Synopsis
Every Thursday, a new episode of Living Planet brings you environment stories from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day. The prize-winning, weekly half-hour radio magazine and podcast is produced by Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster - visit dw.com/environment for more.
Episodes
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A Pacific island starts packing for metaverse move – but what to take?
07/02/2025 Duration: 27minWhat would you do to save your home from disappearing? As sea levels rise, the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu mulls a permanent move to the metaverse to save its culture. But not everyone is giving up just yet.
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Ireland's water dilemma: Protecting the River Shannon or powering the future?
31/01/2025 Duration: 32minAs Ireland's capital faces a growing water crisis, a controversial multibillion-euro pipeline threatens to reshape the fate of the mighty River Shannon. This is a story of rural-urban divide, corporate thirst and a river's uncertain future.
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Part 2: Light pollution – Rewilding the night
24/01/2025 Duration: 29minWe recently devoted an episode to exploring LED light pollution in one of Germany’s brightest cities. In part two, we hear from a motley team of researchers who want to rewild urban cities. An artist and an ethicist are leading the way with a “light clock,” an intriguing thought experiment on the relationship between light and time.
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Naturally connected: Telling landscapes
17/01/2025 Duration: 18minWho doesn't love a good story? Even in the noise of today, some books keep on drawing new readers. Outdated in many ways, yet standing the test of time, can those with strong natural settings foster an appreciation of the world around us? An English county with its fair share of well-known writers might be a good place to explore that idea.
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Naturally Connected: The winter secrets of bees
10/01/2025 Duration: 13minWhat happens to bees in winter? These busy creatures don't just vanish when the cold sets in. In this second episode of our Naturally Connected mini-series we learn about the amazing survival strategies of bees.
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Naturally Connected: The call of the sea
03/01/2025 Duration: 17minWhat is it about the sea that draws us in? From rugged cliffs to sandy shores, Tamsin Walker explores the ocean’s magnetic pull and the mysteries of its hold on us in this opening episode of our Naturally Connected mini-series.
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BONUS: Your questions answered, plus our favorite moments of 2024
27/12/2024 Duration: 32minBefore we ring in the New Year, Living Planet has some answers to your listener questions. Which is better for the environment: reusable or paper coffee cups? And what about the water footprint of the meat industry? Does it really take 15,000 liters of water to produce one kilo of beef? Plus, our favorite moments of 2024.
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What's better: Real Christmas trees or artificial ones?
20/12/2024 Duration: 19minEver wondered what's the greener, more sustainable choice between a chopped down live Christmas tree or an artificial plastic one? Join us as we find out what to watch out for this Christmas season.
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Introducing: Don’t Drink the Milk — The curious history of the lawn
13/12/2024 Duration: 34minWhat can a well-manicured lawn reveal about social status, our relationship to the Earth and the American Dream? A surprising amount. From fancy French palace gardens to suburban America, come along for the garden party as we mow over the history of the lawn – and ask if its time is up. This episode is from DW's Don't Drink the Milk podcast.
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Deep Dive: Bright lights, big, LED cities
06/12/2024 Duration: 29minMore and more cities are switching to LEDs to save money and, ultimately, the planet. But ecologists are worried about this trend. Dr. Chris Kyba explains why on a night walk through Cologne, one of Germany's brightest cities.
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Naturally Connected: Why woodpeckers are choosing the city over the forest
29/11/2024 Duration: 12minIn the heart of Berlin, woodpeckers are turning the city into their playground. From drumming on trees to carving out homes, these master carpenters are thriving in the most unlikely of places. But why are they drawn to the bustling streets and towering buildings?
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Deep Dive: The hidden solar revolution that stumped experts
22/11/2024 Duration: 24minNot long ago, energy analysts noticed something weird in the data they were tracking. The anomaly centered on Pakistan. All of a sudden, the country seemed to be using far, far less electricity than before. What the analysts would discover baffled them – a different kind of power surge brewing elsewhere, right under their noses. One that could have ripple effects far and wide. If it isn't halted.
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Deep Dive: The oil that is waiting for its great escape
15/11/2024 Duration: 29minThousands of ships loaded with oil were sunk during the fierce sea battles of the Second World War. That means they’ve been sitting underwater for eight decades, with no maintenance or protection. Scientists fear many of these wrecks are now close to collapse — and that a spike in catastrophic oil spills may be on the horizon.
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Introducing: Up from Dust
07/11/2024 Duration: 34minThis week we are sharing an episode from Up From Dust – a podcast from the NPR stations of Kansas. "Healing the ground we broke" takes us to the majestic prairies of Kansas to the get the dirt on why soil health is so important to maintaining our food systems and protecting the land from climate disaster.
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Deep Dive: Can planting trees really offset my flight emissions?
01/11/2024 Duration: 30minEver been in this situation? You want to fly, but when you start looking at carbon offset websites, you can’t tell what’s real? Then this episode’s definitely for you. We asked around, and got some pretty interesting answers, including from an unlikely carbon credit b.s. detector.
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Naturally Connected: What wild geese teach us about teamwork
25/10/2024 Duration: 13minWild geese migrate with remarkable success. They navigate thousands of miles thanks to their unique social structure and provide valuable lessons on teamwork and resilience. But how do these birds know exactly when to embark on their epic migration?
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Deep Dive: How eco-friendly funerals are changing traditions
18/10/2024 Duration: 33minAs traditional funerals take a toll on the environment, a new wave of eco-friendly options is emerging. This episode reveals the surprising choices for sustainable farewells. Are you ready to rethink your final act?
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Deep Dive: The battle to ban fossil fuel advertising
11/10/2024 Duration: 35minIt's so common it's easy to overlook. But what if advertising has more power to shape our choices, our world and our climate than we realize? For decades, the fossil fuel industry has used marketing to buy our support and delay climate action – with remarkable success. Now some cities have had enough. They're banning ads for cruises, cars and flying – and they say that's just the beginning.
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What’s better: leather vs vegan leather?
04/10/2024 Duration: 30minVegan leather, synthetic leather, faux leather. Whatever you want to call it, demand for this non-animal-based leather alternative is on the rise, especially when it comes to shoes. Some consumers don’t want to pay leather prices, others want a clean conscience when it comes to the environment and animal cruelty. So, how do these materials stack up against leather?
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Naturally Connected: Chirping from the crypt
27/09/2024 Duration: 13minThere are an estimated 50 to 430 billion birds worldwide. They're everywhere, but few of us take the time to listen. In this episode, our reporter Ben Restle joins a nocturnal Berlin birdwatching workshop in a rather eerie location. It’s perfect for witnessing the magical dawn chorus - you just need to make it through the night…