We’re hearing it more and more: Solar farms in Wisconsin are taking away prime farmland used for food. But it turns out, a million acres of farmland in Wisconsin are already being used energy production by growing corn for ethanol. A quarter of all the corn grown in our state is processed into ethanol. Nationwide, it’s 45%. But which land use produces the most energy per acre, corn or solar? And how much land do we really need for solar in Wisconsin to end our reliance on coal and gas?  Hear from Clean Wisconsin Science Program Director Paul Mathewson, Ph.D., about his latest analysis that’s been getting a lot of attention. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin Background Reading: Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison Wisconsin's Roadmap to Net Zero report Modeling shows Koshkonong Solar Energy Center will improve the health of nearby waterways Clean Wisconsin Science Program page Like “State of Change”? Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Six years ago, families in Marinette and Peshtigo, Wis., got the news that would change everything, for them, and eventually the whole state. PFAS from firefighting foam produced for years at nearby Tyco Fire Products had infiltrated groundwater, creeks, streams and drinking water wells across the area. Now University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers say they’ve linked contamination in Lake Michigan's Green Bay to Tyco. But it’s an issue that goes far beyond Green Bay. PFAS have been found in water bodies and drinking water sources across the state, including Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, Rhinelander, Marshfield, Manitowoc and Wausau, often near airports and airbases where training with firefighting foam has gone on for decades. While two types of PFAS chemicals called PFOA and PFOS have been phased out in the U.S. and will soon be regulated in drinking water by the EPA, there are thousands more, many of which are still widely used in all kinds of consumer products. Hear what needs to happen next to get a handle on growing PFAS contamination across Wisconsin and the world. Guests:  Dr. Christy Remucal, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison. Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin Host: Amy Barrilleaux Background Reading Find out more about PFAS contamination in Wisconsin Read the latest PFAS Fish Consumption Advisories for Wisconsin View an interactive map of PFAS contamination sites in Wisconsin Like “State of Change”? Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

What does the We Energies rate case tell us about how Wisconsin energy companies make money? Spoiler Alert: It’s not by promoting energy efficiency. We Energies customers across Wisconsin are bracing for higher bills. The company is asking the Public Service Commission to approve a large rate hike, insisting its investment in new solar and wind infrastructure is driving the increase. But We Energies customers are still paying off a $2 billion construction price tag for the company’s Oak Creek coal plant completed in 2011, and they’ll keep paying long after it’s shut down in two years. The Oak Creek coal plant may be a burden for customers, but it was a windfall for We Energies’ shareholders. Experts say that points to a big problem with the way energy utilities in Wisconsin make money. Hear from Clean Wisconsin attorney Katie Nekola about what has to change – and find out and what other states are doing to bring power to the people in the face of rising bills. Find out more about Clean Wisconsin's legal work at the Public Service Commission here: https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/our-work/legal-action/ Episode Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Katie Nekola, General Counsel, Clean Wisconsin

How often do we think about the food we eat and its impact on climate?   A new food product called Kernza® perennial grain is part of a major effort to fight climate change by changing what we plant and eat. But can Kernza really find a place on dinner tables – and in cereal bowls –across Wisconsin? In this episode, we sit down to taste a few samples and learn why changing farming systems is key to helping our climate.   Kernza® is the perennial grain crop from an improved intermediate wheatgrass developed by The Land Institute in Kansas. Research partners in the US, including Wisconsin and Minnesota, and abroad continue to improve the grain.   Thank you to our guests: Nicole Tautges, agro-ecologist with the Michael Field Institute; Valentin Picasso, associate professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Scott Laeser, Clean Wisconsin Water Program Director   Host: Amy Barrilleaux, Clean Wisconsin   Background Reading:   Agriculture is responsible for 15% of Wisconsin’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and that contribution is growing. Find out how natural climate solutions like perennial agriculture can help – and why they’re urgently needed in Wisconsin: cleanwisconsin.org/natural-climate-solutions Like “State of Change”? Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org.  

