Greetings Earthlings. Do you recall our previous conversations regarding so-called "Early Successional Habitat"? How the term is one of the more recent euphemisms for clearcutting? Recently the state of New Jersey sued itself for engaging in such climate crimes. Ken Dolsky of New Jersey Forest Watch and Silvia Solaun of Friends of Sparta Mountain join us to parse the issues. [INTERVIEW UPDATE HERE] As always, we will guide you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and those whose Brains Were Small, as well as a reminder to anyone who just returned from extended time travel that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Another Zoo Keeper meets a 400-pound Bengal Tiger in the wrong place.
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL)who has been racking up fool's points for some time now. On June 16 he tweeted a rant “In case you forgot the sham #January6thcommitteehearings are purely for TV ratings,” Steube wrote in a since-deleted tweet, “Pelosi let The Communist News Network [CNN] build a full TV set"..[from the floor of the Capitol]. Actually it was a CNN studio set with a backdrop. On February 2021 during a debate in the House on the passage of the Equality Act, Steube read from the Bible: "A woman must not wear men’s clothing nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this”. That may have passed muster some two thousand years ago, but hey Greg, check your calendar.
We're figuring Greg is not much of a science believer but even so he should know "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and on Earth Day there were countless folks out in the streets letting everyone know. There were tens of thousands in the UK outside of Parliament for "The Big One". "The climate and ecological crisis isn't something that is going to happen in the future, it is already here, we can see it with the noticeable lack of insects and wildlife every spring and summer," said Zoe Cohen, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion. Activists are demanding that the U.K. government "end all new licenses, approvals, and funding for fossil fuel projects as we begin a transition to a fair society centered on reparatory justice for all life on earth." It's no wonder actions like that took place across the planet. This from NBC: "The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are now losing more than three times as much ice a year as they were 30 years ago, according to a new comprehensive international study. Using 50 different satellite estimates, researchers found that Greenland’s melt has gone into hyperdrive in the last few years." Que Tom Neilson.
This week we award a "Their Brains Were Small & They Died" trophy to Repugs in the Michigan Senate for this headline: "Half of State Senate GOP votes to keep Michigan’s 92-year-old ban on unmarried cohabitation." There are only two states in the entire Union that still have such faux moralistic laws on the books and yet we still have thinking like this: “This type of family structure lends itself to instability and is not the optimal environment for raising children,” Sen. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, said. “The problem with this reform is that it fails to recognize the secondary effects. ... This is a policy I cannot get behind, because there is clear and overwhelming evidence to show that it is better for children to be in a household with married parents.” Such evidence was apparently not presented, most likely because it doesn't exist.
In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find this PETA graphic [PDF] in all our local newspapers, some being full-page, speaking truth to power on UMass Amherst's torture of marmoset monkeys mutilated and killed for experiments. PETA also released a 30-second video spot that will air on TV streaming services showing footage of the terrified animals imprisoned in tiny, barren cages, cowering and screaming as a voiceover describes the suffering they endure in experimenter Agnès Lacreuse’s laboratory.
Another week/Another Backslidin' with Biden, sad to say. This time Common Dreams tells us: "Climate advocates....denounced the "hypocrisy" of the Biden administration, which doubled down on the White House's push for the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline late last week, just as President Joe Biden was pledging a renewed commitment to environmental justice." Such sleight-of-hand reminds us of the Obama Admin, wonder why? Some activists were pushing back recently. That said, The Prez also threw some money globally "President Biden announced the US government would deliver $1 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the first US contribution to the GCF since 2017. This announcement from the Administration further emphasizes the President's commitment to lead strong climate action internationally." That last bit of editorializing from the World Wildlife Fund. And finally, another "Watch what they do, not what they say" moment from Inside Climate News: "The Biden administration completes inventory, launches plan for new rules on "climate resilience" for forests. Meanwhile, logging continues in carbon-rich federal stands." We'd call that a bad look.
