Greetings Earthlings. In spite of all the bad news out there we still look for some good news out in the forests and among the trees. Michael Kellett, co-founder and Executive Director of RESTORE: The North Woods returns to the show for a conversation. As usual, we will also introduce you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and figure out "Who Left the Door Open" and way more, but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! Watch where you walk & check your shoes
This weeks Fool-on-the-Hill goes plural on us as Common Dreams discovers “The 42 Democratic votes to advance Speaker Johnson and [The President's] surveillance agenda are dangerous and shameful,” said one critic. “These Democrats defied their constituents and common sense to undercut meaningful privacy reforms in the House and instead voted to hand over sweeping spy powers to the...administration.” Last week's Fool, Jim Himes (D-Conn.) was among them. Not sure what they could be thinking. Maybe if they wind up incarcerated in one of those detention warehouses we can ask them?
Speaking of repeat offenders, last week's candidate for "Their Brains Were Small.." gets another mention on the show this week as we demand to know "Who left the Door Open?" and allowed "War" Secretary Pete Hegseth to slither in. "A group of Senate Democrats are demanding more information about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's finances and investments following a report -- which the Pentagon demanded be retracted -- that he may have tried to invest in defense stocks before the war in Iran began roughly five weeks ago." The ABC News report goes on, "This would be a profound conflict of interest and a potential violation of your federal ethics agreement -- and betrayal of the nation paying the price for this war and the troops you are sending into harm's way." Who else made their way in the "Open Door"? Oddly enough, even the questionable DOJ is looking into that. Fortunately, Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced seven articles of impeachment against Hegseth, creating a path to push him out. Get onboard HERE.
AND, speaking of "Their Brains Were Small and They Died" how about the majority dinosaurs on the Supreme Court? The headline says it all: "Supreme Court Guts 1965 Voting Rights Act". It has sent shock waves across the nation. "The lie about race (skin color not science) is the root of the myth of “American Exceptionalism.” U.S. laws and practices have always assumed white supremacy. The United States has never been a “colorblind” or “nonracial” country. The Court majority, including Clarence Thomas, who is a Black ultra right, says the country using a criterion based on race to end discrimination is a form of reverse discrimination against whites. (Thomas has always viewed special protections for discriminated groups as condescending, which is why he has opposed affirmative action programs.)" Small brains indeed. Go HERE.
Let's take a break from these fascist monsters. In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we have an Enviro Show potential Correction? Yes, but like a lot of science this one requires more studies. In the past we have stated on this show that the humble Opossum is big on including ticks on the menu. We have sited various sources as backup but recently a reader on Nextdoor shared this study refuting the claim about Opossums and ticks. Yes, one study does not a reality make. That said, we call on Enviro Show listeners and Wildlife Biologists to clear up this matter ASAP before the dreaded ticks take over the world.
Our Doublespeak of the Week is brought to you by the Pentagon and certain cave dwellers in the White House. "Citing national security risks to US military readiness, the Pentagon is slow-walking the reviews of 165 land-based wind projects, according to the American Clean Power Association, the leading group representing wind and solar developers." It's common knowledge His Malignancy hates clean renewable energy in favor of Big Oil and Old King Coal. We guess he never considered the Climate Crisis as national security risks 'cuz you know "It's a con job". Another Double Doublespeak of the Week!
All that bullshit and this: "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" Climate Hawks Vote tells us: "So why is news coverage of climate change so hard to find? And why do so many political reporters downplay the severity of the crisis and voters’ appetite for action? New reports and journalism from Covering Climate Now, The Nation, and our old friend and climate hawk Bill Mckibben have put a name to the phenomenon: “Climate Hushing.” Climate hushing is when news outlets and politicians downplay climate science and climate change in general because they think it’s not what people want to hear about. But they’re wrong, and climate hushing is bad politics, and just plain bad. Sign and send a letter to major media outlets telling them to stop climate hushing, and report the full truth now." And here's a sign of the times The Guardian isn't afraid to publish: "The process of relocating people from New Orleans should start immediately, as the city has reached a “point of no return” that will see it surrounded by the ocean within decades due to the climate crisis, a stark new study has concluded."
Finally, let's turn to His Malignancy himself, he who is at the bottom of all this bad news. It's said that Nero Played while Rome burned but regardless of the real story, The Mad King (#NoKings) appears to be just as out of touch with reality being so fixated on his obnoxious golden ballroom. You remember, the one he was going to build with private funding? Of course, it was just more of the same old bullshit. Now he wants you to pay for it. We don't think so. Speaking of trashing something sacred to many, His Malignancy is still also fixated on his creepy border wall: "A rare archaeological site in the Sonoran Desert was bulldozed by a Department of Homeland Security contractor involved in building the latest sections of [the] border wall, according to multiple sources briefed on the incident." O wait, did we forget his royal proclamation to take over the elections??
