This episode follows up on new developments and concerns regarding the environmental disaster in East Palestine, Ohio where a train derailment has leaked a lot of chemicals into the Ohio River Basin environment and the Norfolk Southern Railway Company has been caught lying multiple times and served legal notice from the EPA. 

Continued lack of transparency and inconsistencies (now also from the EPA) paired with qualitative observations made by the community are raising a lot of red flags on the state of the disaster and the impacts it will have on the community and the area at large. 

Link to Legal Notice

Let's talk some more about what has happened since last week, what Norfolk Southern Railway Company and the EPA claim, the chemicals known to be involved, chemicals that are still unidentified in the manifest, why this is bad, why these spills are likely to happen again, and how we as citizens can get involved in the process of recovery, public pressure, and changing this broken system of environmental protection.

Links to Citizen Science Documentation of Testing and Observations:

Air Test Data

Water Test Data

Soil Test Data

Qualitative Observational Data

Are you ready to fall in love with birds, nature, birding, and the delightful Hannah Kirshenbaum? Get ready! She will sneak up on you and recruit you into the magical world of birding. With an educational background in Environmental Engineering, Hannah's journey is focused on birds, doing it all for the birds.

Follow Hannah and her group, NYC Queer Birders, and visit their Instagram and website.

NYC Queer Birders Instagram

NYC Queer Birders Website

Sign the open letter to the American Ornithological Society. Barriers in ornithology for Black, Indigenous, and people of color, are not limited to membership fees. There are significant isolating and demeaning reminders of oppression, slavery, and genocide that reside within many of the English common names attached to birds in North America. Through the committees on Classification and Nomenclature (NACC and SACC), the AOS can play a crucial role in eliminating such barriers not only for ornithology but for recreational birding as well. Unlike recognized scientific names, the nomenclatural barriers of English common names exist for no reason other than tradition and comfort. They can be replaced without affecting science.

Follow @BirdNamesForBirds. Birds don't need eponymous/honorific common names. Bird names should be about birds. 

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff. Don't forget, your support helps in our reforestation project to reforest Appalachia and other national parks that have experienced deforestation as well as other areas around the world! Listening to the show, calling in, and picking up some swag from my SciStore.

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There is an environmental disaster currently unfolding that needs our attention. A train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has leaked a lot of chemicals into the Ohio River Basin environment and the Norfolk Southern Railway Company has been caught lying multiple times and served legal notice from the EPA.

Link to Legal Notice

Let's talk about what happened, what Norfolk Southern Railway Company claims happened, the chemicals known to be involved, why this is bad, why these spills are likely to happen again, and how we as citizens can get involved in the process of recovery, public pressure, and changing this broken system of environmental protection.

Links to Citizen Science Documentation of Testing and Observations:

Air Test Data

Water Test Data

Soil Test Data

Qualitative Observational Data

I'm so excited someone called in to talk about tornadoes! We are all fans of the epic cinematic experience of Twister, featuring the late, great Bill Paxton and the still great Helen Hunt, so this is an episode we can all let hug us nice and tight. Today's caller asks "are tornadoes always dark or do they get darker from all the stuff?"

We're talking about how tornadoes form, where they form, and why they form. How are tornadoes characterized? If they got Dorothy to fly, do we still not know a lot about how they work?

Tornadoes are classified using the Enhanced Fujita Scale based on the level of damage they do and estimated wind gust speeds. There are also different types of tornadoes. There are supercell tornadoes and non-supercell tornadoes, like landspouts and waterspouts. We even get to chat a little bit about the recent tornado that occurred here in NYC earlier this year.

Grab your popcorn, 'cuz we be talkin' TWISTERS!

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff. Don't forget, your support helps in our reforestation project to reforest Appalachia and other national parks that have experienced deforestation as well as other areas around the world! Listening to the show, calling in, and picking up some swag from my SciStore.

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It can be difficult to donate to organizations or to affiliate with them with your volunteerism when you doubt their credibility. You may have heard about some of the big scandals that have been unearthed, like the American Red Cross relief effort after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. $488 million dollars were raised, and only 6 houses were rebuilt. Yikes. 

So what are some organizations that are credible and walking the walk and not just talking the talk? How can you identify them? When is it a good time to get involved with giving to an organization and offering some volunteer support? Why are nonprofit organizations even necessary? This is what we are going to talk about this week. 

Large-scale issues require large-scale stakeholders. And there are some really great organizations that are filling a much-needed space in the political accountability and legal arenas at the national level that work to protect us all. What organizations are credible at a scale this large? Look no further than the Environmental Working Group. They are doing the work of informing the public and pressuring regulatory bodies and industries to stop releasing toxins and pollution into our environment.

