In 2024, the line between naughty and nice has been blurred, and it has been hard to sift through the barrage of misinformation to separate the good from the bad, and the truth from the lies. There are days when we feel that we can get through things, and days when our emotions are at the bottom of the well. It’s been that type of year. So let’s look for what will raise our spirits in this holiday space. Is there anything good to give us hope? The answer is yes, even though democracy in the world is hanging by a thread, there have been some good policies and ideas put into place to revive my sense of well being.

On the environmental front, it turns out that in Ecuador, New Zealand, and Brazil; rivers, mountains, forests, waves, dolphins and whales have been given legal personhood. According to Jacqueline Gallant, who works for the Earth Rights Research and Action program at New York University School of Law, some countries are pushing the boundaries of legal imagination. Gallant stated that “Legal personhood provides the understanding that nature and living non-human beings should be understood as subjects [as opposed to objects] – with intrinsic value and interests and needs of their own.” We need to expand these actions to more countries so that nature can be truly represented. There is more positive environmental news which comes out of the UK. Coal has been polluting the atmosphere for decades and the UK has closed its last coal fired plant, which will reduce carbon emissions. The good eco-news keeps coming, as there are new ocean protections in the Azores, Amazon Deforestation reached a nine year low, and on El Hierro, the most westerly of the Canary Islands, energy generated via wind and water has enabled its 11,000 inhabitants to be completely self-sufficient in electricity for 10,000 hours since the project was established. Continuing in the victory column, the Supreme Court of the State of Montana upheld a landmark trial court decision from last August which decided in favor of 16 young people who said their health and futures were being jeopardized by climate change, which the state aggravates through its permitting of energy projects. So while gloom and doom seems pervasive in the US, as well as some democracies in the EU, Asia and other parts of the globe: innovators, scientists, engineers, lawyers, teachers and policy wonks are working to get the pendulum to swing in a more positive direction.

On this episode of TMSOG podcast, our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into environmental, economic and political issues. We talk about positive green news, nature being given legal personhood, Dr. Strangelove, externalities and the impending rise of an oligarchy in the US. For more info go to civ.works/defend. Check out The Museum of Motherhood https://mommuseum.org/ founded by Joy Rose. Take personal action and be proactive and if you can, please donate to an environmental organization which fights for the planet. Earth Justice is a wonderful organization to check out, as the Earth needs a good lawyer, go to https://earthjustice.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG is on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts.

Environmental, social and governance issues are affecting the way companies do business. The topic of ESG has become engulfed in a  political seesaw, and is a new battlefront in American politics. Are companies prepared for the climate transition that’s coming, and will they have to shift their investment strategies? Climate change is impacting many industries and operations, and companies must adjust to the changing planet. Droughts, floods, fires, tornadoes are now more extreme and can knock out facilities on short notice. Companies must adapt quickly and have plans in effect to deal with the weather extremes brought on by a changing climate. Both political parties in the US have differing views on ESG, as their approach to investors regarding the need to create policies that will reduce green house gases, create better working conditions and fair treatment of employees, as well as better governance policies has widened. There is once again a great divide on this issue, and one side is using the phrase “wokeness” to brush aside ESG practices. We will ever reach over the aisle again and work together for the greater good?? Our monthly civic and political analyst, George Polisner helps us understand what ESG’s are and how they are important in helping reduce carbon emissions and bring better conditions and pay to workers. George is the founder of Civ.works, who works to bring civic engagement, activism, citizen participation and political communication to the forefront.

For more info go to Civ.works. Find past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to TMSOG on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

It’s interesting to note that in the US, Mother’s Day actually began as a women’s movement to better the lives of Americans. Its origins spring from lifelong activists who championed efforts toward better health, welfare, and peace.  Mother Earth is a metaphor which  focuses on the nurturing and life-giving aspects of nature, and she is THE collective Mother. All mothers want a healthy, safe, clean and green planet so that current and future generations can thrive. As Mother’s Day endures and evolves, we continue to commemorate the many ways mothers have fought to better the lives of their children, from social welfare to non-violence to protecting the planet. On this episode, our resident astrologist, artist, mother of three awesome kiddos, film maker and voice for moms, Charlotte Ghiorse joins us to discuss Earth and Mother connections during this period of retrograde, as well as her Mother X art exhibits, various green subjects and more. For more info check out houseofchoclet.com and Sexy Astrologist on YouTube and Facebook. You can catch past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

For more info check out: Earthangel.nyc, Filmbizrecycling.org, ArtCubeNation.com, RockandWrapItUp.org and TheGreenDivas.com

Hope seems lost. So often headlines tumble us backwards, forgetting that hope exists. But all is not lost. I found hope, and more, in these stories, these people, and these communities – each bringing rejuvenation to our environment and its communities. Moreover, it’s not just hope that these stories project. Within the actions and hearts of the people in these stories, a deep certainty resides in their power to change not only life for themselves but for others.

• Taking Back Detroit Neighborhoods with the Power of Organic and Community – Urban depression runs through many areas of large cities. Abandoned homes often represent a dark picture of an impossible task: how to bring life back to once vital areas. This Detroit neighborhood is taking back its homes and its community by using YouTube, gardening, and the support of each other to revitalize and reclaim a neighborhood.

• Planting Trees as a Mission – This 103-year-old woman Karnataka has planted not just one, two, or even 100 trees. Saalumarada Thimmakka, from India, has for the last 50 years planted over 400 banyan trees. But that’s not all. She also fights to get a hospital in her community.

