Synopsis
Interviews focusing on Nature, Wildlife, Science and the Environment. Hosts are Nancy J. Reid & Lisa D. Smith, mother-daughter travel team and publishers of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine. See www.BlendRadioandTV.com.
Episodes
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Clamor – Tackling the Global Noise Crisis with Author Chris Berdik
30/05/2025 Duration: 16minNoise is everywhere—disrupting our sleep, increasing our stress, and wrecking our focus—yet it's often dismissed as a minor nuisance. But what if it’s a major environmental issue hiding in plain sound? This episode of Big Blend Radio's Nature Connection Show features author and science writer Chris Berdik, who dives into the surprising science and urgent implications behind his new book, "Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World―and How We Can Take It Back." Berdik discusses the widespread impact of noise pollution on human health, wildlife, and our planet's natural soundscapes. The conversation covers: - Why everyday noise deserves serious measurement and attention - How chronic noise affects mental and physical health - The role of urban planning and community action in reducing noise - Personal insights and compelling stories uncovered through Berdik’s research "Clamor" is more than just a wake-up call—it’s a rallying cry to recognize noise as an environmental threat on par with air and water pollution.
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Explore the Nocturnal World with Charles Hood
10/05/2025 Duration: 39minCelebrate World Migratory Bird Day with this captivating episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Nature Connection" Show, featuring naturalist and author Charles Hood, who discusses his new book “Nature at Night: Discover the Hidden World That Comes Alive After Dark” (Timber Press). From glowing oceans to jungle predators and migrating birds under the stars, Hood explores the wonders of nocturnal wildlife through vivid storytelling and over 240 stunning photographs. With humor and ecological insight, he invites readers and listeners to see the night in a whole new light. With a lifetime of travel to 80 countries and all 50 U.S. states, Charles has seen 6,000 bird species, survived a bubonic plague scare, and written 20 books. His passion for the natural world shines in this lively and insightful conversation.
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Birding in the UK: Top Spots for Birdwatching
26/04/2025 Duration: 36minCelebrate National Go Birding Day with this special episode of Big Blend Radio's "English Connection" show, featuring Glynn Burrows, owner of Norfolk Tours in England. Glynn shares his insights into birding in the UK, from spotting Kingfishers along the Norfolk Broads to witnessing Puffin colonies off the coast of Wales, and even catching breathtaking starling murmurations along the East Coast during migration season. You can also read Glynn’s article about where and when to see the various birds that live in the British Isles and visit during the spring and autumn migrations: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/birding-in-the-uk/ Glynn appears on Big Blend Radio every fourth Saturday covering England as a travel destination as well as family history research. Follow his podcasts here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm2IK_1Zfh-xJ9eEVYhqqC3Z This episode is also part of Big Blend Radio's "Big Daily Blend" and "Nature Connection" podcast series. Explore our network of shows at: https://www
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Discover NYC's Hidden Nature with Ryan Mandelbaum
25/04/2025 Duration: 31minThink New York City is just skyscrapers and sidewalks? Think again!
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Why Communities Need Green Spaces
22/04/2025 Duration: 40minIn this special Earth Day episode of the Big Blend Radio, we’re joined by Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation, to dive into the growing lifestyle trend of “backyarding” – the shift of indoor activities like dining, working, exercising, and entertaining to our outdoor spaces. Kris shares how this powerful movement is encouraging communities across the country to invest in urban parks, public green spaces, and sustainable outdoor living areas. With over 15 years of advocacy, the TurfMutt Foundation continues to champion the health, environmental, and social benefits of getting outside and caring for our green spaces.