Despite science proving the climate crisis is real, many people are reluctant to take action against it, or even care! In this episode, we break down why that is and how the words we use to talk about climate change and who those words are coming from can influence the way we think about it. We first sit down with Ph.D. student Mikhaila Calice from the Department of Life Sciences Communication at UW-Madison who is researching why some people react differently to the phrase climate change, how our political climate has influenced the way we think about it and what we all can do to bring more people into the fight to protect our future. Later in the episode, we hear from Dr. Andrew Lewandowski, a pediatrician in Madison, who has started communicating climate change to his patients and measuring its effectiveness. Background Reading: Learn more about climate change and the work Clean Wisconsin is doing to fight it. Read Dr. Andrew Lewandowski's study "Patients value climate change counseling provided by their pediatrician: The experience in one Wisconsin pediatric clinic" Clean Wisconsin's Climate Change Mini-Report includes different recommendations that can help move Wisconsin forward on addressing climate change while building healthy communities and a healthy economy for all.

When you think about Wisconsin’s great outdoors, you might picture our lakes and rivers, our hiking trails that lead to breathtaking bluffs and waterfalls, but you might not think about our wetlands. Even though they cover more than five-million acres of our state, wetlands don’t always top the list of Wisconsin’s most beloved outdoor spaces. But maybe they should, especially considering we’ve lost more than half of our wetlands in just the last century or so.   In this episode, come along with us as we walk through a wetland in south-central Wisconsin with Katie Beilfuss of the Wisconsin Wetland Association to learn about these special places and why people are fighting to keep them protected and preserved.  

Climate change is making summers hotter, leaving people without air conditioning in Milwaukee and other cities vulnerable to its dangerous health impacts. Low-income communities and communities of color are often more likely to experience the harsh impacts of severe heat brought by climate change. In this episode, we travel to the Century City Triangle Neighborhood in Milwaukee where over half of residents do not have air conditioning. We break down the dangers of Milwaukee’s urban heat island effect, why some communities feel the impacts of heat more than others, and what can be done to protect people going forward. Hear from Yvonne McCaskill from the Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association, Clean Wisconsin Milwaukee Program Director Pam Ritger, and Caitlin Rublee from Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action.

Joe and Kathy Weitekamp have lived in the same home for nearly 40 years in the Town of Campbell, but they are just now learning of PFAS contamination in their private well. And they are not alone. Recently, La Crosse area residents are discovering PFAS in their drinking water, many over the state's recommended limit of 20 parts per trillion, from firefighting foam used by the city's fire department. In this episode, we hear how residents are stepping up to advocate for clean water as local governments are slow to take action and how one piece of legislation moving through the state legislature could help not only clean-up current PFAS contamination, but help prevent more in the future.

After years of court battles, the Wisconsin Supreme Court handed environmental advocates in the state a pair of victories today. The Court ruled in two separate cases, each named Clean Wisconsin v. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), that the DNR must exercise its authority to protect Wisconsin’s water resources. In this episode, Clean Wisconsin staff attorney Evan Feinauer breaks down the ruling in each case and what it means for water protections going forward.

In April, two cases brought by Clean Wisconsin to protect the state's water resources were heard by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. Though these cases are centered around permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the implications of the rulings go far beyond the paperwork.   In this episode, Clean Wisconsin’s staff attorney Evan Feinauer briefs us on the details of these cases, breaks down our arguments and explains what the future rulings could mean for water protections in the state.  Background Reading: Read more from our staff attorney on the two cases recently heard by the State Supreme Court. Sign-up for Clean Wisconsin’s Action Network. We’ll send you regular updates with opportunities to contact your legislators to protect our air, water and natural heritage. Like ‘State of Change?’ Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

