Greetings Earthlings. Would you believe there's a clunky old inefficient mega-power plant operating right here in the ecologically correct 5 College Area of Western Mass? Karl Meyer joins us once again to dive into the dead reach of the Connecticut River to look for dead or threatened critters and an energy system from the 1970s (remember the '70s, the Me Decade?). As usual we will also take you to see The Mad King at work destroying your nation, as well as The Fool-on-the-Hill. Also we have Breaking News and will give you an Enviro Show Quote of the Week and a trip to the Echo Chamber but first it's time for.........Revenge of the Critters! It's Springtime and people are getting all mushy about baby bunnies, chicks and ducklings but sometimes ducks attack!
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is up for a return trip to our dart board. It's Senator Lisa Murkowski, renegade Dem from Alaska and enemy of old-growth forests. Outside On-line tells us: "Her draft bill to fund the Forest Service would, among other things, nix an Obama-era plan to phase out old-growth logging there and would exempt Alaska from the so-called roadless rule, which could open 9.3 million acres of the largest temperate rainforest in the world to the lumber industry." Any high profile progressive Dems up there looking for a job in the U.S. Senate?
Where to start with His Malignancy the Mad King? Never has any resident in the White House given us so much to work with! Let's start with his signing a resolution on Feb. 16 reversing an Obama-era rule aimed at blocking coal-mining operations from dumping waste into nearby waterways. This of course is mountain top removal coal mining at its worst but the Mad King now wants YOU to pay for the mess! BTW, His Malignancy's new pick for Secretary of State to replace the Man From Big Oil is Mike Pompeo The Man From Hell. Besides looking exactly like the quintessential arch bad guy from Central Casting, checkout this climate criminal's rap sheet: Pompeo has stated that "Federal policy should be about the American family, not worshipping a radical environmental agenda." He has referred to the Obama Administration's environment and climate change plans as "damaging" and "radical." He opposes the regulation of Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States, and supports eliminating the United States federal register of greenhouse gas emissions. Pompeo signed the No Climate Tax pledge of Americans for Prosperity. He has called for the elimination of wind power production tax credits. In December 2015 Pompeo voted for two resolutions disapproving of the Clean Power Plan implemented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency during the Obama administration. On May 9, 2013, Pompeo introduced the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act. The bill would have required the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve or reject any proposal for a natural gas pipeline within 12 months. Jeez! Why so long? Also this, Common Dreams reminds us: "It has been exactly six months since Hurricane Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, but thousands of residents of the American territory still lack electricity or are unable to return home, illustrating how the Trump administration and Congress have failed to adequately address the crisis that followed the devastating storm in September." And how about The Mad King's crazed climate criminal "cowboy" Lyin' Zinke from Interior? The WaPo headline says it all: "Zinke says Interior should be a partner with oil companies"! Finally, and in keeping with the title of this show, part of The Mad King's b.s. budget includes eliminating the Marine Mammal Commission thereby further endangering highly endangered species like the North Atlantic Right Whale.
The Enviro Show Quote of the Week might give you shivers:
“Donald Trump is worse than any horror story I've written.” ― Stephen King
We have Breaking News from Grist: "On Tuesday, a case in California could do for climate change what the Scopes trial did for evolution. Last September, San Francisco and Oakland filed major lawsuits against five of the world’s largest oil companies — BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, and Shell. All of those companies are constantly being sued for making large and sometimes permanent environmental messes. But the people of California aren’t suing BP and co. for spills, explosions, or other easily traceable disasters. Rather, they’re suing because those companies: knew about climate change decades ago; continued doing business as usual, and engaged in a world-wide public relations campaign to sow confusion over climate science." See you in court Big Oil! And speaking of San Francisco we also have Breaking News the City by the Bay also is the first to ban the sale of fur from wild critters! Wake up New York and Boston!
In The Enviro Show Echco Chamber the UK's Independent notes the EU has a truly shabby record when it comes to ivory sales. Maybe they should have a talk with San Francisco? The New York Times informs us the soil in our backyard may sequester more CO2 than "soils found in native grasslands or urban forests like arboretums". That's the good news, now we get bad news from Think Progress telling us Kelcy Warren, chief executive officer of Energy Transfer Partners, thinks enviro activists "should be removed from the gene pool". Here on The Enviro Show the feeling is mutual, btw.
