The Urban Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Time to talk about Mother Earth, the urban dweller. She’s stressed, she’s pressed-in, she’s not happy! Jonathan Bates, board member of Nuestras Raices, joins us to discuss that Holyoke organization’s work to protect the urban environment and create sustainable models for city living. As always, we’ll be checking out the latest from The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, the Quote of the Week, and naturally, the latest in dastardly deeds from The Empire, but first it’s time for....Revenge of the Critters! A listener suggestion: Parrot won’t talk! (at least not to the cops!)

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber: This just in from The Montague Reporter - The state investigation into the remarks made by Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission director Robert Welch has officially concluded. You may recall from our last show, Welch was the guy who said "Tree-hugging Indians" were holding up progress on the proposed Turners Falls airport expansion. Welch has resigned, as of June 4th, according to Klark Jessen, director of communications for the Executive Office of Transportation. Soooo, will TF Airport Commissioner, Mark Fairbrother, who called Narragansetts trying to protect a sacred site, “rock-hugging Indians” follow Welch into the dustbin of history? We hope so! That would be FAIR…..brother! AND this from Grist: The Hulk talks up green buildings for low-income housing. AND FINALLY (and in keeping with the show’s theme) Our Enviro Show Blog Bonus, Grist Special Series on Smart(ish) Cities.

O no, it's that sound again! They’re back! Glen, when?? Yes, The Empire’s Big Oil operatives are still barricaded in the White House and, as always, up to no good. It looks like Henry Waxman is about to wax their collective ass however. He’s got Evidence that the White House influenced the EPA to deny a waiver California needed to regulate vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions. ALSO: the high priests of The Empire launch their latest offensive against the planet!

On our Enviro Show Quote of the Week we have this question from the year 1888:
“In this country the mass of the people are entire strangers to the sentiment of beauty; they deform whatever they touch. Will it always be so?”
–John Burroughs
(OK, it’s over a hundred years later, will it??)

We revisit “Toxic City”,by System of a Down on our way to the interview with Jonatan Bates. Then it's on to the....

Bus Stop Billboard:

Saturday, May 31; 8:45 to 1pm.; "Where on Earth are we going? What can we do about it?" A symposium to explore these questions and bring about an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on this planet. Mass Audubon-Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton. To register call (413)584-3009, ext.812. Also go to: www.awakeningthedreamer.org

Saturday June 7; 10 am. Brattleboro Downtown. Come for the Strollin’ of the Hefers! Help Awaken the rest of Vermont and the tri state area to the threat of Vermont Yankee! We are going to be handing out literature and atomic red hots for the kids! Let them know if you would like to participate in distribution! call 413-863-8952 or email cchang@nukebusters.org

Saturday, June 7, 10 to 11:30 a.m. REPTILE SURVIVAL! Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 525 South Pleasant Street., Amherst, MA. To register call (413) 256-6006 Denise Passias & Jay Whitney, Reptile Enthusiasts. It will be a hands-on presentation that will be fun for all ages! Featuring more than ten different species of reptiles brought to you from the Kiss-A-Lizard show by Jay and Denise. Member: $5 Non-member: $8

ALSO at Hitchcock: NATURE'S STORYTIME. Free Every Tuesday, 11 a.m.
Come listen while we read a story book from our collection of nature-based children's literature and follow up with a short nature walk or activity. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required.

Saturday – June 14 – 7:30 pm. “Magpie” performs at the Echo Lake Coffee House, Town Hall, Leverett, MA. Terry and Greg are internationally known for their musical work in the environmental movement. For more info: www.magpiemusic.com Admission: $12/$10 seniors Call Diane for reservations: 413-548-9394/diacrowe@yahoo.com


June 18, 7:15pm. NUCLEAR POWER: AT WHAT COST? Bangs Community Center, Boltwood Walk, Amherst. Presented by CITIZEN AWARENESS NETWORK. This important program will offer information from experts regarding nuclear power and how it affects our society -
Merely 30 miles from Vermont Yankee, our local towns are subject to the effect of nuclear power in many ways, many of which are misunderstood and unclear. The Enviro Show is a co-sponsor.

