Runoff with The Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Our first show in '09 is all about runoff, from your roof, from the yard, from the streets, malls and parking lots. Dr. Dylan Ahearn a hydrologist at Herrera Environmental Consultants in Seattle phones-in with everything you ever wanted to know about runoff but were afraid top ask. As always, we checkout The Enviro Show Echo Chamber for the news and go over to the dark side to see what outrages Darth Cheney and his sock puppet, George have undertaken as they slither away into the night (better check that White House silverware, guys!). Of course, we'll do the Enviro Show Quote of the Week and groan over the TVA's Kingston Coal Ash Containment Area Blowout, but firsts it's time for..... Revenge of the Critters! Jealous rhino rage! An Enviro Show listener tip.

There's that awful theme again, BUT it just may be the last time you hear it on this show. Glen? will it REALLY end? When?? Darth Cheney and the boy emperor still have two weeks to continue trashing the planet. Their minions in the so-called Environmental Protection Agency just had their snarky industrial pollution exemption reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals. They're "disappointed". Tooooo bad! BUT these guys are anything if not persistent: they've declared oil-shale waste as non-hazardous. Guess we can use it as a food additive now! Are they gone yet? No way. They just denied protection for the Arctic Seals, AND , least we forget, these enemies of the Earth are still trying to gut the Endangered Species Act.

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

"How would you describe the difference between modern war and modern industry—between say, bombing and strip mining, or between chemical warfare and chemical manufacturing? The difference seems to be only that in war the victimization of humans is directly intentional and in industry it is "accepted" as a "trade-off." Were the catastrophes of Love Canal, Bhopal, Chernobyl, and the Exxon Valdez episodes of war or of peace? They were in fact, peacetime acts of aggression, intentional to the extent that the risks were known and ignored."

"If I don't take care of the land", by Sarah Barchas takes us to the Enviro Show Echo Chamber where we segway into today's topic with the sorry tale of the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Coal Ash Containment Blowout. Talk about runoff!! Closer to home, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has a relatively new project in place to address some runoff issues relating to the CT River.

Then it's on to Dylan's phone-in and some good old-fashioned nepotism (yes, we're very related), after which we visit the Bus Stop Billboard:


Saturday, January 10. Washington, DC or...? Keep Winter Cold Polar Bear Plunge. We chose this date because the newly-elected U.S. Congress will be returning to Capitol Hill around this time. The new President will be inaugurated 10 days later. Our plunges into cold bodies of water will say loud and clear to our state and national government leaders that the time for strong action is now!Go to: http://www.keepwintercold.org.


January 9-11, 2009 - Please join us for our annual Winter Retreat for Earth Lovers, to be held at Earthlands in Petersham, Massachusetts. Take some time to reflect in the depths of winter while connecting with the natural world and with one another. Spaces are limited, so sign up soon! Please see our website for a retreat flyer with details and registration information, http://sacredearthnetwork.org/updates/


Saturday, January 17th, All day. Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association for the 22nd Annual Winter Conference, Organic Farming: The Roots of a Sustainable Community. The conference will be held at Worcester Vocational Technical High School in Worcester from 9:00am-5:30pm. Pre-registration is now open. For more information, visit the NOFA/Mass website or contact Conference Coordinator, Jassy Bratko at (978) 928-5646


Fridays, January 16 to February 27, 2009 ; Session 1: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; Session 2 1 to 3 p.m. NATURE DISCOVERY PRESCHOOL: WINTER WONDERS. Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Amherst. Enjoy the beauty and wonder of winter with cozy indoor activities and fun outdoor exploration. Explore how nature changes with the winter season. Discover the ways animals adapt to the cold and snow. This program is designed for children ages 3-5 accompanied by an adult. The group will go outside for a short exploration each day unless temperatures are extreme. Space is limited so pre-registration early is recommended. Pre-registration is required; please call (413) 256-6006.

Thursday-Sunday, Jan 22-25, Women & tracking. Rowe Conference Center. Spend a fabulous long weekend learning and practicing the art of tracking in both inner and outer landscapes. Rowe’s diverse ecosystem includes mixed hardwood forests where fisher, fox, and coyote roam, rocky ridges that are habitat for bobcat and bear, and wetlands that are home to mink, otter, and moose. Call (413) 339-4954for info.

That will be it for this week. Stay tuned to WXOJ for more enviro hi-jinx next time when we delve into our inner-child with Frank Grindrod of Earthwork Programs. Until then remember: listen to your Mother!