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Greetings Earthlings. We have covered recycling issues over the years on this show and mentioned how awful garbage-to-energy incineration is for our health and the environment BUT we never seem to have done a show on that burning issue. Finally, we have. Amy Donovan, Franklin County Waste District's Program Director returns to the show with the details. As always, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those Whose Brains Were Small" as well as a visit to our Doublespeak of the Week, The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, a reminder that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and more but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! The infamous Gustave the crocodile has a rap sheet.
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Congressman Keith Self, Representative of the 3rd District of Texas which must be an.....um....interesting place to live and vote? "A Republican congressman appalled Democrats at a congressional hearing by quoting infamous Nazi Joseph Goebbels. 'A direct quote from Joseph Goebbels: ‘It is the absolute right of the state to supervise the formation of public opinion,’ and I think that may be what we’re discussing here,” said Texas’ Keith Self.' "Self, 72, referenced Goebbels’ words during a House subcommittee meeting aimed at determining whether a “censorship industrial complex” existed. The Tuesday hearing was held after Republicans claimed that Biden-era policies aimed to stifle rightwing views." Not a problem anymore!
We may as well stick with the damaged ones in our "Their Brains Were Small and They Died" segment. . “Industry cannot stand that their ability to profit is sometimes limited by the need to protect wildlife that has been on earth for millions of years,” Drew Caputo an attorney with the Earthjustice non-profit said. GOP and industry attacks, including bills that attempted repeals and revisions in recent years, have “failed spectacularly”, he added. But the “God squad” could present the biggest threat so far. “It can behave as god and decide what species exist and which don’t,” Caputo said. Republicans also want economic impact on industry to be factored in to the equation..." Wait, didn't they already do that??
Our Doublespeak of the Week is a golden oldie from back in the day. "The Republican National Committee credited Ronald Reagan for a cost-of-living increase in Social Security that originated from a law that passed before he took office." Of course, that was before the GOP fully embraced fascism. Who ever wished Ronnie Raygun would be back in office? Us?
We have BREAKING NEWS! and it is good news for a change IF it turns out to actually work. Grist reports: "New technologies are helping to regrow Arctic sea ice - but should we use them?"
Ready for some more good news? Sorry! We have a shortage this week, which brings us to His Malignancy The Mad King. How about this for a headline: "It's not economic policy, it's not trade policy," Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in remarks recorded after Trump announced the sweeping tariffs last week. "It's a political weapon designed to collapse our democracy."Still "flooding the zone" with their shit, MAGA fascists continue to tear the nation apart. In terms of the planet and its inhabitants "So far, the EPA has announced that it will pursue a suite of rollbacks of environmental rules, among them a Joe Biden–era update to standards for particulate matter that were meant to be fully in force by 2032 and that the Biden EPA projected would, in that year alone, prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths and 800,000 cases of asthma.... It also plans to reassess a rule limiting the amount of airborne mercury and arsenic that power plants can release." We guess "the zone" includes the air we breathe. How about this one for his War on Nature: "On a bit of a more positive note, remember The Mad King's logging assault announcement last week on our National Forests? There might be some things to mess with that executive order. "Tariffs making imported wood and timber more expensive could drive up demand for U.S. sources. However, some of the infrastructure that once supported the U.S. timber industry no longer exists... Smaller sawmills were uneconomical and closed. In the short term, we have fixed capacity,” The uncertainty will make it difficult for new mills to be built. “Businesses aren’t going to build out increased capacity for an increase that might only last three or four years.” Another header: "The White House and DOGE have sought to eliminate thousands of jobs from the Forest Service. The wildland firefighting force is one of many targets within the agency." Flood the zone, then burn it down? Who can keep track of "the flood"? How about CNN? Wait, some Breaking News! "
Had enough? How about a reminder that...."It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"? We know you know, but did you know "The Keystone pipeline—which carries hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil nearly 2,700 miles from the Alberta tar sands to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma daily—was abruptly shut down Tuesday morning following a rupture in North Dakota, marking yet another accident along what proponents have called the "safest pipeline in the world." A little good news from down south in Bayou country: "A jury in Louisiana has ruled that Chevron must pay a parish government about $745 million to help restore wetlands that the jury said the energy company had harmed for decades. The verdict, which was reached on Friday, is likely to influence similar lawsuits filed by other parishes, or counties, in the state against other energy giants and their possible settlement negotiations." Question: Is The Enviro Show giving you "climate anxiety"? Good news! "[His Malignancy's] Administration Cuts Research Funding, Claiming It Creates ‘Climate Anxiety’."
