Thought-provoking series of eco-topics ranging from reconnecting kids to nature, green jobs, and healthy lifestyles limiting the impacts of toxins on our home and bodies. The series aims to empower viewers with practical solutions geared toward saving money, treading lighter on the planet, and improving quality of life. 10/30 minute programs airs Tuesdays at 2 a.m. beginning 10/22.
- #101 – Household tips for saving money while going easier on the planet. The first segment features nationally syndicated radio host and consumer advocate, Clark Howard, showing us the simple changes he’s made in his own house to save on his energy bills. In the second segment, an urban couple in an older home is amazed at the results of their whole house energy audit. The third segment takes us behind the scenes at a grocery store for a look at how the decisions we make there affect the planet. Then we wrap it up with a “green cleaning” expert who tells us how to make our own eco-friendly cleaners using inexpensive items from our pantries. 10/22
- #102 – Remember how kids used to play outside every day, running through the neighborhood until sunset? In this episode of EcoSense for Living we explore “nature deficit disorder,” a term coined by Richard Louv (author, Last Child in the Woods), to describe the physical, mental, and emotional effects that children suffer when they lose contact with nature. Richard pinpoints how we came to be a nation separated from the natural world and how we can reverse it. We’ll also hike with psychologist, Dr. David Busch, who uses nature therapy to help kids with ADD and ADHD. Then we’ll experience how urban communities reconnect kids to nature through gardening, beekeeping, and creating safe untamed places where kids can still run wild. Find out how you can reconnect kids to their natural roots in your part of the world. 10/29
- #103 – In post-Katrina New Orleans, there’s a shining example of real-life results of green job training. At-risk young people get hands-on training on how to fortify and weatherize homes in The Big Easy. Then EcoSense takes you to Spartanburg, S.C., to witness a unique recycling process – The Coca-Cola Company has partnered to create new bottles directly from old bottles without using raw materials. Hungry to go green? See how traditional food industry jobs are being transformed, from the farmer all the way to pizza delivery. 11/5
- #104 – Green Buildings profiles homes, a school and even the third busiest sports and concert venue in the nation to illustrate how energy efficient buildings reduce our carbon footprint in remarkable ways. Atlanta’s Phillips Arena was retrofitted with energy efficient systems and it now uses 21% less electricity than other arenas of similar size and the energy the facility saves in one year could power 111 private homes. This episode also profiles Arabia Mountain High School which focuses on environmental learning throughout its curricula using Promethean boards (to reduce paper and enhance learning), outdoor classrooms, and even energy- and water-efficient rest rooms. Green Buildings compares modular, new, completely green homes to modified older homes with energy efficient systems and opens by touring the Solar Decathlon in Washington, DC for a glimpse of the cutting edge green building designs being developed across the globe. Sponsored by the Department of Energy, the Decathlon is a competition showcasing design and designers, many of them college students, from Germany to California. 11/12
- #105 – In this episode, we explore makeovers that matter: getting rid of toxins in and on our bodies. Bestselling author, Dr. Andrew Weil, tells us how to keep healthy by making smart diet & nutrition choices and knowing what food labels really say. Director of Environmental Working Group, Ken Cook, shares some surprising tidbits about chemicals in everyday body products. A boy with Autism makes amazing progress with help from Shauna K. Young, PhD, through a manganese-free diet and elimination of food additives. Environmentalist Laurie David gives us her take on how the overuse of antibiotics on farm animals makes us more susceptible to disease and sickness, and what we can do about it. 11/19
- #106 – Many of us think of our homes as safe havens, but you may be surprised to learn how many toxins are hiding in common household products. In this episode of EcoSense for Living, we discover potentially harmful chemical ingredients in and around our homes and do a makeover inside our chemical-laden cabinets. Environmental experts including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Andrew Weil, Ken Cook and Laurie David explain why harmful ingredients are in our products, how we can avoid or replace them, and what actions we can take to make sure we have a “Home, Safe Home.” 11/26
- #107 – There’s a “growing” awareness in the U.S. about our food…where it comes from, how it’s grown, and what exactly it takes to feed all of us nutritious, earth-conscious meals. In this episode, we explore farmers of all types in all kinds of situations. From Ron Finley, a renegade gardener in south central Los Angeles to south Georgia farmer, Will Harris, we’ll meet people who are changing the way we think about and consume food. Lawn and garden expert Paul Tukey gives us some surprising revelations about how we moved from growing our own food to our fascination with perfect lawns. We’ll get the story from a suburban man who became a local outlaw for “growing too many vegetables.” We wrap with a quick trip to Chipotle, a national chain that’s taking a local approach to their food supply. 12/3
- #108 – The quality and accessibility of food has been a hot button issue throughout the ages. Lack of secure food has been the source of revolutions and toppled governments. In “Food Fight,” we look at the tug of war over America’s diet. From questions plaguing genetically-modified ingredients to wheat-free/gluten-free concerns to the rapid decline of bees, we explore pressures on the safety and security of our food supply. Rich Food, Poor Food authors, Jayson and Mira Calton, guide us through a grocery store and reveal how to make smart choices and avoid unwanted ingredients. Cardiologist Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly, tells us his surprising results after removing wheat from his patients’ diets. Filmmaker and concerned father Jeremy Siefert tells his journey trying to understand the impact of genetically-modified food on his children’s health. Bee experts sound the alarm about the decline of our most valuable pollinators and what we can do to make sure they continue supplying us with fresh fruits and vegetables. 12/10
- #109 – 97% of scientists agree that global climate change is happening. So, what do we do? This episode looks at creative grassroots solutions. From a small Kentucky town wiped out by tornadoes to revamping Chicago’s energy mix to innovative transportation options, we explore how we can fight climate change on multiple fronts. 12/17
- #110 – This episode focuses on the next generation of environmentalists making a difference in wildlife preservation, climate change reversal, and healthy ocean policies. From meeting with world leaders to local campaigns, these kids are taking their environmental future into their own hands in surprising ways. 12/24
