Listen to the Documentary of the Week, Friday evenings at 8 on Public Radio 89.5-1
Aug 17, 2012 • America Abroad
Mexico: Looking Forward
Mexico isn't just another neighbor to the U.S. It's also our third-largest trading partner, outpacing Japan, Germany and the UK combined. So what will a change in Mexico's government mean for the United States? On this edition of America Abroad, we go to the border to talk about the future of border security after the Fast and Furious scandal. We'll learn about the Institutional Revolutionary Party, its history, and what some Mexicans are doing to prevent it from backsliding to an anti-democratic past. And we'll examine corruption in Mexico's school system, looking at a teachers' union considered by some to be the most powerful in the world.
Aug 24, 2012 • America Abroad
Diet-Climate Connection
What was the carbon footprint of your dinner last night? Agriculture is a huge emitter of greenhouse gases associated with climate change. This is an important emerging topic as Americans grapple with recent heatwaves, storms and other weather extremes as “the face of global warming”. Climate scientists increasingly focus on food production as a source of heat-trapping gases. We’ll discuss which foods have the lowest environmental footprint (fruits and vegetables) and which have the highest (red meat and dairy), and why. What’s fascinating is that public health experts recommend that we emphasize in our diets the same foods that scientists regard as most climate-friendly. That’s the connection between diet and climate. Meanwhile, landmark changes in USDA school meal requirements take effect nationwide in the academic term beginning Fall 2012. We will explain the new rules (which mandate that more fruits and vegetables be served to children), based on the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, and explore a new movement on hundreds of college campuses for more “sustainable dining”, as well as the coming changes in public school cafeterias.
Aug 31, 2012 • Climate One
In this episode of Climate One, a look under the hood at the liquid fuels that move our planes, trains and automobiles. Listeners will learn about peak oil, the rise of China as a global energy player, a debate about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline from Canada’s tar sands to refineries in Texas and segment, a surprising response from the world’s largest carmaker to tough new rules doubling auto fuel efficiency over the next 13 years. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California.
Climate One is a thriving leadership dialogue on energy, the environment and the economy. It brings together top thinkers and doers from business, government, academia and advocacy groups to advance the discussion about a clean energy future.
Guests include:
- Daniel Yergin, Author of “The Quest”
- Alex Pourbaix, President of pipelines at TransCanada
- Carl Pope, Former Chairman of the Sierra Club
- Shad Balch, Spokesman for General Motors
- Chris Paulson, Vice President of Coda Automotive
Sept 7, 2012 • American RadioWorks
Grit, Luck and Money: Preparing Kids for College and Getting Them Through
More people are attending college than ever before, but many aren't finishing. Among low-income students, only nine percent complete a bachelor's degree by age 24. Why are so many students quitting college? What leads a few to beat the odds? ARW's Emily Hanford interviews young people trying to enter the ranks of the middle class, teachers trying to increase their chances, and researchers investigating the nature of persistence.
Sept 14, 2012 • American RadioWorks
Keyboard College: How Technology is Revolutionizing Higher Education
Technology is changing the way many Americans go to college. From online learning to simulation programs to smart-machine mentors, 21st-century students will be taught in fundamentally new ways. ARW's Stephen Smith asks whether these innovations can help more people get access to higher education and decrease the cost of college without sacrificing learning.
Sept 21, 2012 • American RadioWorks
The Rise of Phoenix: For-Profit Universities Shake Up the Academy
The rapid rise of for-profit colleges has provoked heated debate and opened new conversations about the costs, quality and purpose of higher learning. ARW's Emily Hanford examines the history and influence of the for-profit University of Phoenix, exploring how it and other for-profits are shaping the future of college education.