Category: Climate Change

Paris and Ithaca: A Tale of Two Cities Working to put Green Plans into Action with Artist, Eco Activist, and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

When I asked Charlotte Ghiorse our guest on this episode of The Many Shades of Green the standard opening question:

Quel ton de vert préférez-vous? (What’s your shade of green/ what shade of green do you prefer?)

She answered “Vert Caca d’oie”  (Goose poop green)

Charlotte was in France at the time of the taping, so we got slightly carried away with the what’s your shade of green question. Both Paris and Ithaca have been in the news of late, as both cities have put green initiatives into place to reduce their carbon emissions. In Ithaca, the city is focused on eliminating gas from buildings because as stated in eartheasy.com, homes in the United States are responsible for about 20% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions annually. These emissions come directly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, fracked gas and gasoline. Shifting your home energy towards cleaner alternatives is a critical component to slashing emissions and creating a healthier future, as natural gas is mostly methane, a potent greenhouse gas with more climate-warming particles. The goal then is to switch buildings to electricity that’s generated mostly from renewable electricity. Heat pumps and geothermal energy are being used as alternatives to gas. Ithaca is working with their electric utility NYSEG, and using incentives to make the gas to electric switch happen. 

On the other side of the pond, Paris is working to make the city more resilient and has added more bike lanes and green space. The air quality is not great and the Seine is polluted, but Paris has a plan. The city is preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics and is working hard to have the various sites be more sustainable. The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has placed green policies at the forefront of her campaigns, and she has plans to plant four new ‘urban forests’ next to major landmarks including the Hôtel de Ville, the Gare de Lyon and the Opéra Garnier. Hidalgo told The New York Times that one of her major goals is to “build this city around the individual” using the “15 minute city” model proposed by Carlos Moreno, a professor at the city’s Sorbonne University. In this model of the city, residents would have access to all basic services (public transport, shops, schools) within a quarter-hour of their home. One simple way to do that, is to put nature back into urban life. I was in Paris at the Eiffel Tower last November and I saw the work being done on the new park surrounding the landmark, and it is going to be beautiful. As mentioned, an area of concern now is the pollution in the Seine. Many Olympic water events are going to take place on and in the river, so something needs to be done quite quickly to resolve this issue, as the controversy surrounding the quality of the water is in the forefront. With that aside, Paris is making headway to be cleaner and greener.  By 2030, the most famous street in Paris, the Champs-Élysées, will be turned into an ‘extraordinary garden’ as part of a massive €250 million makeover. The plans include reducing the number of car lanes from four to two, creating new pedestrian and green areas, and planting ‘tree tunnels’ that improve air quality along the 1.9km-long avenue. Joni Mitchell will be happy to hear that news, as her tune Free Man in Paris originally released in 1974, has her wandering down the Champs-Elysees, which will soon look quite different, and will be environmentally friendly.

Our resident artist, eco-activist and astrologist, Charlotte Ghiorse discusses what is happening in Ithaca and Paris to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She also gives us some updated astrology (Uranus in conjunct with Jupiter in the 11h House), and much more. To get more info as to what Charlotte is up to go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and visit Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. Check out eartheasy.com for sustainability info. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green (TMSOG) on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list (at # 8) of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Cellophane Bees, Mountain Mints, Albert Einstein and conversations about the Importance of Native plants with artist and Master Gardner Donna Sharrett

