Greetings Earthlings. Our forests are still under siege and the culprits are all around us. Like we say, Biomass is a biomess. Irina Costache and Regine Spector, Corresponding authors of "Feeding the zombie plant: The struggle over biomass in the United States" Department of Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst join us for the interview. As always, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were Small, as well as visits to our usual segments but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! Guess who is coming for dinner ??
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is a repeat offender. Sen. J D Vance (His Malignancy's pick for Veep) who has said "I don't care one way or the other what happens to Ukraine." Rachel Maddow's MSNBC coverage on Vance back in September revealed "..Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance appeared at an event hosted by an evangelist who’s argued that Vice President Kamala Harris is demonic......The event’s host, Lance Wallnau, who emceed the live event and introduced Vance’s first town hall on the campaign trail, is a leading figure in the fast-growing New Apostolic Reformation, a movement that preaches Christian supremacy through a blend of prophecy and hard-right politics.....Since 2016, Wallnau and his allies have presented former President Donald Trump as a flawed but anointed leader — like the biblical figure King Cyrus — who has been chosen by God to restore Christian power in America. After denying Trump’s 2020 election defeat and telling followers that God had a plan to keep him in office, Wallnau joined pro-Trump protestors in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, to pray for divine intervention to stop Congress from certifying the electoral count as rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol." We guess J.D is foolishly onboard with all that?
Meanwhile modern day dinosaurs remind us, Their Brains Were Small and They Died. Case in point, Florida state Sen. Randy Fine (who refers to himself as the "Hebrew Hammer") in a "post on X... suggested Reps. Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Omar (D-Minn.) should leave office for their own safety. 'Bombs away,' he added." Classic old-school racism? Maybe, but dinosaurs are about as old-school as you can get.
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we seek out good news wherever we can find it (which to be honest isn't always that much). How about this for a headline in Common Dreams? Manganese nodules by The Metals Company Chairman and CEO, Gerard Barron. That's just one of many bad ideas floating around. "The Arctic Ocean is one of the last pristine frontiers on Earth, and
its fragile ecosystems are already under significant stress from the
climate crisis," Steve Trent, CEO and founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation said. "The idea of subjecting these waters to the
destructive, needless practice of deep-sea mining was a grave threat,
not only to the marine life depending on them but to the global
community as a whole." Well said. And this: "Billions
of experimental GMO mosquitoes released into our environment sounds
like a nightmare waiting to happen. It is – especially with [His Malignancy]
in office. Biotech
company Oxitec is asking the EPA to be allowed to sell this
experimental mosquito everywhere in the US and US territories, risking
our communities and ecosystems" Here's an Enviro Show Action Link to push back on that one. Speaking of bad ideas, did you see this headline in the Globe last month: "A multibillion-dollar data center project is coming to Western Mass." ? The corporados and biz-as-usual types are salivating all over the scheme apparently oblivious to the vast number of problems such operations to produce AI. Stay tuned.
We guess Steve Trent is fully aware that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" OK, as usual the Nordic states lead the world in pushing back on climate chaos. This time try to tame your inner junior high student when we announce "From 2030, farmers in Denmark will have to pay a tax for their animals' farts. This is because cow, sheep and pig burps and farts produce a greenhouse gas called methane, which contribute to global warming and climate change. The "flatulence tax" means farmers will have to pay 300 kroner (£34) per tonne of methane that their animals produce in a bid to drive down Denmark's emission." We believe that passes the smell test and bears repeating but how about human farts?. We absolutely love this listener recommended story from The Progress Playbook: "#Solar panels are now mandatory over large parking lots in France." Hello Massachusetts, are you listening?? No need to trash our forests for solar! And ABC tells us: "China is installing record amounts of solar and wind, while scaling back once-ambitious plans for nuclear. While Australia is falling behind its renewables installation targets, China may meet its end-of-2030 target by the end of this month, according to a report." Also, we came upon this easy to understand video on soil science and how we must improve soil. What caught our eye was this: "Have you ever wondered how forests can be the most productive ecosystems in the world without the need for any fertilizers or pesticides? The answer lies in soil biology." Sadly, Toxin Free USA's focus is only on farming & gardening, giving short shrift to forests & trees. WTF! And this: Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, who voted against environmental bills 85% of the time and now His Malignancy's head EPA pick, will implement the slogan, “Drill Baby Drill.” "Zeldin will invite the oil and gas companies to pull as much fossil fuel from the ground as possible, filling the atmosphere with still more heat-trapping carbon and continuing to increase record-breaking global temperatures month after month after month"notes Take It Back.org. Here's another push back action link on that. Also, a new Nature paper is notable because it’s the first systematic attempt to look across hundreds of what some call “natural disaster” events [think Climate Crisis] and attempt to capture the full impact in terms of deaths over decades. Finally, here are the links to the MA 2024 Climate Bill: Detailed list of bill provisions: S.2967 provisions list: Climate Bill 2024. Detailed siting provisions: S.2967 siting provisions: Climate Bill 2024
And now this: An Enviro Show Special Announcement. Next month (unless The Force deems otherwise) we will be hosting The Return of His Malignancy The Mad King segment (bumper music please). With that and his shit show of early Cabinet appointments in mind, we offer d.o.'s "Nature still rules even as raw sewage is dumped into 'The Swamp' " news video HERE.
