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Greeting Earthlings. We had a lot of Earth Day events recently, so many in fact that many folks began using the term "Earth Week". We say, why stop there? A reminder: Arbor Day is upon us! Yes, a special day focused just on trees and you know we're all about that on this show and with that in mind we have a special announcement: d.o.'s new collection of poetry & prose titled "It's the Trees" is launching. More on that later, for now we'll introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those whose brains were small" as well as our Doublespeak of the Week and way more but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! When bunnies attack.
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is a repeat offender. Repugnican House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) is all about undermining the Judiciary branch of government in the MAGA/DOGE coup. Repugs "have railed against federal judges after a string of rulings have slowed down President Donald Trump’s agenda. As a result, congressional [Repugs] have explored several options to counteract the rulings, including the No Rogue Rulings Act led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).....[they] have also introduced several articles of impeachment against federal judges. The House Judiciary Committee held a joint subcommittee hearing... on judicial overreach which saw lawmakers clashing over threats to impeach the judges. The No Rogue Ruling Act will now head to the Senate, where its path is more unclear as the legislation will need to clear the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) praised the passing of the legislation, saying in a statement shortly after the floor vote that the bill “ensures that policy decisions remain with the democratically elected branches of government, not unelected judges.” Whoa Jimmy! Have you read The Constitution lately??
Time for a classic Doublespeak of the Week. In the wake of the January 6 insurrection His Malignancy and the MAGA freaks "began working diligently to re-write history: The offenders weren't Trump supporters, they were Antifa or the FBI, or they were “tourists” peacefully visiting the Capitol. Those who were convicted of crimes were treated very poorly and therefore they should all be pardoned (and they were). Until finally, we are expected to believe that January 6th was actually “a day of love”. So much for love.
We have Breaking News! d.o.'s new book "It's the Trees" has its launch on Arbor Day. How fitting is that. He will do a sneak preview during the show but radio and podcasts go only so far. To get the full effect loyal listeners and others can get copies of the book for themselves and as gifts for their loved ones. It's the tactile experience of the printed word! Perfect for your bathroom library too. Go HERE to order copies from our friends at Levellers Press. Celebrate Arbor Day. Rumor has it d.o. will be on this week's........interview?
Back to the Bad Guys. Yes, His Malignancy The Mad King and his MAGA enablers continue the traitorous work of trying to tear the nation apart starting at the heart in Washington, DC. That said, where to start? Since we broadcast The Enviro Show from the Five College Area of Massachusetts how about we start with the universities pushing back? Our own Rachel Maddow did a good segment on that in a recent MSNBC show. Out here in the Commonwealth there are well attended protests against any number of His Malignancy's fascist unconstitutional moves almost daily in the streets. We can hardly keep up with the number of events on our Bus Stop Billboard. Meanwhile, The Mad King's war against wind power (screaming against the wind?) was underlined recently in Inside Climate News: "Trump Administration Halts Construction on New York Offshore Wind Project". His Malignancy has always been sensitive about being rejected, if not reviled by high profile New Yorkers. So, this move is just another example of his thin skinned antics. "The halting of construction at Empire Wind 1 could lead to further delays for the state’s energy transition. The... administration’s stop work order is also likely to sow uncertainty well beyond the downstate regions of New York." That said, the growing push back against The Mad King from many corners is encouraging. Case in point: "Judge blocks Trump EPA from clawing back billions in Biden-era climate grants." And this from Rolling Stone: "The Court Battle to Stop Trump’s $20 Billion Climate Clawback." There's a new hashtag making the rounds out there: #TrumpIsFailing. Finally, we hear His Malignancy wants to mess with our state climate actions? We don't think so! Go HERE to tell your Gov no way.
It's not all good news for the climate when far too many ignore the fact that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" This very recent study on tipping points should give them pause: "Scientists .... released yet another study warning that humankind is at risk of triggering various climate "tipping points" absent urgent action to dramatically reduce planet-heating emissions from fossil fuels." How about the risk to life? Read it and weep....then Stand Up/Fight Back! Longtime Enviro Show listeners well know we are forever promoting natural solutions to carbon capture. That's why it's disturbing to read: "The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere last year grew at the fastest rate in recorded history — a dramatic spike that scientists fear may indicate that Earth’s ecosystems are so stressed by warming they can no longer absorb much of the pollution humanity emits." Of course, lawless logging is only part of the problem, given all the government sanctioned logging out there. Yet, lawless operations must be challenged given the slippery slope they represent. You can act on that HERE & HERE.
