Blog Archive

Friday, June 24, 2022

The Reforestation & Proforestation Not Deforestation Enviro Show

 Greetings Earthlings. We've been putting off reforestation efforts off on the show in our obsession to get folks to pay more attention to existing forests and the need to protect and preserve them and to establish more wildlands. That said, we here in the Commonwealth are at a point where reforestation efforts could be greatly advanced if certain agencies and players would be a bit more forward looking. Glen had something to say about that recently and, in keeping with our fixation on existing forests Karl Dziura and Priscilla Lynch will join us to talk about the Conway State Forests and the threat they are facing. [UPDATE: Interview HERE. If you want to help in this struggle contact MA Sierra Club'd Forest Protection Team  email:  lynneman@gmail.com Phone:  (978) 807-4778. As always, we will also present this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and remind him and whomever that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" Also we checkout The Charlie Baker Good Riddance Countdown Timer and invite you into The Enviro Show Echo Chamber but first it's time for..........Revenge of the Critters! Another Gator just defending its turf (and catching a snack).

We have another repeat Fool-on-the-Hill who, like so many fools lately, is also dangerous but as dumb as a post as well. This time Sen. Ron Johnson (Repug-Wis.) was being followed by reporters asking why fake slates of electors were being run through his office in order to be handed over to Veep Pence for the January 6 vote count. In a failed effort to avoid answering their questions Johnson pretended he was on his cellphone but one reporter noticed the phone was turned off. “I’m on the phone right now,” Johnson said, pointing to the device and dismissively waving [reporter] Thorp away. “No you’re not,” Thorp replied. “I can see your phone. I can see your screen.” That's the fool part. The dangerous part is Ron Johnson's apparent involvement in seditious conspiracy. 

We're pretty sure Ron Johnson refuses to believe it but just the same "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" Another sign of climate chaos is Summer becoming known as The Danger Season. "The phrase, part of a new campaign by the Union of Concerned Scientists, refers to the period from May to October marked by a drumbeat of disasters in the United States.", Grist tells us (but we know it's international). "This summer is predicted to be another menacing one, with forecasts showing hectic hurricanes and above-normal wildfire activity." Checkout the links, if you dare! The New York Times is apparently more focused on wildfires calling 2022 "A Wildfire Year" in what appears to be another one of their excellent montages. "Three million acres have already burned in the West" is the sub head. Elsewhere the Times points out the Great Salt Lake out west is drying up. "Climate change and rapid population growth are shrinking the lake, creating a bowl of toxic dust that could poison the air around Salt Lake City." Sounds like science fiction? Nah, it's a fact. Look it up!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we return to the story of UMass Amherst's atrocious animal experiments that continue unabated in spite of pleas and protests. You may recall we had Neuroscientist Katherine Roe of PETA on the show last year. Recently "PETA supporters crashed a University of Massachusetts–Amherst (UMass) alumni gathering at Sunset Terrace at Chelsea Piers [in New York City], where they confronted Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy to expose the school’s horrific menopause experiments on marmosets. Photos and video footage of the happening are available here." on the blog. "PETA has been contacted by numerous UMass alumni and donors concerned about the school’s animal welfare violations. The university has been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for severely burning an animal on a heating pad as he was recovering from surgery, failing to alert an attending veterinarian to sick animals, and permitting a monkey to escape and injuring the animal’s tail during recapture."  It gets worse but we will spare you the gruesome details. You can go here to PETA.org or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.  And This: speaking of atrocious, the corporados at FirstLight, owners of the diabolical Northfield Mt. Pump Station are doing some serious greenwashing in WMass these days, awarding students grants for climate change projects while simultaneously pawning themselves off as environmentally conscious purveyors of clean renewable energy. Soooooo, with that in mind it's time for........

Breaking News!  This just in!! This year's Enviro Show Gross Greenwashing Award goes to......envelope please......FirstLight Power!  [insert fake applause here].

 

Now it's time for....... The Charlie Baker Good Riddance Countdown Timer!
 

 

......and a few choice words from Glen 😏

 

How about an Enviro Show Quote of the Week for some inspiration?

"The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility."