Spring is upon us, we can feel it in the air, we can see it in the colors, but there is something wrong with this picture, as our ability to enjoy this lovely time of year as new life sprouts up, has an ominous side…. Leaf Blowers!  Yes, the roar of leaf blowers and mowers fill the air, and yellow signs dot the roadways warning us to stay off the lawn for at least 24 hours so that the pesticides can seep in. Yup, Spring is here, and simultaneous to buds and flower petals popping up across the landscape, the pollinators are losing their battle with humans as pesticides, the mow and blow mentality and habitat loss are causing their population to decrease in record numbers. We revel in the rebirth of the land, and while the song Live for Today by the Grassroots tells us to ” live for today, and don’t worry ’bout tomorrow,” these times demand that we have to worry about tomorrow and take action to make things better. Beauty is all around us, and people are tending to lovely gardens and planting shrubs and trees to maintain a park like feeling, which Doug Tallamy calls the Home Grown National Park Movement. We have to stop and smell the roses, and let the bees and insects do their thing as keystone species, which are responsible for sustaining ecosystems around the globe. In the online article via nrdc.org/stories titled A World Without Bees? Here’s What Happens If Bees Go Extinct, it stated that  Albert Einstein was sometimes quoted as saying, “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” While the quote has not been confirmed, there is truth in that statement. So with that in mind, let us look at how we can grow gardens, plant more native plants and stop using pesticides and leaf blowers which kill pollinators. Our guest on this episode is Donna Sharrett, who is an amazing artist and Master gardener. She gives us some great information about pollinators and how to maintain a healthy garden and lawn. Donna’s artwork has been exhibited at numerous venues including the U.S. Embassy, Bangladesh; the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Katonah Museum of Art, the John Michael Kohler Institute, Sheboygan, WI and many more. Donna is also a member of the planning board in the town of Ossining, NY. Her home garden will be featured on the Garden Conservancy Tour next month. Go to (https://www.gardenconservancy.org/) for get information.

For more information about Donna’s art and garden go to DonnaSharrett.com, and for past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green (TMSOG) on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list (at number 8) of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Unpave the Parking Lot and Put Up a Paradise– Plus Tips for taking action on Climate Change. Do Something! Make a Difference! Get Great info from Victoria Alzapiedi, Co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards

“I’m convinced that, powered by hope and fueled by courage and anger, we have the power to transform our collective future.” Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, atmospheric scientist and Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy.

      In an interview with Aspen Ideas on March 8th of this years, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe discussed tips for talking about climate change and what might be done to combat climate issues. She said that “climate change is not only an environmental issue — it’s an everything issue. It affects the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. It puts our homes and our health at risk.”  Katharine Hayhoe further stated that when people ask me “What can I do about climate change? I don’t respond with a prioritized list of actions to cut your carbon footprint. Instead,  I say talk about it — where you live, where you work, where you study. Help people understand why it matters to them, and what we can do together to make a difference.” We must use our collective will to help us rise up to keep the conversation about the environment in the forefront, because there is no Planet B.  Our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru Victoria Alzapiedi gives us great information about what we can do within our communities to raise awareness about environmental issues, and the importance of taking action to help implement policies and laws that will help reduce our carbon footprint. Education and messaging are key to creating a cleaner and healthier landscape. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, and is a member of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board, as well as the Climate Smart Communities Task Force. She is also a member of Friends of Buttonhook, which is working to save a 20.3 acre forrest in the Town of New Castle. In addition, she is the co-founder of the New Castle Pollinator Pathways Coalition, and started the Facebook group “The Nature of Westchester” an active community of nature lovers which now has more than 4000 members. Victoria is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations (mynativegardenoasis.com). For more info check out New Castle Healthy Yards and The Nature of Westchester on Facebook, as well as The Nature Conservancy (preserve.nature.org). For past programs go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to the podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoconsciousness

TMSOG is proud to be listed in the number 8 spot on Feedspot’s 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024- https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Hail to the Mighty Mushroom plus the Importance of Good Governance and Leadership with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

“There never was a good war or a bad peace.” -Letter to Sir Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London, July 1783

“Pardoning the Bad, is injuring the Good.” Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1748

Benjamin Franklin was a scholar, a thinker, was ambitious, rebellious, persuasive and he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. He tried to make sense out of things while using the art of compromise. He was adept at reading the room. Though I try to make sense of the world these days, I cannot wrap my head around what is going on around me, as very few people seem to be reading the room. I know that there are those who think the same way I do, but I am losing my confidence that even though I think there are more of us who care, those who don’t, those who are bowing to authoritarian leaders, and those who are in it for their version of it’s pay back time, seem to capture the news and the attention of the populous. There are people and companies doing amazing things for the greater good, but they are hidden under the radar. The unsung heroes of science and innovation tend to go unnoticed. In the US, President Biden has accomplished more than the majority of past presidents, and he gets little recognition. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has climate/clean energy provisions, medicare drug negotiations, provisions to invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) law authorizes $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending with $550 billion of that figure going toward “new” investments and programs . In addition to these two major Acts, President Biden has expanded overtime guarantees for millions, made over-the-counter birth control pills available, and he established the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In 2023, schools were awarded $286 million in federal dollars to support student wellness and school mental health professionals. Renewable power is now the No. 2 source of electricity in the U.S. There is a  sweeping crackdown on “junk fees” and overdraft charges. He is cracking down on cyberattacks, reinvigorating cancer research to lower death rates, making airlines pay up when flights are delayed or canceled and much, much more. He has experience, and yes, he can read the room.  An article in Politico in February 2024 listed the 30 things President Joe Biden has as done you might have missed and I encourage you to read that article at https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/02/joe-biden-30-policy-things-you-might-have-missed-00139046

