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Possibly Podcast

The Public's Radiothepublicsradio.org
Sick and tired of environmental gloom and doom? Want to know what you can do? Listen to Possibly, where we take on huge problems, like the future of our planet, and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. New episodes are released every Tuesday. Subscribe today wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a rating and review: it helps others find the show. Click here to learn more about Possibly or ask a question.
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Episodes

What’s the environmental impact of artificial snow?

It’s ski season–but in recent years rising temperatures have made it harder for resorts in New England to rely on natural snow. Instead, they have to make it. But what’s the environmental impact of all that artificial snow? The post What’s the environmental impact of artificial snow? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Mar 28, 202359 sec

What is the US doing to reduce methane emissions?

Normally when we talk about emissions, we’re talking about carbon dioxide. But recently there’s been more focus on another greenhouse gas, methane. The post What is the US doing to reduce methane emissions? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Mar 21, 202359 sec

How can governments reduce their greenhouse gas emissions?

We usually talk about how individuals can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but what about governments and corporations? Today we’re taking a look at a new European Union plan that aims to help fight global warming. The post How can governments reduce their greenhouse gas emissions? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Mar 14, 202354 sec

Cryptocurrency uses a lot of energy. Does it have to?

Public interest in cryptocurrencies has been on a bit of a rollercoaster over the past few years. But there’s one thing that hasn’t really changed- the massive amount of energy it takes to create them. But why? And does it have to be that way? The post Cryptocurrency uses a lot of energy. Does it have to? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Mar 07, 20231 min

What’s the best electric car for my family?

The time has come! Our family needs a new car, and I’m ready to go electric. But, which one should I buy? Here to help me out is our founder and Brown University’s Provost for sustainability, Stephen Porder. The post What’s the best electric car for my family? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Feb 28, 20231 min

What do you do when rising waters threaten a neighborhood?

Warren, Rhode Island is one of the smallest towns in the smallest state — but when it comes to dealing with climate change, it has big plans. Located on the East Bay, the town is already seeing the effects of rising sea levels, and it’s starting to adapt. The post What do you do when rising waters threaten a neighborhood? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Feb 21, 20231 min

Should we be turning our lights out for birds?

A lot of birds will circle well-lit buildings until they’re too exhausted to fly anymore. Then they’ll fall to the ground, where they usually die without food or water. The post Should we be turning our lights out for birds? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Feb 14, 20231 min

Why are we seeing more floods in cities?

Last year, Kolya from our Possibly team and I worked with the Providence Stormwater Innovation center. Their job was to track flooding across the city, which made them wonder: why are we seeing more of these floods? And what is Providence doing to prevent them? The post Why are we seeing more floods in cities? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Feb 07, 202358 sec

What will the Inflation Reduction Act do about Environmental Justice?

When the Inflation Reduction Act passed last summer, there was a lot of talk about the money that was going toward environmental justice communities. But since then, we haven’t heard much about where that money has gone. So we had Juliana Merullo and Charlie Adams look into it for us! The post What will the Inflation Reduction Act do about Environmental Justice? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Jan 31, 20231 min

How will states use money from the Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change?

For the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the Inflation Reduction Act, a law that puts hundreds of billions of dollars in federal money towards addressing climate change. Today, We're going to look at how states can take advantage of this new law. The post How will states use money from the Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Jan 24, 20231 min

How will the Inflation Reduction Act affect me?

Last year, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act. Despite the name, it actually includes a lot of plans to address climate change. Last week, we went over the big-picture plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But what will these policies mean for you? And when can you start taking advantage of them? The post How will the Inflation Reduction Act affect me? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Jan 17, 202358 sec

How does a law to reduce inflation affect climate change?

Sometimes it seems like Congress passes a big bill, it’s in the news for a few weeks, and then we forget about it. Last year, when President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, there was a lot of talk about how the bill would help the US address climate change. But how? And what happens now? The post How does a law to reduce inflation affect climate change? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Jan 10, 20231 min

Our 2023 resolutions

For the first episode of a new year, our Possibly team decided to think about all of our episodes and how they might inspire our resolutions for 2023. Here's what some of us had to say. The post Our 2023 resolutions appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Jan 03, 20231 min

What should I do with clothing I don’t want anymore?

We all have those clothes that just sit in the back of our closets for years and never get used. Maybe it’s that t-shirt from college or that sentimental, but totally ugly scarf that grandma gave us for Christmas. This week, we look into what to do with the clothing you don’t want anymore. The post What should I do with clothing I don’t want anymore? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Dec 27, 20221 min

Should I wrap my presents in fabric or paper?

