1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: You're listening to part time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:15,159 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what, Well, what's that mango? So in 3 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: the not so distant future, the best wines on Earth 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: won't actually come from Italy or Chili or France, but 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: from Poland and Ireland. Can you imagine sitting down at 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: a fancy restaurant and ordering a bottle of Irish wine mango? 7 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: I think it's actually pronouncing guinness. I mean, Guinness is delicious, 8 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 2: but that's not what I mean. Climate change is redrawing 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 2: the boundaries of wine production, and as temperatures rise, places 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 2: like Ireland, Poland, and even northern China are becoming warm 11 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 2: enough to grow the grapes behind popular wines. In fact, 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 2: some models suggest that if climate change continues at this rate, 13 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: by twenty fifty, Ireland will be producing the sort of 14 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: quality wine we associate with Italy today. That is wild. 15 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: I mean, that's nice for Ireland, but I gotta be honest. 16 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 2: I think I'd prefer if the climate did not change. 17 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, honestly, But it is interesting to look at the 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: problem from the angle of the wine industry. With temperatures 19 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: rising everywhere, the current wine regions are paying the price, 20 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: and heat and drought have ruined multiple grape harvests in 21 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: places like Australia and Europe, and also hundreds of California 22 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: vineyards have been affected by wildfires as we've seen in 23 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: recent years. But all of this got me thinking about 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: how climate change is playing out in different parts of 25 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: the world, but also what people are doing to improve 26 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: communities climate resilience. And that's what we're going to talk 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: about today, incredibly smart, creative efforts to reduce harm from 28 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: climate threats. It's fascinating and it's pretty important. So let's 29 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: dive in. 30 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 31 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: Will Pearson, and as always I'm joined by my good 32 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: friend mangesh Hot Ticketer and over there in the booths, 33 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: he's actually today this is a good one. He's wearing 34 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: a hard hat and he's surrounded by construction materials. That's 35 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: our pal and producer Dylan Fagan, of course, and I 36 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: think those are solar panels that he's putting up. Is 37 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 2: that right? 38 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: He said something about converting the booth to renewable energy. 39 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how he's going to pull. 40 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 2: That, but always admirable goals that Dylan. And there's actually 41 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 2: no sunlight in the booth, so I'm not quite sure 42 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 2: how that's going to work out. But you know, anyway, 43 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: we'll see how it plays out. 44 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: I'm sure we'll figure it out. 45 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: He's pretty resourceful, all right, Magel. I gotta be honest 46 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: with you. When you first emailed me about doing this episode, 47 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: I did hesitate for a minute. I mean, I know, 48 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 2: we found a bunch of fascinating ideas for climate resilience, 49 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 2: which of course is the term scientist used to describe 50 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 2: strategies for coping with and mitigating the effects of climate change. 51 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: But honestly, just thinking about climate change is such a 52 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: stressful thing. 53 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's fair, and I feel the same way. And 54 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: obviously it isn't just us. A lot of people feel 55 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: this way. In fact, psychologists have a term for this, 56 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: and they call it climate anxiety, and some experts at 57 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: Yale have been studying this phenomena for a while. One 58 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: of the things they note is that there's actually a 59 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: difference between concern, worry, and anxiety. So concern is sort 60 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: of the lightest of the three worries. The next step up, 61 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: and according to a national survey, they did sixty four 62 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: percent of Americans or at least somewhat worried about climate change. 63 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: And that's obviously a good thing. 64 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: So it's good that we're worried. 65 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, obviously, when we worry about our problem, 66 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: we want to fix it. So the more people worry 67 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: about climate change, the more motivation there is to address 68 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: the causes. 69 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I guess that makes sense. But how 70 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 2: does anxiety differ from worry? 71 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: So, according to the Yale researchers, when you start to 72 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: have symptoms like erasing heart or intrusive thoughts, or when 73 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: the feelings become overwhelming and affect your day to day life, 74 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: that's really climate anxiety. And while there's this correlation between 75 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: self reported climate anxiety and existing anxiety disorders, it is 76 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: real problem. Eight percent of the Yale survey respondents said 77 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: they'd be interested in counseling for a climate anxiety. But 78 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: the good news is this survey found that the vast 79 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: majority of Americans don't feel fatalistic. Even though they're worried 80 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: and they're anxious, they believe we can do something about 81 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: climate change, which is, you know, both reassuring and motivating. 