The Climate Strike Week Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Happy Autumn Equinox! Beginning with the Boston Climate Strike on Friday September 20 and the Walkout & Rally in Solidarity with the Global Youth Climate Strike all the way to the following Friday September 27 when WMass Extinction Rebellion (XR) lets it be known The Rebellion Begins in Western Massachusetts we the people will be sounding the alarm about the climate emergency. All during that week there will be events & actions focusing on the Climate Crisis. One we trust you won't want to miss is the hearing for H.897 An Act Relative to Forest Protection 1 to 3PM in Room B-1 at the Statehouse in Boston.  H. 897 will protect all state land as parks or reserves. The bill will fight climate change by reducing carbon loss and increasing carbon sequestration. Yes, we've been talking about this on the show seemingly forever BUT now it's an actual piece of legislation on Beacon Hill. It truly needs YOUR support if we are to spare other state forests from the devastation Wendell State Forest just suffered.  Susan Theberge of Climate Action Now! and Emmalie Dropkin of WMass XR join us to review and preview all the events and more. Speaking of more, we'll also take you to meet this week's sorry Fool-on-the-Hill and to poke fun of His Malignancy The Mad King and his court of climate criminals, but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! South American kinkajou does El Norte: An exotic home invasion!

We have a real honest-to-goodness climate criminal this week for our Fool-on-the-Hill. Rep. Andy Biggs (Repugnican-AZ) doesn't even equivocate on the Climate Crisis like so many of his fellow Repugs. He flat-out denies it: "No, I do not believe climate change is occurring. I do not think that humans have a significant impact on climate. The federal government should stop regulating and stomping on our economy and freedoms in the name of a discredited theory." We must have missed the memo on that "discredited theory"? [insert hysterical laughter here]

We're pretty sure The Mad King has gone totally off the rails. Now he wants to control the weather and some of the real weather watchers are even caving to His Malignancy! Here's a headline from the NY Times that would make Woody Guthrie turn over in his grave "Trump to Miners, Loggers and Drillers: This Land is Your Land". Of course, privatization of public lands is classic corporado behavior but The Mad King has embraced it like some pervert might embrace your dirty shorts. One of his worst ideas to date is opening up the world's largest remaining pristine temperate rainforest,  Alaska’s Tongass National Forest to logging and mining. We imagine Satin has reserved THE worst place in Hell for this move but who wants to wait until His Malignancy gets there?? It almost makes his minion, US EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler newest proposal to amend the Clean Water Act to streamline permitting of energy projects look benign by comparison?.......Nah!

Time for another Enviro Show Quote of the Week. No need to jump into the Wayback Machine for this one:

"I'm often asked whether I believe in global warming. I now just reply with the question: Do you believe in gravity?" -- Neil deGrasse Tyson

Finally, in case you missed it, It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! Last month Inside Climate News revealed a new study on climate change at the South Pole. It was discovered "the way the westerly winds push the surface water allows warmer water from below to reach under the ice shelves, accelerating ice loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet." The piece goes on to state: "The potential for a surge of sea level rise from West Antarctica is so great that scientists have even studied whether the melting could be slowed by spraying the surface with man-made snow and ice." We guess man-made climate chaos calls for......man-made snow? Meanwhile, Amazon Watch informs us: "As the Amazon's dry season draws on, uncontained fires continue to rage across vast landscapes. It is estimated that in Brazil alone, nearly 3 million hectares – 11,500 square miles, or an area nearly as large as Belgium – have burned. Another 2 million hectares of Bolivia's forests have been lost....Tens of thousands of new blazes have been deliberately set in recent weeks, despite Bolsonaro's purported ban on fires, laying bare the scale of impunity behind this brazen criminal activity with illegal deforestation at its core."

