Episodes

  • Toxic Legacies on the San Francisco Bay Shoreline

    Toxic Legacies on the San Francisco Bay Shoreline
    Jun 5 2026
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Following the Fog

    Following the Fog
    May 29 2026
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Terra Verde – May 15, 2026

    Terra Verde – May 15, 2026
    May 15 2026
    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.
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    25 mins
  • Terra Verde – May 8, 2026

    Terra Verde – May 8, 2026
    May 8 2026
    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.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Greenlighting Extinction

    Greenlighting Extinction
    Apr 24 2026
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Free Water While It Lasts

    Free Water While It Lasts
    Apr 17 2026
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Greening the Flower Industry

    Greening the Flower Industry
    Apr 10 2026
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Terra Verde – April 3, 2026

    Terra Verde – April 3, 2026
    Apr 3 2026
    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.
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    30 mins