Greetings Earthlings. Paper or plastic? Never mind, it’s time to “Get Drastic About Plastic”! Garrett Connelly of Greenfield Zero Waste and Greening Greenfield joins us to discuss doing away with plastic packaging in Greentown. Is that really so drastic?? We’ll try not to get too wrapped up in that so there will be time for some other E-Valley-uation and a trip to visit The-Fool-on-the-Hill and the Enviro Show Echo Chamber, but first it’s time for…….Revenge of the Critters! Another Walmart shopper punished! “Things got a bit more dicey for Jeriel Joiner. While shopping at a St. Augustine, Florida, Wal-Mart, he reached in among some potted plants in the garden center to grab a baby bottle dropped by his infant son. What he got instead was a bite on the finger from a pygmy rattlesnake. Joiner survived, but doctors had to amputate the finger.” Maybe Dad was also punished for using plastic baby bottles? Shop Local/Breast feed!
It’s another turn as our Fool-off-the-Hill (he keeps trying to join the other ones), Repugnican Congressional hopeful Art Robinson returns to the campaign trail. This time he wants voters to send him their….um…..well, their pee. We don’t have to make this stuff up ya’ know, these are, after all, Repugnicans, OK? Last time around, Robinson wanted to get rid of radioactive waste by spraying it from planes!
In our E-Valley-uation segment we want to let you know about WMass planning for the big Peoples Climate March in New York City on Sunday, September 21. First off, The Enviro Show has initiated a Trees & the Climate hub for the March. To take part and help plan that contingent to the March go HERE. Then there are buses leaving from various parts of the Valley. You can get onboard by contacting these bus captains: Currently, the bus captain in Amherst is Rooney Charest (rooney.c.charest@gmail.com). For bus captaining in other parts of the Pioneer Valley, including Northampton contact Brit Albritton (britalb@gmail.com). In Greenfield contact Pamela S.Kelly (pamelaskelly@comcast.net). Another bus is being organized on Facebook by the Smith College Green Team. Go here for that. We’ll be back to this segment with our guest but let’s take a walk over to The Enviro Show Echo Chamber first, OK?
Time to Meet the New Boss! This time the Boss is gutting food stamps to the tune of $8.7Billion. According to MSNBC that will cause “850,000 households to lose an average of $90 per month.” And what did the Prez have to say about that? “Congress passed a bipartisan Farm Bill that is going to make a big difference in communities across the country”. Well…….we guess!
In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find our friends at Grist have discovered a certain corporate fracked gas pipeline project (does that sound familiar?). Also, our Gov here in the Commonwealth appears to be backing off on that corporate fracked gas pipeline we’ve been going on about since last February BUT that old crank Repugnican Gov. LePage up in Maine remains at full speed ahead. LePage has the distinction of being The Nation’s Craziest Governor so why not put him out front on this proposed pipe dream? And, speaking of Governors with….umm….issues? That one from the Sunshine State with the buggy eyes? It seems Rick Scott was out to lunch while meeting with climate scientists recently. At least he saved some time while doing the public’s business! Meanwhile over in Oklahoma (where they know a thing or two about crazy) folks got 20 fracking earthquakes in one day. We think that’s considered a bit above normal out there (what ever constitutes normal in Oklahoma).
After our conversation with Garrett we take you over to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Tuesday, September 2, 2014, 9:00am to 3:00pm. Practical Options for Food Production Resilience in an Increasingly Variable Climate, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst. Fee based.
Dr. Christine Jones is an internationally-acclaimed agricultural consultant with a specific message regarding sequestration of carbon and humus development through appropriate agricultural practices. Dr. Jones’ work focuses on how to maximize photosynthesis through biological processes. Her message is appropriate for anyone who raises food, for those who focus on conserving our natural resources, and for climate activists. Details and registration information can be found online at http://www.nofamass.org/events/type/farming
Monday, September 8: Fall River District Court trial of Ken Ward and Jay O’Hara. Ward & O’Hara anchored their lobster boat in the shipping channel off the Brayton Point Power Station last May in Somerset. Flying an American flag and a banner reading “#coalisstupid,” the two men blocked the delivery of 40,000 tons of Appalachian mountaintop coal to New England’s largest coal-burning power plant for a day. Now they face charges of disturbing the peace, conspiracy, and motorboat violations. Although conviction could result in nine months of jail time, they’ll admit to everything. They’ll argue that it’s really climate change and the government’s ineffective policies that should be on trial. Then they’ll ask the jury to find them not guilty by reason of “necessity.” Go to:
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 21 The biggest demonstration in the history of the climate movement is happening in New York City. The People’s Climate March will be held as world leaders and members of the United Nations gather to discuss the climate crisis. If we expect real action on global warming, we need to make our voices heard. Tens of thousands of activists are gathering for this important event. This peaceful protest for a healthy climate will include a massive march through New York City, street theater, music, speakers and whatever creative energy you and your friends can bring. Go to: http://peoplesclimate.org/march/
That is all. We go out with “Polluting is Fun” by Ray Korona & friends, but quite frankly it doesn’t look like much “fun” from here. Next time it’s The Peoples Climate March. Until then remember………LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!!
The Enviro Show 