After our conversation with Emmalie ans Susan we head over to the Bus Stop Billboard: 


Monday September 23, 7 to 9pm.   Climate Action Now! monthly gathering.  Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, 121 N Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/900453460347151/

Tuesday, September 24, 1 to 3pm. Hearing for H.897 An Act Relative to Forest Protection. Massachusetts State House, Room B-1, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA. H. 897 will protect all state land as parks or reserves where forest ecosystems are guided primarily by natural processes. This action will fight climate change by reducing carbon loss and increasing carbon sequestration.For carpooling contact:  horowitz.carole@gmail.com


Friday, September 27, 11 AM – 2 PM. The Rebellion Begins in Western Massachusetts. Beginning with UMass, we call on the five colleges to declare a climate emergency and take immediate action. Join us 9/27 for a funeral for our futures. Wear black. Further details to come! We hope you're join us.  More info at: https://www.facebook.com/events/490075595145443/  

Friday September 27, 10am to 1pm.  Amherst College Climate Strike.   Rally, Teach-in & Direct  Action.  The more who come, the more power we have together.  Go HERE.  


 OK, it ain't over 'til it's over. Remember what we always say? Yes, listen to your Mother! 

Another Best of The Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Glen's off to the woods and d.o to the shore this week to charge their batteries and have a bit of a reminder about why they are trying to save the world, the real world that is. Glen has cobbled together some of the better moments for your listening pleasure in the meantime. With that in mind, all the segments you'll see below are silent segments; you will have to supply your own annoying sound effects. All that in a moment but first it's time for..........Revenge of the Critters! How about this replay? A classic hunter becomes the hunted!


We have our Fool-on-the-Hill in the Senate this time from HuffPo: "Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) appeared to display a highly questionable understanding of climate change on Twitter, and promptly got dragged over the coals. The lawmaker on Friday was widely ridiculed for the way he responded to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) call for action on the climate crisis. Schumer had tweeted about July 2019 being “the hottest month ever, of any month, on record” and described climate change as “the greatest threat facing our planet.” Cornyn replied: “It’s summer, Chuck.”

It seems His Malignancy The Mad King will always be the go-to guy for THE worst president ever!
Here's what climate scientist Michael Mann says: "He is locking in permanent, irreversible damage to our environment through his irresponsible environmental policies, including his efforts to block progress on climate change," said Dr. Michael E. Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University and the director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center. "Once we go beyond key tipping points -- the melting of the major ice sheets -- there is no going back." We guess The Mad King isn't giving much thought to the future of his son Baron, much less any future progeny! The "Paper of Record" has just come up with 84 environmental rules rolled back by His Malignancy here. Probably by the time you read this the number will be higher. We all know, at least those who care to admit it, His Malignancy is a total fraud. Now, he's even broadcasting Fake Weather Reports!  

Once again it's time to remind cranky old Uncle George or whomever that...."It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" We guess we'll be seeing more headlines like this in the coming years: "Alaska, barren of sea ice, saw its hottest July in 125 years". But how about the proactive news stories? We've been grousing on this show forever about the critical need to preserve and protect existing forests in the effort to confront climate chaos, but it looks like we've overlooked peat bogs and marshlands. Watch out for that Grist piece we just hi-lighted though, it doesn't give undisturbed forests the credit they deserve for helping us address the crisis and it's focus on "building with wood" is straight out of the old-school foresters handbook. Let the Forests LIVE!

On to the Bus Stop Billboard and upcoming events for Climate Strike Week!


Friday September 20,  8:00am - 5:00pm.  Boston Climate Strike!  Stand with us on September 20th for Youth Climate Strike’s call to action to fight against the #climatecrisis. Following the lead of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, thousands of young people and adult allies will gather in Boston this September to kick off a week of climate action! We are a group of empowered young people who are passionate about saving our environment and are pushing for new practices and systems to lessen the impact on our climate and our planet. The climate strike in Boston is one of many strikes happening around the world on September 20th, so join us in fighting against #climatechange. WMass bus sign-up: bit.ly/wmass-rsvp. 


