After the American Revolutionary War, the United States aimed to expand westward beyond

the Appalachian Mountains and onto the Mississippi

2

However, the vast 828 ,000 square mile area known as the Louisiana Territory was already

claimed by France.

3

It became a particular point of tension for Americans as Napoleon Bonaparte and France

considered their own expansion and fears about losing access to the Mississippi River

4

settled in.

5

President Thomas Jefferson, who preferred diplomacy over his opponent's call for

6

sent representatives to France to negotiate a deal to purchase New Orleans and West

Florida for up to $10 million.

7

They were stunned when France pivoted on their expansion plans and offered the entire

Louisiana Territory for $15 million.

8

This massive acquisition immediately doubled the size of the U .S., catalyzing significant

growth.

9

10

to over 23 million people driven by high birth rates and immigration.

11

After the Civil War, the government passed several land acts to fuel expansion efforts.

12

13

just under one -fifth of an

14

northwest Nebraska completely free, aside from a modest filing fee.

15

16

fertile land.

17

Unfortunately,

18

inexperienced farming practices, wartime pressures, and a misunderstanding of the ecology

led to over -cultivation of farmlands.

19

20

In an interview with Lakeland PBS, Lowell Castor described the living conditions of his

childhood during what he refers to as the Dirty

21

The ground was so dry that when it sprinkled just a little bit, drops of water would stand

on top of the dust.

22

It wouldn't soak in because it was too dry to soak in.

23

Just like you'd a drop of water in a cup of flour, it just stands right up straight.

24

Crops failed, exposing the bare over -plowed farmland.

25

Dry, eroding soil began to blow away.

26

leading to massive dust storms and economic devastation, especially in the southern

plains.

27

The environmental disaster was known as the Dust

28

Massive dust clouds, some stretching 2 ,000 miles, caused widespread damage and health

crises, including dust pneumonia, which killed hundreds to thousands of

29

But there was no house good enough to keep the dirt out of the house.

30

The dirt is fine.

31

It's just as fine as air.

32

And we had stuff, wet rags around the windows and doors and stuff to keep the dirt out.

33

But you can't keep it out, because it's just as fine as air.

34

Oh no, the house looked clean.

35

But then it would be that way again in 15, 20 minutes.

36

The impact on living creatures was unbelievable.

37

My brother and I, and the hired man, we had what we called the seven -year itch.

38

We just scratched all the time.

39

You know, we did.

40

We had it for about five, six years.

41

Then when we moved to Minnesota, it was a different climate.

42

We had green grass, and we had rain, and we got over that itch.

43

My dad always coughed a lot, and he went to the doctor when he was 60 years old or so.

44

Dr.

45

X -rayed him.

46

A couple days later, why, he called us up on the phone and says, come in here, we want to

take some more pictures.

47

And about one third of his lungs, it would be just as hard as stone.

48

Because, that's the reason he coughed, because he couldn't get enough air to breathe.

49

And of course, that's what really got him an end, because he inhaled so much of that dirt.

50

It was the same way with the cattle.

51

they would have five gallons of mud in the bottom of their stomachs and that weight of

that mud, it wouldn't digest.

52

On Mark Albertin's YouTube channel, Time Capsule, he interviewed another Dust Bowl

witness, Wanda, who shared the dire straits that her family experienced and what they did

53

to survive.

54

Not only did the animals not have any kind of decent fodder, but we had no water.

55

And in ranch land, the wells are situated out by themselves.

56

There was a well on a neighboring ranch not too far from us.

57

So my mother and my brothers

58

They would get up at various times during the night and drive our cattle up there to

water.

59

One morning about two o 'clock in the morning, the rancher was there with his shotgun.

60

And hold it, boys.

61

My mother said, stand back, boys.

62

Jim would kill a kid, but he wouldn't dare shoot a woman.

63

She dropped the catalyst

64

There was a lot of discussion, of course, what are we going to do?

65

My mother said, the next time we take them to water, we'll go in the daytime.

66

We'll keep cutting the fence and going through.

