Reducir, reutilizar, y reciclar: most of us have heard it in English, and here we hear it in Spanish. These women explain to us the “three R's” to combat the excessive amount of waste that we generate.

Transgenic, or genetically modified, crops are a marginal issue for most people in the United States. This is not the case in Europe, where the issue of transgénicos is very much in the forefront of the public's mind.

Comercio Justo, or “Fair Trade” products are often seen in “socially conscious” retailers like health and “whole” food shops. It presents a novel approach to doing business that takes into account social and environmental factors in its pricing to consumers and directly compensates commodity food producers, like coffee and cocoa farmers. Here proponents explain the philosophy from several different vantage points.

Can an educated public really create a kinder, gentler, consumer society? Do informed buyers make decisions more sensitive to their world? Can you have your cake and eat it too? Some activists think that voracioius consumers need not be subdued, but only that their desires be tweaked, redirected…

Do those who control the wealth in a society also dictate its desires? In this segment we’re able to listen in on the discourse of Spanish intellectuals critical of the modern consumer culture, which they see as something of a Svengali-like oppressor and manipulator of the masses.

Can a consumer-driven market be replaced by an informed system of mutual cooperation by a like-minded populace? Is the market always at odds with the well being of the planet? Is it true that otro mundo es possible? Let’s find out what some experts think…

Medical student Patricia Martí tells us about the study she is conducting in the village of Adícora. The study is a look at the incidence of skin problems caused by sun exposure in this town where many people work outdoors, including quite a few fishermen.

Patricia will soon be a full-fledged doctor of medicine, but first she must complete the internship she is doing in the rural Venezuelan community of Charaima, on the Peninsula de Paraguaná. She tells us a little bit about the road she’s travelled to get to this point in her academic career.

Carlos keeps teaching us more environmental terms, which he will reinforce by reciting a typical paragraph we might hear during a news segment on the environment.

This time, Amaya introduces us to Samy, a donkey who is not from the sanctuary but is rather just visiting from northern France. Let's hear his fascinating story!

In this episode of News Vocabulary, Carlos focuses on commonly used environmental terms, explaining their meanings and giving us examples in context.

Amaya tells us the story of the donkey sanctuary's latest rescue, Sabanero, whose previous owners abandoned him and threw him out onto the street. Let's learn more details and about his past and present lives.

Have you ever tried germinating a mango seed, or the pit of some other fruit? Fermín tells us about his own experiences doing so, including his varied results.

Today, Fermín will talk to us about the cypress, a mystical tree that symbolizes eternal life in many cultures. However, as this species is facing such threats as deforestation and climate change, we will also hear some tips about how we can do our part to conserve it.

Let's discover with Fermín some interesting facts about the spectacular bougainvillea plant, which is widely used in gardens and on patios due to its vibrant color and beauty. We will also find out what you need to know if you want to cultivate this fascinating plant in your own garden.