The MA Woodlands Powertrip Enviro Show

Listen to the entire show now. Go HERE.    Greetings Earthlings. What do you think about some questionable entity taking "an exquisite parcel of public land near Mount Greylock, beloved by residents and visitors, and reducing it to chips"? We are paraphrasing our guest Lori Bradley, who along with Michaela Lapoint & Doonee Mackay of Save the Notch Forest Reservoir Bellows Pipe Trail join us to uncover the truth. See their petition HERE. The entity in question, once called the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership, has been the subject of past shows. It's not pretty. It's business-as-usual trashing our forests in the so-called Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As always, we will also bring you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those Whose Brains Were small", as well as remind everyone (like the MA Woodlands Partnership) that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" along with a new segment, "Doublespeak of the Week" and more but first it's time for........Revenge of the Critters! Another edition for tales of woe for poachers. 

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is actually Fools-on-the Hill, Repugnican Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming and Senator Joe Manchin, an Independent from West Virginia both of whom engineered a  foe energy bill called “a fossil fuel wolf in clean energy clothing” by opponents. "Their concerns come down to the bill’s concessions for the fossil fuel companies, which would be able to get liquefied natural gas export terminals approved more easily and to increase oil and gas extraction on public lands". Same old/Same old Fools playing the same old/same old games with our planet. 

"Drill baby, drill" Repugs cover their ears so's not to hear us remind them "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" Last week they must have wanted to cover their eyes as well 'cuz the EPA announced "on the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act" it was officially obligating the funds to the act's recipients. "These entities can now access the funds, the agency said in a press release. The move locks in this use of the money, which Republicans have indicated they would try to repeal if they take both chambers of Congress and the White House next year. That becomes much harder if the money is already in recipients’ hands." Besides, no Repugs will be taking either chamber in 2025. That Project is destined to be DOA. Speaking of which how about this headline: "Revealed: Shell oil non-profit donated to anti-climate groups behind Project 2025" ? Do these gasholes have kids?? Did they miss the memo: "Last month was the warmest July on record for the last 175 years, experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. This marks the 14 consecutive month of record-breaking global warm temperatures.." And guess what? Everyone's been affected.   And scientists are freaking out about climate chaos! OK, that said, there ARE nature-based solutions.  

Let's stick with the predatory capitalists fossil fools for "Their Brains Were Small and They Died" segment.  One particular dinosaur is Harold Hamm, "Hamm, the billionaire founder of Continental Resources, called other oil executives and encouraged them to attend [MAGA] fundraisers and open their wallets. Hamm reportedly described the November contest as "the most important election in our lifetime." Of course he's correct BUT not in regard to protecting his ongoing industrial horror show, rather in putting him and his cohorts out of business. Dinosaurs like him need to go. While we're at it, have you heard about North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the state’s Repug nominee for governor? It doesn't get much worse than this. He's sort of a clown show Tyrannosaurus rex on social issues, actually publicly roaring for killings of his perceived enemies. North Carolina beware!

Our Critter of the Week this time is the often maligned Bat. This night flying critter is actually an important member of second largest order of mammals. Wiki tells us: "Most bats are nocturnal, and many roost in caves or other refuges; it is uncertain whether bats have these behaviours to escape predators. Bats are present throughout the world, with the exception of extremely cold regions. They are important in their ecosystems for pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds; many tropical plants depend entirely on bats for these services." Sadly, many Bats are threatened with extinction by disease or by stupid humans. Save the Bats! 

Speaking of the week, our newest segment is (drum roll please) Doublespeak of the Week. Here it is, short but not so sweet from Inside Climate News: "After Partnering With the State to Monitor Itself, a Pennsylvania Gas Company Declares Its Fracking Operations ‘Safe’ "  Need we say more?

Did I hear someone say we are still Abinin' with Biden? We already gave him kudos for passing the torch onto the First Woman President of the U.S.  Now we read: "The [Biden] Energy Department is steering around $50 million into six states to help small- and mid-sized auto suppliers convert facilities to serve EV value chains. The money for states with large auto workforces is the latest of many White House financial carrots to help the industry go electric."  That's good but what about this? "'Sickening Beyond Words': Biden Approves Another $20 Billion in Weapons for Israel". We call......Backslidin'! 

