This week, Casey and Sara recap Sara's first trip to the Rocky Mountains, covering everything from road trip musings on land use to wildfires to amazing wildlife encounters!

Resources for this episode:

Natural Features & Ecosystems - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Moose Research in Rocky Mountain National Park

Tribal Partners - Rocky Mountain

White-tailed deer may not be the first species that pops to mind when you think of conservation, especially if you live across much of North or Central America. For many of us, these animals are commonly seen around our own homes and (unfortunately) roadways. Depending on your perspective, they can be seen as a nuisance, a game species, beloved local wildlife, or all of the above. In this episode, Casey and Sara discuss the history, ecology, and conservation of one of our most recognized animals.

Resources for this episode:

White-Tailed Deer-Penn State University

The Relationship Between Deer Density, Tick Abundance, and Human Cases of Lyme Disease in a Residential Community

You're More Likely To Hit a Deer This Week while Driving

Deer-Vehicle Collisions | Purdue Extension Forestry & Natural Resources

Reproductive characteristics of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Midwestern USA - ScienceDirect

Lithium-ion batteries are found everywhere, from watches to power tools to e-bikes and electric cars. But perhaps you've heard a thing or two about these batteries that make you unsure. This week, Casey and Sara discuss some of the environmental, social justice, and safety issues associated with lithium-ion batteries and how we can look to improve moving forward.

Resources for this episode:

How Lithium-ion Batteries Work | Department of Energy

A Comprehensive Comparative Analysis: Lithium vs Alkaline Batteries - The Earth Awards

Safety Risks to Emergency Responders from Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in Electric Vehicles

EVs are being set on fire in Ottawa for NRC battery abuse research

Electric Car Fires: What You Should Know | Edmunds

Deadly fires from phone, scooter batteries leave lawmakers playing catch-up on safety

Environmental impact of direct lithium extraction from brines | Nature Reviews Earth & Environment

The Environmental Impacts of Lithium and Cobalt Mining

Potential impacts of proposed lithium extraction on biodiversity and conservation in the contiguous United States - ScienceDirect

How is lithium mined? | MIT Climate Portal

Maine Has the Lithium America Needs, But Won't Allow Mining | TIME

Society Watch: Across the globe, indigenous rights are being trampled in lithium goldrush | Reuters

What Is Thermal Runaway? | UL Research Institutes

Their batteries hurt the environment, but EVs still beat gas cars. Here's why

This electric car battery takes less than 5 minutes to charge | CNN Business

Tribes face an uphill battle to defend their sacred land against lithium mining

A fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea kills 22 mostly Chinese migrant workers