The Still Going Green in Greenfield Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Do you hate plastic as much as we do? (OK, so this keyboard is made of plastic but does everything have to be!). Louise Amyot and Sandra Boston from Greenfield Rights of Nature (O, and some guy named Glen) join us to help paint the town green. Also we visit the usual suspects like our Fool-on-the-Hill and we Meet the New Boss, as well as a visit to The Enviro show Echo Chamber, but first it’s time for…….Revenge of the Critters! Heads up, Alaskan humans: bloodsucking Artic Lampreys raining from the sky!

This week’s Fool-on-the-Hill is Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) who earns his foolscap by blaming enviros for California’s water shortage. “Droughts are nature’s fault; water shortages are our fault,”  McClintock said “For a generation, we have failed to build the facilities needed to store water from wet years to have it in dry ones and radical environmental laws have squandered the water we did store. Our water shortage is caused by a shortage of sensible water policy.” Looks like Tom isn’t familiar with terms ending in suffixes: conservation, evaporation, realization…

OK, it looks like The New Boss has turned in his Presidential Seal for a crown, that according to arch consumer advocate, Ralph Nader. “The reason I call President Obama “King Obama” in this case is that he, and his massive corporate lobbies (royal court), have sought to circumvent the checks and balances system that is the very bedrock of our government.” states Nader. “They have severely weakened the independence of the primary branch of our government – the Congress—and fought off any court challenges with medieval defenses, such as no American citizen has any standing to sue for harm done by such treaties.”  Soooo, is Obama a royal pain in the ass? You decide!

Breaking News! This just in: 1 in 4 U.S. citizens unaware the earth orbits around the Sun! We’re pretty sure they all watch Faux “News”.

We have a fitting Enviro Show Quote of the Week for you. Who said:
“While some are concerned only with financial gain, and others with holding on to or increasing their power, what we are left with are conflicts or spurious agreements where the last thing either party is concerned about is caring for the environment and protecting those who are most vulnerable.”?

Time to move into the Echo Chamber. Please watch your head when entering. Here’s the BIG news from On High in its entirety: Pope Francis kicks ass! To your right you will notice Hillary has hired a former Keystone XL lobbyist to help her sell her candidacy for the White House. Go ahead and get all real-politic with us, claiming these people have no loyalty to any given issue, but then ask yourself what does THAT say! We have charts for your Climate Crisis denying Uncle Harry HERE from Grist. Speaking of charts (and all the nerdy science stuff that goes with it), we have good news from the pencil pushers at Stanford: 100% renewable doable for the U.S. by 2050. We can hardly wait! More good news: New York State officially bans fracking. OK, too much god news is disturbing. Let’s go to the movies!  Finally, our Enviro Show Blog Action Bonus gives you the chance to go thumbs down on the totally crazed plan to build a new canal through Nicaragua??

Time for a little E-Valley-uation. Erving is the latest Massachusetts town to ban fracked gas pipelines! The folks in Erving are in good company. Look at all the other Valley towns officially opposed to Kinder Morgan’s pipe dream.  On to “Lies In July!” : The Federal Energy…er..Rubberstamp? Commission (FERC) is coming to the Valley for a Scoping Meeting where they “gather input from the public and interested agencies on the [proposed KM/NED fracked gas pipeline] Project. You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the Project. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS.” [our emphasis] You find any lies in the announcement from an industry captured agency that never saw a fracked gas project it didn’t love?  Did someone say dog & pony show?  See the Billboard below for details.

 

After our conversation with Sandra and Louise we move on over to the Bus Stop B-board:

 

Thursday July 9, 6:15 pm (and Saturday July 25th at 12:45pm). Mothers Out front house parties. We are a group of mothers who refuse to stand idle while climate change threatens the future of all our children. Join us in learning how to build and flex our civic muscle as we TAKE ACTION.  If you can make either house oparty, email GreenZinnia@hotmail.com. If not, or to check out their local work beforehand, go to their website at http://mothersoutfront.org/amherst_community_team

Friday, July 10 & 14, at 6-9 pm Two Stop the West Roxbury Lateral (SWRL) non-violent direct action training sessions at the Theodore Parker Church, 1859 Centre St. West Roxbury, MA. The campaign to resist Spectra’s West Roxbury Lateral Pipeline has reached a critical juncture. Spectra has started construction in Dedham, and they’ve sued the city of Boston in an attempt to seize land for the pipeline through eminent domain. With two additional Spectra pipeline proposals already in the works, we need to show Spectra that they will not be able to build this pipeline without a serious fight. Dedham, Boston and West Roxbury residents are mobilizing now and are asking supporters to sign a pledge to resist the pipeline — check it out here! If you are considering participating in nonviolent direct action against the proposed fracked gas West Roxbury Lateral pipeline project, plan on attending. To RSVP or for more information, contact Andrea at adoremus@rcn.com

