Walk for a New Dawn Enviro Show (Part II)

[ The partial podcast for this show can be found HERE ]
Greetings Earthlings. As the Walk for a New Dawn makes its way across Massachusetts we update you on their progress HERE. Some Walkers will join us to discuss how it goes. As usual, we will introduce you to our Fool-on-the-Hill and ask "Who Left the Door Open" and "Those Whose Brains Were Small.." as well as come up with some Doublespeak of the Week, the reminder that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and more but first it's time for ......Revenge of the Critters! Young Beaver lives to bite another day in Lake George according to Talking Heads.

 

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Representative Max Miller, a second-term Repugnican and friend of His Malignancy who apparently isn't content with just abusing the U.S. Constitution and most of the country. The New York Times informs us he, "has been accused by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, of domestic abuse against her and their 2-year-old daughter.  Ms. Moreno, the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno, also an Ohio Republican, has said that Mr. Miller scalded her chest and stomach by throwing hot water from a skillet at her body; held a gun to her head; pushed her against a wall and hit her head; and fractured their daughter’s collarbone and bruised her shoulder."  It's reported that he has a history of abusing women going all the way back to high school? Another old school fool.....and not in a good way.

 

Our Friends at The Dogwood Alliance came up with a report titled "Fueling Destruction" (PDF) in which we learn of the perfect candidates for "Their Brains Were small and They Died". Yes, some dinos came up with one giant step backwards for humankind: "A rapid build-out of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is underway. The rise of data centers is pushing our energy grids to the brink and raising electricity costs. Some elected leaders, utilities, and industry insiders are posing a familiar “solution”. They suggest burning biomass to fuel these massive facilities. But burning forests to power artificial intelligence is foolish."  Ya' think?? Checkout the report for names of the usual suspects, then go HERE to tell them exactly what you think about it.

 

We offer up His Malignancy's Department of Energy for this Doublespeak of the Week entry: "[The] Department has itself conceded that it plans to spend carbon capture funding on projects that do not include carbon capture, and... after months of correspondence with the Department, it has failed to provide any acceptable legal justification." reads a post from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. "Congress provided funding to cut pollution and lower energy costs, which DOE is now diverting to instead subsidize big coal’s uneconomic power plants, raising costs for families,...The Department’s plan to repurpose $350 million in dedicated carbon capture funding to restart and recommission coal-fired power plants is a misuse of public funds and a violation of Federal law.” In addition, DOE deleted more than 1,600 pages from the Energy Saver section of its site, gutting a resource for people looking to conserve energy and lower bills.

 

We can't help but ask "Who Left the Door Open" for this hair brained scheme: "The Federal Emergency Management Agency, often criticized for its inadequate response to natural disasters like wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes, has been assigned a new mission: “domestic terrorism.” Now FEMA is shelling out grant money to state and local authorities to build up capacity to carry out pre-crime operations against “organized political violence,” as one FEMA information bulletin....says."  Maybe they use some AI "precrime" policing with Ted Cruise instead of Tom??  "The bulletin, dated July 9, instructs local authorities to prioritize “domestic terrorism” in their grant applications. Titled “Implementation of National Security Presidential Memorandum-7…,” the document echoes President Trump’s emphasis on rooting out suspected domestic terrorists before an attack takes place." 👀 Isn't it time we demand Congress investigate His Malignancy's Justice Department for criminalizing dissent?

