Ecochat

About Ecochat

We discuss the latest topics in conservation, sustainability, animal welfare, and environmental science. In each episode, we chat with experts in the field to explore the most pressing issues facing our planet today, and learn how you and I can make a difference.

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Dec 2022

Latest episode

3 Feb 2024

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Feb 2024

   Whale Watching: The Good, The Bad, & How It Works [Ecochat]

   Dolphin/whale watching is a popular tourist activity around the world. I invite WeWhale founder Janek Andre to learn about the whale watching industry, how it affects nearby marine animals, and how we can make it more ecofriendly. Resources mentioned: WeWhale: https://wewhale.co/ Recommended documentaries: The Cove, Blackfish, Seaspiracy Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

2. 

   13 Jan 2024

   How To Save A Species From Extinction [Ecochat]

   There are over 44,000 species threatened with extinction, but only a few of them get most of the funding and conservation attention. I invite Scott Trageser, Executive Director and Board Chair of The Biodiversity Group, to discuss this imbalance, and learn what exactly it entails to save a species from extinction. Resources mentioned: The Biodiversity Group https://biodiversitygroup.org/ Connect & Conserve https://connectandconserve.org/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

3. 

   29 Dec 2023

   Creating Sanctuaries For Captive Whales & Dolphins [Ecochat]

   Keeping dolphins and whales in tanks is psychological torture and could lead to numerous chronic issues. But releasing them back into the wild is often not feasible. I invite Dr. Lori Marino, founder and president of the Whale Sanctuary Project, to learn about how we can offer a better life to dolphins and whales in captivity. Whale Sanctuary Project: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/ Recommended documentary on whales in captivity - Blackfish: https://www.netflix.com/title/70267802 Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Vjb2NoYXQvZmVlZC54bWw

4. 

   21 Nov 2023

   How to Assess & Improve Welfare of Zoo Animals

   How do we know that zoo animals are kept in adequate welfare conditions, and that their behavioral and psychological needs are actually met? I invite Dr. Isabella Clegg, founder of Animal Welfare Expertise, to discuss the science behind animal welfare in zoos, and how we can improve living conditions for these animals. Resources mentioned: Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA): https://www.aza.org/ European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) https://www.eaza.net/ American Humane https://www.americanhumane.org/ Animal Welfare Expertise https://www.animalwelfareexpertise.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnimWelfareExpt IG: https://www.instagram.com/animalwelfareexpertise/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/animalwelfareexpertise

5. 

   6 Sept 2023

   What’s It Like for Factory Farmed Animals? Shocking Truths You Need to Know [Ecochat]

   We discuss what it's like for farmed animals behind the scenes. For most consumers, our only interaction with this industry is buying meat, eggs, or diary at the grocery store. But what happens before that? I invite Claire Hamlett, freelance writer on animal justice, animal agriculture, and the environment, to uncover this mystery. We focus on the 3 main farmed animals: chickens, pigs, and cows. Resources mentioned: Animal Justice Project https://www.animaljusticeproject.com/ Faunalytics https://faunalytics.org/ Hogwood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogwood:_a_modern_horror_story Sentient Media https://sentientmedia.org/ Follow Claire: https://twitter.com/HamlettClaire Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.youtube.com/@ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Vjb2NoYXQvZmVlZC54bWw

6. 

   7 Jun 2023

   The Truth Behind Animal Testing - Does it Work? What are the Alternatives?

   What is animal testing? Is it necessary, and does it even work? Are there better alternatives? I invite Dr. Faraz Harsini, Founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection (ASAP), to learn all about animal testing and dispel myths surrounding this topic. We discuss ethics, effectiveness, and why animal testing actually hinders medical advancement. We talk about the many alternatives that exists and legal implications as well. Resources (in order mentioned): Elephant man clinical trial (TGN1412) Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM): https://www.pcrm.org/ PETA Alternatives to Animal Testing: https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/alternatives-animal-testing/ White Coat Waste Project: https://www.whitecoatwaste.org/ Center for Contemporary Sciences: https://contemporarysciences.org/ Allied Scholars for Animal Protection (ASAP): https://www.alliedscholars.org/ Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrFarazHarsini Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrFarazHarsini Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Vjb2NoYXQvZmVlZC54bWw

7. 

   17 May 2023

   AI for Conservation - Assessing Rainforest Biodiversity in Gabon, Ecosystem Health in the Arctic, and More

   How can we apply AI to conservation? How does it even work? I invite Jędrzej Świeżewski, Head of AI at Appsilon, to learn all about AI, machine learning, neural networks, image recognition. We dive into several case studies: Mbaza AI: A computer vision app for assessing biodiversity in Africa. It has recently been recognized by UNESCO as one of the top 10 global projects contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. https://ircai.org/top100/entry/mbaza-ai/ Monitoring the ecosystem health of the Arctic Ocean. Counting nests to assess the health of the Antarctic Ecosystem. Resources: https://data4good.appsilon.com/ https://appsilon.com/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550 https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Vjb2NoYXQvZmVlZC54bWw

8. 

