Greetings Earthlings. It's said that everyone loves a comeback story and we couldn't agree more when it comes to the American Chestnut Tree. Once a mainstay of life in New England forests and beyond it sadly fell victim to human ignorance and greed. Now, we are happy to report, after decades of failed attempts to overcome the blight, this amazing native tree has returned. Anne Petermann of the Global Justice Ecology Project returns to the show with the good news. As always, we will also delve into the bad news from our Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were Small segments, along with the Doublespeak of the Week and more but first it's time for.........Revenge of the Critters! Fisherfolk in China Beware!
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill was probably last year's Fool and the year before that and the years before that. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is even looked upon as a fool by his fellow MAGA low-lives but he just keeps filling up our inbox. This time Common Dreams reports: "Doubling down on efforts by Republicans to smear the peaceful “No Kings” protest movement as “terrorism,” Sen. Ted Cruz called for the passage of legislation he introduced earlier this year to “prosecute” those funding the protests." Do you think that includes the 5 bucks you sent in to your local Indivisible? Apparently, this fool is unfamiliar with the U.S. Constitution?
As luck would have it, Cruz also came up with our Doublespeak of the Week in the Texas Tribune in the wake of his public condemnation of J6 insurrectionists. Attempting to defend himself using the term "terrorists" to describe the mob: "Cruz said he asked to come on [Tucker] Carlson’s show so he could better explain himself. Cruz said he understood why people were angry at his use of the word “terrorist” but insisted that he would never use the same word that “Democrats and the corporate media have so politicized” to describe the “patriots” that were at the Capitol that day to protest the results of the presidential election." 😏
Now it's time for "Their Brains Were small and They Died" and what better an example than the U.S. Soldiers who took part in the 1890 massacre of hundreds of Lakota men, women and children at Wounded Knee as well as white nationalist MAGA fascists like Dept. of "War" Secretary Pete Hegseth who want to whitewash that sorrowful event. Previous officials in the Pentagon withdrew the medals given to the cavalry for their butchery but Hegseth announced a reversal in "the latest move to sanitize the nation’s history taken by the Trump administration since [His Malignancy] signed an executive order in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”. What, more Doublespeak? Those rogue soldiers are dead and gone now but we'll have to wait a bit before we can bring actual truth to power regarding the likes of Hegseth and any other dinosaurs with a similar lack of decency and Intelligence.
We give thanks to Nature for all Her gifts but we say "No thanks" to the likes of His Malignancy and the MAGA freak show who seem obsessed with trashing Nature and wildlife at every opportunity. What is wrong with these people?? You know something is terribly wrong when you read His Malignancy's "anti-climate agenda could result in 1.3m more deaths globally, analysis finds." The Guardian piece goes on: "Increasing temperatures are already killing enormous numbers of people. A ProPublica and Guardian analysis that draws on sophisticated modeling by independent researchers found that [the]“America First” agenda of expanding fossil fuels and decimating efforts to reduce emissions will add substantially to that toll, with the vast majority of deaths occurring outside the US. Most of the people expected to die from soaring temperatures in the coming decades live in poor, hot countries in Africa and south Asia, according to recent research." Surprise! Sadly, we must also note this headline: "6 Democratic Governors Have Linked Arms With the GOP to Push Fossil Fuels" and our Gov. Maura Healey is among them. 😒 From anti-climate to anti-American, last week His Malignancy accused "Democrats of ‘seditious behavior, punishable by death’"? In a "video...six Democratic lawmakers who have previously served in the military or in intelligence roles said to Vets...“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and right now, the threats to our constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders,... you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution.” Reaction to His Malignancy's death threat continues on many fronts. Stay tuned for more.
