EARTHPOD

HNP Ontario's brand new podcast!

We are introducing Earthpod, HNP Ontario's podcast dedicated to advocating for global environmental change! The podcast is focused on raising awareness about the critical environmental issues facing our planet today and inspiring positive action towards a more sustainable future. HNP Ontario's goal is to provide informative and engaging discussions on topics such as the climate change anxiety, rising carbon emissions, biodiversity loss and conservation, green spaces and infrastructure and much more. Each podcast will feature expert guests and leaders in the field of environmentalism. Join HNP as we explore the challenges and opportunities in the fight for a healthier planet, and discover practical ways of making a difference!

Check Out Our Recent Episodes!

Episode #1: The Increasing Loss of Biodiversity

This episode focuses on how economics and other sciences can be used to create policies and shape a brighter future. It features Dr. Rashid Sumaila, a professor and Canada research chair in interdisciplinary Ocean and fisheries economics at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. Graduated from the University of Bergen with a PhD in economics, Dr. Sumaila is currently researching the effects of climate change on the management of shared fish stocks, and examining how deoxygenation may affect biodiversity in the North Pacific Ocean and the people who depend on it. Dr. Sumaila won the 2017 Volvo Environment Prize and was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2019.

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Episode #2: DNA Barcoding

The episode focuses on how animals can be identified using genetic signatures and their uses. It features Dr. Clare is a professor in the department of biology at York University with a PhD from the University of Guelph and postdoctoral experience from universities in the UK. Her research primarily focuses on biodiversity at all levels from individuals to ecosystems, and she is known for developing and utilizing novel technological approaches to monitor biodiversity, identify species interactions, and assess ecosystem level responses. Some of her previous research includes using eDNA in water to monitor fish, iDNA in leeches to monitor vertebrates, and DNA in feces to study predator-prey and seed dispersal relationships. A fun fact about Dr. Clare is that she has even sequenced DNA in the middle of a jungle! Her recent research involves "airDNA," a novel approach to monitor terrestrial life by extracting mammal DNA from air samples.

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Episode #3: Indigenous Role in Sustainability

This episode focuses on blending indigenous and scientific knowledge. It features Dr. Blay-Palmer is a professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, and is known for her extensive work related to food security, community-based food systems, and sustainable agriculture. She is the founder and director of the Wilfrid Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Food Security and Sustainability. Dr. Blay-Palmer is also the chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity, and Sustainability Studies. Her research focuses on the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of food systems, and she has conducted studies on issues such as local food systems and biodiversity conservation, agro-biodiversity and food security, and sustainable agriculture and biodiversity.

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