The Day of The Dead Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. How do you honor your dead? Some folks visit the grave sites of their dearly departed, others have their photos on the wall or on the mantel. This time we invite you to join us in another exploration of ways to memorialize loved ones and contemplate plans for your own journey beyond this mortal coil. State Representative Natalie Higgins and Representative Jack Lewis join us to discuss H.4036 An Act Relative to burial alternatives that protect the environment. Also, Candace Currie, Clerk & Director of Green Burial Massachusetts returns to talk about going green after death. [UPDATE: Interviews HERE]  As always, we will bring you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and to see if "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!", among other things but first it's time for.........Revenge of the Critters! Just in time for one last Halloween trick; those tiny invisible COVID viruses are taking out more of the MAGA Death Cult than ever. Are you listening Stuart Rhodes?

It's a return performance for this week's Fool-on-the-Hill, Texas Repugnican Senator Ted Cruz. This time he made a fool of himself at Yankee Stadium getting a posh $2,500 seat behind home plate as Yankee fans cursed and booed him for daring to show up in New York. His security detail must get combat pay. One can only wonder how this fool even gets up every morning. How does he live with himself. How do his wife and kids live with him?? 

We can't help but wonder if any Yankee fan yelled "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" to the senator from Texas? Speaking of which, here in WMass some of us have the opportunity to vote with that in mind. The ballot question reads: "Carbon Cash-Back Public Policy Question. Shall the representative from this district be instructed to introduce and vote for legislation that puts a fee on the carbon content of fossil fuels to compensate for their environmental damage and returns most of the proceeds in equitable ways to individuals as a cash-back dividend?"  It is on the November 8^th ballot as Queston 5 in the 1^st Hampshire state rep. district (Lindsay Sabadosa's) and the 1^st Franklin (Natalie Blais'), except in Shelburne, where it is Question 6.  It is also on the ballot in the 5^th Worcester district. The idea is to amplify the concept for a 2024 election effort. Your vote counts!  And now, this: Did you know the Mississippi River is drying up? Watch THIS.  Finally this: "During the United Nations' COP26 climate summit last November, 145 nations signed the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration "to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation" by the end of the decade. One year later, "not a single global indicator is on track to meet these 2030 goals of stopping forest loss and degradation and restoring 350 million hectares of forest landscape," according to the annual Forest Declaration Assessment.

 

Time for our Good Riddance Biomass Baker Countdown Timer!

Glen will surely have a few words to say about Charlie Biomass Baker.

 

It's into the Wayback Machine for a long trip in our Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others.

—Thucydides

 

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we have the sorry and sordid tale of plastics recycling (such as it is).   Grist tells us "According to a new report released on Monday by Greenpeace USA, no plastic product meets a common industry standard for recyclability, even though they bear the familiar “chasing arrows” recycling symbol." On the upside, Harvard's Crimson reports: "Roughly 30 Harvard and MIT students interrupted an ExxonMobil recruiting event at MIT last Wednesday in protest against big oil companies’ contributions to climate change." Meanwhile, here in the Valley, another 30+ demonstrators showed up in front of Eversourse's HQ on Rt.9 in Hadley to express their ire about the utility's plans to clearcut hundreds of acres of forest to expand their powerline corridors and run a new fracked gas pipeline into the climate justice community of Springfield. That was a Trees as a Public Good Network action and full disclosure, yours trulys participated in the event.

After out conversation with the guests we go to the Bus Stop Billboard:

 

 

Saturday, November 12,  Noon.  New England Rally for Climate Forests. It’s time to RALLY! Join in solidarity with climate and forest activists around the US calling for an end to logging mature and old-growth forests on federal public lands like the Green Mountain National Forest. The proposed Telephone Gap project on the GMNF could cut nearly 11,000-acres critical for carbon storage, biodiversity, and water quality protection. This rally is one of many planned around the US (Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Georgia. West Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, California, and Vermont). Together we can send a loud and clear message from New England to Washington, DC: "Hands-off our climate forests!" WHEN: Gather at NOON for the rally; optional visit to recent clearcuts at 1pm. WHERE: GMNF Rochester Ranger Station  RSVP: For more info and carpool options Wear orange or bright colors!

