The Real Fallout: How Nuclear Energy Got Its Bad Reputation
Part 2 of the Nuclear Mini-Series This is part two of my mini-series on nuclear power and whether it could be the clean energy solution we’ve all been waiting for.As I said before (and it bears repeating): fossil fuels kill about 8 million people every single year — more than the populations of Aotearoa and most of the Pacific Islands combined.Despite that, nuclear power remains the energy source we fear the most. But should we?In the last episode, we explored the science of nuclear — what it is, how it works, and why it’s not nearly as scary as it sounds. In this episode, we dive into its history — a sometimes horrifying, sometimes absurd, and often misunderstood timeline that shaped our collective anxiety around nuclear energy.In this episode, I cover:The early discoveries of nuclear materials and radiationHow public fear around nuclear energy really beganThe rise of nuclear bombs and the race for atomic powerWhat actually happens inside a nuclear reactor (in plain English)The major nuclear disasters that shaped global perceptionWhat went wrong at Three Mile IslandWhat made Chernobyl so catastrophicWhy Fukushima shook public confidence in nuclear safetyKey quotes:“Nuclear energy got its hideous reputation before it had even powered a single light bulb.”“Creepy green glows and mutant fish? That’s science fiction, not reality.”“Public anxiety about nuclear energy didn’t actually start with power stations.”Books & Resources Mentioned:Here are the books and materials I mentioned for anyone who wants to explore:The Radium Girls by Kate MooreA gripping and enraging true story of the young women who painted glow-in-the-dark watch faces with radioactive paint — and paid the ultimate price. The Woman Who Knew Too Much by Gayle GreeneA biography of Dr. Alice Stewart, who studied radiation risks and stood up to the nuclear establishment. (Recommended for broader radiation safety context).Atoms and Ashes: A Global History of Nuclear Disasters by Serhii PlokhyCovers Six major nuclear incidents — including Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island — with historical and political analysis.If you want to go down the rabbit hole, I also recommend googling:“Radithor” (yes, that glowing bottled water was real)“Clarence Dally and Thomas Edison” (the first radiation death in the U.S).Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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18:37
Nuclear Energy, The Mini-Series: Episode 1 - What is Radiation?
Fossil fuels kill about 8 million people every single year, which is more than the populations of Aotearoa and most of the remaining Pacific Islands put together.Nuclear power, though - it’s the one that evokes all of that terror and fear, and, well, fair enough because radiation sickness is terrifying. But I am fascinated by nuclear energy ever since I found out that Chernobyl happened on my birthday, albeit the year before I was born, but still - fascinating.The big fact is that nuclear is a far safer way to create energy than fossil fuels.So it begs the question: if nuclear energy’s fatality rate is orders of magnitude lower than coal’s, why are we still burning coal like it's 1890?To get into this, I’m doing a 4-part series on nuclear power, and to start with, I’ll be discussing what it actually is.In this episode I share:What is an atom, what's it made of and how can they be changedHow atoms can become reactiveWhat nuclear reactions are and the creation of isotopesThe two types of radiationWhat the 4 main types of ionising radiation areNeutrons and their role in radiation and nuclear reactorsThe fear and danger that comes with radiationKey Quotes“Ionising radiation can knock electrons out of DNA molecules and that is what ultimately can lead to cancer.”“Ultimately radiation is if the neutron to proton ratio in an atom isn’t balanced, it calms itself by emitting energy.”Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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13:48
Can Rewilding Save the Planet? Wolves, Wildflowers & “Going Feral?”...