Friday, September 20, 12 PM – 3pm. Walk Out for Climate!  On September 20th, we stand in unity with youth, adults, and rebels all over the planet. To join the Sunrise Movement in Boston, visit bit.ly/wmass-rsvp At UMass, Sunrise Movement UMass Amherst and Extinction Rebellion Western MA invite students, staff, faculty, and community members to strike and stand together for climate justice.  Further details to come! We hope you'll also join us for our declaration of rebellion on 9/27: https://bit.ly/2ZnjKp3  

Friday September 20 4 - 6:00pm.  Climate Emergency March for a Just Future-Solidarity w youth.  Sheldon Park, 269 Bridge St. Northampton, MA01060 Map  Our life support systems must be protected now! The students who strike on #fridaysFortheFuture know that this is n a climate emergency. We know that this is a climate emergency. 4 pm: gather & get organized. Sheldon Field Northampton commuter lot 4:30 step off march. Climate Emergency March & chanting to city hall. 5:00 protest rally at Northampton City Hall.


Sept. 21 - 28, Global Climate Strike!  Multiple actions TBA


Friday, September 27, 11 AM – 2 PM. The Rebellion has landed in Western Massachusetts. Beginning with UMass, we call on the five colleges to declare a climate emergency and take immediate action. Join us 9/27 for a funeral for our futures. Wear black. Further details to come! We hope you're join us as well for a Walk Out on 9/20: https://bit.ly/2Pexaiq


OK, we are out of here and off into the woods and water. Remember to listen to yur' Mother!

Another Enviro B-Day Show

Greetings Earthlings. The Enviro Show turns 14 years old this week and yes, we know, we act like it. That said, at least we're not delivering wedgies to the climate criminals in Boston or Washington, or throwing balloons filled with fox piss on passing logging trucks, OK?? No, we are being good boys and confining our tricks to what used to be called the public airwaves........at least most of the time. Michael Kellett of Restore the North Woods calls in to help celebrate and join in on the grousing about the powers that be or fellow climate activists who seem to have overlooked the trees. Also, David Detmold calls in with B-day salutations and his latest exploits. That and more but first it's time for...........Revenge of the Critters! Buffalo try taking back upstate New York?

We found a disturbing number of Fools-on-the-Hill supporting The Mad King's recent gutting of the Endangered Species Act but this fool gets the spotlight. “These final rules are a good start, but the administration is limited by an existing law that needs to be updated. I am working in the Senate to strengthen the law, so it can meet its full conservation potential,” Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso (Repugnican–WY) said in a statement. "Conservation potential" in Repugnican-speak means.......meh!

 We have breaking news!  Ace climate criminal David Koch won't be here to kick around anymore. It seems he's gone to the place where all despoilers of Creation go. Tooooo bad. 

We guess you've heard by now His Malignancy The Mad King has sort of claimed divine right? Actually he's gone way beyond that, claiming he is "The Chosen One". He said that with arms wide, looking up towards the heavens. We can't make this stuff up......we don't have to! Certainly not when we point out his appointments to various cabinet positions like Alex Azar, the drug dealing CEO who tripled the price on insulin, the life-saving drug used to treat diabetes. Now Azar is....are you ready? Secretary of Health! We noted last time about some of The Mad King's other deceitful appointments for Cabinet Secretaries (many as "acting" thus avoiding disastrous confirmation hearings) like a coal lobbyist to head the EPA or an oil guy for Secretary of Interior, climate criminals all, but that's just the tip of the melting iceberg; that's right, there's more, WAY more! Soooo, as Greenland melts away, His Malignancy now ponders buying what remains, presumably for his own future golf courses or resorts, or is it because as Grist notes "the island is considered to be rich in valuable minerals, which may be easier to access as its vast ice sheets melt." Of course, once they all melt even The Mad King will have to relocate the infrastructure needed to get there.......or anywhere. 

Now that "the scientific consensus that humans are causing global warming is likely to have passed 99%" who the hell is left to tell "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"? OK, that was a rhetorical question. We all know perfectly well who is still either a true climate criminal or simply a highly challenged enabler, yes? Enviro Show listeners (and readers of this blog) also know all too well that forests, forest soils and the organisms that dwell within, and even street trees are a critical component for capturing CO2 from our overburdened atmosphere. Sadly, some climate activists and climate groups have yet to realize this, but it seems every day more science and scientific-based opinion from leading activists comes out confirming this. That's the good news; the bad news is many of those forests are threatened not just by behind-the-curve government agencies but also by other pests, many of which are enabled by the Climate Crisis itself and, according to the National Academy of Science published study, "About 450 overseas pests that damage or feed on trees have been introduced to US forests due to the growth in international trade and travel." Thanks, so-called Free Trade! 