Friday, June 2O & 21; 'Taking Charge of Our Energy Future' Summit UMass Amherst Campus Center. Help create a nework of thriving local communities - urban and rural - working together across race and class - building a way of life and an energy future that is sustainable and just. More than 30 workshops for municipal leaders, business owners, community leaders, environmental justice leaders, people wanting green job skills, teachers, parents, and students. Call 877-266-7543

That'll do it for this week. Next time: Pesky Mosquitoes, plus UMass scientist takes the sting out of fuel prices. Until then, remember to listen to your Mother!

The Threats to the Northern Forest Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. It’s more gloom & doom, this time right here at the doorway to the Great North Woods. Dr. Lee Frelich, director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota joins us to discuss things like the European Earthworm invasion…yes, you heard me right, it’s not some “B” sci-fi flick AND it’s coming to a forest near you! Speaking of invasions, we’ll check-in with Darth Cheney and the boy emperor to see what sort of dastardly deeds they’ve been up to. David Kroodsma joins us live in the studio this time to talk climate and we’ll do a perusal of the news in the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, but first (you gussed it!) it’s time for.....Revenge of the Critters! Screwed by worms!.

The Enviro Show Quote of the Week comes from none other than Rachel Carson. Tune in for those words of wisdom. Then: there’s that chilling sound again! Glen, how much longer will this torture go? LITERALLY!! OK, we knew Darth Cheney was a bad guy, right? We knew he probably kicks dogs and scares little kids, but now we find out he even hates whales!! ALSO, the Bush regime eats its’ own (for not putting the corporados first, of course): Top EPA fired for doing her job. Surprise!

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber Destruction of mangrove forests in Burma left coastal areas exposed to cyclone. Finally, we echo the good work of the Native Forest Network in their struggle to prevent the Plum Creek corporados from turning Maine’s Great North woods into some sort of yuppie playground. Development….it’s a threat, who’d a thunk it?? AND our Enviro Show Blog Bonus: Losing The Forests For the Trees: Tree Monocultures and Biofuels; that from our friends at the Global Justice Ecology Project.

"Earthworms" by Andrea Bunch from “Numinous” takes us to our interview with Lee Frelich. So we talked about some of the threats to the Northern Forest coming from slimeballs like Plum Creek, let's see about those worms.

On to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Like we said last time: it's Mass Bike Week with events throughout the Valley. Checkout www.massbike.org for details.

Thursday, May 15, 7pm. “Nowtopia”. Food for Thought Books, North Pleasant St., Amherst. Talk with author, Chris Carlsson. Outlaw bicycling, urban permaculture, biofuels, free software, and even the Burning Man festival are windows into a scarcely visible social transformation that is redefining politics as we know it.

Thursday, May 15, 7:15pm. Valley Coalition to Prevent War on Iran meeting,at Seeley hall, Smith College.

Friday, May 16, Noon; Iraq Moratorium: Vigil/March, Noon - 1:00, Main and State Street, Northampton. ALSO: Vigil Noon - 1:00, Amherst Town Common, Pleasant and Main Streets.

Saturday, May 17, May 17, 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Birding by Ear
This is the best season and time of day to be immersed in the dawn chorus of bird songs. This is an experience in ear training that will expand how you see and hear the world. Bring binoculars and a field guide. We will be visiting sites at the Quabbin, along the bike trail, and at the Notch. Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 12 participants per trip. Meeting location provided upon registration.
Hitchcock Member: $10; Non-member: $15 Call (413) 256-6006

Sunday, May 18, 1pm The Rattlesnake gutter Trust’s 20 Year Celebration. Call 367-2842 for more info.