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The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats
28/03/2025 Duration: 53minThis episode of Big Blend Radio's NATURE CONNECTION Podcast features Alyson F. Brokaw, behavioral and sensory ecologist, and author of "The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats: Demystifying These Often-Misunderstood Creatures." Out now through Timber Press, "The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats" is a vibrant and approachable text that reintroduces readers to bats, dispelling their negative reputations and providing a window into their world. Partitioned into easily navigable sections, it explains not only how bats see, smell, and fly, but also how they share, love, and create homes. As Brokaw proves, these creatures are more familiar than foreign. In fact, bats are a lot like us: they argue with their roost mates, share with their friends, and take care of their young. By better understanding them, we can learn from them—not only to coexist, but potentially grow healthier and wiser together. Alyson F. Brokaw’s professional passion is communicating about the diversity and biology of bats. Since earning her P
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Whale Watching in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
10/03/2025 Duration: 23minThis shared episode of Big Blend Radio's PARKS & TRAVEL Podcast features travel writer Sharon K. Kurtz who shares her whale watching adventures in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Baja California Sur is a premier whale-watching destination, home to both the blue whales of Loreto Bay National Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the gray whale nursery of Magdalena Bay. Read Sharon's article about her whale watching experiences in Loreto, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/top-whale-watching-spots-in-loreto-baja-california-sur/ Host of Big Blend Radio's "Wander the World" with Sharon Podcast, Sharon K. Kurtz is an accomplished travel writer and award-winning photographer based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to exploring the world and sharing her adventures through compelling storytelling. Her travels have taken her to more than 50 countries on six continents—her carry-on is always packed, ready for the next adventure. Enjoy Sharon’s writing at https://sharonkkurtz.com/. This episod
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Sustainable Travel and Tourism
06/03/2025 Duration: 01h37minCelebrate World Conservation Strategy Day with this special episode of Big Blend Radio focusing on Sustainable Travel and Tourism. Hear what destinations are doing around the world to promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices to safeguard the planet for their local community and future generations, and the ways travelers can be part of sustainable solutions. FEATURED GUESTS: - Dan Howard – VP of Communications at Visit Park City: https://www.visitparkcity.com/ - Cheryl Leutjen – Environmental author and speaker: https://cherylleutjen.com/ - Maria Chamberlain – The Inn at Oxbow Acres: https://www.oxbowacresnh.com/ - Barbara Redding – Travel writer: https://barbararedding.com/ - Jo Clark – Travel writer: https://haveglasswilltravel.com/ - Glynn Burrows - Owner of Norfolk Tours UK: https://norfolk-tours.co.uk/ - Sharon K. Kurtz - Travel writer: https://sharonkkurtz.com/
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Paula Whyman - Bad Naturalist
01/03/2025 Duration: 42minOn this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show, author Paula Whyman discusses her memoir, "BAD NATURALIST: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop," out now through Timber Press. A few years ago, Paula Whyman decided to leave her Maryland / suburban DC empty nest to find a rural getaway -- maybe a small farmhouse where she could put her interest in conservation to work. With little experience in gardening or conservation, Whyman had a crazy idea to cultivate a small native meadow to provide an acre or two where wildlife could thrive and she could explore with her poodle. Then she set foot on 200 acres of old farmland atop a Virginia mountain about 20 miles outside Front Royal, VA and her dream became a reality. In "BAD NATURALIST: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop," author Paula Whyman explains how she cares for her mountain-sized ecological restoration challenge with a mixture of humility and humor. She quickly discovers it’s impossible t
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Author Cheryl Leutjen - Madness on the Brink of Eco-Apocalypse
25/01/2025 Duration: 50minThis episode of Big Blend Radio features author Cheryl Leutjen, who discusses her latest book, "Madness on the Brink of Eco-Apocalypse: Furious Facts, Dark Humor & SOS Calls to Action." A follow up to her award-winning book "Love Earth Now," the book confronts the human-caused harm on Earth’s life support systems. Weaving “furious facts” with dark humor and vivid prose, Cheryl offers concrete resources and inspiration to fuel the fight for our survival. Each chapter spotlights a group taking action, showcasing inspired and practical solutions to counter one of the many threats to our survival. "Madness on the Brink of Eco-Apocalypse" invites us to move beyond individual efforts and forge connections to amplify our collective power for greater impact. Cheryl Leutjen draws from her experience as a geologist, attorney, small business owner, spiritual practitioner, nervous stand-up comic, and worried mother. This wealth of experience, along with degrees in Interdisciplinary Ecology, Environmental Geology,
