H2oradio

Hungarians Are Hungry for Climate Action. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Hungarians repudiated Viktor Orbán and his authoritarian regime. What could his successor, Péter Magyar, mean for the climate? The Bureau of Reclamation will release nearly 670,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to prop up Lake Powell. The Senate voted to remove a ban on mining near more than 1,000 pristine lakes in northern Minnesota. A Chinese EV automaker could one day offer a voice-controlled on-board toilet. Now, there’s a car you can really “go” in.

There have been unsettling developments around water, climate, and the environment so far this year. In March, a heat wave that was "impossible without climate change" struck much of the U.S. West. In February, major farming associations warned that without action, there will be a “widespread collapse of American agriculture.” Last week, the “God Squad” moved to open the Gulf of Mexico to oil drilling, threatening endangered whales. However, we have reported many positive news stories too. Listen to some recent segments from our newscast that we think stood out.

How the “God Squad” Could Cause Whales to Go Extinct. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: EPA’s announcement that it will consider microplastics as a drinking water contaminant is being dismissed as a PR stunt. The Trump administration exempted the oil and gas industry from protecting endangered species as the Iran war sends fuel prices soaring. A new kind of power plant has opened in Japan that doesn’t rely on coal or gas, or use wind or solar. The toilet being used on the Artemis II space mission is allowing astronauts to “boldly go” like never before.

These Courts Could Challenge Climate Change. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Utah and Arizona are looking to California’s coastline to solve Colorado River shortfalls. Soils + drought = antibiotic resistance. Oyster shells can help harvest rare earth metals from polluted water. How tennis courts could help us to ace the climate crisis.

How Sea Turtles Record History. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The record-shattering March temperatures in western North America were “virtually impossible without climate change.” The climate impact of airline flights was reduced by an AI-based forecasting tool that helped pilots prevent contrails. Researchers have turned plastic waste into the most popular drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Sea turtle shells are like tree rings, describing a timeline of ocean health.

Water as a Weapon of War. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Desalination plants are becoming targets in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran—by both sides. Oil-soaked “black rain” fell in Tehran, following airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel on oil depots. Researchers have found a way to create lithium by destroying “Forever Chemicals”—a win-win. Being called a “birdbrain” could now be a compliment.

Climate change could mean less water for Los Angeles, which currently gets the majority of its supply from Northern California and the Colorado River. But the city has plans to become more resilient—by making what’s old, new again.

You Can’t Have ICE Without Water. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: A plan by ICE to warehouse people doesn’t hold water. Theodore Roosevelt would roll over in his grave if he knew of a new Trump administration plan. Lake Powell on the Colorado River could fall so low later this year it wouldn’t be able to generate hydropower. Three athletes were disqualified at the winter Olympics—not for doping but for using a compound harmful to the environment.

The Endangered “Endangerment Finding” That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The Trump administration took steps to rescind the “Endangerment Finding”—the basis for regulating tailpipe and smokestack pollution. There was no love lost between Upper and Lower Basin states of the Colorado River as the Valentine’s Day deadline passed. Forecasters say we could see a shift from current La Niña conditions to El Niño later this year, which could trigger record global warmth. Why global warming could change the way male frogs serenade their mates.

A “Widespread Collapse of American Agriculture”? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: U.S. agriculture leaders are fed up with “bellicose rhetoric and chaotic trade policies” decimating the American farm economy. A new study says flawed economic models are underestimating the impact of the climate crisis, which could crash global finances. Congress cut in half the planned funding for removing lead pipes from municipal water systems. You wind some and you lose some—especially when you’re full of hot air.

The U.S. Government Is Being Sued…for Murder. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The U.S. government is being sued under the “Death on the High Seas Act.” Governors of the Colorado River Basin met in Washington, DC, and were urged to find some love for each other by Valentine’s Day. Like flying safely? Thank NCAR—while you can.

What Trump May Want from Greenland Beyond Minerals. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Trump might be coveting Greenland for something in addition to its mineral wealth. The Trump administration is speeding up permits for seabed mining. Another reason to be cautious about mining the sea floor? It might contain “dark oxygen.” How “Making America Healthy Again” may make the planet sick.

How Environmental Damage Fueled Iran’s Protests. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Anger over the economic and political situation in Iran has fueled widespread protests, but environmental disasters also ignited the dissent. The governors of the seven states in the Colorado River Basin have been summoned to Washington, DC, to negotiate an agreement. News about Greenland might have you concerned that international cooperation is on thin ice. But thinning ice is, in fact, fostering cooperation. Newsflash! Most of the world just agreed about something.

Fighting Fire with Sound—No Water Required. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: President Trump pulled the U.S. out of 66 international organizations and agreements, including ones to combat climate change and address the oceans, seabed, and renewable energy. A new study has found that Earth’s oceans are now the hottest they’ve ever been since measurements began in 1960. A California company is using acoustic waves to douse flames—no chemicals, suppressants, water, or power needed. Jellyfish may be brainless, but they’re more similar to us than you think.

Revenge Scorn—Trump Cancels a Water Pipeline in Colorado. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: President Trump vetoed a clean water project in Colorado that had been approved unanimously by the House and the Senate. Earth’s clouds are shrinking. A bad sign for climate change? Sparrows in California changed their beaks during COVID lockdowns, only to change them back when life returned to normal.

Some in the West Pay High Prices for Water, while Others Get It for Free. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The U.S. has tanked a UN roadmap report meant to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and end the use of plastics. A new study from UCLA says cities in the West pay vastly more for water than districts that supply agriculture. The world has come together to protect more than 70 shark and ray species being driven to extinction.

A Mushrooming Industry That Serves the Dead. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The Trump administration is reigniting California’s water wars between farms and fish. Zillow deletes climate risk data from listings after complaints it hurts sales. Money doesn’t grow on trees—but gold does, according to a new study. This coffin promises life after death.

Data Centers…in the Sky? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: There were protests on the Mexican side of the U.S. border, not over migration but over water. COP30 copped out on transitioning away from fossil fuels, so frustrated countries are creating a new conference to accelerate action. Researchers are working on building flying data centers—blimps that would operate in the stratosphere to be more sustainable. If you had a cherry pie at Thanksgiving, thank a kestrel.

Climate Change Is Making Food Less Nutritious. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The COP30 climate summit ended without an agreement to phase out fossil fuels. The Trump administration announced it will proceed with oil and gas leases off the coasts of Alaska, California, Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico. Climate change is making our food less nutritious—and more fattening. Cracking a murder mystery—with flies.

Planes Could Soon Run on Garbage. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: COP30 has been promoted as the “Indigenous peoples’ COP.” Will it deliver? States that rely on the Colorado River missed a deadline to divvy up water. Now what? Beaver wetlands are creating a buzz. How trash—from food and plastics to paper and metals—can fuel your next flight.