The Enviro Show Goes Extinct

Greetings Earthlings. Will the show become extinct? Let us know below if you'd miss us if we vanished from the face of the Earth. Les Knight of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement phones in to talk about "the hopeful alternative to the extinction of millions of species of plants and animals [being] the voluntary extinction of one species: Homo sapiens... us." Besides the disappearing act, we'll also be celebrating (while we still can!) the upcoming Summer Solstice with our favorite house witch, Michelle. And, like always, we'll checkout The Fool-on-the-Hill, The Enviro Show Echo Chamber and do some E-Valley-uation, but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! Hyenas Wreak Havoc in Karatu!

In our E-Valley-uation segment The Shut It Down Affinity Group Brings Health Information to Entergy Headquarters (just in case they weren't aware of the health and safety issues relating to their old crumbling nuke!). Then we set Michelle lose on you for the Summer Solstice!

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, who (for some reason) leads the energy and mineral resources subcommittee under the House Committee on Natural Resources. Lamborn censored a photo that was going to be displayed at a hearing about the effects of mountaintop removal coal mining. The picture showed a kid bathing in the murky water that results from mountain top removal. Even though Lamborn never saw the photo he called it "child porn", presumably because he abhors photos that don't support his world view. We thought photos of destroyed mountains were porn! Did we mention Lamborn got in trouble last year for comparing President Barack Obama to a "tar baby" on a radio show. No? Did we mention that people actually voted this man into office....into the U.S. House of Representatives??

Our Quote of the Week from George Carlin is right on theme: "The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we’re gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, ’cause that’s what it does. It’s a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed. And if it’s true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new paradigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn’t share our prejudice toward plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn’t know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, “Why are we here?.....Plastic.”

There's enough going on out there to fill several Enviro Show Echo Chambers but we'll keep it to a dull roar. First off, the BIG news from the journal Nature: are we at a planetary-scale 'tipping point'? Well, have you been listening for say, the past few decades?? May as well stick an Enviro Show Blog Action Bonus in here: help protect the majestic Blue Fin Tuna, OK? And, speaking of Bluefins, their Pacific cousins have shown up on the Other Coast radiated from Fukushima. The BIG news on the nuclear front comes from the New York Times: Court Forces a Rethinking of Nuclear Fuel Storage (not that the NRC pays much attention to such things).

Bob Dylan's "When the Deal Goes Down", from his Modern Times album takes us to our interview with Les Knight of Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. Then it's on to the Bus stop Billboard:

Wednesday, June 20, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. Seeds of Resistance Gathering. Join us to Occupy/Resist the BIO Int'l Convention! NO to Monsanto! NO to GMOs! Join us to build community power, resistance, justice, and autonomy! COUNTER CONFERENCE Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth Street, Jamaica Plain. Contact: ashley@ciclovida.org, 774-460-1274

Thursday, June 21, 11am. Day of Action Against Biodevastation. Dewey Square (near South Station & the Boston Convention Center). Join the Ciclovida team in working to build power in resistance to BIO International, an annual gathering of some of the biggest behemoths in industrial agriculture and the big pharma industry. Contact ashley@ciclovida.org, 774-460-1274

Thursday, June 21, 7pm. Habitat Restoration & the Montague Sand Plain with Tim Simmons. Pre-lecture walk at 5:30 (call first). Great Falls Discovery Center, Avenue A, Turners Falls. Call (413)863-3221.

Monday, June 25, 8:30 am—12:00 pm. Massachusetts Regional WasteWise Forum, EcoBuilding Bargains, 83 Warwick Street, Springfield. Who Should Attend: Businesses, Institutions, Non-profits, Recycling Professionals, Colleges & Universities, Municipalities, and Other Organizations. RSVP: June 18, (413) 586-7350 x 289.

Wed June 27 10:30 – 12:30. Frogs 'N Friends for the Family. Join naturalist Dawn Marvin Ward for a two hour hands-on science program about some special wetland creatures at the Leverett Library. All ages of children are welcome (accompanied by an adult) however the program is geared for 3rd grade and under. This program will start inside with an introduction slide show then head outside (weather permitting) for a walk to a stream. Call: 367-9562

Thursdaqy, June 28th Regional Occupy gathering at Occupy New Haven perhaps with a true All New England March that evening, then the next day Occupy Caravan goes to Occupy Wall Street en route to final overnight in Newark June 29th before reaching Philly for the 5-day National Gathering on June 30th (the big day there will be the final day, July 4th). Go to: occupycaravan.webs.com/

Thursday June 28: COMMUNITY FORUM ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Thursday June 28 6:45 – 9:00 p.m. Greenfield Middle School Auditorium, Greenfield MA. Come hear what the emergency preparedness plans are and bring your questions about potential nuclear meltdown, etc. Emergency response personnel present will be: Mayor William Martin; Bob Strahan, Director of Emergency Response; Bob Berry, MEMA; Nicole Zabko, Dir of Gfld Dept. Public Health; Tracy Rogers, FRCOG Medic vet expert in radiation emergency Contact : Sandra Boston 413-774-5952, Dorothy McIver 413-772-3747 Sponsored by Citizens for Emergency Preparedness http://sagealliance.net/event/greenfield-6-28-12

Thursday, June 28 at 7:00pm Pioneer Valley Green Rainbow Party Meeting in the Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street, Northampton

Sunday July 1, 10am. Independence from Entergy! Brattleboro Common. After a 45 minute Rally, school buses will be leaving the Common for the gates of the Vermont Yankee nuke. A small donation will be asked for before boarding the bus. Alternatively, we encourage people to join a bicycle procession from the Common to Vermont Yankee in Vernon. This is a relatively flat 8 mile ride. All riders should be able to keep pace with a large group of Adult riders. Once assembled at Vermont Yankee we will engage in non-violent civil disobedience action involving blocking the reactor’s main gates. People engaging in the CD will need to have had nonviolence training, and be in affinity groups. Buses will return to Brattleboro from VY at the conclusion of the action. Email: safeandgreencampaign@gmail.com

Wednesday July 4, 4 - 8 pm. July 4th Pitch-in Picnic. Rain or Shine. 3 McClelland Farm Rd, Deerfield. A wonderful place for the picnic and a great variety of ways to enjoy it. Can you come? Can you bring your own utensils? folding chairs? Can you volunteer for a task? RSVP to joanjon@gogtt.net or call 413-467-3944

Wednesday,July 11th, 8 AM - Rally at Plymouth District Courthouse in support of the Pilgrim 14. Email: gogreens@comcast.net

That about does it for us. Shall we continue on or go extinct? Your call! Drop us an email at enviroshow@valleyfreeradio.org or leave a comment below, and remember: listen to your Mother!

The Entergy Endtimes Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. This time around, as we dwell once again on that scary Vermont Yankee nuke and get a call from Deb Katz of Citizens Awareness Network, we'll focus on the nuclear reactor's owner/operator, Entergy. These corporados aren't just threatening the health and well-being of you and your loved ones here in the Valley, they are all over the map with their crap. We will hip you to regional campaigns getting in Entergy's corporate face as well as turn you on to The-Fool-on-the-Hill and some E-Valley-uation, amongst other things but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Little critters shutdown devilish nuke.....again!

We're going plural again with Fools-on-the-Hill. This time it's unnamed Repugnican teabaggers in the House trying to strip bike path funding from the Transportation Bill. Sorry kids, you'll just have to take your chances out there in the traffic. It's the Repugnican way!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we first ask you to take action on the global consequences if that unstable reactor #4 nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima collapses. Then we rewind Rachel Maddow's recent blog post on old King Coal's recent astroturf effort. Check it out: they really are "job creators". Finally, something good comes from Kentucky: to protect batsthe USDA Forest Service renewed an order that closes all caves and abandoned mines on national forest lands in the Southern Region. Also, this good news (we hope) for the beleaguered Brown Bat. And, a powerful actionby women of Appalachia meeting at the West Virginia state capitol wearing white and shaving their heads to represent the stripping of the land. They stood in solidarity with the mountains that have been stripped of their trees, plants and top soil.

We have an E-Valley-uation segment here on our blog (we'll get into the issue on the show at a later date) concerning wind turbines on Mt. Tom. Who wins? Who loses?......Well, sounds like the endangered rattlesnakes lose for sure. What do YOU think?