Our Critter of the Week this time is the Jaguar. They "are the only big cat in the Americas and the third biggest in the world after tigers and lions. They look a lot like leopards, which live in Africa and Asia, but jaguars’ spots are more complex and often have a dot in the center". [Btw] "Black panthers do not form a distinct species, but are melanistic specimens of the genus, most often encountered in the leopard and jaguar." "Jaguars once roamed broadly from central Argentina all the way up to the southwestern United States. Since the 1880s, they’ve lost more than half their territory. Their main stronghold today is the Amazon Basin, though they still exist in smaller numbers through Central America as well. Jaguars face a number of threats, including habitat fragmentation and illegal killing. South and Central America’s high rates of deforestation—for grazing land, agriculture, and other uses—have not only destroyed jaguars’ habitat but also broken it up. Fragmented forests mean that cats get boxed into patches of forest and can’t travel far to find new mates. That kind of isolation can lead to inbreeding and local extinctions. Fighting deforestation, which a number of international NGOs and indigenous groups are involved in, is critical."
On to "Their Brains Were small and They Died" segment where we find the current occupants of both The White House and the Dept. of Interior in full reactionary mode. Like the dinosaurs of old, these guys just keep munching away at our Public Lands while the asteroid of climate chaos bears down on all of us. His Malignancy's " day-one executive orders and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s secretarial orders ... positioned drilling and mining interests as the favored users of America’s public lands and threatened to scrap existing land protections and conservation measures. Following those orders, assistant secretaries were supposed to have submitted action plans to Secretary Burgum...with steps to review, revise and rescind protections for potentially hundreds of special places nationwide. The department has not yet commented on the content of these plans or committed to any public input or transparency around the process." Hopefully underlings who have yet to be shown the door are dragging their feet. And yes, this same mindlessness is going on in The National Forest Service. First the clearcuts then "Drill baby, drill". Wild Earth Guardians is on the case: "Sign our petition calling on Congress to protect federal forests from [the] chopping block. All those monsters will be dead someday but will the asteroid wait for that?
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we replay Defenders of Wildlife's recent alert:
"Congress is considering legislation that would eviscerate the Endangered Species Act – contact your legislators TODAY to tell them you oppose this massive betrayal of threatened and endangered species!"
"Of greatest concern is H.R. 1897, a bill that would drastically rewrite the ESA and which could receive a House vote later this spring. And the Senate is considering whether to include provisions from this bill as part of legislative packages it is developing. Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) so-called ESA Amendments Act would be more aptly called the Extinction Act, as that’s just what it would do – drive species already on the brink of extinction over the edge."
Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week may be a repeat but it's in keeping with the moment:
“Deep down, at the molecular heart of life, the trees, and we are essentially identical.”
— Carl Sagan
After our interview with.....um....yours truly? It's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Tuesdays, 4-6pm Hold banners, signs and flags, on I-91 overpass to show people that they are not alone -
and help give them the courage to join us and take a stand against the Coup & DOGE. Please make signs with very few words and very big and bold letters. Come even if you don't have a sign, we'll have plenty! Here's the link for more info and to register:https://mobilize.us/s/4Gq1hs We've
added this coming Sunday and Thursday, from 4-6 pm, at the
same location: the I-91 overpass at Mountain Park Rd, Holyoke.You can
sign up for Sunday or Thursday on Mobilize: Sunday 3/23, 3:30pm. - https://www.mobilize.us/
ALSO: Tuesdays 4-5pm. No Kings Weekly Vigil, Park Square, Elm and Main Streets (Route 20) Westfield, MA 01085 AND Tuesdays 3:30 – 5pm. 12 Mountain Dr. Overpass, Hatfield, MA 01038
Weekly on Tuesdays & Thursdays. The MA State House Stand Out is back in a new incarnation! This historic climate action lasted for 14 months and engaged hundreds of volunteers from across the climate movement. Volunteers are needed!The new version, lovingly referred to as Stand Out Two, happens at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This is a great way to participate in the climate movement with no risk
of arrest! Volunteers normally sign up for a 2 hour “shift." If you have questions about the Stand Out or would like to get a link to the sign-up sheet please contact organizers at fossilfuels.standout.ma@
Every Saturday. Geendfield Standout for a Ceasefire.. 11 a.m.-noon, On the green by Court Square.