In The Enviro Show Echco Chamber the UK's Independent notes the EU has a truly shabby record when it comes to ivory sales. Maybe they should have a talk with San Francisco? The New York Times informs us the soil in our backyard may sequester more CO2 than "soils found in native grasslands or urban forests like arboretums". That's the good news, now we get bad news from Think Progress telling us Kelcy Warren, chief executive officer of Energy Transfer Partners, thinks enviro activists "should be removed from the gene pool". Here on The Enviro Show the feeling is mutual, btw.
After our conversation with Karl it's over to the Bus Stop Billboard:
April 5, 6-8pm. Mass Ave Listening Session. University of Massachusetts Center,1500 Main Street, Springfield, MA The Mass Dept. of Energy Resources (DOER) has scheduled a series of listening sessions, offering the public a chance to comment on the Mass Save program. This is a great time for the public to give input on ideas as well as concerns they have with the program such as long wait times for energy assessments, inconsistencies in implementation of weatherization measures and commercial utilities being administrators of the program, and so on. Email: matt.rusteika@state.ma.us
Starting Saturday April 7 leading up to The Berkshire Earth Expo on SATURDAY, APRIL 21 :: 10AM – 5pm. A MONTH OF EARTH EVENTS! Come to learn from experts, talk to your neighbors about what they’re doing, enjoy performances, shop, and get inspired. Click here for all the info.
Tuesday April 10, 6pm. FC-CPR Climate Crisis April climate meeting. We are going to be trained in a phone banking project started by the Sierra Club. FCCPR Office, 345 Main St., aka Three Bank Row, Greenfield, MA. Contact: Bob Armstrong, bob@armstr.com
Saturday, April 7, 10am to 4pm. Valley Vegfest 2018, featuring passionate speakers, vegan food vendors, veg-friendly products and services, and non-profit organizations dedicated to animal welfare, healthy living, and environmental advocacy. Admission is free! Details at http://www.valleyveg.org/vegfest.
Wednesday, April 11, 5- 7pm. Green Jobs & Internships Career Fair will showcase businesses and colleges that are developing green
careers. This event is taking place in the Northampton Union Station
Ballroom, just outside Platform Sports Bar. Please contact Andrew Baker
at abaker@fhreb.org
Thursday April 12, 7 - 8:30pm. Screening of “This Polluter Does Not Pay: The Crime of U.S. Military Pollution on Foreign Bases”. Mt. Toby Meeting House, 194 Long Plain Road, Leverett, MA
Friday April 13, 12:15 p.m. Michael E. Mann of Penn State University will be speaking on "The Madhouse Effect: A Post-Election Climate Change Update" in room H402 of Hawthorne Hall on the campus of Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA. The event is free and open to the public. For further information, visit:
Saturday, April 14, 1pm to 3pm (time subject to change). 2018 March for Science Boston: Science Strikes Back! Last year, some 50,000 people came together in Boston to defend science. This year, we're not just marching—we're striking back! We’ve got a three-part plan to champion evidence-based climate and energy policy. We'll rally in Christopher Columbus Park (by the Aquarium T stop). RSVP for the rally here and nominate speakers for the event!
Sunday, April 15, 2-4pm. “Massachusetts Forests in The Era of Climate Change” With Michael Kellett, Executive Director of RESTORE: The North Woods. The protection of Massachusetts forests is vital in: storing carbon to help mitigate and reverse climate change; providing critical habitat for native plants and wildlife; saving historic and sacred sites; and offering opportunities for nature-based tourism. Yet, almost all our forests are currently open to resource extraction, thereby undermining these values. With more than 30 years of experience working to protect forests, wildlife, and parks and wilderness, Mr. Kellett will retrace steps leading to our current dilemma and suggest possible remedies. Q&A will follow. Suggested Donation: $10 – Register at: www.hitchcockcenter.org
Had enough? There will be more in April along with April showers, until then remember to listen to your Mother!
