A Dirty Zombie Biomass Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. As you may have discovered, the dirty zombie biomass plant proposed for the Asthma Capitol of the Nation (better known as Springfield, MA) may finally be history. Susan Theberge of Climate Action Now joins us along with Mireille Bejjani of Community Action Works, and Springfield resident and activist Elizabeth Pereira returns to the show to do the hopeful postmortem. As usual we'll also bring you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and try Abidin' with Biden for an abbreviated version of the show, but first it's time for.........Revenge of the Critters!  South African Baboons move in on the Colonials.

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Repugnican domestic terrorist Rep. Paul A. Gosar of Arizona, you know, the guy who spoke at a white nationalist conference and allegedly helped plan the rally ahead of the Capitol riot?  The fool whose nine siblings want him removed from office for his anti-American activity. We're thinking besides being a terrorist and a total fascist he's a real fool for staying on, yes?

We're going to continue Abidin' with Biden given his International Climate Summit on Earth Week was pretty much of a success, albeit a qualified one. One of our unanswered questions concerns Gina McCarthy,  White House National Climate Advisor, tasked with coordinating the Biden administration’s domestic climate agenda. Our brief search found McCarthy promoting dirty biomass back in 2015. We aren't finding any recent reference, you? 

We have a lengthy interview segment for this show which we will post above ASAP as well,as this LINK on dirty biomass. For now, it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Saturday, May 15, 1:00 – 3:30pm. The Nolumbeka Project will host a gathering at Peskeompskut Park in Turners Falls, MA, to commemorate the 345th anniversary of the Great Falls Massacre on May 19, 1676. This event is considered the major turning point of King Philip’s War when 300 non-combatant women, children and elders perished at the falls during a surprise pre-dawn attack by Captain William Turner and colonial militia. Bring chairs and blankets for seating. Go here for more: https://www.facebook.com/events/4055328877879282/ 

Wednesday, May 19, 7:30 -8:30pm.  The Climate Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture, Carbon Farming, and Silvopasture.  Presented by Connor Stedman, a farm business planner, climate educator, and Principle and Lead Designer at Appleseed, a Regenerative Design and Holistic Farm Planning firm based in western Massachusetts and the Hudson Valley. Silvopasture unites animal grazing with a forested landscape, to sequester more carbon, reduce carbon emissions, increase crop yields, and improve livestock health. Connor supports farms at all scales to successfully adopt industry-leading carbon farming systems. Connor speaks and consults widely and serves as affiliate instructor with the University of Vermont's innovative Leadership for Sustainability graduate program. Register HERE. 

Saturday May 22, 10:30am to 12:30pm.   CT River Survival Walk II. Walk-the-Walk for endangered shortnose sturgeon.  Join Karl Meyer on a walk to the Rock Dam—the critically endangered habitat and only documented natural spawning site for the federally-endangered Connecticut River shortnose sturgeon. Meyer intervened with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to stop the grim, eroding conditions created by the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project and Turners Falls Dam. He’s written about sturgeon for years and authored the reknowned “Shortnose Stout” beer brand in 2013. Rock Dam is a 200 million year-old natural gem that’s helped keep the thread for this 100 million year old sturgeon species alive on the Connecticut for centuries. Learn about the shortnose’s life cycle and the industrial and natural history of this abused and undefended site going back to pre-dam times. Come, learn, protect.   Directions: Meet at the parking lot at the south end of G Street in Turners Falls for this 3/4 mile walk (1-1/2 mile round trip). Take Avenue A in Turners Falls to 11th Street. Cross the 11^th St. Bridge over the canal and make the first left onto G Street. Follow G to parking lot just before the USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center sign. Program runs rain or shine. ACCESS NOTE: this walk is mostly flat, but access to Rock Dam is on short steep terrain. For further information phone: 413-773-0006

Monday May 24, 7pm.  Climate Action Now MA monthly meeting via Zoom. Registration info and updates: https://www.facebook.com/ClimateActionNowMA/  

Until next time please remember to........LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!  