• Urban Garden in the Heart of NYC – In a place least expected, the Urban Garden Center sprouted, providing fresh natural food and serving the community through gatherings and education. The Urban Garden Center has forged on, despite many obstacles. Their location houses a two-block stretch of city concrete under part of the railway system. What they do inspires others to bring the beauty and revitalization of greens into city living.

• Empowerment through Fair Trade – The success of companies will no longer be measured in dollars only. Perhaps that never was true success. Some companies achieve empowerment for their community and themselves by giving back. Alaffia is a company in Togo, Africa with a mission to invest in the community. They state that their goal is to end poverty and foster gender equality. They work on things such as educational projects, maternal health, and reforestation, to name a few.

Connecting with the community, demonstrating an organic lifestyle, and helping others through cooperation with the environment, brings forth prosperity, perhaps slowly, but surely. As the large corporations struggle with profits, they now look to the little – though giants in heart – as models for the future. The power of their certainty plants seeds of true change that will benefit all.

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Do the electric slide into an EV (electric vehicle), and plug into a greener way to travel. My guest this week, Seth Leitman, a/k/a Green Living Guy, brings his expertise on vehicles that are electrifying the roadways. From Ford Fusion to Mitsubishi to Tesla, we learn about how the car industry is heading towards a more electric future. Seth’s Green Guru Guides and soon to be videos, are great tools to help you become a more sustainable Earthling. For more information go to greenlivingguy.com

#1532: The Green Living Guy by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

“Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say, it’s alright.” – George Harrison

New York State is committed to achieve 50% renewable energy by the year 2030. The Shared Renewable Program is part of that push, and Governor Cuomo recently stated that “this program is about protecting the environment and ensuring that all New Yorkers, regardless of their zip code or income, have the opportunity to access clean and affordable power.” This week’s show takes us to the #Solar4All Community Celebration sponsored by Solar One and Vote Solar. We heard from the NYS Energy Czar Richard Kaufman, as well as many other New York elected officials, who have worked to get this program off the ground. We spoke to Peter Olmsted and Adam Browning of Vote Solar, who are instrumental is developing policy for solar projects in New York, and beyond. We also spoke to Elana Laichena, Program Manager for Here Comes Solar, a project of Solar One, which promotes many solar initiatives. The Shared Renewable Program will help improve neighborhood health, resiliency and create opportunity, as renters, businesses, and homeowners will be able to participate in renewable energy projects, and receive tax credits on their utility bills. For more information go to votesolar.org, herecomessolar.nyc and sharedrenewables.org

#1529: Going solar, baby! by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

Products stacked high. Priced low. That’s the box-store shopping model we’ve come to accept. Shoppers expect cheap bargains, and for the most part, get it. From my small college town in Minnesota to Central America, I’ve watched Walmart build and consumers follow. I watched as the college town almost died out. Buildings begged for renters, to buyers rather than shoppers. Today, we watch the scope of Walmart’s impact reach for the skies, adding a negative carbon footprint at a fervent pace.

Walmart’s positive green press spins differently. Walmart reports all is right with the company’s clip to reduce emission and go green. However, The Institute for Local Self-Reliance reported that Walmart is guilty of going in the opposite direction and increasing greenhouse emissions with no stop in sight. In addition, many of Walmart’s products do not reflect the consciousness of a company dedicated to sustainability.

About ten years ago, Walmart started issuing it’s own, Global Responsibility Report. In developing countries, it’s hard to keep people away from the lure of the American brand (though many products are not made in America). I found the stores overpriced. The appeal for many, as Walmart knows, is the location. It was on a bus line, the parking lots are huge, and taxis even wait outside. Everything sat under one roof. A lure, even to this shopper, who couldn’t resist when the rain poured (the parking was not only huge, it was covered), and I needed some over-sized paper for my child’s school project.

Walking the aisles of these big box stores feels overwhelming and too much. Do we need purple and green and pink toilet paper? Are those products a “green” company should support. Jeffrey Hollender, founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation, Inc. took a look at what companies are doing to confuse customers into thinking a company is going green, when in fact it’s not:

“In essence, Walmart is saying, ‘Hey, Walmart shopper, here’s a totally unsustainable product from one of our supposed Sustainability Leaders.’”

What do we do? Walmart and other box-stores are now planted as an option for shopping, for everyone, for everything. What do we need? Do we need so much? The visual of green and pink toilet paper is one I’d never thought of until now. Walmart’s not just going to go away. We’ve helped create it. Yet, it must change. It’s too important. They’ve got the power to do it. We’ve got the power to demand it.

I returned to my college town a few years ago. It had made a bit of a comeback. The diner I cooked for was gone. But a few coffee shops and new stores had taken hold. It’s the main street of postcards. The place where community gathers and owners greet customers. Between the Walmart model and the main street, a model exists where we can reduce our impact, empower local retailers, and promote that which truly is good for the planet.

This week’s program features Jesse Ash, principal and lead producer at Greener Media, an eco-conscious production company based in NYC. We discuss how storytelling via digital and film mediums, is an essential tool in helping raise awareness about environmental and social issues. Jesse has won a Webby for his animated short Magical Cure, and his current project, Common Ground, was recently screened at the United Nations and at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. In addition, Greener Media’s short documentary, Man in the Maze, was a winner of the Sundance Short Film Challenge this year. To find out why Bette Middler has been deemed the “Queen of Green” and why it is helpful to have a celebrity name attached to a particular cause, you have to tune in.  For more information go to: greenermedia.com

#1524: Greener Media by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud