As a changing climate and urbanizing population continually alter the landscape of the US, many of us are asking the question: what is the future of food production? Increasingly, answers to that...
In August 2015, 21 plaintiffs, ranging from 8-19 years old at the initial hearing, filed a landmark lawsuit against the United States as well as many specific members of the Federal Government. I...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/a-meditation-on-juliana-v-united-states/
In the coming years, climate finance and sustainable investing will likely be some of the most transformed sectors in the world. David Blood, co-founder and Senior Partner of Generation Investmen...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/financing-a-sustainable-future/
Ever heard of the triple bottom line: people, profits, and planet? Ever wondered what a business model that priorities all three would look like, if it’s even possible? Look no further than App...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/appropriate-technology-collaborative/
In 2016 the University of Michigan embarked on a five year strategic plan to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) more comprehensively throughout the campus. Now in the fourth year ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/diversity-equity-inclusion-with-sonia-joshi/
Elders Climate Action, a ‘spinoff’ of Elders Action Network, is an organization focused on promoting the environmental activism of older folks, making sustainable behaviors more accessible, i...
You’ve probably heard the phrase “native plants” before, but what does that really mean? How long does a plant need to be around to be considered “native”? Drew Lathin, a life-long gard...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/drew-lathin-on-creating-sustainable-landscapes/
“The status quo has failed us.” The Sunrise Movement, founded in 2017, is a youth movement that grew out of the need to organize and mobilize young people around the country and promote polit...
“None of us are well, until all of us are well.” José González returns to his alma mater, University of Michigan’s School for the Environment and Sustainability (formerly School for Nat...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/latino-outdoors-jose-gonzalez-on-representation-in-the-outdoors/
Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) is known for its curbside recycling in Ann Arbor, among its other services (the Reuse Center, the Drop-off Station, the Recovery Yard for construction waste, and a myriad ...
UM has decided to go carbon neutral, and the President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality (the PCCN) is charged with recommending a plan to accomplish that for all three UM campuses (Ann Arbor, ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/presidents-commission-on-carbon-neutrality-at-um/
In November 2019, Ann Arbor’s City Council passed a resolution committing the city to becoming completely carbon neutral by 2030. Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbo...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/ann-arbor-is-going-carbon-neutral/
Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a method of taking carbon dioxide out of ambient air. It is one solution that can work in tandem with others to slow down (and eventually reverse) the growth of carbon...
“Nightmare. But also, cool.” – Host Bella Isaacs on the sea lamprey. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is a binational organization that works to control sea lamprey populations in the Gre...
Reporter Jeremy Hance was one of the original staff writers of Mongabay, a non-profit conservation and environmental news site that “aims to raise awareness about social and environmental issu...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/wildlife-conservation-reporter-jeremy-hance/
Editor’s note: We had some brief technical difficulties during the first minute of the show. Brittany Turner is the founder of Cheyanne Symone, a jewelry company based in Ypsilanti that spe...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/brittany-turner-of-cheyanne-symone/
Host Bella Isaacs attended this year’s Washtenaw County Youth Climate Strike on September 20 to record the speeches given by student activists on the University of Michigan’s campus. That str...
This week, the five co-chairs of the upcoming Community of Food, Society, and Justice Conference joined host Bella Isaacs to talk about what attendees can expect from that conference, which will ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/the-community-of-food-society-and-justice-conference/
Cities and townships in Washtenaw County support a variety of progressive, publicly-funded efforts to protect local lands. They do that either by preserving those lands as they are or reserving t...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/land-preservation-in-washtenaw-county/
Raye Evrard is Project Manager for OCTO, or “Open Communications for the Ocean,” an organization that serves as a global knowledge hub on sustainable ocean management and conservation. She�...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/raye-evrard-of-open-communications-for-the-ocean/
“Think twice before buying your feminist T-shirt from Forever 21.” Samara Almonte and Jazlyn Marcos are with the University of Michigan’s Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, a two-s...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/doris-duke-conservation-scholars/
Fresh Forage is a casual farm-to-table restaurant in Ann Arbor that’s committed to using high-quality, sustainable ingredients sourced from local producers. Co-owners Andrew Sereno and Samuel B...
This week’s show opens with the voices of commuters who participated in Bike to Work Day on May 17. They tell us why they bike, how they feel about biking in Ann Arbor, and what personal messag...
The Stewardship Network is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations who are committed to working on conservation issues at the local level. They also help connect comm...
Earlier this month, regular host Bella Isaacs met up with the executive and assistant directors of Growing Hope, Cynthia VanRenterghem and Erica Bloom. Their nonprofit focus on four interconnect...
Editor’s note: We know the phone sounds get annoying at some points during this conversation, and we apologize. This week, it’s all about the music, man. Matthew Burtner is an Alaskan-bor...
