Terra Informa

This episode originally aired on May 3, 2021: This episode, Terra Informers Sonak Patel and Liam Harrap guide you through some of the impacts that a warming world will have on our blue planet. Drawing from estimates and predictions made in the IPCC Special Report, in this episode we prepare ourselves for what global warming and the climate crisis will mean to Alberta, Canada, and the rest of the world. It's not a heartwarming episode, but we are in this together.Written by Sonak Patel, hosted by Liam Harrap and Sonak Patel, edited and produced by Elizabeth Dowdell.Program log. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on May 8, 2017:This week Terra Informer Shelley Jodoin interviewed Joshua Bénard, a sustainable housing project manager with the Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN). They discuss ARDN’s aim to create housing that is both sustainable and affordable. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on February 8, 2021: The power of storytelling gives us a way to cope with the uncertainty of our climate future. This week on Terra Informa we’re exploring those stories about the future worlds that are not so different from our own. While you may be familiar with science fiction, genres like speculative fiction, climate fiction, or cli-fi, Afro-futurism, and Indigenous futurism are reimagining oppressive realities and re-envisioning our climate future. In this discussion episode, Terra Informers Hannah Cunningham and Elizabeth Dowdell are joined by special guest and Terra Informa alum, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips to share why they find themselves reaching for these books, and what these genres mean to them. A reading list of the books mentioned in this episode plus some of our other favourites can be found here.Some of our favourite voices sharing visions of Indigenous futures include Cree poet and author Billy-Ray Belcourt, Cree author Larry Loyie, and Chelsea Vowel, Metis writer

This episode originally aired on April 17, 2017: Have a DIY project you've been itching to do but just don't have the supplies? Striving to reduce consumerism? The Edmonton Tool Library has got you covered. We dive into what it's all about and how you can become a member! ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on February 27, 2017: In this week's episode, the Terra Informers travel to a grain terminal in the City of Edmonton to see some rare birds of prey and meet the folks who watch and photograph them there. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on March 22, 2021: On the Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, K'atl'odeeche First Nation is taking steps to create opportunities for their members to make their livelihoods through fishing. In our second episode on Indigenous-led fisheries management, we are joined by PhD student Kristine Wray. We investigate the management structures that govern the Great Slave Lake commercial fishery, and identify pathways towards the coexistence of a sustainable commercial and livelihood fishery. Our thanks to Kristine Wray for her contributions to this episode. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's archive episode, we go back to warmer days to visit past Terra Informer Dylan Hall for a honeybee hive inspection and to talk about the impact of high heat events on beehives and other important pollinator insects.For the full episode description, visit the original show notes here. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on June 22, 2020: We are exploring the relationship between queer people and the natural environment. This week we are going to share with you an interview that Terra Informer Elizabeth Dowdell held with Kevin McBean. Kevin will share with us his experience as a gay man, an outdoor enthusiast, and a member of the board of directors of Camp Maskepetoon.A few queer members of the Terra Informa team had the chance to reflect on their relationship with the environment and their identities as sexual minorities. For some of us, urban spaces can bring comfort and familiarity. Seeing a rainbow sticker or a trans flag in businesses or as part of urban art is a reminder that this is our space too. But what happens when we explore the natural environment? We tend to still think of the environment as a very heteronorNmative space, but we need to actively work to change that and you’ll get to hear Kevin’s perspective on how we can do just that!Program Log★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support