Like we always say to those who should know better, "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and you can tell the fossil fools yourself right HERE. Also, last week "was the week from hell for environmental policy in the United States,” said Pat Parenteau, a professor emeritus and senior fellow for climate policy at Vermont Law and Graduate School. “Unless stopped by the courts, each of these proposed rollbacks will do irreparable harm to the nation’s water quality, endangered species and marine ecosystems.” In one rollback, the Interior Department moved to allow new oil and gas drilling across nearly 1.3 billion acres of U.S. coastal waters, including a remote region in the high Arctic where drilling has never before taken place." Also this, "The [MAGA captured] Environmental Protection Agency is promising to erase a scientific finding that underpins climate regulations nationwide." And, as the billionaire Takers toast to Mammon, "The United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, concluded....in Belém, Brazil with a deal that does not even include the words “fossil fuels”—the burning of which scientists agree is the primary cause of the climate crisis." That said, it appears a bit of good news surfaced regarding forests: "With the announcement of two major forest finance initiatives at the climate talks...there is renewed hope that the Congo Basin, home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, could finally secure the sustained, equitable climate funding it has long been promised. The first was the Tropical Forest Forever Fund, unveiled by Brazil, which is backed by $6.7 billion in commitments. The second was the official launch of the Canopy Trust on Nov. 17." Stay tuned for more on that.
As I write this a Red Shouldered Hawk is perched less than twenty feet from me waiting for some field mouse, chipmunk or songbird to make a foolish move. The hawk's presence is a gift from Nature and as such is hereby our Critter of the Week. Audubon tells us: "The Red-shouldered Hawk is a bird of lowland forest and swampy areas. The ideal habitat seems to be associated with Beaver ponds and adjacent streams, with mature hardwoods nearby to provide nesting sites. Seclusion from human disturbance is usually a requisite for successful breeding. Sections of southern Berkshire County and Quabbin have an abundance of this type of habitat." And this: "The [Red Shouldered Hawk] family stays together well into August, but the birds rarely are seen, and little is known about their habits during this period. Some groups become vocal again by late summer. By September, they have gone their separate ways. Fall migration peaks in late October. The birds winter mainly in the southern states, but an occasional straggler will remain in Massachusetts." Greetings straggler, welcome to our nest this day after Thanksgiving.
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we replay Citizens Awareness Network Action Alert : "MA Rep. Cusack’s justification for H.4744 is "fiscal responsibility." While he raises real issues, he wants to take a wrecking ball to MassSave and other important energy saving programs that benefit all families, support lower energy use, and cut carbon use. This bill rolls back many gains made to address climate disruption & reduce carbon emissions. It also continues to support the resurrection of nuclear power, while undermining the peoples’ voice to choose their energy future under section 80. We are facing real problems regarding high energy bills and escalating costs of living. But H.4744 isn’t the answer. This appears to be an industry backed bill to keep failing polluting industries alive. This is unacceptable! This legislation must be fought, and fought hard." Go HERE.
Our Quote of the Week is quite on target for this show...
“In some Native languages the term for plants translates to “those who take care of us.”
-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
After our conversation with Anne it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Weekly. Here's what appears to be Indivisible Northampton — Swing Left Western Mass's complete daily listing of all the pro-democracy events in WMass: https://in-slwm.org/wp-content/uploads/Calendar/cal.html. If you're looking for an easy weekday way to jump into the climate movement, you'll love the State House Stand Out! We gather at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers stand together for 2-hour "shifts," either outside or inside depending on weather, and talk with visitors and State House staff about the Climate Crisis. And This: Western Mass General Strike is hosting drop-in sessions on Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hadley Public Library for conversation and networking around general strikes and other forms of economic resistance. If you would like to get involved in organizing prior to that, contact us at wmgeneralstrike@proton.me. And This: Every Wednesday, 11am-1pm | Bearing Witness to ICE, Burlington, MA. Stand in solidarity outside the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office. Together, we can show love and support for immigrants, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Info/Sign Up. Fridays , 11:30 AM – 1 PM thru Nov 21: Stop Citizens Bank From Financing Private ICE Prison Standouts. At Public sidewalks on King Street in Northampton, in front of Stop and Shop Plaza (Citizens Bank has a branch inside Stop and Shop). Register HERE. Fridays 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Overpasses for Democracy Coordinated Visibility Standout, Wisdom Way Overpass on I-91, Greenfield. Join us for a coordinated event where Indivisible chapters across Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut stage a massive bridge overpass banner event. Register here on Mobilize.us. ALSO: De-ICE Hanscom is excited to announce weekly afternoon standouts will take place every Friday from 1:30pm to 3:00pm at the Hanscom Rotary. The Hanscom Rotary is at the intersection of Hanscom Dr. and Old Bedford Rd. in Lincoln, MA. Please park along Old Bedford Road or Hanscom Drive without impeding traffic or blocking bike lanes. Folks can sign up for De-ICE Hanscom's contact list at this link. Every Monday, 11:30am. -12:30pm. Join us each Monday at the VA Medical Center to show your support for our veterans and federal workers. All the cars honking will brighten your day, too! Bring flags, signs, and friends! VA Medical Ctr, 421 N Main St, Route 9, Leeds, MA. Park in the VA Visitor lot or, if you have a sticker or are a Veteran, park in Look Park. Register here. Saturdays: Noon to 2pm. Weekly Standout at Pride for Migrant Workers, Sidewalk in front of Pride gas station, intersection of Routes 9 and Bay Road in Hadley, 25 Russell St. Hadley, MA 01035. & 2 to 4pm Peaceful Protest, Granby, MA Town Green, U.S. 202 & Connecticut 20, Granby. Go HERE
December 9, 10, and 11. Join MA Climate Action Network and our coalition partners with Mass Power Forward for an end of the year State House Advocacy effort. RSVP here. The policy conversation around a 2025 Climate and Energy package has been heating up. It's important that our legislators get educated by us. RSVP to organize or attend a district meeting with your Representative and/or Senator to not only talk about what we haven't liked so far, but also what OUR priorities are. Please thank your representatives! A representative was quoted as saying that they had never seen so much advocacy on a bill – and many of our reps listened and acted.