How about a Quote of the Week? 

"If you really think that the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money." -- Guy McPherson

OK, after the candles are blown out and we've stuffed our face with birthday cake we'll take you over to the Bus Stop Billboard to see what's going on : 

Monday through Saturday, 9am. to 3pm. except Thursday. Join the Wendell State Forest Alliance for a standout to Save the Forest/Save the Climate! 392 Montague Rd, Wendell, MA 01379. Email: savebrookrdforest@gmail.com 

Tuesday September 3, 6:30 - 8:00pm. FCCPR Organizing Meeting for Climate Strike at Greenf Fields Market. We will discuss how to best support local students, especially those planning to go to Boston.  And we will plan our own local rally.  We need artists, musicians, planners, fundraisers, gatherers and producers of literature, publicists....-- there's a place for everyone! Contact: info@fccpr.us;  413-624-6557 

Thursday September 5,  Gather 3:30 pm -  4:30 pm. Step off at 5:00pm.  Franklin County Fair parade starts. Join The Enviro Show, Wendell State Forest alliance, WMass Extinction Rebellion, Citizens for Safe energy & others behind the church, on Beacon St, between Federal and High 

( Row D, Entry # 79) .  The parade goes from Federal St to the fair grounds. Park at fairgrounds and carpool to gathering point. Bring banners and signs. Dress up as forest critters or emergency responders. The message:  "Climate Emergency!" & "protect our public forests and let them grow!"

Friday September 20,  8:00am - 5:00pm.  Boston Climate Strike!  Stand with us on September 20th for Youth Climate Strike’s call to action to fight against the #climatecrisis. Following the lead of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, thousands of young people and adult allies will gather in Boston this September to kick off a week of climate action! We are a group of empowered young people who are passionate about saving our environment and are pushing for new practices and systems to lessen the impact on our climate and our planet. The climate strike in Boston is one of many strikes happening around the world on September 20th, so join us in fighting against #climatechange. WMass bus sign-up: bit.ly/wmass-rsvp. 


Friday, September 20, 12 PM – 3pm. Walk Out for Climate!  On September 20th, we stand in unity with youth, adults, and rebels all over the planet. To join the Sunrise Movement in Boston, visit bit.ly/wmass-rsvp At UMass, Sunrise Movement UMass Amherst and Extinction Rebellion Western MA invite students, staff, faculty, and community members to strike and stand together for climate justice.  Further details to come! We hope you'll also join us for our declaration of rebellion on 9/27: https://bit.ly/2ZnjKp3  

Friday September 20 4 - 6:00pm.  Climate Emergency March for a Just Future-Solidarity w youth.  Sheldon Park, 269 Bridge St. Northampton, MA01060 Map  Our life support systems must be protected now! The students who strike on #fridaysFortheFuture know that this is n a climate emergency. We know that this is a climate emergency. 4 pm: gather & get organized. Sheldon Field Northampton commuter lot 4:30 step off march. Climate Emergency March & chanting to city hall. 5:00 protest rally at Northampton City Hall.



Sept. 21 - 28, Global Climate Strike!  Multiple actions TBA

Friday, September 27, 11 AM – 2 PM. The Rebellion has landed in Western Massachusetts. Beginning with UMass, we call on the five colleges to declare a climate emergency and take immediate action. Join us 9/27 for a funeral for our futures. Wear black. Further details to come! We hope you're join us as well for a Walk Out on 9/20: https://bit.ly/2Pexaiq

 That's all, folks!   Until next time remember to listen to your Mother!
 