67

And my mother always regretted saying to that guy, you have degraded yourself by

circumstances to the point that you would actually kill a neighbor over a tank of water.

68

And the next day, this guy killed himself.

69

And of course, you

70

All of us were in the same circumstance, but that always stood out in my mind that

sometimes, and my mother pointed out, what we're doing is wrong.

71

You know, we have no right to go over there.

72

All we could hope to do when times get better is to pay back what we've taken.

73

warm air over the Dakotas.

74

Winds whipped into a frenzy as billowing clouds of dust grew hundreds of miles wide and

thousands of feet high as it headed south.

75

The monstrous dust storm blacked out the sun, forcing citizens to scramble for shelter,

creating chaos and near -apocalyptic conditions.

76

Woody Guthrie recalled that, you couldn't see your hand before your face, end quote.

77

Anyway, like I told you, the old dust storm hit there, these people all congregated in

their little houses.

78

And in the room in the house that I was in...

79

The event even inspired this song titled, So Long, It's Been Good to Know Ya.

80

Telling each other so long, it's been good to know ya.

81

The storm pounded communities for hours.

82

In a panic, one woman reportedly contemplated killing her baby to save it from what she

thought was Armageddon.

83

It's unclear whether anyone died in the event, but one man reportedly went blind.

84

Others couldn't stop coughing, and animals that managed to survive

85

fled for their lives.

86

It is estimated that at least 3 ,000 tons of topsoil was displaced in this event known as

Black Sunday.

87

I'm Demetrius Lynch and this is Going Green.

88

At this juncture in my career, I was told explicitly that a line needed to be drawn

between what part of my work constituted basic research and what part was not basic

89

research because it was routine monitoring.

90

Now with modern materials and technology, we can apply to houses the same efficiency of

engineering that we apply to suspension bridges and airplanes.

91

In episode one, we explored the transformative impact of Thomas Newcomen's steam engine

and its pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution and advancing European industries.

92

We covered the environmental implications of carbon dioxide, highlighted historical

scientific contributions to our understanding of the greenhouse effect, and emphasized the

93

need for balance between industrial progress and environmental conservation.

94

If you haven't listened to that episode, I encourage you to go back and listen to all the

episodes of this series in order.

95

After the Dust Bowl and Black Sunday, hard lessons about the environment and ecological

mismanagement were learned.

96

But in the wake of catastrophe and destruction, there is always room for innovation and

recovery.

97

Through ingenuity and careful study, we can find ways to harmonize our technological

advancements with the natural world.

98

And they're well known

99

but unexpected individuals that would answer the call.

100

And I'll share more about them after the

101

Episode 2, Doing More With Less.

102

When thinking about balance with nature, indigenous communities may be one of the first to

come to mind.

103

These communities have a historical continuity with the given region prior to colonization

or annexation, having a deep understanding of surrounding natural resources and

104

ecosystems.

105

While different indigenous and local groups have different cultures and practices, they

tend to share a holistic and human inclusive view of nature.

106

that's imbued with cultural or spiritual value.

107

In this view, in part, that forms the basis for indigenous land management, which often

includes protecting sacred lakes or forests, or creating rules against exploiting certain

108

species.

109

Their livelihoods are often also nature dependent, so climate change is significant as it

impacts multiple parts of their socioeconomic system, as they are often the first to feel

110

the brunt of its effects.

111

You may be surprised to hear that at least a quarter of the world's land area is owned,

managed, used, or occupied by indigenous people.

112

The silver lining is that, according to reports, ecological degradation happens at a

slower rate in these areas.

113

That's not to say that indigenous people don't alter habitats, but in general, the concept

of conservation appears to be more embedded in indigenous traditions compared to

114

industrialized cultures.

115

Incorporating that approach, there are practical ways to ensure the balance of the

environment in which we live so it may continue to provide services such as water, fertile

116

soil, food, shelter, and medicines.

117

In the early 20th century, similar methods were championed and disseminated by a

historical figure that also may surprise you, George Washington Carver, who you likely

118

associate with peanuts.

