Do Bans on Plastic Bags Work? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report.

Headlines:

A study from Stanford University says a market-based approach to the Colorado River would help sustain fish and their habitats.

In a win for oceans, the High Seas Treaty is closer than ever to coming into effect.

How rivers can supercharge hurricanes.

Plastic bag bans and fees are working, a new study found.

This Week in Water for June 22, 2025

Exploring how tech and teamwork are changing the storm game.

Stronger Storms, Smarter Responses: FEMA’s Update & Florida’s AI Edge

It’s hard to be scared of a hurricane named Flossie. It brings to mind a docile cow, or a child’s dental hygiene tool. And sure enough, Flossie spun out and away over the Pacific, leaving behind much-needed rain.

I am working on the memoir again, "Diary of a Reluctant Traveler," wherein there are emotional hurricanes. It recounts my journey across the continental United States to reconcile with my mother seven years ago. Highly educational. Along the way I met turtles and armadillos and alligators, and attempted to surf the Gulf of Mexico (as well as Mom).

There’s rarely surfing in the Gulf of California either, which is fine by me right now. Plenty of excitement sailing Habibi solo. 

M/V Amazing Grace pulled into a Topolobampo slip ahead of me this week, right when a sign from God was highly welcome (and when isn’t it?). Don’t you love that word, Topolobampo? Rolls off the tongue—TOH-boh-loh-BAHM-poh—like a luscious drumbeat. 

I live in the land of homemade tamales—huzzah! I first learned about the mighty tamal at my friend Gloria’s house, when we were teenagers. The house was in an uproar, preparing for her quinceñera. A phalanx of tamal-making tías took over the kitchen a few days before the big fifteenth birthday event. The gossip! The laughter! The flying hands! Patting, smooshing, inserting, rolling, wrapping. I could only catch every tenth word, but it was salacious. Men and boys were scarce, except at rehearsal and the actual affair. There was dancing and romance and scarfing of tamales, as well as other delectable dishes. And cake, of course. It was like a wedding, only she didn’t have to go home with the guy afterward. There was probably a sleepover, too, boys and girls separated but sneaking around. So many relatives! So different from my upbringing.

I met a philosopher recently, when he drove me to and fro a gasolinera, then carried the diesel-filled jerrycans to my boat. He quoted the Russians, which I couldn’t quite catch in Spanish, and refused pesos as recompense for his time. He did accept chocolate, however, and has since texted messages of solidarity and cheer. I did not think I needed friends, but perhaps I am wrong. What I truly need is to be myself all the time. Authentic. Honest. Flawed. Funny. Afraid. Empathic. Determined. The older I get, the less I am willing to silence my Self in exchange for… what? What did it ever net me, really? Lotta pain and heartbreak. Misunderstandings. 

When I am completely my Self, others can be also. And then we become visible to each other. Kin. And that’s amazing grace.

{“Swim Spot on the Suwannee” photo by Shé, availed during the Mama Reconciliation Tour, 2018}

AmazingGrace

Elizabeth Dunn, a faculty member at the University of South Florida's College of Public Health, joins the Priorities Podcast to share her expertise on the technology and psychology behind hurricane evacuation orders. She says that storms are becoming stronger and developing more quickly, elevating the importance of governments issuing clear messages. And many people who receive evacuation orders inland or who think only high-category storms are worth avoiding, she says, frequently find themselves in dangerous situations. 

Top stories this week: 

Texas has created a “hostile foreign adversaries unit” designed to stop the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party on U.S. soil. The unit was created by SB 2514, a new law that joins more than a dozen other new laws and executive orders created over the past year targeting Chinese influence in Texas.

Less than one month before the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is set to expire, several industry groups on Tuesday signed a letter addressed to congressional leaders requesting that the program be revived, but this time with more money. Led by the Alliance for Digital Innovation, the groups are asking homeland security and appropriations committee leaders to expand the program to the tune of $4.5 billion over two years.

Delaware’s technology department on Tuesday announced that it’s named Aashish Patel, who’s been serving as the state’s interim chief security officer, to serve in the position long term.

New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday.
For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

Why some people don’t evacuate before hurricanes

The Musical Poemwriter

Viridescent Fog

Manny Navarro talks Miami Hurricanes 092825

Best of The Big Cheese Miami Hurricanes NIL and Recruiting Report 092825

Season 8 Episode 27!
(0:15) Penn State fires James Franklin after third straight loss
(13:50) Patriots and Steelers both take care of business to move up in AFC standings
(41:45) Biggest winners and losers of NFL Week 6
(1:15:54) Blue Jays eliminate Yankees, drop first two ALCS games to Mariners
(1:33:27) High-powered Dodgers take down Phillies, take lead in NLCS over Brewers
(1:50:50) Bruins and Penguins nab early wins to start projected lost seasons
(2:08:26) Previewing the 2025-26 NBA season one week before tipoff

NFL Week 6 Reactions, MLB LDS and LCS Reactions, and NBA Season Preview

Podcast Saturday - Will Malachi Toney STAY at UM? 110125

In this episode, we confront the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm in recorded history to strike Jamaica with massive damage to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. We hear firsthand accounts from Jamaican survivors who faced terrifying winds and flooding, and we delve into the role of climate change in intensifying such storms. We feature two climate scientists, Dr. Michael Mann and Dr. Daniel Swain, juxtaposed with a documentarian on the ground, Jonathan Petramala.

