Living Planet

Living Planet

Looking to reconnect with nature? Want to make better decisions for the health of the planet? Every Friday, Living Planet brings you the stories, facts and debates on the key environmental issues of our time.

Episodes

Epilogue: The true cost of climate change

July 4, 2025 • 41 mins
Even in five episodes, we couldn’t cover everything. So in this bonus epilogue, Neil and Kathleen sit down with reporters Sam Baker and Charli Shield to unpack some questions we left on the cutting room floor – from the messy consequences of outdated US flood maps to why helping poorer countries leapfrog fossil fuels matters to us all – plus your comments, a few laughs, and final reflections.
Mark as Played

Cold rush: The race to visit Antarctica

June 27, 2025 • 31 mins
It's the trip of a lifetime. A journey to the end of the Earth, where icebergs groan and penguins shuffle. More tourists are flocking to Antarctica than ever before, drawn by a sense of urgency as climate change melts its ice caps. But what happens when we turn the last wild places into destinations? And what can Antarctica teach us about our role as visitors in a changing world?
Mark as Played

Introducing: Boiling Point

June 20, 2025 • 39 mins
This week we are sharing an episode from Boiling Point, a podcast by L.A. Times Studios that looks at the climate challenges facing California and the American West, and the solutions to fix them. "Breaking Down Plastics" features an interview with journalist Susanne Rust about why plastics are unavoidable, what that means for our health and what lawsuits can achieve.
Mark as Played

Breaking the chains of consumerism

June 13, 2025 • 30 mins
How does a person in advertising go from perpetuating consumerism one day to championing environment citizenship the next? In this episode, we explore the story of one ad man whose job was quite literally making him sick and the unexpected connection he made with a climate-anxious teen.
Mark as Played

Why are oceans getting darker? (Rebroadcast)

June 6, 2025 • 28 mins
In the past 20 years more than a fifth of our oceans have been growing darker. What is causing this and how worried should we be? In this episode we take you beneath the Baltic Sea to explore how ocean darkening is changing the marine ecosystem, plus the steps we need to take to protect our oceans.
Mark as Played

What do horses know that we don't?

May 30, 2025 • 29 mins
After cancer treatment, Suzanne was persuaded to join an animal-assisted therapy session with horses. She was skeptical at first, but the experience changed her life. This episode explores how equine therapy is helping cancer patients process grief, reconnect with themselves, and find strength in nature. Plus, what researchers are beginning to uncover about animal-assisted therapy.
Mark as Played

The woman who ran toward wildfires and came out a hotshot

May 23, 2025 • 29 mins
When Kelly Ramsey joined an elite unit of wildland firefighters called the "hotshots" in Northern California, she thought she knew what she was signing up for. But climate change has flipped a switch, transforming wildfires from a natural occurrence into an unstoppable force. We’ll hear her story and check in with firefighters in Canada and Australia about what it now takes to put out the flames.
Mark as Played

Part 5: What the economy gets wrong about nature

May 16, 2025 • 37 mins
What’s a forest really worth? Or a pollinator, or a reef? In this final episode of The Cost of Climate Change, we travel to Tasmania’s underwater forests to uncover the hidden costs of losing nature and what the economy has been ignoring — from vanishing carbon sinks to collapsing food systems. But there’s another side to this story — what we can save by putting nature first.
Mark as Played

Part 4: Heatstroke economy — the rising cost of extreme heat

May 9, 2025 • 40 mins
Extreme heat is no longer a future threat. It's here, and it’s costing us. From hospitals pushed to the brink, to cities built for a cooler planet, the toll is mounting on our bodies, our livelihoods and the systems meant to keep us safe. In Part 4 of our Cost of Climate Change series, we dig into the true price of rising heat, and what it might take to adapt before the next heatwave hits.
Mark as Played

Part 3: Who should pay for climate action?

May 2, 2025 • 40 mins
What do a German heat pump and a Canadian carbon price have in common? They're both flashpoints in a growing political battle over how to cut emissions and share the costs fairly. In Part 3 of our series on The Cost of Climate Change, we follow the money and ask: Who should foot the bill — consumers, taxpayers, or polluters?
Mark as Played

Part 2: Can we afford a transition to clean energy?

April 25, 2025 • 38 mins
Sun, wind, water, and Earth’s heat — they’re abundant, carbon-free, and cheaper to harness than ever. But what’s the true price of overhauling our energy system? Is clean power really the cheaper path? In Part 2 of our series on The Cost of Climate Change, we head to outback Australia to meet an accidental ally in the race to ditch fossil fuels.
Mark as Played

Part 1: How much does a hurricane cost?

April 18, 2025 • 42 mins
In the first episode of our series on The Cost of Climate Change, we head to Miami — where vibrant nightlife, sunshine, and storm surges collide. As hurricanes intensify and insurers pull out, the cost of living in paradise is becoming impossible to ignore. Who picks up the tab for extreme weather, and how do we keep from going broke? One new Florida community might hold some of the answers.
Mark as Played

Prologue: The true cost of climate change

April 11, 2025 • 14 mins
Ever notice how debates about the cost of climate change tend to focus on how green policies are too expensive — and less about the huge bill we’ll all face the longer we fail to act? That’s exactly what our new five-part series on The Cost of Climate Change will be exploring, starting April 18. Here's a taste of what to expect.
Mark as Played

Are PFAS affecting you? What you should know

April 4, 2025 • 36 mins
PFAS, or "forever chemicals," are everywhere – in food packaging, water, and more. But what happens when they enter our bloodstream? One woman's fight to find out.
Mark as Played

Nature's healing touch: Fact or fiction?

March 28, 2025 • 33 mins
Is our love for nature more than instinct? A look at the fascinating link between nature, mental health, and physical recovery.
Mark as Played

Are your flowers bad for the environment? (Rebroadcast)

March 21, 2025 • 31 mins
Spring is in the air, and so are fresh blooms! With the US marking National Flower Day this week and flower season about to ramp up in the world's flower capital, the Netherlands, we wanted to revisit one of our favorite episodes. Find out how cut flowers are grown, how they reach us, and what it takes to keep them blooming year-round.
Mark as Played

How far will governments go to stop climate protests?

March 14, 2025 • 25 mins
Governments are cracking down on climate protests. They say activists have crossed the line into extremism. But history shows resistance only adapts. As repression intensifies, will it crush the movement - or make it stronger?
Mark as Played

What does 1 ton of CO2 look like?

March 7, 2025 • 33 mins
Last year, the world pumped over 41 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Hard to picture, isn’t it? In this episode, we explore different ways of understanding this basic concept of climate science along with the help of a researcher with a very personal link to the origins of our obsession with carbon dioxide.
Mark as Played

Water, AI & the craic – Your questions answered

February 28, 2025 • 34 mins
Is Ireland really running out of water? Is AI to blame? And where does Irish mythology fit in? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, we answer your questions, share unexpected insights, and, of course, have a bit of craic along the way.
Mark as Played

Who's scared of 15-minute cities?

February 21, 2025 • 30 mins
Imagine a city where everything - work, shopping, schools, and parks - is just 15 minutes away. Is this the key to a greener, more convenient future or a threat to personal freedom?
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    United States of Kennedy

    United States of Kennedy

    United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.

    Stuff You Should Know

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    Crime Junkie

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Mobile

Wearables

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.