Category: Community

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

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/

The Essential Role of Local Journalism with Adam Stone, Publisher of The Examiner

“The health of a democracy depends in no small part on the vitality of an independent press. Studies across the world continue to demonstrate that access to a robust news system, free from institutional censorship or influence, plays an essential role in effective democracy.” Quote from The Knight Foundation and Gallup, American Views 2022: Part 1

According to the American Journalism Project, local news bridges divides in communities, showcases opportunities for community connection, highlights community perspectives, and sheds light on how policy issues affect readers and their neighbors. Most local issues require the thoroughness, understanding, and diligence that only local, on-the-ground reporters are equipped to provide. The national media is astoundingly out of touch with Americans, with 1 in 5 newsroom employees based in New York, Los Angeles, or Washington, DC. Local news is an essential check on local government and helps improve communities. A robust press is vital to a healthy democracy and newsrooms need resources to create reliable news that is accessible and free from influence. We need to know who is holding local elected officials accountable, who is reporting from the state legislatures, who is covering all the town councils, school board and pubic hearings, court proceedings, environmental policy, school sports, town events and so much more. It is local news publications that provide this vital information, and carry out their important function in keeping the public informed. On this episode of TMSOG, Adam Stone, Publisher of The Examiner, a local print/digital newspaper covering Westchester County, NY discusses the importance of local news as a check on democratic institutions. Adam’s article about how the failure of New York State in operating certain disability programs, which had disastrous effects on local disabled individuals, was highlighted by the New York Times on its list of outstanding local journalism.  It is a prime example of local journalism at its best: (see The Examiner News, New York: How the state’s disability program fails locals). Please support local press! For more info go to theexaminernews.com and check out new and archived articles.

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com, and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow TMSOG on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to the podcast on all major podcast apps (Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart via Spreaker.com and more). TMSOG is proud to be on the Feedspot top 50 Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 (TMSOG is number 8). For info go to: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

#RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

What’s Going On? “I Have A Dream!” Carrying forward the resonating message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with Rick Ulfik, Founder of We the World and George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

What’s Goin On by Marvin Gaye

Mother Mother

There’s too many of you crying

Brother, brother, brother

There’s far too many of you dying

You know we’ve got to find a way

To bring some lovin’ here today, yeah

Father, father

We don’t need to escalate

You see, war is not the answer

For only love can conquer hate

You know we’ve got to find a way

To bring some lovin’ here today

Picket lines and picket signs (sister, sister)

Don’t punish me with brutality (sister, sister)

Talk to me (sister)

So you can see (sister)

Oh, what’s going on (what’s going on)

What’s going on (what’s going on)

 “Whats Going On” by Marvin Gaye, is an incredible musical piece that offered, like the everlasting message of Martin Luther King Jr., enlightenment and compassion at a time of confusion and hate. Marvin Gaye and MLK had much in common, as they both advocated for civil and environmental justice, as well as peace, love and understanding. In a recent online article in Country Living magazine, Katie Bowlby and Terri Robertson wrote that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “was one of the most powerful voices of the Civil Rights Movement.” Throughout his lifetime, he had a lot to say about justice, love, leadership, service, equality, freedom, and the hope for (and struggle for) change.  Much insight can be gained from reading Dr. King’s speeches and writings in their full context, from his “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington to his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and his Nobel Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1964. He concluded the award was granted in recognition, “that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time — the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression.”In the speech, King spoke about the urgent need for support and the long road ahead to end racial injustice in the United States. 

On this episode of TMSOG my guests Rick Ulfik, Founder of We the World, and George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works give us some insight and some inspiration of the teachings of Dr. King, and what needs to be done to carry forward his work. We also delve into the state of media coverage, voting, the environment and the need for citizens to be active participants in democracy. While we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday each January, it is important that we always think about his message, and work to carry out his legacy every day. You are invited to join We The World and to help Inspire, Inform, and Involve millions to take action and to be of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr’s messages and teachings. Your participation is CRUCIAL to carry forward his work and legacy to end Poverty, Racism and, of course, War. To make a difference, please sign up at WE.NET/MLK . Also, please visit Civ.Works to find out how you can take civic action on various issues, especially during the 2024 election cycle. For past TMSOG shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green(TMSOG) on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

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

It’s A Wrap 2023 with the Fab 4 George Polisner, Neil Richter, Rusti Wolintz and Malcolm Burman

The lyric of the chorus of the song California Reggae Debate/ You’ve Got the Power, written and performed by my Token Bro now in Rock n Roll Heaven, Mitch Margo, points to the power we have, which we must use our highest potential. We must create a world where the collective will thrives, to keep the planet from imploding. Collective will is crucial to perpetuate the greater good! There were many things to be happy about in 2023, and many things that were truly horrible. While words are important, actions in most cases, speak louder than words, and we need be more proactive in making the planet a greener and safer place to live and thrive. The lyrics below of California Reggae Debate are great words to follow:

You’ve go the power, I’ve seen you use it

You think you don’t have it, that’s how you lose it!

The Fab 4, George Polisner, Neil Richter, Rusti Wolintz and Malcolm Burman join me (Maxine Margo Rubin), in discussing what made us happy, what pissed us off in 2023, and what we hope to see in the coming New Year. There are more of us doing good and making a difference. The Press, seems to hightlight the evil, and that has to change. For more info go to Civ.Works, and for current and past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green (TMSOG) on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Please subscribe to TMSOG podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more. You’ve Got The Power, I’ve Seen You Use It, You Think You Don’t Have It, That’s How You Lost it! SO USE THE POWER YOU HAVE #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Leading the Way to Fix Things with the Repair Cafe Movement in the Hudson Valley with Suzie Fromer and Kathy Galione

We live in a throw away society, and we tend to toss things out which end up in landfills and perpetuates waste. We used to bring items to folks who would repair them. Televisions, radios, jewelry, clothing would be brought to the neighborhood repair shop to get the item fixed, with nothing being added to the trash. A movement has started to bring back the concept of repair, and  Repair Cafes are popping up which connects folks who need items repaired to those who can fix them. Sasha Nahr, Chair, of the Larchmont Environmental Committee stated that ”So much stuff gets thrown away unnecessarily, adding to ever growing piles of trash.” Anything that is broken, not working, or can be mended, can be brought in to a Repair Cafe. So on this episode, we have two amazing women, Suzie Fromer and Kathy Galione who are working to reduce waste by encouraging items to be fixed, and are active in the creation of Repair Cafes in the Hudson Valley. For more information and upcoming Repair Cafe dates go to repaircafehv.org. Subscribe to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps. For past shows go to themanyshadesofgreen.com, HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on FB, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

War, what is it good for? And Some Good environmental news in Portugal and more with George Polisner founder of Civ.Works

WAR by Edwin Starr 1970—War, huh, yeah…What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, uh!

The sixties and seventies were filled with protest songs like WAR, as battles raged in Vietnam and Cambodia, killing thousands of young men and Vietcong, as well as the collateral damage of innocent lives. There was a draft, and young men did not want to fight what they thought was a senseless war. A song written in the 50’s by Pete Seeger, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, has the lyric “When will we ever learn”? And the Rodgers and Hammerstein song from South Pacific, “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” has lyrics which delve into racism and hate, placed within a beautiful ballad: Here are some of the lyrics: 

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to year, it’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear—You’ve got to be carefully taught!

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid of people whose eyes are oddly made, and people whose skin is a different shade—You’ve got to be carefully taught.

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, before you are six or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate—You’ve got to be carefully taught! You’ve got to be carefully taught!

Fast forward to October 2023, and the question stays the same, WAR what is it good for, absolutely nothin’!!! There are no words for the atrocities which are being unleashed in Israel and Gaza. Mankind has once again plummeted into yet another war. So what is the answer? Does one avenge and take revenge? How does one cope with the humanitarian and moral dilemma? I truly have no words to express my feelings and outrage. How long will this hate and destruction go on? So the tune “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” keeps popping into my mind, and the refrain written by Pete Seeger in 1955, “when will they ever learn when will they ever learn” is now a constant ear worm in my head. There is much to discuss, and on this episode of TMSOG George Polisner our resident political, economic, environmental, social justice expert and founder of Civ.works gives us some insight into the Israeli conflict with Hamas, the insanity of US Politics and some positive energy solutions from Portugal. For more info check out Civ.Works and for past podcasts go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Please subscribe to The Many Shades of Green on all major podcast apps. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Regenerative Farming, American Climate Corps plus Astrology and more with Eco-activist, Artist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

The farmer in the dell, The farmer in the dell, Hi-ho, the derry-o, The farmer in the dell. The farmer takes a wife, the wife takes the child, the child takes the nurse, the nurse takes the cow, the cow takes the dog, the dog takes the cat, the cat takes the mouse, the mouse takes the cheese, and the cheese stands alone.

