What happens when the people responsible for protecting public health become the ones doing the harm?

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Dr. Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech professor who was named to TIME’s 2016 TIME 100 for his role in helping expose the Flint water crisis. But this conversation goes far beyond Flint.

Dr. Edwards breaks down how the Washington D.C. lead crisis unfolded, why he believes government agencies knowingly covered up dangerous lead exposure for years, and what happens to scientists who refuse to stay quiet. We talk about the real consequences of whistleblowing, the collapse of trust in institutions, and why fixing water infrastructure becomes almost impossible once the public believes the system is lying.

We also dive into Flint—what was true, what got distorted, and why Dr. Edwards says the narrative around the crisis has sometimes caused harm of its own. Finally, he shares blunt advice for young scientists: how to stay honest in a system that rewards quantity over truth.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

5:19 The start of it all: Washington D.C

9:37 Experiences testifying in Congress

10:35 Bad scientists?

12:06 How can the EPA get away with lying to the public?

14:50 Why do most Americans not know about D.C?

15:54 Why did the EPA cut Dr. Edwards funding?

17:06 What kept Dr. Edwards pushing for the truth?

18:29 Punishments for whistleblowing

20:33 How bad was Flint, from a scientist’s perspective?

25:20 Are the kids in Flint really that much behind developmentally?

31:25 Why do scientists lie?

33:32 How do you deal with defamation as a scientist?

34:40 Problems with funding

37:17 Why do we reward quantity over quality in science?

41:09 Advice for young scientists

42:26 How do we solve this broken system of science right now?

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Dr. Edward's website:

https://www.webapps.cee.vt.edu/index.php?category=people&pagetype=bio&do=getprofile&user=edwards.html

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10103158/

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Ian Giancarlo, Oceans Advocate at Environment Oregon, to break down what’s really happening to salmon in the Pacific Northwest—and why dams on rivers like the Columbia and Snake are at the center of the crisis.

For thousands of years, salmon have made one of the most demanding migrations on Earth. From the Pacific Ocean, they swim hundreds—sometimes thousands—of miles upstream to the exact rivers where they were born. But today, that journey is being cut short. Some salmon runs have declined by over 90%!

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Intro

4:00 The great salmon migration

12:49 Dam effects on salmon runs

20:14 Salmon farms

21:48 Resident orcas and starvation

28:17 What would happen if we removed all dams?

33:54 Run for salmon runs

37:52 Arguments against dam removal

40:06 Closing

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Learn more about Mr. Giancarlo's work!

https://environmentamerica.org/oregon/center/updates/the-run-for-salmon-runs-crosses-the-finish-line/

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Dr. Kevin Perry from the University of Utah to uncover the science behind one of the most urgent environmental issues in the American West: the shrinking Great Salt Lake and the dust it’s leaving behind.

Dr. Perry spent years studying the exposed lakebed — even biking more than 2,300 miles around it — to map where dust originates and what’s actually in it. His research reveals surprising truths about arsenic levels, dust “hotspots,” and how only a small fraction of the lakebed is responsible for most dust emissions.

We’ll also dig into his thoughts on the role of scientists in today’s society, and how important it is to maintain credibility as a researcher.

0:00 Intro

6:15 Introduction to the Great Salt Lake

8:25 Why is the lake shrinking?

12:23 What happens when the lake shrinks?

14:03 Research techniques utilized

18:23 Elements of concern in the dust

24:19 Dust events in Utah

28:41 Current efforts to save the lake

34:49 Future of the lake

38:10 Role of scientists in society

42:58 Advice for listeners

46:32 Closing

🎧 Listen to more episodes & follow us here: https://linktr.ee/h2oandbeyond

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Learn more about Dr. Perry’s work!

https://gardner.utah.edu/great-salt-lake-strike-team/ (Great Salt Lake Strike Team)

https://webapps.usgs.gov/gsl/ (USGS Hydromapper - GSL Data

)https://greatsaltlake.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/Great-Salt-Lake-Strategic-Plan-1.pdf (GSL Strategic Plan)

https://water.utah.gov/gsl-basin-integrated-plan/ (GSL Basin Integrated Plan)

https://d1bbnjcim4wtri.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/10101816/GSL_Dust_Plumes_Final_Report_Complete_Document.pdf (GSL Dust Composition Report)