Tuesday November 15,  12 - 2pm. The Department of Energy Resources ("DOER") will hold an additional, regionally-focused virtual workshop as an opportunity for the public to engage in the ongoing Technical Potential of Solar Study. Regionally-focused breakout discussions will offer attendees the chance to share unique perspectives and concerns related to solar siting from different geographic regions of the Commonwealth.  via Zoom (Register here). While advance registration is not required to attend, it will help DOER ensure adequate resources to facilitate an engaging and meaningful event. More details can be found on the Study website.

Wednesday, November 16,  6:30pm. Myth Busters: What the US Forest Service doesn’t want you to know about the impacts of logging. Presenters: Bill Stubblefield, PhD, Bart Bouricius, and Cheryl Joy Lipton  Join us for a presentation covering the 11 most common myths the timber industry uses to excuse logging. Research backing the presentation will be included so we can help you demystify the timber industry’s propaganda. Discussion and Q+A to follow the presentation. This is a virtual event.  Click here to register.  

Thursday, November 17, 6:30 PM.  XR Boston: A Degrowth Primer. I will discuss what degrowth is, why it's necessary, and how it can supplement our current Green New Deal discourse. Sign-up here! 

Friday November 18,  7 to 8:30pm.  Ants, Plants & Birds. an exploration of the symbiotic relationships of various species of ants with plants and a great variety of insects. In the case of army ants, many bird species depend on army ant swarms. Find out how this dependance influences both temperate and tropical ecosystems. Register HERE 

Monday, November 21, 6pm. Not Sleeping? Anxious?Depressed? Who knew --it could  be the radiation from your wireless devices...IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND BUT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ANOTHER CONVERSATION, OR PERHAPS HOST ONE OF YOUR OWN, CONTACT: MA4SAFETECH@GMAIL.COM.

That's a wrap fror this show but please remember to listen to your Mother!

 

 

The 2022 Very Scary Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. It's time once again for our annual Halloween show which traditionally means we drag out some very scary monsters and put them on display for you but what if the monster is invisible? Kyla Bennett, Director of Science Policy with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility returns to the show to uncover the Forever Chemical, the invisible threat of PFAS. [UPDATE: Interview HERE ]So, once again some mad scientist comes up with a monster that seems to haunt us over and over and......everywhere, but we can't see it. As always, we will also frighten you in another close encounter with our Fool-on-the-Hill and during our visit to the Biomass Baker Countdown Timer as well as a reminder to those lost souls out there that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" but first it's time for Revenge of the Critters! How about this for a headline: "High Levels of 'Forever Chemicals' in Deer Prompts 'Do Not Eat' Warnings for Hunters"

Our Halloween Fool-on-the-Hill even looks like a monster. In case you never noticed, Florida Repugnican Sen. Rick Scott resembles one of those bug-eyed aliens from outer space. Besides invading the planet from some far off galaxy, Scott recommends completing the border wall and naming it after Donald Trump, putting “America First,” (think America First Nazis from the 1940s) and fighting socialism. “Socialism will be treated as a foreign combatant which aims to destroy our prosperity and freedom,” Scott’s proclaims, but we know they live 'cuz we have the magic specs! 

In The Enviro Show Chamber of Horrors the Guardian just informed us that "Earth’s wildlife populations have plunged by an average of 69% in just under 50 years, according to a leading scientific assessment, as humans continue to clear forests, consume beyond the limits of the planet and pollute on an industrial scale." If that doesn't horrify you then you are in serious need of readjustment. And this one should ruin Halloween for you & the kids: most candy wrappers contain PFAS!   Enough with the real horrors.  How about some Halloween make-believe fun! Hey kids, Go HERE  

There is one horror show we can soon put behind us however, and we have the Good Riddance Gov. Baker Countdown Timer to prove it.