Our Doublespeak of the Week focuses on plastic, specifically PET, polyethylene terephthalate, the plastic used to make single-use soda bottles and clamshell containers. "In 2023, the industry group, the National Association for PET Container Resources partnered with other plastic industry associations to work with the actor Dennis Quaid on an episode for his Viewpoint With Dennis Quaid TV series. In a style reminiscent of PBS educational programming, the show hails PET bottles as “arguably one of mankind’s greatest inventions.” Whoa! It's a whopper. How about we get Beyond Plastics.
This brings us to our Quote of the Week:
The Earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.
– John Paul II
After our interview we go to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Saturday December 21, 7 am & 3:30pm. Astronomers mark the start of winter as the moment the sun reaches its southernmost apparent position relative to the stars, which this year occurs at 4:20 a.m. EST on Dec. 21. On this date the sun rises and sets at its most southerly spot along the horizon, over the southeasterly and southwesterly stones in the Sunwheel, respectively. After that moment, the sun begins moving northward, and the days start getting longer. On the date of the winter solstice daylight hours are shortest in the Northern Hemisphere — just nine hours and four-and-a-half minutes in Amherst. At the approximately hour-long gatherings, UMass Amherst, MA astronomer Stephen Schneider will discuss the astronomical cause of the solstice. He will explain the seasonal positions of Earth, the sun and moon, and the design of the Sunwheel and other calendar sites such as the Temple of Karnak in Egypt and at Chankillo in Peru. Go HERE.
Saturday December 21, 7 to 9pm. (Doors open 6:30). Come Celebrate the turning of the Wheel. Yule Ritual & Gathering. Spill the Tea Sis Apothecary, 183 Main Street, Northampton, MA. Bring your favorite seasonal treat for our Winter Celebration. Sliding scale. Go HERE.
Sunday December 22, 11-12:30pm: JVP Hadley Mall Holiday Standoutt! Gather at bus stop on Rte. 9 in front of Trader Joe’s, 375 Russell St. Hadley) Tell Shoppers: Give to Gaza this Holiday Season! Peace on Earth – Stop Arming Israel! We’ll hold holiday-themed signs & banners & leaflet shoppers with info about BDS & how to donate $ to Gaza. Signs provided, but bring your own if you can! Park in the Target/ Dicks lot & walk through Trader Joe’s parking lot then over the grassy area to get to the bus stop. Expect lots of mall traffic; come early! More info HERE
Sunday December 22, 1pm. Join XR Boston at 22 JFK Street, Cambridge MA and sing to Harvard Square shoppers. We are not skilled musicians and we don't expect you to be either. We'll provide song sheets, but feel free to review our cheeky Christmas Carols beforehand if you wish. We encourage you to dress in holiday clothing (green and red, Santa or elf hats, stockings, etc.). Go HERE.
Tuesday December 31, 5:30 – 7:30pm. Trump Guilty Verdict Rapid Response Event. Virtual event Join from anywhere. We are posting these events for December 31, 2024 and will update the events to be the day of the verdict when the verdict is issued. The events will only occur if there is a "Guilty" verdict. If there is a "Guilty" verdict in Trump's New York 2016 election interference trial where we will hold signs around the country emphasizing that "Nobody Is Above the Law" and "Guilty" to emphasize the seriousness of the charges and Trump's conviction. This case is about election interference. Donald Trump is on trial in New York for falsifying his company's business records to conceal information from voters that he knew would harm his 2016 election. Go HERE.
Wednesday January 8, 7- 8 pm. The Science of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs): Types of SAFs, their stages of development, their promise and limitations. Webinar for Policymakers and the Public: Much of the research and policy conversation about the future of “sustainable aviation fuels” has been funded by the aviation industry.This webinar features independent researchers who receive no aviation industry support. Go HERE
Wednesday, January 15, 2pm. Harnessing Urban Forests for Natural Disaster Resilience. Join us for an insightful webinar on the crucial role urban forests play in mitigating the growing impacts of natural disasters, including record-breaking heatwaves, devastating floods, catastrophic wildfires, and more. Urban forests act as natural shields against extreme heat, enhance water absorption to prevent flooding, and help reduce air pollution. Go HERE.
Saturday January 18, 12:15 to 3pm. Our Projects for 2025 - Envisioning the World We Want, Second Congregational Church, 16 Court Square, Greenfield, MA. Following the weekly Peace Vigil on the Greenfield Common, 11am-noon, our January 18 program will bring together local civil society groups, speakers, musicians and the public, invited to share hopes and plans for the coming year. The program, now in planning, will include space to share information and meet with those interested, and a simple lunch provided by participating groups.
January 18, 2025 All Day. People's March in Washington, DC, and across the country. Tens of thousands of people will march to demand and defend our freedoms against fascism and the attacks on our communities. Go HERE.
Sunday January 26, 7 - 9pm. Honoring Randy Kehler’s Activism and Impact. A virtual memorial. Many of us were not able to attend Randy’s memorial service on August 23rd in Greenfield MA. Therefore, on Sunday, January 26 from 7 - 9pm ET,
we’ll provide an opportunity for people nationwide to honor and reflect
on Randy’s activism as inspiration to continue the fight for a more
just and peaceful world, notably one week after Donald Trump’s
inauguration. We’ll hear from family members and people who
worked with Randy, from his draft resistance, Traprock Peace Center and
Nuclear Freeze days to more recent campaigns, including climate justice. Register HERE.
Please remember to listen to your Mother