Each year, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, more than 13,000 Michigan residents return to their communities after being incarcerated. But...
Established in 2009, the Detroit Food Policy Council is a 21-member “education, advocacy, and policy organization” and advisory body to the Detroit City Council. It’s primary mission is ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/winona-bynum-of-the-detroit-food-policy-council/
This week, regular host Ed Waisanen was joined by Missy Stults (Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbor) and Ryan Hughes (former Independent Candidate for Ann Arbor City ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/what-is-ann-arbor-doing-on-climate/
Matt Harmon, Tegwyn John, and Solomon Medintz are members of the Climate Action Movement at the University of Michigan, which defines itself as “a coalition of stakeholders” that is urging th...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/washtenaw-county-goes-on-climate-strike/
Last week, we were honored to speak with one of the world’s most influential leaders on climate change, Christiana Figueres. Figueres steered the Conference of Parties to the historic Paris Agr...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/a-conversation-with-global-climate-change-leader-christiana-figueres/
“One of the worst things you can do to a population is take away their ecology.” – Oday Salim, quoted in Grist’s list of 50 “forward-thinking fixers” and sustainability leaders for 20...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/environmental-injustice-in-michigan/
Today, we bring you an archived show from summer 2019 that Hot In Here alum Ben Sonnega recorded during the very first Galaxy Sustainability Learning Exchange. As you may know, our show is intert...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/flashback-friday-galaxy-sustainability-exchange-2018/
Joe Trumpey is a farmer, sustainable designer, science illustrator, and educator. He’s also the director of the University of Michigan’s Sustainable Living Experience and he teaches in the ST...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/joe-trumpey-wants-you-to-fight-for-a-carbon-neutral-life/
Shannon Brines and Eliot Jackson stopped by the studio to chat with regular hosts Ed Waisanen and Bella Isaacs and shamelessly plug the Local Food Summit, which — wouldn’t you know it — is ...
The two hand-shaped maps of the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan cup the hydrological corridor that links Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The whip-sawed waters of this passageway contain some...
Editor’s note: We faced some technical difficulties with this recording, but the sound will level out after 1:07. Thanks in advance for your patience. Ann Arbor and its 72 sister municipaliti...
You heard it here first, folks! Today, we invited Peter Pellitier into the studio to elucidate the multi-faceted relationship between plants and carbon dioxide. Peter is a current Ph. D. candidat...
Whatever your answer, we decided to start with a bit of good news. As we finished off the second week of the new year, the Hot In Here crew covered all things environmental, from the impacts of f...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/you-want-the-good-news-first-or-the-bad-news-first/
This week on the show, regular hosts Bella Isaacs, Aurora Aparicio, and Ed Waisanen break down how the ongoing government shutdown is affecting the environment, legislation that passed during for...
Many Americans hear the word “economics” and quite literally start to talk business: bulls and bears, stocks and bonds, revenues and profits—you know the drill. According to the Merriam-Web...
Ever wonder what actually goes on at an annual international climate change conference? Alexa White doesn’t. That’s because she’s attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...
Catherine Garton is not only a microbiology, applied statistics, and energy science & policy buff. She’s also the founder of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) chapter at the University of M...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/young-strong-voices-from-the-citizens-climate-lobby/
Where did you collect your most recent grocery haul? Try to remember the items you hastily organized on the conveyor belt at check-out. Now, where did all those come from? 1,500 is an important...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/know-your-farmer-know-your-food/
On today’s show, the IHIH gang share their hot takes on what the recent midterm elections mean for the environment moving forward. Bella breaks down a special millage proposal in her native Ing...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/how-did-the-environment-fare-in-the-midterms/
On today’s show, we bring you a conversation between regular host Ed Waisanen and Stephen Jenkinson, author, teacher, storyteller, spiritual activist, and farmer. His most recent book, “Com...
Returning champions Meg, Logan, and Aurora discuss local ballot initiatives across the U.S. including carbon emissions fees in Washington, proactive water pollution prevention in Montana, fish pr...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/shedding-light-on-solar-energy/
The temperature rises in the studio as Climate Blue experts Sam Basile and Tim Arvan give their hot takes on the recent IPCC report. Basile, a founder and former director of Climate Blue, is now ...
On Friday, hosts Ed, Bella, and Logan interviewed John Barrie and Monika Goforth in an effort to “shed some light” on the inner machinations of the Mayan Power and Light Program (MPL). The ...
We give this episode a #2 (out of 2). Co-hosts Audrey and Heena sat down with artist, educator, activist, and “The POOP Project” creator Shawn Shafner and University of Michigan Professor of...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/the-peoples-own-organic-power-poop/
The IHIH gang talks friendly skunks, free hydrangeas, and rain gardening on this week’s episode. Also, Becky, a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill student, calls in to tell us how Hurrica...