119

At Tuskegee, we've developed more than 200 products from peanuts.

120

We've made everything from actual grease to synthetic rubber, and we're finding out new

uses for the peanut constantly.

121

What are you working on now, Dr.

122

Carver?

123

The finest use we've been able to make of peanuts is in the treatment of the after

-effects of infantile paralysis.

124

That's what I'm working on now.

125

Massages with peanut oil has worked miracles in some cases.

126

There is a lot of work to be done, but I feel we're on the trail of something really

important.

127

Born enslaved in Western rural Missouri, Carver was orphaned as an infant and freed

shortly after the Civil War.

128

Throughout his childhood and young adulthood, he obtained a spotty education and was

largely self

129

In his 20s, he moved to Iowa where he enrolled at Simpson College in central Iowa to study

art.

130

One of his teachers saw a different path for him and encouraged Carver to study botany at

Iowa State Agricultural College, now Iowa State University.

131

Carver was immersed in the study of soils, entomology, analytical and agricultural

chemistry, practical agriculture, landscape gardening, and rural architecture.

132

Carver accepted a teaching position at Tuskegee University, formerly known as the Tuskegee

133

Institute, a private, historically black university in Tuskegee,

134

As he rode the train to Alabama, his heart sank.

135

He recalled, quote,

136

Not much evidence of scientific farming anywhere.

137

Everything looked hungry.

138

The land, the cotton, the cattle, and the people."

139

Carver was particularly struck by the precarious existence that black farmers lived under

140

In the Confederate states of America, and in some others, despite the legal principle of

separate but equal, facilities and opportunities for African Americans were consistently

141

subpar.

142

Sharecroppers, mostly poor blacks, farmed land they didn't own.

143

So without assets, one bad harvest could plunge them into catastrophic debt.

144

There was no incentive to improve the soil as they could be evicted at any time.

145

Jim Crow laws institutionalized economic, educational, and social disparities, relegating

African Americans to second class citizenship.

146

Carver recognized the urgent need for sustainable agriculture to uplift these marginalized

communities.

147

Carver, like indigenous communities,

148

had a way of thinking holistically about the environment and an understanding of the

interconnectedness between the health of the land and the health of the people who lived

149

on it.

150

Cotton, though profitable, exhausted the soil with its shallow roots and monocultural

practices.

151

He encouraged farmers to diversify, going as far as to travel to rural farmers with

agricultural equipment and materials to demonstrate how to make a living on the soil

152

under the circumstances and inequities of Jim Crow laws.

153

Carver encouraged farmers to look to the land for what they needed.

154

Grow, or at the very least, forage their own vegetables and proteins to save money on

food.

155

Compost, instead of buying fertilizer, instead of buying paint, make it from clay and

soybeans.

156

Peanuts, an enormously rich food source, could be grown in the same fields as cotton due

to differing production times.

157

Furthermore, while some plants need fertilization with nitrogen, peanuts produce their

own, restoring nutrients to depleted soil.

158

Carver encouraged black farmers to grow peanuts.

159

He distributed a white paper that outlined various ways to consume peanuts and how to

maximize crop profits.

160

Carver's practical strategies for sustainable farming and advocacy for understanding soil

emerged in a time to address two ecological

161

and economic disasters.

162

central Mexico, infesting all the cotton growing areas in the country, devastating the

163

industry and those working in the American South.

164

The second was the Dust Bowl.

165

After witnessing the environmental and economic disasters of the Dust Bowl,

166

President Franklin Roosevelt sought Carver's advice on agricultural methods and began

implementing different policies to provide aid.

167

FDR established different administrative groups to aid farmers' resettlement, emergency

relief, soil conservation, tree planting, and more.

168

Over time, three American presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin

Roosevelt, as well as the Crown Prince of Sweden, Mahatma Gandhi, Henry Ford,

169

and Thomas Edison all sought Carver's advice on agricultural methods.

170

Towards the end of the 30s, the world continued to receive confirmation about climate

change.

171

global temperatures and CO2 concentrations.