Our Quote of the Week seems fitting for this week's show:

The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders.
Remaining silent about the destruction of nature is an endorsement of that destruction.

Edward Abbey

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

Wednesday Sept. 11th and Thursday Sept. 12th from 4pm to 7pm at SFTT office in Fields Corner at 60 Clayton St. Dorchester, MA. Boston residents are invited to enroll in our new Community TreeKeepers program, where you’ll not only learn about the importance and benefits trees bring but also how to care for them so they continue to bring value to our community. The training is split into two 3-hour sessions, held in the evenings. Sessions will cover tree identification, proper tree planting procedure, who to contact for all tree-related questions, and more. Go HERE. 

Thursday September 12, 6 to 9pm.  Notch Reservoir Logging Plan Information and Q & A Meeting. North Adams City Hall, MA [map here] Friends of the Notch Reservoir and Bellows Pipe Trail was created for fans and supporters of one of the most beautiful places in the Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts. Don't let it be trashed! See & Sign Petition HERE.  

Friday September 13 & Sunday  the 14th. Friday and Saturday at the 15th Berkshire Biodiversity Day (aka Berkshire BioBlitz) to experience first-hand the importance of a healthy, active ecosystem. Community members of all ages are welcome to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period. The event, which is free and open to everyone, promises to be an engaging experience for all nature enthusiasts! Members of the public are welcome to stop by anytime for scheduled walks and activities and to record a survey of their findings. Berkshire Community College, 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA 01201            

Saturday September 14, 11am – 2pm.  Democracy Fair!  On the front lawn of the Unitarian Society of Northampton & Florence (220 Main Street, next to Northampton City Hall), fairgoers will learn about democracy and have fun while doing it! You’ll learn what’s going on in Western MA to defend, strengthen, and fix democracy…and to take action! There will be voter registration, postcarding, phonebanking, education, and much more as local organizations share what they are doing. The event will be family friendly, with music, puppets, street theater, and face painting along with speakers and timely conversations. If it rains, the event will move inside the Unitarian Society building. https://truthschool.org/contact/ 

Saturday September 14, 1 p.m. “Forests as Climate Solutions: Proforestation, Land Conservation and Climate Smart Forestry Practices,” a presentation with climate scientists and forestry specialists. Ashfield, MA Town Hall. William Moomaw, professor emeritus of international environmental policy at Tufts University’s Fletcher School and a visiting scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center, will detail how forests are good for the environment and help cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. For more information about the event, email energy@ashfield.org 

Monday September 16, Noon. Is Your Municipality on track to become a Climate Leader Community? Every Massachusetts community should pursue becoming a Climate Leader! An overview of DOER’s Climate Leader Communities program, the expansion of Green Communities, reviewing requirements and resources available. She'll also report on the latest status: 20 communities receiving technical assistance for decarbonization roadmaps, and upcoming Town Meeting votes anticipated for the specialized code. The first round of Climate Leader Communities grants is expected to be announced soon. Register HERE. Interested municipalities may view recently updated program guidance here: here

 Wednesday September 18, 1pm. Artificial Turf: Research on Plastic Pollution, PFAS, and Health Concerns. Recent research has shed additional light on the loss of plastic fragments and particles into the environment, health and environmental threats associated with chemicals in waste tire materials, and the presence of PFAS in artificial turf. In this webinar, Dr. William de Haan will discuss a 2023 study that measured the presence of artificial turf fibers in surface waters, Susan Chapnick will explore how individual communities are working to monitor and protect wetlands and water resources, and Dr. Rachel Massey will briefly summarize human health concerns and explain efforts to test artificial turf for the presence of PFAS. RSVP here. 