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Tsunami Seismologist Barry Hirshorn
23/11/2024 Duration: 19minOne of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in which 230,000 people perished, will be National Geographic's biggest docuseries of autumn, 'Tsunami: Race Against Time.' This episode of Big Blend Radio features Barry Hirshorn, the seismologist who, in 2004, was tracking all the data as it trickled in. During the chaos, Hirshorn had to make sense of data so extreme as to be unreal. In 2004, Indian Ocean countries lacked the technology that could warn them, so Hirshorn knew that, based on his data, untold numbers of deaths were happening live. He raced to get the message to the remaining countries oblivious to the imminent calamity. Premiering November 24, 2024, the series provides a 360-degree view into the heart-stopping events of 2004. It features personal accounts from survivors and scientists who raced against time to understand the catastrophe and warn the world. Told minute-by-minute through harrowing videos of survival – some seen for the first time – the fou
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Author Simon Parkin - The Forbidden Garden
12/11/2024 Duration: 30minOn this episode of Big Blend Radio, award-winning author and journalist Simon Parkin discusses his new book, "The Forbidden Garden: The Botanists of Besieged Leningrad and Their Impossible Choice." The first book to chart the history of the world’s largest collection of seeds, "The Forbidden Garden" shares the story of the Siege of Leningrad and how from 1941 to 1944, the scientists in the seed bank had to face an impossible choice each day: eat the collection to prevent starvation, or protect their life’s work to help end world hunger? More at https://www.simonparkin.com/ This episode is cohosted by Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/ Check out Big Blend Radio's network of podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork
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Sara C. Bronin - How Zoning Shapes Our World
08/11/2024 Duration: 34minHappy World Urbanism Day, aka World City Planning Day! This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show features Sara C. Bronin who discusses her book, "KEY TO THE CITY: How Zoning Shapes Our World." Zoning codes have become the most significant regulatory power of local government, determining how we experience our cities. Yet zoning remains invisible. In "Key to the City," Sara reveals the impact of zoning—for good and ill—in cities across the country, from Hartford to Baltimore and Las Vegas to Chicago. Outdated zoning codes have maintained racial segregation, prioritized cars over people, and enabled great ecological harm. Along with being an author, Sara is an architect, attorney, Cornell University professor, and founder of the National Zoning Atlas. More at https://www.sarabronin.com/ and https://www.zoningatlas.org/ Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 2nd Monday and 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about
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Barrett Klein - The Insect Epiphany
25/10/2024 Duration: 55minThis episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast features renowned entomologist and professor Barrett Klein, PhD who examines the phenomenon of how humans and insects relate on a cultural level in his new book, "THE INSECT EPIPHANY: How Our Six-Legged Allies Shape Human Culture" (Timber Press | Hachette; Oct 2024). Our world would look very different if we didn’t have insects—not just because they’re pollinators who play a crucial role in our environments, but because they inspire so many aspects of our culture. “The spellbinding diversity of insects is complemented by a diversity of humans and cultures,” Klein says, resulting in boundless inspiration and innovation. THE INSECT EPIPHANY explores the ways we use insects’ bodies (for silk, pigments, food, medicine), how we try to recreate them (for flight technology, architecture, social structures), and how we mimic them (for fighting, yoga, music, fashion). More at https://www.pupating.org/ Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs
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Helping Pets After Hurricanes Helene and Milton
16/10/2024 Duration: 46minDue to the recent devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the Southeast USA, and in honor of October being Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month and National Animal Safety and Protection Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Pet Connection" Show focuses on how to help pets, and grieving pet parents, after the hurricane disasters. NON-PROFITS TO SUPPORT: - https://www.humanesociety.org - https://bestfriends.org/ - https://furkids.org/ - https://animalcenter.org/ PLUS, CHECK OUT BIG BLEND'S "HEALING AFTER HELENE" ONLINE MUSIC & BOOK EVENT + WEEKLY PODCASTS: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/healing-after-helene/ Big Blend Radio's PET CONNECTION Show is cohosted by Angela Laws, veteran pet sitter, and community manager at https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/ This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Big Daily Blend" Podcast Channel. Follow the "Pet Connection" podcast at https://pet-connection.podbean.com/