Kia ora, I’m Brianne – and I’m the kind of irritating person who wants to talk about rewilding. Particularly wildflowers.If you follow me on social media, you might be over this topic. And if you are… I’m sorry, but you’re probably in the wrong place today — because that’s exactly what this episode is about.This one’s a little bit special. For one, Earth Day is basically right after this episode goes live, so it feels like a cosmic sign that we should talk about giving the planet some love.But also, rewilding isn’t something I’ve just read about in glossy magazines. It’s something I’ve been doing — actively — for years. And I’m absolutely seeing the payoff in my own garden. It’s really quite remarkable how quickly the planet can regenerate if we just leave it alone… or better yet, give it a helping hand.So I wanted to actually explain what rewilding is, how you can do it, and why it’s a bloody important thing to be doing.In this episode I share:What exactly rewilding isSuccessful rewildingAn example of rewilding working in a cityHow you can rewild an entire ecosystem by changing/fixing one elementWhat the sweet spot for the rewilding approach isIs de-extinction rewildingWhat has happened on my lifestyle block that I am rewildingWhat marine re wilding is and how it helpsOne thing any of you can do today to do a little bit of rewilding.Key Quotes“You don’t have to rewild in any particular way.”“We need healthy forests and wetlands and grasslands because they store carbon far more effectively than bloody pine forests do.”‘The idea that it’s just letting everything go wild is an over simplification.”Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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33:16
How to Eat Chocolate Without Supporting Child Labour (Easter Edition)
It’s Easter time and we are all rushing to the stores to buy over packaged Easter eggs. While we love the taste of chocolate it’s a sad fact that every sale further supports forced labour and environmental destruction.I have spoken about this before and received a cease and desist letter from a chocolate company, even though everything I said was factually correct. This podcast focuses on sustainability and for this episode we are looking at an aspect of sustainability we don’t always discuss. People. We’ll be discussing why a lot of chocolate companies suck and who you should buy from instead.In this episode I share:The surprising place that 70% of the worlds cocoa beans come fromHow much profit the growers and farmers of cocoa take home compared to the companies that on sell itThe average yearly income of fair trade farmers and how it has increasedHow 80% of deforestation has occurred because of cocoa in some regionsHow fair trade is involved in fixing the social issues from chocolate purchasesThe flaws in the fair trade processWhat Direct trade is and it can also helpThe pros and cons of direct tradeThe social and environmental implications of palm oilHow a customer response to Cadbury has caused the company to make changes in the pastWhy switching from using palm oil is not the option to fix thingsWhat you can do as a consumer this easterTricks to look out for when it comes to certificationWhy you should skip easter eggs entirelyThe unbelievable amount easter eggs have increased by in priceMy recommendations for ethical chocolate for easter this yearWho I don’t recommend you buy from this easterKey Quotes“Chocolate, it's creamy it's sweet it melts in your mouth. But for every delicious bite you take, chocolate drives a bitter twisted tale of forced labour and environmental destruction.”“It's impossible to buy and do the right things all of the time.”“Sustainability is about progress not perfection. And it’s not about feeling guilty, because you can't be perfect, we are in a cost of living crisis.”More InformationChocolate I recommend:Tony's ChocolonelyMind Your TemperBennettoSolomons Gold ChocolateTrade AidHonest ChocolatShe Universe Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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17:01
Antibiotics Are Failing Us: Here’s What Comes Next
This one’s probably a bit of a bleaker episode, but it’s about something absolutely fascinating that we should know more about: Antimicrobial resistance. By 2050, it could kill more people than cancer.Now, in this episode I use the terms antimicrobial and antibiotic interchangeably. Technically they’re not the same thing — but for the sake of this episode, they are.This is a huge issue we’re all facing, and most of us are completely unaware of it.In this episode, I share:The history of antibiotic overuseWhat antimicrobial resistance actually isThe 3 types of microbial resistance — and why they should scare usThe pathogens that are really scary (because they resist antibiotics)Who will suffer the most from rising antimicrobial resistanceHow the anti-vax movement is making it harder to slow the spreadHow gene-editing technology is creating precision antibioticsThe best solution we have to this crisisHow geopolitics influenced Western scepticism about phagesWhy it’s hard to use phages in Western medicineAnd the few (but fixable) problems with phagesKey Quotes“More than 1.3 million people every year already die because antibiotics no longer work for them.”More info I mentioned the book the good virus which you can check out here.Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
Join Brianne West, environmentalist and social entrepreneur, as she wanders through the world of 'sustainability'. "Now, That's What I Call Green" busts myths, shares the science, and talks about the amazing world we live in (with lots of cute animals). Does rewilding help? But what can I do? Are electric cars better? Is it too late to do something about climate change? Why don't sharks have bones? For those curious about the environment and eager to make a difference, tune in for a non-judgmental, evidence-based approach that is all about progress over perfection.
New Zealand