 

Had enough? We never tire of documenting as much of the sewage as possible spewing out of MAGA's "flood the zone" outfall pipe, especially when it comes from The White House itself. Hence, The Mad King's (#NoKings) fever dreams of immunity for all his crimes we talked about last time. We know you can take it, dear Enviro Show listeners. That's why we are also referencing Politico's leaked White House document on nuke waste. "The administration is seeking changes to federal law to allow the Department of Energy to partner with states willing to store waste generated at the nation’s nuclear reactors, according to the document laying out “legislative principles.” It has been circulating on Capitol Hill and among nuclear industry leaders." It's classic kick-the-can-down-the-road keeping highly radioactive waste in sketchy storage at a nuke near you. Given His Malignancy's lame-ass War Against Wind is taking out safe and clean energy they have to make up for it somewhere else. That said, if they are looking for nukes to save the day they best take into account how to cool them in the Climate Crisis. At the same time The Mad King (#NoKings) has demanded an investigation of the National Academies that could cut off government funding 'cuz, you know, the Climate Crisis "is a fraud", right? Nah! we know who the real fraud is and we continue to pass along the pushbacks for you. O wait, don't forget his other fever dream, invading Cuba? Sending troops to the polls on Election Day?? Someday this will be considered a classic headline for His Malignancy: "Trump Admin Argues Even Terminally Ill Patients Shouldn't Be Exempt From Medicaid Work Requirements."  Finally some good news!  "A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump must halt aboveground construction on his White House ballroom. In a 2-1 ruling, a  D.C. Circuit Court panel determined the Trump administration must seek approval for construction from Congress, which has the “exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures.”

 

 

Meanwhile, back in the real world The Enviro Show Echo Chamber replays The Walk for a New Dawn which continues across the Commonwealth. You can join the Walk  HERE.  You can donate here: https://tinyurl.com/NewDawngofundme. Given all the crazy grim news above, isn't it this a good opportunity to accentuate the positive? We have some more good news here from Instagram regarding an impressive rewilding effort. And this, some of our listeners have recently reminded us about The Rights of Nature, something we seldom come across in this day and age. Finally, if you have some reservations about AI you might be relieved to learn "New York Governor Kathy Hochul has paused data center development in the state for one year, signing an executive order... that prevents the state from approving permits for new large-scale computing facilities. The order targets what Hochul called “hyperscale data centers,” which she defined as those that can consume 50 megawatts of electricity or more." And, here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gov. Healey signs the PROTECT Act. 

 

If all that is too much good news we are still obliged to remind you that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" (sorry) and the “Frontlines of a Burning World”: Climate Change-Fueled “Megafires” Sweep Europe & North America" are upon us, just like scientists warned us about decades ago. Add to that, "The Strongest El Niño in History Is Coming. Get Ready" warns this piece in Prospect. "Climate change is not going to wait for America or any other country to sort out its political dysfunctions. We can confront climate reality or be run over by it.....The El Niño phenomenon is a change in the normal trade wind and sea currents in the Pacific Ocean. The science behind it is immensely complicated, but a key upshot is that the normal pattern of ocean circulation that brings up cold, nutrient-rich water off the west coast of South America is changed, resulting in an enormous increase in ocean surface temperatures across the central Pacific. The stronger the El Niño, the larger the hot spot, and the more ocean heat gets dumped into the atmosphere. Scientists expect the upcoming one to be the strongest ever measured by a “mind-blowing margin.”  There it is.

 

This seems like a good time to bring out our Quote of the Week...

“Adults keep saying we owe it to the young people, to give them hope, but I don’t want your hope. I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is. 

 -Greta Thunberg

 

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

 

First Here's Indivisible Northampton — Swing Left Western Mass's complete daily listing of all the pro-democracy events in WMass:  https://in-slwm.org/wp-content/uploads/Calendar/cal.html.  If you're looking for an easy weekday way to jump into the climate movement, you'll love the State House Stand Out! We gather at the Massachusetts State House in Boston between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers stand together for 2-hour "shifts," either outside or inside depending on weather, and talk with visitors and State House staff about the Climate Crisis. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3 – 4pm.:  Indivisible's What's the Plan with Leah and Ezra. Go HERE. Fridays, 1:30 to 3pm: De-ICE Hanscom Airfield Stand Outs, Hanscom Rotary, Lincoln, MA. Go HERE. ALSO:

Friday July 24,  4 to 5pm. Indivisible West Quabbin's Wisdom Way Bridge Visibility Brigade Rte I-91 every 4th Friday. Overpass standout located on Wisdom Way in Greenfield, MA. For more information or to sign up go to Mobilize or contact westquabbinindivisible@gmail.com . Saturdays, 11am to 1pm: No Fear w/Street Theatre, Burlington ICE Facility, Burlington Mall Rd. @ District Ave., Burlington, MA Go HERE .

Saturday August 15, 9:30 -11:30 am.   Renewal Society 1st Repair Event, Fans.  Do you have a fan that's struggling to spin, making funny sounds, or straight up stopped working? Join Redistro organizer Michael H. for a hands-on workshop about how fans work, how to keep them running, and how to troubleshoot common problems. Let us know you're coming by signing up for a slot HERE. Doors open at 9:15, and the workshop starts at 9:30. Please arrive early enough that we can get started on time. See you Saturday! 

 

Saturday August 15, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Town Hall in Holyoke with Elizabeth Warren & Ed Markey. Doors open at 9:15 a.m.  Leslie Phillips Theater, Holyoke, MA 01040
RSVP is required

 

 

Saturday August 15, 2pm. “Points East: Possible Impacts of Constitution Pipeline“ 

We’ll be looking at Constitution and it’s possible implications for New England. This is the pipeline that preceded all the big gas transmission proposals in our region when it was first proposed back in 2012. It didn’t make it then, thanks to NY withholding the 401 Water Quality Certificate. They’re trying hard to bring it back. You can attend live at BEAT’s Environmental Education Center at 29 Chapel St., Pittsfield, MA, or join us by Zoom. If you can’t attend at that time, registering will also get you a follow up email  with a link to the recording once it’s ready. Either way, please register through our Eventbrite link. Please share this with your networks!

 

 

 

 

Wednesday August 19, 8pm.  Join our Hands Off Our Vote: Election Protection 101 virtual training next to learn how to mobilize to defend voting rights and ensure every eligible voter can cast their ballot. No matter where you live or how much experience you have, you can have a national impact on election protection. In this working training, we’ll cover FAQs and help you think through your current actions as well as how to prepare for further activations this fall. More than 30,000 Indivisibles have already joined Hands Off Our Vote, and we hope you’ll be next! (If you’re ready to dive into election protection work right now, check out our toolkit for actions you and your community can take today.) 

 

 

                                                                                            

Thursday August 20, 8pm.  Join our Immigrant Justice Summer call next to learn how to get your community trained up and ready to demand accountability and ensure protection before an ICE surge hits (8pm ET/5pm PT). When ICE shows up in our neighborhoods, it’s crucial that we have a grounded system to channel people, training, and resources in the right direction. Without a plan in place, energy scatters and well-intentioned neighbors sometimes create structures parallel to the immigrant-led response already in progress. This call guides you on the training necessary to build a link tree, an online tool that acts as your community's front door so neighbors can easily find the information they need to show up in an immigrant-aligned, hyper-local, and safe response. 

 

 

Sunday August 23, 9:30 a.m.  The Cummington Tree Alliance invites community members to a guided woods walk at the Rivulet on the Bryant Homestead. The walk will be led by Chelsey Simmons, Stewardship Director at the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), and will explore the rich biodiversity of the Rivulet, one of the region's most remarkable forest landscapes. The Rivulet contains a mature forest with many old-growth characteristics and provides exceptional habitat for native plants, wildlife, and fungi. To reserve your place, please complete the registration form here: SIGN UP LINK/FORM

 

 

 

Wednesday August 26, 10:30am – 1pm.  MA-01 Democratic Primary Debate Standout w/Team Whalen vs. Rep Neal.  WWLP-22News, 1 Broadcast Center, Chicopee, MA 01013.  Come show your support for Jeromie Whalen at the WWLP News Studio with a standout before the MA-01 Primary Debate. We ask that folks arrive at 10:30 am with the debate taping beginning at 12:30 pm. Let's show up and send Jeromie into this debate with the best showing of support possible! Go HERE.