On Thursday, leaders of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee voted to scrap nearly 400 items in Governor Evers' state budget, including many important water and climate change initiatives. In this episode, Clean Wisconsin's President & CEO Mark Redsten breaks down what environmental protections were scrapped from the $91 billion dollar proposed budget, the message sent from Republican legislators and the future of these crucial clean water and clean energy initiatives. Background Reading: Take action: tell the Joint Finance Committee and your elected officials to restore Governor Evers' clean water, clean energy and climate change budget items! Sign-up for Clean Wisconsin's Action Network. We’ll send you regular updates with opportunities to contact your legislators to protect our air, water and natural heritage. Like 'State of Change?' Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Through electrifying our cars, trucks, buses and other modes of transportation, we can cut carbon emissions and curb climate change in Wisconsin. While carbon emissions from electricity have gone down, carbon emissions from transportation have increased over the last decade and is now the leading contributor of carbon emissions in the United States. In this episode, we drive around with Clean Wisconsin's Jon Drewsen, an EV owner himself, to talk about the pros and cons of driving an electric vehicle and why it is crucial the state legislature invest in the transition to clean transportation in Wisconsin. We later talk with Kathy Kuntz from Dane County's Office of Energy and Climate Change about the county's accomplishment of having the most EVs on the road in the state and what needs to happen in Wisconsin to help increase the demand of electric vehicles. We also speak with Ned Noel, a senior planner with the City of Eau Claire, to learn about the importance of investing in EV infrastructure now so municipalities and the state can be ready for the future. Background Reading: Learn about the work Clean Wisconsin is doing to help advocate for investments in clean transportation and support statewide electric vehicle infrastructure here. Read more from Clean Wisconsin's Scott Blankman on why electric vehicles must be the future of travel in Wisconsin. Read the City of Eau Claire's Electric Vehicle Roadmap. Like 'State of Change?' Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Energy efficiency may not be as flashy as electric vehicles or solar panels, but it is an important step that all Wisconsinites can take to save energy and save money. In this episode, Clean Wisconsin's Climate Solutions Director Chelsea Chandler explains how residents and business owners have a great tool in their tool box when it comes to being more energy efficient, and that is the statewide program Focus on Energy. It is a program that provides Wisconsin state residents and businesses with resources, incentives and support to implement energy-efficiency and renewable energy projects. Later in the show, we talk with Isaac Showaki, the president of Octopi Brewing in Waunakee, Wisconsin, about how using Focus on Energy has helped make his business more energy efficient and saved him money in the long run. Background Reading: Tell your state legislators and the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee: Support increasing our investment in Focus on Energy in the budget here. Learn all about the Focus on Energy program and its benefits for all Wisconsinites! Read how Clean Wisconsin is working toward a clean energy future here. Clean Wisconsin's Climate Change Mini-Report includes different recommendations that can help move Wisconsin forward on addressing climate change while building healthy communities and a healthy economy for all. Like "State of Change?" Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

It's that time of the year when the days get warmer and Wisconsinites start their spring cleaning. For some, that means re-sealing their driveways, but certain pavement sealants can be harmful to both the environment and public health due to having high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH. In this episode, we sit down with Clean Wisconsin's water resource specialist Ezra Meyer and staff scientist Paul Mathewson to explain what PAHs are and how certain pavement sealants are toxic to the landscape and the health of Wisconsinites. We also talk with the former mayor of Port Washington to discuss what the town did to help curb PAH exposure and what the state government can do, as well. Background Reading Clean Wisconsin is a leading voice to end the use of high-PAH pavement sealants around the state. Read more on how they impact residents and the environment here. Read more from Paul Mathewson how high-PAH pavement sealants affect public health. Tip when looking for alternatives to high-PAH pavement sealants: Tar can have a lot of different names, and some other byproducts can have very high levels of PAHs. To be safe, check the “Material Safety Data Sheet” of the product (try searching online) and avoid anything including CAS #’s 64742-90-1, 65996-92-1, 65996-93-2, 65996-89-6, 69013-21-4, or 8007-45-2. Like our podcast? Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

On February 16th, Gov. Tony Evers outlined his $91 billion dollar 2021-2023 biennial budget. Despite the many challenges our state is facing right now with the COVID-19 pandemic, impacts from climate change and many residents struggling without clean drinking water, the governor's budget includes strong clean energy and clean water initiatives. We sit down with Clean Wisconsin’s Director of Government Relations Carly Michiels to break down what exactly is in the governor’s budget, what happens next with the Joint Finance Committee and the future of the governor's environmental priorities. Background reading: Read Carly's latest blog post that goes into greater detail about the governor's environmental priorities in the budget. Take a look at our press statement we released following the budget announcement. Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

