Greetings Earthlings. Can you define “renewable”? What works for you? Endlessly useful? Something of use now that dwindles with time? Is everything natural on the planet renewable? Is our very existence renewable? How? The Children of the Wild return to us in the studio to ponder this far reaching term and Ben Hellerstein of Environment Massachusetts calls in to talk about his take on the issues of so-called renewable energy. As usual we’ll introduce you to this week’s Fool-on-the-Hill and once again to His Malignancy The Mad King, as well as a side trip to The Enviro Show Echo Chamber but first it’s time for……..Revenge of the Critters! Who is the real “snake in the grass“? The one that crawls on its belly or the ones who trash the forest to create climate-trashing plantations?
In keeping with our theme we have brought back that renewable fool Repugnican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for our Fool-on-the-Hill. A few years back the fool said: “Just so you’ll know, global warming is a total fraud and it’s being designed because what you’ve got is you’ve got liberals who get elected at the local level want state government to do the work and let them make the decisions. Then, at the state level, they want the federal government to do it. And at the federal government, they want to create global government to control all of our lives.” We know your tricks, United Nations!
As previously noted, His Malignancy The Mad King presents us with a never ending, seemingly renewable source of lame-ass ideas. We posted one of the most recent on our Facebook page last week. Of course Grist did a bit of photoshopping on the visuals but in this case that doesn’t make it fake news. Then again, we guess it’s not news that The Mad King is the Climate Criminal-in-Chief, right? Let’s move on to Myron Ebell, the climate criminal who led Trump’s transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency which cursed the planet with Scott Pruitt. Ebell has said “he fully expected Trump to keep his promise to withdraw the US from the global agreement to fight global warming”. According to Mother Jones “Ebell, who has returned to his role at the anti-regulation think tank the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said…. “The environmental movement is, in my view, the greatest threat to freedom and prosperity in the modern world.” We guess if he’s talking about the freedom to destroy the Earth for future generations we’d have to agree! As for prosperity, there seems to be plenty of that among the ruling elite…..for the time being. Also checkout this recent segment from Rachel showing His Malignancy’s lovefest with Dow Chemical. You may never have heard of the endocrine disrupting pesticide Chlorpyrifos but The Mad King and his lackey at the EPA, Scott Pruitt just gave it new life so it can bring on the death to bees and brain damage to farm workers and children. Think about that as you watch The Mad King and the real Agent Orange grinning at each other in the Oval Office. You can sound off about this HERE.
Time for a little E-Valley-uation! Here’s some pending legislation on Beacon Hill that surely applies to our Valley: Bill S.1872
“Section 94A of chapter 164 of the General Laws is amended by inserting, at the end thereof, the following paragraph:
The department shall not approve any pipeline capacity contract or gas storage contract where new capacity is proposed to be created through the installation of gas infrastructure in land that, at the time the contract is submitted to the department for approval, is protected under Article 97 of the Articles of Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth. Subsequent siting approvals of gas infrastructure in such constitutionally protected land shall void departmental approval of related pipeline capacity or gas storage contracts.” Does this effect Kinder Morgan/TGP’s pending plans in Otis State Forest? We’ll ask our in-house legal eagle, Glen.
Let’s open up The Enviro Show Echo Chamber and listen for what comes back to us, OK? How about “Study shows methane from power plants far exceeds EPA estimates” from E&E News via the Berkshire Environmental Action Team? Our Blog Action Link this week sends you right back into the renewed fight against the Keystone XL pipeline fight. Go HERE! And this: Reuters reports “Hundreds of North American bee species face extinction”. We’re guessing Dow may have a hand in this, no?
Our Enviro Show Quote of the Week comes from the Oxford English Dictionary (so it must be correct, yes?):
Renewable is something “that is replaced naturally or controlled carefully and can therefore be used without the risk of finishing it all.”
After we delve into the meaning of “renewable” with our guests it’s off to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Thursday, April 20, 6 pm. The Biomass Monitor hosts a conference call live debate between physicist Hans Ohanion and Evan Dell’Olio, Director of External and Regulatory Affairs for Roberts Energy Renewables, over Middlebury College’s recent claim of achieving carbon neutrality through its biomass facility. RSVP on Facebook and/or respond to this email for call-in info.
Saturday, April 22, Noon to 5pm. March for Science – Boston Common. The March for Science champions publicly-funded and publicly-communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, non-partisan group to call for science that upholds the common good, and for political leaders and policy makers to enact evidence-based policies in the public interest. This group is inclusive of all individuals and types of science! Go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1283459638410385/
Saturday, April 22, 10am. All day. March for Science – Washington, DC. In Washington DC, our march through the streets will culminate in a rally on the Washington Mall. Co-hosted with the Earth Day Network, the rally will be both a call for politicians to implement science based policies and a public celebration of science. The rally will feature main stage speakers and teach-in tents around the mall where scientists and science communicators from a wide variety of scientific fields will discuss their work and its impact on our everyday lives. Go to: https://www.marchforscience.com
Saturday, April 22, 10am. to 4pm. Amherst March for Science. Join us at KENDRICK PARK, at the North end of town on E. Pleasant St., in AMHERST from 9-10 AM on 4/22 in our own official Satellite City MARCH FOR SCIENCE. We will proceed from Kendrick park at 10:00 to the Town Common. Stay for the teach-ins, at the main demonstration tent on the Amherst Common for real-world science talks and demos. We will also have all-day activities and information at our booth. This is what SCIENCE looks like! Go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1072590262852992/
Saturday, April 22, 10am. – 4pm. Amherst Sustainability Fair. FREE educational AND fun for the whole family! Join us for a day of entertainment, local vendors, information on how to live a more environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle, exhibits, and more. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/604124283126941
Sunday, April 23, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. Shortnose Sturgeon Revival Celebration. Spring 2017 marks this species’ first free-swimming access from below the 1849 Holyoke Dam to its ancient, upstream Rock Dam spawning site in Turners Falls in 168 years! Join Amherst sturgeon expert and author Dr. Boyd Kynard and environmental journalist Karl Meyer for a visit to the Rock Dam in Turners Falls. The Rock Dam is the only documented natural spawning site for the federally-endangered shortnose in the Connecticut River ecosystem. Kynard covers this ancient creature’s life history and biology. Meyer covers the human and natural history of the spectacular Rock Dam site. Involves a short walk; steep dirt paths. Wear sturdy shoes. . Rain or shine; no pre-registration required. Directions: Cross the 11th St. Bridge in Turners Falls; at first stop sign turn left down G Street. Meet at public lot at end of G Street, just before the entrance sign for the US Conte Fish Lab.