Time for the Quote of the week: "Eight years involved with the nuclear industry have taught me that when nothing can possible go wrong and every avenue has been covered, then is the time to buy a house on the next continent." - Terry Prachett

Now for our Enviro Show blog tour of Entergy operations around the region. You know, your friendly local radioactive threat? Actually, it's a tour of citizen campaigns AGAINST the friendly local radioactive threats. Let's start right here in the Bay State with the folks hoping to shutdown Entergy's Pilgrim nuke in Plymouth (yes, it's another scary old BWR reactor, just like the one at VT Yankee......and just like the ones melting down in Fukushima!). The folks at The Pilgrim Coalition just got the bad news from the NRC that the nuclear lap-dog.....err...watch dog? has extended Pilgrim's license to radiate...opps, sorry...that's operate. We had the distinct pleasure of demonstrating to a captive audience on the Sagamore Bridge with the folks from the Coalition recently during the usual weekend traffic jam. As you may know, there's only two bridges going off the Cape and if an evacuation was ever necessary due to a Pilgrim nuke meltdown, well....don't think about that. Look over here! It's Entergy's Indian Point nuke (talk about evacuation problems). Indian Point Energy Center is a three-unit nuclear power plant located in Buchanan, New York just south of Peekskill. It sits on a small earthquake fault on the east bank of the Hudson River, 38 short miles north of New York City. Unit 1 is already decommissioned due to safety issues. Unit 2and Unit 3 are operational right now. There are several anti-nuke/pro-safe energy groups trying to shut this sucker down but in the city Shut Down Indian Point Now is our favorite. These guys are connected to Occupy Wall Street's Enviro Solidarity working group. Speaking of New York, up in Scriba the Alliance for a Green Economy is working to shutdown Entergy's Fitzpatrick reactor, the only one of its kind in the nation that did not install a hardened vent system that could reduce the severity of a nuclear accident. And that brings us back to Western Mass & Southern Vermont where Entergy's VT Yankee nuke radiates away on the shore of the Connecticut River just upstream from us. Of course, the SAGE Alliance, consisting of some 40 affinity groups, is flat-out in Entergy's & the NRC's face looking to put an end to the dangerous BWR with all that hot nuke waste sitting in a swimming pool seven stories above ground. We've covered that extensively here on The Enviro Show, but did you know that Entergy is part of the far-right corporate American Legislative Exchange Council? How much worse can it get??

After our interview with Deb it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

* As we speak, the Solar rollers are spreading the anti-nuke/pro-safe energy gospel throughout Vermont. You can follow their progress on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SolarRollersRideAgain

We call for a global mobilization on 5 June (World Environment day), on June 18 against the G20 (which this time will focus on “green growth”) and the progress of the People’s Summit on 20 June in Rio de Janeiro and in the world, social and environmental justice, against the “green economy”, the commodification of life and nature and the defense of the commons and rights of peoples. Go to: occupytheearth.net/

Thursday June 7, 9:15am. The NRC's licensing board is having a hearing in Boston at the McCormack Building, 5 Post Office Square. The hearing concerns NRC orders meant to enhance the safety of U.S. nuclear reactors using lessons learned from the disaster at Fukushima, Japan in March 2011. We feel the NRC's proposals are "band-aids" and inadequate for the Pilgrim nuke. Go to: www.pilgrimcoalition.org/contact/

Friday, June 8, 7pm. Screening of "Just Do It", a year in the secretive world of nonviolent environmental direct action. Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street in Northampton. Enter via Woodstar Cafe, at the front of the building. The venue is accessible. Email: info@northamptoncommittee.org

Saturday, June 9, 10:30 am - 11:30 pm. Renewable Energy. The Great Falls Discovery Center staff will be holding activities exploring water wind and solar power. Join us for a craft afterwards. 2 Avenue A., Turners Falls, Call: 413.863.3221.

Monday, June 11, 2012. In keeping with the SAGE Alliance request for civil resistance at Entergy HQ in Brattleboro, the Shut It Down Affinity Group plans to risk arrest during a presence at Entergy headquarters at 1:30 pm . Shut It Down invites other affinity groups to join us in this civil resistance in accordance with the Shut It Down plans for the day or to attend the action as legal witnesses. Shut It Down trusts that SAGE Alliance members and affinity groups will not betray this plan to any members of the law enforcement community nor to any Entergy employees or officials. This invitation is tendered to the SAGE Alliance on behalf of the Shut It Down Affinity Group. If you want to join the June 11 presence, please contact Hattie Nestel at hattieshalom@verizon.net or haley.antique@verizon.net. Shut It Down does not expect participating affinity groups to adopt our pro se, no bail, no fines guidelines. Shut It Down does expect participating affinity groups and individuals to honor nonviolence.

Tuesday June 12, Noon. STATE-WIDE DAY OF ACTION FOR TRANSIT JUSTICE. MA State House, Boston. Current proposed fare hikes and cuts in both of the MBTA and Pioneer Valley region (PVTA) are disproportionately impacting the elderly, disabled and young. If implemented on July 1st, an adult bus rider taking a trip requiring one transfer will see a fare increase of 20% on the MBTA and 67% in the Pioneer Valley. Seniors taking the same trip will see an increase of 66% in Boston and 79% in Springfield, while disabled clients relying on paratransit will see increases of at least 200%. Call (617) 723-2639

Tuesday, June 12, 7:30pm, 9:00pm. Shutdown Indian Point demo. Tompkins Sq. Park (Avenue A and 7th Street, NYC). 30 years ago on June 12th, over a million people gathered in Central Park to protest against nuclear energy and weaponry. To commemorate the beautiful memories and break through of the anti-nuclear movement, we are going to walk again! Come march/dance/shout with live n.o.n.u.k.e.s. DJs via WBAI NY, 99.5FM! Bring your own radio or boombox to the march and tune to 99.5FM at 8PM. If you are not in NY, listen live on WBAI.org and join the demo wherever you are.

Thursday, June 14, 7 - 8:30pm. A public meeting that DCR will be holding at the Notch Visitoe Center, 1500 West St. (Rt.116) in Amherst relative on the preparation of a Resource Management Plan for the Mount Holyoke Range Planning Unit, including Holyoke Heritage State Park, Joseph A. Skinner State Park, Mount Holyoke Range State Park, and Mount Tom Reservation. Call: (413) 626-4974

Saturday, June 16 9:00am to 12:00 Citizens Awareness Network 21st Anniversary and Annual Membership Meeting. Elections, Year in Review, and the Road to Close VT Yankee. First Congregational Church in Greenfield, 43 Silver St , Greenfield. Breakfast, prepared by Chef Brian Knox, will be served by from 9:00-10:30 am to the first 100 people who RSVP by June 6th. Reply to nukebusters27@gmail.com

Monday, June 18th, at 8am until 10am. Occupy Monsanto, Millions Against Monsanto, & food democracy activists. A Sidewalk Session – An open mic for activists to share & expose the dangers of the biotech industry. The biotechnology industry is conspiring to unleash more GMOs into the environment along with more toxic pesticides. WHERE: Sidewalk in front of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston. Go to: occupy-monsanto.com/occupy-the-bio-international-conference/

Monday, June 25, 8:30 am—12:00 pm. Massachusetts Regional WasteWise Forum, EcoBuilding Bargains, 83 Warwick Street, Springfield. Who Should Attend: Businesses, Institutions, Non-profits, Recycling Professionals, Colleges & Universities, Municipalities, and Other Organizations. RSVP: June 18, (413) 586-7350 x 289.

June 28th Regional Occupy gathering at Occupy New Haven perhaps with a true All New England March that evening, then the next day Occupy Caravan goes to Occupy Wall Street en route to final overnight in Newark June 29th before reaching Philly for the 5-day National Gathering on June 30th (the big day there will be the final day, July 4th). Go to: occupycaravan.webs.com/

Thursday, June 28 at 7:00pm Pioneer Valley Green Rainbow Party Meeting in the Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street, Northampton

That's it for Entergy....so to speak. Next time it really is the end of the world as we know it, so remember: listen to your Mother!

The Hidden Risk Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. We knew mercury makes us stupid, didn't we? I can't remember. In any case, "mercury accumulation, previously considered a risk for aquatic ecosystems, is also found in many wildlife species living on the land", that according to the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) and the Nature Conservancy. Allyson Jackson, Mercury in Forest Songbirds Project Leader and Associate Wildlife Research Biologist for BRI's Migratory Bird Program calls in with the details and our co-host, Glen calls in on another line as well, maybe from poolside at some fancy conference center. You know how Glen gets all mercurial on us when the subject of heavy metals comes up. BTW, Robin from Farm to Fork will join us on the board. As always, we'll checkout The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, visit the Fool-on-the-Hill and some E-Valley-uation, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Bengal tigers attack busload of tourists!

In our E-Valley-uation segment we think you might want to checkout the fledgling falcons and their parents nesting on top of the UMass library. We've been watching since the three chicks were eggs. Very cool (though you might not care for feeding time). Meanwhile, up in Maine, the Biodiversity Research Institute have their own eagle cam here. BRI has a Raptor Program as well. Since we're straying from the Valley here, checkout where Garrett and Maure from our anti-nuke SAGE Alliance strayed to: one of Entergy's other radioactive horror shows out at Plymouth, MA.

