UPDATE: We are sad to announce that our former co-host Jean Grossholtz has moved on to that great studio in the sky. Our next show will be for her, Jean's Enviro Show . She is and always will be missed.
Greetings Earthlings. No one likes to get lost because of poor directions, right? We're thinking the folks driving the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEOEA)'s Decarbonization Roadmap need to hear that voice say "Re-CALC-ulating" more than a few times. Meg Sheehan returns to the show for a course correction and her work at Community Land and Water Coalition and Melissa Ferretti, of the Herring Pond Wampanoag on solar siting flaws here in the Commonwealth. As usual, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill (so hard to choose!) and to do some Decidin' with Biden, as well as a reminder that "it's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and maybe even a return to The Enviro Show Echo Chamber but first it's time for...............Revenge of the Critters! Here's the headline: "An iguana wearing a bandanna attacked a man in Miami because 2020 isn’t weird enough" We just can't make this stuff up!
We think it's pretty obvious calling Quazy QAnon Georgia Repugnican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a fool is putting it lightly, so let's just take better aim and say besides being a Fool-on-the-Hill Marge is also a murderous toxic psycho who should be banished from The Hill immediately if not from the planet, OK? As it stands now, Quazy Marge has been stripped of her committee assignments in the House in a bi-partisan vote.......but not bi-partisan enough. A vast majority of Repugs remain partial to domestic terrorism, something that will haunt them throughout history.
We are Decidin' with Biden when he says things like “This is not a time for small measures. We need to be bold” but like Mom always used to say, "The proof is in the pudding". Last week the Prez started assembling the ingredients for that pudding, he set a national goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the nation’s lands and oceans by 2030 and calling for an indefinite halt of new oil & gas leasing on federal land and waters, as a precursor to ending the dependence of the United States on fossil fuels. Also, he signed executive orders elevating racial justice and scientific integrity as two pillars of his climate program and an executive order stating the federal government will use its buying power to help support clean electricity and electric vehicles. Clean electricity.....what a concept! We learned on Thursday the Biden administration is putting a temporary stop to road construction andlogging in roadless areas of national forests. This is more-or-less a defacto moratorium on logging in our public lands, something we've been advocating for on this show.......forever! Now, it's time to work toward making it policy and doing away with the U.S. Forest Service's "sustained yield mission". Stay tuned.
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, speaking of the U.S. Forest dis-Service, Popular Resistance brought this to our attention: "For decades the U.S. Forest Service and BLM has been seeking out and cutting large dead trees in Federal forests to prevent areas from being listed as critical habitat for endangered species." We guess that's part of their "sustained yield"?
Time to remember "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and time for yet another wake-up call from The Guardian: "The melting of ice across the planet is accelerating at a record rate, with the melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets speeding up the fastest, research has found. The rate of loss is now in line with the worst-case scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change." Here's an eye-opening headline: "The Atlantic Hurricane Season Typically Brings About a Dozen Storms. This Year It Was 30". The article goes on to point out, "A record Atlantic basin hurricane season was fueled by warmer than normal ocean and Gulf waters that scientists say were, at least in part, caused by climate change. In all, there were 30 named storms, the most on record and almost three times the typical number. The basin includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico." OK, that's enough bad news for the time being, how about we go do something!
Yes, it's the Bus Stop Billboard where things happen:
TODAY, Right
now, you can send an email to Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
Commissioner Woodcock to withdraw the amendments to the Renewable
Portfolio Regulations pertaining to biomass. Email or call Jane Strong,
DOER Executive Assistant 617-626-7332;jane.b.strong@
SAMPLE BIOMASS SCRIPT: “Dear Commissioner Woodcock: I live near Springfield and am very concerned about plans to build a biomass incinerator there. Rather than being renewable and non-carbon-emitting as Palmer Renewable Energy claims, biomass burning instead produces half-again the CO2 of coal for an equal wattage of electricity generated. And it certainly isn’t clean: Its smoke is laden with lung-destroying particulate matter, as well as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic chemicals, mercury, lead and hydrochloric acid. All this would be pumped into a city which was named the “Asthma Capital” of the country for two years running. As you know the Springfield City Council has issued a strong protest to building this plant. And you also know that Attorney General Maura Healy recently released a report showing biomass incineration to be a mistake for our Commonwealth. I join with the City Council, Attorney General Healy, and many of my fellow Valley residents objecting to allowing our Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) to permit inefficient biomass like the Palmer Energy plant to qualify for subsidies.”
Thursday February 18, 5 - 6:30pm. The Climate Emergency - Identifying the Leverages of Power. Dr. Marty Nathan and Ernesto Cruz. This workshop will describe the overall scope of the climate crisis and why it is so crucial to recognize where things stand right now. From there, we will go into the varied and numerous ways where people can influence decisions on the kinds of projects and campaigns that will get us closer to zero emissions before it is too late. Participants will leave this class understanding how to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis to their communities and will have a framework for knowing how to identify where they can make a practical impact from whatever level of awareness and influence they possess. Go to: https://truthschool.corsizio.com/c/5fd27fe5204846f7fdf49dd9
Thursday February 18, 7pm. The Northampton City Council will have the second reading of their Climate Resilience and Regeneration Plan. The meeting is open to public comments of up to 3 minutes from 7PM to 7:30PM. If you're a local resident, we encourage you to attend and speak! There are a few talking points in the slides linked above, but in general we support the city's commitment to addressing climate change and also call for greater urgency, including being carbon net zero long before the plan's deadline of 2050. Details on joining the meeting are here.
By February 19, we’re asking legislators to pass last session’s climate bill into law — with or without the Governor’s signature. Join our call for climate action by posting on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #MAClimateDeadline
Wednesday February 24, 7pm. Join Standing Trees Vermont for a virtual conversation with Dr.
William Moomaw about Proforestation. For years we have listened to the forestry
timber-speak about sustainable forest management,
afforestation and reforestation, and various other terms all
of which ultimately involve logging. But a new word and a new
concept - Proforestation - is gaining traction and deserves
our support! Come learn from a proforestation pro! Bill Moomaw
is part of a team who is working to change the narrative about
forests and climate. Go to: https://actionnetwork.org/
Thursday February. 25, 4 pm. An Ecological Civilization: The Path We’re On. The path toward an ecological
civilization moves us from an uncivilized society based on selfish
wealth accumulation to one that is community-oriented and
life-affirming. You’re invited to a virtual conversation on the ways communities are already working toward that goal—and how you can be a part of it. This event will feature contributors to our upcoming issue of YES! Magazine—Vandana Shiva, Leah Penniman, Winona LaDuke, and Jeremy Lent.
Saturday March 6, 3 to 6pm. Mobilizing Extinction rebellion Worldwide! We need mass civil disobedience in 2021. And this requires
thousands of people to mobilise, organise, and get good at it. All
around the world, amazing people are developing great ways to stand up
and we need to support one another. An alliance of dedicated XR members in different countries are
creating this event so we can come together to celebrate the vital work
we are doing, to enjoy great talks and testimonies, and discover
concrete tactics that work in a range of workshops. Go HERE
Sunday March 7, 10am to 1pm. Online Memorial for Jean Grossholtz to remember her. You're invited to attend and join us virtually via zoom and share your memories of Jean. Please RSVP so that we can email you the zoom link. Go to: https://www.mykeeper.com/event/jeans-virtual-online-memorial/
That's all for now, remember to listen to your Mother, OK?
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