 

The War on Trees Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. We've talked about The War on Nature in past shows, how about we narrow it down to The War on Trees in honor of the 100+ year-old Oaks being trashed by local loggers under the auspicious of the Massachusetts Department of Cut and Run?  Gail Zawacki, author of Wit's End blog where we stumbled on The War on Trees calls in to mourn, voice outrage and delve into our sorry future. As always we will take you to meet this week's Fool-on-the-hill and to poke fun at His Malignancy The Mad King and his climate criminal enablers, as well as reminding you (as if you needed reminding!) It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! Wild Pigs in Space? (well, in someone's space at least)

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Rep. Tom McClintock Repugnican of California. He told a sympathetic crowd in the Trump International Hotel in Washington recently at the far-right Heartland Institute’s 13th International Conference on Climate Change: “I’ll give us another four and a half billion years, which is the amount of time the climate has already been changing on the planet.” a standard climate crisis denialist argument rejected by the scientific community. BTW, the Fool has received $138,000 from the oil industry during his four years in office and proposed an amendment to eliminate the Department of Energy’s entire renewable energy budget.

The Mad King is taking a lot of heat lately for his white nationalist bullshit and ripping children away from their parents but that's only part of his Crimes Against Humanity. As Jeffrey Sachs notes in his recent op-ed in the Washington Post, His malignancy "and others who oppose action to address human-induced climate change should be held accountable for climate crimes against humanity. They are the authors and agents of systematic policies that deny basic human rights to their own citizens and people around the world, including the rights to life, health, and property. These politicians have blood on their hands, and the death toll continues to rise." There it is......or is it? Were you aware before The Mad King stole the Iron Throne he was pretending to be concerned about the climate chaos he now claims is fake? What a faker! And here's something that may not surprise you, His Malignancy's  Environmental "Protection" Agency sidestepped its own process for ensuring quality and balance in its advisory committees. Many appointees are serving without having undergone the required federal ethics review, the Government Accountability Office said recently. Surprised? We guess that explains why an "Opponent of nation’s public lands is picked to oversee them"! Just so history will record it, the privateer's name is William Perry Pendley.  Finally, it was announced yesterday The Mad King's Department of Interior has finalized it's assault on all those endangered species we've spoken about in the past.

The Enviro Show Echo Chamber returns with exactly one item: it's your Action Link regarding The Mad King's climate criminals' attempt to gut National Environmental Policy Act regulations in our national forests , part of the scheme is to allow commercial logging companies to clearcut up to 6 ½ sq. miles without public notice or public input. Other changes remove the requirement for a thorough environmental analysis for logging, and a whole host of other projects. To speak out go HERE! 

Of course the climate criminals above and their numerous enablers don't have a leg to stand on; do we really have to remind them It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!?? The Guardian points out: "The scientific consensus that humans are causing global warming is likely to have passed 99%, according to the lead author of the most authoritative study on the subject, and could rise further after separate research that clears up some of the remaining doubts." As we've been talking about on The Enviro show for years now, the oceanic tipping point will truly make a mess out of everything. Here's a scary headline that underlines that: "Completely Terrifying': Study Warns Carbon-Saturated Oceans Headed Toward Tipping Point That Could Unleash Mass Extinction Event". And that's what we'll be talking about with our guest for this show.   O btw, you know the deal about only having a decade or so to get it right on the Climate Crisis?  This guy says 5 years. 

Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week comes from Wendell Berry:

"The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility."

Before we go to our Bus Stop Billboard you might want to see THIS:




Monday August 26, 7 to 9pm. Monthly Gathering of Climate Action Now! Northampton gatherings will take place at First Churches on 129 Main St.  (enter side door).  Working group meetings take place at other times in the month. Go to: https://climateactionnowma.org/ 


Tuesday, August 27th, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, rain or shine. Northampton Community Gardens, Prince Street.  The Ecology of Bumblebees with Dr. Rob Gegear.  Come walk through the Garden and hear Asst. Prof. of biology at UMASS-Dartmouth Dr. Robert Gegear introduce the world of native bumblebees, ID the bumblebees there, and discuss the flowering plants which best-support them. Learn about the conservation of native pollination systems, floral evolution, bumblebee ecology, and Dr. Gegear's Beecology citizen scientist project funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Park on the Garden side of Burts Pit Road or in the lot west of the Garden. FREE, but register at: llcochran@gmail.com.