Sunday, July 12, 11:15AM. Rally to Stop the Bomb Train & Mourn the Victims. Crude oil trains threaten the safety of 25 million Americans in the blast zone. The oil industry moves highly toxic tar sands and volatile Bakken crude oil in unsafe rail cars over tracks that were never designed for this dangerous cargo. Safety standards are weak and emergency responders are unprepared for derailments, spills, and explosions. We’re mobilizing to stop these oil trains that threaten our communities, our watersheds, and our climate. Memorial Hall, 240 Main Street, Northampton, MA. Contact: Daniel Ritchie, zz8daniel@yahoo.com, Climate Action NOW.

Sunday, July 12, 2015, 1 to 9PM. Benefit Event: Midsummernight Faerie-Concert Against the Pipeline!
 – A broad assortment of local music and comedy at the Singing Bridge Arts Center, beside the Westfield River, just a couple of miles from where the NED pipeline would cross it. Gaia Star Band, Rachel Laitman, Visioning BEAR Singers, Sarah Stockwell, Burrie Jenkins and more. Potluck refreshments and dinner.  All proceeds go to fight the pipeline. Singing Bridge Arts Center, West Main St. (right off Rte. 9) West Cummington, MA.

Monday, July 13, 6:30pm. Ashfield Stop the Pipeline meeting at Elmers Store.

 July 18th & 19th.  Intro to Direct Action Climbing in Washington DC. Greenpeace is hosting a 2-day Intro to Direct Action Climbing workshop at their DC warehouse.  This workshop is designed to expose potential climbers to a couple of the most popular climb systems and to develop basic climbing skills.  If you have ever wondered if climbing is for you, this is an ideal place to have a bash and see if you like it.  Skills covered will include learning basic knots, set up on rope, basic ascent and descent, rappeling, switching systems on rope, and basic problem solving.  Breakfast and lunch are provided.  Please contact James Brady directly if interested: james.brady@greenpeace.org

Tuesday, July 21 11am-1pm 350MA holds monthly demonstrations in support of fossil fuel divestment outside the state pension management board meetings at 55 State Street, Boston. For further information or to join a carpool going to Boston call Adele Franks at 413 320 9418.

Tuesday, July 27, 7pm. Weren’t able to get to DC for the Beyond Extreme Energy #BXE actions last month? FERC is coming to YOU! Public Scoping session for KM’s fracked gas pipe dream, Taconic High School, 96 Valentine Rd., Pittsfield, MA.  Bring family & friends, signs & noise!

Wednesday, July 29, 6:30pm. Weren’t able to get to DC for the Beyond Extreme Energy #BXE actions last month? FERC is coming to YOU! Public Scoping session for KM’s fracked gas pipe dream, Greenfield Middle School, 141 Davis St. (Corner of Federal St.), Greenfield, MA Bring family & friends, signs & more noise! We don’t need no stinkin’ pipeline!!

 

OK, that’s all for now. Remember to….fill-in the blank: Listen to ________________!!

Yet Another Summer Solstice Enviro Show!

Greetings Earthlings. Can you believe we’ve been at this for ten years already? Now, another Summer Solstice is upon us and our most favorite witch joins us to mark the occasion (June 21, 2015). The Good Green Witch  will give us the goods on the Solstice and we’ll light the bonfire on the air! As always, we’ll stroll on over to see The Fool-on-the-Hill and to Meet the New Boss, as well as a trip to The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, but first it’s time for………Revenge of the Critters! June is the month for fireflies but don’t try eating them!

We have a two-fer for our Fool-on-the-hill this time. A bill filed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) would eliminate the gas tax used to pay for federal transportation projects. The Hill reports,  “The concept, commonly referred to by transportation observers as “devolution,” is popular with staunch conservatives who argue that development of road and transit infrastructure should be left up to states.” (Who would likely privatize YOUR crumbling roads while they take the chopper to their next taxpayer funded vacation!)

The New Boss took a big hit from his fellow Dems on Friday. His fixation on getting that disastrous TPP trade agreement (you know, SHAFTA?) on his resume blew up in his face when the votes went against him in the U.S. House or Reprehensibles. Sorry, Barry. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all? On the other hand Obama’s approval for oil drilling in the storm-tossed Arctic is going swimmingly as kayactivists were unable to block Shell’s behemoth floating rig as it left Seattle harbor on its journey to trash the planet. We have an ironic twist on that. Tune in.