How do we get the word out so that people know what is being done to help them. I don’t think we are paying attention, and the media, the fourth estate, is not doing its job. So on this episode our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into current events in the political and environmental arenas. We discuss eco innovations regarding mushroom technology, plus issues of governance, leadership, politics, the media, elections 2024, and more. Get more info at Civ.Works and check out the mighty mushroom at https://www.ecovative.com/ For past programs go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen and listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps.

The Many Shades of Green is proud to be number 8 on Feedspot’s List of the 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

#RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Eco-Tech Innovations (Seaweed, WOTA, Carbon Capture), Women’s History Month, Pisces Rules the Ocean and Water, with Eco-activist, artist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

Climate change is here, it’s undeniable, and it affects our lives daily. Extreme weather is in every part of the globe and in our own backyards. It is imperative that action be taken to reduce global warming and carbon emissions. While climate action seems to be lagging behind the pace of climate change, there are new technologies and climate tech innovations being worked on to replace fossil fuels and plastics.  Climate tech is now being deployed at a record pace.  A recent article in Fast Company stated that the world is on track to triple renewable energy by the end of the decade. In 2023, an energy transition began to unfold across the economy. Innovation and science are leading the way with promising technologies to help reduce CO2 emissions. There is a a new factory making jet fuel from CO2, and a cargo ship running on green methanol made from food waste. Some additional new solutions that give us optimism that it’s possible to avoid the worst impacts of climate change include: better batteries for Electronic Vehicles, installation of heat pumps, and carbon renewal using crushed mineral powder. These climate tech solutions are in the works and are making  inroads to clean technology on the local, national and global stage. 

   On this episode, our resident eco-activist, artist and Founder of Sexy Astrology Charlotte Ghiorse, gives us some insight about what work is being done within the scientific community in the climate tech arena regarding carbon capture, water purifying technology, and how seaweed can be converted to a biopolymer as a substitute for plastic. We also touch on Women’s History Month and Charlotte has astrology updates and some notes for Malcolm who is a Pisces, the sign which rules the ocean and water. For more info go to https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-tech?page=1

Follow Sexy Astrology and House of Choclet on Facebook and on the web at https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ For past shows go to HudsonRiverradio.com, Malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Please give us some feedback via Instagram, Facebook, Threads @tmshadesofgreen, and tune in to TMSOG podcast on Spotify, Amazon, Spreaker.com, Apple, iHeart and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s top 50 (#8) Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Food Scrap programs, Recycle Rangers, and yes, you can recycle used paint cans in NYS, plus more great information on the importance of local community eco-actions with Michelle Sterling and Youth Environmentalist Alexa Troob

The Power of Local community action is essential to empower communities to become resilient. Actions on the local level build a sense of ownership and responsibility and improves the effectiveness of initiatives which promote sustainability. Local governments, schools and organizations must address the climate concerns of the residents in their communities, which helps promote sustainable practices in their towns and villages in order to get green initiatives passed. What happens locally goes global! Our guest on this episode of TMOSG is Michelle Sterling, who has been instrumental in launching sustainability initiatives throughout Scarsdale and Westchester County. She is the co-chair of Scarsdale’s Sustainability committee and is on their Conservation council as well.  Michelle works with her sustainability partner Ron Schulhof, to help Scarsdale Village, as well as all seven Scarsdale Schools and a number of Scarsdale Houses of Worship, launch food scrap recycling and zero waste programs. Their efforts have made a tremendous impact within the community as well as throughout Westchester County, and they have now helped 21 towns within in the county, and several towns outside of Westchester start municipal food scrap recycling programs. We are also joined by Alexa Troob, who is a youth champion of the environment, a journalist and a student member of the Sustainability Advisory Board in the Town of New Castle New York. We discuss the Food Scrap Program in Scarsdale, the EPR Packaging Bill in NYS and the Paint Recycling Program. To reach out to Michelle email her at: [email protected]. Some helpful links are below:

https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/recycling-composting/postconsumer-paint-collection