With that, how about an Enviro Show Quote of the Week? You don't have to go far for this one:
"When we don't advance and live up to our own rhetoric and standards, we set a terrible message of duplicity and hypocrisy."
- John F. Kerry
After our conversation with Silvia & Ken it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Saturday May 13, 10am: Rally and march in support of protections for Climate Forests like Telephone Gap and against biomass electricity! The Save Public Forests Coalition is planning a rally, march, and "tree theater" on Saturday May 13th in Burlington, VT. Meet at the north end of the Church St Marketplace at 10am. The march will go about one mile and last for approximately one hour. Come dressed as a tree! If you are interested in helping us put together a fun skit, please get in touch with Laura Simon at simonlaura06@gmail.com.
Tuesday May 16, 2023 10:00-11:30am. TRITIUM AND THE US NUCLEAR POWER SECTOR. A question and answer period will follow the Zoom presentations. What is tritium? Why is it harmful? What damage can it do in our environment and how does it get into the food chain and into our bodies? And are there alternatives to releasing it? Stop Holtech rad dumping in Cape Cod Bay! Go HERE.
Wednesday, May 17, 12pm Noon. New Programs for Fleet Electrification in Massachusetts. Fleet vehicles represent a major portion of emissions and air pollution in Massachusetts. Electrifying these trucks, buses, and light-duty vehicles can reduce both CO2 and particulate matter pollution emissions for all communities in an equitable manner while meeting the Commonwealth’s zero emission goals. Zoom presentation HERE.
Thursday May 18, 4:00–5:00pm. Cutting Ties With Plastic – Making Progress! What are you doing and learning about single-use plastic (SUP) reduction? Your ideas are important so we share what positive solutions are possible. We will be sharing about lots of new things happening at all levels from industry redesign of plastic to be recyclable, state and local ordinances to ban SUPs, and new reprocessing methods. We must work together to reduce the methane emissions by SAYING NO and finding alternatives. Push back to the fossil fuel companies and the packaging industry, and to stores we frequent. Filter out Microplastics. Watch what we buy – reduce consumption. Interested in learning more about the Take the Pledge campaign? Click HERE
Thursday May 25, 7 pm Balancing Sustainability, Growth & Development in Plymouth, MA. Plymouth Great Hall, 26 Court Street. Zoom and In Person. Community Land and Water Coalition will be a featured speaker on the panel for this discussion about development in Plymouth. Please join us! Contact sustainableplymouth@gmail.com with questions.
Wednesday, May 31, 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Community Connections for Climate Action. Fitchburg Senior Center, 14 Wallace Ave, Fitchburg, MA 01420. 4:30 p.m. - film screening of Marion Stoddart:: The Work of 1000. 5-6 p.m. - Find Your Place to Help Resource Fair - an opportunity for people to learn about all the different groups in the region working on environmental and climate justice issues. 6-7 p.m. - A moderated conversation with Melissa Hoffer, Massachusetts’ first ever Climate Chief. Hoffer has focused on place-based climate initiatives such as those involving forests, farms, buildings, and communities.
Saturday, June 3, 10am-12pm. Establishing Young Forest Habitat in the Ware River Watershed. Meets at: DCR DWSP Oakham Field Office, 578 Old Turnpike Rd Oakham.
https://goo.gl/maps/
Saturday June 17, 11am. Preserve October Mountain State Forest. The intersection of Washington Mtn. Road and West Branch Road, Washington. At October Mountain State Forest (here for map). At 16,500 acres, October Mountain is the largest state forest in Massachusetts. You'll find trails for any level of hiking experience, and you can also visit nearby Tanglewood, popular music venue and home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Should we be logging and managing this area? Or should it be protected like a National Park? For more information please contact: Susan Purser and Janet Sinclair - savemassforests@gmail.com
Belated Arbor & May Day greetings, folks so please remember to listen to your Mother!
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