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we echo our friends at Amherst Indy who have published a primer titled "What to do if the Insurrection Act is Invoked". Given the rumor His Malignancy The Mad King may do just that on Sunday April 20th it makes sense to, as The Scouts say: "Be Prepared". Stay tuned! Speaking of pushing back, here is an opportunity to do so on ICE and their police state b.s.
How about an Enviro Show Quote of the Week to take us to our interview with Amy:
Source Reduction is to garbage what preventive medicine is to health.
After our interview it's onto the Bus Stop Billboard:
Tuesdays, 4-6pm Hold banners, signs and flags, on I-91 overpass to show people that they are not alone -
and help give them the courage to join us and take a stand against the Coup & DOGE. Please make signs with very few words and very big and bold letters. Come even if you don't have a sign, we'll have plenty! Here's the link for more info and to register:https://mobilize.us/s/4Gq1hs We've
added this coming Sunday and Thursday, from 4-6 pm, at the
same location: the I-91 overpass at Mountain Park Rd, Holyoke.You can
sign up for Sunday or Thursday on Mobilize: Sunday 3/23, 3:30pm. - https://www.mobilize.us/
ALSO: Tuesdays 4-5pm. No Kings Weekly Vigil, Park Square, Elm and Main Streets (Route 20) Westfield, MA 01085
Weekly on Tuesdays & Thursdays. The MA State House Stand Out is back in a new incarnation! This historic climate action lasted for 14 months and engaged hundreds of volunteers from across the climate movement. Volunteers are needed!The new version, lovingly referred to as Stand Out Two, happens at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This is a great way to participate in the climate movement with no risk
of arrest! Volunteers normally sign up for a 2 hour “shift." If you have questions about the Stand Out or would like to get a link to the sign-up sheet please contact organizers at fossilfuels.standout.ma@
Every Saturday. Geendfield Standout for a Ceasefire.. 11 a.m.-noon, On the green by Court Square
South Royalton, VT 05068. Online via Zoom webinar and recording. RSVP here to receive the online meeting link and information to join us in person. Go HERE.
Thursday April 24, 7pm. 350.org Climate & Fascism Webinar Series Part 1. Join our exciting line-up of speakers as we discuss the growth of fascism in the U.S. and around the world, and how our climate struggles are intimately connected to the fight for democracy. Go HERE
Thursday April 24 - Saturday, April 26 All day. The Miller Worley Center for the Environment’s second Summit on Feminist
Leadership in Climate Justice is a welcoming space for all genders and
non-binary people seeking to celebrate the accomplishments and vision of
women in the field of climate justice....This three day event will feature
intellectually engaging conversations with experts on a variety of
topics including environmental justice, frontline communities,
extraction, language and activism, and the intersection of art,
indigenous knowledge and science, among others.Go HERE.
– Mt. Hope Cemetery
355 Walk Hill Street ,
Boston
Massachusetts
MA Get Directions
Friday April 25, 4:00 - 6:00pm. I-91 Overpass Day. FCCPR will be trying to cover 6 locations in Franklin County. Our partners to the south and north will be doing I-91 overpasses to the CT border and into Brattleboro. ALL ON THE SAME DAY AT THE SAME TIME! How cool is that? Check out The Visibility Brigade for ideas for signs. To pick your overpass click here and then click on the link in the popup to access the signup form.
