Microplastics in Lake Tahoe: What are They Doing There? What are they Doing? With Madison “Madio” Wallner

Microplastics in Lake Tahoe: What are They Doing There? What are they Doing? With Madison “Madio” Wallner

Author: KSQD 90.7 FM in Santa Cruz & KSQD.org December 21, 2025 Duration: 52:08

Lake Tahoe is one of California’s natural jewels but it is under siege and increasingly awash in plastic wastes, as visitors carelessly dispose of bottles and packages and discarded items degrade into small pieces washed into the lake.  What happens to that stuff? As we have been learning, microplastics are everywhere, in the environment and in our bodies.  What are their impacts on people, animals and nature?  Join host Ronnie Lipschutz for a conversation with Madison “Madio” Wallner, a UCSC PhD student in Environmental Science, who is studying microplastics and tire particles in Tahoe’s bottom sediments.


Every other Sunday, Sustainability Now! on KSQD.org offers a thoughtful space to explore the complex questions facing our planet. Born from the community airwaves of KSQD 90.7 FM in Santa Cruz, this podcast connects the local environmental pulse of Northern California to global conversations. Since its launch in 2019 by host Ronnie Lipschutz, the program has built a reputation for deep, engaging dialogues that refuse to simplify the challenges at hand. You’ll hear from a compelling mix of voices-field researchers detailing ecological shifts, philosophers examining our relationship with nature, community organizers building practical solutions, and authors framing new narratives for society. The discussions naturally weave between science, culture, and policy, reflecting a belief that true sustainability is as much about philosophy and community as it is about data. This isn’t about alarmism or easy answers; it’s about informed, nuanced exploration. Tuning in means listening to people who are actively thinking, studying, and working on the front lines of change. Each episode of this KSQD podcast provides substance and perspective, whether the topic is regenerative agriculture, conservation ethics, technological innovation, or social justice. It’s for anyone ready to move beyond headlines and engage with the ideas and actions shaping a viable future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

Sustainability Now! on KSQD.org
Podcast Episodes
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Tom Lehrer, the musical satirist par excellence of the 1950s and 1960s, died this past July at age 97. Many listeners and their progeny grew up listening to and singing his compelling compositions: easy to remember, easy…