Speaking of cool, in The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we pass on this excellent story from Grist. Also, eco-warrior Capt. Paul Watson finds himself in another legal dust-up, this time in Germany facing extradition to Costa Rica on trumped-up charges after monkeywrenching some shark fining operation. Treehugger has the update. And, Treehugger also gives us an update on that North Sea mega-gas drilling leak we covered on an earlier Enviro Show. It looks like the leak has finally been plugged. But guess what: oil & gas drilling leaks and blowouts happen all the time, it goes with the territory (and everything in the territory suffers). Finally, an Enviro Show Blog Bonus Action Link: bats are victims of a hidden risk as well. Please help them out!

Our Fool-on-the-Hill has once again morphed into a plural Fools-on-the-Hill. Remember last year (or was it the year before?) when we reported on the record of the worst Repugnican Congress ever? Well guess what, they've out done themselves and beat their own record!

One of our favorites, "Nature Hatin' Blues" by The Lone Tones takes us to our interview with Allyson Jackson and our experiment with the phones. Then it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, May 23, 12:30 - 1:30; Brown Bag lunch - Noon. GreenWork. Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Boulevard, Springfield. GreenWork (the Western Mass Green Economy Working Group) consists of advocates for a Green Economy which serves local communities; guarantees workers' rights to organize; and promotes community-owned sustainable projects. Call: 413-565-2381

Wednesday May 23 5:30 - 8:30pm NRC Open House on VY Yankee Multipurpose room, Brattleboro Union High School Brattleboro VT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be in Brattleboro on Wednesday, May 23, to discuss the 2011 performance assessment for Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. An open house will kick off the meeting, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a public meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The 2011 assessment was issued on March 5. NRC staff will be available to answer questions on its role in ensuring safe plant operation. In addition, the NRC will host a question and answer session, during which members of the public will be able to ask questions or make statements in a public meeting. There will not be a formal NRC presentation during the public meeting. There are plans underway for street theater and other actions. More info: info@safeandgreencampaign.org or http://www.safeandgreencampaign.org/ai1ec_event/nrc-open-house-on-vy-yankee?instance_id=307

Friday June 1. Wade Rathke | The Battle for Lower Ninth: ACORN and the Rebuilding of New Orleans. 11:30am, lunch & discussion on the anniversary of the Springfield area tornado, 640 Page Blvd, Springfield. We need a head count – RSVP to (413) 827-0301 or wmjwj@wmjwj.org. 7pm, discussion & book signing, Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St (Routes 116 & 47), in the Village Commons, South Hadley; 534-7307 or 800-540-7307; odysseybks@aol.com; www.odysseybks.com

Friday May 25 to Thursday Jun 14 Solar Rollers Ride Again Brattleboro, VT and throughout the 14 counties of Vermont. The Solar Rollers are an anti-nuclear bicycling group formed to ride to Seabrook in 1978. Their first stop was the Vermont Yankee nuke – and they’ve been working to shut it down ever since.Beginning May 25th at 9:00am , the Solar Rollers will ride again, for their 34th anniversary tour. They will travel through all 14 counties of Vermont, talking to citizens along the way at potluck gatherings, through local media, and handing out informational fliers about the campaign to close VY. The Solar Rollers pedal what they preach – Turn on the Sun; Turn off the Nuke. They’ll bring that message to every corner of Vermont this spring.We need the informed citizens of the entire state behind us when we shut Vermont Yankee down – and the Solar Rollers need your help to reach ‘em. So get on a bike and join the Solar Rollers, or make a donation to their outreach tour; contact: 413-863-9296 for more information. Support events in different locations are being planned. Complete itinerary at: http://sagealliance.net/actions/vermont-solar-rollers-5-25-12

SATURDAY JUNE 9, 9 AM – 6 PM NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SUMMIT. Clark University, Higgins University Center, 950 Main Street, Worcester. At this daylong event, community residents and activists, EJ advocates, citizens, lawyers, and policymakers will meet to discuss environmental issues in New England and their impacts on low-income people and people of color. Summit workshops will cover toxics and women’s health, energy justice, urban and rural issues, food justice, and a workshop on Title VI geared to lawyers interested in assisting environmental justice groups. Free breakfast/lunch/child care. Free admission. Go to: http://newenglandejsummit.eventbrite.com

That's it. We are out of here. Please be sure to listen to your Mother.....OK?

Calling all Enviro Show fans!

Do you remember almost six years ago when everyone was so enthusiastic about having our own low-power community radio station in the Valley? We really need that kind of enthusiasm again in these troubled times. WXOJ-LP Valley Free Radio is struggling to survive, but we won’t let the Great Recession, the corporate media and endless distractions throw this community radio station under the bus. Together, we can not only keep VFR on the air broadcasting The Enviro Show and other excellent programs like the new Farm to Fork, but work to build a NEW Valley Free Radio! We’re just putting the finishing touches on our new website and putting out the call for new shows. We REALLY need you to help create the momentum going forward.

Only with your support can VFR broadcast shows like ours that go way beyond mainstream environmentalism. Only with your help can new programmers from community start their own shows on WXOJ-LP. On May 6 through 12th Valley Free Radio will be hosting our annual Spring On-air Fund Drive. We’ll have all sorts of premiums and incentives for listeners who pledge to keep VFR up & running. The Enviro Show will have the usual premiums like Tom Neilson CDs and those zany endangered species condoms, but this year we'll have a few extra surprises as well.

Please tune-in to 103.3fm Tuesday evening at 6:30 or catch our webcast at http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/ and help support progressive community radio. You can call in your pledge during the drive at (413)584-1160. But there’s no need to wait until next week. You can donate right now!

Go to http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/ and click on the “Donate” button to make your pledge. Help progressive programming on VFR by pledging your support now or by calling in during your favorite show.

OK, here's an Enviro Show Spring Pledge Drive Special Premium. There's only one of these on the face of the planet. It's the original art work for the Mass Earth First! logo done by Wendell artist Bob Ellis. The graphic is 15x20" posterboard suitable for framing. If you make a $250 pledge tonight on the show it's yours:

Pledge Drive or no, we still want to take a peek at the Bus Stop Billboard.

* Wednesday May 9, 16, 23, & 30 4-5pm CLOSE VERMONT YANKEE AS PLANNED Weekly Rallies In front of the Vermont State House, Montpelier, VT The Vermont legislature gets it, the PSB gets it and we get it: Entergy is a rogue corporation manipulating Vermont's democratic process Bring your banners and signs! Bring your chants and songs! Bring your friends! Call: (802) 476-3154

* Thursday, May 10, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Western Mass. Affinity Group Cluster Meeting Location: Equity Trust, 177 Avenue A. Turners Falls. More info: tracy.sharon@gmail.com

* Sunday May 13 Noon No Escape from the Cape Demonstration Rt. 6 Cape Cod side of the Sagamore Bridge Mobilize to call attention to the serious dangers of the continued operation of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Reactor in Plymouth and the fact that the Cape Cod bridges will be closed in the event of a radiological accident. More info: Paul Rifkin

* Tuesday May 15, 7pm, Northampton UU Meetinghouse. Why ending Corporate Personhood at the local level is the right place to do the work. 150 communities in seven states are doing just that, banning harmful corporate activities in their own back yards. Paul Cienfuegos , known for his advocacy of "rights-based organizing," will speak, sponsored by the Occupy Affinity group of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

* Wednesday May 16, 7am-10am, Bay State Bike Week is quickly approaching, and the Northampton Bike Week on the courthouse lawn kicks it off. Email: jmontgom@smith.edu

* Sunday May 20 1pm Shut Down Pilgrim NOW! Plymouth, MA, near the main gate of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Park at 1 Elliot Lane, Plymouth, Ma and walk to Pilgrim gate. Groups of concerned citizens from across New England will gather in Plymouth to demand that the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Reactor's 40-year operations expire with it's present license: by June 8, 2012. The General Electric Mark 1 Boiling Water Reactor is the same design that failed at four reactors in Japan. For more information, contact David Agnew or Diane Turco

* Wednesday May 23 5:30 - 8:30pm NRC Open House on VY Yankee Multipurpose room, Brattleboro Union High School Brattleboro VT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be in Brattleboro to discuss the 2011 performance assessment for Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. There are plans underway for street theater and other actions. More info: info@safeandgreencampaign.org or http://www.safeandgreencampaign.org/ai1ec_event/nrc-open-house-on-vy-yankee?instance_id=307

* Friday May 25 to Thursday Jun 14 Solar Rollers Ride Again Brattleboro, VT and throughout the 14 counties of Vermont. We need the informed citizens of the entire state behind us when we shut Vermont Yankee down – and the Solar Rollers need your help to reach ‘em. So get on a bike and join the Solar Rollers, or make a donation to their outreach tour; contact: 413-863-9296 for more information.

OK, that's it for now. Please support the show and.....listen to your Mother!

The Root for the Trees Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Watershed advisory councils giving bad advice, our trees being clearcut and hauled away to Canada, junk science run amok in the forests, who isn't seeing the forest for the trees in the Commonwealth? Chris Matera of Mass Forest Watch returns to help us clear the air. Did we say air? In the E-Valley-uatiuon segment we note that all those trees being cut down used to be busy cleaning the air! We'll also be checking in with this week's Fool-on-the-Hill, as well as a trip to the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Zoo enthusiast and lame Repugnican presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich attacked by penguin!