 

 

 

Wednesday August 26th, 2026 (and we believe it is likely that the trial will continue into August 27th). There will also be an in-person motions hearing on Monday, August 24th at 9am. In September of 2025, Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor, Nathan Phillips, and Eleanor Reid attempted to deliver food to folks being detained in the ICE Field Office in Burlington, MA. This facility has been the site of significant concern due to its inhumane treatment of people detained there in violation of both of Burlington’s zoning laws, as well as ICE’s own 72-hour limit on keeping people in these types of facilities. ICE agents met the three, and their baskets of granola bars, with rage and violence, and ultimately called the police to demand that they be arrested for trespass. Nastasia and Nathan were charged with trespass in the Woburn District Court, The courthouse is located at 30 Pleasant Street, Woburn, MA 01801. Check out the trial page at https://climatedisobedience.org/granola-bar-trial/. 

 

 

 

Thursday August 27,  6:30 to 7:30pm.  What would it take to bring catamounts back to the Northeast? The talk will be offered via Zoom and is free to the public. Whether you are passionate about wildlife, conservation, or protecting the places we call home, we invite you to be part of this important conversation.  This engaging online conversation will take a closer look at the science, history, and conservation work behind one of today's most fascinating wildlife restoration discussions. You’ll learn more about what catamounts can teach us about habitat protection, ecological balance, and the future of our natural world. Please register in advance to receive the Zoom link.

 

 

 

Saturday August 29, 10am.   Wachusett Reservoir Walk & Talk.  Around 4.1 miles with little elevation gain and loss (~450ft) on the Northern side of the forests surrounding Wachusett Reservoir with numerous coves and points. As we take breaks, we will be discussing the MA Chapter Forest Protection team’s campaign to end logging on the state lands of the Quabbin, Ware, and Wachusett watersheds.

 

 

 

Wednesday September 9, 7-8:30. THREE MILE ISLAND: LEGACY & RESISTANCE TO REOPENING - A PUBLIC FORUM. The announced restart of Three Mile Island Unit-1 nuke is aimed to serve just one client: Microsoft, and has been met with unabashed enthusiasm by Governor Shapiro and the PA legislature. This deal was cooked up in dark in board rooms and political parlors with the backing of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates.  Registration available after 8/11. Save the date. Contact: info@clamshellalliance.com

 

 

 

Saturday September 12, 11am to 1pm — “Forest Fires in Massachusetts: Myths and Reality.” Presentations and panel discussion. In person and on zoom. 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Walking Tour of the Montague Plains Wildlife Management.  In Massachusetts, public agencies are increasingly using controlled burning in state forests and wildlife management areas, such as the Montague Plains and Muddy Brook wildlife management areas, and Myles Standish State Forest. Our speakers are experts on these issues and will discuss important questions. The National Spiritual Alliance, 2 Montague Avenue, Lake Pleasant, MA. Please park near the intersection of Old Northfield Road and Lake Pleasant Road if possible. Some light snacks and beverages provided.  Please RSVP 

 

 

 

Saturday August 15,  9:15am.  Town Hall with Senator Markey and Senator Warren at Holyoke City Hall. This event is free and open to the public and an RSVP is required. Please note, admission is first-come, first-served, and an RSVP does not guarantee entry. Outside signs will NOT be permitted in the venue. Please feel free to pass this invitation along to your membership. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me here or call 413-262-6243. Here is the link to RSVP https://www.mobilize.us/edmarkey/event/1005946/

           

 

Thursday September 17, 11am. – 12pm.  Climate Resiliency and Emergency Preparedness for Private Wells.  This free, one-hour webinar is intended for private well owners, water professionals, public health officials, and other stakeholders interested in protecting private water systems. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, it's essential to understand how these changes can impact private wells and groundwater quality. Go HERE.

 

 

 

That's it for now except don't forget to listen to your Mother!