Friday April 25, 4 pm - 5:30 pm. Hans Off Our Students! We
are peacefully showing up in solidarity with our universities, colleges,
and students whose rights have been trampled upon by the Trump
administration. Let's show up and show our support for students, staff,
faculty, and institutions who are being targeted! We will meet at 4 p.m.
at Kendrick Park on East Pleasant Street, Amherst, for a visibility
standout. Rain or shine! Bring relevant signs! Kendrick ParkE Pleasant St.. , Amherst, MA 01002. Register HERE.
Friday April 25, 6:30pm. CT River Defenders invites you to a Gathering at the River's Edge, Unity Park, Great Falls (aka.Turners Falls), MA. On Monday, April 22, Mass DEP is expected to issue a 401 Water Quality Certificate for the Pumped Storage operation at FirstLight’s Northfield Mountain. They have the option to deny or waive the Certificate but we 00anticipate that they will allow the continued desecration of the Connecticut River and its ecosystem by issuing it. We will continue to work towards the shut-down of NMPS as the relicensing process proceeds to FERC. Join us and our special guest, Liz Cold Wind Santana Kiser, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Chaubunagungamaug Band, Nipmuc Indians on Friday April 25, 6:30 pm.
Saturday April 26,
9AM-1PM for our 5th Annual Leverett, MA Earth Day Clean Up. You, your family and/or your neighbors
can participate by choosing an area to clean up by signing up at bit.ly/LeverettCleanup. Choose an area near your home or explore an
unfamiliar area in town. A prize will be given to the person(s) who has the
most amount of trash. Free snacks will be available at the Transfer Station.
The event is a great way to give back to our wonderful town. Hope to see you
there!
Saturday April 26, 10 AM - 4 PM. Amherst, MA Sustainability Festival. Amherst Town Common. Join us for a day of family fun, education and entertainment. The Sustainability Festival is in its 13th year! There is literally something for everyone with vendors of renewable energy, energy efficiency product suppliers, advocacy groups as well as sustainable crafts and artisans! Go HERE.
Saturday April 26, 10am to 2pm. Arlington EcoFest. A key focus of this year’s EcoFest Summit will be to highlight themes from Arlington’s Sustainable Landscaping Handbook and the Net Zero Action Plan. Participants will learn how to implement eco-friendly landscaping practices that promote biodiversity, conserve water, and reduce carbon footprints. Additionally, discussions will center on the Town’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, providing insights into how residents can contribute to this ambitious goal through energy-efficient practices and sustainable living. Go HERE.
SATURDAY APRIL 26, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. SPRINGFIELD TESLA TAKEDOWN, Springfield Tesla – Corner of Cadwell Drive & Page Blvd, Springfield, MA RSVP and more information.
Saturday April 26, 1pm. Protect the People, Protect the Planet. Boylston St at Dalton St by the Hynes Convention Center, across from the Boston College of Architecture. As our state and federal governments continue to IGNORE the climate crisis and PANDER to billionaires, join us in the streets to show our love, rage, and strength in numbers! As our democracy crumbles around us, we need mass action, now! March with us to demand protection for our people and our planet - that means no deportations, no genocide, no new fossil fuel infrastructure! RSVP for updates, and plan to bring along 5 more people with you! Rain date: Sunday, April 27. https://xrboston.org/action/2025-earth-day/ .
Friday April 25, 4 pm - 5:30 pm. Hands Off Our Students standout at Kendrick Park, Amherst, MA. We are peacefully showing up in solidarity with our universities, colleges, and students whose rights have been trampled upon by the Trump administration. Let's show up and show our support for students, staff, faculty, and institutions who are being targeted! We will meet at 4 p.m. at Kendrick Park on East Pleasant Street, Amherst, for a visibility standout. Rain or shine! Bring relevant signs! Go HERE.
Saturday, April 26, 2025 [ Early application deadline is Saturday April 12! ] Free day long Grassroots Environmental Organizing Summit hosted by community leaders and grassroots organizations, experts, and student leaders. It will be centered around Oceans, Toxics and the harms of Data Centers and Crypto-mines at University of Massachusetts Boston. Go HERE.