Monday, May 19 is the 332 anniversary of the massacre at Great Falls and a good time to meet Narragansett Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Doug Harris and documentary filmmaker Ted Timreck bringing Timreck's work-in-progress documentary about Native American sacred stone landscapes in Eastern North America, with a section specifically dealing with the stone ceremonial site at the Turners Falls Airport. The event starts at 7 p.m. at the Great Hall of the Discovery Center, across the street from the town hall and the Shady Glen. At a meeting at the Turners Falls Airport on April 4th,
Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission executive director Robert Welch
claimed "tree-hugging Indians" were holding up progress on the runway
project, and Turners Fall Municipal Airport Commissioner Mark
Fairbrother said they were "rock-hugging Indians." TO WHICH WE SAY: ROCK ON INDIANS!!


Monday, May 19; Last day to register for 20% discount to the 2008 Regional Sustainable Energy Summit at UMass, June 20 & 21st. Dozens of exciting workshops on cost saving energy ideas for homeowners, businesses, and communities, full-day green job training sessions, and networking opportunities for good time to community, business and campus leaders. Go to: www.cooppower.coop .

Wednesday, May 21st, 7-9pm. Solar Workshop for residents & Small Businesses. Town Room in the Amherst Town Hall. To register call: 586-7350, ext.25

Friday May 23- Monday May 26; Spring Maine EF! Rendezvous.
In the Great Maine North Woods near Moosehead Lake. Right now in northern Maine, the worlds largest land owner is trying to suck up the largest wilderness east of Mississippi and spit it out as condos and golf courses. In other words, its time to get our ERRR together, build our skills and grow our resistance, to this plan. Arrive Friday night and set up camp in time for an open-mic-less night. There will be a Night to Howl on Saturday evening. Bring musical instruments and your favorite circus tricks. Email: maineef (at) yahoo.com

"Forest" by System of a Down from "Toxic City" rocks us out (careful, this one has ragged edges!). Next time it's urban enviros and the struggle. Soooo, remember: Listen to yur' Mother!

The Eco Fem Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. On the eve of May Day & in the wake of Earth Day, and here where we never tire of reminding you to listen to your Mother, we’ll check-in with Alison Bailey and Chris Cuomo, authors of The Feminist Philosophy Reader.This is our last show starting at 6pm on WXOJ-lp. In two weeks we'll come on at 6:30pm following Free Speech Radio news, sooooo, make note! As usual, we catch-up on the dark exploits of the patriarchal Bush regime and checkout the Enviro Show Quote of the Week, but first it’s time for..... Revenge of the Critters! Lily the fish poisons jailer!

Then it's on to The Enviro Show Quote of the Week: “You know, what’s happening in Latin America, any aggression or provocation by President Bush improves the image and the acceptance of candidates to the presidency.” - Bolivian President Evo Morales. Looks like the Empire has lost South America to the Commies! Too bad they're soooo busy spreading their mess eastward that they've overlooked their southern flank. ;)

Then it’s time for that dreadful sound again! Glen, what’s the countdown? When will we no longer read Hundreds of scientists at EPA report political interference? Nick Kristoff’s NY Times column Our Favorite Planet takes a piece out of the boy emperor and his (ahem) climate plan. ALSO, we replay a piece in the New York Times in which Terry Tempest Williams takes on Big Oil right in Darth Cheney’s backyard!

Our Enviro Show Blog Bonus: ACT NOW to stop bear poaching!

Then “Cottonwood”by Andrea Bunch, from her “Numinous” album takes us to our interview with Alison Bailey and Chris Cuomo. Maybe we all can visualize a virtual maypole and get some serious pagan rites going in the studio!

Onto the Bus Stop Billboard!


Sunday, May 4, 2008, 2:00PM to 4:00PM. Clean Water Action’s 14th Annual
Party in the Springtime. Doyle Conservation Center, Leominster, MA, 464 Abbott Avenue (off Route 2). 413-584-9830.

Sunday, May 4: The Environmental Task Force of the Hampshire Interfaith Council will present the ninth update on Environmental Legislation in the Quaker Meeting House in Northampton (43 Center Street) at 7:00 pm. Legislators present will include State Representatives: Ellen Story Peter Kocot), and John Scibak, and State Senator Stan Rosenberg. This year's update will concentrate on Massachusetts's response to climate change, toxic chemicals, water and the Environmental Bond Bill.[and maybe Cape Wind??]

Sunday May 11 11:45 - 1:45; Women’s Congress for Peace presents the Annual
MOTHER’S DAY MARCH for PEACE & JUSTICE! Beginning at 11:30 meet at Bridge Street School, Route 9 Northampton. Noon: walk through dowtown Main Street with the your signs, banners, Song and puppets.1:00 Masonic Street speakout plus!

BIKE COMMUTE WEEK EVENTS:
Saturday 5/10 10 AM to Noon--Bike Rodeo at Jackson Street Elementary School
Saturday 5/10 Noon to 2 PM--Basic Bike Tune-up in Pulaski Park
Sunday 5/11 1PM to 2PM--Mother Earth Ride, Meets in Pulaski Park
Monday 5/12 7 PM (time?)--Film Screening, Forbes Library (A Sunday in Hell )
Wednesday 5/14 7AM to 10AM--Bike Breakfast, Courthouse Lawn
Wednesday 5/21 7PM--Ride of Silence (meeting place TBA)

Friday, May 16, Bike Commute Day in Amherst during Bike Commute Week
in the Pioneer Valley. Organized by MassHighway, in conjunction with the Town of Amherst and PVPC Call: 413-582-0554.

May 17 – 23; Mountain Justice Summer Camp. Harlan County, Kentucky
Our 2008 Mountain Justice Summer camp will be at the base of beautiful
Pine Mountain, with an old-growth forest and incredible hiking just
above the camp - plus live mountain music, great food, films, workshops
on coal mining and Appalachian culture, skills training, and plenty of
time for fun and relaxing.
http://www.mountainjusticesummer.org

That is all. End of story until May 13 at 6:30pm when we go all wormy on you with Dr. Lee Frelich. Until then remember: listen to your Mother! OK?

The Return of the Fuelish Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Well, once again David Blume author of "Alcohol Can Be A Gas!" bailed on us. We had hoped to talk about the troubled subject of gasohol/ethanol and perhaps have a look at other alternative fuels. Instead we talked with our friend David Kroodsma about the upcoming climate ride from New York to DC in September. Also we had a call-in from Molly at the Center for Biological Diversity about the troubling crash in the bat population. And, we dished out some more "chewy rhetoric" during our Darth Cheney and Enviro Show Echo Chamber segments, but first it was time for....... Revenge of the Critters! Bunny attack!

On the Enviro Show Echo chamber we checked out the Democracy Now! Interview with Raj Patel, a writer, activist, former policy analyst with Food First, formerly worked for the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the United Nations, who said "...in terms of a climate change strategy, ethanol is madness". Hmmm, what would our "guest" say about THAT? AND, adding fuel (ahem) to the fire, Paul Krugman in the New York Times gives us a look at Demon ethanol as does their editorial board. AND, checkout local pol, Peter Vickery's blog on the issue and a plan being hatched on Beacon Hill. ALSO, speaking of destroying the rainforest to grow crops, how about saving the rainforest to grow condoms!. FINALLY, our blog bonus: a link to Richie Davis’ piece in the Greenfild Recorder, River at Risk. What, no good news??

We revisited "Cars, cars, cars", by our own Liberty Cabbage Theatre Revival segwayin' into our interview with David Kroodsma.

Then came that gruesome noise! Glen, is it over yet? How come these guys are still with us?? What ecological damage will the Dark Lord and his little sock-puppet have done recently? We were sure to highlite Bobby Kennedy Jr's. The Next President's First Task [A Manifesto].