We're handing over our Critter of the Week to The Center for Biological Diversity who "just sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to permanently protect Blue Tree Monitor Lizards under the Endangered Species Act — which would ban their import and sale for the U.S. pet trade, the biggest threat to their survival. Coveted for their brilliant blue hue, these lizards live only on one Indonesian island — but U.S. imports are increasing as the their population plummets. “It’s gut wrenching that federal officials have already recognized the immense danger these lizards face but are now leaving them in limbo,” said Center scientist Dianne DuBois. “While Blue Tree Monitors await protections, poachers keep collecting and importing them from the wild to put them in cages — trading them into extinction.”
The second Trump administration hasn’t protected a single species, foreign or domestic, under the Endangered Species Act since taking office." Surprise!
After our conversation with Michael it's time for the Bus Stop Billboard:
Tuesday May 12, Noon to 4:30pm. Love Your Mother Lobby Day With Mass Power Forward. Together we will advocate for the strengthening of Mass Save in H.5175, the House's energy affordability bill. Massachusetts' signature energy efficiency program, Mass Save, is facing a $1 billion cut, despite the program earning $2.91 in economy-wide benefits for every $1 invested. State legislators are looking in the wrong place for energy bill savings. Instead, the legislature must rein in the corporate profiteering and fossil fuel expenditures of the profit-driven utilities to reduce our skyrocketing energy bills. Go HERE.
Tuesday May 12, 7pm. We invite you to join us for a special community meeting next month on the topic of data centers. Noah Berman, Senior Policy Advocate at the Acadia Center, will join us via Zoom to give a brief presentation on the risks and climate implications of data centers. Following his presentation, there will be a short Q&A. We hope you can join us in person or on Zoom! : Register here to receive the Zoom link.
Tuesday May 12, 7 to 8pm. Meet the Franklin First District Candidates. Montague Common Hall, 34 Main Street, Montague, MA. There are 5 candidates running for the seat vacated by former State Rep Natalie Blaise. Come meet them.
Wednesday May 13, 2pm. Please join us for a conversation with wildlife author Ben Goldfarb, writer of the best-selling Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet, and Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. Ben will be joined by executive director Sean Stevens and Ryan Talbott, who will describe how we can save the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which has protected 58 million acres of un-roaded Forest Service lands since 2001. Go HERE.
Thursday May 14, 5:30pm. Join Team Whalen as they officially open the brand new campaign HQ office right in the heart of downtown Springfield...and doing it on his 39th birthday! Following the ribbon-cutting, come inside and celebrate how far our movement has come and still has to go! Ribbon cutting will take place between 5:30 and 6 PM, Birthday Bash/office opening will take place from 6-8 PM. RSVP here.
Tuesday May 19, 5pm - 7:45. Greenfield Public Library Community Room. You're invited to the Franklin County Premiere-Preview of journalist-filmmaker Abby Martin’s powerful new film Earth’s Greatest Enemy. It documents the many dangerous impacts of the Pentagon on our planet, making a strong case for coordinated peace, social justice and climate action. As seating is limited this invitation includes a form for a seat reservation -- we especially hope that area activists will attend this event and be inspired to organize future local showings. Doors open at 5 pm, with refreshments available; please claim reservations by 5:15. The film is 2 hours long, so discussion will be limited that evening, but can follow.
Tuesday May 19, 6:00 - 7:30pm. Public Meeting on the Future of New England Roadless Areas, and a chance to testify on the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule. Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, 40 College St., Hanover, NH (Note: This event is now in-person only. We plan to hold a separate online event on a different date - please stay tuned for an announcement!). Go HERE.
Friday, May 22 from 4 - 6 p.m. Eversource will hold a meeting at the Wendell Free Library for community members to learn about, ask questions, and share perspectives with Eversource officials regarding its Transmission Right-of-Way Reliability Project, which impacts 29.3 miles of transmission lines through Northfield, Erving, Wendell, Montague, Leverett, Shutesbury, Pelham, Belchertown, Amherst, Granby, and Ludlow. Since August 2022, [Sen. Comerford & staff have] been working with constituents to engage. For those wanting a bit of the history, here’s a recording of the first meeting we held with Eversource on the matter. All questions about this event and about the project in general can be directed to:
MAVegMaintenance@eversource.
Wednesday May 27, 8:15 to 5pm. WMass contingent to the Burlington MA ICE detention center. FCCPR bus meets at the S. Deerfield Park & Ride, Intersection of Rt. 5 & 116. Important note: Everyone who is going from Western MA should register, please, regardless of whether you're going by bus, driving, or being a passenger in someone else's car!! Go HERE.
OK for now but please do remember to listen to your Mother!
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