Sunday April 27, 1-4PM, live at Seeds of Solidarity Farm: No-till Gardens and Farms: Healthy Soil, Heal Climate. An experiential
learning packed afternoon suitable to farmers or enthusiastic gardeners
seeking to learn and use no-till methods that use simple tools, build
healthy soil, reduce labor and cost inputs, and promote climate
resilience. Sliding scale: Email deb@
Monday April 28, 4-5:30pm. Deep Dialogue from Dr. William R. Moomaw on "Why
preservation of mature urban trees is so valuable in the face of climate
change."on Zoom. His focus will be specifically on the role mature city trees play in
helping mitigate the damaging effects of climate change, and why
preservation of these stalwart urban climate defenders needs to be
prioritized to achieve climate goals and protect urban public health
against the worst impacts of climate change. Go HERE.
Monday April 28, 7pm. Climate Action Now Monthly Gathering via Zoom. Everyone
is warmly invited to a conversation among labor, immigration and
climate justice organizers in our region about solidarity and movement
building in this critical moment. As people fill the streets in
opposition to the assaults on our democracy we are faced with key
questions. Register HERE.
Wednesday April 30th, 8am to 4pm. Community Climate Leaders Conference, Bentley University, Waltham, MA. Are you involved in addressing climate change and supporting your community to take action? MassEnergize invites you to our annual Community Climate Leaders Conference where we will be inspired, learn from each other's experiences, and support best practices for engaging our communities in climate action. Go HERE.
Saturday May 3, 11am to 3pm. Planet Fiesta - Youth Living for a Sustainable Future. Games; Booths; Food; Entertainment; Workshops & More. Longmeadow Green, Longmeadow, MA.
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Saturday, May 3, 7-9pm {doors open 6:30; reservations expire at 6:45}. Voices of Working People’s History, a free program of dramatic readings and lots of songs, with emphasis on Western Mass. voices, telling the origin story of May Day as International Workers’ Day in Chicago with an inspiring introduction to US labor history up to present-day voices of workers rising up ~ inspired by Howard Zinn. Produced by Warren J. Plaut Charitable Trust, Wellspring Cooperatives, and LightHouse Holyoke.Sponsored by the Western Mass. Area Labor Federation and The Enviro Show (list in formation; please reply if you want to sponsor). LightHouse Holyoke, 92 Race Street, Holyoke {on street parking}. Seating is limited! Reserve seats by May 1st here. There’s no charge. Donations to cover costs accepted here or send a check to Warren J. Plaut Charitable Trust, 25 High St, Granby MA 01033, memo: Voices.
Tuesday May 6, 4:00–6:00 p.m. Rally for Clean Air on World Asthma Day: Bremen Street Community Park Amphitheater, 344 Bremen St., Boston, MA 02128. Thank you for taking action to help protect clean air across Massachusetts. We invite you to take the next step and attend an upcoming event organized with the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Table in East Boston.
Wednesday May 14, 11am Excited to announce the Fix the Grid Campaign's next big action: ISO-NE Doesn't Play Well With Others -- a rally for reform on the Boston Common! We've spent a year working with researchers on a detailed report card
evaluating every regional electric grid operator in the country on their
governance practices. How well do they do on transparency,
accessibility, and accountability? How well do they engage with and
listen to the public, to the people who foot the bill for the entire
system? The grades are in, and our region came in dead last. Join Fix the Grid on Wednesday, May 14th at 11am on
the Boston Common to demonstrate that the people want reforms -- it's
past time for a passing grade on governance. After a rally on the Common
near the statehouse, we'll walk to 100 Cambridge St to deliver the
report card to state offices. Be sure to invite your friends to come
along!
Thursday May 15, 7pm. Free Online Webinar: Microplastics’ Impact on the Brain & Heart. Recent studies have found small fragments of plastics known as
microplastics in the human brain and heart arteries. These studies have
also shown a link between the presence of microplastics and adverse
health outcomes. How do these tiny bits of plastic enter our bodies and
make their way into our brains and our hearts? And what happens when
they lodge there? Register HERE.
That's it for now folks except to remember to listen to your Mother.
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