This was a record-breaking, report-releasing, fire-burning, water-rising year. To explain the past year in the context of climate, our partners at Hot Mess tell us 13 climate stories that can help us prepare for what 2019 has to bring in terms of climate.
A Public Media Initiative from The WNET Group
More From Hot Mess
Why Voting Local is the #1 Way You Can Fight Climate Change
Compared to the federal government, local and state lawmakers are typically more efficient - they get more done in less time. But why is that?
Why Climate Change Keeps Failing at the Ballot Box
Two in three registered voters say they’re worried about climate change. Why hasn't that concern translated into actual bold steps to reduce America’s reliance on fossil fuels?
How Different Generations Talk About Climate Change
Today’s climate movement is defined by younger generations -- but they aren’t the first generation to take on the issue.
Is scaring people the best way to talk about climate change?
Climate scientists and climate journalists have been sounding the alarm and starting the countdown clock for climate. Is this a good thing?
Why is it so hard to fully address climate change? It’s a hyperobject.
Climate change can become invisible to human perception by its sheer magnitude. Our partners at Hot Mess try to explain why it's so overwhelming.
How can we stop feeling “climate guilt”? Hank Green explains.
Famous YouTuber and climate advocate Hank Green to understand where this "climate guilt" comes from and how we can break through it.
Are electric cars always better for the climate?
With all the excitement around luxury electric car brands, in some ways, electric cars cost more to the environment than old-fashioned models. So what's the best car for the climate? Our partners at Hot Mess tell us what to consider…
How can we start a conversation about climate change?
We've pretty much answered the question of "is climate change happening?" (The answer is YES.) But this episode of Hot Mess asks a tougher question, but one that has crossed most of our minds: How do we talk about it…
How can we fight climate change? Slow down fast fashion
Clothing is something we have to think about every day, but we don’t always think about how our clothes impact the planet. From the materials we use to how they get on the racks, clothes have a huge impact on…
How To Suck Carbon Dioxide Out of the Sky
Carbon dioxide gets a lot of grief these days. It’s the main cause of the global warming that’s already damaging coral reefs, ice caps, and coastlines. But for eons, life survived on Earth because natural processes kept CO2 levels within…
Will Big Oil Have To Pay Up Like Big Tobacco?
Today, lawsuits are positioning climate change as this generation's smoking: it pollutes the air, it’s caused by burning chemicals we buy from a handful of huge companies, and it’s dangerous to human health. Fossil fuel companies are being taken to…
This Conservative Texas Town Went 100% Renewable
Georgetown, TX is a conservative city in the middle of oil and gas country. They're also one of the first cities in the US to use 100% renewable energy. Our partners at Hot Mess when down to Texas to learn…
Can We Get Solar Power To Everyone Who Wants It?
By the end of 2016 in the U.S., over 1 million homes had solar panels, with four times as many installed that year compared to just four years earlier. But if you don’t own the roof over your head, or…
Coral Reefs Are Dying. But They Don’t Have To.
Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the seafloor, and yet they’re home to a quarter of all marine life, making them some of the most biodiverse places on Earth. But their future looks bleak. Decades of environmental threats…
How A Sticker Kept 3 Billion Tons of CO2 Out of The Air
Household appliances account for 90% of energy use in a typical U.S. home, so energy efficiency standards have quietly been saving people mountains of money and helping avoid planet-warming emissions at the same time. Our partners at Hot Mess look…
Can Farms and Forests Coexist?
Deforestation is a big problem for the climate. This kind of land use releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any single country, besides the United States or China. And most of the deforestation in the world today happens…
How Much Energy Does the Internet Use?
About half the world has internet access. That’s 3.6 billion people surfing the web. How much energy is that using? And what is our online world doing to our planet’s climate?
What Indigenous Communities Are Teaching The Rest of Us About Climate Change
https://youtu.be/xlGnve1cjOY To learn more about climate change and how to adapt, just ask the locals! As the world figures out how to live with a rapidly changing climate, traditional knowledge from indigenous cultures could help us understand just how things…
What if Carbon Emissions Stopped Tomorrow?
Imagine if we were given a clean, limitless energy source, and we decided to immediately transform the world into a carbon-free society! This wonderous source would power our homes, industries, cars and planes, and humanity’s annual rate of carbon pollution…
What’s actually the worst greenhouse gas?
Although too much greenhouse gases are dangerous, they play an important role in regulating Earth's temperature. Without them, the world would be way too cold for humans. But adding extra greenhouse gases is causing Earth to heat up and disrupting…
Climate change will push millions from their homes. Where will they go?
If you think about it, the human story is a story of climate migration. 60,000 years ago, changes in the climate allowed modern humans from Eastern Africa to migrate, creating the different civilizations and nations we know today. In 2017,…
Why Are Hurricanes Getting Stronger?
It’s impossible to say that climate change is responsible for any individual storm or hurricane, but climate change is making these storms stronger. How much stronger? It turns out, Hurricane Harvey is the ideal test case to measure how a…
Could Space Mirrors Cool The Globe?
Humans are running a dangerous experiment on our planet. We're putting more and more carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere, which are trapping the sun's energy, and lo and behold, our planet is heating up in response. To…
Who Should Pay to Fix Climate Change?
Who's responsible for paying the cost of climate change? The wealthier countries that caused the overuse of fossil fuels, or the developing countries that are currently emitting the most carbon? That's the 30 TRILLION DOLLAR question! Our partners at Hot…
Beef Is Bad For The Climate. Can We Make It Better?
Beef production emits more greenhouse gases than basically anything else we eat. But new technology, farming techniques, and advocacy solutions give us the tools to make a difference. Learn more about the scale and impact of our bovine pals on…