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Water seems to many of us like an unlimited resource, what with oceans covering 71% of the Earth’s surface. But less than 3% of the world’s water is fresh, and nearly a third of that is groundwater, found deep beneath the surface in aquifers between soil and rock. Many of the world’s aquifers are drying up as we over-pump them for irrigation, drinking water, and industrial uses. Does the depletion of groundwater pose an existential threat to humanity? Joe and Mark slosh around in the many uses (and abuses) of groundwater, which aquifers are under strain, why we’ve allowed that to happen, and what we can do to replenish them. (Recorded July 17, 2025).

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What do the following household items have in common: A jar of aspirin; a tube of toothpaste; a clear plastic bottle; a package of KN-95 masks? Answer: they all expire on a certain date. Indeed, our homes are full of stuff we’re supposed to throw away long before we’re done with it. But do these products truly go bad, or are their producers planning their obsolescence so you’ll buy them again and again? Don’t mind Mark and Joe as they forage through your medicine cabinet, pantry, and hall closet to demystify expiration dates once and for all. (Recorded July 3, 2025.)

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For decades, American suburbia has resembled one continuous green lawn stretching across property boundaries in every direction. Indeed, lawns are part of the fabric of American life. When was it that we all decided to put grass around our homes, and why? Joe and Mark ramble through America’s iconic yardscape to dig up the history of grassy lawns, why they took hold here, and whether recent anti-lawn proclivities will eventually take root or be RoundedUp and killed like yesterday’s crabgrass. (Recorded June 13, 20025.)