audioEARTH, a podcast from the American Geosciences Institute – Greenhouse

audioEARTH, a podcast from the American Geosciences Institute

Listen now to Episode 6: “Greenhouse

The word “greenhouse” brings to mind a few different ideas. Agriculture and growth, for starters. Protection from the cold, perhaps. Glass walls. Glass ceilings. Greenhouse also refers to a fundamental idea in climate science – the greenhouse effect. But did you know that the greenhouse effect was first discovered by a woman? In this episode we’re telling the story of this discovery by geoscientist Eunice Foote, and we’re talking with some of the people and organizations that are promoting women in the geosciences.


Guests are Mackenzie Cremeans, Ph.D. (Association of Women Geoscientists), Professor Collin Roesler, Ph.D. (Bowdoin College), and Heather Houlton (American Geosciences Institute).

This is the final episode of season 1! If you’ve enjoyed listening, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. It helps others find the show. Thanks!

audioEARTH connects Earth, science and people by sharing compelling audio stories about geoscience.

Suggested Reading:


Scare Pollution Why and How to Fix the EPA by Steve Milloy

Scare Pollution Why and How to Fix the EPA   

(Note: if you are a student or fact based professional or an environmental advocate (science based) – we recommend you read this book because it is clear the process of making and developing environmental regulations has moved away from the scientific method.  If you are a social justice warrior or an organizer or advocate, we also recommend reading this book, because if you really want to be an honest broker you should be open minded and get the facts.)

What is Scare Pollution about? Scare Pollution reveals the shockingly fraudulent science behind EPA’s flagship regulatory program which has been used to destroy the coal industry, justify global warming rules, and assert EPA’s control over our fossil fuel-dependent economy. Author Steve Milloy’s exposé tells the story of how he uncovered the fraud via his investigative journalism, original scientific research and revealing interactions with EPA, Congress, federal courts and green activists.

What is Scare Pollution’s main theme? EPA’s economy-destroying rules depend on the false claim that particulate matter (i.e. soot from smokestacks and tailpipes) is so toxic it kills 570,000 Americans per year. EPA claims even brief exposures to typical outdoor levels in the U.S. can kill almost instantly. Milloy thoroughly debunks this claim in multiple and creative ways ⎯ thereby clearly revealing the outrageous and costly fraud EPA has perpetrated on Americans.

What’s timely about Scare Pollution? President-elect Trump promised to rein in the out-of-control EPA. Scare Pollution shows just how out-of-control EPA is and offers a road map for reforming the agency.

What are some of Scare Pollution’s highlights?

Milloy Uncovers EPA’s Illegal Human Experiments – After EPA falsely claimed before Congress that inhaling even tiny amounts of soot was deadly, the agency sought to justify those outrageous claims with illegal experiments on elderly and sick subjects making them inhale diesel exhaust in an “exposure chamber.” EPA even experimented on 10-year old children with diesel exhaust.

The Exposure of EPA’s Secret Science – To avoid scrutiny of its false claims, EPA hid scientific data for more than 20 years – despite numerous demands from Congress including by subpoena and bills passed. Scare Pollution shows how Milloy discovered a treasure trove of data and led a team of scientific researchers to debunk EPA’s claims with new data.

Finally, a Much-Awaited Explanation of the Likely Cause of Historical Episodes of ‘Killer’ Air Pollution. EPA often cites fatal historical air pollution incidents to needlessly alarm the public about current air quality. Milloy finally debunks these claims with convincing analysis pointing to the likely actual culprit(s).

Recommendation: Scare Pollution: Why and How to Fix the EPA

Who endorses Scare Pollution?

“As a leader in the fight to protect our environment and public health for nearly three decades, I am keenly aware of the scientific shortcomings of EPA’s agenda-driven air regulations that impose significant costs on our economy while yielding no meaningful benefits. Scare Pollution provides great insight into these problems and contributes to a timely discussion for how to reform the EPA.”
– Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works

“Twenty years ago, I chaired the committee of independent science advisors reviewing EPA’s determination that fine particulate matter causes mortality at concentrations commonly experienced in outdoor air in the US. Most of the advisors doubted the EPA’s finding for a number of reasons including the lack of a plausible biological mechanism, but the agency set stringent standards anyway. Scare Pollution confirms the committee’s original doubts in unique and compelling ways, and indicates that EPA’s human exposure scientists do not believe the Agency’s determination either. It’s a must read for those interested in how science is used at the EPA.”

– Dr. George T. Wolff, former Chairman of the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee.

Notes (From Brian Oram):

1. I finished of reading Scare Pollution – I was shocked.  My entry into Environmental Education and Earth Sciences included reading books like: “The Beaches are Moving”, “A Sand County Almanac”, “Silent Spring”, “Love Canal”, “Environmental Law” and  “Our Stolen Future”.

2. After going through the hysteria associated with global cooling and calls for quick action in the 1970s and 1980s, it seems that emotions and not science and logic were taking hold.  Then in the 1990s, I started to see the rise of the environmental or social justice movement and began to see science being used more as a political tool than a fact-based tool.  There also appeared to be a rise in the application of environmental issues to some of the “softer” sciences, such as: sociology.

3. By 2000, I was near the peak of my professional career and it was clear environmental regulations were becoming less based on science and facts, but based on court cases and settlements by environmental advocacy groups.   I have been an advocate for science and fact based regulations, not what seems corrected or fair.  It is about facts, not fear and we make positive change through honest debate based on facts and we do not make environmental laws or economic decisions based on a hypothesis.

4. In 2009 to current, I have actively tried to be a fact based professional and scientist, but it is clear the problem has been a verbal and media assault on science and the facts and in many cases we no longer have active debate, discussion, and the scientific method is operating in reverse.   This condition can be easily seen by reviewing the hysteria associated with natural gas development, land development  (Clean Stream Regulations), erosion and sedimentation control (riparian buffer zones),  climate change, and suggestions by some state regulators that the fact that something was peer reviewed means it is correct and can be used to write laws.

5. Very sad to say that I think the social justice warrior and voice may be winning, I only hope that the scientific method stays the foundation of how we make decisions as a community.   Do not let the 12 Monkeys Win !   My first attempt at this fight was in 2016 April as part of  Keystone College National Public Health Week.    Local Article on the Presentation – “Social media hype can turn misleading stories into needless widespread panic, he said.”

I have never recommended a book to read – this is the first, but I strongly recommend “Scare Pollution“, 2016.

I also like “Human Caused Global Warming“, “Deliberate Corruption of Science“, and “A Disgrace of a Profession“. For “Human Caused Global Warming”, but I really wish the author hired and used an editor, but his other books are much better.  Another book, I strongly recommend ” Global Warming-Alarmists, Skeptics and Deniers: A Geoscientist Looks at the Science of Climate Change ” Paperback – Illustrated, January 20, 2012.

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