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!