A Naturally Curious Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. As you may be aware, Nature is our greatest advertiser here on The Enviro Show, and for good reason too! Why? Because, as the ad says: "You need Nature". Mary Holland, Vermont naturalist, photographer, columnist and author of "Naturally Curious" calls in to help us all get real. As always, we'll also take you by the hand for a walk to see this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and have yet another torturous view of His Malignancy The Mad King and his crazed climate criminal enablers. Of course, we still are here to remind those who aren't paying attention that It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! All that and more but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! What do you suppose is the greatest occupational hazard for Crocodile farmers? Yup.

Did you catch His Malignancy's "Environmental Leadership" speech last Monday? [insert hysterical laughter here] The NY Times reports: "Not long after the torrential rain stopped yesterday, [and the White House basement flooded] Trump gave a speech on his environmental policy....While giving the speech... he was “flanked by his two senior environmental officials — one a former lobbyist for the coal industry and the other a former oil lobbyist.” and, interestingly, the term climate change never came up, much less Climate Crisis! OK, so The Mad King is a shameless bullshit artist, as well as the Climate-Criminal-in-Chief and if you actually need more proof roll back the tape to the 83 Environmental Rules Being Rolled Back by His Malignancy and the climate criminal enablers. Need more evidence? How about his Department of Agriculture recently suspending data collection for its Honey Bee Colonies report? Their excuse, as we are in the midst of Bee colony collapse: "fiscal cuts as a number of other research programs are scaled back". Check out our Enviro Show archives for more if this, if you dare! 

Time for this week's Fools-on-the-Hill......yes it's plural again and given there are so many to chose from we appreciate this package deal from EcoWatch:  "These 4 Koch-Funded Congressmen Are Behind the Bill to Abolish the EPA" They have names and you can find them on The Hill!
"Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz turned heads when he introduced a bill on Feb. 3 to 'completely abolish' the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has attacked and attempted to weaken the EPA repeatedly...Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) has co-sponsored several energy-related bills: a nuclear energy bill for which Duke Energy and Southern Company lobbied; a repeal of the U.S. crude oil export ban, which numerous fossil fuel companies lobbied in support of; and a bill challenging EPA greenhouse gas regulations...Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS) voted to oppose an EPA rule that increased emissions standards for coal-fired power plants and he voted to halt defense spending on climate change initiatives and cut all funding for the Department of Energy's energy efficiency and renewable energy program. In previous years, Palazzo voted to speed up natural gas pipeline permits, allow state laws to supersede federal EPA laws regarding fracking and cut funding to the EPA."

Obviously those guys need to be told by their families, It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid! Did they know (or care) that "In Just One Decade, Corporations Destroyed 50 Million Hectares of Forest—An Area the Size of Spain"?  They no doubt already know that "Nearly a billion dollars a year is flowing into the organized climate change counter-movement", right? But does anybody know "Permafrost at outposts in the Canadian Arctic is thawing 70 years earlier than predicted" or that "New England Coastal Waters are Warming More Than Anywhere Else in the U.S."?  Just asking! And now, this.  Finally, over 7,000 colleges and universities have declared a Climate Emergency world-wide. How about here in the 5 College Area?

Time for an Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."  -  Albert Einstein

After our conversation with Mary we move on to the Bus Stop Billboard to see what's up:

4PM – 5PM Every Thursday. Weekly climate action protest inspired by Greta Thunberg. Since the federal government is incapable of doing anything we’re pressuring the Commonwealth and the Legislature for a Massachusetts Green New Deal. THE ASK: A 40%-50% reduction in emissions by 2030, and completely carbon-neutral by 2050 to help limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133.  Facebook Info and Location Details  #MassGreenNewDeal     #SitWithJohn     @johnflerner on Twitter

July 31 and Aug. 13  Public Forums for Proposed Dartmouth College Biomass Facility  in Moore Hall’s Filene Auditorium. Members of the Dartmouth community and the general public will have the opportunity to discuss the three potential sites for a proposed biomass facility, part of the $200 million-plus Dartmouth Green Energy Project.  In addition to attend the forums, people wishing to comment on the proposed plant locations can use a feedback form on the project website.

Thursday, August 8, 6 to 9 p.m. NOAA scoping meeting to solicit public comments on ways to reduce the risk of entanglement in trap and pot fisheries for [highly endangered] right, humpback, and finback whales. URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Corless Auditorium, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882. Contact: Colleen Coogan, Take Reduction Team Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Region. Telephone: 978 281-9181.  Email: colleen.coogan@noaa.gov


Saturday, August 10, 9am – 2pm. Demonstration Calling on Mass Dems to Support a Climate Debate.   Join us showing up at our local Democratic office, where we'll tell our stories, bring our signs and demand our local Democratic Party committees join us in calling on the DNC to host a #ClimateDebate. RSVP & let us know you're coming here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/mass-demonstration-calling-on-the-mass-dems-to-support-a-climate-debate/ 


Saturday, August 10, 7:30-9:30pm – ZOOLOGY/BATS: Bat Night! Amanda Melinchuk, Bat Research Monitor with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, will share her expertise and talk about the myths and misconceptions surrounding bats, why bats are important, the bats in Massachusetts, threats to bats such as White-nose Syndrome, what you can do to help bats, and information on bat houses. Followed by Q & A. After the presentation in the Great Hall, visitors can join Amanda outside with a bat detector and look for bats right here by the Center. Great Falls Discovery Center. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA.


Tuesday, August 27th, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, rain or shine. Northampton Community Gardens, Prince Street.  The Ecology of Bumblebees with Dr. Rob Gegear.  Come walk through the Garden and hear Asst. Prof. of biology at UMASS-Dartmouth Dr. Robert Gegear introduce the world of native bumblebees, ID the bumblebees there, and discuss the flowering plants which best-support them. Learn about the conservation of native pollination systems, floral evolution, bumblebee ecology, and Dr. Gegear's Beecology citizen scientist project funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Park on the Garden side of Burts Pit Road or in the lot west of the Garden. FREE, but register at: llcochran@gmail.com.

OK for now Enviro Show fans. Please remember to listen to your Mother, OK?