172

The calendar effect, as it was known, was pioneered by Guy Callender, a British steam

engineer.

173

Once overshadowed by more prominent scientists, he has increasingly become recognized for

his contributions to climate science.

174

175

176

He was intrigued by the rapid changes that humans were making to the atmosphere's

composition.

177

Without any formal training in the atmospheric sciences,

178

Kalender embarked on a massive project to collect and analyze data on gas properties,

atmospheric structure, sunlight variations, fossil fuel usage, ocean currents, and

179

historical data from 147 weather stations worldwide.

180

His efforts laid the groundwork for the modern climate models.

181

were warming the

182

This hypothesis, presented at the Royal Meteorological Society, was met with skepticism

from established climate scientists who dismissed the impact of carbon dioxide based on

183

its minute concentration in the atmosphere.

184

Despite professional dismissals and scientific consensus against him, Callender persisted.

185

His findings showed that even trace amounts of carbon dioxide could significantly affect

global temperatures.

186

climate science community slowly began to acknowledge the potential significance of his

findings.

187

Remarkably, Guy actually didn't have concerns about increasing CO2 levels and global

warming, within reason.

188

To the contrary, he argued that small increases in mean temperature could have beneficial

aspects, such as improving agriculture in colder regions and indefinitely postponing the

189

return of the ice age.

190

191

researcher Gilbert Plass utilized early computers to analyze the infrared absorption of

gases, revealing that doubling CO2 concentrations could raise global temperatures by 3 to

192

4 degrees Celsius.

193

By this time, numerous records were showing how we humans were altering the planet, with

potential significant consequences for the global

194

but the first and now iconic examples of documenting global climate change were the

precise measurements of the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere made at the

195

mountain station on Mauna Loa, Hawaii by Charles David Keeling.

196

Keeling's meticulous documentation of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels has been pivotal

in highlighting the impact of human activities on global climate change.

197

geochemistry, eventually earning his PhD.

198

Technology, where he developed an interest in atmospheric CO2 levels.

199

Previously, the concept that human activities could alter atmospheric CO2 on a global

scale was mostly theoretical.

200

Early theorists posited that CO2 levels might affect global temperatures, but widespread

concern was minimal due to the belief that oceans absorbed most CO2 increases.

201

Oceanography identified the oceans limited capacity to absorb CO2 due to slow mixing with

202

deeper waters.

203

Recognizing the importance of accurate CO2 measurement, Keeling adapted an infrared

analyzer for his studies, establishing rigorous calibration standards to ensure consistent

204

and comparable results across different environments and over time.

205

His efforts included setting up measurement stations in remote locations like Mauna Loa,

Hawaii, and Antarctica to avoid local CO2 distortions and capture background atmospheric

206

changes.

207

atmospheric CO2 at the South Pole, which corresponded with fossil fuel emission estimates

208

and ocean uptake.

209

His observations at Mauna Loa also revealed a seasonal fluctuation in CO2 levels,

influenced by the vegetative cycles in the Northern Hemisphere.

210

When I began to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and carbon in ocean water just fifty

years ago this year, my work was praised for showing more precisely than earlier studies

211

how carbon was distributed in nature.

212

When I persisted in making measurements of the same kind because I found the results

interesting as pure knowledge, I was supported by program managers of science.

213

up to a

214

That was Charles David Keeling speaking about his career during an acceptance speech for

215

Despite facing numerous funding challenges, he maintained continuous records which now

span several decades, showing a rise in CO2 levels.

216

These records not only confirm the increase in atmospheric CO2, but also illustrate

enhanced vegetation, quote, breathing.

217

in the Northern Hemisphere and fluctuations related to climate events like El Nino.

218

Further advancing the field, Keeling utilized this data during a sabbatical in Stockholm

219

inversion analysis of atmospheric CO2.

220

At this juncture in my career, I was told explicitly that a line needed to be drawn.

221

between what part of my work constituted basic research and what part was not basic

research because it was routine monitoring.