A Solar Steamroller Enviro Show Part II

Greetings Earthlings. Taking out acres upon acres of intact carbon capturing forests to erect industrial solar? What's wrong in this picture? Shutesbury resident Leslie Cerier joins us to follow-up on our last show with news of a proposed 190 acres of forested land, owned by W.D. Cowls going under the axe to make way for industrial solar. [ UPDATE: Interview HERE] As always we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and to remind everyone that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!".  Of course, we'll still be Abidin' with Biden and listening for The Enviro Show Echo Chamber but first it's time for........Revenge of the Critters! Giant reptile goes on a shopping spree trashing displays on the way. 

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill took issue with a Democratic proposal to expand the Supreme Court from 9 seats to 13 in what should be seen as Great Moments in Hypocrisy. Yes, it's domestic terrorist-in-training Sen. Josh Hawley who opined this concerning the Dem's plan, "It's a terrible idea," Hawley told the Senate press pool. "It is a deliberate attempt to fundamentally change a core institution of American government and effectively to overturn the results of past elections." Wait.......what? Wasn't that what he and his fellow Repugs were doing on January 6?? This is the senator who tried to overturn election results and raising his fist in a salute to the oncoming horde of domestic terrorists marching on the Capitol. He's worse than a fool, of course.

Time to move from the democracy crisis to remind Repugs that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" Recently we read that the concentration of atmospheric CO2 surged past 420 parts per million for the first time in recorded history according to a measurement taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory on the Big Island of Hawaii. At the same time it was reported in another study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters that over a third of the area of all Antarctic ice shelves could be at risk of collapsing if global temperatures soar to 4°C above pre-industrial levels. Is it a crisis yet?  

OK, it's a bit hard to be Abiden' with Biden when "Indigenous leaders and climate campaigners... blasted President Joe Biden's refusal to shut down the Dakota Access pipeline during a court-ordered environmental review, which critics framed as a betrayal of his campaign promises to improve tribal relations and transition the country to clean energy." as Common Dreams reported. And, sad to say, when reporters Tweet: "Biden’s Pentagon is going to keep the Trump Pentagon’s policy of embracing landmines. 'A vital tool in conventional warfare,' they call an indiscriminate weapon that kills and maims civilian."  So, we guess the honeymoon is over but at least he's not.......that other guy!  

Speaking of Common Dreams here in The Enviro Show Echo Chamber they reported recently "scientists at the University of Cambridge in England found that 97% of the planet's land area no longer qualifies as ecologically intact" and that "The amount of ecologically intact land 'was much lower than we were expecting,' Dr. Andrew Plumptre, head of the Key Biodiversity Areas Secretariat at Cambridge and lead author of the study, told Science News."  The good news is people and groups are pushing back on all fronts. Join them. Do not despair!

After our interview with Leslie we head over to the Bus Stop Billboard: 

Wednesday, April 29, 7pm.  "Warheads to Windmills" How we can pay for a Green New Deal - A webinar featuring Timmon Wallis, PhD, of NuclearBan.US, and U.S. Representative Jim McGovern.  “Pandemics, inequality, climate, nuclear weapons: of the four great problems threatening our existence, one is very easy to solve and this might just be the moment to cross it off the list.” – Timmon Wallis.  Register for this webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_PwFdPYogQrWKQgjS2UlNMw    

Monday May 3, 7-8:30 pm.  Who's Delaying Climate Action in MA? Go HERE.

Tuesday, May 4, 1:00–2:00pm. Environmental advocates, business leaders, and lawmakers will gather virtually to kick off their campaign to pass the 100% Clean Act (H.3288, S.2136) during the 2021–2022 legislative session. This bill will transition Massachusetts to 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 and 100 percent clean heating and transportation by 2045.  RSVP here. You will receive an email with a link to join the Zoom event. 

