
Earth Day Celebration
Living on Earth is celebrating 55 years of Earth Day by speaking with Grammy nominated singer and Earth Day ambassador Antonique Smith. Her work uses the art of storytelling and music to promote environmental justice and climate action in communities of faith and color.


The Health Toll of L.A. Oil Wells
There are about 700 active oil and gas wells in the city of Los Angeles, mostly located in minority communities like the one where young activist Nalleli Cobo grew up, just 30 feet from a well. She and her neighbors have suffered for years from headaches, asthma, and cancer -- illnesses linked to the proximity of oil well sites. For her work fighting the oil companies operating those wells Nalleli was awarded the 2022 Goldman Environmental prize.


Fighting Climate Change with Geothermal Networks
Using the Earth’s heat as an anchor for heat pumps yields virtually carbon-free energy. Surface geothermal energy drills down 500 meters or less and taps into the relatively constant temperature of the close to-the-surface earth, which sits around 55 degrees. The process is more efficient than air-coupled heat pumps, providing new hope for combatting the climate crisis.

This Week’s Show
April 18, 2025
listen / download

Earth Day Celebration
listen / download
Living on Earth is celebrating 55 years of Earth Day by speaking with Grammy nominated singer and Earth Day ambassador Antonique Smith. Her work uses the art of storytelling and music to promote environmental justice and climate action in communities of faith and color.

The Health Toll of L.A. Oil Wells
listen / download
There are about 700 active oil and gas wells in the city of Los Angeles, mostly located in minority communities like the one where young activist Nalleli Cobo grew up, just 30 feet from a well. She and her neighbors have suffered for years from headaches, asthma, and cancer -- illnesses linked to the proximity of oil well sites. For her work fighting the oil companies operating those wells Nalleli was awarded the 2022 Goldman Environmental prize.

Fighting Climate Change with Geothermal Networks
listen / download
Using the Earth’s heat as an anchor for heat pumps yields virtually carbon-free energy. Surface geothermal energy drills down 500 meters or less and taps into the relatively constant temperature of the close to-the-surface earth, which sits around 55 degrees. The process is more efficient than air-coupled heat pumps, providing new hope for combatting the climate crisis.
Special Features
Field Note: "On the Greenland Ice"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, shares observations about visiting the Greenland ice sheet.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: "The Silence"- Lava Tubes of Iceland
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, provides insight into the writing of his essay "The Silence".
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes

...Ultimately, if we are going prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we are going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them...
-- President Barack Obama, November 6, 2015 on why he declined to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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