222

The repetitive measurements of my program, even while I was attempting to improve them, I

was told, should be relinquished to a government agency assigned responsibility for such

223

measurements and even for where they should be made.

224

I wasn't forbidden to go

225

with routine measurements, but I no longer qualified for help from government of the kind

urged by Vannevar Bush.

226

Since these measurements and the choices of where to make them were the heart of my

program, I didn't accept the argument.

227

And with some degree of struggle, I won a series of temporary reprieves from government,

which allowed my program to survive.

228

Keeling's groundbreaking

229

demonstrated that fossil fuel emissions significantly influenced global CO2 distribution,

a finding refined over time as more atmospheric monitoring stations emerged.

230

During this time of scientific discovery, the built world and the philosophy around it was

radically changing in response.

231

The geodesic dome emerged on the world stage as the Ford Motor Company contracted the

installation of a 93

232

233

It was Richard Buckminster Fuller's first commercial contract for the dome, a spherical

structure composed of triangular elements that formed a network of circles or geodesics on

234

the surface of a given sphere.

235

entered the popular consciousness.

236

climate change and unapportable housing.

237

I saw that if we really turned it on what are called livingry, I needed a term like

weaponry, livingry, livingry, then what you mean environment controls, shells, the

238

apparatus inside to clean us and prepare food, handle the energies.

239

the benefits of the geodesic dome designed for housing.

240

think went into that and that brought about the discovery of the geodesic dome and so

forth and now over a hundred thousand around the world.

241

I now really know that I can give you, for instance, 30 buildings for one, for given snow

load, hurricane loading, earthquake loading.

242

given clear span I can give you 30 buildings for one against an alternate known

engineering strategy than spherical and triangulated tensegrity structures.

243

Yes.

244

So that I now know by actual measurement of the technology you do need to make man of

success.

245

I know I now know it's highly feasible.

246

We have the resources.

247

We have the knowledge.

248

The metals have not been lost in mind.

249

They simply come out and get melted out to take one Cadillac, melt it up and get out two

Japanese.

250

Twice as good.

251

that what we keep circulating, I now know with the resources we already mined, the

knowledge we already have, it's highly feasible to take care of all of humanity at a

252

higher standard than anyone's ever known.

253

254

In in this very room that we're in here today, we're just going over the last world game.

255

workshop which had been going on for the last month and the team really did undertake to

absolutely certify all those figures I just gave you.

256

we don't know actually the critical path of how we phase out the fossil fuel burning, how

we phase out the nuclear, how we do bring in the wind power, how we do bring in the

257

hydrogen powers and so forth.

258

259

I knew that because I'd made the To be

260

Fuller didn't invent the geodesic dome.

261

That honor goes to Walter Baursfeld, a German engineer who introduced a globe -shaped

262

263

With help from his students and friends, Fuller improved the dome's strength by drawing

inspiration from structures that he found in nature, like those snowflakes and crystals.

264

He saw that the form's mutually reinforcing geometry held promise for homes and other

buildings because of the remarkable strength to weight ratio, which means, among other

265

things, that it can be constructed with comparative speed and cost effectively.

266

The geodesic dome became a symbol of technological optimism.

267

While it was the discovery that brought him fame and wealth, Buckminster Fuller was a

thinker and inventor.

268

that had a profound impact on architecture and how to approach design.

269

His design philosophy of, quote, doing more with less, was a phrase he later coined to

reflect the accelerating global trend towards the development of more efficient

270

technology.

271

Fuller was born into a family of New England nonconformists and was a descendant of

Margaret Fuller, a prominent figure in the Transcendentalist movement.

272

Despite being expelled twice from Harvard,

273

and never completing his formal education, Buckminster Fuller made significant

contributions to modern design and architecture.

274

He entered the construction field with his father -in -law and developed a novel building

block method.

275

276

Struggling with personal issues, including the death of his daughter and heavy drinking,

this period of crisis led to a profound personal transformation.

277

Standing by Lake Michigan, he decided against suicide, resolving instead to dedicate his

life to understanding universal principles and applying them for the betterment of

278

humanity.

