Episode 4: ‘How can I reduce flooding in my neighborhood?’

When it rains, it pours. And when it pours, it floods. 

More and more, that appears to be the situation down South. In New Orleans, several big rain storms in recent years have turned streets into rivers and flooded homes and cars. 

This week on Life Raft: flooding. What can we do about it?

Introducing: Sea Change – Life Raft

Right now in the US, there is a GAS BOOM. A liquified natural gas boom — or LNG. The US produces the most LNG in the world. And the epicenter of this massive expansion? It’s here on the Gulf Coast. For the last year, we’ve traversed Louisiana trying to uncover what this growing LNG industry means for the state. But, after talking with everyone – from shrimpers to energy insiders – we realized that the stakes were far bigger. If we really wanted to tell the whole story, we had to travel even farther. In this 3-part series, we follow the journey of American gas around the world to find out if LNG is the miracle fuel it’s claimed to be. If it really can prevent a climate apocalypse. Or is it a carbon bomb waiting to go off? In part one, we start in Louisiana — ground zero. We see how the rise of these massive export terminals has transformed one community. Is this big bet on LNG worth it? “All Gassed Up” is a special 3-part series from Sea Change. This special series is part of the Pulitzer Center’s nationwide Connected Coastlines reporting initiative. For more information, go to pulitzercenter.org/connected-coastlines. This episode was hosted, reported, and produced by Carlyle Calhoun and Halle Parker. It was edited by Morgan Springer, Rosemary Westwood, and Eve Abrams. Additional help was provided by Ryan Vasquez and Eva Tesfaye. The episode was fact-checked by Garrett Hazelwood. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski. Our theme music is by Jon Batiste. ABOUT SEA CHANGE: Living on the coast means living on the front lines of a rapidly changing planet. And as climate change transforms our coasts, that will transform our world. Every two weeks, we bring you stories that illuminate, inspire, and sometimes enrage, as we dive deep into the environmental issues facing coastal communities on the Gulf Coast and beyond. We have a lot to save, and we have a lot of solutions. It’s time to talk about a Sea Change. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Our managing producer is Carlyle Calhoun. Hosted by Carlyle Calhoun and Halle Parker. Our theme song is by Jon Batiste To see more of our reporting on LNG and find other episodes, visit WWNO.org/podcast/sea-change. And to help others find our podcast, hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to rate and review!

1. Introducing: Sea Change 40:43
2. What If We Just…Made Our Houses Float? 35:11
3. Could Flood Insurance Sink Us Before The Water Does? 32:28
4. What Would It Take For Louisiana To Go Carbon Neutral By 2050? 28:36
5. How Much Can We Blame The 2020 Hurricane Season On Climate Change? 20:57

We speak drop by a bar that regularly floods, get the latest science on climate-induced rainfall, and visit with a New Orleanian who decided to get her hands dirty and take some action. 

Here are some great resources for how to help reduce flooding in your neighborhood:

• This workbook from WaterWise Gulf South is a great how-to guide for getting started on your own green infrastructure. 
• The Urban Conservancy has a program that reimburses New Orleanians for ripping up concrete in their yards. 
• Healthy Community Services (run by Angela Chalk, who you heard in Episode 1) also does lots of work around green infrastructure in New Orleans.

P.S. Here’s the legendary photo of “Darryl.” 

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