Category: Retired

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39 Ways to Save the Planet - Educating and Empowering Girls

Around the world many girls leave school before completing their education. It's said that those who stay to the end of high school have more agency and choice, but also earn more money and have fewer and healthier children.

Tom Heap hears how education and access to family planning don't just impact family size, they can also propel young women into positions of leadership where they can help their communities adjust to climate change.

Dr Tamsin Edwards of King's College, London helps Tom calculate just how useful secondary education for girls can be in the fight against climate change.

Producer: Anne-Marie Bullock

Researcher: Sarah Goodman

Produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society. Special thanks for this episode to Professor Mark Maslin from University College London and David Johnson of the Margaret Pyke Trust.

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39 Ways to Save the Planet - Sublime Seagrass

Simple and sublime seagrass meadows work naturally to absorb carbon. The leaves cause friction in the water and trap carbon from organic matter in the sediment. Yet industrial activity and pollution has damaged and reduced the extent of the meadows around the UK coast. With the marine environment improving, work is being done to restore patchy seabeds and create new ones, both in the UK and around the world. Take a dip with Tom Heap as he explores the wonders and potential of these plants on the sea floor.

Back in the studio Dr Tamsin Edwards of King's College, London helps Tom calculate just how useful seagrass can be in the fight against climate change.

Producer: Anne-Marie Bullock

Researcher: Sarah Goodman

Produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society. Special thanks for this episode to Professor Vincent Gauci from the University of Birmingham.

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39 Ways to Save the Planet - Wood for Good

BBC Radio Four presents 39 ideas to relieve the stress that climate change is exerting on the planet.

Trees soak up carbon dioxide, trees store carbon dioxide. So why not build with wood instead of concrete and steel? The usual reason is strength, but Dr Michael Ramage at Cambridge University has what he thinks is the answer- cross-laminated timber. It's strong enough to build a skyscraper and replaces lots of that carbon from conventional building. Tom Heap and Dr Tamsin Edwards take a look at the global possibilities of cities built of wood.

Producer : Alasdair Cross

Researcher: Sarah Goodman

Produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society. Special thanks for this episode to Dr Harry Kennard from University College London.

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39 Ways to Save the Planet - Super Rice

We’re resourceful, adaptable and the smartest thing this planet has ever seen. We got ourselves into this mess but we can get ourselves out of it. BBC Radio Four, in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society presents 39 ideas to relieve the stress that climate change is exerting on the planet.

From tiny solar cells to the total transformation of the Siberian landscape, Tom Heap and Dr Tamsin Edwards from Kings College, London view the fundamental problem of our age from a fresh perspective. Small things that make a big difference. Big things that make a small difference. We’re going to need every one of them.

In the first programme Tom discovers the secret of low-carbon rice with Dr Smita Kurup from Rothamsted Research.

Producer : Alasdair Cross

Researcher: Sarah Goodman

Produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society. Special thanks for this episode to Professor Vincent Gauci from the University of Birmingham.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Third Crusade Episode 2 “Frederick Barbarossa”

In this episode, we hear how, on receiving news of Saladin's great victory at Hattin in 1187, and his taking of Jerusalem, the Monarchs of the West pledged to stop fighting each other and to march East on a Crusade to recover Jerusalem for Christendom.  First among them was the German Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. He set out with a great army, taking the land route to Constantinople. But his passage through Anatolia would lead to a most unexpected outcome.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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Back Bar - And What We Desire to Be

The Martini, the 1960s and how hand-in-hand they went wrong together. 

This week on Back Bar we explore the age of fancy cars, white picket fences, and Mad Men. It was the 1960s and America was changing, becoming more suburban, more wealthy and more of the same - at least on the surface. Over top of this stewing counterculture was the Martini, a classy drink that came roaring into fashion with the end of WWII and fell from grace along with another foreign war only a few years later. Our guests this week are Professor Fred Smith from the College of William & Mary and Scott Harris from Virginia’s Catoctin Creek Distilling.

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Please SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. Join us every two weeks as we talk about history's favorite drinks and how what we drink shapes history. To see what's coming next follow Greg on instagram @100ProofGreg. #drinkinghistory

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Back Bar by becoming a member!

Back Bar is Powered by Simplecast.

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Life Raft - HumaNature: Afrovivalist

Doomsday prepping seems more and more logical to us on the Life Raft team. Climate change-induced weather disasters are only getting worse, and it never hurts to be prepared, right?

Today on the show we’re going to get a glimpse into the world of prepping through the eyes of Sharon Ross, who wanted to be prepared for anything, but later found herself the odd one out.

This story comes to us from our friends at Wyoming Public Media. It’s from a terrific podcast called HumaNature, which tells stories about human experiences in nature.

You can read more about Sharon Ross and her efforts here, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Support for WWNO’s Coastal Desk comes from the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and listeners like you.

If you like what you hear from Life Raft, consider making a donation to WRKF and WWNO to help keep the show going!

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Third Crusade Episode 1 “Horror in the West”

Saladin had been victorious. In 1187, he defeated the main Crusader army at Hattin and recaptured Jerusalem. Despite his compassionate treatment of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, sparing the entire Christian population, and even allowing most to leave the city on payment of a small ransom, there was horror in the West. The aged Pope Urban III, is said to have died from shock. His successor, Gregory VIII, called for the end of all warfare between the rulers of Christendom for seven years, in order to mount a great offensive to reclaim the Holy Land from Saladin. The Third Crusade had begun.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Decline of the Crusaders Episode 12 “The Fall of Jerusalem”

In this episode, we hear how Saladin followed up his great victory at the Battle of Hattin in 1187. Having surrounded and captured most of the Crusader army, including King Guy, the way ahead now seemed relatively easy. But some Crusaders had  escaped from Hattin and were now trying to rally resistance in the Crusader castles and towns. Saladin's main target was the City of Jerusalem, where Balian of Ibelin was leading a desperate attempt to save the city and its inhabitants from what seemed like certain death and destruction.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.