Podcast
Living Planet
Hosted by DW · EN
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.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The dirty truth about laundry (Rebroadcast)
2w ago00:30:20Tap to summarizeLaundry seems harmless - but it’s not. Chemicals, microplastics, and energy use add up fast. Are we overwashing just to feel "clean”? Discover how to clean your clothes smarter - and greener.
Transcribe →Racing to war-proof Ukraine's power grid
3w ago00:31:57Tap to summarizeWhen Russia targets Ukraine's energy system, it's not just turning off the lights — it's creating conditions for nuclear disaster. Each attack forces a rethink: more solar, more batteries, more distributed, harder-to-hit systems. For Ukrainians, this isn't about climate — it's about survival. What can the rest of the world learn from this?
Transcribe →Something is wrong in the Arctic - Narwhals can tell
4w ago00:29:41Tap to summarizeAlex Ootowak grew up watching narwhals, the “unicorns of the sea”, frolic in Canada’s Arctic waters. Then a nearby mine changed everything. In this episode, hear how underwater recordings reveal a decline in narwhals - and why scientists couldn’t research these enigmatic creatures without the Inuit community.
Transcribe →Why cities keep losing the war on rats
Apr 1000:30:29Tap to summarizeIn cities around the world, rats aren't just surviving; they're thriving. Despite decades of poison, traps and control, they keep coming back. So, what is it about modern city life that suits them so well? From Berlin to New York, this is a story about what happens when urban systems start feeding "the rat problem".
Transcribe →Pray or act? Churches at a crossroads
Apr 300:30:00Tap to summarizeClimate change is reshaping the world - but inside many churches, it’s barely spoken about. So what’s behind the silence? One believer whose passion for God’s creation started as a kid surrounded by manatees and mangroves, is urging US churches to reconnect faith with stewardship of the land.
Transcribe →Geothermal could be huge, why isn't it?
Mar 2700:33:58Tap to summarizeBrock Yordy once helped extract fossil fuels; now, he’s using the same skills to tap the Earth’s heat for clean energy. His journey from oilfields to geothermal puts a new spotlight on a big question: can the industry that drove emissions now lead the way in reducing them? And if there’s so much power beneath our feet, what’s holding geothermal back?
Transcribe →Houston, we have a plastic problem!
Mar 2000:29:18Tap to summarizeChemical recycling promises to transform plastic waste, and Houston is at the center of this big experiment in the US. While industry touts it as a breakthrough, activists are finding that much of the plastic doesn't get recycled after all. Is Houston leading the way to real change - or revealing the limits of the latest recycling fad?
Transcribe →Would the four-day work week kill productivity?
Mar 1300:34:09Tap to summarizeThe four-day work week was a hot new trend not all that long ago, but amid stagnating economies, some countries are pushing for more work, not less. Even in Europe, the German chancellor is calling for an end to "lifestyle" part-time jobs. Living Planet's Jennifer Collins spoke with economists and manufacturers about the benefits of working less, both for us and the planet. Plus, could AI help?
Transcribe →Arctic farming: Climate fix or future problem?
Mar 600:35:04Tap to summarizeAs climate change reshapes the Arctic, Norwegian scientists are testing how far north farming can go. But is expanding Arctic agriculture a responsible answer to future food shortages, or a risky bet?
Transcribe →Rainforests’ invisible carbon problem
Feb 2700:28:18Tap to summarizeThe rainforests in northeast Australia are some of the most protected in the world – they haven't been logged in nearly 40 years. But after decades of measuring these forests tree by tree, scientists have uncovered a troubling change. An unexpected shift that could force us to rethink how we calculate emissions pathways and the role forest sinks play in slowing climate change.
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