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

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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)

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Dr. Michael McKibben from UC Riverside to explore and learn more about lithium, its environmental impacts, and the future of the lithium market in the US.

Traditional lithium extraction is very harmful to the environment. In the case of the salars in South America, they pump brine from underground into these large ponds where the sun evaporates and concentrates lithium and other metal ions in the water. This depletes groundwater levels and harms surrounding ecosystems.

The Salton Sea is seen as a potential hotspot for a more environmentally friendly method of lithium extraction called DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction) and if tapped into, could help the US become self-dependent in the lithium market.

0:00 Intro

4:04 Introduction to lithium

6:55 Where does lithium currently come from?

9:16 Extraction methods

12:26 Environmental concerns

14:24 Community impacts

15:28 Salton Sea and geothermal brine lithium extraction

23:02 Importance of domestic lithium production

25:32 Challenges of Salton Sea lithium extraction

30:18 How far are we from seeing USA lithium take off?

31:50 How much lithium is available in the USA?

33:13 Environmental impacts of geothermal brine extraction

36:24 Current research in the field

38:13 Closing

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Learn more about Dr. McKibben’s work!https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mckibben-1012b69/

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Dr. Mia Maltz, a professor of microbial biology and soil health from the University of Connecticut to discuss the health effects of the Salton Sea.

The Salton Sea is California's largest lake. But the area surrounding it has some of the highest rates of pediatric asthma in the country. Why is that? The lake is currently shrinking, and the lakebed is currently being exposed. Winds are picking the dust up and residents of Imperial County California are now breathing it in.

Stay tuned to learn more!

0:00 Intro

3:31 Overview of the Salton Sea

4:54 Overview of research

5:26 What is a microbiome?

6:41 Experimental methodology

10:22 Results

11:59 Similarities to the Great Salt Lake

14:22 What's actually causing the reactions to the dust?

17:05 What do you do with this data?

18:45 LPS (Lipopolysaccharides) and immune reactions

22:12 What's being done to protect the public?

22:57 Is it actually safe to visit the Salton Sea?

23:23 How does this affect surrounding communities?

25:16 Future of the Salton Sea

26:16 Restoration projects

28:43 Future research

31:04 Closing

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Learn more about Dr. Maltz's work and the Salton Sea!

https://www.miamaltz.com/

https://psla.uconn.edu/person/mia-maltz/https://www.saltonseasummit.org/

In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I’m joined by Brian Eyler, Director of the Energy, Water & Sustainability Program at The Stimson Center, to explore one of the most important rivers in the world: the Mekong.

Over 70 million people rely on this river for food, income, and transportation — but its future is changing fast. From hydropower dams and rare earth mining, to flood pulse disruption and climate-driven storms, the Mekong is becoming one of the most engineered and pressured rivers on the planet.

0:00 Intro

5: 11 Geography of the Mekong

6:39 Why is the Mekong "Mighty"?

10:10 Rare Earth Mining on the Mekong

14:10 Effects of damming the Mekong

15:05 What is the Mekong "Flood Pulse"?

20:00 Dams in China

23:06 Why does China feel a need to build such large dams?

26:11 Geopolitics of the region

31:17 Who feels the effects of these changes in the Mekong?

35:10 Climate change and its effects on the Mekong

38:07 What are the solutions to climate change along the Mekong?

43:22 US diplomatic relations in the region

47:00 Future of the Mekong

51:17 Closing

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Follow the Stimson Center Socials!

X: @mekongmonitor

X: @stimsoncenter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mekongdammonitor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stimsoncenter

Did you know that sea otters were almost hunted to extinction for their fur? In this Episode of H2O and Beyond, I'm joined by Mr. Ian Giancarlo from Environment Oregon to discuss the importance of Sea Otters in the ecosystem!

We'll talk about the history of sea otters, the exact role they play in maintaining kelp forests, what threats they face today, and future plans to help stabilize their populations.

We'll even share some fun facts about sea otters that may surprise you! Did you know that sea otters have the densest fur out of any mammal on earth?

0:00 Intro

4:38 What are Sea Otters?

7:36 What is a keystone species?

8:40 Why were they almost hunted to extinction?10:21 Failed reintroduction of sea otters

13:10 Historical attempts to help save sea otters

14:35 What happens to an ecosystem without otters?

18:49 Kelp Forests for oxygen production

22:15 How else do otters contribute to the ecosystem?

25:12 Biggest challenges otters face in today's world

29:48 Orcas eating sea otters

32:42 What's being done today to save the otters?

42:20 Closing Remarks

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Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/RNjdFLY2wSrk7PW2A

Follow the Environment Oregon Socials!

Instagram :@environmentoregon

Facebook: @enviroregon

X: @enviroregon

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In this episode of H2O and Beyond, I'm joined by Ms. Cassandra VanDyne from California State Parks to learn about the Salton Sea. It was once a desert oasis! Millions would flock here in the 1960s and 70s to swim, fish, boat, and even hold speedboat competitions!

However, once a desert paradise, it's turned into a public health and ecological disaster. All the fish inside have died out through mass extinction events and toxic dust is kicking up from the lake bed and causing residents in the surrounding area to fall ill. So what can be done to save it?

0:00 Intro

1:25 What is the Salton Sea?

6:13 Formation of the sea

12:30 Ecosystem of the sea

17:02 Why is the Salton Sea salty?

20:15 Pre-1970s Salton Sea Oasis

21:43 Decline of the sea

25:00 Fish Extinctions

28:55 Saving the Salton Sea

34:42 Closing Remarks

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

Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/RNjdFLY2wSrk7PW2A

Follow the Salton Sea Socials!

https://www.facebook.com/SaltonSeaSRA

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/6/Salton-Sea-Program/Background

https://water.ca.gov/saltonsea/

If you liked this episode, please Like and Subscribe!