2014 – Time’s Running Out

The Winter Solstice Enviro Show 2013…..Canceled on Account of Nature!

Greetings Earthlings [Looks like the Gov has closed the roads to all but essential personel. That leaves us out! Sorry, we can’t get to the studio.] We are fresh back from the War on Excessmass and looking forward to more of that and the oncoming Yuletide. The Good Green Witch joins us to unpack all that and spread it around the airwaves. Rev. Billy (fresh from his legal reprieve) gives us a ring for Excessmass and Enviro Show roving reporter & bard in his own right, Tom Neilson calls in with Solstice greetings. Also we’ll deck the The Enviro Show Echo Chamber with boughs of holly, see if The Fool-on-the-Hill deserves more coal in his stocking, maybe delve into a bit of E-Valley-uation, but first it’s time for…..Revenge of the Critters!  Pagan wild cats moving in on Christians! 

Looks like there are decorations of red in The Echo Chamber this season as The War on Excessmass takes yet another victim from us, this time in China where the expression “shop ’til you drop” takes a literal turn. Here’s an Excessmass present from TEPCO (of Fukushima on-going meltdown fame?) for all the world: “The man in charge of the clean-up at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant says growing stores of contaminated water from the site will eventually have to be dumped into the sea.” Merry Excessmass world. Wait, there’s more!  This from RT: “Radiation found in an area near a steel pipe that connects reactor buildings could kill an exposed person in 20 minutes.” Holiday glow? We don’t think so! O, and this just in: Japan? worse than we knew. Here’s an Excessmass present for you, an Enviro Show Blog Bonus that starts out powerful before….well, ending with a whimper? Market-based solutions to the Climate Crisis? Really?

Our Winter Solstice Fool-on-the-Hill this year is Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) who sponsored H.R. 2728 – the Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act. “The bill prevents Interior from enforcing any federal standards on hydraulic fracturing if a state has any rules or even vague guidance for fracking,” NRDC explains. “It also could lead to barring federal oversight of fracking-related activities on federal lands, including toxic waste management, clean water protection, and other important regulatory responsibilities.”  It’s an Excessmass present…..for Corporate America!

We have some E-Valley-uation for you this Excessmass from the so-called “Sustainable Amherst” website.   Actually, as the hopelessly dated site notes below the banner, it’s really talking about fiscal sustainability, a rather fluid term we think. In any case, when you click on the “About” button you are told “We have a beautiful and wonderous small town here in Amherst, Massachusetts! How can we sustain our quality of life? How do we strengthen the things we love about Amherst?  Strong public schools, green open space, diversity, a family-friendly, small-town feel”.  This was written by the site’s founders who also happened to have penned a pro-development booster piece for The Retreat, the upscale corporate student housing complex proposed to trash historic Cushman, the bordering woodlands, and threaten the Spotted Salamander habitat. Soooo, 2 out of 4 ain’t bad, right? Did we mention these guys are Town Meeting members, none of whom live in Cushman? Once again, Happy Excessmass! On a more positive note, checkout d.o.’s review of Tom Neilson’s latest album.

After our celebration with The Good Green Witch we  stroll over to the snowbound Bus Stop Billboard:

Saturday, December 21, 6-9pm: Solstice Headlamp Hike at Northfield Mountain. 800-859-2960. 99 Millers Falls Road. Northfield, MA

Saturday, December 21, 6 to 8:30pm. Solstice Celebration at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. Throughout time, people have come together to celebrate the shortest day of the year and welcome the lengthening days ahead. At Arcadia we also have a tradition: we gather at sundown for music and community unity. Ward off the cold with the warmth of the bonfire, sip hot cider, and listen to music. We make every attempt not to cancel this event due to inclement weather, but call Arcadia if a blizzard is brewing. This is a free event, however, please bring a nonperishable food item for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. 127 Combs Road, Easthampton, MA. Call: 413-584-3009.

Thursday, January 2, 2014, 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Next Meeting – Climate Justice Group at Arise for Social Justice, 467 State St, Springfield, MA. We continue to build on the positive energy and enthusiasm generated by the 250 attendees of the Climate Justice Conference held in Springfield in September. Contact susantheberge@comcast.net for carpooling arrangements and/or questions.

Sunday, January 4th, 1-3pm. Climate Action Study Group at the home of Marty Nathan and Elliot Fratkin, 24 Massasoit St., Northampton. Email: martygjf@comcast.net

Monday, January 6, 2014, 5pm – 7pm. Fossil Fuel Divestment meeting (Pioneer Valley), Community Room at 26 Greenleaves Dr. in Amherst. Contact: malcolmdbliss@gmail.com

We are out of here. Goodnight Skip Rambone wherever you are. Tune in on New Years Eve to kiss this year goodbye and remember to make this resolution (and REALLY mean it!): Listen to your Mother.