That's all for now folks, please remember to listen to our Mother!

A Naturally Curious Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. As you may be aware, Nature is our greatest advertiser here on The Enviro Show, and for good reason too! Why? Because, as the ad says: "You need Nature". Mary Holland, Vermont naturalist, photographer, columnist and author of "Naturally Curious" calls in to help us all get real. As always, we'll also take you by the hand for a walk to see this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and have yet another torturous view of His Malignancy The Mad King and his crazed climate criminal enablers. Of course, we still are here to remind those who aren't paying attention that It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! All that and more but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! What do you suppose is the greatest occupational hazard for Crocodile farmers? Yup.

Did you catch His Malignancy's "Environmental Leadership" speech last Monday? [insert hysterical laughter here] The NY Times reports: "Not long after the torrential rain stopped yesterday, [and the White House basement flooded] Trump gave a speech on his environmental policy....While giving the speech... he was “flanked by his two senior environmental officials — one a former lobbyist for the coal industry and the other a former oil lobbyist.” and, interestingly, the term climate change never came up, much less Climate Crisis! OK, so The Mad King is a shameless bullshit artist, as well as the Climate-Criminal-in-Chief and if you actually need more proof roll back the tape to the 83 Environmental Rules Being Rolled Back by His Malignancy and the climate criminal enablers. Need more evidence? How about his Department of Agriculture recently suspending data collection for its Honey Bee Colonies report? Their excuse, as we are in the midst of Bee colony collapse: "fiscal cuts as a number of other research programs are scaled back". Check out our Enviro Show archives for more if this, if you dare! 

Time for this week's Fools-on-the-Hill......yes it's plural again and given there are so many to chose from we appreciate this package deal from EcoWatch:  "These 4 Koch-Funded Congressmen Are Behind the Bill to Abolish the EPA" They have names and you can find them on The Hill!
"Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz turned heads when he introduced a bill on Feb. 3 to 'completely abolish' the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has attacked and attempted to weaken the EPA repeatedly...Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) has co-sponsored several energy-related bills: a nuclear energy bill for which Duke Energy and Southern Company lobbied; a repeal of the U.S. crude oil export ban, which numerous fossil fuel companies lobbied in support of; and a bill challenging EPA greenhouse gas regulations...Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS) voted to oppose an EPA rule that increased emissions standards for coal-fired power plants and he voted to halt defense spending on climate change initiatives and cut all funding for the Department of Energy's energy efficiency and renewable energy program. In previous years, Palazzo voted to speed up natural gas pipeline permits, allow state laws to supersede federal EPA laws regarding fracking and cut funding to the EPA."

Obviously those guys need to be told by their families, It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! Did they know (or care) that "In Just One Decade, Corporations Destroyed 50 Million Hectares of Forest—An Area the Size of Spain"?  They no doubt already know that "Nearly a billion dollars a year is flowing into the organized climate change counter-movement", right? But does anybody know "Permafrost at outposts in the Canadian Arctic is thawing 70 years earlier than predicted" or that "New England Coastal Waters are Warming More Than Anywhere Else in the U.S."?  Just asking! And now, this.  Finally, over 7,000 colleges and universities have declared a Climate Emergency world-wide. How about here in the 5 College Area?

Time for an Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."  -  Albert Einstein

After our conversation with Mary we move on to the Bus Stop Billboard to see what's up:

4PM – 5PM Every Thursday. Weekly climate action protest inspired by Greta Thunberg. Since the federal government is incapable of doing anything we’re pressuring the Commonwealth and the Legislature for a Massachusetts Green New Deal. THE ASK: A 40%-50% reduction in emissions by 2030, and completely carbon-neutral by 2050 to help limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133.  Facebook Info and Location Details  #MassGreenNewDeal     #SitWithJohn     @johnflerner on Twitter

July 31 and Aug. 13  Public Forums for Proposed Dartmouth College Biomass Facility  in Moore Hall’s Filene Auditorium. Members of the Dartmouth community and the general public will have the opportunity to discuss the three potential sites for a proposed biomass facility, part of the $200 million-plus Dartmouth Green Energy Project.  In addition to attend the forums, people wishing to comment on the proposed plant locations can use a feedback form on the project website.