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20022024/environmental-groups-eye-potential-win-with-new-york-packaging-bill/

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4246/amendment/A

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Listen to the podcast on apps via Amazon, Apple, Spotify, Spreaker.com and more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. TMSOG is proud to be #8 on Feedspot’s 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Leap Year, ‘Big Nights’ for Frogs Leaping towards their Vernal Pools and Keystone Plants with Victoria Alzapiedi, Co-founder, New Castle Healthy Yards

We are now in a leap year which happens every four years, and it exists, for the most part to keep the months in sync with annual events, including equinoxes and solstices. According to the JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab), it is a correction to counter the fact that Earth’s orbit isn’t precisely 365 days a year. When we think of a Leap year, we think of presidential elections in the US and the Summer Olympics. Spring is now approaching and everyone is becoming more aware that the climate is changing, and that the seasons are starting earlier. Hibernating animals and insects are getting more confused and are waking from their hibernation earlier. Kermit and his friends are finding it harder to be green. During this time of year ‘Big Nights’ occur when frogs and salamanders wake from hibernation to get to vernal pools to lay eggs and mate. Unfortunately, many are killed by cars as they cross roads. The NY DEC (dec.ny.gov) has a volunteer training programs which trains people to help the frogs and salamanders cross roadways get to their vernal pools. This program can also be used for people in other states to help save the lives of these precious amphibians. Our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru Victoria Alzapiedi, gives us great info about Big Nights, and she also talks about the importance of Keystone plants, and what we can do to preserve ecosystems in the coming months. For more info check out New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook. Go to Scenic Hudson for additional information:

https://www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/gearing-up-for-amphibians-big-night and https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/oceans-estuaries/hudson-river-estuary-program/conservation-and-land-use-program/amphibian-migrations-and-road-crossings and https://www.vernalpool.org/

Link to program NYDEC https://meetny.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/meetny/recording/dbb3114db3fb103cbfbe005056816f6f/playback

https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/oceans-estuaries/hudson-river-estuary-program/conservation-and-land-use-program/amphibian-migrations-and-road-crossings

For past TMSOG shows go to https://hudsonriverradio.com/the-many-shades-of-green.html, Malcolmpresents.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to The Many Shades of Green on all major podcast apps (Apple, Amazon, Spotify, Spreaker.com and more). TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspots list of the 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 @ #8 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

#Raise Your Eco-Consciousness

The Million Dollar Hockey Stick, Climate Scientists Fight Back + The Controversy over Frozen Eggs, with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

My job can’t just be- to calmly document the end of the world.” Rose Abramoff, Earth Scientist.

Peter Kalmus, a climate scientist, is in constant freak out mode, as he is plagued by the increasing certainty that, “if we continue burning fossil fuels at this pace, that will render large parts of the planet uninhabitable.” He further went on to say that “policymakers in general are not responding appropriately to the science that we’ve been giving them.” At the 2023 American Geophysical Union Conference in San Francisco, Rose Abramoff, an earth scientist and Peter Kalmus leapt onto the stage and unfurled a banner for Scientist Rebellion. Kalmus yelled, “As scientists we have tremendous leverage, but we need to use it.” Rose Abramoff pleaded, “Please. Please. Find a way to take action.” They were both taken offstage and banned from the conference. Another climate scientist, Dr. Michael Mann, has been in court for over ten years fighting  to clear his name after the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has said that it “questions global warming alarmism,” and compared Dr. Mann on a blog hosted by the institute, to a convicted sex offender “Instead of molesting children,” the post read, “he has molested and tortured data in the service of politicized science.” Then a conservative writer republished parts of that post on a blog hosted by National Review and added that Dr. Mann was “behind the fraudulent climate-change ‘hockey stick’ graph.” After ten years in court, a jury in Washington DC recently found both writers were liable for defamation and Dr. Mann was awarded one million dollars in punitive damages. We all know that the climate is warming, polar ice is melting, glaciers are receding, the chemistry of the ocean is becoming dangerously acidic and sea levels are rising. Yet the scientists researching the fallout from those facts which were established more than 100 years ago, continue to face attacks that threaten their research, reputations and livelihoods. Science, yes science, and facts, yes, facts must be used to determine how climate affects the environment. We must support scientists and facts over lies and conspiracy theories. Dr. Mann fought for his right to not be harassed, and Peter Kalmus and Rose Abramoff will not let extremism replace the research that clearly points to the fact that the extraction and burning of fossil fuels by the oil and gas industries, is one of the leading causes of climate change. Our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into climate science, and we discuss how Climate Scientists are fighting back in court. We also touch on the latest blow to women’s reproductive rights, as a controversial Alabama Supreme Court decision stopped IVF treatments, stating that frozen embryos, whether they are within or outside a uterus, are considered children.