An
orientation for the Franklin County, MA (FCCPR.us) Rapid Response Network,
with a one hour intro to nonviolence will take place in Orange from 1 to
3 pm on Saturday, May 10th. A full (six hour) nonviolence training will take place in Montague Center from 9:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday, May 10th. A full (six hour) nonviolence training will take place in Greenfield from 9:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday, May 31st. For more details, and to register for any of these trainings, go to: https://forms.gle/
Thursday May 8, 6 p.m. Join Responsible Solar MA to discuss important solar siting-related actions relating to EFSB and DOER solar siting hearings. Zoom link to come soon! Also, a reminder: if you are interested in the Smart Solar MA google group, please fill out this form, and also let them know what you would find most useful from this Responsible Solar MA group. Learn more about this issue on the Responsible Solar MA web site HERE.
Thursday May 8, 6:30pm—8:30pm. Film presentation Our Projects, Our Visions for
2025 at The LAVA Center, 324
Main Street Greenfield. Just days before the presidential
inauguration in January, 300 people filled the Second
Congregational Church in Greenfield for a program called
"Our Projects for 2025, Envisioning the World we Want." The program's vibrant area speakers and
musicians gave voice to the hopes and plans of area
activists ready to confront the new administration.Now a one-hour film of the main event
will be shown at the LAVA Center, produced and organized
by the Traprock Center for Peace & Justice and its
Climate & Democracy project.
Thursday May 8, 7 - 8pm. Would you like more of Massachusetts public forests to be protected from logging? Join the Sierra Club MA Forest Protection team's virtual webinar to learn about our efforts to preserve the public lands surrounding the Quabbin, Ware, and Wachusett reservoirs and how you can take action! Go HERE.
Friday May 9, 11:30am – 12:30pm. White Rose Rally! Northampton City Hall, 210 Main St. Northampton, MA 01060. May
9th commemorates the White Rose Movement, a student led non-violent
resistance group that urged the German people to oppose Hitler and his
fascist regime. “We will not be silent,” was the powerful statement used by the White Rose in Nazi Germany. And we cannot be silent today. After listening to speakers in front of City Hall, participants will
spread out along the sidewalks of Main Street downtown to proclaim our
message of resistance. Go HERE.
Friday May 9, 4 - 5:30 pm. Hands Off Students Visibility Standout. Kendrick Park, Amherst, MA. Rain or Shine. Join us to show support for students, researchers, faculty, colleges, and universities targeted and harmed by the Trump Regime! Visit indivisiblewestquabbin.org for more actions you can take!
Saturday May 10, 10 AM - 4 PM. [Rescheduled] Amherst, MA Sustainability Festival. Amherst Town Common. Join us for a day of family fun, education and entertainment. The Sustainability Festival is in its 13th year! There is literally something for everyone with vendors of renewable energy, energy efficiency product suppliers, advocacy groups as well as sustainable crafts and artisans! Go HERE.
Saturday May 10, 1 pm to 3 pm at Pierce Park, 17 Weston Rd. Lincoln MA 01773 to celebrate all the Hanscom Field defendants and share
community on a beautiful spring day. This is a potluck, so bring vegan food or drinks to share.
While we eat, we'll enjoy a performance of original Thoreau-themed
poetry, watch a skit where butterflies battle billionaires, and we'll
dance a fun new version of "Hot To Go" - with lyrics about private jets! This is a family friendly outdoor event, and everyone is invited! Remember to wear sunscreen,
bring your water bottles, and carry camping chairs or blankets to sit
on. Go HERE.
Saturday May 10, 11am-3pm. FIRST EVER Teen Tree Summit & Exhibit at the Foundry in East Cambridge! RSVP Today! Canopy Crew is an internship program from Green Cambridge focused on building the next generation of environmental and civic leaders by planting trees on private property across the city. The Crew has organized this Summit & Exhibit to showcase the importance of trees!