Thursday September 19, 7 pm.  Save this Date. Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere webinar. This Webinar will launch our fall plans and actions, so don't miss out! Special Remarks by Susan Solomon, atmospheric chemistry professor at MIT, founding director of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and author of the book Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do It Again, published in June 2024. Solomon is well-known for her pioneering work on the Antarctic ozone layer. She also co-led the IPCC Working Group I which won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.  Go to: https://www.stopprivatejetexpansion.org/ 

Friday September 20, 2pm line up. March starts at 2:15 pm. Rally ends at 5pm. Location: Foley Square,   NYC. This is not just another protest. This is a powerful movement of change, and we need your presence to make a resounding impact. Together, we will send a clear message to Polluters, Funders, and Leaders that it's time to put an end to the era of fossil fuels, and invest in a renewable and sustainable future for all. Remember, the power to make a difference lies within each of us. Join to be a part of the movement that will shape a sustainable and just future   for all. Join the Pillars of Fossil Fuels Climate Strike!

Saturday September 21, 2024.  Global Protest, Mothers Rebellion for Climate Justice. The climate crisis is not slowing down! Mothers* Rebellion is planning our next global protest, save the date and check in our social media outlets and here for updates. Go HERE. 

Sunday September 22 through Saturday the 28th. Boston XR Week of Rebellion is the place to be. XR Boston is thrilled to present the plan for Week of Rebellion 2024: Mass. Climate Action Now! After a devastating lack of MA Climate Bill from the recently-closed legislative session, we need to let our government know that we demand No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. We will be celebrating from Sunday September 22 through Saturday September 28. The "main" Week of Rebellion event is the Rally, Die-In, and Dance party on Thursday September 26. Be sure to check this webpage between now and then, because events might be added. 

Monday September 23,  2 pm.  The Global Stakes.  No story is more global than climate change. No story is as consequential for future generations. As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly this September, Washington Post Live will explore the course of climate change across all seven continents, one at a time.  Register HERE.  

Monday September 23, 4-5:30 PM ET, on Zoom. Protect Our Public Watershed Forests as Wildlands Now! The recent surge in interest and concern about Massachusetts forests focuses on their ability to mitigate the global climate and biodiversity crises. Meanwhile, MA state agencies in charge of our public forests continue policies and practices that emphasize active management, i.e. commercial logging. This includes the 130,000 acres of public forest lands in the Quabbin, Ware, and Wachusett watersheds, which supplies water for over 40% of Massachusetts residents.   The Division of Water Supply Protection, charged with managing these watersheds, promotes logging in these forests. They claim that this enhances “forest resistance and resilience” against increasing natural disturbances (hurricanes and other climate related events). There is a better alternative that is rooted in current science that challenges these practices - leave forests as wild reserves. Go HERE. 

 September 23-27. Rise up this September to stop Chevron fueling genocide. Over the last year we've been building a global movement to hold Chevron accountable for its crimes and complicity in gross violations of human rights, and now it's time to escalate. Our international partners are calling on all #BoycottChevron activists to plan an action September 23-27. Can you join us in action or plan your own event next month?  

Wednesday September 25, 1 to 2pm. Scientists & Activists vs Fossil Fuel Finance. In June more than 750 scientists wrote to the executives of Citi highlighting the urgency of the climate crisis and calling on the bank to stop financing fossil fuel expansion, respect human rights and Indigenous sovereignty, and invest in a clean energy future. According to the 2024 Banking on Climate Chaos report, Citi is the second largest financier of fossil fuels and the largest financier of fossil fuel expansion since the Paris climate agreement. Register for the virtual discussion today. 

Saturday September 28, 11am to 3pm. : [SOLIDARITY] Urban Agriculture & Climate Justice Fair.  Nightingale Community Garden, 512 Park St Dorchester MA. The event is sponsored by a large coalition of organizations, including Extinction Rebellion.This is a fun, educational, and family-friendly event with food, music, produce from local farms, fruit/vegetable/flower competitions with prizes, climate games, and demonstrations about making cider, beekeeping, raising chickens, composting, mushrooms, and gardening.

All that's it BUT remember to listen to your Mother!

