder, co-executive director, and chief legal counsel of Our Children’s Trust, the public interest law firm representing young people in the petition. The post Standing Up for Youth Climate Rights appeared first on KPFA.

The former Zeneca chemical facility site in Richmond, CA, a contaminated shoreline property that has become a focal point for community concerns about environmental health, cleanup efforts, and the future impacts of sea level rise along San Francisco Bay. Photo courtesy of Richmond Shoreline Alliance. Across the San Francisco Bay shoreline, communities are living alongside the legacy of more than a century of industrial activity. From former chemical manufacturing facilities to hazardous waste sites, contaminated lands and waterways continue to shape the environment and public health of waterfront neighborhoods. As climate change drives sea level rise and raises groundwater tables, new questions are emerging about what happens when these contaminated sites meet a changing shoreline. In this episode of Terra Verde, host and producer Hannah Wilton speaks with Kevin G. Ruano Hernandez of Richmond Shoreline Alliance and Makayla Marquez of San Francisco Baykeeper about environmental justice, shoreline contamination, and efforts to build more resilient waterfront communities in the face of climate change. The conversation explores Richmond’s industrial history and the ongoing challenges posed by contaminated sites such as the United Heckathorn Superfund site and the former Zeneca chemical facility. To learn more, consider joining Richmond Shoreline Alliance and local environmental justice leaders for a Toxic Tour of the former Zeneca site. You can also report pollution concerns to SF Baykeeper through its pollution hotline 1-800-KEEP-BAY. The post Toxic Legacies on the San Francisco Bay Shoreline appeared first on KPFA.

Fog Eaters explores the unexpected link between fog and high mercury levels in California’s coastal mountain lions. Photo by Zetong Li. In his new documentary Fog Eaters, filmmaker Kyle Baker follows environmental toxicologist Peter Weiss-Penzias and a team of researchers investigating unusually high levels of methylmercury in mountain lions along California’s central coast. Tracing mercury pollution through the food web, the researchers ultimately tie it back to an unlikely source: coastal fog. In this episode of Terra Verde, host Hannah Wilton speaks Baker about the scientific discoveries at the center of film. They explore the legacy of mercury mining and pollution across the Bay Area and the enduring presence of fog in the region’s ecology and cultural imagination. Baker also reflects on his creative process, multispecies storytelling, and the interconnectedness of our ecologies. The post Following the Fog appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly public affairs show that delivers news and views about the most important environmental issues in California and globally. The post Terra Verde – May 15, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly public affairs show that delivers news and views about the most important environmental issues in California and globally. The post Terra Verde – May 8, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

A rarely-invoked committee colloquially known as the “God Squad” met in late March and unanimously voted to exempt oil and gas activity in the Gulf of Mexico from environmental safeguards put in place by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA is widely recognized as one of the most effective conservation laws in the United States, having prevented extinction of 99% of protected species since 1973.   The God Squad invoked national security to remove protections for critically endangered species including the Rice’s whale, sea turtles, and other marine wildlife—setting a dangerous precedent and putting the fate of countless threatened and endangered species at risk.    On this episode of Terra Verde, host Fiona McLeod speaks with Michael Jasny, Director of Marine Mammal Protection at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Noah Greenwald, Endangered Species Codirector at the Center for Biological Diversity. They talk about the history of the Endangered Species Act and the challenges it has faced over time, as well as how the God Squad’s recent decision—which both NRDC and the Center for Biological Diversity are fighting in court—could be catastrophic.  Photo: A Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Ocean Alliance (Permit # 21938) The post Greenlighting Extinction appeared first on KPFA.

