The episode explores the catastrophic environmental impacts of mismanaging toxic industrial waste like coal ash.
The major focus is on a devastating toxic coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee, framed as an environmental disaster.
The impacts of environmental shocks like famine, crop failures and resource depletion on state stability are analyzed.
The episode discusses the catastrophic flooding in British Columbia caused by atmospheric rivers, exacerbated by climate change.
The podcast episodes cover a wide range of environmental disasters, including oil spills, toxic waste contamination, natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, and the societal impacts of these events.
For example, the episodes discuss the BP oil spill Ripple: 6. Attrition, the coal ash spills in Tennessee and North Carolina Broken Ground: Tip of the Ashberg, and the impacts of hurricanes and flooding on communities A Matter of Degrees: The Stages of Black Climate Grief.
These episodes highlight how environmental disasters can have far-reaching consequences, from public health and safety concerns to economic impacts and the need for long-term recovery and resilience.