 

 

 

 

A Natural Solutions Enviro Show

[ Our podcast of this show is https://rss.com/podcasts/enviroshow/1606260  ]

Greetings Earthlings. The term "Natural Solutions" has been coming up quite a bit lately here in the  old  Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at Elders Climate Action there's a Natural Solutions Working Group and at the ever dubious Nature Conservancy they were quick to co-opt the term for their own corporate ends. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology was paying attention during COVID but what about here & now as the Climate Crisis ramps up and bogus or no solutions press in on us?  Marta Vicarelli, Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst joins us to explore the obvious and more (1) & (2). As always, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those Whose Brains Were small" as well as to our Critter of the Week and more but first it's time for........Revenge of the Critters!  Yet another poacher learns the hard way. 

Here's a headline that might grab some attention for those who refuse to believe "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"  It reads: "Study finds major Earth systems likely on track to collapse". Now, here on The Enviro Show we try somewhat to be calm and levelheaded. We don't feel doom & gloom is really constructive, that said LOOK AT THIS!! (Sorry, it's actually how we roll). The findings? "The Nature study found that the four “pillars” it focused on — the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC), the Amazon rainforest and the vast but melting Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets — are interconnected, like a row of dominoes." Game on.....but where? It turns out the dictatorial petrostate Azerbaijan is hosting the next annual climate summit, COP29. What could possibly go wrong? Maybe a "a technique that encourages the growth of microscopic algae, which eat carbon dioxide and then squirrel it away in the ocean’s depths for decades or even centuries"?  Read the op-ed. You decide. Finally, can we get back to talking about increased methane emissions?Guess which corporados are responsible for the increase? Guess what we can do about but are not doing it?

Thanks to Michael Kellett of Restore the North Woods for bringing this to our attention. The MA Department of Fish & Game  gets our "Their Brains Were Small and they Died" dinosaur award for backward thinking. Michael points out in their 2025-2030 Strategic Plan the hook & bullet crowd  "..is all-in on logging, burning, and other intensive forest “management” to increase “resilience.” This includes “exploring” the experimental and unproven concept of “assisted migration” (i.e., cutting down native trees and planting exotic species instead) and almost quadrupling the acreage of “prescribed” burning from 1,300 to 5,000 acres per year by 2030" That's just one example of the small minded ideas coming from that bunch who don't need an asteroid to destroy our environment, they can do it on their own. 😒 O wait, we have the West Coast edition HERE!  

We are still Abidin' with Biden this week and his Veep, the soon to be first woman President of the United States of America. According to The Guardian Harris is all in on fighting climate change and more: "When we spoke, Harris demonstrated a depth I didn’t expect – she geeked out over heat pumps, confessed her love of electric school buses and described the heavy burdens poorer communities face from air pollution. The more I learned about her background, the more I found a clear pattern: policy ideas that she championed became central to federal legislation. Our nation’s landmark climate law, which is turning two years old this month, has Harris’s signature all over it." wrote columnist Leah Stokes. With a few disturbing exceptions, Biden's recent climate record is a welcome change. As for Harris' choice for her own Veep, Tim Walz gets points from the NY Times: "Walz “has quietly emerged as one of the nation’s most forceful advocates for tackling climate change.”

Our Critter of the Week this time around? Sharks, all sorts of sharks as featured in this amazing piece in the New Yorker.  We wish we could just repost it in full here but space does not allow. How about we just give you a taste: "The sharks have been guided not just by their keen sense of smell (they can detect odor molecules in dilutions as low as ten parts per billion) but also by their lateral line, sensors along the body which alert them to infinitesimal changes in pressure hundreds of yards away—they, more than any of us, can read the pulse of the ocean. They are guided, too, as Daniel C. Abel notes in his lively new book, “Sharkpedia”..., by their ampullae of Lorenzini, receptors that pick up those electric fields which all animals emit."  Did I mention Sharks have on the planet long before us Humans? 