Wednesday, May 19, 7:30 -8:30pm.  The Climate Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture, Carbon Farming, and Silvopasture.  Presented by Connor Stedman, a farm business planner, climate educator, and Principle and Lead Designer at Appleseed, a Regenerative Design and Holistic Farm Planning firm based in western Massachusetts and the Hudson Valley. Silvopasture unites animal grazing with a forested landscape, to sequester more carbon, reduce carbon emissions, increase crop yields, and improve livestock health. Connor supports farms at all scales to successfully adopt industry-leading carbon farming systems. Connor speaks and consults widely and serves as affiliate instructor with the University of Vermont's innovative Leadership for Sustainability graduate program. Register HERE.  

Until next time please remember to........LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!  

 

A Solar Steamroller Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. As you might imagine, we support solar power on this show but we are, at the same time, forest protectors and hopeless tree huggers. The current fad of clear cutting intact carbon capturing forests for the placement of industrial solar arrays is, as we speak, being challenged within the climate activist community. Heidi Ricci, Director of Policy at Mass Audubon joins us to shed light on the issue. [UPDATE: Interview HERE]  As always, we'll also take you to learn about this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and about our Abbin' with Biden, as well as a reminder "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and more but first it's time for........Revenge of the Critters! Killer Whales are killing it off the coast of Spain & Portugal.

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is overgrown fratboy Rep. Matt Gaetz (Repug- FLA), top low life in Congress who can't even find many friends among his fellow Repugnican scum, and given their seditious record that's saying something. Gaetz was under investigation for possible sex trafficking by the DOJ when that arch toady, AG Barr was in charge and now, with a real Attorney General at the helm, the investigation is expanding to include a rogues gallery of other odious fascists. As probes deepen into the morally repugnant behavior of Gaetz and his cohorts (Roger Stone and Rep. Jim Jordan among them) it appears these Repugs did little to cover their heinous acts, making them utter fools besides being disgusting low-life and seditious traitors.  There. We said it and we're glad. 

We are still Abbidin' with Biden this week as he introduces his historic Infrastructure Plan, officially titled The American Jobs Plan. Delving into the plan however, we find some curious items such as the creation of a "Civilian Climate Corps" which seems undefined in its mission. Will the Corps just plant or replant trees without protecting and preserving existing forests? What does this mean: "Every dollar spent on rebuilding our infrastructure during the Biden administration will be used to prevent, reduce, and withstand the impacts of the climate crisis." Does that include natural carbon capture? When it says "President Biden’s plan will protect and, where necessary, restore nature-based infrastructure – our lands, forests, wetlands, watersheds, and coastal and ocean resources."  Does that mean our National Forests will become off limits to commercial logging so they can continue to capture and store CO2 emissions undisturbed? Here's a thought: How about WE ASK! (Chances are you'll just get a polite non-committal automated response. Think of that as an inducement to keep at it. 

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find this headline and sub-head in The Guardian: "Disease outbreaks more likely in deforestation areas, study finds - Tree-planting can also increase health risks if it focuses too narrowly on small number of species, paper says".  The fore we've been talking about on this show since COVID-19 first raised its spiky little head, the latter is....um...interesting? The piece goes on to point out: "Even tree-planting can increase health risks to local human populations if it focuses too narrowly on a small number of species, as is often the case in commercial forests, the research found." Here's the LINK to the study in question.  And here's some  good  news from MassLive: The Zombie Dirty Biomass plant in Springfield had it's permit revoked by the MA State DEP! 

