The Back-to-the-Future Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Sooooo, wasn't THAT a fun year! What will 2011 bring us? More of the same? We do some reflecting and projecting with our favorite roving troubadour, Tom Neilson as well as announce our brand new Enviro Show public service effort: the "Don't Move Politicians More than 50 Miles" campaign! We delve into some of our usual segments like The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, Fool on the Hill, Meet the New Boss and such, but first it’s time for.....Revenge of the Critters! It’s a polar bear-he-go-round!

In our Fool on the Hill segment we have another two-fer: First we learn that "Republicans in the House as a whole want to get rid of the EPA." That's what newly elected Republican Representative Bill Flores said last week on Tea Party Internet Radio. Gosh, those teabaggers must be using an old script. Haven't we been here before? Then we learn the new Repugnican chair of the House Science and Technology Committee, Rep. Ralph Hall of (where else!) Texas sees the BP explosion that killed 11 men, injured dozens, and led to the despoilment of the Gulf of Mexico as a tremendous blossoming flower of energy. Whoa! Flowers! Who knew!!

Our Meet the New Boss segment finds Obama in bed with Bush on the long suffering polar bear. More same old/same old! Barry…err…Barrack’s Dept. of Interior claimed the polar bear did not qualify as “endangered” because it was not “on the brink” of extinction — a standard that is not contained in the Endangered Species Act. Then Sarah Palin’s Alaska got into the act by filing a legal notice to strike down the federal government's designation of a 120-million-acre polar bear reserve along Alaska's northern coast. Does any of this have anything to do with oil? Noooo, where would we get such an idea!

In our E-Valley-uation segment it’s the "Don't Move Politicians More than 50 Miles" campaign! Another Enviro Show first! You may have heard the PSAs about not moving firewood more than 50 miles due to infestation by invasive pests that kill trees, like the Asian Longhorned beetles, yes? But hey! It’s still OK to clearcut forests and ship them off to some far-off biomass incinerator, right? Is there some sort of double standard here? Has our political atmosphere become infested by an alien species? Yes it has, and we’ve got the answer: Don't Move Politicians More than 50 Miles from their Home! Think how much less damage they’ll do if they stay close to home! Think how much more…umm…accessible they will be! And this most excellent continuum: Shut it Down Affinity Group gets busted for the New Year!. Yes, they'll never give up 'til the Vermont Yankee nuke is laid to rest. Excellent way to start the New Year, go Shut it Downers!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber here's one of the worst ideas for 2011: wandering biomess robots(and you thought robots run amok was so 20th century). Good news: we find the House and the Senate passed the Shark Conservation Act. This means that shark finning is illegal in the US. AND that Congress actually CAN do its job…now and then. Also this: On Christmas Eve, Whole Foods Market recalled gingerbread houses it sold in 23 states for possible contamination with Staphylococcus aureus. Whoa! Talk about a housing crisis! Just one more reason to shop at your local co-op. Our Enviro Show Blog Bonus? Why it's the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020! Here's a bad omen to start the New Year: Birds fall from sky in Arkansas. Finally this sad note: Judy Bonds died. Here's an excerpt from Jeff Biggers piece on Huff Po: "She was a tireless, funny, and inspiring orator, and a savvy and brilliant community organizer. She was fearless in the face of threats. As the godmother of the anti-mountaintop removal movement, she gave birth to a new generation of clean energy and human rights activists across the nation. In a year of mining disasters and climate change set backs, she challenged activists to redouble their efforts." Of course,actions down in coal country continue.

"Coal" by The Shovel takes us to our Bus Stop Billboard:

January 3 - 24. Climate Ground Zero's second Winter Action Camp! CGZ is now accepting applications for the camp, scheduled to be held in the coal fields of southern West Virginia. The camp will involve multiple intensive training tracks, such as action team, action media, legal support, and other skills relevant for this campaign and its future actions, as well as for your campaigns back home. Contact: january@climategroundzero.org or 304-854-1937

Saturday, January 8, 10:30am to 2pm. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A., Turners Falls. Join us the second Saturday of every month for a day of children's activities. Daily activities may include crafts, games, investigations, or outdoor adventures. Call ahead for current program details at (413) 863-3221.