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Author Christopher Brown - A Natural History of Empty Lots
11/10/2024 Duration: 52minThis episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show features acclaimed author Christopher Brown who discusses his new book, "A Natural History of Empty Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places." A NATURAL HISTORY OF EMPTY LOTS is a genre-bending blend of naturalism, memoir, and social manifesto for rewilding the city, the self, and society. Through his keen examination of abandoned industrial sites, empty lots, and deserted agricultural land, Brown discovers that even in these so-called "ruined landscapes" nature's resilience shines. Inspired by its unfailing persistence to return, Brown shows us how easy it can be to bring the wilds back to these damaged places and why it is critical that we do. Over the course of twenty years, Brown documented these liminal spaces, explored them with his son, and even built his home in Austin, Texas on a brownfield site bisected by oil pipelines. Infused with Brown's deep love of nature and a constant sense of awe, A NATURAL HISTOR
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Science Author Lisa M. Baril - The Age of Melt
27/09/2024 Duration: 39minThis episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast features science journalist and author Lisa M. Baril, author of "The Age of Melt: What Glaciers, Ice Mummies, and Ancient Artifacts Teach Us about Climate, Culture, and a Future without Ice." Around the world, ice has preserved some of history’s most fascinating artifacts, such as the skeleton of an Iron Age horse, wooden arrows with bird-feather fletching, and even a baby mammoth. Yet, these incredible pieces of history were only discovered as the ice began to do what we all feared: melt. Lisa M. Baril traveled all over the world studying ice and its effect on humans. In THE AGE OF MELT, she explores the shifting view that humans have long held of glaciers—from fear, to awe, to conquest. More: https://www.lisabaril.com/ Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 2nd and 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/ This
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Cinematographer Jeff Reed - Nature and Wildlife in National Parks
07/09/2024 Duration: 43minThis episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Show features Jeff Reed, showrunner and cinematographer of the new National Geographic series, "National Parks: USA." Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/z42Ph8A2Uh8?feature=shared From Zion and Yellowstone to Katmai, the Everglades and Olympic, each park presents its own cast of animal characters. This five-part series features a blend of wildlife weaved seamlessly with stories of rich culture, history and geological landmarks. Along with a discussion about the biodiversity in our parks, and the threats some species are facing, Jeff also talks about how they captured some of the incredible footage you can see in the series. Starting Sept. 8, 2024, "National Parks: USA" Is available on the National Geographic channel on Hulu: https://on.natgeo.com/3Qor0Ko Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 4th Friday, with expisodes througout the month, in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about th
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Women Who Protect the Earth
28/08/2024 Duration: 01h18minThis Big Blend Radio "Women Making History" Podcast Panel discussion features guests who share how they work to protect the environment and talk about women they admire who work to protect the earth. Hear about environmentally activist women (and girls) of the past and present who are skilled in writing and the arts, hospitality and tourism, wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, progressive end-of-life care, cultivating community and peaceful cultural traditions, citizen science, and so much more! FEATURED GUESTS: - LINDA BALLOU, travel writer, author, and podcaster. Hear her podcast about South America that also includes a segment about land conservationist Kristine Tompkins: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/lost-angel-travel-adventures-in-south-america/ - MARIA CHAMBERLAIN, co-owner and innkeeper of The Inn at Oxbow Acres, a beautiful and sustainable Bed & Breakfast in Milan, New Hampshire. learn more: https://www.oxbowacresnh.com/ - SHARON K. KURTZ, travel writer and photographer. See
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Judy Karnia - Forest Bathing and Nature Therapy
23/08/2024 Duration: 45minCelebrate National Wellness Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast with Judy Karnia who gives an overview of forest bathing its benefits. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Judy Karnia is a travel writer, life coach, and nature therapist. As a forest therapy guide, she is certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and leads walks to help people connect with nature, which can improve their physical and mental health. Learn more about her nature therapy and life coach work at https://karniacoaching.com/ Follow Judy's travel adventures at https://judykarnia.com/ Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 2nd and 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/ This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life," "Women Making History," and "Big Daily Blend" podcast channels. Follow Big Blend Radio's Network of Podcasts: https: