[ Listen to the entire show HERE ]
Greetings Earthlings. Of course there's been a lot of talk lately about democracy being under threat here in the USofA and, on this show, we're always talking about threats to life on Earth. In his new book "Children of the Northern Forest" our guest, Jamie Sayen asks "Why have our democratic institutions failed to address existential threats to life on Earth?" Good question. We'll look for the answer during the interview. As always we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those Whose Brains Were Small" as well as our constant reminder that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid" and more but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! Hippos And Lions gang up on poachers.
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is yet another return engagement for MAGA Marge. This time Repugnican Marjorie Taylor Greene once again reaffirms her utter stupidity at a hearing on The Hill by stating, "People are not affecting climate change. You’re going to tell me that back in the Ice Age, how much taxes did people pay and how many changes did governments make to melt the ice?” We guess MTG fell asleep during World History class when the subject of the Ice Age came up? The most recent ice age peaked between 24,000 and 21,000. Not much in the way of governments & taxes back then, Marge. Sorry. 😏
While we're on the subject of utter stupidity let's bring Repugnican Senator Dan Foreman of Idaho up for some ridicule. The AP reported: "Tensions rose during a bipartisan forum this week after an audience question about discrimination reportedly led an Idaho state senator to angrily tell a Native American candidate to “go back where you came from.” Trish Carter-Goodheart, the Democratic candidate Foreman attacked is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. They're called Native Americans for a reason, Dan.
It's pretty much a safe bet to assume Dan Foreman is not moved when we remind him "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!". Maybe he should read this op-ed from the New York Times? "As Hurricane Milton roars toward Florida’s west coast with winds that spiked to a staggering 180 miles per hour, we are witnessing a new reality. Supercharged hurricanes are no longer outliers, freak disasters or storms of the century. Fossil fuel pollution has made them a fixture of life around the world, and they are going to get worse — with millions of people in their cross hairs." Here's one for those who still doubt so-called global warming: "As Floridians raced to prepare for and escape the path of Hurricane Milton, an analysis published Monday showed that high sea-surface temperatures fueling the monstrous storm's rapid intensification were made between 400 and 800 times more likely by the climate crisis." OK, how about this for a headline, Dan? "'The Fabric of Nature Is Unraveling,' Warns New Report on Wildlife Population Decline" Meanwhile, down south "The world’s largest river is parched. The Amazon River, battered by back-to-back droughts fueled by climate change, is drying up, with some stretches of the mighty waterway dwindling to shallow pools only a few feet deep. Water levels along several sections of the Amazon River, which winds nearly 4,000 miles across South America, fell last month to their lowest level on record, according to figures from the Brazilian Geological Service." We wonder if this NY Times piece qualifies as good news? "What if financial markets treated trees like shareholders?"
Our efforts at transitioning to truly renewable clean energy came up against a shocker as The Enviro Show Echo Chamber encountered this last week: "Specifically, the 60-mile route from Stephentown, N.Y., to Northfield, Mass., tops a list of 10 potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors across the country. The U.S. Department of Energy, in releasing its list last month, says these corridors suffer from a weak transmission infrastructure, and that results in more frequent and longer power outages, along with higher electricity prices..... Eversource’s existing right of way is about 200 feet to 330 feet wide for its transmission lines. While the Department of Energy shows a corridor of a mile wide, that’s considered a 'rough approximation,' with the final route not yet mapped.." That's "rough" alright, and not at all acceptable. Stay tuned for more on that. Also this Enviro Show Action Link calling on US Fish & Wildlife Block Endangered Black Rhino Trophy Imports, NOW!
Our Critter of the Week is in serious trouble these days. Did you notice last summer how few Fireflies there were out there? These amazing critters bring wonder to children of all ages as they flit about the land on warm evenings. Sadly, Fireflies
are facing down a catastrophic wave of threats from all directions.
They are suffering from man-made light & air pollution, climate change, and the
effects of coastal development. Recently, for the first
time ever, the United States is proposing to add a firefly to the
endangered species list. The Bethany Beach Firefly is at risk of going
extinct due to climate change, pollution, and coastal development. Other may soon follow. One thing to remember next summer? Turn out those floodlights!
And, our Doublespeak of the Week comes from His Malignancy as documented by MSNBC:[His Malignancy] "is often quick to claim that he will champion a group's causes and
address their concerns, and then in the same breath disparage them for
not supporting him more. He has used similar language when speaking to
Jewish Americans, telling them he will be 'your defender, your protector,' while saying that Jewish people 'will have a lot to do with it' if he loses the election." Maybe next time we'll report on The Mad King as a "protector of women"? It may be that His Malignancy is also The King of Doublespeak?
Finally, let's stick a Quote of the Week in here that's in keeping with our guest's new book and the Northern Forest:
“Deep down, at the molecular heart of life, the trees, and we are essentially identical.”
– Carl Sagan
After our interview with Jamie we head over to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Wednesday October16, 6pm. Training Series: Media Support (Online): Join this online training beginning to learn about messaging: target, demand, imagery, and communication. Useful for anyone involved in XR or other organizations!
Wednesday Oct 16, 7:00pm. FCCPR General Assembly Welcomes State Auditor Diana DiZoglio to the Guiding Star Grange 401 Chapman St Greenfield, MA. Question 1, Authorization of State Auditor to Audit General Court Initiative. A "yes" vote supports explicitly authorizing the state auditor to audit the accounts, programs, activities, and functions of all departments, offices, commissions, institutions, and activities of the state legislature and any authorities or districts created by the state legislature. Join us in a conversation with State Auditor Diana DiZoglio [ as heard on this show ] about how our State legislature functions (or doesn't function) and what we can do about it.
Thursday October 17–23. Join former Vice President Al Gore and Climate Reality for a virtual climate leadership training and get the skills, know-how, and network to protect our democracy and build a thriving clean energy future for America. Go HERE.
Friday Oct 18, 1pm. Air, Land, Rock, Water: An Overview of Carbon Dioxide Removal Pathways. The world is navigating the necessary transition away from polluting fuels toward clean energy, but many scientists believe we must also work to remove climate pollution that has already been dumped into the atmosphere. That’s known as carbon dioxide removal (CDR). The call for CDR is only growing stronger as new analyses find that we’re not on track to meet the Paris Agreement targets. In this second webinar of a six-part series, experts will provide an overview of the primary ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere, both natural and engineered. These include direct air capture, soil carbon management, afforestation, biochar, ocean CDR, biomass carbon removal and storage, and enhanced rock weathering. Go HERE.
Saturday October 19, 10:30am Doors Open, 11:00am Event Begins. Election Rally with Bernie Sanders and Becca Balint in Brattleboro. From the very beginning, our progressive movement has been about
bringing people together in solidarity and uniting around an agenda that
works for ALL of us, not just the wealthy and powerful.
Latchis Theatre, 50 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301. RSVP.
Saturday October 19, 12pm to 2 pm. It's High Tide and High Time for Climate Action! Grab your boots, waders or water shoes and head to Boston's Long Wharf for the October Wicked High King Tide event on Saturday, October 19 from 12:15 pm to 2:00 pm. Join XR Boston, Stop Private Jet Expansion, Beyond Plastics, 350 Mass, Mothers Out Front, and other climate organizations to see first hand what a tide two feet higher than normal looks like, and demand that our government take immediate action to stop this crisis before it's too late. It's a scary example of excessive flooding brought on by the fossil-fuel-caused climate crisis.
Sunday October 20, 1 to 3 p.m Wendell State Forest Alliance members and friends are invited to the Green Field Coop’s community room, 170 Main Street, Greenfield, MA for an in-person gathering and book swap. Go HERE.
Sunday October 20, 3 pm. Wakefield Town Forest Walk (75 minutes) This hidden gem spans 54 acres between Wakefield's Greenwood and Woodville neighborhoods. The forest is located within the Golden Hills ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern), a state designation intended to facilitate "local and regional stewardship of critical resources and ecosystems." The trails of the Wakefield Town Forest are not well-marked. We will guide you on a walk over uneven terrain of forest floor with fallen leaves which are slippery when wet. Sturdy footwear and hiking poles are recommended. Meet at Mapleway Playground (parking on site), near the playground. If you have questions or need more information, please contact us at advocacy@nemtforest.org
Monday Oct 21, 7:30pm. Save the 100yr. Old Arlington Pine! This might be the last meeting at the Community Center, 27 Maple Street where the ARB is reviewing the plan for 821 Mass Ave which will determine the tree's fate. Of course, if you could help spread the word and tell your friends
and family to do the same - and sign the petition if they did not yet (https://www.gopetition.com/
Monday October 21, 8 - 9:30pm. Break Big Biomass - A National Call To Action. Virtual event. Burning forests as fuel in power plants is not a climate solution. Learn about the forest, community health, and biodiversity harms of biomass. All happening under the guise of clean energy. Take action to break big biomass. Go HERE.
Wednesday October 23, 11:30am – 1:30pm. Launch of the Amazon RightsDeclaration. This will be a zoom from GARN on a meeting in the amazon for the Rights of Nature. The Zoom link is HERE GARN is honored to attend COP16 in Colombia, bringing a unique perspective to this important dialogue by advocating for the legal recognition of Nature’s inherent rights. Our events will focus on recognizing the Amazon and Antarctica as legal entities and promoting Indigenous-led, real solutions for environmental justice. Join us in the call for Nature’s voice to be heard in all global environmental frameworks.
Wednesday October 23, 5pm. Zoom update about PLPA (Public Lands Preservation Act) progress and implementation from Mike Gendron at MA EEA (Energy and Environmental Affairs). Are you curious what has been happening since the PLPA passed in 2022? Do you want to see this law live up to its original vision that energized the advocacy community? We've been hearing concerns about delay in releasing the regulations, how and if enforcement is going to occur considering it's not explicitly in the bill, and more on how the process is going so far with the portal they do have live. I hope you will join me to learn more and ask thoughtful questions! Register and read more context here!
Thursday, October 24, 1pm to 2:15pm. Hitchcock Center for the Environment Building and Grounds Tour. 845 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002. Amherst Neighbors is pleased to announce that its members are invited to a tour of the multiple award-winning building that is home to the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, located at 845 West Street, in Amherst. The Hitchcock Center for the Environment is home to the 23rd Certified Living Building in the world and the 4th in Massachusetts. The net zero energy building harvests and recycles its own water, uses composting toilets, and was constructed with responsibly sourced, nontoxic materials. It is a powerful teaching tool that supports a new approach to achieving environmental literacy in the 21st century.
Thursday Oct 24, 5 - 6pm. Virtual MA Sierra Club Water Team Meeting. Monthly chapter Water Team meeting to: 1) discuss water issues and actions at the national, state and local levels; 2) suggest water campaigns for the group to assess and pursue; 3) identify future education/advocacy speakers; and 4) enlist volunteer support. Go HERE.
Monday October 28, 5 – 6pm. Save Franklin Park's Trees! Community Standout. White Stadium, 450 Walnut Ave, Boston, MA 02130. City
officials are considering cutting down up to 140 trees in Franklin Park
to build an enormous professional sports and entertainment complex at
White Stadium. Not in our park! Join us to speak out against the city’s misguided privatization plan
and ask state officials to provide much-needed independent review. We
want a truly-public renovation of White Stadium that meets the needs of
Boston students without destroying essential green space, privatizing
Franklin Park, and shutting out the public. [Feel free to bring signs and dress up in costumes that show your
support for Franklin Park's trees and natural environment. Kids and
families are welcome!] RSVP HERE
Monday October 28, 7-8:30. Climate Action Now Monthly Gathering pm via Zoom. Protecting Wildlands in our Communities. The detailed resources and mapping in the Wildlands in New England report offer a tremendous opportunity to identify and protect Wildlands in all of our communities. Massachusetts is predominantly forested (~60%), yet just 2% of the Commonwealth is documented with permanent or temporary intent as a Wildland. We need more recognized and protected Wildlands! Learn about an exciting new collaborative project and find out how you can get involved! Register here
Tuesday October 29, 4 - 5pm. WEBINAR: Singers in the Dark: Conserving the Mysterious Whip-poor-will and Other Nightjars. The Whip-poor-will is a member of the nightjar family, birds known for their haunting songs and nocturnal habits. Like the Whip-poor-will, other nightjars like the Chuck-will’s-widow and the Common Nighthawk are also declining due to habitat loss and pesticide use, among other human-caused threats. RSVP HERE.
Tuesday October 29, 6pm. Virtual Public Meeting - Conservation Law Foundation Petition. MassDEP will hold a public meeting in response to a petition filed by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) for Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to initiate one or more rulemaking proceedings to promulgate new and amended regulations to Implement the Global Warming Solutions Act, An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy and An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind (“2022 Energy Law”). Go HERE.
Tuesday November 12, 7pm. Forests for our Future: The Role of Massachusetts Forests in Combating Climate Change (Part III). Recently, we added climate stabilization to the list. Massachusetts is now legislatively committed to reaching “Net Zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Forests are expected to put the “Net” into this “Net Zero” goal. According to the legislation, forest carbon sequestration (sometimes called "negative emissions”) can be counted to offset up to 15% of the emissions reduction goal. Is this a good idea? Is it even possible? How can we influence forest’s ability to sequester and store carbon? Attend this free event in person at First Parish in Lincoln, 4 Bedford Rd, Lincoln, Mass., or online. Go HERE.
That's all folks.......except to remember to listen to your Mother