The semester is just starting up again and we’re live once more! We’re still building up the student team so we returned to a classic formula: riffing on the news of the day! Featuring: Old-t...
Joe Zettelmaier and Joey Albright of Roustabout Theatre Troupe were greeted by familiar faces as they descended into the basement studios of WCBN this past Friday. It’s not Joe’s first time o...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/all-childish-things-roustabout-theatre-at-wcbn/
Under the current administration, phrases such as “fake news” or “alternative facts” have made their way into the common vernacular. On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guests Kylie S...
(UPDATE: Applications extended to April 14th!) Apply HERE! On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, hosts Bella Isaacs and Ben Sonnega to speak to Ingrid Diran and Josh Shapero, two co-facilitator...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/great-lakes-arts-cultures-and-environments-glace/
On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, Andrea Aiuto of the Bird Center of Washtenaw County joined hosts Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs for a casual Friday dialogue on her current work with bird res...
This week, we bring you conversations with the three co-founders of “Food Literacy For All,” a weekly speaker series hosts experts in agriculture, food justice, sustainability, and more. Each...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/the-founders-of-food-literacy-for-all/
The use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has promoted not only antibiotic-resistant bacteria among livestock but also spillover between other livestock, wildlife, and humans. On this episode, g...
On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guest Mitchell Mead joined hosts Ben Sonnega and Bella Isaacs to discuss his unique perspective on climate change and the use of a carbon tax to combat it. ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/carbon-tax-campus-student-initiative/
If you’re seeking a show with a more casual and conversational tone, look no further! On this episode of It’s Hot In Here, guests Aman Agrawal and Lo Vesprani join hosts Ben Sonnega and Bel...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/media-culture-and-where-we-get-stuff/
Deviating only slightly from the usual environment news and grooves, regular host Ben Sonnega attended a panel discussion at the U of M Alumni Center. The topic of the panel was titled, “Naviga...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/navigating-the-workplace-underrepresented-and-invisible-identities/
Returning refreshed from the holiday break, guests Brooke McWherter and Alice Elliot joined host Ben Sonnega in the WCBN studios to call attention to an issue often overlooked. Amidst challenges ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/awareness-through-art-bird-collisions-and-safe-passage/
Originating in 2015, undergraduates at the University of Michigan interested in environment found a new home at the Epsilon Eta Fraternity. While there is no physical fraternity house designated ...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/epsilon-eta-fraternity-the-ecofrat/
With a warm smile that filled the room, guest Nathaniel Maekawa entered the WCBN studios this past Friday to tell regular host Ben Sonnega about his experience as an aquaculture intern in Mad...
Scrolling through his email thread, regular host Ben Sonnega was startled to see the headline Line 5 Retirement Party! Is the pipeline finally being shut down for good? Time to investigate. The ...
As tensions grow surrounding the U.S. pullout from the 2015 UN Paris Climate Agreement, keeping up to date on the latest negotiations is of the utmost importance. This week on It’s Hot In Her...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/cop-23-a-conversation-on-bonn-climate-negotiations-2017/
This week on It’s Hot In Here radio, those lucky enough to enter the WCBN studios were greeted by the warm and rich tones of the cello and baroque flute warming up to play. On flute was Taya K�...
Are you concerned about climate change? Would you like to learn about how you can address and respond to this challenge – whether as an individual, by collaborating with others, or through poli...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/act-on-climate-steps-to-individual-community-and-political-action/
This October the University of Michigan directly addressed one of the most pressing issues of today at the Michigan and the Climate Crisis conference. This week-long celebration of the Universit...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/michigan-and-the-climate-crisis-interviews-from-mc2-2/
The Hot In Here team spends a lot of time considering the far reaching impacts of climate change. From warmer temperatures, to rising seas, to pollution issues of climate justice, there is MORE t...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/changing-climates-melting-glaciers-in-the-peruvian-andes/
The University of Michigan’s Bicentennial Celebration and the introduction of the new School for Environment and Sustainability, both occurring this weekend got the team at It’s Hot In Her...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/u-of-m-bicentennial-celebration-and-sustainability-goals/
On this eerie Friday the 13th in the WCBN-FM studio, Roustabout Theatre’s Joe Zettelmaier and Anna Simmons join host Ben Sonnega for a chat about the troupe’s latest production, the hilarious...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/roustabout-theatre-troupe-dark-ride-radio-hour/
When asked to describe an average day of class at the EcoQuest study abroad program, our guests replied, “there’s no such thing.” This week on It’s Hot, adventurers Lauren Vespran...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/ecoquest-stories-from-a-semester-abroad-in-new-zealand/
For those that care about the mitigation of climate change, it can seem like the list of institutional changes that are needed goes on and on. Luckily we have people like Noah Feingold putting in...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/sustainability-and-the-commercial-aviation-sector/
The day that the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the people of Nagasaki is one that will not be forgotten in history, but do we truly understand all of the repercussions still? During th...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/nagasaki-atomic-history-and-present/
For those of you who felt our fabulous show with Joe Z a few weeks back was just a cruel tease, today we bring you MORE of this talented writer/director/producer/teacher. Joe is back with his o...
