For this gardening hour, we’re talking about ecological gardening and gardening for the environment. We’ll be touching on planting natives, using rain barrels, preparing your compost pile and more. We’ll also learn what plants can make your garden a pollinator oasis. And we want to hear from you: what are you planting this year? GUESTS: Charlie Nardozzi: horticulturist and host of the Connecticut Garden Journal on Connecticut Public Dawn Pettinelli: Associate Extension Educator at Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture with UConn Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re never too young to learn about climate change. Younger Americans are more likely to engage with the issue, according to research on Gen Z and Millennials from Pew. This hour, we hear from the authors of three children’s books about climate change, and taking action, including UConn sociologist Dr. Phoebe Godfrey, meteorologist Paul Douglas, environmental scientist Lena Champlin, and resident in psychiatry Jeremy Wortzel. GUESTS: Dr. Phoebe Godfrey: Professor in Residence of Sociology, University of Connecticut Dr. Jeremy Wortzel: Co-Author, Coco’s Fire: Changing Climate Anxiety Into Climate Action Dr. Lena Champlin: Co-Author and Illustrator, Coco’s Fire: Changing Climate Anxiety Into Climate Action Paul Douglas: Meteorologist; Author, A Kid's Guide to Saving the Planet: It's not Hopeless and We're Not Helpless Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, reporters from the New England News Collaborative are recognizing Earth Day and focusing their reporting on the intersection of climate change and housing. 34% of the housing stock across New England is rented. Many solutions to making homes more climate friendly are mostly geared toward homeowners. But investing in energy efficient appliances and installing solar panels isn’t that feasible for renters. We learn what you can do to make your home more energy efficient as a renter. Most homes are built with a few central materials: mainly steel and concrete. But as new buildings are constructed from homes to office spaces, a new material has been introduced to make buildings stronger, more energy efficient and more sustainable: wood. We learn more. And later, we hear how one organization is working to create more green spaces in New Haven. To learn more about the NENC and view more of their Earth Week reporting visit: https://www.nenc.news/earth-week GUESTS: Abigail Brone: Housing Reporter at Connecticut Public Jonathón Savage: Executive Director of Gather New Haven Abagael Giles: Climate and Environment Reporter at Vermont Public Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the first-ever federal limits on a class of chemicalled known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in drinking water. This hour, we discuss what these enforceable limits mean for how Connecticut monitors and regulates PFAS. Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani joins us, plus Connecticut Mirror investigative reporter Andrew Brown. Plus, Attorney General William Tong touches on the lawsuits he filed against chemical manufacturers of PFAS. GUESTS: William Tong: Connecticut Attorney General Dr. Manisha Juthani: Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health Andrew Brown: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Mirror Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the last fiscal year, the army alone missed their recruiting goal by 25%. All branches of the military are struggling to recruit new cadets. With an all-volunteer service, the military relies on recruitment efforts to get more people to serve. But fewer Americans than ever are eligible to do so. And attracting the next generation of cadets has been a challenge. Today, we talk about the military recruiting crisis. We will hear from Captain Benjamin Keffer, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command. Later, we hear how some extremist groups are working to get veterans and others with tactical experience into their organizations. GUESTS: Dr. Nora Bensahel: Professor of the Practice at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Contributing Editor, War on the Rocks Captain Benjamin Keffer: Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command Sonner Kehrt: Investigative Reporter at the War Horse and Coast Guard Veteran Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired on October 6, 2023.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly one in four adults who contracted COVID-19 have developed long COVID symptoms, according to the latest Census report. This hour, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunobiology expert at Yale who is focused on researching long COVID, joins us to share what we know and don't know about the illness, and the many ways it can manifest. The Patient-Led Research Collaborative has authored several seminal surveys and studies. We also hear from co-founder Lisa McCorkell about this bank of patient-led research. She says, "We need a moonshot for long COVID: at least a billion dollars a year in research funding to adequately address this crisis." Plus, Yale American Studies professor Dr. Daniel HoSang has written about the “twin pandemics” of COVID-19 and racism. He joins us to reflect on the four-year mark of the virus, and the links he sees to the long COVID response. GUESTS: Dr. Daniel HoSang: Professor of American Studies, Yale University; Co-Author, Under the Blacklight: The Intersectional Vulnerabilities that the Twin Pandemics Lay Bare Dr. Akiko Iwasaki: Co-Lead Investigator, Yale COVID-19 Recovery Study; Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Lisa McCorkell: Co-Founder, Patient-Led Research Collaborative Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although church attendance has dwindled across all faiths, 39% of Catholics say they attend services at least once a week. The Archdiocese of Hartford includes over 400,000 Catholics across the state of Connecticut, and is now being overseen by a new Archbishop. After years of service, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair will be succeeded by the newly appointedCoadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne, who recently served as a Bishop in Burlington, Vermont. Today, we talk about the future of the Catholic Church, serving the Catholic population in Connecticut and a recent document published by the Vatican and its statements on gender identity and gender affirming surgery, surrogacy, and human dignity. GUESTS: Coadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne: Archdiocese of Hartford Joshua McElwee: News Editor of National Catholic Reporter Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout history, our state has made some big contributions to aviation technology. Today, we’re talking about the history and future of aviation in our state. We hear from some aviation enthusiasts who’s love of all things plane is going to make you soar. The New England Air Museum houses some unbelievable vintage aircrafts. We hear from them. And we hear from someone with experience flying in some of these vintage aircrafts. If flying in a vintage plane is not your speed, there are more ways you can tap into your inner pilot. There are many model plane clubs here in all four corners of Connecticut. We learn how you can get involved. GUESTS: Stephanie Abrams: President & CEO of the New England Air Museum Mike Thornton: Curator of the New England Air Museum Edward Deming: President of the RC Propbusters of Salem, CT Bob Creter: crew chief and docent for D-Day Squadron in Oxford, Connecticut Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally aired on February 2.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.