We live in a world of constant convenience, where  just about any material need can be met with a simple click of a button or a swipe on a phone screen. But what if this relentless pursuit of momentary pleasures is actually becoming the source of some of our greatest pains?

On this edition of KCBS In Depth, we speak with Dr. Anna Lembke, the medical director of Stanford Addiction Medicine. Her new book is "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence," in which she turns to brain science and the science of addiction to explore the root cause of both pleasure and pain and why it is that this time of instant gratification seems to have thrown our dopamine systems so out of whack.

Host: Keith Menconi 

We live in a world of constant convenience, where&nbsp; just about any material need can be met with a simple click of a button or a swipe on a phone screen. But what if this relentless pursuit of momentary pleasures is actually becoming the source of some of our greatest pains?
On this edition of KCBS In Depth, we speak with Dr. Anna Lembke, the medical director of Stanford Addiction Medicine. Her new book is "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence," in which she turns to brain science and the science of addiction to explore the root cause of both pleasure and pain and why it is that this time of instant gratification seems to have thrown our dopamine systems so out of whack.
Host: Keith Menconi&nbsp;

KCBS Radio In Depth

Dr. Anna Lembke on why this age of abundance is wracked with addiction

Last week, KCBS Radio looked at the state of the environment. We touched on how cities are responding to the rising tides and the extreme effects of climate change. We looked at the change in how we get around the Bay Area - EVs, bikes, and more - and how young people are stepping up to take on climate justice.

And we found out that one of the Bay Area’s most beloved places - the San Francisco Zoo - is focused on all the environmental changes that the world is undergoing as well.

We heard the first part of the Conservation Conversation on the last week's In Depth. Now we have the conclusion of that conversation, with KCBS’s Eric Thomas and Nikki Meduro speaking with Eric Kruzmen, vice president of wellness and conservation at the San Francisco Zoo. They are also joined by Shelby Hasbun, manager of environmental services at the zoo.

Last week, KCBS Radio looked at the state of the environment. We touched on how cities are responding to the rising tides and the extreme effects of climate change. We looked at the change in how we get around the Bay Area - EVs, bikes, and more - and how young people are stepping up to take on climate justice.
And we found out that one of the Bay Area’s most beloved places - the San Francisco Zoo - is focused on all the environmental changes that the world is undergoing as well.
We heard the first part of the Conservation Conversation on the last week's In Depth. Now we have the conclusion of that conversation, with KCBS’s Eric Thomas and Nikki Meduro speaking with Eric Kruzmen, vice president of wellness and conservation at the San Francisco Zoo. They are also joined by Shelby Hasbun, manager of environmental services at the zoo.

A Conservation Conversation, Part Two: Environmental work at the San Francisco Zoo and what the future holds

KCBS Radio has been taking a closer look at the state of the environment in the Bay Area - from extreme weather and rising sea levels to what people are doing to try and make the world around us better.

But how is the San Francisco Zoo faring with all these environmental changes? What are their conservation efforts looking like these days? And is the San Francisco Zoo ready for when pandas from China arrive?

To answer these questions, KCBS’s Eric Thomas and Nikki Meduro took their mics to the San Francisco Zoo and spoke with Eric Kruzmen, vice president of wellness and conservation at the zoo.

This is part one of a Conservation Conversation.

KCBS Radio has been taking a closer look at the state of the environment in the Bay Area - from extreme weather and rising sea levels to what people are doing to try and make the world around us better.
But how is the San Francisco Zoo faring with all these environmental changes? What are their conservation efforts looking like these days? And is the San Francisco Zoo ready for when pandas from China arrive?
To answer these questions, KCBS’s Eric Thomas and Nikki Meduro took their mics to the San Francisco Zoo and spoke with Eric Kruzmen, vice president of wellness and conservation at the zoo.
This is part one of a Conservation Conversation.

A Conservation Conversation, Part One: What is the state of the San Francisco Zoo?

The housing crisis is widespread in California and it has become especially dire for college students, as rents go ever higher and competition increases for whatever apartments are available.

A 2022 UCLA survey found that student homelessness ranges from anywhere 5 to 20% across California’s colleges and universities, meaning that potentially hundreds of thousands of students are unhoused.

So, what’s being done to solve this problem?

We’ll start our conversation with Zennon Ulyate-Crow, third year student at UC Santa Cruz and founder and co-chair of the Student Homes Coalition - a student-led collective of higher education advocacy organizations and youth activists fighting for abundant, accessible, and affordable student housing.

And then we'll turn to Su-Jin Jez, CEO of California Competes, a nonpartisan policy and research organization focused on identifying solutions to the state’s challenges at the intersection of higher education, equity, and the economy. 

The housing crisis is widespread in California and it has become especially dire for college students, as rents go ever higher and competition increases for whatever apartments are available.
A 2022 UCLA survey found that student homelessness ranges from anywhere 5 to 20% across California’s colleges and universities, meaning that potentially hundreds of thousands of students are unhoused.
So, what’s being done to solve this problem?
We’ll start our conversation with Zennon Ulyate-Crow, third year student at UC Santa Cruz and founder and co-chair of the Student Homes Coalition - a student-led collective of higher education advocacy organizations and youth activists fighting for abundant, accessible, and affordable student housing.
And then we'll turn to Su-Jin Jez, CEO of California Competes, a nonpartisan policy and research organization focused on identifying solutions to the state’s challenges at the intersection of higher education, equity, and the economy.

Dr. Anna Lembke on why this age of abundance is wracked with addiction

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