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we repeat the words of Mass Audubon's "Growing Solar, Protecting Nature" Given the group's past history with support for logging, I was skeptical but a careful reading of the site has me wondering, did I miss something? Let's ask Glen what he thinks when he reads text like this: "Unfortunately, Massachusetts’ current pattern of solar development is causing unnecessary harm to nature.  Since 2010, over 5,000 acres of natural and working lands have been destroyed for solar development in Massachusetts".  And this: "New Leaf Energy nixes battery Storage Project" in Wendell, MA.  New Leaf was going for old-school deforestation to site hazard prone battery storage but locals pushed back proving yet again "When we fight we win".  And this: "The Center for Biological Diversity and allies just won a lawsuit against a federal program allowing insecticide spraying on millions of acres in 17 western states. 👍 

Time for our Quote of the Week: 

“Climate change isn’t an ‘issue’ to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message – spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions – telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us we need to evolve”

 – Naomi Klein,

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

Saturday Aug 24, 10am - 3:30 pm.  Please join the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter, RESTORE: The North Woods, and Save Massachusetts Forests on an educational 2 mile walk through an undisturbed forest and a recent logging site on the Quabbin Watershed public lands. After the walk, we will be offering an option to take a 3 - 5 mi hike through a beautiful northern hardwood forest with stunning views of the Quabbin Reservoir. We will be discussing at the event the Quabbin Reservoir, its history, the watershed public lands, their benefits, as well as floral, fauna and climate action. We will also be speaking about the MA Chapter Forest Protection team’s campaign to end logging on the state lands of the Quabbin, Ware, and Wachusett watersheds. Sign the petition here.      RSVP Here. 

Tuesday August 27, 7pm.  Climate Action Now Summer Gathering via zoom. Vote for the Climate and a Livable Future:  Mobilizing for the 2024 Elections. The 2024 election will determine the fate of our climate, our democracy and our lives. How can we fully engage our networks to act strategically at this pivotal moment? Go HERE.   

Friday August 30, Noon. Boston XR Bourne Bridge Standout. Bourne Bridge, Bourne, MA. Every Labor Day Weekend the traffic heading into Cape Cod brings the entrance to the Cape at Bourne Bridge to a halt. Thousands of people in their cars sit in idling traffic heading to their vacation weekend on one of the country's most vulnerable geographical areas to the effects of climate change. This is a great opportunity to get some outreach to the thousands of people that have nothing else do while they idle but give us their attention. Let's give them some entertainment and alert them to the fragility of the beach areas we know and love and want to protect. It's a climate emergency: declare it and act like it. Go HERE.  

Monday September 2, 6 pm to 7:30 pm. XR Boston's next online Non-Violent Direct Action training  You will learn how to engage in non-violent civil disobedience. We'll cover some theory behind direct actions, discuss the logistics of arrest and potential legal implications, and talk about the many different roles (beyond risking arrest) that are crucial to successful actions. You will get to talk to a few people who have gone through the arrest process and ask questions you might have. Register here for your Zoom info.

September 7 - 12, 2024.  How to Help End Plastic Pollution. Plastic pollution is problem we can solve together. Our online grassroots organizing training consists of two sessions (each two hours long).  Go HERE.  

Wednesday September 18, 1pm. Artificial Turf: Research on Plastic Pollution, PFAS, and Health Concerns. Recent research has shed additional light on the loss of plastic fragments and particles into the environment, health and environmental threats associated with chemicals in waste tire materials, and the presence of PFAS in artificial turf. In this webinar, Dr. William de Haan will discuss a 2023 study that measured the presence of artificial turf fibers in surface waters, Susan Chapnick will explore how individual communities are working to monitor and protect wetlands and water resources, and Dr. Rachel Massey will briefly summarize human health concerns and explain efforts to test artificial turf for the presence of PFAS. RSVP here. 

Saturday 21 September 2024.  Global Protest, Mothers Rebellion for Climate Justice. The climate crisis is not slowing down! Mothers* Rebellion is planning our next global protest, save the date and check in our social media outlets and here for updates. Go HERE. 

Monday September 23,  2 pm.  The Global Stakes.  No story is more global than climate change. No story is as consequential for future generations. As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly this September, Washington Post Live will explore the course of climate change across all seven continents, one at a time.  Register HERE. 

All that's it BUT remember to listen to your Mother!