82 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely all right. Well, speaking of motivation, Mango a 83 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: group of New England scientists. They decided to tackle a 84 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: climate problem that's increasingly relevant in dairy producing states, states 85 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 2: like Vermont, and this is cow burps. 86 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: Is this kind of like that meme about how cows 87 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: passing gas is what's causing global warming? 88 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,799 Speaker 2: I mean kind of, except you're focusing on the wrong 89 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 2: end of the cow. Some ninety five percent of the 90 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 2: methane cow's release actually come from burping, not the other end. 91 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: According to the EPA, the biggest source of greenhouse gas 92 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 2: emissions by far is carbon dioxide generated by burning fossil fuels. 93 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: That makes up almost eighty percent of emissions. Methane comes 94 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: in a distant second, representing about eleven percent. But yes, 95 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: cow verbs are actually responsible for a lot of that methane. 96 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: So I'm very curious about this. Other than stopping them 97 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: from drinking like bubbly water and sodaes, how do you 98 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: stop a cow from burfing? 99 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: Well, to answer that question, you have to understand why 100 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 2: a cow verbs. So cows stomachs have four chambers, so 101 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: they can digest grass and corn by chewing and then regurgitating, 102 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: then chewing Some more and along the way, billions of 103 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 2: microorganisms and the cow's stomachs break down the fibers and 104 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: that's where the methane comes from. It's actually a byproduct 105 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,679 Speaker 2: of those microbes doing their job. They multiply that across 106 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: ninety million cattle in the US alone, and we're talking 107 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 2: a lot of gas. But it turns out if you 108 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 2: add a specific type of seaweed to the cow's diets, 109 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 2: it actually reduces the methane in their guts by eighty percent. Seaweed. 110 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: That's incredible. It sounds like almost like it's a gas 111 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: ex for cows. 112 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean there is a catch here that one 113 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: seaweed only grows in the oceans around Australia, and trying 114 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 2: to import it or reduce it into other places would 115 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: actually do more environmental harm than good. So, according to 116 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: Boston's wbur researchers at the Bigelow Laboratory have begun testing 117 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 2: dozens of North Atlantic seaweed and algae varieties. So they 118 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: set up jars full of actual cow stomach fluids and 119 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: they've been quote feeding them pieces of seaweed and then 120 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: measuring methane levels in these jars. 121 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 1: And this seems to be working. 122 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: It seems to be. Yeah. I mean they've even teamed 123 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: up with dairy farmers in New Hampshire to test the 124 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 2: top contenders in actual animals and it looks like a 125 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 2: seaweed called Irish moss reduces methane output by up to 126 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 2: twenty percent, So pretty significant there. And if they can 127 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 2: get that higher to maybe like thirty percent and feed 128 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: it to all the cows in the US, we would 129 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 2: actually reduce methane emissions by almost two million metric tons. Wow. 130 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: So of course, another way to reduce the environmental impact 131 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: of catalysts to eat less beef and dairy, right. 132 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 2: That would be one way to do it. Yeah, definitely, 133 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 2: And there's a bigger, more systemic solution as part of that, 134 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 2: But in the meantime, fewer cowburbs is a big step forward. 135 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: That is an incredible sentence. So for our next innovation, 136 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: I'd like to tell you about cool roofs, which is 137 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: about temperature, not like some roof that all the other 138 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: roofs want to be like. But I love this one 139 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: because it's so obvious when you think about it, and 140 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: it can really make a big impact. The science here 141 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: is really simple. Painting roofs with white reflective paint reduces 142 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: the amount of heat that building absorbs and radiates back 143 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:28,679 Speaker 1: to the ground. 144 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, this is one of those things I 145 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: feel like people talked about for a while, you know, 146 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: painting roofs white, and I just feel like I haven't 147 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: seen much of it to this point. 148 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right, it's been in the discourse for a while. 149 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: But you know, New York City launched a cool roofs 150 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: program in two thousand and nine. A lot of the 151 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: buildings here have black asphalt roofs that can reach up 152 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: to one hundred and ninety degrees fahrenheit in the summer, 153 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: and that raises temperatures inside the building as well as 154 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: makes the sidewalks below a whole lot hotter. 155 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 2: And so all you have to do is slap some 156 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: white paint on them, pretty much, and we're making great progress. 157 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: So a twenty twenty one hundred University study found that 158 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: about thirty six percent of New York City roof surfaces 159 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: had been converted to cool roofing. That's over six hundred 160 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: and seventy five million square feet. But obviously that still 161 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: leaves a lot of roofs to paint. 162 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 2: You know, it reminds me of places like Santorini and 163 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 2: Greece where you have those beautiful white villages by the sea, 164 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: And I've never really thought about it before, but I 165 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 2: assume that's for cooling purposes too. 166 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean in places like Centerini, all the buildings 167 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: exteriors are whitewashed and they look so beautiful. Oddly enough, though, 168 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: the original purpose was to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, 169 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: because the compounds in whitewash actually have these antiseptic properties 170 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: and the heat mitigation is just a bonus, But the 171 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: idea of slapping white paint on roofs is spreading. In 172 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, Indonesia won a seven hundred and fifty 173 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: thousand dollars grant from a Global Cool Roofs Challenge, and 174 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: eighty percent of homes in Indonesia really lack air conditioning. 175 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: But if you think about it, a lot of people 176 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: are at work and school during the hot us parts 177 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: of the day, and most schools in Indonesia also don't 178 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: have the AC. So the team tasks with expanding Indonesia's 179 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: cool roofs decide to focus on the larger buildings and 180 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: that meant things like schools and community centers. The results 181 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: have been pretty encouraging. In twenty twenty three, they reported 182 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: that a new cool roof had reduced the temperature inside 183 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: one major industrial building from one hundred four degrees fahrenheit 184 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: to eighty four degrees. So obviously that's still really warm, 185 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 1: but so much more comfortable. 186 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that's a pretty big difference. Okay, listeners, 187 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 2: we have to take a quick break, but when we 188 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 2: come back, get ready for this. We're going to talk 189 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: about salty clouds, clam gardens, and fog harvest thing, you know, 190 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: the three big things you were hoping we'd talk about 191 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: when we get back. So don't go anywhere. 192 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Part time Genius. So before we get 193 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: into our story of climate resilience, I just want to 194 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: remind you that if you enjoy the show, and I 195 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: really hope you do, please make sure you're subscribed on 196 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app and leave us a nice rating 197 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: and review. 198 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks for doing that in advance. All right, mengo. 199 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 2: So this next story comes to us from the Swinemish 200 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 2: tribe in Washington State. Now, for thousands of years, indigenous 201 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 2: people along the Pacific Northwest they've harvested these shellfish by 202 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: building clam gardens. Now, the way it worked is they 203 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: built rock walls and these inner tidal zones, and that's 204 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: the strip of the beach that's underwater during high tide 205 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 2: but exposed during low tide. Now, as the tide rose, 206 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 2: sediment fell over the wall, building up this nice, soft, 207 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 2: stable and protected environment for clams to grow. And so 208 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 2: modern studies of this ancient practice have shown that this 209 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 2: expanded the clam habitat and actually increased the species diversity 210 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 2: as well as provided a reliable source of seafood. 211 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: So I can't help but notice, but you are using 212 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 1: the past tense a lot here. So did they stop 213 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,239 Speaker 1: building these clam gardens. 214 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 2: Well, not exactly by choice. So as the Swinemish and 215 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 2: other tribes were displaced from their land and developers began 216 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 2: building up the shorelines, these clam gardens disappeared. And in 217 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 2: recent years there's been a lot of concern about shellfish 218 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 2: in the Pacific Northwest. Little neck clam numbers began declining 219 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,599 Speaker 2: in the nineteen nineties because of warming waters and the 220 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 2: spread of disease. So a few years ago the Swinemish 221 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 2: got funding from Noah and that's the National Oceanic and 222 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 2: Atmospheric Administration in order to build the country's first modern 223 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: clam garden. Wow. 224 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: So the idea is that it'll actually improved shellfish. 225 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 2: Health, Yes, but actually not just that. So traditional clam 226 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: gardens support other sea life too, including sea cucumbers seaweed. 227 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 2: One of the side effects of climate change is that 228 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 2: ocean waters are becoming more acidic. Now that increased acidity 229 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: can actually eat away at clamshells, making it harder for 230 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 2: them to survive. But because clam gardens keep a whole 231 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 2: bunch of clams together in one sheltered area, when they die, 232 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 2: they leave behind shell fragments that increase the water's mineral content, 233 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: thereby reducing acidity. 234 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: Oh that's really interesting. Also, I love that Noah stands 235 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and something about 236 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: atmospheric administration is just really delightful to me. 237 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 2: I agree. 238 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: Speaking of the atmosphere, it tees up this next fact nicely. 239 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: So. 240 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: Just last year, scientists from the University of Washington conducted 241 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: an experiment in which they sprayed microscopic salt aerosol particles 242 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: hundreds of feet into the air over the San Francisco 243 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: Bay and basically they wanted to see how well the 244 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: particles traveled through the air. 245 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: And why do they want to know that? 246 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: Because if we can get aerosolized salt particles into clouds 247 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: over the ocean, those clouds will suddenly contain more droplets, 248 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: and each droplet works kind of like a tiny mirror, 249 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: So more droplets means the clouds will reflect more sunlight 250 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: back into space and make the Earth a little cooler. 251 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: So it's sort of like the cool roof concept we 252 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: were talking about, except I guess everywhere. 253 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and this actually comes from a cross disciplinary group 254 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: at the University of Washington. It's called the Marine Cloud 255 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: Brightening Program. According to the modeling they've done, if we 256 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,199 Speaker 1: can artificially brighten fifteen percent of the world's marine clouds, 257 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,599 Speaker 1: we can cool the Earth by about one degree fahrenheit. 258 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 2: But wouldn't sprang particles into the clouds just make it rain? Yeah, 259 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: so that's actually part of the challenge. No one really 260 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 2: knows what would happen if we start pumping all these 261 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: salt aerosols into the atmosphere on a regular basis. Obviously, 262 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: too many droplets could turn into precipitation, and some environmental 263 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 2: groups have expressed skepticism about the strategy, noting that saltier 264 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 2: clouds might even alter weather patterns, and all of that 265 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 2: tinkering could be a distraction from the real problem are 266 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 2: dependents on fossil fuels. But the thing is, the folks 267 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 2: at the Marine Cloud Brightening Program actually agree with all that. 268 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 2: They see this project as kind of an emergency backup plan. 269 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: As the program's measure, Sarah Dougherty told The New York 270 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 2: Times quote, I hope and I think my colleagues hope 271 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: that we never use these things that we ever have to. 272 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 2: So if governments and societies around the world embrace renewable energy, 273 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 2: maybe we won't need to salt our clouds. Well, speaking 274 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 2: of clouds, here's something I just learned about fog, which 275 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 2: is weirdly defined as a cloud that touches the ground. 276 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: Right, Is that true? 277 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 2: Yeah? This actually comes from the Noah's Weather Education website. 278 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 2: But one of the most deadly symptoms of climate change 279 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 2: is drought. So just a few months ago, Al Jazeer 280 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 2: reported that Kenya is in the midst of the worst 281 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 2: drought in forty years, as rivers and lakes dry up. 282 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 2: Not only are the crops and livestock dying, millions of 283 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: people are finding themselves without access to drinking water. 284 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: Can I just tell you that I knew about the 285 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: drowd in Kenya because my kid Ruby reads The Weak 286 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: Junior and is obsessed with that magazine. And we had 287 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: to have Ruby stop reading it at night because they 288 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: would stay up and worry, like wanting to talk about 289 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: solutions for Kenya. 290 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I. 291 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: Mean it's wonderful but also not a great night time activity. 292 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, that sounds like Ruby. But back to Kenya, all right, 293 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 2: So millions are tragically struggling to find access to drinking 294 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 2: water there and to avoid trekking hours each day in 295 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 2: search of water. People in remote mountain villages have come 296 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 2: up with an incredible idea harvesting fog. So, because fog 297 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: is just moisture in the air, you know, they are 298 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 2: working to figure out how to capture it, and to 299 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 2: do that, they attach these long sheets of plastic to trees, 300 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 2: draping the end of the sheets into buckets or jerry cans. 301 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 2: So when the cool night air settles in, water condenses 302 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 2: on the plastic and drips into the container. And according 303 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 2: to NPR. A single tree can generate as much as 304 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: twenty gallons of water every single night. 305 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 1: That is amazing and something I will definitely be telling 306 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: Ruby about after this episode. Now, is this just being 307 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: done in Kenya or is it more widespread because there 308 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: are obviously a lot of places suffering from droughts these days. 309 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is happening in other places too. You've got Ethiopia, Chile, 310 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 2: and various parts of Southeast Asia. But you know the 311 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: problem is fog, like any other type of weather, is 312 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 2: definitely variable, so sometimes there's a lot of it, there's 313 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 2: not very much. So researchers are taking this basic principle 314 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 2: and trying to figure out ways to make it even 315 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 2: more effective, for example, using large pieces of mesh netting 316 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 2: instead of plastic sheets. We actually talked about this years 317 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: ago in our episode What does the Future of Water 318 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 2: look Like? But there are more sophisticated methods of pulling 319 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 2: water out of the air today. A young Kenyan woman 320 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 2: named beth Koaigi. She's developed this machine that she calls 321 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 2: Magic Water, and it works like a souped up dehumidifier, 322 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 2: so fans suck air into the system where it's cooled 323 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 2: and condensed until water forms and then it goes through 324 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 2: a filter and finally essential minerals are added. These magic 325 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 2: water systems are already in use in parts of Kenya, 326 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 2: including an overcrowded, low income areas of Nairobi. And this 327 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 2: is where residents have little to no access to basic utilities. 328 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: That's really amazing. Well, we have taken another quick break, 329 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: but please don't go anywhere. When we come back, we'll 330 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: see how some communities are tackling the problem of too 331 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: much water, and we'll visit an island nation that's put 332 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: itself at the forefront of climate resilience. 333 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 2: And welcome back to part time genius. Now, Mango. Before 334 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 2: the break, you said something about too much water. Yeah, 335 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 2: So the thing is. 336 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: This is the nature of climate change, right. We see 337 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: extremes in both directions, and things like rising sea levels 338 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: and harsh storms put coastal communities at greater risk of flooding. 339 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: To use a very recent example, Hurricane Helene dumped as 340 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 1: much as thirty inches of rain on parts of North Carolina. Island. 341 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: Nations are starting to rethink their entire infrastructure and will 342 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: I know you're going to talk about that a little later, 343 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: but there's one country that's been pondering these questions of 344 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 1: how to live with too much water for centuries, and 345 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: that's the Netherlands, ah. 346 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 2: Right, And that's because some big chunk of the country 347 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 2: actually sits below sea level. Right. 348 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, about twenty six percent now, over half the population 349 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: lives in areas that are vulnerable to flooding. And people 350 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: here were building dikes as far back as the Iron Age, 351 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: which feels insane to me. But more recently, in nineteen 352 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: fifty three, there was a freak storm in the North 353 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: Sea and many of the dikes and storm walls gave way, 354 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: resulting in these massive floods that killed almost two thousand 355 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: people and destroyed thousands of homes. So the following year, 356 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: the Dutch government launched a project called the Delta Works, 357 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: which was finally completed in nineteen ninety seven, and it's 358 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: the sprawling construction of dems and surge barriers, levees and dikes, 359 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: all designed to protect the southwest portion of the country 360 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 1: from these severe floods. But as sea levels continue to rise, 361 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: some Dutch architects and planners have adopted a different philosophy. 362 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: So instead of building barricades to keep the water out. 363 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: They're actually building homes that. 364 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 2: Float, you mean, like houseboats. 365 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,400 Speaker 1: It's actually a little more complicated than that. So while 366 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: these homes look like ordinary houses instead of a foundation 367 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: on lands and they actually sit on a hull and 368 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,719 Speaker 1: float on the water. But unlike houseboats, these houses are 369 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: tethered to steal pillars on the shore, so when the 370 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: water rises, they float up, and when it recedes they 371 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 1: float down. And because they're connected to the shore, they 372 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: can tap into municipal sewer and utility lines. It's really 373 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: this elegant solution and since coming up with it, Dutch 374 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: architects have actually been floating things like schools, offices and 375 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: even medical facilities. There's a small floating dairy farm in 376 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: the city of Rotterdam with thirty five cows that go 377 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: back and forth between their waterborne barn and this riverside pasture, 378 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: which is also really incredible. 379 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's fascinating. I do wonder like do people get 380 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 2: seasick from this though, I mean I think some do. 381 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 2: But there are ways to stabilize the homes with shock 382 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 2: absorbers and poles driven into the ground. The other great 383 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 2: thing about these floating buildings is that they're designed for 384 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 2: maximum resilience and minimal carbon footprint. They're typically built with 385 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 2: natural and recyclable materials, and that includes features like rooftop gardens, 386 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 2: rainwater capture, and of course solar panels. And I see 387 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 2: Dylan's over there. He's got a big smile in his face. 388 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 2: You know, that's when he's usually got a big idea. 389 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 2: I'm guessing that he is sort of thinking through building 390 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 2: the world's first solar powered floating podcast production group. 391 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,199 Speaker 1: What do you think, Banga, I think so that smile 392 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: in that nod now confirms. 393 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 2: It all right. For our last story of climate resilience, 394 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: we're heading to the Caribbean to a tiny island nation 395 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 2: of Dominica, which is on the quest to become the 396 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 2: world's first climate resilient country. Now, Dominica's interior is rugged 397 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 2: and mountainous, which means most of the population lives in 398 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 2: these low lying coastal areas. And so over the years, 399 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 2: there have been a number of catastrophic climate events that 400 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 2: have actually claimed lives and destroyed buildings, most notably Hurricane 401 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 2: Maria that was back in twenty seventeen, and if you remember, 402 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 2: that's the storm that also devastated Puerto Rico and the 403 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 2: US Virgin Islands. In Dominica, it's estimated that ninety percent 404 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 2: of the buildings on the island were damaged and lost 405 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: is totaled one point three billion dollars. That's over twice 406 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 2: the island's gross domestic product. 407 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: Wow. 408 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. Just days after the storm, Prime Minister Roosevelt scaret 409 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 2: address to you in General Assembly, and I want to 410 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 2: read you this statement. He said, quote, our devastation is 411 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 2: so complete that our recovery has to be total, and 412 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 2: so we have a unique opportunity to be an example 413 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 2: of how an entire nation rebounds from disaster and how 414 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 2: an entire nation can be climate resilient for the future. 415 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 2: We did not choose this opportunity, but having had it 416 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 2: thrust upon us, we have chosen actively and decisively to 417 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,640 Speaker 2: be that example to the world. Now, obviously it's difficult 418 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 2: to think about that level of loss as an opportunity, 419 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 2: but he's making an important point here. Places like Dominica 420 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 2: have no choice but to become as climate resilient as possible. 421 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: So what are they trying to do to achieve this? 422 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 2: Well, they'd been thinking about climate change and disaster recovery 423 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 2: before Maria, of course, but after that storm, an even 424 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 2: bigger push began to build comprehendi of climate resilience that 425 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 2: touches on just about every aspect of life. They changed 426 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: building codes to only allow storm proof designs. They began 427 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 2: ecosystem restoration projects to help buffer storm surges. But one 428 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 2: of the most important things they did is developed better 429 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 2: early warning systems. This is a huge part of keeping 430 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 2: people safe and remote places that are at highest risk 431 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 2: from extreme weather. In fact, countries with limited early warning 432 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 2: systems have disaster mortality rates eight times higher than countries 433 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: with robust warning tools. So small settlements up in the 434 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 2: mountains didn't necessarily have reliable internet or cell phone access, 435 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 2: and in a disaster, phone lines go down and roads 436 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 2: can be blocked for weeks. 437 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: So people have no way of knowing what's going on 438 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: or how to evacuate. 439 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly right. So in Dominica they built on 440 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 2: these indigenous traditions of cascading communication. Federal disaster officials they 441 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 2: relay information to councils, which then spread the word to 442 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: hamlets and smaller communities. And every hamlet has five or 443 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 2: six people who'd been trained in emergency responds, and they 444 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: use whatever tools make sense for their terrain, whether that's 445 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 2: cell phones, trucks with PA speakers, radios, conk shells, anything 446 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 2: they can do, even conk shells. Yeah, I mean, this 447 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 2: is such a great detail. Indigenous people in Dominica have 448 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 2: communicated by blowing conk shells for hundreds of years. These days, 449 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: if you hear a conkshell on the island, it's usually 450 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: a few short toots used by vendors to let customers 451 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: know they have fresh fish for sale. But now there's 452 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 2: also an emergency shell call, these long sustained blasts to 453 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 2: indicate that the disaster information is on the way. But ultimately, 454 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 2: Mango people in Dominica know that, however well prepared they are, 455 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 2: their safety and the fate of their island actually depends 456 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 2: on international cooperation and policies that reduce emissions worldwide. Anyway, 457 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: before Dylan blows a conk shell to let us know 458 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 2: it's time to wrap up here, what do you say 459 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,719 Speaker 2: we do a quick fact off, Yeah, let's do it 460 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 2: all right. So, since the eighteenth century, North America's beaver 461 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 2: population has shrunk by half, and fewer beavers obviously means 462 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 2: fewer beaver dams. But it turns out the dams are 463 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,199 Speaker 2: really important. Without beaver activity, streams are less likely to 464 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: diverge and spread, and that means the water flows along 465 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 2: a single path. So when there's a lot of rain, 466 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 2: water rushes through the channel, washing away plants and soil 467 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: and wildlife. So some states like Wisconsin are experimenting with 468 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 2: artificial beaver dams. They're porous and made of wood, just 469 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 2: like the real thing, and it's hoped that these faux 470 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 2: dams will slow run off and actually improve the health 471 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 2: of wetland ecosystems. 