Thursday, August 8, 6 to 9 p.m. NOAA scoping meeting to solicit public comments on ways to reduce the risk of entanglement in trap and pot fisheries for [highly endangered] right, humpback, and finback whales. URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Corless Auditorium, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882. Contact: Colleen Coogan, Take Reduction Team Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Region. Telephone: 978 281-9181.  Email: colleen.coogan@noaa.gov


Saturday, August 10, 9am – 2pm. Demonstration Calling on Mass Dems to Support a Climate Debate.   Join us showing up at our local Democratic office, where we'll tell our stories, bring our signs and demand our local Democratic Party committees join us in calling on the DNC to host a #ClimateDebate. RSVP & let us know you're coming here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/mass-demonstration-calling-on-the-mass-dems-to-support-a-climate-debate/ 


Saturday, August 10, 7:30-9:30pm – ZOOLOGY/BATS: Bat Night! Amanda Melinchuk, Bat Research Monitor with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, will share her expertise and talk about the myths and misconceptions surrounding bats, why bats are important, the bats in Massachusetts, threats to bats such as White-nose Syndrome, what you can do to help bats, and information on bat houses. Followed by Q & A. After the presentation in the Great Hall, visitors can join Amanda outside with a bat detector and look for bats right here by the Center. Great Falls Discovery Center. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA.


Tuesday, August 27th, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, rain or shine. Northampton Community Gardens, Prince Street.  The Ecology of Bumblebees with Dr. Rob Gegear.  Come walk through the Garden and hear Asst. Prof. of biology at UMASS-Dartmouth Dr. Robert Gegear introduce the world of native bumblebees, ID the bumblebees there, and discuss the flowering plants which best-support them. Learn about the conservation of native pollination systems, floral evolution, bumblebee ecology, and Dr. Gegear's Beecology citizen scientist project funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Park on the Garden side of Burts Pit Road or in the lot west of the Garden. FREE, but register at: llcochran@gmail.com.

OK for now Enviro Show fans. Please remember to listen to your Mother, OK?

The Seeing the Forest for the Trees Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Things are heating up in our neck of the woods and not just with the thermostat. The Massachusetts Department of Cut & Run......er...that is "Conservation" and Recreation is closing in on Wendell State Forest's 80 acres of 100+ year old Red Oak trees and forest protectors are gearing up for it while supporting tree friendly legislation like HR. 897 An Act Relative to Forest Protection. Groups like The Wendell State Forest Alliance continue to spread the message far and wide that Trees, forest soils and, we might add, regenerative farming are the only natural defense we have in our region to confront the Climate Crisis; some understand that, some don't. Susan A. Masino, co-author of "Intact Forests in the United States: Proforestation MitigatesClimate Change and Serves the Greatest Good" calls in to explain. As usual, we'll also take you for a visit with this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and to witness climate criminals like The Mad King and his enablers do everything in their undeserved power to trash the planet. All that and more but first it's time for.....Revenge of the Critters! Venomous Komodo dragon goes after editor at a Los Angeles Zoo. Is it Fake News??

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is also a fool when he's not on The Hill talking trash. "Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue cited weather patterns and said "it rained yesterday, it's a nice pretty day today" when asked about the cause of the global climate crisis in an interview with CNN. Perdue told CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich in the interview... that "we don't know" the cause of climate change, adding, "and obviously scientists -- many scientists believe that it's human caused, other scientists believe it's not," according to a recent CNN story.