Now until January 6, 9am to 5pm, Exhibit: Glimpses of the Pre-Quabbin Swift River Valley and the Quabbin Reservoir of Today. UMass Science Library, Floor 2, Lederle Lowrise.. For full hours and parking information, call 413-545-1370

Wednesdays January 12 and January 26, 7:30 pm. THE GREEN ZONE: THE ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF MILITARISM. Book discussion group in preparation for author Barry Sanders' February 9th Smith College Lecture. Let's discuss this extensively-documented expose on the price our earth is paying for the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. APJ War & Environment Committee. Bodman Lounge, Helen Hills Hills Chapel, Smith College. Contact: martygjf@comcast.net

Saturday, January 15, 7:30 pm. Spook Handy, creator of songs of peace, hope and survival, will perform at the Echo Lake in the town hall, 9 Montague Rd., Leverett, Admittance is $10-$12. For more info: 413-548-9394 or go to www.echolakecoffeehouse.org

Thursday, January 20, 7 – 8:30pm. Celebrate the Arctic National Wildlife refuge’s 50th anniversary. Linda Hickman, will present a program on her guided trip through Alaska, highlighting memorable and noteworthy natural and cultural resources and interesting information. Great Falls Discovery Center. 2 Avenue A., Turners Falls, Ph 413-863-3221

January 28-30. People's Music Winter Gathering 2011. Hartford, Connecticut. The People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom And Struggle, See registration page for additional information at: http://www.peoplesmusic.org

Good ways to start a new year, yes? Next time it's Michael Kellett from the group Restore the North Woods. Until then remember.......listen to your Mother!

The Real Winter Solstice Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Happy Winter Solstice on this, the first Enviro Show to actually fall on the date of the Solstice (AND the first time in 372 years that a full lunar eclipse falls at the same time! if you missed it go here). With that in mind we fore-go much of the usual bad news and carrying on and honor the season with Earth-inspired sound.....and maybe a few inspired rants. Surprise! Too bad even progressive talk radio has overlooked the Solstice and pagans who honor it every year. Our in-house pagans are out dancing around the bonfires and making merry. Sorry, progressives, you lose, maybe next year. Here's some Solstice tunes to get us started, one of D.O.'s favorites, Paul Winter Consort with "Wolf Eyes".

OK, so that felt a lot like some snowbound vista in the wild where the wolves rule and the winds howl. Speaking of wolves, it looks like Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar is trying to remove protections so his western rancher friends can kill them at will. Please go HERE and take action to protect these majestic critters. Did we say wolves? What about wolverines?? They need YOUR HELP too! Also in need of protection are our National Forests. How about sending Obama a Holiday card with that in mind?

Moving on: years ago, Windham Hill recording studio in neighboring Vermont came out with a Winter Solstice collection that became so popular that they cut a whole collection. However, for D.O., that original album seemed to say it best. His favorite cut is "A Tale of Two Cities", by Mark Isham. Think about the Winter Solstice Sun rising or setting when you listen to that!

OK, you can't have a Winter Solstice party without fun & games, right? Help Santa! He's being attacked by Repugnicans disguised as elves!!

Enough with D.O., it's time to checkout Jean's favorite tune from a previous show. It's Pete Seeger's "Spill, Baby Spill".

This Solstice party isn't over just because neither Jean nor Glen sent in their links. Maybe they are too busy partying elsewhere? Stay tuned.......

Finally let's take shelter from the snow and checkout the Bus Stop Billboard:

Saturday, December 25, 11am - Noon. Peace on Earth! Greenfield's weekly peace vigil on the Town Common. Call (413)522-5932. While you're there, checkout the Winter Solstice display...it's next to the creche!). Also in Northampton in front of the County Courthouse (on Main Street between Gothic and King), rain or shine (or snow, or deep-freeze).

Sunday, December 26. Noon - 1pm. The Amherst peace vigil takes place on the Amherst Commons at noon on Sundays. It has been going since the early 1970's. Call: ((413)549-4515

Saturday, January 1, 11am - Noon. Resolve to work for peace! Greenfield's weekly peace vigil on the Town Common. Also, peace vigil in Northampton in front of the County Courthouse. Same time.

Saturday, January 8, 10:30am to 2pm. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A., Turners Falls. Join us the second Saturday of every month for a day of children's activities. Daily activities may include crafts, games, investigations, or outdoor adventures. Call ahead for current program details at (413) 863-3221.

Now until January 6, 9am to 5pm, Exhibit: Glimpses of the Pre-Quabbin Swift River Valley and the Quabbin Reservoir of Today. UMass Science Library, Floor 2, Lederle Lowrise. The exhibit features 39 nature photographs by Les Campbell, who has received many honors including four of the highest awards given by the Photographic Society of America. His photographs have appeared in National Geographic, National Audubon, and the Photographic Society of America Journal, among others. Campbell had a 45-year career working at the Quabbin reservoir and founded the Quabbin Visitor's Center and Friends of the Quabbin. For full hours and parking information, call 413-545-1370

Jeez, not much happening in this valley. Where'd everyone go? I hope they get back for the next show 'cuz it's about THE END OF THE WORLD!