   8 May 2023

   Empowering Communities to Save Sulawesi’s Endangered Wildlife [Ecochat]

   We explore the beauty and diversity of Sulawesi, a natural paradise home to many unique species found nowhere else in the world. I invite Sherazade, Co-Director of PROGRES, to discuss how her team is working to protect endangered wildlife and empower local communities. Resources: https://www.progressulawesi.id/ https://www.instagram.com/progresulawesi/ https://twitter.com/SheraGoesBoing Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.facebook.com/ecochat.podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550

9. 

   17 Apr 2023

   Saving Frogs from the Chytrid Fungus [Ecochat]

   Frogs & other amphibians are considered the most threatened land animals on Earth. We interview Dr. Nicholas Wu to discuss the global decline of frogs and the threats they're facing, including pollution and climate change. In particular, we focus on the Chytrid fungus, which is the world's most devastating pathogen on biodiversity, affecting over 500 species of frogs. Resources: iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/ Frog ID: https://www.frogid.net.au/ Nicholas' Twitter: @NicholasWuNZ Nicholas' Website: https://wunicholas.wixsite.com/home

10. 

    30 Mar 2023

    AI for Conservation - Using Machine Learning to Stop Poaching [Ecochat]

    We interview Lily Xu, AI researcher at Harvard, who has built a machine learning system to reduce poaching efforts in protected areas around the world. We'll dig into how that works, and discuss the potential of AI for conservation. Resources: Protection Assistant for Wildlife Security (PAWS): https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/feif/Publications/2017_BookChapter_PAWS.pdf SMART: https://smartconservationtools.org/ Lily's website: https://lily-x.github.io/ AI for Social Impact: https://ai4sibook.org/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.facebook.com/ecochat.podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8 https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/ecochat/id1661254550

11. 

    8 Mar 2023

    From Puppy Mill to Pet Store - Where Do Dogs Come From? [Ecochat]

    How/where are dogs produced and sold? I invite John Goodwin, Senior Director of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign at The Humane Society of the United States, to learn about the supply chain of pet dogs. Resources: The Humane Society of the United States - Stop Puppy Mills Campaign https://www.facebook.com/HSUSPuppyMills/ https://www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/stopping-puppy-mills The Doggie in the Window by Rory Kress https://www.amazon.com/Doggie-Window-Factory-Uncover-Puppies/dp/1492651826 Find your elected officials https://secured.humanesociety.org/page/78532/action/1?locale=en-US Rehab and rehoming of retired breeding dogs: National Mill Dog Rescue https://nmdr.org/ Finding Shelter https://www.findingshelter.org/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.facebook.com/ecochat.podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

12. 

    22 Feb 2023

    Snakes in Asia - The Role of Religion & Culture in Conservation [Ecochat]

    I chat with Dr. Felix Landry Yuan to discuss the interplay between religion, culture, and conservation, with a focus on snakes in Asia. We focus on serpent gods, snakebite, snake soup, and culturally protected areas across Asia. Resources: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RyXW8qYAAAAJ https://www.instagram.com/yamroots/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.facebook.com/ecochat.podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

13. 

    7 Feb 2023

    Discover Dog Meat - Interview with an Organic, Humane Dog Meat Farm

    Dog meat - it tastes even better than bacon and steak! Don't worry, the farm we interviewed, Elwood's Organic Dog Meat, is organic certified, humanely raised, and free range. We learn all about dog meat, farm operations, getting certified, and of course, we'll cover the ethics and controversies involved as well. Elwood's Organic Dog Meat https://www.elwooddogmeat.com/ https://twitter.com/ElwoodDogMeat https://www.instagram.com/elwoodsorganicdog/ Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://www.facebook.com/ecochat.podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

14. 

    23 Dec 2022

    Coexisting with Mountain Lions - Dr. Alys Granados [Ecochat]

    We learn about mountain lions with Dr. Alys Granados, an ecologist at the Felidae Fund. We discuss mountain lion ecology, common misconceptions, and how we can live in harmony with these charismatic creatures. Resources: Felidae Conservation Fund http://felidaefund.org/ Bay Area Puma Project https://bapp.org/ Mongabay - Conservation & Environmental Science News https://news.mongabay.com/ Dr. Alys Granados https://twitter.com/granadosalys Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

15. 

    23 Dec 2022

    Saving Pangolins - The World’s Most Trafficked Mammal - Elisa Panjang [Ecochat]

    Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world. We invite pangolin conservationist Elisa Panjang, who has helped elevate the status of the Sunda Pangolin to critically endangered. We discuss her work in education, policy change, and research, and how we can save pangolins from being poached to extinction. Resources: IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group https://www.pangolinsg.org/ Save Pangolins https://www.savepangolins.org/ Elisa Panjang https://www.facebook.com/elisa.panjang Relevant articles: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/2019/06/poaching-sending-shy-elusive-pangolin-its-doom https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3048633/pangolin-scale-smugglers-few-culprits-arrested Follow Ecochat: https://twitter.com/ecochat_podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71YBcQHcYHsYCj7nTcWZB8

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.