The Rock Dam Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Longtime listeners of the show may recall past coverage of the plight of the Shortnosed Sturgeon an ancient and highly endangered species in the Connecticut River whose spawning ground is at The Rock Dam near the Great Falls (some call it Turners Falls). Environmental journalist Karl Meyer has been joining us on the show for years to help raise awareness of the River and its inhabitants and he returns to us again to walk us through a recent event held at The Rock Dam and to help us understand our responsibility to protect a species that has been on the planet since the days of the dinosaurs. [UPDATE: Here is our Interview with Karl] Recently Karl wrote, "Another season, another sidestep for federal and state fish and environment agencies who fail to act again… and again. And, just one more year for a river without a single independent watchdog–on the four-state Silvio O. Conte Connecticut River National FISH & Wildlife Refuge." Let's change that, OK? As always, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and to witness some Backsliden' with Biden?, as well as a reminder that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and more, but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! Fish lands fisherman.  

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill apparently can't believe his own eyes. Congressman Ralph Norman's (Repugnican-SC) recently questioned whether the mob invading the U.S. Capitol was made of Trump supporters at all. "'A mob of Trump supporters breached the steps.' I don't know who did a poll that it's Trump supporters. You had the media saying the same thing ... I don't know who did the poll to say that they were Trump supporters." 

OK,  we've kind of decided to tag this segment Backslidin' with Biden? instead of "Abidin'.." but we're holding out hope that The Prez will prove us wrong. That said, even our own Rachel Maddow has some question: "President Biden repeatedly, persistently tries to broker bipartisan agreements on infrastructure or, frankly, anything else. But progressives who argue that now is the time for the United States to go big point out that if the president does what Republicans are asking, if he makes the infrastructure bill cost less, the end result is that the bill will do less." Yes, oil and gas pipelines are infrastructure and Inside Climate News' "Biden's Pipeline Dilemma" reminds us, the "Biden administration disappointed environmentalists in April when it announced it would not take immediate action to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline while the government conducts a court-ordered expanded review of its environmental impacts." That, on top of more recent Line 5 and Line 3 controversies. "So far, Biden has sought to walk a middle ground on pipelines, while pushing for the kind of transformative change that would make them obsolete." And, of course, there's THIS  😟

We trust in light of the waning COVID crisis (here in The States at least) people will still recall that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" A big part of that existential threat is directly related to the "grow or die" mentality of the corporados and capitalism in general. The New Republic (of all people) picks up on what many of us terraists have been saying for decades "Giving Up on Economic Growth Could Make Us Cooler and Happier".  Read it and weep, shoppers. The system is the problem. And this, they say it's not related to global warming but "The World’s Largest Iceberg Just Broke Off Of Antarctica" How large is it? Try nearly six times the size of New York City!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we are finally offering another Action Link  like we used to do back in the day. Sorry about that, we guess it just got lost in the COVIDaze. It's a classic, it's about plastic. There's just waaaaay too much of it, OK?

How about an Enviro Show Quote of the Week? Let's go, speaking of classic, on a very short ride in the Wayback Machine:

“The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.”   -  Ernest Hemingway

After our conversation with Karl it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

 Tuesday July 13, 7:00 - 8:30 pm.  Biochar - What it is and What it Isn't. Rachel Smolker is co-director of Biofuelwatch. Her work has spanned local grassroots organizing to participation in international processes, including the United Nations conventions on climate and biodiversity. She has researched, written and organized on the impacts of biofuels, bioenergy and biochar on land use, forests, biodiversity, food, people and the climate. She has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Michigan and worked previously as a field biologist. She lives in Vermont. Forest Speakers Series, a collaboration of Climate Action Now and Save Massachusetts Forests. More info soon. 

Tuesday June 15, 7 to 8:30pm.  Protecting Massachusetts Forests in a Time of Climate Emergency. Rich Holschuh is a resident of Wantastegok (Brattleboro, VT) and an independent historic and cultural researcher. He has served on the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and is a public liaison and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Elnu Abenaki, members of the contemporary Indigenous community. Rich is founder and director of the Atowi Project, an Elnu community initiative to affirm Native relationships to the Land and its inhabitants, raise Indigenous voices, and foster inclusion with understanding. His work draws upon indigenous history, linguistics, geography, and culture to share beneficial ways of seeing and being in relationship with place. Register HERE for this talk  

Tuesday June 22,  7:00pm. MA Pollinator Network Launch Event. We are looking forward to discussing the broader vision for the MA Pollinator Network and the role of the new Pollinator Network Coordinator in meeting the needs of participants! We will also hear from WesternMassBees on the benefits of participating in a statewide network and what's next for their organization. Additional details about the event will be available in the coming weeks at masspollinatornetwork.org. Register  HERE.  

Monday June 28, All day.  Sunrise is planning a mobilization in DC for June 28! If you're already sure you're coming, fill out this registration form: smvmt.org/june28 

Monday June 28, 7 to 8:30pm. Climate Action Now monthly gathering. Cathy Kristofferson of Pipe Line Awareness Network for the North East   Gas utility companies, like Eversource and Berkshire Gas, see the writing on the wall with new climate goals in Massachusetts and elsewhere. In the “fight for their lives,” they plan on piping hydrogen, an expensive, explosive gas, most often generated by burning fossil fuels, into our homes and buildings for heating, cooking and hot water. We’ll explain what the gas utilities plan on doing and why it isn’t safe, affordable, equitable, clean, or green. Plus break-out groups, action updates, small group conversations, and more! Watch for meeting details soon. 

Until next time please remember to........LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!