
Climate “hushing” (start time: 5:41) Since President Trump began his second term as president in January, 2025, his administration, at a dizzying pace, has attacked climate change as a Democratic elite “hoax” and gutted federal funding for climate-related research and institutions. Partly in response to these attacks, and in an attempt to appeal to more centrist voters ahead of the midterm elections, many left-leaning politicians have decided to stop talking directly about climate change, and to pull back on initiatives to combat global warming. This pattern is known as “climate hushing.” Some argue that it doesn’t mean these leaders care any less about climate change, and that it’s a necessary strategy to reach more centrist voters. But critics argue that climate hushing is more insidious and, in effect, it is spurring a vicious cycle: The less leaders talk about climate change, the less the public thinks it’s important and feels inspired to take action. In this week’s How On Earth, host Susan Moran interviews journalist Sammy Roth, who recently wrote an article about climate “hushing” on his Climate Colored Goggles Substack; and Dr. Leah Sprain, an associate professor of Communications at the University of Colorado Boulder, who studies democratic engagement.
Host/Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Abby O’Brien
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett
Headline Contributor: Beth Bennett
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In her new book, The Power of the Pause: 90 Seconds to Calm, Reset, and Reconnect, Jillian Pransky teaches readers how a brief 90-second break can help regulate the nervous system and stop automatic, reactive habits. Today, we get into some of the science underlying the utility of the pause, but further, we can easily use it to step out of the stress loop and into a grounded, centered presence, able to meet whatever is happening with intention and compassion. Jillian Pransky has been a mindfulness teacher, yoga therapist, and practitioner for over 30 years, giving her plenty of experience with the power of so-called somatic, or body-centered and self-awareness practices can bring about transformation, healing, and connection… in ourselves, in those around us, and in the world. 


What is a wilderness, really? Here in the US we think of it as undeveloped land, put aside to appreciate its beauty and remoteness. In other lands and cultures, wilderness is a powerful, ancient concept, at the intersection of landscape, philosophy, and ecology. For thousands of years, people have sought out uncontrolled, unknown, or uncharted nature in search of religious epiphany, self-actualization, and an escape from normal life. More recently these “pristine” places have been seen as the subject of a last effort to repair a planet imperiled by humans. In
Gardens are popping up everywhere, from community plots to elementary school yards to vertical plantings. A unique approach proposed by award winning British landscaper, Harry Holding, is integrating the edible aspect of vegetable gardens with the esthetic side of flower, bush and tree landscapes. Harry is a renowned garden designer known for his award-winning creations at the Royal Horticulture Society Chelsea Flower Shown. In his gorgeous book, Eat Your Garden, he focuses on growing and designing with “edimentals” (plants that are both beautiful and edible).And, he provides a step by step approach for integrating edible gardening into any space. I’ll link to the 

Parenting Across the Animal Kingdom (start time: 5:02) As humans, we tend 