Monday, April 24, 7 to 9pm. Climate Action Now! MA monthly gathering. Unitarian Society of Northampton & Florence, 220 Main Street, Northampton, MA. Go to: http://climateactionnowma.org/
Tuesday, April 25, 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Carbon Smart gardening/landscaping. Webinar Series Part 1. Gain ideas and inspiration for transforming marginal or vacant land into vibrant gardens for healthy food. Use low-cost, local resources and simple tools to improve or create low-maintenance gardens on urban lots, lawns, or small farms. No-till, carbon smart methods treat the soil as sacred, conserve water, help restore the climate, and promote food access. Webinar presenters Deb Habib and Ricky Baruc Seed of Solidarity Farm and Education Center in Orange MA, Go to: https://tufts.webex.com/tufts/j.php?MTID=m2c394f9a71457e2cce4bac394308afd9
Wednesday April 26, 7pm. Eversource Rate Case Hearing. Greenfield Middle School Auditorium, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield, MA.
Thursday & Friday April 27, 9am – April 28. Elders Climate Action Day. American University Washington College of Law & Capitol Hill, Washington DC, 4300 NW Nebraska Ave., Washington, DC Go to: http://www.eldersclimateactionday.org/
Saturday, April 29th, 2017. That’s the date of the People’s Climate Mobilization, a major march in Washington, D.C., when we will come together with hundreds of thousands of people to reject Trump’s attack on our communities and climate, and push forward with our vision of a clean energy economy that works for all. Go to: https://peoplesclimate.org/pledge/ BUS INFO from AMHERST/NORTHAMPTON/HOLYOKE: Check GoTo: ClimateMarch.org for updates
Climate Action Now is organizing buses for DC. Some subsidies available. Leaving from a variety of location including Holyoke and Northampton.
NORTHAMPTON:
Please visit GoTo: ClimateMarch.org to sign up and get the mailing address for payment. Tickets for the Northampton buses will be $65 dollars, plus merchant fees. Northampton buses will depart Sheldon Field around 12:00 AM and the Round House lot around 12:15 AM, and arrive in DC by 9:00 AM. They will depart DC around 6:00 PM, and will return home around 2 AM. Buses will stop at a rest area every two hours.
HOLYOKE:
We may have seats. Will update here.
AMHERST:
The Sierra Club has two buses leaving from Amherst. Tickets are $65 each, plus PayPal fees
sierraclub.org/massachusetts/chapter-store
Buses will leave UMass Amherst and Hampshire College around 9:30-10 PM on Friday, April 28, arriving in Washington DC Saturday morning, April 29. The buses will then depart Washington, DC around 7-8 PM, returning to their departure point early morning Sunday, April 30.
BUS INFO FOR BERKSHIRES: email Berkshires@350MA.org
#climatemarch #peoplesclimate #peoplesclimatemarch
Saturday April 29 10:30 am to Noon. Rally for Climate Jobs, and Justice. Energy Park, 50 Miles St., Greenfield, MA. On April 29th there will be a massive demonstration in Washington DC for “Climate, Jobs & Justice”. The Trump administration is rapidly doing away with any progress that has been made in saving our planet. For those who aren’t going to DC. there will be a sister March in Greenfield, that is being organized by the “Pint Huddle for Climate Change Rally” and is co-sponsored by FCCPR.
Friday, May 5th 5:30pm, Saturday, May 6th 5:30pm, & SundayMay 7th 3:30pm. The Wastelands Opera At the Holyoke Creative Art Center, 384 Dwight Street, Holyoke, MA. A FREE performance of The Wastelands where the opera first debuted in 2016. The Wastelands is an original experimental folk opera inspired by Dante’s Purgatorio and first in Children of the Wild’s “Rewilding Cycle.” Following Dante and Virgil through the seven stages of Purgatory, The Wastelands explores the seven stages of grief in a time of violent political and environmental unraveling. More Info: https://www.childrenofthewild.org/calendar?mc_cid=afe8b5ca1e&mc_eid=e30cdb63e1
Saturday May 6, 1:00- 3:00pm. “Environmental Justice and Nuclear Waste:The Road from Vermont Yankee to Texas.” A New England tour of speakers who will connect the dots between ‘our’ nuclear waste and impacts on Texas communities. First Congregational Church, Greenfield, MA. Email: safeandgreencampaign@gmail.com
That’s all folks! Remember…..what? TO LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!
The Enviro Show 