This episode originally aired on June 20, 2022: It's growing season baby! In this week's episode, Terra Informer Hannah Cunningham leads us through the process of how she started a vegetable garden on her own for the first time. Flowers more your thing? Edmonton flower farmer Mia Coco has you covered, as they describe what it's like to have 600 (yes, that many) flower seedlings in your living room, and why flowers are just the best.Wâposo-Wâti Park and Community GardenMia Coco on Instagram!Program log ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on June 10, 2019: We were so amazingly overwhelmed with bird-related content for our June 4, 2019 episode that we didn't have a chance to use all of it, so we're bringing it to you this week. This time, it's PERSONAL - that is, lots of lovely stories about why people love birds, which birds are their favourites, and wild encounters. ★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on January 14, 2019: What if we could bring extinct animal species back from the dead? This week, Terra Informer Sofia Osborne brings us a story about de-extinction: Sofia brings us a story about de-extinction: the use of selective breeding, cloning, and genetic engineering to “resurrect” extinct species. This technology poses a lot of moral and ethical questions—would these “de-extincted” animal species be authentic? Could they ever be wild? Do we owe it to the species we’ve driven to extinction to bring them back? And who should decide whether we use this technology?Extra resources suggested by Sofia:How to Clone a Mammoth by Beth Shapiro"The Perils if De-extinction" by Ben Minteer The IUCN SSC Guiding Principles on Creating Proxies of Extinct Species for Conservation BenefitDownload the program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on December 7, 2020:Science is cool. You may agree, since you're listening to a podcast that talks a lot about science of the environmental variety. But, science can be hard to understand, and research can be hard to access. Here at Terra Informa, we asked ourselves, how could we help track down, and break down, new scientific discoveries for our listeners, and make it fun to listen to and easy to understand?In this week's episode, we talk about a recent science communication workshop the team did with CJSR Podcast Coordinator and Terra Informa alumni, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips. Then, we dig into science - what is it? How does one... well, do it? Finally, we practice our science communication skills as we explain the science behind a very peculiar trait of an equally peculiar animal.If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear more new research findings in the future, let us know by sending an email to terra@cjsr.com!If you’re passionate about environmental news and stories, cons

This epsiode originally aired on December 14, 2020: Listeners, we know you're all very upset that Eurovision was cancelled this year due to COVID. So, we decided to host something similar ourselves on the radio. This week, we bring to you the first ever EuroBirdoVision Identification Competition. You'll hear Terra Informers Charlotte Thomasson, Elizabeth Dowdell, and Sonak Patel try to guess the difference between the names of European birds and bands. You'll also hear some bird songs, and bird facts.The bird songs in this episode are from DiBird and Avi-base.The bands mentioned in this episode are: Eugent Bushpepa, Nemra, Lasgo, Irfan, Osmi Putnik, Monsieur Doumani, Priessnitz, Kellermensch, Mana Mana, Poll, Goran Gora, and Telectu.Download the program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on June 27, 2022: In this week's episode, Sonak Patel and Hannah Cunningham discuss the Montreal Protocol and the environmental crisis that was the discovery of the depletion of the ozone layer. Did the Montreal Protocol work? Did we save the ozone layer? And, if we did, can we also band together to address the environmental crisis of the 21st century: climate change?Program log.★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on April 18, 2022: This week Elizabeth Dowdell and some other Terra Informers dive into the history of Earth Day, their feelings on the holiday, and show some appreciation for our big (shared) hunk of rock!Program log. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on February 11, 2019: This week on Terra Informa, Sofia Osborne (a Terra Informer herself) reads us a piece she recently wrote for The Tyee, an independent, Canadian, online magazine. The story recounts Sofia's experience being isolated on Saturna Island during the worst wind storm in BC Hydro history. The storm rocked BC's west coast this past December, while Sofia's article was just released. We’ll chat about the piece, the future of dealing with these massive storms, and journalism! ★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on November 23, 2020: At Terra Informa, we've talked trash before. Back in 2017, we even went on a tour of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. But, one thing we haven't talked about are the people who do the incredibly important job of sorting and processing our garbage. This week at Terra Informa, we interview filmmaker Anthony Goertz about The Line, a film that focuses on the employees of Quality One Training and Support, a program that connects people with barriers to employment including a criminal record, newcomer status, or addictions or mental illnesses with employment opportunities at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.You can watch The Line here online through Vimeo (rent it for $3.00 or buy it for $8.00).Download the program log here. ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on May 4, 2020: This week several Terra Informers reflect on the changing seasons, and what spring means to them. Listen in for some great ambient spring sounds and grateful reflections on the warmer air around us.Download the program log.★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode originally aired on August 26, 2021: Are you looking for a story of resource extraction, community, and hope? In this episode, Terra Informers Katherine Rogers, Hannah Cunningham, Elizabeth Dowdell, and Sara Chitsaz discuss Dr. Suess' children's story, The Lorax. The Lorax provides a simplified story of some  impacts of the exploitation of natural resources, and of hope for recovering these resources. Join us as we discuss key takeaways, strengths and weaknesses of The Lorax book (first published in 1971) and film adaptation (released in 2012), and compare it to the current Fairy Creek resource conflict in BC.Program Log.  ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode was originally aired on July 8, 2019: This week on Terra Informa, we discuss solar energy, including topics such as the definition of solar, how it works, the pros and cons to solar,  and who the solar power leaders are around the world.Program log. ★ Support this podcast ★ ★ Support this podcast ★