Thursday December 11, 5:45pm. Screening of "The Social Dilemma" at LAVA, 324 Main Street, Greenfield, MA. What is the dilemma? First, this part-documentary, part docu-drama digs into the world of algorithms – the ones quietly deciding what you see online, how long you stay there, and who benefits from your scrolling. And then, it nails the urgency of the conversation, regulation, digital literacy, mental health awareness. These simply aren’t optional anymore.
Thursday December 11, 7:30pm. Endangered Species Act Proposed Rules -- Call to Action Webinar. Join the Endangered Species Coalition and partners as we come together to talk about the Trump administration's wide-reaching set of proposed rules that would severely undermine implementation of Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed ESA rule changes are now open for public comment until December 22, 2025. In this webinar we'll explain ways you and your community can mobilize to express opposition to these proposed changes, as well as ensure bedrock environmental protections are upheld. Go HERE.
Friday December 12, 9am to 4pm. The MA Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC) is hosting its second in-person event to convene municipal stakeholders and community leaders who are interested in or taking steps to decarbonize and electrify their city or town. Attendees will hear from a panel of speakers from the GMAC and electric distribution companies (EDCs) to learn about the actions Massachusetts is taking to modernize and proactively plan our electric grid. [Expect the status quo] More info and registration here.
Saturday December 13, 9:30 to 11am. Carbon Countdown 2025: State Support for Local Climate Initiatives. Online, and In-person at Follen Church, Lexington, MA. Senator Mike Barrett will update us on the State Legislature's efforts regarding Climate Change. Join us to learn how State programs can provide crucial support for local climate initiatives. Learn from experts in the field, and network with like-minded individuals who are passionate about combating climate change. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of the solution! Reservations HERE.
Saturday December 13, Noon to 1pm. Standout at Hadley Home Depot, Rt. 9 protesting ICE. We're looking for signs specific to boycotting Home Depot. AND...we have another idea for after the holidays, especially for those with chutzpah! Stay tuned. Warmer, nothing illegal, should be fun. Go HERE.
Tuesday, December 16, 7-8:30pm. Winning on Climate in a System Stacked Against Us: Organizers’ Tales of State House Adventures. Climate Action Now and Local Energy Advocates invite climate organizers and activists statewide to join us for an evening of reflection and conversation with special guest speaker Jess Nahigian. Jess has many tales to tell about life as a climate organizer focused on moving meaningful climate legislation through the Mass State House. Together we will reflect on the historic shift in policy we just experienced and how we can build on this win moving forward. Register HERE.
Sunday December 21, 3pm. New Moon in the Valley Winter Solstice Celebration Common Hall, 34 Main Street, Montague, MA 01351-8928. Come join with community in celebration of the longest night and the return of the sun! 12/21/25 at the Montague Common Hall, Montague, MA 3:00 PM. Sponsored by New Moon in the Valley. Bring snacks (ingredients clearly marked) to share after the ritual. Also, in the spirit of Community, we are collecting non-perishable goods for the local food bank.
That's all for now except to remember to listen to your Mother.