On to His Malignancy The Mad King who has come up with a plan that would leave the
public with no role in more than 90 percent of the decisions made for our national forests. This is a clear violation of the public trust and of major laws like the National Environmental Policy Act, and it's designed to ramp up clearcutting and bulldozing of millions of acres in national forests.
Also His Malignancy has a replacement rule for a clean power plan tailored to please the fossil fuel industry. Inside Climate News reports, "The replacement, called the "Affordable Clean Energy Rule," would take the narrow approach of encouraging efficiency improvements in existing power plants, giving states leeway to implement the requirements based on only a few technologies. States would not be permitted to use the rule to force power plants to switch from coal to natural gas or renewable energy sources or to use carbon capture technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even though these are the only technologies that promise significant cuts in carbon. Nor could they use it to impose emissions trading." Of course, the flip side of giving ol' King Coal a free pass is proposing budget cuts for actual clean energy research. He's got a plan for that!   And this: The Mad King's NAFTA 2.0 (pdf) is a deregulatory gift to the fossil fools and bad news for any Green New Deal even after he's exiled! Wouldn't you love to read the emails and backroom minutes that lead up to that deal? Sorry! New language in the FOIA rule signed by EPA chief Andrew Wheeler  would allow him and his minions to review all materials that fit Freedom of Information request criteria, and decide whether to release or withhold any record, so in other words, no. And, moving on to the theme of this show, "The U.S Forest Service unveiled a new plan to skirt a major environmental law that requires extensive review for new logging, road building, and mining projects on its nearly 200 million acres of public land." That, courtesy of this week's Fool, another of His Malignancy's climate criminals.

OK everyone, did you get the memo? It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!  (not YOU of course). Apparently President Bolsonaro didn't get it, or perhaps used it for target practice 'cuz it's just been reported that 740 square kilometers of rain forest were clearcut in 30 days.  We don't have rainforests here in the northeast U.S. but we sure have a lot of forests that damaged humans like Bolsonaro would love to empty out while filling up their bank accounts. Meanwhile it was 84 degrees near the Arctic Ocean last month as CO2 hit the highest levels in human history and "Climate change is “eating” the glaciers of the Himalayas, posing a grave threat to hundreds of millions of people who live downstream, a study based on 40 years of satellite data has shown." In case you thought climate chaos was a thing in the distant future maybe you should check this out!  And kudo to presidential candidate Kamala Harris for calling it what it is in the Dem debates: the Climate Crisis. Finally, did you know "Logging is the Lead Driver in Carbon Emissions in U.S. Forests"? Now you do!

After our conversation with Susan we take you to the Bus Stop Billboard:

4PM – 5PM Every Thursday. Weekly climate action protest inspired by Greta Thunberg. Since the federal government is incapable of doing anything we’re pressuring the Commonwealth and the Legislature for a Massachusetts Green New Deal. THE ASK: A 40%-50% reduction in emissions by 2030, and completely carbon-neutral by 2050 to help limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133
» Facebook Info and Location Details  #MassGreenNewDeal     #SitWithJohn     @johnflerner on Twitter


 Monday, July 8, 2019 at 6:30-8:30pm.  350 Central Mass Action Planning.  First Unitarian Church of Worcester, 90 Main St, Worcester, Massachusetts 01608. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/2277136405688917/


Thursday July 18, 7pm.  Extinction Rebellion (XR) meets at Herter Hall, UMass. The meetings are first Monday and third Thursday, at Herter Hall, for now. Go in the front door and look for people or signs.  Go to: https://xrmass.org/west/ 


Saturdays July 13,  20, and 27, 9am to Noon. Help stop pipelines in Hampden County by circulating this petition bit.ly/HGEpetition  to people who live in Holyoke & Southampton.  Read more from PLAN Northeast   


 Monday July 22, 7 to 9pm. Climate Action Now WMass Monthly Meeting. Unitarian Meetinghouse on N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA. Go to: http://climateactionnowma.org 


Sunday, July 28, 1 – 5pm.  WMass Extinction Rebellion  Potluck Picnic. Join us for an afternoon of regeneration and relationship building! All are welcome, even if you're new to the movement.  If you're able to bring picnic food to contribute, leave a comment below with what you're thinking of (fruit? side? dessert? chips?) so we can all plan. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/2312450552407006/  

That's all, folks! Remember to wear white when your out at night on your bike AND to listen to your Mother, OK?