Your World Tonight (CBC)

Episode: Running ships on electricity, a casket made from mushrooms, a Lake Ontario shipwreck older than Canada, and more
Date: December 27, 2025
Host: Stephanie Skenderis

Episode Overview

In this special end-of-year edition, Your World Tonight highlights some of 2025’s most distinct and hopeful stories about people innovating in response to environmental challenges. The episode explores efforts to reduce the ecological footprint of shipping, advances in food preservation in Nigerian markets, sustainable approaches to wool and textile production, new methods to protect threatened wildlife, eco-conscious burial options, and the discovery of a remarkably old shipwreck in Lake Ontario.

Key Stories & Insights

1. Running Ships on Electricity: Shore Power for Cleaner Ports

[00:38-04:45]

• The Problem: Ships docked at Canadian ports are significant polluters, even when stationary, as they burn fuel to keep operations running.
• Shore Power Solution: Shore power allows ships to "plug in" to the electric grid at port, cutting emissions by about 68% while docked.
• Canadian Lag: Only 4 out of 17 Canadian port authorities have shore power available, compared to full coverage in ports like Hamburg, Shanghai, and Long Beach.
• Investment vs. Regulation: Although governments have invested $40 million in shore power, there’s no mandate for ships to use it, reducing potential impact.
• Positive Impacts Noted:
  • Decreased local air pollution.
  • Surprise effect: “We’ve already seen whales in larger numbers than normal.” — Curt Slocum, Port of Prince Rupert ([03:26])
• Economic and Market Pressure: European consumers and regulations are pushing for greener shipping, which could limit Canadian competitiveness if not matched.

Notable Quote:

“If ships don’t have to plug in, we’re not really maximizing the benefits of that investment.” — Brent Dancy, Ocean's North ([03:53])

2. Solar-Powered Cold Rooms Transforming Nigeria’s Markets

[04:45-07:46]

• Background: Frequent power outages and the high cost of diesel have made food preservation (especially of perishables like tomatoes and peppers) difficult for Nigerian traders, especially women.
• Innovation: Introduction of solar-powered cold storage rooms allows vendors to keep unsold produce fresh, dramatically reducing waste.
• Social & Economic Benefits:
  • Food waste down 80%
  • Incomes up 25% for vendors
  • Over 11,000 users now benefit in 58 cold rooms nationwide.
  • Empowers women (the majority of vendors) and supports their families.
• Access Gap: The technology isn’t yet widespread, and experts urge broader government support for scaling up.

Memorable Moment:

“Before, I threw away lots of tomatoes and peppers every week. Now with the cold room, I store them at an affordable price overnight and they stay fresh.” — Mina Miner, Market Vendor ([05:11])

3. The Return of Sustainable Wool

[07:46-11:05]

• Modern Problem: Although wool is biodegradable, mass production and the rise of synthetics have greatly reduced its market share and devalued local production.
• Movement for Change: Farmers, designers, and activists are working to revive sustainable, local wool industries.
• Examples:
  • Wool marches in the Netherlands raise awareness by parading sheep through city streets.
  • Initiatives like Ireland’s Galway Wool Co-op lobby for traceability and support for local producers.
  • At the World Hope Forum near Rome, global efforts to reconnect consumers with sustainable wool are showcased.
• Consumer Awareness: Emphasis on knowing the source and impact of clothing, fostering “farm to fashion” initiatives.

Notable Quotes:

“Wool is a biodegradable resource that used to be the Golden Fleece, but has been kicked out.” — Cynthia Hathaway, Canadian designer ([08:49])
“Here you see the local communities making outsider art insanely beautiful. It's so rich.” — Lee Edelcourt, Dutch trend forecaster ([10:58])

4. Fighting White-Nose Syndrome: A Probiotic for Bats

[12:20-15:07]

• Threat: White-nose syndrome, a fungal disease, is devastating bat populations in eastern Canada and spreading west.
• Hopeful Solution: Scientists in BC are experimenting with a “probiotic cocktail”—a spray of beneficial bacteria from bats themselves, applied in roosts to suppress the fungus.
• Preliminary Results: Promising evidence from both Canadian and U.S. trials suggests the probiotic helps keep infection at bay.
• Race Against Time: The disease is not yet confirmed in BC, but is spreading; scientists are eager to protect bat populations before major damage occurs.

Notable Exchange:

“It's not a matter of whether it will get here, it is a matter of when. And it might already be here.” — Corey Lawson, Wildlife Conservation Society ([13:34])

5. Making Railways Safer for Wildlife in BC

[15:07-18:09]

• Issue: Trains in British Columbia frequently collide with wildlife—hundreds of animals (elk, moose, bears, etc.) are killed yearly.
• Data Unveiled: CN Railway reported 340 wildlife collisions (2020–2023); Canadian Pacific Kansas City reported 182 just in the Kootenays (2022–2023).
• Mitigation Efforts:
  • Calls for slowing trains in hotspot areas.
  • Testing warning devices to alert animals, with some initial success, but limited implementation.
• Challenges: Little transparency or accountability from railway companies.

Notable Quote:

“It's not a very good feeling to run over an animal with a train.” — Jim Atkinson, retired locomotive engineer ([15:39])

6. Greener Graves: Mushroom-based Caskets

[18:09-21:41]

• New Option: The “Loop Living Cocoon” is a casket made from mycelium (mushroom roots) and upcycled hemp fibers, designed to biodegrade quickly and enrich soil.
• Environmental Motivation: Offers a much lower carbon impact compared to conventional burials or cremations.
• Early Adoption: While new to North America, thousands have been sold in Europe.
• Cultural Adjustment: Religious and societal institutions are encouraged to update rituals and thinking to support more ecologically conscious burial choices.

Striking Quote:

“There wasn't any option for our bodies that aligned with my desire to like... leave the planet a better place when I finally leave the planet.” — Interviewee, Brampton ([20:39])

7. Discovery: A Lake Ontario Shipwreck Older Than Canada

[22:09-24:58]

• The Find: Divers discovered a pristine shipwreck, potentially from the first half of the 19th century, at 100 meters depth near Toronto.
• Historical Significance: Few such old, intact Great Lakes vessels exist; they typically rot, collapse, or are destroyed.
• Ongoing Mystery: Experts are eager to study wood samples to pinpoint its exact age—if it predates Confederation, it is an exceptionally rare artifact.

Memorable Moments:

“It took us a few moments to calm ourselves down because it’s overwhelming finding a pristine wreck that is all in one piece.” — Hyson Chak, diver ([22:45])
“If this truly turns out... pre-US Civil War, that’s rare.” — Charles Beaker, shipwreck researcher ([24:09])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Shore Power for Ports (Running ships on electricity): [00:38 - 04:45]
• Solar-Powered Cold Rooms in Nigeria: [04:45 - 07:46]
• Sustainable Wool Movement: [07:46 - 11:05]
• Bat Probiotic Fight Against White-Nose: [12:20 - 15:07]
• Train and Wildlife Collisions in BC: [15:07 - 18:09]
• Mushroom Casket Burial Option: [18:09 - 21:41]
• Discovery of Lake Ontario Shipwreck: [22:09 - 24:58]

Episode Tone

Throughout the episode, the tone is hopeful and constructive, balancing hard environmental realities with innovative, sometimes quirky, solutions and stories that illuminate the way forward. The hosts and reporters maintain a respectful, thoughtful approach, with a focus on personal stories, expert perspectives, and the intersection of tradition and innovation.