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow TMSOG on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen and tune into TMSOG podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spreaker.com, Spotify and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness.

The Many Shades of Green is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 (at number 8). https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Plastic in the Clouds, Pluto in Aquarius and more with Artist, Eco-Activist and Sexy Astrologist, Charlotte Ghiorse

Plastic is everywhere. In our blood, in our food (beer, honey, salt) and more. A one liter of bottle of water contains 240,000 detectable plastic fragments. Microplastics are even in clouds! Joni Mitchell did not in a million years think that plastic would be inside clouds when she wrote the lyrics to her iconic tune “Both Sides Now” Joni wrote about the clouds and said:

But now they only block the sun

They rain and they snow on everyone

So many things I would have done

But clouds got in my way

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down and still somehow

It’s cloud illusions I recall

I really don’t know clouds at all

Plastic in clouds is not an illusion, so maybe the lyric needs to be updated to say:

Now microplastics are in the air

within the clouds and everywhere, 

now scientists are really scared 

they know what must be done, 

We have to work to clear the skies 

and wipe the plastic from our eyes,

from tears and rain we cannot hide

plastic cannot rule the way 

On this episode we focus on how plastic winds up in clouds. Researchers recently collected 28 samples of liquid from clouds at the top of Mount Tai in eastern China. They found microplastic fibers—from clothing, packaging, and tires—in their samples. Lower altitude and denser clouds contained greater amounts of microplastics. Plastic is now part of the Earth’s geology as it is in rocks, reefs, and shells, soil and more. It now has a geologic name: plastistones. We discuss how plastic is infiltrating the environment and getting into the clouds, and we delve into astrology-Pluto in Aquarius, with our resident eco-activist, artist, and sexy Astrologist, Charlotte Ghiorse. For more info about plastic/chemicals in our environment go to asc.org. Get more info about Charlotte via HouseofChoclet.com and Sexy Astrology on YouTube. Find more shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com, and TMSOG – themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow us and Like us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen, and listen and share TMSOG podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, iHeart (Spreaker.com) and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

The Many Shades of Green is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 (@ #8) https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Groundhog Day, Climate Change, PETA and Purple Haze with Rusti Wolintz

It’s official: spring is right around the corner.Punxsutawney Phil DID NOT SEE HIS SHADOW in front of thousands of spectators at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, part of the annual Groundhog Day tradition celebrated in the U.S. and Canada. That means, according to the legend, we’re in for an early spring. Phil predicted an early spring for the 21st time since records were kept. (USA Today 2.2.24) The question arises as to how climate change will affect future Groundhog Day predictions.

