Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Reporter, Harvest Public MediaI'm the creator and host of the environmental podcast Up From Dust. I write about how the world is transforming around us, from topsoil loss and invasive species to climate change. My goal is to explain why these stories matter to the Midwest and Great Plains, and to report on the farmers, ranchers, scientists and other engaged people working to make the region more resilient.
I previously covered environment and other beats for the Kansas News Service.
I have a master's in journalism from Columbia University and a master’s in bilingualism studies from Stockholm University in Sweden. Before coming to Kansas, I spent a decade living and working in Sweden, Germany and Taiwan, including several cherished years working for the Taipei Times.
Email me at celia@kcur.org.
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You know that moment of panic when you find a tick on yourself? Well, we assembled a crack team of tick scientists to tell us exactly what to do when that happens — and better yet, how to avoid it in the first place. We’ll learn what repellents to use, why clothes dryers are tick kryptonite, and (gulp) how to properly remove the pesky creatures. -
Hundreds of pesticides are legal, but that doesn’t mean that their impacts on health are fully understood. Cleaning produce before eating it reduces your exposure. -
Justin was terrified of snakes – until he learned they’re scared of him, too. Tay’s fear was soothed after discovering the Internet’s affection for “nope ropes” and “danger noodles.” Can we ease our discomfort around critters by getting to know the animals? We spoke with psychologists, who offer their tips for overcoming phobias. This is part two of a two-part series on getting over the fears that spoil our outdoor fun.
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How do you stop being so afraid? Tracy Twombly had such a strong phobia of spiders, it was messing with her life — stressing her out while she was working at her native plant nursery or hiking through the woods. So she embarked on a journey to make peace with her eight-legged neighbors (even the extra hairy ones). This is part one of a two-part series on getting over the fears that spoil our outdoor fun.
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Pesticide pollution is a problem especially in the middle of the country. And sometimes there's enough of it to possibly hurt aquatic plants and animals. -
These ranchers tried to protect grassland from trees and shrubs in all the traditional ways. It didn’t work. So they brought in hungry goats that turned woody plants into a cash stream. -
All summer long, we run mowers over our lawns to keep them the perfect height – and run sprinklers to keep them emerald green. Add fertilizer and weedkillers into the mix, and it’s a real resource drain. But there’s something else about lawns: They’re inhospitable to most wildlife. Celia joins Marielle Segarra on NPR’s Life Kit to explain how to push back against American lawn culture by killing a small patch of grass and turning it into a wildlife friendly garden.
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Some rivers are success stories where wildlife is bouncing back from heavy pollution. But environmental groups say progress hasn’t happened across the board and backsliding remains possible. -
Turning your grass into a garden isn't as complicated as you think, but it will take time and effort. Kansas City experts offer this step-by-step guide that breaks down the process, from killing your lawn to picking plants to grow. -
Ornate box turtles and their kin face steep challenges in today’s world, but people can help out by raising the deck height on their mowers, allowing turtles to cross the road and not taking them home as pets.