Monday May 12, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm. It is time again to stand up and support the Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda. We need more legislative senators and representatives to co-sponsor the bills. We need more community organizations and individuals to endorse the bills. We need everyone to join our action day at the State House. Goals: – Center Indigenous Voices. & – Gather Co-Sponsors for our 5 Bills. Schedule: – 11:30 Rally and Get Organized; – 12:30 Head Into the Statehouse to Visit legislators with fact sheets and invite to briefing; – 1:30 Briefing in Room 428; – 2:30 Close. Sign up to attend.
Monday May 12, 1 to 3pm. The Climate Action Now Cultivating Relationships group is building an action-focused volunteer team to support local farms. We have a special invitation for hands-on volunteering at the Farm for The Food Bank of Western Mass. Text "May 12th Project" with your name to Dan at 413-244-6559 if you would like to participate or have questions.
Tuesday May 13, 7:30pm. Small Scale, Big Impact:
Growing Soil to Restore Ecosystems - Unlocking Resilience from
Your Garden to the Greater Landscape. A Virtual webinar. Soil is alive! Only in recent years have we come
to fully understand the extent to which a thriving soil has
the potential to rapidly sequester carbon, store and filter
water, buffer extremes, break down toxins, and support
biodiverse ecosystems. Join Allison Houghton for
a talk for gardeners to learn methods to "read the weeds",
actively grow soil, and become stewards who work alongside
the incredible thriving world beneath our feet. Go HERE.
Wednesday May 14, 11am Excited to announce the Fix the Grid Campaign's next big action: ISO-NE Doesn't Play Well With Others -- a rally for reform on the Boston Common! We've spent a year working with researchers on a detailed report card evaluating every regional electric grid operator in the country on their governance practices. How well do they do on transparency, accessibility, and accountability? How well do they engage with and listen to the public, to the people who foot the bill for the entire system? The grades are in, and our region came in dead last. Join Fix the Grid on Wednesday, May 14th at 11am on the Boston Common to demonstrate that the people want reforms -- it's past time for a passing grade on governance. After a rally on the Common near the statehouse, we'll walk to 100 Cambridge St to deliver the report card to state offices. Be sure to invite your friends to come along!
Thursday May 15, 10am– 12pm. (Rain date 5/29) Join us to celebrate migratory fish season with a tour of the Silvio O. Conte Research Laboratory, part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Eastern Ecological Science Center, along the shores of the Connecticut River in Turners Falls. We’ll get an inside look at the wet and dry research labs and see the huge structure where scientists and engineers study and develop novel fish passage technologies. We’ll learn about – and have a chance to observe – the various fish migrating in the waters of the Connecticut River watershed and the role of Conte Lab, CRC, and the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative in this important restoration work. Bring your questions! Go HERE.
Thursday May 15, 7pm. Free Online Webinar: Microplastics’ Impact on the Brain & Heart. Recent studies have found small fragments of plastics known as microplastics in the human brain and heart arteries. These studies have also shown a link between the presence of microplastics and adverse health outcomes. How do these tiny bits of plastic enter our bodies and make their way into our brains and our hearts? And what happens when they lodge there? Register HERE.
Sunday May 25, 7:30am - 2pm. Go HERE to join the Allen Bird Club of Springfield and Sierra Club Massachusetts on a bird watching field trip in the Quabbin Reservoir Park. The bird club will guide the group during the trip and share their birding expertise. Participants will have the opportunity to do bird identification, listen to bird songs and calls, and observe behavior for resident and migratory birds in the Quabbin watershed. This is open for novices as well as experienced birders. Afterwards, the chapter will lead a 4 mile spring hike in the watershed hardwood forest where we will view flora and fauna and catch some exceptional overlooks of the Quabbin Reservoir. Prior to the hike, we will be briefly discussing the Quabbin Reservoir, its history, the watershed public lands, their benefits, climate action, and the chapters watershed forest campaign. See our campaign petition at the link “End logging on public lands of Quabbin, Ware, & Wachusett watershed”
Saturday June 7, 10am. Join us for a walk along the beautiful Wachusett Reservoir on National Trails Day! We expect to walk 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. Read more about that here. Go HERE.
That's it folks except to remember to listen to your Mother.