Let's start off with some serious E-Valley-uation, shall we? The Enviro Show was proud to be one of the sponsors of that SAGE Alliance anti-nuke rally in Brattleboro last Saturday. We were also glad to be there to here Bernie Sanders read the riot act to the corporados at Entergy. Here's his speech. Checkout WHMP's "VT Yankee: Power Struggle debate here. And this op-ed from the NY Times reminds us that all those trees being clearcut from the Quabbin watershed are actually better left standing! Who knew!!



Another past fool returns to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill. Once again Darrell Issa, House Oversight Committee Chairman, and former car thief turned congressman, mounts the Hill to proclaim that the federal loan guarantee program that helps fund solar energy development discourages solar energy development. Actually the solar energy sector grew enormously in 2011 compared to 2010, more than doubling in the U.S. Two major factors drove this surge in U.S. investment. One was the 1603 grant program, which replaced tax credits, thus making it easier and cheaper to finance projects. The other was the loan guarantee program. Maybe that was an oversight on Darrell's part.


In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber this just in: Greg Palast blows the cover off BP's OTHER disastrous blowout! And this: the Prez makes the point that Wall Street speculators are one of the big reasons you're paying so much at the pump for gas. Of course we've been saying that for months, even as high-profile enviro reporters like Elizabeth Kolbert and others seem oblivious. And this: biomass blaze in the UK sheds light on what one might call the Kalfka clause! Remember the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Well, if you order now you can get it free with Japanese radiation!


Speaking of radiation, while on one hand we applaud the New Boss for his slamming greedy speculators on inflated gas prices, on the other hand the Boss seems to think nukes are renewables!


Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week is spot on for the show's theme. It was Massachusetts' favorite son, Henry David Thoreau said:

"I come home to my solitary woodland walk as the homesick go home. I thus dispose of the superfluous and see things as they are, grand and beautiful."

O, by the way, last week's Guess the Quote? That was President Bill Clinton.



After hanging out with Chris we'll wander over to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday April 25, Noon to 1:30pm. GREENWORK ROUNDTABLE. Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Boulevard, Springfield. GreenWork (the Western Mass Green Economy Working Group) consists of advocates for a Green Economy which serves local communities; guarantees workers' rights to organize; and promotes community-owned sustainable projects. Contact: Mary Vogel, 413-565-2381

Friday, April 27, 10:30 am. Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal Street..Arbor Day will be celebrated by planting a disease-resistant elm tree at the Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal Street. Superintendent Dr. Susan Hollins, Greenfield Middle School students and teachers will participate – all are invited. “It is hard to imagine our town without our beloved trees,” says Cindy Pomeroy, Greenfield Tree Committee member and organizer of Arbor Day. “We are healthier in body and spirit because of them.” For more information call 774-5667.

Saturday, April 28, 10am & 2pm. Unwanted Drug Collection. Ensure that unused drugs are disposed of safely by bringing them to a Saturday collection at Wildwood Elementary School, 813 N Pleasant St (enter off Strong Street) in Amherst. Antibiotics, Vitamins, prescription, non-prescription & veterinary meds are welcome. No liquids will be accepted.

Tuesday, May 1 A Day Without the 99%: May Day 2012. On May 1st we will take the streets to reclaim our jobs, our communities, our lives. Occupy Wall Street stands in solidarity with the calls for a General Strike, a Day Without the 99%, and more! There will be actions throughout the day, including a 4 p.m. rally at Union Square that culminates with a march to Wall Street at 5:30 p.m. Contact: mayday@nycga.net

April 30-May 5, 2012. Climate Impacts Action Week: We need volunteers! Action on the Coolidge Bridge. Rush-hour (8 to 9am & 5 to 6pm) groups of 10 or more people will stand on the sidewalk of the Coolidge Bridge between Hadley and Northampton. Main Event: Saturday, May 5, 8-9:00am, 5-6pm. Show your support for a world without fossil fuels. Sign up now:
 johnpberk@gmail.com, or 413-625-6374

Tuesday, May 8. 6p.m. Organic Lawn Care” lecture at Better Life Whole Foods, 1492 Allen St, Springfield. Registration call: (413)783-9424

Tuesday May 15, 7pm, Northampton UU Meetinghouse. Why ending Corporate Personhood at the local level is the right place to do the work. 150 communities in seven states are doing just that, banning harmful corporate activities in their own back yards. Paul Cienfuegos , known for his advocacy of "rights-based organizing," will speak, sponsored by the Occupy Affinity group of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.


So much for that. Next time it's the Valley Free Radio on-air fund drive. That's the part where YOU come in. We can't do this without your support. It's as simple as that. How about sending your donation right now? Just go here and click on the blue "donate" button near the top of the page. Thanks for that and remember, listen to your Mother!

Rally Saturday! - Shutdown VT Yankee Nuke/Suppport VT

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
VT Governor Peter Shumlin
Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell

to speak at
RALLY TO SUPPORT VERMONT

Citizens from Vermont and surrounding states show support for the democratic will of the people and Vermont elected officials and learn why and how we must act now to decommission Vermont Yankee rather than extend its original 40-year license.
Saturday, April 14, 2012, Noon to 2:00 pm
Brattleboro Common, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301


Also Statements issued from

Former Governor Madeline Kunin
and other elected officials

Special Musical Guest:
Fenibo (a rousing 12-piece Afro-beat ensemble)



The rally will:

• Acknowledge the state’s work to replace Vermont Yankee with sustainable energy solutions and prevent further radioactive contamination of the soil, air, and water surrounding the reactor.
• Support Vermont’s resolve to stand up to the Entergy Corporation’s arrogance and intimidation.
• Recognize Vermont Yankee’s impact on neighboring states and growing national momentum to close 24 antiquated Fukushima-type reactors like VY nationally.
• Demand Entergy Corporation stop using courts to delay fulfilling its agreement with the state to begin, as of March 21, 2012, a responsible, jobs-creating decommissioning of the reactor and clean-up the site.

• Inform the community of the urgent need to work together now to secure the funds needed (while they still exist) to get the job done.



Rally sponsors include: Citizens Awareness Network (CAN), Safe & Green Campaign, Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), Nuclear Free Vermont, Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance, New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution (NEC), Beyond Nuclear, Greenpeace, SAGE Alliance, Vermont Citizen Action Network, Vermont Toxics Action Center, The Enviro Show, Clamshell Alliance, the Sierra Club, Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR -- representing 1,180 Vermont companies).

The Seeing Redd Enviro Show

Greetings Earthling. Time once again to check the spin cycle on the old greenwashing machine. Jeff Conant, Communications Director for our friends at the Global Justice Ecology Project joins us to look into Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation or REDD. While being hyped as oh so green such programs will have serious negative impacts and will not mitigate climate change. Also on the show: the Fool-on-the-Hill, our E-Valley-uation segment, The Enviro Show Quote of the Week, and a trip to the Echo chamber, but first it's time for......Revenge of the Critters! Fox mugs large human for groceries!

House Budget Committee chairman Repugnican Paul Ryan once again wins the prize: the biggest Fool-on-the-Hill. Ryan rode his stupid Trojan Horse up the Hill to a sort of pyrrhic victory with the expected passage of his draconian budget in the Repugnican dominated House. Obama called it "a prescription for decline". We call it a steaming pile of toxic waste (and that's just for when we're on the air in mixed company).

This time our Enviro Show Quote of the Week is actually a Guess the Quote. Who said:

"First, I worry about climate change. It's the only thing that I believe has the power to fundamentally end the march of civilization as we know it, and make a lot of the other efforts that we're making irrelevant and impossible".

We have a special prize for anyone who guesses correctly.

"Judi Bari"by Dave Rovics takes us to the Echo Chamber where we find the ghost of Judi Bari back in the news. Also this interesting piece in HuffPo. So, protect the atmosphere, right? How about protecting it from this Total disaster? A six mile long plume of gas, maybe going on for months in the North sea? Did someone say BP-like blowout 2.0? In our Dept. of Useless Humans we have the meth-head who burned down a 3,500-year old tree while taking pictures of it with her cellphone. And this: cowboys & corporados are fixin' to close the door forever on Navajo and Hopi food and water sovereignty, security and self-reliance. You can do something about it here. And speaking of doing something, how about pledging to protect Bluefin Tuna here?

Good news in the E-Valley-uation segment: Occupy Holyoke Community College General Assembly passed a proposal to endorse the movement to Shut Down Vermont Yankee - As Scheduled In 2012 ! More and more Occupiers are becoming aware of the radioactive threat the corporados at Entergy are laying on us. Also this: recent letters in the Valley Advocate in favor of continued clearcutting in the Quabbin watershed have generated some push back. With that in mind, we announce this year's winner of the Enviro Show Big Green Clearcutter's Award !