Then we stoped by the Bus Stop Billboard for a perusal of the postings:

Wednesday, April 16, 6:00 p.m. - Dr. Robert Newton a representative of the Barnes Aquifer Advisory Protection Committee will be presenting information regarding the proposed Northampton Landfill Expansion to the Easthampton City Council. The BAPAC representative will be talking about the impact of the proposed precedent setting expansion onto the Barnes Aquifer. The Easthampton City Council meeting isin the Music Room, White Brook Middle School, 200 Park Street, Easthampton, MA
http://www.savingparadise.info/

Saturday April 19th from 10am - 1:30pm. The Clam is back!! Western Mass. Clamshell Alliance gathering, downstairs meeting room at the Greenfield Public Library, 402 Main Street, Greenfield. Potluck lunch. Call 978-544-3911 or Sharon at 978-544-8822.

Sunday April 20, 9:30 - 10:15 a.m., Responding to God's Call (i believe that's a collect call) and Climate Change: The Low Carbon Diet, First Congregational Church UCC, 165 Main Street, Amherst. An introduction to this opportunity to be part of the global climate change solution. Led by Jennifer Unkles and Betsy Krogh. More information at www.uccam.org or call Betsy at 549-2846.

Sunday, April 20, 1-3pm. Earth Day Hike into the Sawmill Hills. Northampton Wildlife Committee and Nonotuck Land Fund sponsors. Meet at the parking lot behind the Arts and Industries Building and we'll carpool up to the Avis Circle Trailhead. Come celebrate Earth Day as we check vernal pools and do some trail maintenance along the way. We'll get to see lots of vernal pool activity and maybe the Pileated Woodpeckers will make an appearance!

Monday April 21. Matriots Day --- Walk, ride, run for Peace!!
Walk, bike, sing, and dance our way do peace and justice with Code Pink.
One-day walk from Barnes Airforce Base in Westfield to Westover Airforce Base in Chicopee. (details coming soon - get involved- contact us: babzisapinko@gmail.com)
Homeland Needs NOT CORPORATE GREED!

Thursday, April 24, 6pm. Community Conservation Forum for Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Pelham, Shutesbury & Wendell. Shutesbury Town Hall. Light dinner provided. Pre-register. Call Jay at (978)248-2118.

Friday, April 25-26, END THE WARS ABROAD AND AT HOME: CHARTING A PATH FOR 2008. A New England-Wide Conference at Tufts University - Medford, MA. Go to www.newenglandunited.org for latest conference and registration information. More Information: Phone: 617-497-5273

Saturday, April 26. Derrick Jensen at UMass. 2pm—Roundtable: Activism & Art, Science & the Soul; Memorial Hall, 5pm—Reading: Derrick Jensen, author of “A Language Older than Words”, and “Listening to the Land: Conversations about Nature, Culture, and Eros”; Memorial Hall, University of Massachusetts.

Sunday April 27, 7:30. "Peak Oil and How Pioneer Valley Towns Can Prepare". Franklin Patterson Hall, Hampshire College. Richard Heinberg, national expert on peak oil and author of Peak Everything. He'll be joined by Michael Klare, Hampshire College's resident expert on this topic. Suggested donation of $3 - $10. Contact: ehoffner@yahoo.com

So much for that. We go out with “Sweet Grass”, by Joanne Rand from “Into the River”. It's Spring, remember to listen to your Mother!

The Fossil Fools Day Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings, it’s Fossil Fools Day. Let's see if we can outdo our usual selves foolin' around on the airwaves. Jean’s off to the Everglades (watch out gators!). We're supposed to get a call-in from the folks at Rising Tide fresh from one of the Fossil Fools Day actions and we’ll listen to The Yes Men make fools out of the corporados. As always, we’ll checkout Darth Cheney and the Boy Emperor's latest assault on the planet and listen into the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, as well as hear our newest feature: The Enviro Show Quote of the week, but first it’s time for.....

Revenge of the Critters! Trickster coyotes attack!! Seven people were bitten by coyotes between March and August in the Lake Tahoe area in 1999, including one tourist who was bitten in the thigh while walking in the Caesars Tahoe parking lot over Memorial Day weekend. Airplane flights at the South Lake Tahoe runway had been cancelled or delayed due to coyotes on the airport runway, who have even chased planes as they took off!