Join us as we explore the urgent need for aid and the resilience of the Jamaican people in the face of catastrophe.

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Several days of torrential rains, storm surges and catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa have impacted the lives of more than 700,000 children across the Caribbean. 


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Sources:

Hurricane Melissa’s Ground Zero - Jonathan Petramala https://youtu.be/WjI0RD2s0To?si=l_No92HjV-pWzMNN 

Hurricane Melissa: The Fight to Reconnect Survivors https://youtu.be/Nhy9ZkSw_iQ?si=IM63dbmLiJ58Zf8D 

Michael Mann Discusses Impact of Hurricane Melissa on MSNBC with Chris Jansing
https://youtu.be/AQ5OMZWJKRo?si=JY5vaFLDmD3ywSVb 

Dr. Daniel Swain of Weather West speaks on the dynamics of Hurricane Melissa
https://www.youtube.com/live/mZJXmweDr0g?si=emPVEs_l4X1zIyET 



Dr. Michael E. Mann [https://michaelmann.net/] is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. He also serves as Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media (PCSSM).

Dr. Daniel Swain is a climate scientist focused on the dynamics and impacts of extreme events—including droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires—on a warming planet. Daniel holds joint appointments as a climate scientist within the California Institute for Water Resources within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) and as a research partner at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research.
He engages extensively with journalists and other media to facilitate accessible and accurate coverage and conversations surrounding climate change. He also authors the Weather West blog (weatherwest.com), which provides real-time perspectives on California weather and climate. 

Jonathan Petramala [http://www.youtube.com/@JonathanPetramala] is an independent journalist and documentarian with over 20 years of experience. He focuses on documenting major disaster events, bringing attention to the power and resilience of the human spirit.

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes on desert environmental and cultural issues for an L.A.-Press-Club-honored project on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation, and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 271
Photo credit: Daniel Swain


Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica’s Unprecedented Storm and its Aftermath

Podcast Monday - Mario Cristobal is NOT a GOOD Head Coach on Game Day 110325

Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.

EcoJustice Radio presents environmental and climate stories from a social justice frame, featuring voices not necessarily heard on mainstream media.

Our purpose is to amplify community voices, broaden the reach of grassroots-based movements, and inspire action. We investigate solutions for social, environmental, and climate issues with an eye to advance human health, steward wild landscapes, and solve the climate crisis across the USA and the world.

Featured weekly on KPFK Los Angeles and KPFT Houston, and found on all major podcast apps. We are nationally syndicated through the Pacifica Network and PRX and heard on public radio stations across the US and downloaded in over 25 countries.

Co-hosts Jack Eidt, Carry Kim, and Jessica Aldridge present a broad range of perspectives: land defenders and water protectors; Indigenous leaders, front/fenceline community spokespeople; youth organizers; ecosystem and land stewards; regenerative farmers and permaculture specialists; spiritual and faith leaders; environmental health advocates and practitioners; documentary filmmakers; climate scientists; and political decision makers.

EcoJustice Radio [http://EcoJusticeRadio.org] is produced by SoCal350.org since 2017. 

Tune in live to KPFK Radio Thursdays from 4 to 5 PM (PT) at 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM Santa Barbara, 93.7 FM North San Diego, 99.5 FM Ridgecrest-China Lake, or KPFK.org. 

We also are featured on KPFT Houston from 4 to 5 PM (CT) at 90.1 FM or KPFT.org and other public radio stations on the Pacifica Network.

Cory Novotny and Brian Wells discuss the latest happenings in the world of sports and beyond on He's Done It! A (Mostly) Sports Podcast.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! @HesDoneItPod

Adventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE
Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

Resilient Forward is a podcast that showcases resilient solutions and features innovative strategies, products, and services from prominent members of the business community, industry leaders, advocates, and elected officials who are all engaged in developing and implementing resilient solutions in their organizations.

31 year veteran Sports talk host. Follow on Twitter @BigOShow. Watch the daily show on #YouTube search & Subscribe #BigORadioShow.

H2O Radio is journalism about water. We follow water wherever it leads us and report on what we find. We interview experts— from engineers and scientists to legislators and politicians in order to get the facts. But we also talk to ordinary folks to ask how water issues affect their lives. Why? Because we're all in this together. This is a conversation about water and our collective water future.

New tracks tagged #hurricanes