After our visit with Jeff we take a peek at the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, April 11, 7:30 to 8:30pm. Panel on Oil. Michael Klare & Michael Lynch debate "Can the U.S. rely on oil as a source of energy in the future? Smith College Campus Center, Carroll Room. Email: nh10@hampshire.edu

Saturday, April 14, Noon. Rally to Support Vermont Shut Down Vermont Yankee. Brattleboro, VT Town Common. Keynote speaker: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders with Special Musical Guests, including the 12-piece Afro-beat ensemble, Fenibo. Please join us for a rally to support the democratic will of the people and elected officials of Vermont to shut down the dangerous Vermont Yankee nuke rather than permit it to operate beyond its original 40-year license. Go to: http://sagealliance.net

Sunday, April 15, 9:30am 99% Spring Training - Pioneeer Valley Central Labor Council., 640 Page Boulevard, Springfield. Call: (413) 732-7970

Friday, April 20, 21, 27, 28, at 8 PM, and April 22, 29, at 2 PM, in Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls. Based on real events, Radium Girls tells the story of young American women who went to work painting watch dials for the U.S. Radium Corporation in 1917. Decent and good paying jobs for women were hard to come by. U.S. Radium paid top dollar and thousands of women went to work painting watch dials with a glow-in-the dark radium-based paint. Numerous women became sick with a crippling illness and died. The corporation blamed the victims and practiced a cover-up. But the “Radium Girls”, in the face of death, refused to go quietly. Called “a genuine theatrical gift” by the Chicago Stage Review, Radium Girls is a compelling drama. Tickets are available at the door, can be purchased at the World Eye Bookshop, Greenfield, and the Jones Library, Amherst. Contact: Robert Freedman, 413-586-6095, http://www.arenacivictheatre.org/.

Saturday April 21, 10:00 AM - 4:00pm. The 3rd Annual Amherst Sustainability Festival on the Amherst Town Common. Bring unwanted clean & dry clothing, rags & household textiles to benefit the Amherst Survival Center & Fisher Home Hospice Shop. Tree identification activities and games led by Jim Terruso, Mt Tom Park Ranger. Participate in the Eco-Hero Hunt and win great prizes! Learn about home energy savings, renewable energy options, tree care, waste footprint reduction, sustainable energy, tree planting demonstration. Support local businesses, local artisans, environmental organizations, and the environment.

Saturday, April 21, 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Would you support a food co-op in downtown Amherst? Meeting at Food for Thought Bookstore, 106 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA. We invite you to attend a community interest meeting about the Amherst Community Market, a food cooperative for our town. A cooperative business is one that is owned and operated by and for the community it serves.

Sunday, April 22, 1:00pm - 6:00pm. Earth Day Festival 2012. Library Lawn, UMass Amherst Campus. Join over 35 student organizations at the sustainability fair to learn about how students are making UMass Amherst the greenest campus! Contact: Ezra Small, esmall@facil.umass.edu (413) 545-0799

Sunday, Apr 22, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Occupy Earth Day. BP Gas Station, 300 Lafayette St., New York City. Occupy Earth Day begins with a second line funeral march for the Gulf Coast commemorating the anniversary of the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill in 2010. We will march from the BP station to Union Square for a rally reclaiming Earth Day from corporate greenwashers and bringing it back to its radical roots. Email: owseswg@gmail.com

Monday, April 23, 10:00am - 1:00pm. Ignite is an energizing, geek event hosted in over 100 cities worldwide. At the event, UMass Amherst student and alumni presenters will be given the exciting opportunity to share their ideas about sustainability to an audience of colleagues, friends, professors, and students via 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds for a total of five minutes. Student Union, UMass, Amherst.

Saturday, April 28, 10am & 2pm. Unwanted Drug Collection. Ensure that unused drugs are disposed of safely by bringing them to a Saturday collection at Wildwood Elementary School, 813 N Pleasant St (enter off Strong Street) in Amherst. Antibiotics, Vitamins, prescription, non-prescription & veterinary meds are welcome. No liquids will be accepted.

Next time we drag Chris Matera into the studio for a few rounds of whack-a-mole...err...we mean clearcutter. They keep popping up! Until then remember: listen to your Mother!

The Next Big Thing......

The Antibiotic Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. So, you think the FDA is there to protect you from the abuse of antibiotics? Maybe not. Kyla Bennett, Director of New England Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility returns to these microphones to take the cure....no wait! to TALK about the cure. That covers the antibiotics (which is more than the FDA seems concerned about). We get into some probodiotics with a report-back from the healthy direct action on the body politic at VT Yankee's corporate Entergy office in our E-Valley-uation segment, as well as some positive news in The Enviro Show Echo Chamber. As usual we double down on the bad news (of course!) with The Fool on the Hill and when we Meet the New Boss, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! This week it's teeny, tiny critters who are seeking revenge against......are you ready? Antibiotics!

In The Enviro Show E-Valley-uation segment it's reportbacks from last Thursday's direct action at Entergy headquarters in Brattleboro. Everyone was there.....except for Entergy! Without a corporado in sight, it looked like we scared them off leaving only us, the media and the friendly cops, the 99%, to act out our parts in the theater of protest. Maybe next time we should just show up unannounced, like the Shut it Down Affinity Group does all the time. Now we're coming up on the 33 anniversary of the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island. Here's D.O.'s thoughts on that fiasco. And this: Rivers & streams getting low? Remember two summers ago when we found the Sawmill River in Leverett with barely any water? Fish and other aquatic life cannot survive in rivers and streams that are chronically desiccated in summer and fall. Please go here to help protect them and our rivers & streams.

The Enviro Show Echo Chamber leads off with an important Blog Bonus Action link. We need to convince the Gov that logging in the Quabbin Watershed is ...well, not such a good idea. Go here and let your voice be heard. Here's that positive news we mentioned earlier, it's from Grist: former corporado seeks to save the planet! On to the bad news: No deaths from Fukushima? Stay tuned on that one. O, and speaking of disasters, Science Daily tells us that not only did oil affect the ecosystem in the Gulf during the BP blowout, but it was still entering the food web after the well was capped. Yum! Toxic sludge is good for you. No? OK, how about ending corporate welfare for Big Oil? By the by, it's not just Big Oil who is picking your pocket at the pumps, it's their friends on Wall Street too. Finally, this from Treehugger: corporados wrote the law requiring climate denial being taught in Tennessee schools. Not so smart ALECS we'd say.

Our Fool-on-the-Hill is freakin' Florida Repugnican Rep. Cliff Stearns who wants to sell off our National Parks! Hey, if he waits a few months we can have actual fire sales out West!

This time we Meet the New Boss as he "stood in a red-dirt field before acres of stacked pipeline pieces on Thursday to illustrate his support for expedited construction of the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline" (You know, the one that's intended to spew dirty tar-sands oil off to China? The one he opposed before he supported it?). Obama said "We’ve added enough new oil and gas pipeline to encircle the Earth and then some". Aren't you impressed? Also, The Washington Post revealed this weekend that the White House has a current offer "still on the table" to make billions of dollars of cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Democratic Leaders in Congress, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, grudgingly agreed to the deal, according to the Post. All such cave-ins to the corporados and far-right extremists means more scrambling for survival by the rest of us which, in turn means less consideration for a failing biosphere and a deeply troubled planet.

"The End of the World" by Marie Mason, Danny Dollinger & Darryl Chemey & friends takes us to our interview with Kyla Bennett, then we checkout the Bus Stop:

Wednesday, March 28, Noon to 1:30pm. GreenWorks Roundtable. 640 Page Blvd., Springfield, MA. Contact: maryvogel@builtbest.org

Wednesday, March 28th 6:30 pm, "Permaculture:TheGrowing Edge" a film about sustainable care for the earth, its people and the future [What, only people??] by Donna Read and Starhawk that offers an antidote to environmental despair, a hopeful and practical look at a path to a viable, flourishing future. Greenfield Public Library (back door), Main St. in Greenfield.Discussion will follow. Offered by Greening Greenfield Energy Committee and Transition Town Greenfield. For more info call 773-7004

Friday, March 30, Noon. Occupy the EPA to rally and launch the American Spring with a demonstration at the headquarters of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC. The demonstration will start at 12:00 noon at Franklin Square Park (13thand I Sts, NW, Washington, DC) and the march will head down 12th Street to the EPA Headquarters. Call: 410-591-0892

Friday & Saturday, March 30-31, The 30th National Pesticide Forum Healthy Communities: Green solutions for safe environments Yale University -- New Haven, CT. Go to: www.beyondpesticides.orgor call (202)543-5450

Saturday, March 31,1:00 PM. What’s So Cool About a Vernal Pool? Come to the Leverett Library to find out all about what a vernal pool is and some of its special features. Dawn Marvin Ward will present a hands-on program designed for families and beginner naturalists. This program will begin inside and then venture outside to visit the library’s own vernal pool (weather permitting). All ages are welcome BUT this program is designed for children ages 8+ and accompanied by an adult. If extremely inclement weather; indoor activities will be available. For more information contact Dawn 367-9562 or Leverett Library 548-9220.