Having attended the Groundhog festivities on 02.02.02, with my guest and BFF Rusti Wolintz, on this episode we discuss our Bucket List adventure to Punxsutawney, which was quite the time. As the crowd screamed PHIL! PHIL! PHIL! in frigid temperatures, we watched the ceremony unfold as the Groundhog Inner Circle took Phil out of his hollow tree stump to predict the weather. We are now in 2024, and while most people depend on the more advanced methods of their favorite meteorologist, we still wake up on Groundhog Day to the tune of ‘I Got You Babe’ and travel in our minds to the **Tip Top Cafe in the Groundhog Day movie (that’s for you Mr. Murray), to find out if the prediction of the groundhog, through some telepathic connection with humans, will determine if there will be six more weeks of winter, or if spring will come early. If he sees his shadow after coming out of his hollow, there will be six more weeks of winter, and if he does not see his shadow, people can expect spring to be around the corner. In essence we put Phil, Staten Island Chuck, and General Beauregard Lee the premier groundhog prognosticators, in the limelight to predict the weather, which as we all know has been more extreme. So in addition to predicting the shifting of seasons, Phil and company now have another challenge: climate change. We already know that across the U.S., spring is getting warmer and it is starting an average of three days earlier too. Spring is usually upon us when small leaves begin to sprout on trees, but in recent years, spring leaf out arrived in the Southeast over three weeks earlier than the long-term average (1981-2010) in some locations. Austin, TX is 10 days early, Jackson, MS and Charleston, SC are 17 days early, and Wilmington, NC is 22 days early. Warmer springs can cause plants to bloom earlier, impact migrating species and hibernating animals, and increase the amount of seasonal insects. We must address global warming and take action to reduce greenhouse gases. To get more info go to NASA.gov, nationalgeographic.org, NOAA at climate.gov and groundhog.org,

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com, plus themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow TMSOG on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to the TMSOG podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness. The Many Shades of Green is honored to be on the Feedspot list of top environmental podcasts at number 8: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

**Correction, during the episode it was stated that the Groundhog Day movie had the Tik Tok Diner, when it was the Tip Top Cafe.

Behavioral Crisis: Unmasking the Root Cause of Climate Breakdown

We are in a climate crisis, and we seem to be blinded by what is happening right before our eyes. Weather events have become more extreme, yet people continue to look the other way, because they think if they don’t acknowledge it, the problem will go away. Well, time is not on your side, so it would be beneficial if you look up from your screens, and take some responsibility for the current climate crisis. Human behavior has to come to grips with what is going on. Climate change is an immense challenge. Human behavior is crucial in climate change mitigation, and in tackling the arising consequences. The ‘human factor’ has not always received much attention in key research areas, such as climate modeling.  Temperatures are rising and immediate and significant climate action is needed. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done.

 The fight against climate change is a collective endeavor and requires large scale solutions. Collective action, and collective will has to start with individuals acting as change agents who raise awareness, and are the driving force of needed action. A super change agent and our resident environmentalist, political analyst, civic activist and curmudgeon George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into the need for human behavior to tackle global warming. We also discuss the Chevron Doctrine and the impending case before SCOTUS, the generational economic despair on both sides of the political spectrum, and more. For additional information go to Civ.works. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Spreaker.com and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG Podcast

The Woolly Bear Caterpillar and other Winter Wildlife with Victoria Alzapiedi, Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards (S12 E1)

Bears have tucked themselves away as winter is upon us. When the weather outside is frightful, most of us choose to spend most of our time indoors. Animals, however, don’t exactly have a choice. So what do our furry and non-furry friends do when it is frigid and snowy? Some animals migrate to warmer climates, particularly birds, while others have to adapt and get through the bad weather. Some animals, like Da bears, hibernate, and go into a very  deep sleep.  Other animals like Chipmunks (ALVIN!) eat a lot in the fall to store fat in their bodies and intermittently slow down their breathing. Survival is not easy, but many animals adapt and manage to get through the frigid winter months (chipmunks, bears and skunks). Then there is the Woolly Bear Caterpillar, which has even been known to survive an entire winter completely frozen in an ice cube. As far as the woolly bear caterpillar’s travel goes, they are simply moving about in search for that perfect spot to curl up and spend the winter. With climate change and warmer temperatures, animals will have to readjust, adapt and create new habits and habitats. We need to be proactive in creating habitats in our own backyards to support the needs of wildlife.  Victoria Alzapiedi our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru gives us great info about winter wildlife and what we can do to preserve ecosystems in the winter. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, and is a member of Friends of Buttonhook, which is working to save a 20.3 acre forrest in the Town of New Castle. She is also the founder of My Native Garden Oasis which provides ecosystem garden coaching and consulting to create habitat for pollinators, birds and wildlife. Follow New Castle Healthy Yards and My Native Garden Oasis on Facebook. For more TMSOG podcasts go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Subscribe to TMSOG on all major podcast apps, and check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness