Another Beware the Ides of March Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Once again we are coming up to that time of year when tyrants everywhere need to watch their backs because of their sins. We can think of more than a few such sins to attribute to His Malignancy The Mad King but what about those who trash the planet for fun & profit? Meg Sheehan & Katherine Harrelson of Community Land & Water  returns to the show for the latest from the Sand Wars, the rape of The Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens and the threats to the environment by the “Cranberry Cosa Nostra.”  As always, we will also bring you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were Small, and more but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! Do not mess with the Crows.

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill would be wise to heed the Ides of March. Tennessee MAGA Repugnican Rep.Andy Ogles stepped in it recently saying in reference to Palestinians, "I think we should KILL THEM ALL ... it's time to pay the piper."  Not sure about the piper thing but we're damn sure about the Fool thing.

We're pretty sure Andy Ogles isn't a believer in science but would he be if Jesus showed up at his door and said "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" ?  One thing's for sure, most climate scientists believe it and some "Scientists are freaking out about ocean temperatures". That's what the New York Times is telling us (thanks to a listener). "For the past year, oceans around the world have been substantially warmer than usual. Last month was the hottest January on record in the world’s oceans, and temperatures have continued to rise since then. The heat wave has been especially pronounced in the North Atlantic. “The North Atlantic has been record-breakingly warm for almost a year now,” University of Miami, Brian McNoldy, an expert in hurricane formation said. “It’s just astonishing. Like, it doesn’t seem real.” Also, the folks at Wired added, ""Sea surface temperatures have been skyrocketing beyond expectations. That may be a bad sign for hurricane season—and the health of ocean ecosystems." All that warming will, of course, trigger the "Disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current" we've been talking about on this show for years. That could freeze Europe, scorch the tropics and increase sea level rise in the North Atlantic. "The tipping point may be closer than predicted in the IPCC’s latest assessment" Inside Climate News reports.  Finally, here's something you may not have considered: "Reining in the unruly global trade in wild species could help mitigate the climate emergency, experts say." Our friends at the Center for Biological Diversity get into it in depth HERE.

In this week's "Their Brains were Small" segment we venture back to the opening moments of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC where the worst of the worst meet to cheer each other on over who can make the most asinine statements about their plans to destroy the Union. Perhaps MAGA Christian fascist Jack Posobiec holds the record for saying, "Welcome to the end of democracy. We're here to overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there on January 6th, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here…Because all glory is to God.”  OK, from his twisted brain to God's ear; maybe when Jack raptures up to his Heaven after he dies, His God will send him elsewhere. Who cares! 

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we want to warn you the Gov et al may be trying to pull a fast one with regard to solar siting that may involve deforestation. "On February 16, 2024, the Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting released questions for public input. The Commission seeks comments by Friday, March 1, to provide a summary before the Commission's meeting scheduled for the following week, but will continue to accept comments through March 15. The link to the survey is HERE.  ALSO THIS! A Zombie Biomass bill on Beacon Hill CALL TO ACTION! Read between the lines Enviro Show listeners! If we want to be able to protect forests, agriculture, water and soil integrity at the local level, they need to hear from you ASAP. Also, we repeat Environmental Action's alert on Monarch Butterflies: "According to this year's monarch wintering counts, eastern monarch populations are at the second lowest level ever recorded, dropping 59% drop from last year's counts. Their western cousins are falling too, with a 30% decline from last winter. Right now, the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is approaching a deadline to decide on monarchs' endangered status, and the stakes are clear: give monarchs protections or let them flutter closer toward extinction. Go HERE for their Action Alert. And this from the BBC: "The cities stripping out concrete for earth and plants". The piece goes on to state, "The idea of depaving, sometimes known as desealing, is a simple one – replace as much concrete, asphalt and other forms of hard landscaping as possible with plants and soil. It's been around since at least 2008, when the Depave group in Portland was founded."  Thank you Portland! 

Some more Backslidin' with Biden  here from CNN: "The Biden administration announced Thursday it would delay part of its signature climate plan to slash planet-warming pollution from the power sector. The Environmental Protection Agency said it would carve existing gas plants out of a proposed regulation to cut emissions from power plants. The EPA will move forward with finalizing rules cutting emissions from existing coal and new natural gas plants this spring.." Say it ain't so, Joe. 

Time for an Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

“In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me.”

- John Fowles 

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

The first week of March also looks to be perfect Salamander migration conditions this year.  The town [of Amherst, MA] and the Hitchcock Center will make every effort to provide updates for those interested in volunteering at the site and for people who use this section of Henry Street [in Amherst, MA] For more information on Big Night, please visit: https://amherstma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3517       or  https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/programs/henry-street-salamander-tunnels/  You can also reach out to:Jeff Mazur, Hitchcock Educator and Camp Director (jeff@hitchcockcenter.org)  

Tuesday March 19, 10am. Webinar: Emergency of Genetically Engineered Trees For Indigenous Peoples. Go HERE.