Now, for the Quote of the Week. Regarding the recent collapse of a section of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica, seven times the size of Manhattan: NSIDC Lead Scientist Ted Scambos, who first spotted the disintegration in March, said, "We believe the Wilkins has been in place for at least a few hundred years. But warm air and exposure to ocean waves are causing a break-up." Hmmm, now about that warm air....

Tom Neilson's "Fools no More" takes us to The Yes Men clip as they get in the corporados collective face (and we use the term "collective" advisedly) and let the chips fall where they may. Then, hopefully, it's on to the Fossil Fools Day Call-in.

There’s that sound again! Let’s see what the Backwards Bush Countdown says. Also this Fossil Fools Day Special: Bush to Phase Out Environment by 2009! AND, Bush sends curt letter to his own EPA crony. No foolin'?

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we rerun these from Grist: Pollution is on Vatican's updated list of mortal sins! The Vatican has put a modern twist on the seven deadly sins, announcing a list of "social sins" -- including pollution and genetic manipulation. (And just when we had successfully rid ourselves of lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, anger, envy, and pride.) The nature of sin itself has changed, says Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, head of the Vatican body in charge of matters of conscience: "While sin used to concern mostly the individual, today it has mainly a social resonance, due to the phenomenon of globalization." · ALSO: Boston gives new meaning to the term urban decay!

On to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, April 2, 6 PM to 8 PM. Public Service Board hearings on Act160 and VT Yankee. A VERY important meeting on Vermont Yankee’s possible relicensing is happening in Brattleboro at the Red Roof Inn, which is near Entergy Headquarters on route 5 leading up to Putney. 978-249-6224.

Thursday, April 3, 7:00 pm. RideBuzz Forum at the Jones Library, 43 Amity Street in Amherst. The Future of Ridesharing in the Pioneer Valley. Sponsored by River Valley Market. www.ridebuzz.org. For more information, contact Jeff at 978-394-3740 (cell) or email: Jeff@RideBuzz.org.

Thursday, April 3, 6:30p.m. - 8p.m. Greenway Design; Historic, Economic & Ecological Resources found along Southampton's Greenway. Edwards Public Library Meeting Room, 30 East Street, Southampton, MA, 01073, (off Rte.10). mail@southamptongreenway.org

Sunday, April 6, 2:30-4:00pm, The Turtle Island Medicine Show. Greenfield Middle School Auditorium, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield. The show features whimsical kinetic sculptures, richly painted paper mache masks and puppet figures. Presented by the Greening Greenfield Campaign.

Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 pm Nuestras Raices staff will give a presentation called "Connecting Urban People to the Environment" at the Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor’s Center, 221 Appleton Street, Holyoke. The illustrated talk about community gardening in Holyoke is sponsored by the Valley Environmental Education Collaborative. Admission is free, though a $5.00 donation to support the series is appreciated. For more information call Holyoke Heritage State Park at 413-534-1723.

Saturday, April 19, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 5th Annual Green Fair at the Better Living Show, Franklin County Fairgrounds. For info call 413-774-2791

That about does it. Did we makes fools of ourselves yet? No more so than some!! Joules Graves takes us out (finally!) with "The Land of Fake Fires". Remember: listen to your Mother!

The Enviro Scams Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings! On this, the birthday of Rudolf Diesel, father of the diesel engine, we look into carbon trading scams as well as the upcoming global actions on Fossil Fuels Day. Speaking of scams, we’ll hear from U.S. Senate candidate, Ed O’Reilly on the fatal flaw in the proposed Cape Wind project. Ed’s lookin’ to displace the junior senator from our fair Commonwealth, the squishy patrician, John Kerry who failed to defend his presidential win in Ohio in ‘04, thus giving us four more years with the criminal Bush regime and the Repugnican Torture Party. As always, we’ll delve into the dark side with Darth Cheney, but first it’s time for.....Revenge of the Critters! Elephants strategize attacks on humans!.