We’re melding The Enviro Show Echo Chamber with our E-Valley-uation segment with the GCTV video of last Thursday’s Department of “Public” Utilities/Berk Gas hearing in Greenfield. If you weren’t there (we thought we saw all of you!) it’s HERE, including Holly Lovelace’s stirring testimony that moved her to go on bended knee to some startled DPU officials begging them to save her home from Kinder Morgan’s proposed pipeline. Our guess is the DPU won’t do anything but rubber stamp their corporate masters demands so you might want to think about helping Holly yourself by going here. Meanwhile the Gazette reports “The attorney general’s office maintains that the DPU’s mission is to find whether the proposed Berkshire Gas long-term contract with Tennessee Gas Pipeline is in the public interest, and must first examine regional pipeline capacity conditions and potential future needs, along with reasonable alternatives and other issues.”  Like our sign at the hearing said: “We’re looking at you DPU!” Back to Kinder Morgan itself: it looks like some investors are not happy with KM’s debt load. Getting back to Berkshire Gas, our guy Glen pointed out clearly at the DPU hearing that such a bucolic name belies Berk Gas’ real ownership which is right HERE (PDF). Finally, our friends at FANG got into the faces of Gas Man at an industry forum in Boston multiple times (word has it besides some rough treatment by security they also tried playing loud music to drown out the protesters – why not just play a recording of a compressor station blowdown, that’s LOUD!)

Breaking News! The Pope has released his climate crisis bombshell. Climate change deniers are already preparing their defense: the Earth is flat, OK??  “Everyone is going to ride the pope now. Isn’t that wonderful,” said Denier-in-Chief Sen. James Inhofe, who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment (!) and Public Works. “The pope ought to stay with his job, and we’ll stay with ours.” Actually Jim, the Pope IS doing his job, how about you do yours….for a change!!

For our Enviro Show Quote of the Week you don’t have to go very far:  “Right now, in the amazing moment that to us counts as the present, we are deciding, without quite meaning to, which evolutionary pathways will remain open and which will forever be closed. No other creature has ever managed this and it will, unfortunately, be our most enduring legacy.”
― Elizabeth Kolbert

 

On to the Bus Stop Billboard!

 

July 1-8, The 2015 Earth First! Round River Rendezvous, hosted by Green Mountain Earth First!, will be held on occupied Abenaki land in so-called Vermont.  Website for more info on this Rondy.

Thursday, July 2, 7pm. Montague Against the Pipeline meeting. Montague Public Safety building (180 Turnpike Rd.),  Turners Falls, MA. Montague is not only effected by the Berkshire Gas moratorium, but it is also in the path of the pipeline! All out to defend the Plains!

Monday, July 6, 7pm. Interfaith Eco-action meeting. There will be a Moral Action on Climate March on Sunday, September 20th and your church, mosque, temple, sangha, congregation, Friend’s meeting, or other community can join in!! Come to First Churches in Northampton (corner of Main and Center St.) and participate in the local planning.

Thursday July 9, 6:15 pm (and Saturday July 25th at 12:45pm). Mothers Out front house parties. We are a group of mothers who refuse to stand idle while climate change threatens the future of all our children. Join us in learning how to build and flex our civic muscle as we TAKE ACTION.  If you can make either house oparty, email GreenZinnia@hotmail.com. If not, or to check out their local work beforehand, go to their website at http://mothersoutfront.org/amherst_community_team

Sunday, July 12, 2015, 1 to 9PM. Benefit Event: Midsummernight Faerie-Concert Against the Pipeline!
 – A broad assortment of local music and comedy at the Singing Bridge Arts Center, beside the Westfield River, just a couple of miles from where the NED pipeline would cross it. Gaia Star Band, Rachel Laitman, Visioning BEAR Singers, Sarah Stockwell, Burrie Jenkins and more. Potluck refreshments and dinner.  All proceeds go to fight the pipeline. Singing Bridge Arts Center, West Main St. (right off Rte. 9) West Cummington, MA.

July 18th & 19th.  Intro to Direct Action Climbing in Washington DC. Greenpeace is hosting a 2-day Intro to Direct Action Climbing workshop at their DC warehouse.  This workshop is designed to expose potential climbers to a couple of the most popular climb systems and to develop basic climbing skills.  If you have ever wondered if climbing is for you, this is an ideal place to have a bash and see if you like it.  Skills covered will include learning basic knots, set up on rope, basic ascent and descent, rappeling, switching systems on rope, and basic problem solving.  Breakfast and lunch are provided.  Please contact James Brady directly if interested: james.brady@greenpeace.org

Tuesday, July 21 11am-1pm 350MA holds monthly demonstrations in support of fossil fuel divestment outside the state pension management board meetings at 55 State Street, Boston. For further information or to join a carpool going to Boston call Adele Franks at 413 320 9418.