                                                                  ― Wendell Berry


After our conversation with Karl & Priscilla we move on to the Bus Stop Billboard: 


Saturday, July 09, 12:45pm. Boston Abortion Rights Protest. COPLEY SQUARE Boylston and Dartmouth Street, Boston, MA 02116 US.  Host Contact Info: (617) 684 5888, EM riseup4abortionrights@gmail.com, #riseup4abortion rights, #riseup4abortionrightsne  


Monday July 11,  11am to Noon. Climate Rally. Site TBD. We are holding this rally in collaboration with Mass Power Forward and other groups throughout Massachusetts, to push our state legislature to take comprehensive climate action now! We will chant, sing, share stories, and offer ways to take action. Hear from leaders of the fight against Eversource's proposed Springfield-Longmeadow gas expansion pipeline and the continuing fight against biomass, not only in Springfield, but throughout the state. Call us: 413-734-4948 


Monday, July 11,  11:00am to 12:30pm. Join BEAT, 350MA Berkshires, NAACP-Berkshire Branch, and Mass Power Forward, at Park Square, Pittsfield in calling on our legislators to wake up and do more for environmental and climate justice! This is just one of over ten rallies happening simultaneously across the state. We’ll be sharing on social media to send to Legislators and members of the Conference Committee currently crafting climate legislation. Bring your pots and pans, drums, and noisemakers of all kinds! Bring signs if you like, or use one brought by BEAT! (sign ideas below) Tell your story of what climate and environmental justice mean to you. More HERE

 

Tuesday, July 12, 7:00–8:00 p.m. An Inside Look: What the Supreme Court’s EPA Decision Means for Climate ActionRegister for the virtual discussion today—and submit a question in advance. 


TUESDAY July 12, 7 to  8:30 p.m. Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board virtual public comment hearing for the Cranberry Point, Carver request for zoning exemption. Written comments due July 26 by 5 p.m. Learn more on our Facebook page or website


Wednesday  July 13, 6pm.   NOTICE OF RMOTE MEPA CONSULTATION SESSION and IN PERSON SITE WALK EEA#16570 WT-11 Transmission Right-of-way Tree Cutting – Northfield, Erving, Wendell, Montague, Leverett, Shutesbury, Pelham, Belchertown, Amherst, Granby, and Ludlow. - Please RSVP to Jennifer Hughes (Jennifer.hughes@mass.gov) at least two hours (but preferably at least one day) before the meeting.


Wednesday, July 13, 8 – 9pm. Defend Abortion Rights Online - Digital Defenders Training. Hosted by Womens March. Virtual event · Join from anywhere. For decades, abortion has been a 'taboo' subject to many. But in the days since Roe v Wade was overturned, many of us are finding ourselves having discussions online with people who are critical or conflicted about abortion rights. This training will equip you with evidence-based best practices and message-tested tools and talking points for defending abortion rights online. Go HERE.  


Thursday July 14 2-3:15pm.  A conversation on CEP’s latest research exploring the disconnect between the views and actions of funders on climate change. Regardless of whether your organization works on climate change or sees climate as outside of the mission scope, this discussion is for you. We hope you will join us next week.  Register HERE.  



Tuesday July 26 5 p.m. Written comments due on Cranberry Point, Carver. They can be emailed to dpu.efiling@mass.gov and andre.gibeau@mass.gov. State docket number EFSB 21-02/D.P.U. 22-59 and send copy to akaplan@pierceatwood.com cc'd to aohanlon@pierceatwood.com  


Monday, July 25, 7 pm. Monthly gathering of Climate Action Now.  Location TBA - We are holding our monthly gatherings outside this summer whenever possible.  To register for this meeting contact Susan Theberge at susantheberge@icloud.com. Monthly meeting of CAN.  Contact info: Sign up for our newsletter here or  contact susantheberge@icloud.com with "July Gathering" in the subject line.

 

SATURDAY August 13 @ 2 to 6 p.m.  HONOR THE EARTH RALLY!  Second Annual Statewide grassroots rally to raise awareness about protecting our water, forests and community character. Two locations: Plymouth and Western Mass. More info soon! 



That all folks! Be sure to listen to your Mother, OK? 

 

Thursday, June 09, 2022

Celebrate the Wild Enviro Show


Greetings Earthlings. This week we help celebrate 20 years of Wild on the 20th anniversary of The Northeast Wilderness Trust with Sophi Veltrop, Outreach Manager of the Trust. These folks are truly wild and so is the land they protect. [UPDATE: INTERVIEW HERE ] And speaking of wild, how about we check out this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and see if we're Abidin' with Biden or not? Also, we will take you along as we remind whomever is not paying attention that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" But first it's time for..........Revenge of the Critters! Do not walk your dogs by the ponds in Florida, OK?