Tuesday March 19,  3:00-4:30pm.  Rally for Horseshoe Crabs! Mass Audubon and its supporters have fought for decades to secure stronger protections for horseshoe crabs. Horseshoe crab advocates from around the state will gather with our president, David J. O’Neill, and members of the media for a rally, remarks, and light refreshments. Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary 345 Bone Hill Road Barnstable, MA 02367 

Saturday March 23, All Day.  Fix the Grid Community Summit. Please register now for our summit on Saturday, March 23rd in Southern NH. If you already registered for November, your ticket is still valid. I’ll be reaching out separately to ask you to confirm or withdraw your registration.

Saturday March 23, 1- 3p.m.  The City of Boston is organizing a volunteer clean-up at Mattahunt Woods. This clean-up will include City staff and community members, who will work together to remove trash, weeds, and other debris from the natural area. They will also share information about the Mattahunt Woods Urban Wild Restoration Project in advance of the project’s construction, which will begin later this spring.  Please see the event page (linked here) for more information about suggested attire and the meeting location. You can sign up through the event page or this link.

Monday March 25, 7 to 8:30pm.  Climate Action Now Virtual Monthly Gathering. War and the Climate Crisis: Escalating Impacts. Presenters: Ramón Mejía. Anti-Militarism National Organizer at Grassroots Global Justice Alliance , Ramon enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 18 to support his family and took part in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. Ramon supports people who are organizing to dismantle systems of violence and to build healthy, thriving communities. Register HERE.  

Tuesday March 26 All Day. The situation is simple. On March 26, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about access to Mifepristone. This will be the first major case to go in front of the GOP-compromised SCOTUS since Dobbs, and there are more to come. 1,000 people have already committed to putting their bodies on the line to stop this in any way we can. We have marched, and now it is time to escalate. Go HERE.  

Tuesday March 26 4-5pm.  Artificial Turf meeting.  We will have Ravi Simon from Rep Gentile's office in attendance/ on the agenda.   If you have agenda items or specific asks for this meeting please send them to ecolaunch.org@gmail.com by Saturday 3/16/24.  SUB: 3/26 agenda item.

Tuesday March 26, 5 to 6pm.  Protecting Public Science: How to Strengthen Scientific Integrity in Government  People across the United States rely on federal science to ensure our water is drinkable, our air is clean, and our medicines are safe and effective. We must make sure that Congress passes the Scientific Integrity Act so that federal agencies are safe from the political attacks that undermine our public health and environmental protections.  

Wednesday March 27, 6:30 to 8pm. Large Battery Storage Systems & Solar Fields - What Are the Issues. Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street, Athol, MA. Speakers + Q&A.  

Sunday April 7,  10:30am to Noon. Prof. William Moomaw one of the Earth's major FOREST scientists,  a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize on Storage of Carbon by Forest Trees  speaking at the Greenfield All SOULS Unitarian Meeting House, 99 Main Street, across from the Post Office & New Library, at intersection of MAIN and HOPE STREETS.  Free PARKING on Street, PO, Library on Sundays.   

 

 

Thursday April 11,(TBA)  Join Washington Post Live for a compelling and high-powered summit with policymakers, innovators and civic leaders examining the tipping points at this critical moment. Watch Live: wapo.st/climateapril11 . Humanity is entering a new climate era. The peril and promise of record-breaking temperatures, unprecedented investments in clean energy and a growing public recognition of the effects of global warming are shaping the future of the planet. Register HERE.     

Saturday April 20 All Day (Rain Date April 21)  Solar Rollers Earth Day River Ride. Bicycle ride from Greenfield, MA to Northfield, MA with stops along the way and a Rally at the Riverview Picnic area in Northfield to Shutdown Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Station. Contact: ctriverdefenders@gmail.com  

Saturday April 20, 2pm.  The Boston Red Rebel chapter will be participating in the Red Rebel International Day of Action on Saturday April 20. We invite you to meet us at the Park Street MBTA station at 2pm on Saturday April 20. Together we will process throughout downtown Boston, MA as a funeral procession with die-ins. The Red Rebel International Day of Action is focusing on the death of life on earth.

Monday April 22, 4pm.  This Earth Day, join XR Boston’s Rebels and others to throw a party in honor of our planet in downtown Boston. This is an event for everyone, and will be celebratory in nature, featuring art, music, chanting, and a short walk through the district to share our love of the planet — and the need for greater action to protect it — with fellow Bostonians. We will gather on the Greenway (exact location TBA) at 4pm on Monday, April 22. Join us in celebration, love, and rage for the planet! RSVP Here   

That's all, folks......except to remember to listen to your Mother!