Sunday, April 1, 12:30 to 3:30pm. Pioneer Valley Green-Rainbow Regional Convention. Umass Amherst Campus Center, Room 101, Campus Center Way. Presidential candidate Jill Stein will be speaking around 1 pm! Stein was recently endorsed by Noam Chomsky and has been traveling around the country, meeting activists and discussing her proposal for a "Green... New Deal" for the USA. Email: crustacean99@gmail.com

Sunday, April 1, 2-3 PM, Leverett Library. "Moths: Better than Butterflies" with Ted Sargent. Join Ted as he discusses his 50 years of observation and research (as a naturalist and Professor of Biology, UMass) on moths and their interactions with birds and the effects of those interactions on the evolution of the moths.

Tuesday, April 3, 6pm public hearing on Springfield's Combined Sewer Overflow long term control plan at Springfield City Hall (36 Court Street). Twelve years after they put together a draft document, Springfield will unveil its 20+ year plan for significantly reducing CSO discharges into the Connecticut River. Find out why they don't think they can achieve full elimination. This is your chance to let them
know you care about water quality in the river.

Tuesday, April 3, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Public meeting on the reconstruction of the Norwottuck Rail Trail. Hadley Elementary School, 21 RiverDrive, Hadley (Rt. 47). The Department of Conservation and Recreation will hold an informal meeting and information session about the long awaited reconstruction of the Norwottuck RailTrail. Plans for the new trail will be on displayand trail users are encouraged to come and voice their opinions. Email: Morrisfri@aol.com

Saturday, April 14,Starting at Noon- 2:00. Rally to Support Vermont & Shutdown Vt Yankee! Keynote speaker: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders with Special Musical Guests (including the 12-piece Afro-beat ensemble, Fenebo). Gov Shumlin has also been invited to speak in addition to a number of other people!! More details to follow. Contact Deb for more info 413-339-5781

So much for that show. Stay tuned for our April 10 Enviro Show on "A Darker Shade of Green: REDD Alert and the Future of Forests". Until then remember: listen to your Mother!

Another Ides of March Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Time once again to beware the Ideas of March. This time we send the warning out to Entergy, owners of that ticking nuclear time bomb just to our north on the shore of the Connecticut River in Vernon, Vermont. Warning, warning corporados! The people are coming! We talk with Randy Kehler of the Safe & Green campaign about the issues and area residents rising up to defend their homes from nuclear meltdown and corporate criminal behavior in the wake of the first anniversary of the ongoing multiple meltdown in Fukushima, Japan. Also, we hear from The Fool-on-the-Hill, our Enviro Show Quote of the Week, echos from the Echo Chamber and who knows what all, but first it's time for.....Revenge of the Critters! Think climate disruption when camels attack!

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is leading the charge against the President's clean energy proposals........you know, the ones he was for before he was against? McConnell and the Repugnican crazy choir are trying to make fun of algae biofuel advances, labeling them pipe dreams or worse. Did someone say crazed ideologue? No? Maybe pathetic hypocrite? Meanwhile it's still that tired old call for "drill, baby drill" on the far-right even though Big Oil is......are you ready? exporting dirty U.S. petro instead of keeping it here at home! And speaking of Repugnicans difficulty relating to the planet, checkout this.

Our Quote of the Week is on message from Ronny Raygun: “All the waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk.” The question is: whose desk!

In our E-Valley-uation segment we do a run-down on all the area actions around the scary Vermont Yankee nuke.....you know, that old crusty boiling water reactor just like the ones melting down in Fukushima? Checkout coverage on The Commons site here and here as well as an excellent letter to the editor from the CT Watershed Council here. And here's a link to the latest news on the VT Yankee struggle in the courts. There were Fukushima anniversary events at Vt Yankee and everywhere. Here's Beyond Nuclear's coverage. Also this: Tell MA House Speaker DeLeo to advance the Updated Bottle Bill. Go here. Finally, if you're on Facebook here is an excellent & creative way to remind Gov. Patrick that logging in the Quabbin watershed is a truly bad idea.

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find Repugnicans in the U.S. Senate failed in trying to ram an amendment into the Transportation Bill to move ahead on the Keystone XL dirty oil pipeline. While we're on the topic of Big Oil checkout Greg Palast's in-depth analysis of the new BP oil disaster settlement down in the Gulf region. Looks like BP gets off easy.....once again. Let's not forget King Coal! Here's an Enviro Show Blog Bonus action link telling the EPA to limit carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. Do it for the Polar Bears! Now, how about doing one for the Manta Rays?

Our favorite no nukes anthem, "Shut 'em Down" by the late great Gil Scott Heron takes us to our interview with Randy, then it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Now thru March 23: Remember Fukushima - 19 day walk for a new spring 2012. A nineteen-day walk from Seabrook Nuclear Power day Plant in NH to Plymouth Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, MA on the anniversary of the catastrophe at Fukushima, Japan and ending the walk in Vernon, VT at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. For more information or to support the walk when it comes to your community contact: Tim Bullock at 413 413-485-8469 or email: walk4newspring@gmail.com

Thursday, MARCH 15, 3:00PM. Save Our Homes Front of Bank of America, 1 South Pleasant Street, Amherst. Go to: http://pol.moveon.org/event/saveourhomes/127683

Saturday, March 17, 1 to 2:15pm. The Puzzle of New England's Predators. Predators such as bobcat, coyote, and fishers live locally, but do we really know that much about them? Join naturalist John Foster of the New England Naturalist Training Center for a slide show of New England's predators. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A., Turners Falls. Call: 413-863-3221

Wednesday, March 21,7:00 to 9:00pm. Creating Democracy and Challenging Corporate Rule. Join David Cobb from Move to Amend for an action meeting to determine our community’s response to the court's ruling and what we can do to join the national movement to Abolish Corporate Personhood. Fracis Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic St., Northampton.

Thursday, March 22,11am. Entergy your time is up! Town Common, Brattleboro, VT. Non Violent Affinity Groups from around the Evacuation Zone and beyond are telling Entergy Their time is UP!! Meet on the town common and walk up to Entergy Headquarters on Old Ferry Rd. You need to join an affinity group and attend non-violent training. To join an affinity group contact David at: reporter@montaguema.net

Friday, March 23, 7pm. Forks over Knives .Two nutrition researchers argue that a vegan, whole-food diet reduces one's risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. Northampton Committee Friday Night Films. Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street in Northampton.

Saturday, March 24. "Day of Solidarity with Vermont. Actions by our sister reactor communities around the United States. Go to: www.BeyondNuclear.org/FreezeOurFukushimas

Wednesday, March 28th 6:30 pm, "Permaculture:TheGrowing Edge" a film about sustainable care for the earth, its people and the future [What, only people??] by Donna Read and Starhawk that offers an antidote to environmental despair, a hopeful and practical look at a path to a viable, flourishing future. Greenfield Public Library (back door), Main St. in Greenfield.Discussion will follow. Offered by Greening Greenfield Energy Committee and Transition Town Greenfield. For more info call 773-7004

That's it 'til next time BUT remember: listen to your Mother!

The Art of Recycling Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Like the man said: "One word.......plastics". Lou Leelyn of Lou's Upcycles joins us to talk EcoArt and transforming plastics into classics. As always we venture into The Enviro Show Echo Chamber and gawk at The Fool-on-the-Hill, as well as have a listen to the Quote of the Week and our E-Valley-uation segment, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Shakira on the rocks with angry sea lion!

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill was knocked off the Hill awhile back but we couldn't resist taking a whack at Rick Sanitarium.....err...Santorum who apparently believes environmentalism is anti-science. And to think we thought Repugnicans were anti-science. Who knew!

Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week comes from Rachel Carlson:

"Considering the whole span of earthly time... Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species – man – acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world."

In our E-Valley-uation segment we find that Western Massachusetts Electric Company recently finished building the largest utility-owned solar power facility in New England on Goodwin Street in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield. And this: will Green Transportation work in our ex-urban valley? Checkout Pioneer Valley Relocalization on Facebook.

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we scope out the New York Times piece on the Heartland Institute's plans to promote a curriculum that would cast doubt on the scientific finding that fossil fuel emissions endanger the long-term welfare of the planet."Global warming? - Not man made, not harmful". Whoa! Talk about education!

After our interview with Lou Leelyn we move to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, February 29, 8:00am. Shutdown the Corporations! Eastern Point Beach Park, Groton, CT. Go to: http://occupyhartfordct.com/f29/

Thursday, March 1, Noon to 3pm. Occupy Education. Umass Amherst march & direct action. Walk out of class, meet at the Student Union steps. Occupy Education has called a national walkout and day of action for universities throughout the United States. UMass Amherst will walk out of classes at noon, converge on the student union steps, followed by a march and direct action in solidarity with Occupy Education.