A “bathtub ring” lines the canyon walls of Lake Mead, marking the dramatic drop in water levels as the Colorado River system faces prolonged drought and overuse. Image by Tara W. / Pexels. As the Colorado River Basin faces historic drought, shrinking reservoirs, and intensifying climate pressures, new research reveals a striking reality: Some of the largest water users in the West pay little to nothing for their supply. In this episode of Terra Verde, host and producer Hannah Wilton speaks with Isabel Friedman, a senior advocacy associate with the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Noah Garrison, the Environmental Science Practicum Director at of University of California, Los Angeles’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability about their report, Free Water While It Lasts: An Analysis of Wholesale Water Pricing in the Lower Colorado River Basin States. Drawing on decades of policy and pricing data, Friedman and Garrison unpack how longstanding decisions about water allocation and cost have shaped today’s crisis. They explore stark disparities between agricultural and urban water pricing, why artificially low costs can discourage conservation, and how these dynamics have contributed to the Colorado River’s declining storage levels. They also explore emerging proposals — including a potential surcharge on federally supplied water — and the political deadlock states face as they struggle to negotiate the river’s future. As California and the broader region confront deepening water scarcity, this episode asks: What would it take to align water pricing with the realities of a changing climate? The post Free Water While It Lasts appeared first on KPFA.

Locally farmed flowers offer an alternative to imported varieties, which in the United States typically come from South America. ​Photo by Zoe Richardson. Flower have much to offer. They bring us joy and beauty. They improve ecosystem health and boost food production. And they play an important role in many cultural practices and in celebrations of love and life. The global flower industry, however, has a heavy footprint. The vast majority of farmed flowers are sprayed with synthetic pesticides, which harm pollinators and increase serious health risks for farm workers and florists. The average flower sold in the United States has been transported thousands of miles, at great cost to the climate. Not to mention that plastic use in the industry is widespread. Locally, ethically grown flowers offer an alternative, and the movement for “slow flowers” has gained traction in recent years. In the Bay Area, that’s in no small part due to the hard work and advocacy of local business owners, including today’s two guests: Pilar Zuniga, the owner and lead designer at Gorgeous and Green and the Sustainable Flower School in Oakland, and Joanna Letz, the founder and owner-operator of Bluma Farm, which was formerly located in Berkeley. They join Terra Verde host Zoe Loftus-Farren to discuss the current state of the flower industry and what they see as the path forward. The post Greening the Flower Industry appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly public affairs show that delivers news and views about the most important environmental issues in California and globally. The post Terra Verde – April 3, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly public affairs show that delivers news and views about the most important environmental issues in California and globally. The post Terra Verde – March 27, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

This oil drilling rig off the coast of Santa Barbara is one of numerous that line the ocean view. Photo courtesy of Way Out West News. On Saturday, March 14, using the pretext of the war on Iran and spiking fuel prices, the Trump administration allowed Sable Offshore Corp. to restart the controversial Santa Ynez offshore oil platform and pipeline along the Santa Barbara County coast. The pipeline has been shut down since 2015, when a rupture caused by external corrosion caused a massive 142,000-gallon spill at Refugio State Beach and sent some 21,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean. The move has led to a showdown of sorts that’s pitting Sable and the Trump administration against local environmental groups and authorities in Santa Barbara and the State of California. To shed light on this developing situation and the broader ramifications of the Trump administration ramping up extraction and use of fossil fuels,Terra Verde co-host and Earth Island Journal editor-in-chief, Maureen Nandini Mitra, talks with Talia Nimmer, an attorney with the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity, and Collin Rees, US Program Manager at Oil Change International.   Take Action: Tell the US Department of Transportation not to waive California’s safety requirements for Sable’s pipeline. The post Showdown Over Sable Restarting Oil Pipeline in Santa Barbara appeared first on KPFA.

The National Parks Service has lost nearly a quarter of its permanent employees since Trump took office last year, and drastic budget cuts have significantly impacted the agency’s ability to carry out educational programming, maintenance, and vital emergency services within the parks. On this episode of Terra Verde, host and producer Fiona McLeod speaks with Christine Lehnertz, President and CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy about how the current picture of funding and management of public lands is impacting parks in the Bay Area and beyond. They discuss the crucial role that nonprofit partners can play in supporting our beloved national parks and conservation areas in the face of limited federal funding — as well as the gaps they can’t step in to fill.  Learn more about the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy’s work with national parks in the Bay Area here. The post National Parks Under Pressure  appeared first on KPFA.