472 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: Oh that's interesting. So you've heard of cool roofs because 473 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 1: I told you all about them a few minutes ago. 474 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: But that same principle of transforming dark surfaces to reflect 475 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: heat can also work on roads. Several American cities, including 476 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, Dallas, and San Antonio, have begun plying special 477 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: solar reflective selans over stretches of asphalt. When combined with 478 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: other heat mit again approaches like planting shade trees, this 479 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 1: could make hot city days a little more bearable. 480 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty, China announce the goal of becoming carbon 481 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 2: neutral by the year twenty sixty Now, in addition to 482 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 2: investments in clean energy and electric vehicles, the government has 483 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 2: instituted green building standards. This is all very modern stuff, 484 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: but some architects are revisiting a feature of traditional Chinese homes. 485 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 2: This is the skywell or tijng, found throughout southern and 486 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: eastern China. Skywells are these small open air rooms in 487 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 2: the center of houses. They're surrounded by walls or other rooms, 488 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 2: but they're not covered by the roof, and because the 489 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 2: air outside is often cooler than the air inside, breezes 490 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 2: flow down and displace the warmer indoor air that rises up. 491 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 2: Some skywells also collect rain water, which makes them even 492 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 2: more effective thanks to evaporative cooling. Now, according to the BBC, 493 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 2: skywells are so good at cooling buildings they're being revived 494 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 2: and new construction now. The BBC reported on a giant 495 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 2: eighteen story technology center reacent built in jen On, which 496 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 2: actually has a Nuvo skywell running throughout it from the 497 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 2: fifth floor all the way up. 498 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: That's really cool. So Back in twenty fifteen, a village 499 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: in rural Scotland hosted a community presentation about climate change, 500 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: and afterwards people kept talking about it like in the street, 501 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: in the line at store. Some folks like questions. Other 502 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: people wanted to plan actions they could take right away, 503 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: and a lot of people just felt better after talking 504 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: to neighbors who shared their concerns and anxieties. So they 505 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: began holding these informal meetings in a local arts center. 506 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: They called it a climate cafe, and since this is Scotland, 507 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: of course, they had tea and biscuits on hand. Now 508 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: people began showing up regularly. They started brainstorming ideas for 509 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 1: things they could do in their community and organizing activities 510 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: under the hashtag drink Chat Act and the idea caught 511 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,120 Speaker 1: on and climate cafes have begun popping up in other 512 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: parts of Scotland. Today, there are actually climate cafes in England, Wales, Germany, Switzerland, 513 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: even the United States, and anyone who wants to start 514 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,199 Speaker 1: one in their community can you so. They actually have 515 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: a guide on the Climate Cafe website. It's all rooted 516 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: in the idea that collective action can bring about the 517 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: change we need, and every one of us can play 518 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 1: our part. 519 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 2: You know, Mengo, We've talked about some tough stuff today, 520 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 2: some stressful stuff today, But I really love that story. 521 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 2: I think for that and for ending us on such 522 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 2: a good note, I got to give you this week's trophy. Yeah. 523 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: So I'm going to take this and I'm gonna share 524 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: it with all. 525 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 2: Of Scotland, every single person in Scotland. Congratulations. 526 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: Well that does it for today's episode. We'll be back 527 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: soon with another new episode. But in the meantime, from 528 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: Will Gave, Dylan, Mary and myself, thank you so much 529 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 1: for listening. Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope 530 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. This show is hosted by Will Pearson and 531 00:27:56,359 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: Me Mongas Chatikler and research by our good Paler Mary 532 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 1: Philip Sandy. Today's episode was engineered and produced by the 533 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: wonderful Dylan Fagan with support from Tyler Klang. The show 534 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 1: is executive produced for iHeart by Katrina Norvell and Ali Perry, 535 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 1: with social media support from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts 536 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: and Viney Shorey. For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, 537 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 538 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.