This episode originally aired on June 16th, 2017. On this edition of It’s Hot In Here, regular host Chris Askew-Merwin is joined via telephone by Lloyd Khan. Lloyd is an author and the editor-i...
Our story begins One Dark Night… For those in the know, a repertory theater without a show staged that evening is experiencing a “dark night.” Back when Joseph Zettlemaier was a young inte...
This week’s hosts Rebecca Hardin and Chris Askew-Merwin explore notions of property and ownership on Earth, in virtual reality like games, and in Space–literally beyond he boundaries of pl...
On this episode of It’s Hot in Here, host Chris Askew-Merwin sits down with University of Michigan undergraduate Benjamin Sonnega to discuss the research that he and his classmates have been do...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/energy-and-environmental-policy-research-a-student-symposium/
In this week’s episode of It’s Hot in Here, host Chris Askew-Merwin is joined in studio by two esteemed guests to explore the fashion industry’s impacts on the environment and on the worker...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/ethics-and-sustainability-in-the-fashion-industry/
And the hits just keep coming… this week we feature our latest release in the Michigan Sustainability Case lineup, “A Radioactive Decision: Should DTE Energy Build a new Nuclear Reactor in Mi...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/fermi-iii-an-msc-podcase-conversation/
Are you interested in developing the skills you need to be an effective activist and organizer? Then you should check out this episode of It’s Hot In Here where we chat with students organizing...
On this week’s episode of It’s Hot in Here, hosts Malavika Sahai and Chris Askew-Merwin are joined in studio by returning guest, Ed Waisanen, and first-time guest Connor Rubin who were both...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/climate-blue-with-or-without-us/
In this episode of It’s Hot In Here, we catch up with some SNRE students who attended the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago. Hosts Malavika and Chris sat down with special gue...
On March 6th the Donia Human Rights Center a the University of Michigan sponsored a panel discussion with the world recognized human rights activist and politician, Mohamed Nasheed, as w...
Keith Taylor, a celebrated local writer, poet, and teacher joins host Chris Askew-Merwin in studio to explore nature and environmentalism through the lens of poetry. Born in British Columbia, Ke...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/exploring-nature-through-poetry-with-keith-taylor/
David Pellow has long been defining and then turning around and redefining work on environmental injustices. Pellow himself struggled and worked to get through college, attending multiple univers...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/from-toxins-to-total-liberation-work-with-david-pellow/
In January, over 30 authors published a new report on the status of the world’s primates. The title gave a bleak prognosis: “Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates.” This ...
In this week’s episode co-hosts Chris Askew-Merwin and Malavika Sahai talk food and power, with a focus on corporate control over the food industry. This conversation is based on an intervie...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/food-and-power-a-conversation-with-phil-howard/
In this week’s episode host Chris Askew-Merwin and our newest host Audrey Pallmeyer discuss clips from the fantastic panel titled Advancing Environmental Sustainability in the Trump Era whi...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/advancing-sustainability-in-the-trump-era-a-discussion/
This inauguration weekend is coupled with an act of resistance: a Women’s March on Washington with sister marches happening across the globe in solidarity with socially marginalized individuals...
In this week’s episode of It’s Hot in Here, your host Chris Askew-Merwin investigates the future of transportation by speaking on the phone with Sue Zielinski, Managing Director for SMART (Su...
https://hotinhere.us/podcast/transportations-future-multi-modal-it-enabled/
In the third part of our Standing Rock series hosts Malavika Sahai and Chris Askew-Merwin are joined in studio by returning guests John Petoskey, JD candidate, and Jens Lund, a visiting scholar...
In this week’s episode of It’s Hot in Here, hosts Malavika Sahai and Chris Askew-Merwin are joined by Bridget Vial, an organizer for Divest and Invest at the U of M and Jens Lund, a visiting...
In the second installment of our conversation on Standing Rock we hear about what it’s really like to be on the ground in the camp. First, correspondent Leana Hosea speaks with water protector...
Tune in for an update and discussion from the first week of the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) in Marrakech, Morocco. Graduate students Ember McCoy and Ed Waisanen from...
In the first of our three-part series on the Standing Rock protests we invited two Native American activists and graduate students from the University of Michigan, John Petoskey, JD candidate an...