People, Plastic and Climate Change - with Rick Smith

Author, biologist, environmentalist, and political activist Rick Smith talks about the two biggest environmental threats of our generation.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the FDA’s continuing failure to regulate toxic chemicals, how a group of mothers are suing manufacturers of plastic food containers, and how the Trump administration is rolling back drinking water standards for certain PFAS chemicals. Then Rick Smith, author of "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" and President of the Canadian Climate Institute, talks about the dual crises of climate change and plastic pollution as a human health hazard. 

Links from the Interview

The Canadian Climate Institute: https://climateinstitute.ca/ Rick's bio and links to recent blogs: https://climateinstitute.ca/people/rick-smith/

Links from the News

FDA reform — not just narrow ingredient bans — is needed to make America healthier: https://www.ehn.org/fda-gras-loophole-opinion

Two California women sue over safety of Rubbermaid containers: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/05/14/rubbermaid-class-action-lawsuit-microplastics/83618735007/

Trump's EPA plans to roll back PFAS regulations: https://grist.org/regulation/epa-pfas-drinking-water-limits-trump-rollback/

Hormone Disruption with Dr. Laura Vandenberg

A wide range of consumer products contain chemicals that can play havoc with human development.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about America’s brain drain of scientists as the administration eliminates grants and guts federal health agencies, and how big agrochemical companies are seeking immunity from all liability for their toxic products. Then UMass professor Dr. Laura Vandenberg provides an overview of endocrine disrupting chemicals, their ubiquity in our culture, and how they can disrupt normal growth during critical periods of human development, including pregnancy.

Hormone Distruption with Dr. Laura Vandenberg

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Links from the Interview

Dr. Vandenberg's page at the UMASS School of Public Health and Health Sciences: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/laura-vandenberg

Links from the News

Bayer and other agro-chemical companies want Congress to give them immunity from lawsuits: https://civileats.com/2025/04/08/bayers-effort-to-block-roundup-lawsuits-kicks-into-high-gear/

France and the European Union are rolling out the welcome mat for scientists fired by DOGE. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/04/france-eu-us-based-scientists-come-to-europe-emmanuel-macron-ursula-von-der-leyen

Kids, Tech, and Health with Dr. Cindy Russell, M.D.

The radiation from wireless devices can be harmful, especially for kids.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the health impact of higher temperatures and rising humidity from climate change, President Trump's elimination of research on firefighters and cancer, and the relationship between wireless radiation exposure and lower fertility. Then Dr. Cindy Russell, Executive Director of Physicians for Safe Technology, talks about kids and cell phones, why cell phone bans at schools are a good thing, and the proven health impacts of near-constant exposure to radiation from all wireless devices. 

Kids, Tech, and Health with Dr. Cindy Russell

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Links from the Interview

Physicians for Safe Technology: https://mdsafetech.org/

PST page on technology in schools: https://mdsafetech.org/2023/08/03/medical-association-adopts-recommendations-for-best-practices-for-safe-technology-in-schools/

Links from the News

How does the body respond to high temperatures? https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/how-does-the-body-respond-to-dangerous-heat/

President Trump has cut funding to investigate firefighters and high level of cancer: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cuts-firefighter-deaths

How cell phone radiation can reduce fertility: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4074720/