 Let's call this our Halloween Treat by doing like the Pagans and casting our negatives into the Samhain bonfire.

 

OK, back to the horror show. Surely all you usual Enviro Show listeners know this, but for any newcomers who haven't heard, let's just say, "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"  We have a special Hell Night reading assignment for everyone now. It's the latest from one of our favorite hell raisers, Greta Thunberg, she of the stop with the "Blaa, blaa, blaa" who remind us "We are approaching a precipice. And I would strongly suggest that those of us who have not yet been greenwashed out of our senses stand our ground. Do not let them drag us another inch closer to the edge. Not one inch. Right here, right now, is where we draw the line."

 

Time for our Very Scary Enviro Show Quote of the Week:

"The Environmental Protection Agency warned Wednesday that a group of human-made chemicals found in the drinking water, cosmetics and food packaging used by millions of Americans poses a greater danger to human health than regulators previously thought."

- The Washington Post from June 2022 

In our interview with Kyla Bennett we will try not to scare you too much with tales of this invisible monster. There are ways to avoid it that don't include crosses, wolf's-bane or mirrors so pay close attention. Afterward it's time for the Bus Stop Billboard:

Thursday October 27, 11am.  Dual Use Solar Webinar.  In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MA DOER) established the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program. This program carries special incentives for solar systems that allow “dual-use,” defined as solar on farmland where the land continues to be used for agricultural purposes. These facilities are also referred to as “agrivoltaic” systems. This presentation will offer an overview of the guidelines for dual-use, provide a close look at the economics of a dual-use system, and outline the process for planning and installing such a system.  Here is the link: Dual-Use: Agriculture and Solar Photovoltaics Webinar   

Thursday October 27, 11am.  Solving the Winter Energy Problem. Year-after-year, ISO-NE, New England’s regional electric grid operator, announces the region may have inadequate energy supplies to power the entire electric system without blackouts during the winter. This leaves New Englanders stuck in a Groundhog Day scenario, asking: if this threat to the region’s electric grid happens every year, why hasn’t it been fixed by now? Join Acadia Center’s own Amy Boyd and Melissa Birchard as they pull back the curtain on this question and present the clean energy solutions we can look towards to finally solve this problem. Go HERE. 

Thursday October 27, 1 p.m. Press conference followed by walk to Governor’s Office to deliver our Petition for a Moratorium on Large Ground Mounted Solar. Since launching the petition in 2021, we’ve collected about 1,500 signatures from people concerned about large ground mounted solar and battery storage being put in the wrong places across the Commonwealth. The state’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan is calling for over 150,000 more acres of ground mounted solar! This threatens our forests, water and communities. We need to let Governor Baker and the next Governor know the state must direct ratepayer and taxpayer energy subsidies to properly sited solar and energy battery storage systems – or risk an onslaught of industrial solar by private corporations that clear-cut more forests and take valuable farmland away from growing food. We hope to see you for a fun and important event! It’s not too late to sign the petition here and pass it along! 

 

Friday, October 28, 2022, 10:30-12:30 PM (rain or shine. Working forests and water protection: Explore Forest Management in the Quabbin Watershed Forest. Easy 1 mile walk. Meet at gate 49 end of Greenwich Plain Road, Ware, MA. [Go prepared with questions and be prepared for hype!] Register at: Working forests and water protection: Explore Forest Management in the Quabbin Watershed Forest. Email QuabbinVisitor.Center@mass.gov for more information 

Saturday, November 12,  Noon.  New England Rally for Climate Forests. It’s time to RALLY! Join in solidarity with climate and forest activists around the US calling for an end to logging mature and old-growth forests on federal public lands like the Green Mountain National Forest. The proposed Telephone Gap project on the GMNF could cut nearly 11,000-acres critical for carbon storage, biodiversity, and water quality protection. This rally is one of many planned around the US (Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Georgia. West Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, California, and Vermont). Together we can send a loud and clear message from New England to Washington, DC: "Hands-off our climate forests!" WHEN: Gather at NOON for the rally; optional visit to recent clearcuts at 1pm. WHERE: GMNF Rochester Ranger Station  RSVP: For more info and carpool options Wear orange or bright colors! 