 

That’s all folks! remember to listen to your Mother, OK?

 

DPU, Berk Gas & You Enviro Show

Greetings Earthlings. Have you about had it up to here with Berkshire Gas? As you may recall Berkshire Gas imposed a moratorium on new customers and any new use by existing customers because of an alleged energy crisis and until the proposed Kinder Morgan/TGP pipeline project is complete. Sound like an ultimatum? Corporate extortion? Bullshit? You decide! The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is holding a public hearing on Thursday, June 11, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. at Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield, MA. (you can send them your thoughts by going HERE). Sooooo, Rosemary of No Fracked Gas in Mass returns and stirs the pot with us. As always we’ll send you over to the Enviro Show Echo Chamber and with a visit to The Fool-on-the-Hill, maybe to Meet the New Boss as well. Also we have a zinger for our Quote of the Week, but first it’s  time for……Revenge of the Critters! Kids do all the wrong things as bear approaches in Amherst.

Let’s jump right to our Quote of the Week so d.o. can go on-and-on about his recent visit with proto-tree hugger, Thom Jefferson at Monticello. You’ll have to climb directly into the Wayback Machine for this one ‘cuz it’s back to the 18th century!  “The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the growth of centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder.” – Thomas Jefferson

Breaking News! Kinder Morgan’s/TGP proposed Direct Hit on your Community Pipeline plans to build the largest fracked gas compressor station on the East Coast by scenic woodlands in Northfield, MA! It will be 80,000 horsepower. The Lusitania was just 72,000 horsepower but we bet it made a bit of noise before it sunk! How crazy is that??

In the Enviro Show Echo Chamber we find the new Gov carrying water for…..(are you ready?) ALEC!  Baker’s actions promoting the proposed KM fracked gas pipeline and pulling the rug out from under efforts to expand solar power  makes it clear where his loyalties lie: Corporado in the Capitol!  Did we just mention Kinder Morgan? Check this out: KM hires off-duty cops to deter protests. Wait, isn’t THAT against the law?? How about THIS? Speaking of cops in league with corporados, Sherrie Anne Andre’s tree-sit in Rhode Island protesting the proposed Spectra fracked gas pipeline was raided. Check it out HERE. And, checkout FANG’s Week of Action, June 6 to 12 HERE. And this: going boating in Cape Cod or Massachusetts Bay this summer? OK, but watch out for whales! How about we go out with some good news! Maryland bans fracking!!

Time to Meet the New Boss making life even harder for endangered species. The Center for Biological Diversity notes “The [Obama] administration has quietly passed a series of regulatory changes that limit protections for species’ critical habitat, make it harder for species to gain protection as threatened or endangered, and sharply curtail citizen participation in implementation of the law.” After you checkout this page (PDF) you’ll probably want to TAKE ACTION!  Also this: the White House’s new plan simply doesn’t cut it. We need to get most pesticides off the market, OK? For more on that go HERE.

This week’s Fool-on-the-Hill is Florida Repugnican and presidential hopeful, Marco Rubio who stated recently on ABC’s “This Week” that “Climate is always evolving, and natural disasters have always existed… I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it.”  It gets worse: on the god awful Bill O’Reilly Show Rubio said “there’s no scientific consensus on human responsibility for climate change, that surface temperatures have stabilized over the last two decades, that cutting carbon emissions would destroy the economy, and that U.S. policies won’t do anything about the problem.” (he may be…..um..right? about that last one).

A bit of E-Valley-uation here: we note the passing of longtime activist and friend of the planet Juanita Nelson who was memorialized  last Saturday with a full-blown New Orleans style funeral procession and standing room only program in Greenfield. You can see some of that HERE. That’s d.o. in black with Juanita’s famous “You don’t gotta'” quote and Rev. Billy behind the banner. Happy trails, Juanita! Presente!

After our conversation with Rosemary we move along to the Bus Stop Billboard:

 

Wednesday, June 10 – 3:30-4:30pm. Franklin County Transportation Justice meeting. TJ was formed by local riders and concerned citizens for the general discussion and the bettering of Public Transportation in Franklin County. Discussion to be of the nature to influence the improvement and expansion of Public Transportation in Franklin County. The Brick House Community Resource Center, 24 Third St, Turners Falls MA 01376

 

Thursday, June 11, 7:00 pm. A special hearing on Berkshire Gas’ application with the DPU to buy gas from Kinder Morgan on NED. Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal St., Greenfield. We need to get Berk Gas customers – commercial and residential – who are opposed to NED out in numbers!