279

home that was air deliverable and equipped with its own utilities.

280

The home was a revolutionary design aimed at redefining modern living.

281

Round and plan,

282

the design drew inspiration from grain silos, combining efficiency with cutting edge

technology.

283

The ventilator on top can induce a complete air change every six minutes.

284

Air conditioning and heating cost only a quarter as much as in an ordinary house.

285

Here is the living room.

286

The building was designed around a central mast anchored firmly into the ground.

287

The structure's roof and floor hung from this core via steel cables creating a floating

effect while additional cables secured it to the ground.

288

This unique house featured two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living area that included a

dining room, kitchen, and additional storage with specially designed revolving shelves.

289

An adjustable cap at the top of the house allowed for temperature control.

290

Raising it invited cooling breezes while lowering it helped insulate and warm the

interior.

291

Remarkably lightweight and transportable, the Dymaxion house weighed only 3 ,000 pounds.

292

cost about as much as a car today, around $40 ,000, and could be disassembled and packed

into a large tube ready to be moved and reassembled as needed.

293

Originally designed for deployment to locations as diverse as the Persian Gulf and North

America's Great Plains, the Dymaxion House was a bold step towards autonomous, sustainable

294

architecture.

295

Fuller didn't impress everyone, however.

296

Famous architect Philip Johnson, who was immune to Fuller's charisma,

297

once complained, quote, Bucky Fuller was no architect and he kept pretending he was, end

quote.

298

Still, Fuller did acquire an active following of architects.

299

He taught in architecture schools, his work was published in architecture magazines, and

he was close to Charles Eames and Frank Lloyd Wright.

300

But it was Frank Lloyd Wright who slightly corrected Fuller, stating,

301

I am an architect interested in science.

302

Buckminster Fuller is a scientist interested in architecture." quote.

303

Nevertheless, Fuller continued to innovate, focusing on designs that maximized resources

and promoted sustainability.

304

symbolizing the potential for technology to lead humanity to a sustainable future.

305

He popularized the term spaceship earth, emphasizing that earth's resources are finite and

must be managed wisely.

306

Fuller's philosophy extended beyond architecture into comprehensive thinking about the

world's energy resources and industrial capabilities.

307

His belief in doing more with less has become increasingly relevant in today's discussions

on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

308

His work continues to inspire architects.

309

designers and environmentalists aiming for a balance between human needs and ecological

responsibility.

310

Fuller's legacy is that of a visionary who saw the potential for design to solve complex

global issues, urging humanity to think comprehensively about the future.

311

The profound impact of the Louisiana Purchase and the lessons learned from the Dust Bowl

underscore the delicate balance between human ambition and environmental limits.

312

With figures like George Washington Carver and Richard Buckminster Fuller, we are reminded

that we can harmonize our advancements with nature's systems.

313

On the shoulders of climate scientists such as Guy Callender and Charles David Keeling, a

growing stream of data, scientific studies, and eventually media begins to raise public

314

awareness about climate change.

315

316

culminating in regulatory reforms and heightened public awareness that ignite the modern

environmental movement.

317

Next time on Going

318

Our goal is a decent environment in its broadest and deepest sense.

319

Winning the environmental war is a whole lot tougher battle, challenge by far than any

other challenge ever to confront mankind.

320

Thanks for listening.

321

Going Green is a Spaces podcast story brought to you by Lines.

322

If you learned something from this episode or think it would resonate with the print,

please share it and rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

323

It really helps others find the show.

324

If you have a question, want to submit a correction, or just share whatever is on your

mind, I'd love to hear from you.

325

You can do that at lines .studio slash podcast.

326

That's L -Y.

327

nes .studio .com and listen in to my wrap up episode to hear my response.

328

If you're looking for similar content, Spaces is a proud member of GableMedia, a digital

media platform where you can find even more content like this.

329

Visit gablemedia .com, that's G -A -B -L media .com, and before I go, if you want to see

additional photos, videos, clips, and other content that I found during my research,

330

you can visit lions .studio slash podcast.

331

Talk