Wednesday, November 16,  6:30pm. Myth Busters: What the US Forest Service doesn’t want you to know about the impacts of logging. Presenters: Bill Stubblefield, PhD, Bart Bouricius, and Cheryl Joy Lipton  Join us for a presentation covering the 11 most common myths the timber industry uses to excuse logging. Research backing the presentation will be included so we can help you demystify the timber industry’s propaganda. Discussion and Q+A to follow the presentation. This is a virtual event.  Click here to register. 

That is all for Halloween 2022. We'll be back soon enough. One thing though.....remember to listen to your Mother. 

Save the Pine Barrens Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Perhaps one of the worst examples of the mindless destruction of Nature for human greed and corruption is taking place in southeastern Massachusetts. Meg Sheehan, Katherine Harrelson & Annie Hayes of Save the Pine Barrens return to the show to update us on a massive climate crime taking place right here in the Commonwealth. [UPDATE: Interview HERE] As always, we will also bring you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and to see if we are Abidin' with Biden, as well as another check-in on our Biomass Baker Countdown Timer and more, but first it's time for........Revenge of the Critters! Bow hunter 0/Moose 1 

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is none other than House Minority Leader Repugnican Kevin McCarthy. At the top of a letter to Repug lawmakers thanking them for their contributions to the long awaited “Commitment To America”, McCarthy included a quote attributed to Abe Lincoln: “Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.” There’s literally no evidence that Lincoln ever said that, however the phrase did appear in an ad for Lehman Brothers, the Wall Street giant that collapsed in 2008. Wait, there's more! House Repugs also unveiled their “Commitment to America” agenda for 2023 with an inspirational video full of scenes presented as exceptional imagery of America that were actually stock footage from Russia and Ukraine? [insert laugh track here] 

We're pretty sure climate chaos wasn't part of the Repugs “Commitment To America” but we'll never stop telling them "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!"  Like many coastal cities "Boston officials are stressing the urgent need to prepare the city’s waterfront for the reality of climate change, calling for a broad, holistic approach to defenses against rising sea levels", the Globe tells us. They say it will require a "Big Dig level solution" (hmm, maybe not?) And this: Al Gore called the head of the World Bank a "climate denier" and urged President Biden to replace him with someone who will do more to finance clean energy projects. David Malpass, the accused, denied the charge. Here's a world "Temperature Departure" graphic that caught our eye. Like they say: "One picture is worth a thousand words" 😏  How about a WMass perspective on climate change?  Finally, we came across a piece on Grist titled "Northeast drought endangers Massachusett's cranberry harvest" We'll talk with Meg about that, given all the clearcutting and sand mining in cranberry country is no doubt affecting the aquifer. 

OK, we celebrate Glen's return from the deep woods with another episode of our Charlie Baker Good Riddance Countdown Timer:

In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we are replaying Extinction Rebellion Boston's "Week of Rebellion" series of climate actions throughout the city. They looked for all the world like high energy creative events to remind Bostonians to "Tell the Truth" and face the facts (see above!). Meanwhile, across the nation in the wake of California's 2035 ban the sale of gas powered vehicles the state has now called for a ban on gas heaters. Grist reports: "California regulators voted unanimously last week to develop new rules that would effectively ban the sale of natural gas-powered heating and hot water systems, a first-in-the-nation commitment." 

 

How about we go out with a Quote of the Week?

It's not unexpected that shooting massive amounts of water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure into the earth to shatter shale and release natural gas might shake things up. But earthquakes aren't the worst problem with fracking.