Saturday, Mar 3, 9:30am to 10:00pm. Powershift. Meet at Court Square - The Greenfield town common, Greenfield. We, the people of MA, VT and NH will be marching on March 3rd to the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor. We will gather in Court Square in Greenfield MA and depart at 9:30am for the nuclear plant in Vernon, VT. This is an estimated 6 hour walk for about 16 miles. We shall vigil for the remaining hour and will have shuttle services from Vernon to Brattleboro for our after party at 7pm. Contact: fungiaffinity@gmail.com

Saturday, March 3, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Toxics Action Center 25th Anniversary event in Boston. The workshops are still being finalized. The key notespeakers are Lois Gibbs is the Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

March 4, 2pm, Grace Church, Amherst for Alexandra Dawson's memorial service. If you would like to help the family with preparations, please respond to alexandramemorial@gmail.com. Memorial gifts may be made to Kestrel Land Trust at www.kestreltrust.org.

Saturday, March 10th from 1-4pm Western Mass General Assembly at a U-Mass location TBA.

Sunday, MARCH 11, 12:45 pm. “IT COULD HAPPEN HERE” -- MOCK EVACUATION AND PUBLIC
FORUM ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE. Transportation Center, Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT. Culminating at 5:00pm at the River Garden, Main Street, Brattleboro. On March 11, one year after the disastrous earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, the SAGE Alliance will be sponsoring a mock
evacuation of Vermont Yankee in solidarity with the people of Japan. We are asking supporters who want to take part in the evacuation to meet at 12:45 pm at the Transportation Center on Flat Street in Brattleboro with their "evacuation gear." School buses will transport participants to the Vermont Yankee gates, where we will assemble with our strollers, roller bags,backpacks, and other “evacuation” items, as well as our signs and banners. We will then walk the six miles from Vermont Yankee to downtown Brattleboro. Call: 802-258-7750

Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16, Arise has the great good fortune to host the Walk for a New Spring. The Walkers are focused on ending nuclear war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power plants, with a special focus on the victims of Fukushima. On Friday morning, just before the Walkers leave for their next destination, we'll have a ceremony at the Connecticut River. We are looking for haikus on the following themes: protecting the river, blessing the waters, peace, anti-nuclear-- pretty broad, really. Send your haikus to michaelannb@gmail.com. And feel free to join us!

That is all. Remember: listen to your Mother!


--

The Brushy Mountain Enviro Show - A Love Story

Greetings Earthlings. Of course it's near Valentines Day and we're here to tell you we love Brushy Mountain in Leverett and love the fact that it's been saved from development....forever! Cinda Jones of W.D. Cowls & Kristin DeBoer, Executive Director of Kestrel Trust join us for the love fest. As usual we'll also visit this week's Fool-on-the-Hill, Meet the New Boss, and the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, as well as have a listen to the Quote of the Week, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! A post-Holidaze Special: it's about those Christmas trees. Yes, we know trees aren't critters, but are mold spoors?

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is last week's Fool-on-the-Hill. House Speaker John Boehner and the Repugnican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives announced plans last Thursday to cut all designated funding for mass transit. With any luck the House might throw Boehner under the bus, but we doubt it (we can dream though, right?.......O wait, which far-right nut job would replace him!). So what do you suppose is behind this latest far-right assault on mass transit? Could it be.......black helicopters! Many way off the rails Teabaggers think so!

It looks like The New Boss is trying to look tough on the corporados and Big Banksters due to their assaults on the U.S. economy and all those home owners they kicked to the curb. But looks sure can be deceiving! O wait, you think this post doesn't belong on a show about the environment? Shall we talk about the limited choices faced by bankrupt citizens? families? towns? states? nations?

This week's Quote of the Week comes once again from one of Massachusetts' favorite sons, Henry David Thoreau:

"Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it."

In our Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find Senate Republicans are pushing legislation that would reverse the president's decision and grant immediate approval for the Keystone pipeline. Here's an Action Link to....um..act on! And this: a 26-second tour of your planet melting down! Ugh, maybe something more upbeat? How about 300,000 organic farmers sue Monsanto in Federal Court?

"Morning in the Mountains", by Walkin' Jim Stoltz takes us to our love fest with Cinda & Kristin, then we stroll over to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, February 15, 7pm. Ray Bradley, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences and director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst speaking at the Leverett Library in Leverett Center on the climate crisis: "Global Warming and Political Intimidation". (Snow date: Monday, February 27) Call: 413-548-9220

Thursday Feb 16 at 7pm in First Churches of Northampton, in the Parlor (upstairs) there will be a meeting for anybody wanting to plan a Western Massachusetts General Assembly.

Thursday, Feb. 16,7pm. Environment Massachusetts benefit at the Wendell Public Library.

Friday,February 17, Noon to 1:30. Panel on Vermont Yankee at the Sloan Theater, Greenfield Community College. DECOMMISSIONING AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR – A PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL FORUM. Call: (413) 367-9725

Tuesday, February 21st 7:00-8:30 an informational forum about the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Vernon, MA, which will be at UMASS on in the Cape Cod Lounge.
This forum is a chance to find out what’s been happening with the plant and its owner Entergy. Call: (413) 577-4253

Thursday, Feb 23, 5:30pm. Citizens Awareness Network Meeting. Solar Store of Greenfield, 2 Fiske Ave, Greenfield. Hear the latest on the fight to Shut Down ENVY. What can be done to support the PSB in their decision to withhold a CPG from ENVY? Report from the SAGE Alliance coordinating committee. Help organize local forums and house parties on decommissioning issues. Email: deb@nukebusters.org

Saturday, Feb 25, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Non-Violent Direct Action Training. Media Education Foundation 60 Masonic St. Northampton, MA. For more info and to register please contact: Paki Wieland: pakiwieland@gmail.com or Jeff Napolitano: JNapolitano@afsc.org or (413) 584-8975

Monday February 27, 6:30 pm to 8:00pm. Sunderland Safe Energy meeting at the Sunderland Library. Contact phone # is 774-563-9846
Find & Like on Facebook at Sunderland Safe Energy

Thursday, March 1, Noon to 3pm. Occupy Education. Umass Amherst march & direct action.
Walk out of class, meet at the Student Union steps. Occupy Education has called a national walkout and day of action for universities throughout the United States. UMass Amherst will walk out of classes at noon, converge on the student union steps, followed by a march and direct action in solidarity with Occupy Education.

Saturday, Mar 3, 9:30am to 10:00pm. Powershift. Meet at Court Square - The Greenfield town common, Greenfield. We, the people of MA, VT and NH will be marching on March 3rd to the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor. We will gather in Court Square in Greenfield MA and depart at 9:30am for the nuclear plant in Vernon, VT. This is an estimated 6 hour walk for about 16 miles. We shall vigil for the remaining hour and will have shuttle services from Vernon to Brattleboro for our after party at 7pm. Contact: fungiaffinity@gmail.com

Saturday, March 3, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Toxics Action Center 25th Anniversary event in Boston. The workshops are still being finalized. The key notespeakers are Lois Gibbs is the Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

March 4, 2pm, Grace Church, Amherst for Alexandra Dawson's memorial service. If you would like to help the family with preparations, please respond to alexandramemorial@gmail.com. Memorial gifts may be made to Kestrel Land Trust at www.kestreltrust.org.

On Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16, Arise has the great good fortune to host the Walk for a New Spring. The Walkers are focused on ending nuclear war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power plants, with a special focus on the victims of Fukushima. On Friday morning, just before the Walkers leave for their next destination, we'll have a ceremony at the Connecticut River. We are looking for haikus on the following themes: protecting the river, blessing the waters, peace, anti-nuclear-- pretty broad, really.
Send your haikus to michaelannb@gmail.com. And feel free to join us!

That is all EXCEPT we wish to take this opportunity to remind you to ....listen to your Mother!

The Democracy Gone Wild Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. You think Occupy is the only home of real democracy? Suppose we told you that more than a few critters discovered democracy long before us two-leggeds? Iain Couzin of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University calls in to talk about what democracy looks like for the rest of us. Also, we delve into the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, Meet the New Boss.....again, as well as our Fool-on-the-Hill and the E-Valley-uation segment, but first it's time for.... Revenge of the Critters! Thanks to Dana for this one: Bull-runners beware of correbous!

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we checkout that Ohio gas leak courtesy of Sunoco. Since we're on the subject of irresponsibility how about the folks at the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire shilling for the clearcutters. Also this: an in-depth look into Big Green's dark closet. And this with a WARNING (it's rated R for repulsive): the worst rainforest loggers story ever. D.O.'s memorial piece is here.

In our E-Valley-uation segment they're at it again! Yup, it's the Shut it Down Affinity Group getting into the face of Vermont Yankee, this time in costume! Also, VT Yankee campaign goes national! And this other bit of good news: Springfield Biomass incinerator permit revoked!

It looks like The New Boss may be dropping the ball on habitat destruction. O, and how about protecting our coast lines from oil drilling? Maybe not.

Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week takes us on another journey in the Wayback Machine, all the way back to 1902 with a visit to Petr Kropotkin and his book Mutual Aid:

"In the animal world we have seen that the vast majority of species live in societies, and that they find in association the best arms for the struggle for life"

Our Fool-on-the-Hill this week is one of the biggest fools on The Hill, Repugnican Speaker of the House, John Boehner who invited Big Oil into the House Chamber to hear Obama's State of the Union speech. We don't know why the Speaker bothered, Big Oil is already in the House! Why take up more space?

"Killing Wage" by Congress of Starlings takes us to our interview with interview with Iain Couzin on democracy in the rest of the animal world, then it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Wednesday, February 1, All Day. The Occupy Wall Street OccuBus will be making an outreach trip in a couple of weeks making 14 stops including Northampton on Feb 1! Here’s the trip itinerary: http://bit.ly/y8DrM0. There will be 17 Wall Street Occupiers on the bus. The objective of this trip is to strengthen the OWS network by deepening relationships between occupiers, increase OWS’s capacity through mutual transfer of skills and knowledge, and clarify OWS’s narrative by deepening its commitment to listening. There will be a 6pm event at The Academy of Music. Email: geogruven@gmail.com Go to: http://occupynorthampton.com/

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2 pm—9pm. No Nukes Benefit Concert and Speak Out. Sponsored by The Quahogs Affinity Group to benefit the SAGE Alliance. Leverett Town Hall, 9 Montague Rd., Leverett. Food and refreshments will be available free, with a sliding scale for admission. Contact: Ann Ferguson ferguson3636@gmail.com. Call: 413-367-2310

Saturday, February 4, 2PM. Free Pizza And Discussion Of the Pioneer Valley's Energy Future. Join Sierra Club members for free pizza and discussion on how to move the Pioneer Valley away from dirty energy sources and towards a clean energy future. Paisano's Pizza, 136 College Highway, Southampton, MA.

Tuesday, February 7, 7pm. "The Pitfalls and Dangers of Nuclear Power: a Mandate for a Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free Future". Leverett Elementary School, 85 Montague Road, Leverett.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 5 to 8 p.m. A public meeting to discuss the findings of epidemiological studies addressing noise, infrasound, vibrations and shadow flickering of wind turbines at Lee Middle and High School Auditorium, 300 Greylock St., Lee, MA. Snow date: Feb. 29.

Saturday, March 3, All Day. 25th Annual Southern New England Environmental Action Conference at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Go to: http://www.toxicsaction.org/ or call Toxics Action Center at: (413) 253-4458


March Month of Action (and beyond) to permanently close Vermont Yankee:
March 3: Greenfield (MA) Community College affinity group is walking from GCC to the reactor, then celebrating in Brattleboro.
March 11: Anniversary of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear meltdowns in Japan, mock evacuation
March 17 & 18: non-violence trainings and/or teach-ins around New England.
March 21: Vermont Yankee retirement party at the Statehouse in Montpelier.
March 22 and thereafter: Non-violent direct actions against Entergy (the New Orleans-based owner of VY). Details to be determined by an AG Spokes Council.
March 23 and thereafter: national call for solidarity in opposition to Vermont Yankee, Pilgrim and Indian Point.
April 1: mass legal rally in Brattleboro in alliance with legislators and environmental and safe energy groups.
Contact tom@clamshellalliance.org or see Upcoming Events on the homepage of www.sagealliance.net for location and on-going action information.

That's all folks!.....O, wait...we nearly forgot to remind you to LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!

The Eat Your Heart Out Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. We may not be what we eat, but what we eat probably determines what we are, like dead or alive! Dr. Pam Popper calls in to talk about Forks over Knives, the book and the film that reminds us of the ills on our plates. Warning meat-eaters: this film is rated R.....for reconsider! As always, we checkout the news in the Enviro Show Echo Chamber and our E-Valley-uation segments, as well as look at The Fool-on-the-Hill. This week we return to Meet the New Boss as well as our Quote of the week, but first it's time for....Revenge of the Critters! Man attacked by Hamburger!

It's been awhile since we've met The New Boss, but he made up for that time off for good behavior when Obama signed the National Defense Appropriations Act in which lurks provisions for detaining U.S. citizens on U.S. soil in military custody without trial for as long as there is a war on terror. Soooo, your First Amendment rights? Not so much. The Fourth Amendment? F'get about it! Gosh, how's THAT for hope & change?

The Enviro Show Quote of the Week puts us once again squarely inside the Wayback Machine for a visit with Henry David Thoreau:

"One farmer says to me, "You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make the bones with;" and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying himself with the raw material of bones; walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of every obstacle."

In our Echo Chamber we have a timely piece from Grist on Big Ag getting its shorts all up in a knot over a pending EPA assessment on dioxins. Also this disturbing update on Fukushima from Arnie Gunderson. Here's our Enviro Show Blog Bonus: an action link demanding that subsidies for biomass incineration expire. Finally, in our Anything Worth Doing is Worth Overdoing Department it's last week's Action Link!

It's another plural edition of our Fool-on-the-Hill with a whole pathetic parcel of Repugnicans pimping for Big Oil and working hard to destroy the planet....fools that they are.

In the E-Valley-uation segment we take a peek at an interesting proposal for a Greenfield Food Hub. Of course, the CDC already has a food processing plant in Greenfield to give real meaning to the term "eat local". Given the need to avoid tainted corporate food, shipped in from Goddess knows where with a giant carbon footprint, the more local the better, yes?.

"Beef Jerky" by Cibo Matto takes us to our interview with Dr. Popper, then we saunter over to the Bus Stop Billboard:

Thursday January 19, 6-8pm. Brownfield Forum at the UMass Design Center, 3 Elm St/Court Square, across the street from Springfield City Hall. What do we do with our abandoned factories? What are the risks for our health and our communities? How can I get involved? To address these questions and many more, the Healthy Environment/Healthy Springfield CARE Project invites you to attend Cleaning Up Springfield: A Community Discussion about Brownfield and Hazardous Waste Sites. Call 413-794-1803


Friday, January 20, 11:00 am–1:00 pm. Occupy the Courts! U.S. District Court, 300 State Street, Springfield, MA. Join us on the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's infamous "Citizens United" decision to protest that decision and the concept of corporate personhood. For more information go to: movetoamend.org/occupythecourts or email: danielwmcleod@gmail.com

Jan 20, 7pm Screening of Maquilopolis. One of the ways NAFTA was supposed to help Mexicans was by creating a factory zone at the U.S.-Mexico border. How is that working out? Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street in Northampton. Enter via Woodstar Cafe, at the front of the building. The venue is accessible. Email: info@northamptoncommittee.org

January 25 at 6:00 pm in room 220 of Springfield City Hall.Attend the ZBA Hearing to Stop this Incinerator from Being Built City Council and several Springfield residents will appeal the building permit issued
to Palmer Renewable Energy to build a biomass incinerator in the heart of Springfield. It is crucial that you show your support to the councilors and residents who are fighting to help protect the health and well being of all the
residents of Springfield. PRE will not have the necessary city permit to build its incinerator if this appeal is won!

January 25, 6:30 pm. Greening Greenfield Energy Committee presents: "A SEA CHANGE" This film is both a personal journey and a scientifically rigorous, sometimes humorous, unflinchingly honest look at the reality we have created in our oceans. It conveys the urgent steps we need to make to reduce the severity of the chemistry of our oceans. Greenfield Public Library, Greenfield.

Jan 27, 7pm. Screening of Blood in the Mobile. A visit to a tin mine in Congo, where profits fund the Bloodiest War on Earth - and to the headquarters of Nokia, to talk about where they get tin for cell phones. Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic Street in Northampton. Enter via Woodstar Cafe, at the front of the building. The venue is accessible. Email: info@northamptoncommittee.org

Wednesday, February 1, All Day. The Occupy Wall Street Bio-Bus will be making an outreach trip in a couple of weeks making 14 stops including Northampton on Feb 1! Here’s the trip itinerary: http://bit.ly/y8DrM0. There will be 17 Wall Street Occupiers on the bus. The objective of this trip is to strengthen the OWS network by deepening relationships between occupiers, increase OWS’s capacity through mutual transfer of skills and knowledge, and clarify OWS’s narrative by deepening its commitment to listening. The proposal was approved by OWS GA last year and was prepared by the Direct Action Working Group in consultation with others. Email: geogruven@gmail.com

Saturday, Feb. 4,2 pm—9pm. No Nukes Benefit Concert and Speak Out. Sponsored by The Quahogs Affinity Group to benefit the SAGE Alliance. Leverett Town Hall, 9 Montague Rd., Leverett. Food and refreshments will be available free, with a sliding scale for admission. Contact: Ann Ferguson ferguson3636@gmail.com. Call: 413-367-2310

That's it for this week. Tune-in next time for democracy in the animal kingdom. If they can do it, why not us?? Until then remember......listen to your Mother!