Food Waste Solutions: Expert Tips to Keep Food Out of Landfills and Save Money
This episode explores the critical issue of food waste and its impact on our planet. Join host Seth Larson as he speaks with Pete Pearson, vice president for food loss and waste at the World Wildlife Fund, about the staggering amount of food wasted globally and its connection to environmental degradation. Discover innovative solutions and initiatives aimed at reducing food waste, including the Food Waste Warriors program in schools, the Hotel Kitchen project, and the US Food Waste Pact. Learn practical tips on how you can minimize food waste in your own home and contribute to a more sustainable future. Don't miss this insightful conversation that highlights the importance of every action we take to preserve our natural world. Links for More Info: Pete Pearson bio Food Waste Warriors Hotel Kitchen US Food Waste Pact WWF’s Food Waste PSA CHAPTERS: 0:00 Preview 0:21 Intro 2:03 Food waste basics 4:27 Food Waste Warriors programs in schools 12:02 Hotel Kitchen program 19:13 US Food Waste Pact 25:25 Tips to stop food waste in your home 32:28 Federal and state policy support for food waste initiatives 37:24 Food waste reduction goals for the future 42:20 Outro
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43:23
Give an Hour for Earth: Small Actions for Big Impact on Earth Day
Join hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton in this special Earth Day episode of Nature Breaking. Discover how simple actions can make a big impact on our planet. Seth and Hayley share their personal experiences participating in WWF's "Give an Hour for Earth" campaign, offering practical ideas for how you can get involved. From jogging in nature to reducing food waste, learn how you can contribute to WWF's goal of banking 125,000 hours by April 30th. Tune in for inspiring stories, easy tips, and a deeper appreciation for Earth Day and Earth Month. Links for More Info: WWF’s Give an Hour for Earth Campaign Webby Awards - Vote for Nature Breaking! Chapters: 0:00 Webby Awards update 0:40 Intro 2:50 Childhood memories of Earth Day 5:26 Give an Hour for Earth activities 11:05 How small actions can make a big difference 13:56 Outro
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14:35
Transforming the Leather Industry to Combat Deforestation
Today’s episode highlights a new initiative that aims to reduce the environmental footprint of leather production. Leather, as we all know, is sourced from cattle. And right now, cattle ranching for both beef and leather production is a major driver of deforestation, particularly in biomes such as the Amazon, Cerrado and Gran Chaco. In Brazil, for example, cattle ranching drives twice as much deforestation as the production of soy, palm oil, and wood products combined. It’s a major problem that we need to overcome if we’re going to save critical ecosystems, conserve species, and secure a stable future for our planet. That’s where the Deforestation-Free Leather Fund comes in. This new initiative, launched by WWF in March, gives companies that use leather in their products a chance to make a difference. This episode features an interview with the leader of that initiative, Fernando Bellese, about what exactly he hopes the fund will achieve. Companies or individuals interested in joining this effort can get more information in the links below. Links for More Info: Fernando Bellese bio Deforestation-Free Leather Fund BLOG: Leather Now Has a New Role: Helping to Prevent Deforestation CHAPTERS: 0:00 Preview 0:31 Intro 2:04 Fernando’s background 4:19 Difference between sustainable vs. unsustainable leather 8:10 Why is a fund needed? 13:50 How the fund works 28:21 Why should companies get involved? 31:27 How can consumers help? 34:25 Outro
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35:10
Monarch Butterflies: Their Epic Migration & Hope for a Species in Decline
Each year, millions of migratory eastern monarch butterflies embark on a breathtaking 3,000-mile migration from North America to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where they hibernate in the towering Oyamel fir forests. But this iconic species is in trouble. WWF’s research conducted with conservation partners since the early 2000s shows that the eastern monarch population has been trending downward for years. And while the latest report released by WWF and the Government of Mexico found that the population nearly doubled during the 2024-2025 winter, this latest finding is still far below the long-term average. In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson speaks with Court Whelan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Natural Habitat Adventures, about the wonders of the monarch’s migration, the threats they face, and the conservation efforts bringing hope for their future. Discover how you can help protect these incredible pollinators, from planting native milkweed to utilizing your own personal “superpower” to advance conservation efforts. Join us for an inspiring conversation that highlights why monarchs are worth saving and what we can all do to ensure their survival. Links for More Info:Court Whelan bio Natural Habitat Adventures WWF: Eastern monarch butterfly population nearly doubles in 2025 WWF Milkweed Finder CHAPTERS: 0:00 Preview 0:15 Intro 1:58 Court’s backstory 4:53 Monarch migration 13:42 Inside an expedition to the monarch’s winter home in Mexico 16:45 A “snow globe” of monarchs 23:10 Threats to monarchs 24:48 Why should we care about saving monarchs? 30:37 Hope for the future of monarchs 33:14 Outro
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34:10
Inspiring Wildlife Comebacks: Snow leopards, mountain gorillas & black rhinos
In this special World Wildlife Day episode of Nature Breaking’s “Headlines & Trendlines” series, hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton share uplifting conservation success stories that prove we can make a difference for endangered species. Discover how mountain gorillas have rebounded from critically endangered to endangered status with populations now exceeding 1,000 in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Learn about Bhutan's remarkable 40% increase in snow leopard numbers—these elusive "Ghosts of the Mountain" are making a comeback thanks to strategic conservation efforts. We also explore how cutting-edge AI technology and camera traps are helping monitor wildlife recovery after Australia's devastating 2020 bushfires, and how black rhinos have grown from just 2,400 to over 6,000 animals through targeted conservation initiatives. These success stories demonstrate that while many species face threats from habitat loss and poaching, collaborative conservation work is creating real impact. Join us to celebrate these wildlife victories and find hope for our planet's biodiversity. Links for More Info: WWF’s mountain gorillas page International Gorilla Conservation Program Snow leopard conservation in Bhutan AI & camera traps in Australia Black rhino conservation study CHAPTERS: 0:00 Preview 0:16 Intro 1:45 Seth & Hayley’s bucket list animals to see in the wild 4:07 Mountain gorillas 7:02 Snow leopards 10:27 Ghosts of the Mountain 11:59 How AI & camera traps helped identify wildlife after Australia’s bushfire in 2020 14:36 Black rhinos 17:56 Hayley’s black rhino encounter story 19:18 Closing reflections on World Wildlife Day 21:32 Outro
Join host Seth Larson as he interviews experts on some of the biggest environmental issues affecting people and our planet, including climate change, habitat loss, endangered species, and more. Learn something new about nature in every episode. This show is produced by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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