Return of the Shopocalypse Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Here we go again: people shopping 'til they're dropping. Sooooo many toys, so little time? Are you suffering from Returnaholism? How about putting that wasted money to good use? Rev. Billy calls-in once again to preach about the coming Shopocalypse. Then we get calls from Kristin DeBoer of Kestrel Trust and Lily Lombard of Grow Food Northampton; places where your gift donations will be money well spent. As usual, we'll also checkout our E-Valley-uation segment, The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, our Enviro Show Quote of the Week,and the shortest Meet the New Boss segment ever, but first it's time for...Revenge of the Critters! Reindeer attack....again and again!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber it's time to revisit Frosty The Snowman Melted By Global Warming; it's sad but true. Also, some good things come in threes at the New York Times to counteract that Frosty meltdown: 1) Obama administration rescindeds its decision to expand offshore oil exploration into the eastern Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast; 2) Solar installation spreein progress, and 3) Midwest emerges as center for clean power. Who says we're all gloom & doom! Our Enviro Show Blog Bonus asks YOU to take action to protect Bluefin Tuna.

Our Meet the New Boss segment is short but not so sweet. This on Obama from the New York Times: "Privately, Mr. Obama has described himself, at times, as essentially a Blue Dog Democrat". Surprise!

In our E-Valley-uation segment the good news is that State energy and environment secretary Ian Bowles will leave the Patrick administration at the end of the month and "pursue private sector opportunities". Hey, maybe we scared him on our last show! The not-so-good news is that former Westfield mayor, Rick Sullivan is taking Bowles place. The last time we saw Sullivan he was solidly on the fence on the Biomess. Also this: Peter Vickery kicks off a new Mt. Tom campaign. He's talking conversion to natural gas instead of all that coal from blown-off mountain tops down south.

The Enviro Show Quote of the Week is a variation on a theme: "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed". ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

The choir sings of the "Shopocalypse", segwaying nicely to our call with Rev. Billy and our other guests.

Then it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

December, all month; A two person exhibit of the photographs of Lynn Grabowski and the oil paintings of Gillian Haven at the Burnett Gallery in Amherst. Titled As We See It, the exhibit presents the vision of each artist observing her surroundings.Lynn Grabowski’s Amherst Beaver Project, studies a colony of beavers residing along the Norwottuck Rail Trail. Call (413)538-5695

Wednesday, December 8, 7:00-8:30pm. Second Decommissioning Forum on VT Yankee. Greenfield Community College, Downtown Building, Main Street, Greenfield, MA Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Deb Katz 413-339-5781

Friday Dec. 10, 7pm. "Bhopali" showing corporate malice and denial of human rights of people --at the Media Education Foundation community room, 60 Masonic Street, Northampton (entrance behind Woodstar Cafe). Event cosponsored by the Northampton Human Rights Commission & Northampton Committee to Stop War in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of a regular Friday Night film series.

Friday Dec. 10th and Saturday the 11th at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 12th at 2 p.m. "Welcome Yule: A Midwinter Celebration"; Shea Theater, Avenue A, Turners Falls, Music, dance, songs and stories celebrating the return of the light. Reserve tickets at (413) 863-2281 or purchase in advance at Jones Library in Amherst, Broadside Books in Northampton, the World Eye Bookstore in Greenfield, For information, call 413-665-3206 or check www.WelcomeYule.org

Saturday, December 11, 1 - 2pm. "Finding you way in the woods". Have you ever found yourself lost in the woods? Join us for an hour long exploration of compasses as well as the basics of the sport of orienteering. Great Falls Discovery Center. 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls. Call 413-863-3221

Monday, December 13, 6:30 – 8:30p.m. (Snow Date: Thursday, December 16). DCR Forest Futures Implementation [or who gets clearcut!]- Public Workshops. Greenfield Community College, Downtown Center, 270- Main St, Greenfield. There will also be an opportunity to provide written comments. For more information on these workshops or the landscape
designation process, please feel free to contact Jessica Rowcroft at either jessica.rowcroft@state.ma.us or at 617-626-1380.

Attention shoppers! Time to stay home and enjoy the holidays or take a walk in the woods. Next time it's our Winter Solstice Music Show. Stay tuned and remember: listen to your Mother!