 -  David Suzuki

 Now it's time for the Bus Top Billboard:

Saturday Oct. 15 and Sunday Oct. 23, from 10 to 2 p.m. Stand Out to raise awareness about protecting our water & communities from illegal mining & solar gone wrong! Main Street, Route 58. Meet at the public library. King Richard’s Faire will be happening and there will be lots of traffic in Carver. Email for details environmentwatchsoutheasternma@gmail.com or Facebook @LandWaterPlymouthArea or Instagram @savepinebarrens 

Monday, October 17, 7pm.  Screening of the film "Elemental"  followed by Q&A with filmmaker Ralph Bloemers and other special guests. The film is 78 minutes, the Q&A will start after the screening. Advance Registration is Open Now (Space is limited, only register if you plan to attend):https://vimeo.com/webinars/events/587edead-95d8-462f-be0c-5a83206d7420  Visit the ELEMENTAL website here: https://www.elementalfilm.com

Tuesday October 18, 4 to 6pm/ Rain Date  10/19 same times. Standout at Eversource! 55 Russell St. (Rt. 9), Hadley, MA. Park in Hampton Inn Village Shops west of Eversource .  Eversource wants to double the width of the power corridor to 200 feet by clearcutting an additional 370 acres of forest in WMass!  We need to insist that the Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) conduct its usual full environmental impact report, as is required by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. Eversouce wants to waive the required environmental impact report, falsely claiming that there will be little impact.
Bring highly visible placards & banners with appropriate wording. Bring friends & relatives. 

Tuesday October, 18, 7pm.  Please note this up-coming program from the Wendell Energy Committee,  relevant to hopes and questions around solar energy in our town. Wendell Free Library, 7 Wendell Depot Rd, Wendell, MA 01379 

 

Wednesday October 19,  6 to 8pm. 350MA Berkshire Node Zoom meeting. Go HERE.  All are welcome! Use the password: 350ma 

Thursday, October 20, 8pm.  The "Jogging In Georgia” ZOOM show with Tom Neilson, Episode 5 of his  concert series, “Can’t Make This Stuff Up,” This program, as the title suggests, addresses the basic human right to live our lives without fear based on our pigmentation, gender, orientation, nationality….Remember that these concerts are an excellent time to meet people across the time zones who are all part of our global community, doing work similar to yours. It is an opportunity for networking and gathering information. You may purchase a $12.00 ticket for this show here up until 7:00pm ET on the date of the concert. 

Tuesday, October 25, 8:00pm.  Elders Climate Action October National Call
Climate Change and the Farm Bill with Jonathan Coppess.  Every five years, Congress is scheduled to reauthorize the myriad programs in the Farm Bill. The current statute, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, is scheduled to expire in 2023 and the next Congress is expected to attempt reauthorization but much remains uncertain. Addressing climate change in agriculture – reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving resiliency, and practices that can help capture and sequester greenhouse gases – is increasingly a priority for many Members of Congress and interests. Go HERE.  

Thursday October 27, 11:00am.  Dual Use Solar Webinar.  In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MA DOER) established the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program. This program carries special incentives for solar systems that allow “dual-use,” defined as solar on farmland where the land continues to be used for agricultural purposes. These facilities are also referred to as “agrivoltaic” systems.

This presentation will offer an overview of the guidelines for dual-use, provide a close look at the economics of a dual-use system, and outline the process for planning and installing such a system.  Here is the link: Dual-Use: Agriculture and Solar Photovoltaics Webinar  

And that's all for now folks except for...........Listen to your Mother!

Another Autumnal Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. It's officially Autumn now and for some of us that means it's a good time to increase our "dose of Nature". Glen has taken off to the North Woods with the family and d.o. is left to pickup the pieces and send them off to you. We recycle some excellent interviews this time with Standing Trees' Zack Porter followed by the Northeast Wilderness Trust show interview with Sophi Veltrop. Autumn festivities won't keep us from bringing you along to meet this week's Fool-on-the-Hill or to visit the Charlie Baker Good Riddance Countdown Timer and to announce that d.o. FINALLY fixed our emailbox after years of neglect but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! 