Time to remind all those Spring Break party goers out there that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"  Rather than dump all the usual doom and gloom on you today how about we reference this upbeat piece, also from The Guardian about "using our imagination" and turn the deserts green!  This is intriguing: "Within a couple of decades, the Weather Makers believe, the Sinai could be transformed from a hot, dry, barren desert into a green haven teeming with life: forests, wetlands, farming land, wild flora and fauna. A regreened Sinai would alter local weather patterns and even change the direction of the winds, bringing more rain, the Weather Makers believe – hence their name."  Sounds like a plan, yes?     OK, enough feel good, let's get back to the grim: "Despite all the dire warnings, corporate pledges, and tree-planting promises, forests keep falling at an alarming pace. In a report out Wednesday morning, experts tallied up all the acres of the most important forests lost in 2020 and found that it amounts to an area the size of the Netherlands." That from Grist. Are we walking in balance now?

How about an Enviro Show Quote of the Week? 

“Incrementalism and those little steps are not enough. Not right now. Not on climate change…We have a global crisis  We have got to move urgently - urgently and boldly.”     - Bernie Sanders

 After our conversation with Heidi we move on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Monday April 19, 12 to 1:30pm.  Fireside Chat with Gina McCarthy. As a leading advocate for strategies to protect public health and the environment for more than 30 years, new White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy is well positioned to take charge of President Biden’s massive climate agenda. In this Op-Talk, Boston Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman will talk with the top domestic climate official about her new role in creating a sustainable world.  RSVP 

Saturday, April 24, 10:30 – 12:30pm. THE GREAT EARTH WEEK WALK FOR RIVER JUSTICE .Honor Earth Week on an “unnatural” history walk via the Franklin County Bikeway through the magnificent French King Gorge to the giant tunnels of the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Station. The Connecticut is sucked backward here daily, killing tens of millions of fish and aquatic animals annually. Northfield is a VT Yankee nuclear vestige that’s killed here for 49 years. Its Canadian owners want a new 50 year federal license. Join this river revival walk for future generations. Community leaders, energy experts and stakeholder/journalist Karl Meyer will speak along the way. Kids and bicycles welcome. Bring water, a snack, and your mask. Please leave pets at home. Directions: Meet for this 1-1/2 mile walk (3-mile round trip) at Dorsey Rd., Erving, beneath the French King Bridge. Via Rt. 2 E, go across the French King Bridge. Dorsey is 1/3 of a mile on the right. Traveling 2 W, continue past the bowling alley. Dorsey is the left turn immediately after the MA Highway Garage sign on the right. Head down Dorsey to the bridge.** NOTE: This walk is on level terrain, and turns around at Ferry Rd./Pine Meadow Rd. in Northfield. Route is both paved and dirt, and may not be suitably wheelchair accessible. For further information contact: anna.gyorgy@crocker.com Or phone: 413-773-0006 

Sunday April 25, 1pm. Climate Emergency Rally & Parade. Boston XR event will begin at the Massachusetts Statehouse in Boston with a couple of speakers and some climate disco (a choreographed dance party in the name of the earth). We will then parade around the City of Boston to express gratitude for our planet and its biodiversity while also pushing the state and city for immediate action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency. This event will be "Emergency" themed filled with climate firefighters, dancing, and lively music. Climate can't wait; 2050 is too late. We demand that the City of Boston and State of Massachusetts declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency and act on it!   Go to: https://xrmass.org/action/earth-day-celebration-2021/   

Monday April 26, 7 to 8:30pm. Climate Action Now MA has been having wonderful virtual gatherings via ZOOM during the time of COVID closure. Look out for zoom registration details before the next meeting in our newsletter or on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ClimateActionNowMA  

Wednesday, April 29, 7pm.  "Warheads to Windmills" How we can pay for a Green New Deal - A webinar featuring Timmon Wallis, PhD, of NuclearBan.US, and U.S. Representative Jim McGovern.  “Pandemics, inequality, climate, nuclear weapons: of the four great problems threatening our existence, one is very easy to solve and this might just be the moment to cross it off the list.” – Timmon Wallis.  Register for this webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_PwFdPYogQrWKQgjS2UlNMw 

OK folks!  Do remember to........LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!