Today, we have a question from a listener named Susan. She wants to know about gift wrapping: “Is it better for the environment to wrap Christmas gifts in fabric you can use over again rather than paper?” The post Should I wrap my presents in fabric or paper? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Dec 20, 202255 sec

How did Rhode Island get the first offshore wind farm in the country?

Today, we’re traveling to Block Island, the vacation spot off the southern coast of Rhode Island. Block Island is also famous for its offshore wind farm- the first of its kind in the entire nation. What did it take to make this project possible? And is it a success? The post How did Rhode Island get the first offshore wind farm in the country? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Dec 06, 20221 min

When did we start recycling?

We get a lot of questions about recycling, asking what to do with aluminum cans, glass, paper, or even plastic. All this has me wondering: when did we start recycling? How did it get so popular? The post When did we start recycling? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Nov 29, 202258 sec

What kind of turkey should I buy?

Today, we're talking turkey. With the holidays coming up, you can choose a bird that is free-range, organic, or conventional. But what’s the difference between them? And which type of turkey is best for the planet? The post What kind of turkey should I buy? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Nov 22, 20221 min

What happened to the hole in the ozone layer?

When I was growing up, I remember hearing about a hole in the ozone layer. It was a big deal. But I don’t really hear about that issue anymore. Is the ozone layer still in danger, and what happened to the hole? The post What happened to the hole in the ozone layer? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Nov 15, 202254 sec

Do I need to rake my lawn?

I have two huge trees in my yard and they dump a lot of leaves. Sometimes I wonder, what would happen if I just let those piles of leaves stay on the ground? The post Do I need to rake my lawn? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Nov 08, 202253 sec

What’s happening with the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, is large enough that you can see it from space. It’s home to thousands of types of sea creatures and protects the coastline from erosion. It's taken a beating over the years, but recently, I heard that the Great Barrier Reef is experiencing a comeback. So, what’s really going on? The post What’s happening with the Great Barrier Reef? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Oct 31, 20221 min

What should I do with my pumpkin after Halloween?

The weather is cooling, the leaves are changing, and all of my neighbors are putting pumpkins on their porches. It got me thinking, what is the environmental impact of all of these Jack O Lanterns? The post What should I do with my pumpkin after Halloween? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Oct 25, 202256 sec

Should I compost my body when I die?

When a loved one passes away, we often just have two choices: burial or cremation. But there’s a new option in some states that claims to use less energy and resources. The post Should I compost my body when I die? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Oct 18, 20224 min

Does cloud computing use a lot of energy?

These days, I can log on to my phone and pull up a file that’s stored thousands of miles away. It’s pretty awesome. But does access to all of this remote data use a lot of energy? The post Does cloud computing use a lot of energy? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Oct 11, 20221 min

Why are we seeing so many wildfires?

We hear a lot in the news about wildfires these days - and it seems like there are more and more of them. Are there? And why? The post Why are we seeing so many wildfires? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Oct 03, 202253 sec

Is natural grass or artificial turf better for the environment?

Nowadays, many athletic fields have been converted from natural grass to artificial turf. Which made us wonder- which option is better for the environment? The post Is natural grass or artificial turf better for the environment? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Sep 26, 202255 sec

What’s the environmental impact of oyster farms?

I’ve been eating a lot of raw oysters lately. They taste so fresh and clean, and I can get them from local farms here in Rhode Island. But I’ve been wondering - what’s the environmental impact of growing all these shelled delicacies? The post What’s the environmental impact of oyster farms? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Sep 20, 20221 min

What happens to electric car batteries when they die?

Today, we have a question from a listener named Alissa. She wants to know what happens to the batteries for electric cars once they die-- "Can all of those be recyclable? What's their life expectancy? The post What happens to electric car batteries when they die? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio .

Sep 13, 20221 min

Meet the town in Japan that’s committed to zero waste

Do you ever go to recycle your takeout container or water bottle, see all those different categories, and get so confused you just end up throwing everything in the regular trash bin? Knowing how to get rid of waste is trickier than it may seem. But one small town in Japan may have figured out the key to eliminating waste altogether. The post Meet the town in Japan that’s committed to zero waste appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Sep 06, 20221 min

What’s the impact of our constantly running refrigerators on the climate?

Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. In this episode, we’re cooling down a bit and talking about refrigeration. The post What’s the impact of our constantly running refrigerators on the climate? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio ....

Aug 29, 202259 sec
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