If you are a longtime listener you may be asking yourself if animal attacks on humans have been increasing over the years? Like we always remind you, human incursion into animal habitat is often the source of such attacks but often it is that incursion that forces wild critters into the ever increasing human habitats. So, the answer is yes. Revenge is on the increase. There is science to back it up. 

We have a new Fool-on-the-Hill this time, it's ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul (Repug,Texas) who is falling all over himself to make excuses for His Malignancy's espionage exploits. Recently in an interview McCaul said, "I have lived in the classified world most of my professional career, I personally wouldn’t do that. But I’m not the president of the United States. But he has a different set of rules that apply to him. The president can declassify a document on a moment’s notice. [but]…There is a process for declassification. But again, the president’s in a very different position then most of us in the national security space." We guess!  😏

We've been trying for nearly two decades to help the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) see the error of its ways when it comes to our public forests. They seem oblivious to the fact that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and continue to promote massive logging on our state lands through their Management Forestry Program. Now that DCR has a new commissioner it's time to try yet again. read this letter to Commissioner Doug Rice and if you agree please sign-on to the letter HERE. Since we are on the subject of trees and climate we should add this report from The Guardian, "Scientists have issued an urgent “warning to humanity” about the global impact of tree extinctions. A new paper predicts severe consequences for people, wildlife and the planet’s ecosystems if the widespread loss of trees continues." Wake up, DCR! And, across The Pond ancient forests are also taking a beating

OK, it's time once again for the Good Riddance Gov. Baker Countdown Timer but this time we don't have Glen to kick around Charlie Baker anymore so, dear readers, just use your imagination: 

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we pass on the news that PETA has "filed a lawsuit with Suffolk County Superior Court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts against the University of Massachusetts–Amherst (UMass) to compel the school to produce video recordings and other records relating to experimenter Agnès Lacreuse’s taxpayer-funded menopause experiments on marmosets."  Come on UMass, let's see what's happening behind those closed doors. Elswhere in WMass we echo The Greenfield Recorder's recent piece on the toxic Lunt Silver site we covered this summer. We're sure Glen will have something else to say about it upon his return.  😉  

Time for our Enviro Show Quote of the Week but readers be aware, you've got to take a long trip in the Wayback Machine:

We are not to throw away those things which can benefit our neighbor. Goods are called good because they can be used for good: they are instruments for good, in the hands of those who use them properly. 

                                                                  - Clement of Alexandria 

Now it's time for the Bus Stop Billboard: 

Monday, September 26, 6:30pm.  Speak Out Against Holtec!  Plymouth Town Hall. Join Save Our Bay on Monday, September 26 at the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel meeting at Plymouth Town Hall. Holtec plans to dump waste from the closed Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station into the Cape Cod Bay and we can't let them! Also join a rally before the meeting, starting at 5:00pm on the front lawn.  Go HERE. 

Tuesday September 27, 11am.  Join us at the Danversport bridge to call for a halt to the Peabody power plant construction.  The Peabody Peaker represents the failure of our utilities and our grid operator to recognize the climate crisis that we are facing, and our desperate need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and towards a clean energy future. Join MCAN, 350 Mass, Breathe Clean North Shore, and Slingshot on September 13th to demand: no more pollution, no more harming our neighbors, and no more investments in dirty and outdated energy infrastructure. This is our line in the sand. RSVP using this link: bit.ly/peabody-diein.  

Wednesday September 28, 6:00pm. Climate Forests on the Chopping Block.  Join Rachel Smolker of Biofuelwatch and Zack Porter of Standing Trees for a special presentation and discussion about the importance of forests for climate, clean water, and biodiversity, and the looming threat of the proposed timber harvesting project in the Telephone Gap area of the Green Mountain National Forest near Rutland. This is a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event. You can register for the virtual event HERE or you can attend in person at the Rutland Free Library (10 Court St., Rutland, VT - no registration needed for the in-person event).  

Monday, October 3,  7pm.  Climate Action Now Gathering on Zoom. For details email climateactionnowmass@gmail.com 

OK, we are out of here but remember this: Listen to YOUR Mother, OK?