There it is again! The theme from the dark side!! Glen, how many days until we are free? We'll get into yet more examples of THE worst White House occupants in history, such as the Bush regime’s EPA continues dragging its hobnail boots on CO2. And, Ozone rules weakened by boy emperor! ALSO, White House operatives dis wolverines.

"Land of fake fires" by Joules Graves from the album,"Plunge" takes us to our next segment. Sooooo, we’re coming up on Fossil Fools Day, April 1st. Here you can vote for the biggest Fossil Fools on the planet, or you can sit tight 'til Tuesday and let us and Jesse from Rising Tide bend yur’ ear about this upcoming satiric take on a world out of balance. Jesse was part of the Greenwash Guerrilla action at the Point Carbon conference.

Then it's on to...SURPRISE! the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, March 19, Washington, DC; No War No Warming Green Zone Action. Part of DC actions in observation of the 5th Anniversary of the illegal U.S. invasion of Iraq: Checkout: http://www.nowarnowarming.org/
Also, locally: Vets Speak Out and Vigil on the Amherst Common at 5pm, and a Rally, Vigil, and March in Northampton; City Hall steps at 7pm.

Thursday, March 20, 1:48AM Vernal Equinox: Happy Springtime!


Thursday, March 20; 4-5pm. Weekly Green Energy Vigil!! Wells Fountain, Junction of Linden and Main, Brattleboro, VT. Call: 802-387-4060


Thursday, March 20; 7-9pm. “The Power of Community”, the story of Cuba's experience with peak oil. The film will be shown at the Greenfield Community Downtown Center near Wilsons on Main Street in Greenfield. Discussion and dialogue will follow.

Friday, March 21 at 12:00 noon. Participate in a worldwide ceremony called the "8,000 Drums" The purpose is to fulfill the OTOMI PROPHECY. The Otomi's are Mayan Olmec and Toltec decendants. The drum will be played so that the Creator will hear us and grant our wishes as we pray for help in the Healing Process of our Mother Earth. All you need to do is play a drum either alone, or with a group. See: http://www.northeastcultural.com/northeastnews.htm


March 29; 8pm. Bright Morning Star Reunion Concert - Benefit for Safe and Green Campaign. All Souls Church, 399 Main St, Greenfield, MA. Tickets: $15/adult $8/child in advance at Everyone's books, Food for Thought, Boswell's Books, World Eye Bookshop. $18 at the door. Email: safeandgreen@gmail.com


March 30; 3-5pm. Annual CAN meeting. At the Media Education Foundation, Masonic St, Northampton, MA. Get the update on the latest actions and events and news about the fights against nuclear reactors in the NE. Call 413-339-5781.


Tuesday, April 1st; Happy Fossil Fools Day! An action is planned for Boston (What, no action in the Valley?? Come on, people!!). Send an email to: bostonfossilfools@gmail.com

Enough! We'll go out with our favorite anti-Iraq Invasion/Occupation tune,"Out of Iraq" by Simple Fears on this, the 5th anniversary of the Bush regime's illegal and immoral assault on that nation. Time to empty out the White House and, of course, to listen to your Mother!

The Arts & the Environment Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings! It’s time to kickback a bit and contemplate the contemplators. How do artists interact with Mother Earth? What effect does this big blue ball we call home have on a person's artistic expression. We’ll hear from our favorite bardic insurgent, Tom Neilson and fellow programmer and visual artist, Mo Ringey, as well as our own in-house Enviro Show poet. Tonight we’ll meld our usual Darth Cheney Watch (which will add a degree of….um….fear & loathing?) with the Enviro Show Echo Chamber. That should resonate nicely, ey? but first it’s time for....Revenge of the Critters! What goes around comes around: Revenge of the marine mammals!

