Floating Border Wall, Climate Coverage Dropoff, “Night Owl” – Poems, and more.

This episode of Living on Earth explores three major themes: the environmental and cultural impacts of a massive buoy barrier project on the U.S.-Mexico border, the alarming decline in media coverage of climate change, and the restorative power of poetry in confronting ecological grief. In Texas, federal plans to install over 500 miles of orange buoys in the Rio Grande are raising alarms among border communities, conservationists, and activists, who warn of ecological disruption, severed cultural ties, and the waiver of key environmental laws. Meanwhile, climate journalism is in crisis, with global coverage dropping nearly 40% since 2021 due to media consolidation, political pressure, disinformation, and public fatigue. Experts stress that diminished reporting weakens public awareness and policy action. The episode closes with a lyrical reflection on the nighttime world through the poetry of Amy Nezuku Matatil, whose collection 'Night Owl' celebrates the hidden life of the night and uses verse as a lantern to illuminate ecological loss, grief, and hope. Together, the segments underscore the urgent need for transparency, truth-telling, and emotional connection in the face of planetary crisis.