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compact fluorescent light bulbThe Green Divide
On today's Underreported, a look at which works better - small localized conservation projects, or big environmental organizations like the Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund. Also: the darker side of compact fluorescent light bulbs: they're energy-efficient, but the mercury inside them needs to be disposed of properly. Then, Martha Plimpton on her Shakespeare in the Park performance. We'll talk to two roller-skating acrobats now appearing in an adults-only circus. And find out why 1932 was a miracle year for physics.
Underreported: Conservation, Big and Small
Which is more effective: large-scale conservation practices or smaller, more localized organizations? Large international NGOs like The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund have contributed a lot to global conservation efforts. But some scientists and policymakers worry that conservation is being corporatized, at the expense of local programs and leadership. On the first part of this week’s Underreported, Leonard speaks with Dr. Mary Pearl, President of Wildlife Trust, and Jon Paul Rodríguez of the Center for Ecology of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Investigations. They're co-authors of a recent article in Science magazine, which you can download here from wildlifetrust.org.
Underreported: The Darker Side of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs are catching on as stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot encourage their customers to make the switch. But inside each bulb is about 5 milligrams of toxic mercury. On the second part of Underreported, Leonard will be speaking with Lisa Rainwater, policy director at Riverkeeper, to find out whether that mercury offsets the environmental benefits of using the bulbs, and what lawmakers and retailers are doing to help customers safely dispose of their used compact fluorescents.
New Yorkers can drop off their used compact fluorescents at special drop-off sites around the city. For more information, go to NYCWasteLe$$ website. IKEA is also accepting used CFBs for recycling.
Martha Plimpton Does Shakespeare in the Park
Martha Plimpton has just finished a Tony-nominated turn in Tom Stoppard’s “Coast of Utopia.” She now joins Leonard to talk about her new role in the Shakespeare in the Park production of a “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Performances of Shakespeare in the Park will be Tuesday through Sunday at 8pm. Tickets are FREE. For additional information, call (212) 539-8750 or visit the Public Theater website
Adults-Only Acrobatics
There’s a circus on the New York City pier of South Street Seaport, but it’s not for kids. The adults-only variety show, called “Absinthe,” bills itself as acro-burlesque. The biggest draw is the acrobatic rollerskating pair, Jean-Pierre and Wanda Poisenette, also known as the Skating Willers. Ross Mollison, the director and producer of “Absinthe,” joins the Skating Willers to talk about acro-burlesque.
Faust in Copenhagen
1932 was a miracle year for physics. It saw the discovery of the neutron and the first artificially induced nuclear transmutation. At the same time, Europe was moving closer toward totalitarianism and war. This was the backdrop for the historic gathering of forty of the world’s leading physicists in Copenhagen in 1932. Physicist Gino Segrè captures this moment, when physics and the world was about to lose its innocence, in Faust in Copenhagen.
Faust in Copenhagen is available for purchase at amazon.com
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Patrick Swayze
The Leonard Lopate Show
Patrick Swayze mixed grace with athleticism in his movies – and rose to stardom with roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” He died just recently after a battle with pancreatic cancer. And you can hear his interview with Leonard Lopate from July 16, 2002, when he came by to discuss appearing in the film, “Green Dragon.”
- Comments [2]
The Silver Anniversary of the Silver Palate
The Leonard Lopate Show
Sheila Lukins was one half of a partnership that helped popularize gourmet cooking throughout America – first, through their gourmet food shop in New York City and then with the cookbook, The Silver Palate, which remains one of the top-selling cookbooks of all time. She collaborated on 2 other cookbooks that simplified gourmet cooking for the home cook. She died recently from brain cancer at the age of 66, and you can listen to her 2007 conversation with Leonard Lopate and her business partner Julee Rosso about the 25th Anniversary of the publication of The Silver Palate.
Dominick Dunne
The Leonard Lopate Show
Dominick Dunne was a famous novelist and Hollywood producer. But he may be best remembered for covering trials of the rich and famous – from Claus von Bulow to O. J. Simpson. He died just recently at the age of 83. But you can still hear his interview with Leonard from November 23, 2001, when he was discussing crimes, trials, and punishments.
Video Pick: The J.D. Allen Trio
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Robert Stone on Nixon and Earth Day
- Moby on Music Business
- Nicholas Bakalar on The Medicine Cabinet of Curiosities
- Robert Feldman on The Liar in Your Life
- Matt Taibbi on Goldman Sachs
- Arianna Huffington on Pigs at the Trough
- Joel Grey on Images from My Phone
- Lawrence McDonald on The Fall of Lehman Brothers
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Let’s Go Swimming!
The Leonard Lopate Show
According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.
- Comments [33]
Frank McCourt
The Leonard Lopate Show
Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.
- Comments [1]
Science and Faith
The Leonard Lopate Show
Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.
FDA to Regulate Tobacco?
The Leonard Lopate Show
May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.
- Comments [9]
Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.
Leonard is on Facebook
Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.
Barack Obama, Circa 2004
The Leonard Lopate Show
Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.
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Guest Picks
The Leonard Lopate Show
Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?
