Short Wave

Hurricane season is heating up: Hurricane Francine hit Louisiana last week and dumped rain across the South, and forecasters expect more stormy activity in the Atlantic in the next few weeks. A big factor in this stormy weather is our extremely warm oceans. Scientists know climate change is the main culprit, but NPR climate correspondent Rebecca Hersher [https://www.npr.org/people/384067907/rebecca-hersher] has been following the quest to figure out the other reasons. Hint: They may involve volcanoes and the sun. Read more [https://www.npr.org/2024/08/14/nx-s1-5051849/hot-oceans-climate-science] of Rebecca's reporting on this topic. Questions about hurricanes or other weather disasters? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org] – we'd love to hear your ideas! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

We close out Climate Solutions Week [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/06/g-s1-19303/food-climate-solutions] with a look at the final step in the food system: waste. Roughly 30-40% of all food produced globally gets thrown out — a huge problem when it comes to climate change. Shuggie's Trash Pie and Natural Wine [https://www.shuggiespizza.com/about-us] has answers for what to do with all that waste – be it bruised fruit and wilted greens salad or meatballs made out of beef hearts. The San Francisco restaurant describes itself as a "climate-solutions restaurant" — and they're hoping you find these dishes appealing. Or at least, that you're willing to give them a try. Shuggie's is one of a growing number of eateries trying to address this problem. Interested in hearing more climate solutions? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Climate change is contributing to erratic weather where cocoa beans are grown and threatening the global chocolate supply. Record rainfall last year led to fungal infections among cacao trees and dwindled supply of cocoa beans. Heat is also making it more difficult for cocoa beans to thrive. So, for day three of Climate Solutions Week [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/06/g-s1-19303/food-climate-solutions], we look at one innovation in the food industry: chocolate substitutes. As big chocolate manufacturers rush to stockpile cocoa beans, some companies like Planet A Foods [https://planet-a-foods.com/]are looking for a more sustainable solution: an alternative that looks like chocolate, tastes like chocolate and feels like chocolate... without chocolate. You can read more of international correspondent Rob Schmitz's reporting here [https://www.npr.org/people/493268904/rob-schmitz]. Interested in hearing more climate solutions? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org] – we'd love to hear your ideas! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Since the height of the pandemic, there has been a boom in the use of food delivery services. Day 2 of NPR's Climate Solutions Week is all about the environmental impacts of how we shop for our food. So in this episode, NPR correspondent Scott Neuman [https://www.npr.org/people/131724812/scott-neuman] reports on a question we've all wanted to know the answer to: What is the impact of getting food delivered on our carbon footprint? Interested in hearing more climate solutions? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org] – we'd love to hear your ideas! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

In California's Napa Valley, the nation's unofficial wine capital, one varietal reigns supreme: cabernet sauvignon. But climate change is threatening the small blue-black grapes for which cabernet sauvignon is named. Increasingly severe heat waves are taking a toll on the grape variety, especially in late summer during ripening. To kick off NPR's Climate Solutions Week [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/06/g-s1-19303/food-climate-solutions], climate correspondent Lauren Sommer [https://www.npr.org/people/803934365/lauren-sommer] joins host Regina G. Barber [https://www.npr.org/people/1082526815/regina-g-barber] for a deep dive into the innovations wineries are actualizing — and the ways that cabernet farmers and fans alike could learn to adapt. Climate change is affecting our food, and our food is affecting the climate. NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about the search for solutions. [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/06/g-s1-19303/food-climate-solutions] Read more [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/09/nx-s1-5002055/wine-cabernet-napa-climate-change]of Lauren's reporting on how climate change is affecting wine. Interested in hearing more climate solutions? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]