This I Believe - Rhode Island

After a powerful heatwave swept across the northeast last week, Possibly turned to its archive, looking for lessons about how to better prepare for extreme heat. We travel to Ahmedabad, India to learn more. The post How can we prepare for heat waves? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, fireworks will soon light up American skies. Do these tiny explosions have an impact on our environment or our health? The post How do fireworks affect the environment? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Rodenticides, used by farmers to keep rodent populations down and protect their crops, can cause all sorts of harm to wildlife, especially birds. But this week on Possibly we're talking to some farmers who are turning to a more natural pest control solution. The post Can owls help farms use fewer chemicals? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Advocates are calling for an unorthodox method to fight invasive species like the European green crab: just cook them up and eat them! The post If we can’t beat invasive species, should we eat them?  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

In part two of Possibly’s series on the dairy industry, we’re turning our attention to an age-old method used to efficiently store cheese. The post What’s a more sustainable way to store our cheese? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

We talk a lot about the carbon pollution that comes along with eating beef, but this week on Possibly we’re asking: what about eating dairy? How do they compare? The post What creates more carbon pollution: beef or dairy? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week on Possibly we explain why the paper that receipts are printed on can add a lot of complications, for recycling, and for your health too. The post Can you recycle receipts? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

These rare mushrooms are famous for their intense flavor, and their expensive price. But climate change may be driving those prices even higher. The post How is climate change altering the truffle industry? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

“Reducing your footprint” became one of the most familiar ways to talk about climate change, but why did that framing catch on? And what does it leave out? The post Where did the idea of a carbon footprint come from? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

With colorful windsocks and a gazebo, Providence artist Eli Nixon developed an art installation to bring attention to the air quality around the Port of Providence. This week on Possibly, we take a closer look. The post How is art bringing attention to air quality?  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week on Possibly we’re taking a look at the ships that carry our goods around the world. What would it look like to take fossil fuels out of the equation? The post Can you run a cargo ship on batteries? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

A research team at Brown called Breathe Providence is asking people to track what they smell, in an effort to better understand air pollution in Rhode Island. The post How can smell improve Rhode Island’s Air Quality?  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

With assisted migration, humans help move plant species into areas more suitable for their growth. But are there potential downsides to this human-led movement? The post Activists are migrating a tree north from Florida. Is that a good idea? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Possibly co-founder Stephen Porder has been on a home energy efficiency journey. We check in to see how his latest addition, new windows, are impacting the energy efficiency and comfort of the home. The post Should you replace your windows for energy efficiency? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

In Los Angeles, a new crop of curbside libraries are helping communities recover after last year’s wildfires. But instead of books, these libraries are full of seeds. The post What are seed libraries? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week on Possibly, we’re taking a closer look at how plastics have given the fossil fuel industry a new business platform — with hardly anyone noticing they’re even in the market. The post How are the plastic and fossil fuel industries connected? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Plastic products cost us, even after we’re done with them — That’s because municipal recycling is paid with taxpayer money. But could the companies that made these products be responsible for paying for them? The post What is extended producer responsibility? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Extreme heat can have serious health consequences, but until recently, public health researchers only had imprecise tools to study it. Brown University Professor Allan Just is working to change that. The post How do researchers know that heat waves affect our health? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Here are some of the best entries in NPR's 2025 College Podcast Challenge. The post Announcing the 2025 NPR College Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Our planet is getting hotter, but at the same time, snow storms seem to be getting bigger. In the wake of Rhode Island’s record setting blizzard, we’re looking back at a 2022 episode of Possibly that explains what’s going on. The post How has climate change affected our snow storms? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.