What about at the local scale? Local nonprofit organizations need your support, too. It can be the most impactful to donate your time, services, or funds to these organizations. And they are out there doing great work every day. The Wild Bird Fund works to rehabilitate injured migratory birds and other animals during migration season from window strikes and other injuries in New York. They are an incredible organization that directly impacts the issue of window strike deaths of important migratory bird species. 

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff.

Instagram: @ryantistthescientist
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Another caller asks more about the myths and misleading language surrounding recycling. Can something that fits the legal requirements be labeled as "recyclable" on packaging without being actually recyclable? You bet!

Get caught up on some of the details about the common myths surrounding recycling by checking out the Facts and Myths About Recycling Episode. We are getting into the nitty gritty about how we have been misled to believe that many different types of plastics are recyclable because they say that they are, even when they are not recyclable. Much of this has to do with the Federal Trade Commission's regulations on the term "Recyclable" on their packaging, and how you can use this term in certain scenarios to prevent misleading the public... However, this practice ends up being MISLEADING!

If up to 40% of the U.S. population does not have access to recycling certain materials, these materials can still be labeled as recyclable in the United States, even though they are transported into landfills. 

Certain types of plastics, such as #5 plastics, are allowed to be labeled as recyclable because they are shipped out of the country to China for recycling, which no longer accepts plastic recyclables. 

China no longer accepts plastic recyclables, but it's not because we aren't cleaning our peanut butter containers. It's because of the byproducts of industrial processes contaminating recyclables. Additionally, it's due to unsorted plastics that are not recyclable being a large component of the shipments because we have been told all plastics are recyclable when most are not!

Read the complete FTC regulations here.

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff. Don't forget, your support helps in our reforestation project to reforest Appalachia and other national parks that have experienced deforestation as well as other areas around the world! Listening to the show, calling in, and picking up some swag from my SciStore.

Instagram: @ryantistthescientist

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This week Weston calls in to ask "Where is a place that you want to go to observe wildlife? What animals and plants do you hope to see when you are there?" Another question where we get to connect on a personal level! What are some of my favorites?

Coral reefs make up just 1% of the ocean floor, yet host about 1/4 of all marine life! They are some of the coolest places in the world, packed full of life and diversity, colors and shapes. Where are the coral reefs found? What are they? What's happening with them? The cousin of corals, jellies are wildly amazing creatures that you can't help but want to take out a camera and snag as many pictures as humanly possible. So we can talk about how amazing they are, too! 

Ancient bryophytes are how plants evolved to be able to live on land. From mosses with no roots that exist everywhere in the world to the sprawling fronds of giant ferns to the tallest redwood trees. The journey of plant evolution is truly magnificent as are the ferns of the forests. 

And what about wildlife? Have you seen how incredible and almost alien owls can look?

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff. Don't forget, your support helps in our reforestation project to reforest Appalachia and other national parks that have experienced deforestation as well as other areas around the world! Listening to the show, calling in, and picking up some swag from my SciStore.

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This week we are discussing the combative relationship between nature and infrastructure with my friend, Peter Rathsack. With a background in environmental studies and urban planning, Peter has experienced a variety of issues where the forces of nature come into combat with the forces of human infrastructure. 

Urban farming has many obstacles to overcome, including pollution from the history of industrial processes that occurred in the United States throughout the Industrial Revolution. Freshwater systems we enjoy and rely upon become prey to invasive species. Large-scale agricultural practices wreak havoc on natural environments and the origins of resources such as drinking water. The increase in storm severity due to climate change is overwhelming drainage and sewer systems leading to pollution.

We are going to talk about it all! 

You can connect with Peter via his social media to learn more about the adventures of navigating the mitigation and clean-up of the clash between nature and human infrastructure, and the adventures of being a human. Follow him at @peterrathsack. 

You can support the show by following it on all social media platforms and wherever you stream your podcasts. Another great way to support the show is to leave reviews and rate the show! It helps people discover our little corner of the internet because of algorithms and internet stuff. Don't forget, your support helps in our reforestation project to reforest Appalachia and other national parks that have experienced deforestation as well as other areas around the world! Listening to the show, calling in, and picking up some swag from my SciStore.

Instagram: @ryantistthescientist

Patreon: Ryantist the Scientist
LinkedIn: Ryantist the Scientist
Follow on ApplePodcast
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And also, visit the website!