Living Planet Folgen

Glaciers may only exist in certain cold corners of the world, but just like tropical rainforests, peatlands, wetlands and oceans, they support life on Earth hundreds of thousands of kilometers away; regulating ocean temperature, freshwater supply and our climate. In this episode we hear why ice is so integral to the planet as a functioning ecosystem, and some radical ideas to stop it from melting.

Can't sleep? You're not alone. A recent report highlights how much sleep we'll lose each year as temperatures continue to rise. Climate change is also drying up water supplies — from North America to East Africa to Europe. We travel the Rhine in Germany where low water levels are killing fish and halting trade. And in Mexico, residents rely on water deliveries due to drought and mismanagement.

This week on Living Planet, we explore a topic that's perfectly natural and something we do every day. Whether you use a squat toilet, a pit latrine or a water closet, humans need to go. But the ways we do so are often not very efficient, useful or good for the environment. So we're taking a look at the history of human excrement and some creative solutions to dispose of and repurpose our waste.