With the recent election of President Joe Biden, there is a new focus on strengthening environmental protections and building the momentum to take action on climate change at the federal level. We’re also seeing leadership and opportunities for climate action in Wisconsin. In today’s episode, we sit down with Clean Wisconsin’s Climate Solutions Director Chelsea Chandler to dive into how climate has become a winning political issue, the new momentum for climate action in various levels of government and what it all means in terms of opportunities to advance climate solutions in Wisconsin. Background Reading: Read the Biden-Harris administration's statement on the executive orders signed in the first days of Joe Biden's presidency to tackle climate change. Learn more about Clean Wisconsin's recommendations on what we can do now to tackle climate change in our policy team's mini-report "Strategies for Climate Action in Wisconsin." Read the full report from the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change to learn more about their policy recommendations. Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email

Imagine turning on your faucet to get a glass of water or to fill up a pot for dinner but that water is contaminated with dangerously high levels of nitrates. That's the reality for hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites who use groundwater as their drinking water source through private wells or public water systems, limiting their access to clean drinking water and putting their health at risk. In this episode, we sit down with Clean Wisconsin's water program director Scott Laeser to learn where the nitrate contamination is coming from, who is most at risk and why the solutions are so complex. Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

2020 has been a challenging year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to surge across Wisconsin and the rest of the country. Despite having to transition working from home during these difficult times, Clean Wisconsin has been able to continue its work to protect our environment and public health.  In this episode, we speak with Clean Wisconsin President and CEO Mark Redsten about the organization’s big accomplishments in the past year, as well as priorities for 2021. We also sit down with Clean Wisconsin’s new content manager and producer of State of Change Molly Dove to talk about the exciting episodes planned for the podcast starting in January.  Background reading:  Summaries of Clean Wisconsin’s priorities centered around clean air, clean water, clean energy and climate change  Clean Wisconsin’s staff scientist Paul Matthewson’s research on health and economic impacts of nitrate pollution in Wisconsin  Gov. Evers’ Task Force on Climate Change recommendations for legislative action and policies  Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us. You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

The ongoing crisis of PFAS pollution in Wisconsin drinking water centers around one primary source: firefighting foams. While some are trying to take aim at tackling this major threat to public health, others are standing in the way. In this episode of the podcast, we talk with our policy expert, Carly Michiels, about industry efforts to upend emergency rules for 'forever chemical' pollution, and what it could mean for drinking water in public health around the state. Background: In Episode 2, we talk more in-depth with Carly about PFAS pollution in Marinette, which has been the epicenter of 'forever chemical' pollution in Wisconsin. According to the DNR, roughly 2 out of every 3 fire departments have PFAS-laden firefighting foams, while 62% of fire departments don't have any policy about how to handle or dispose of the products. Take Action: Tell the Natural Resources Board to put public health over profit and pass these emergency rules at their October Board meeting.

Two years ago, the small village of Mazomanie, in Dane County's northwestern corner, saw the small creek that runs through the center of their town grow into a raging river as record rains fell in an unprecedented storm. After it was all over, the region saw more rain in a 24 hour period than has ever fallen in Wisconsin before, costing small communities like Mazomanie homes, businesses, and millions of dollars in damage. The science community has long pointed to climate change as a major reason for an increased heavy rain events leading to more flooding. But local communities like Dane County--and now state officials--are taking action to limit the impacts of climate change, as well as tackle the root cause: carbon emissions. In this episode of State of Change, we talk with the Mazomanie Village Administrator about his experience with the 2018 flooding that rocked his community. We also talk with Dane County Executive Joe Parisi about Dane County's leadership in local action on climate change, and we chat with Chelsea Chandler, our new Climate Solutions Director, about efforts at the state level through the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change. Background reading: --A post on our blog on Dane County's Climate Action Plan that was released earlier this year. --Our science team created this local climate action map. --They also looked at whether we're seeing more heavy rain events in Wisconsin. --A post on our blog in the aftermath of Dane County's record rainfall and devastating flooding --Great collection of photos from the Wisconsin State Journal documenting the aftermath of flooding in Dane County A special thanks to Peter Huebner of Mazomanie, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, and Chelsea Chandler of Clean Wisconsin.