Villagers in a region of Yunnan Province, China whose fields were flooded by a dam, have teamed up with a Chinese non-profit to create sustainable livelihoods and a community voice. As Elise Potaka reports, they hope their experiences will provide a model for other villages.

Scientists are struggling to understand the climatic conditions behind the unusually severe drought that has wreaked havoc on southeastern Australia. New research suggests the answer might lie in the Indian Ocean, where the disruption of a natural cycle is keeping moisture at bay. Climatologist Caroline Ummenhofer, a research fellow with the University of New South Wales, talks with host Bruce Gellerman about how the warming Indian Ocean could be compounding the effects of rising temperatures in an already warming temperatures.

Hillary Clinton's first trip as Secretary of State will put the spotlight on global warming. Living on Earth's Washington correspondent Jeff Young reports that there are high hopes for a breakthrough in the long climate stalemate between China and the United States.

The planet's natural calendar, with its cycles of hibernation, sprouting, fading and rebirth, can seem remote in our techno-filled lives. Tune in to the remedy: ECOtime. This week, we hear about eye-shine.

British Columbia has the fourth largest aquaculture industry in the world. But some First Nations people in the region say the farms are killing off the wild salmon that form the foundation of a two billion dollar tourism and commercial fishing industry – and they’re taking their complaints to court. Host Bruce Gellerman speaks with Chief Bob Chamberlin, who is representing over 4,000 native peoples in a class action lawsuit, and Alexandra Morton, a scientist who has been studying the salmon stocks in the region for years.

Over 12 million people around the world play the interactive online game World of Warcraft. Now, Stanford professor Byron Reeves wants committed computer gamers to commit to home energy efficiency. Using smart metering technology, characters in the game would gain points for real-life energy efficiency improvements. Professor Reeves tries to sell host Bruce Gellerman and game aficionado Colin Ahearn on his idea.

Painting the roof of a house white reflects solar radiation back to the atmosphere and helps cool the planet. California Energy Commissioner Arthur Rosenfeld tells host Bruce Gellerman that a white roof not only saves on air conditioning costs but, also, offsets the heating effects of ten tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Living on Earth continues its series with readings from the book “Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape,” edited by Barry Lopez and Debra Gwartney. In this installment, poet Pattiann Rogers defines “kudzu.”