June 6, 13 & 27. HALT: Hands across loved trails in New Hampshire. Hiking beloved trails affected by the proposed Kinder Morgan Pipeline. Go to: www.nofrackedgasinmass.org/halt-hand-across-loved-trails-events/

Saturday, June 13 to Tuesday, June 16. March for Our Children. The Pilgrim nuke is among the 5 worst run reactors in the US.   Join the citizen’s march to revoke Pilgrim’s operating license and remove this nuclear threat from our lives.   Refuse to be a radiation refugee! We will march 54 miles over 4 days – from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth to the Boston State House. You can join us for part of, or all of the march. Good company, meals and accommodations will be provided. go to: www.madownwinders.org/calendar/march-for-our-children/

Sunday, June 14, 10AM to Noon. Hike Poplar Mountain. The hike starts in the Erving State Forest and ascends the mountain, following the route of the proposed Northeast Energy Direct fracked gas pipeline. Go to: www.mountgrace.org/

Sunday, June 14 – 15. Red Ribbon Walking Vigil in Opposition to the West Roxbury-Dedham Lateral Pipeline! There will be a Red Ribbon Walking Vigil from Dedham to West Roxbury the week before the pipeline construction is to begin. Please join us before 1:00 on the green outside of First Church in Dedham, 670 High Street on June 15th for this event. See: https://www.facebook.com/events/1171590446252348/

Sunday, June 14, 2 to 6pm. National Climate Mobilization Day. Climate mobilization Teach-in. Bowling Green Park, Financial District, NYC. Rev. Billy & the Stop Shopping Choir will on hand. See: https://www.facebook.com/events/2085722818235104/  Also go to: www.theclimatemobilization.org/  and sign the pledge!

Monday, June 15, 12:00pm – 6:00pm. Please join us at the NY State Capitol in Albany, NY at the close of the legislative session for a Peaceful Vigil for A Clean and Safe Energy Future. Call on Governor Cuomo and the NYS Legislature to take real Climate Action now, Shut Down Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power and produce an Energy Plan that gives us 100% Clean Renewable Community Owned Power. Stop Bakken Oil Bomb Trains, Stop Proposed Fracked Gas Pipelines, Stop Proposed LNG Storage and Export Facilities and Shut Down Indian Point while we phase out fossil fuels and nuclear power and shift to 100% clean renewable energy. Contact: abram@frackfreenation.org  or call 607 345-4865

Wednesday June 17, 7:00pm. The Greenfield Town Council will be voting on the ordinance to create limits and standards for commercial biomass burners in Greenfield. Residential wood burning is exempted, and large scale burners as well as waste to energy facilities would be banned. Please attend and support the Town Council in voting for this precedent setting ordinance. People are allowed to speak at the beginning of the meeting. Please express your support! GCTV, 393 Main St. 3rd Floor, Greenfield,MA.

Saturday, June 20, 9 p.m. – late night. 5th Annual Moth Ball. Join ABNC president Dave Small and naturalist Lula Field at Dave and Shelley’s house, 1542 Pleasant St., Athol, to search for Lunas, underwings, silkmoths and other night flying insects. Participants are invited to bring their tents, snacks to share and favorite moth baits. (Don’t know what those are? You’ll find out!) Info: Dave Small, 978-413-1772 or Dave@dhsmall.net.

Mon, June 22, 7pm – 9pm. Climate Action Now MA General Meeting. Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, 220 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060, United States (map). We face a monumental challenge with climate change, but we will face it together! Whether you’re a seasoned activist or just a concerned citizen who wants to find out more about actions being taken in our area, we would love to have you join us. Go to: climateactionnowma.org/

Sunday, July 12, 2015, 1 to 9PM. Benefit Event: Midsummernight Faerie-Concert Against the Pipeline!
 – A broad assortment of local music and comedy at the Singing Bridge Arts Center, beside the Westfield River, just a couple of miles from where the NED pipeline would cross it. Gaia Star Band, Rachel Laitman, Visioning BEAR Singers, Sarah Stockwell, Burrie Jenkins and more. Potluck refreshments and dinner.  All proceeds go to fight the pipeline. Singing Bridge Arts Center, West Main St. (right off Rte. 9) West Cummington, MA

We go out with Tom Neilson’s “Hole in the Ground” in case you missed the part about fracked gas. OK, that’s enough of that. What are we going to remember now? Right, to listen to our Mother!