There’s that sound again! Glen, when will this curse be lifted from our nation? Will the Bush regime really go quietly? Stay tuned! There’s a whole lot of science geeks sounding off about the Regime’s assault on science. Regarding the Empire’s evil corporado friends at Exxon/Mobil, Greg Palast reminds us: “Exxon was the largest contributor to George W. Bush’s political career after Enron. They were a team, Exxon and Enron. The Chairman of Enron, Ken Lay, prior to his felony convictions, funded a group called Texans for Law Suit Reform. The idea was to prevent Natives, consumers and defrauded stockholders from suing felonious corporations and their chiefs. When George went to Washington, Enron and Exxon got their golden pass in the appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts. Today, as the [Supreme] court heard Exxon’s latest stall, Roberts said, in defense of Exxon’s behavior in Alaska, 'What more can a corporation do?'"

Since you asked! DROP DEAD! Also, PBS on: "Actions the Bush Administration took over the last eight years that will have a lasting impact on our environment: Denies California the Clean Air Act waiver... Interferes with climate change science...Advocates for more nuclear power plants...Dismantles the [U.S. Forest Service ] Roadless Rule... Opens public land to oil and gas drilling... Declares carbon dioxide not a pollutant...Weakens regulations governing air pollution... Rejects the Kyoto Protocol." AND finally, if you like The Empire, vote McCain for more of the same!

Bring on the arts! In alphabetical order (is that still considered fair?): Tom Neilson, D.O. and Mo Ringey express themselves and we all pour over the arts and this poor fouled nest around us. Celebrate what’s left!!

Then it's on to (you guessed it) the Bus Stop Billboard:

Saturday, March 8 (International Women's Day) 11 a.m.-Noon, Greenfield Weekly Peace Vigil, Greenfield Town Common. Focusing this week on "Women Say NO to War! US Out of Iraq and Afghanistan; No War on Iran". Sponsored by the Greenfield Weekly Peace Vigil, Coalition for Women's Lives, CODE PINK, and the Socialist Party/Western Mass Local. Contact person: Mary McClintock: mcclinto@verizon.net.


Sunday, March 9; 1:30 - 4:00. Help plan Traprock Peace Center's future? First Congregational Church; 43 Silver Street; Greenfield. The plan is to form working committees that can begin to put our ideas from this day into action.


Cape Wind Hearings: No privatization of the Commons! Move it!!

Monday, March 10, 2008 - Mattacheese Middle School Auditorium, 400
Higgins-Crowell Road, West Yarmouth, MA, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - Nantucket High School Auditorium, 10 Surfside Road,
Nantucket, MA, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
Auditorium, 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs, MA, 5 p.m.
Thursday, March 13, 2008 - Campus Center Ballroom, University of
Massachusetts, Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, South Boston, MA, 6 p.m.
Call: 508-775-9767. Go here.


Wednesday, March 12; 7:30pm. Jim Hightower at Gamble Auditorium, Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, South Hadley (Lower Lake Road, off Park St. & off Morgan St.); Call: 538-2000.

Saturday, March 15, 2008. Environment 2008 Conference at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. New England's largest conference for citizen activists protecting public health and the environment. Email Meredith at info@toxicsaction.org, or call her at (617)747-4362

Some day soon: The newspapers have been reporting on the recent issuance of a draft DEP permit to Russell Biomass to take up to 885,000 gallons from the Westfield River daily. Many environmental organizations disagree with the assessment of DEP. The reason for this is that the Westfield River is already too low and too warm in summer to adequately support healthy fish populations. The DEP is asking the public to send their comments in as soon as possible but according to the DEP’s Eva Tor there’s no deadline. Anyone interested in preserving the unique treasure of the Westfield River can send their comments as soon as possible to: Jim D. Bumgardner, P.E., Mass DEP Western Regional Office, Drinking Water Program and Water Management Act, 436 Dwight Street, Springfield MA 01101. Or you can email:
james.bumgardner@statema.us or FAX (413) 784-1149. Also, look here.

That's it. Next time it's Rising Tide's Day of Action & the carbon trading scam along with a special call-in from the NEXT junior senator from our illustrous Commonwealth, Ed O'Reilly (so long,John!). Check him out here. O, did we mention Ed is oppossed to Cape Wind? Save the Commons! Vote for O'Reilly!!