Time to shake our heads in amazement once again as we encounter yet another Fool-on-the-Hill. Yes, it is U.S. Rep. Billy Long (Repugnican- MO) who apparently blames mass shootings on......... abortion? We know these seditious MAGA Repugs have a limited grasp on reality but really? Abortion?? If these guys are so concerned about senseless killings how about voting for sensible gun reforms that will actually reduce the killing?

Since we're on about senseless, how about those who avoid dealing with climate chaos? How many times must we remind them "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"  Science is pretty much in agreement that the massive drought out West is mostly due to climate change but how about this headline: "How Bad Is the Western Drought? Worst in 12 Centuries.."  OK, why stop there with headlines. Checkout this one: "As Earth’s temperature rises, Massachusetts residents’ sense of urgency on climate change declines"  The jist of this story is we have too many crisis to pick from and unlike COVID and mass shootings, the climate crisis isn't in your face everyday. Before you through your hands up and step away from your device you should know "New satellite data shows that in many coastal cities around the world, land is subsiding even faster than sea level is rising."  Soooo, if your inland......no worries! (kidding).

 

Ready for our Charlie Baker Good Riddance Countdown Timer? 


We guess Glen sure is but what's he gonna do in the Baystate when he doesn't have Charlie to kick around anymore? 


It looks like we have a 50/50 split when it comes to Abidin' with Biden this week. On the down side is this, according to Build Back Better Fossil Free: "Biden is breaking his promise to end new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters -- again. On June 14, the Bureau of Land Management will hold its first public lands lease sale in Nevada. Between June 14 and June 28, BLM will auction off nearly 150,000 acres of public lands accross the West." And yet, on June 6 the White House announced that "Historic Actions Include Authorizing Defense Production Act to Lower Energy Costs, Strengthen Power Grid, and Create Good-Paying Jobs".   Read the fine print and decide, are you Abidin' with Biden or is The Prez Backslidin'?


 Time for an Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed ... We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in.”
Wallace Stegner  


Before we move on to our interview with Sophie let's have a look at The Enviro Show Echo Chamber and forest protection efforts in Vermont. Northeast  Wildeness Trust is doing good work up there while Gov. Scott is doing.....not so much. Seven Days tells us, "the governor rejected H.606, which would have required the state to have a plan to conserve 30 percent of its land and waters by 2030, in line with President Joe Biden’s initiative to mitigate climate change and declines in biodiversity. The bill would have gone even further and required 50 percent of the state’s land to be conserved by 2050." Maybe the Green Mountain State won't be all that green by 2050?  And This: How about a A Hike through Crane Ledge Woods    ?


After our conversation with Sophie we go to our Bus Stop Billboard:

Thursday nights in June for our Justice in June: Connecting Impacted Communities Series. All events begin at 7PM ET. This is your opportunity to learn more about the on-the-ground effects of biomass. You’ll hear directly from environmental justice leaders and the community members who are suffering the health and economic impacts of the wood pellet biomass industry. All events in this series are FREE.  Register to attend this free online event. https://bit.ly/3yOf4ci 


Sunday June 26, 1 to 4pm.  Pine Barrens Walk Carver, Plymouth, Carver, MA. Join biologist Bill Stubblefield and ecologist Bart Bouricius for a tour of the sand mining and solar building in Southeastern Massachusetts.  Organized by Save the Pine Barrens.  Go to: Facebook Page @LandWaterPlymouthArea.www.savethepinebarrens.org


Monday June 27, 7:00 pm.   Fitchburg Forest Forum. The Fitchburg Conservation Commission is hosting the event at City Hall, 718 Main St, Fitchburg, MA 01420 after discovering that in Fitchburg and in neighboring towns, there has been a sharp increase in the number of privately-owned forest tracts being logged, due probably to high current timber prices, aggressive marketing by foresters and loggers, and elevated land values, as well as industrial solar. Dr. Susan Masino of Trinity College is one of the speakers.  Contact: Ralph Baker ralphsbaker27@gmail.com   


Monday June 27, 7 to 8:30pm.  Climate Action Now Monthly Gathering on Zoom. See the newsletter to get the Zoom registration link. 


Thursday June 30, Noon.  New England's National Forests and what you can do to save them. Join us for a special webinar featuring regional experts where we'll explore threats to the White and Green Mountain National Forests, our only national forests in New England, to learn how you can help protect them. Protecting these forests will help our climate, promote biodiversity and support Indigenous cultural reconnection and restoration.Join us to learn more on Thursday, June 30 at 12 p.m. Eastern.


 



That's it for now Enviro Show listeners. We probably don't have to remind you to listen to your Mother, right?