It would take some time to analyze this song by the Mother Goose Club that we sang as kids in school back in the day. I never quite understood why the nurse took the cow, and don’t get me started on the cheese! In Kindergarten and First grade, we would gather in a circle and do this performance piece as if we were on a farm. Kids were picked to be the farmer, the wife, the dog and so on, but you NEVER wanted to be the CHEESE who stood alone, because your classmates would make fun of you. So who is standing alone now in the farm world? Small farmers have to compete with BigAg, which has turned modern farming into big business.  Industrialization after WWII popularized the use of machinery, pesticides and herbicides in agriculture and suppliers of tanks and chemical weapons looked to pivot to a different business model. While it is important to feed the populous, it is also important to keep the populous safe from chemicals which can cause cancer and other illnesses. The AgriChemical industry has a large lobby and has overwhelming pull on politicians and researchers who get their way in keeping chemicals that should be banned in the agribusiness (Monsanto/RoundUp). Small farmers generally cannot compete on many levels, and they want to reduce the use of chemicals and fertilizers. They are also feeling the effects of climate change. So enter a new, yet old method of farming called Regenerative Agriculture, which is on the rise. It is actually based on both Indigenous and modern farming practices which abides by four principles: no tillage, no chemicals, herd grazing and use of cover crops. There have been recent documentaries like Kiss the Ground, Biggest Little Farm and most recently Common Ground, which focus on regenerative farming and the need to implore that these practices be used to keep the earth fertile for farming instead of scorching the ground. We have spoken on past shows about this farming technique with Farmer and Founder of DIG Farm, Allison Turcan, and on this episode we continue that discussion with our resident Eco-activist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse, who gives us some more insight into the importance of regenerative farming. We also touch on President Biden’s Conservation Corps, a/k/a American Climate Corps, and Charlotte delves a bit into October Astrology with Mars going into Scorpio. Please check out House of ChoCLet and Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. For information on the American Climate Corp go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/climatecorps/ Also check out farmaid.org

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and follow us @tmshadesofgreen on FaceBook, Instagram and Threads! Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Farm Aid 2023, Support Local Farms, Help Our Farmers with Allison Turcan Founder of DIG Farm and host of the podcast Getting Dirty

“Family farmers have the solutions to some of our toughest challenges. As we face a changing climate, farmers in Indiana, across the Midwest and all over the country are farming in ways that create more resilient farms to build healthy soils and protect our water.” — Willie Nelson Farm Aid

The development of agricultural took place about 12,000 years ago and changed the way humans lived. The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle switched to permanent settlements and farming. The earliest farmers lived in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East (near what is now Turkey) and grew crops like peas, lentils and barley. As humans learned to control their sources of food, they no longer had to be nomads, as they could settle in one place.  Forward to 2023, and there are 2 million farms in America, 98% of which are operated by families, family partnerships or family corporations. Farmers are the backbone of America, as they provide food for the citizens of the US and the globe. But more than 9,000 farms were lost between 2021 and 2022.  Data from USDA’s Economic Research Service indicates that Michigan led the list with 1,700 fewer farms, Texas lost a thousand, and Kansas fell 900. California, Kentucky, and New Mexico each lost 600 farms, and there were 500 fewer farms in Nebraska. Farmers play an integral role in feeding the populous, and many need economic assistance to keep afloat. Small farms are an important part of the agricultural system, as they promote locally grown food which brings communities together. Our guest on this episode is Allison Turcan, a Farmer and the Founder of DIG Farm, a local farm in North Salem, NY. Allison recently attended the Farm Aid event in Noblesville, Indiana and met with farmers, organizers and some legendary music artists. She is the host and producer of the podcast Getting Dirty on HRR, and she works with Westchester Land Trust as the farmer for their food bank garden. I am proud to call her my friend:) For more info go to farmaid.org, Digfarm.org, Homegrown.org. For more shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. TMSOG is available on all major podcast apps (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more). Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

It’s Autumn so it’s time to Leave Leaves Alone and use more sustainable practices to prep your lawn. Victoria Alzapiedi Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards gives great info as to why fake Halloween Spider Webs are not environmetally friendly and how window decals can help migratory birds.

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

It’s that time of year when the air cools and you start feeling that autumn vibe. Feeling the chill on your face brings relief from the hot days of summer, (2023), which by the way, was the hottest summer ever recorded. So with the arrival of Fall, Squirrels and Chipmunks start darting around to gather acorns for their survival of the winter months. Birds get ready to migrate south to warmer climates, and Bears get ready to peace out a bit and hibernate. The trees put on a show of magical colors and leaves pile up to become rich compost in the spring and summer. Us humans need to be proactive in this autumn dance and take steps to help wildlife and take care of our landscape so that we can work in balance with nature. We can be proactive to help birds along their migratory path by keeping lights off and putting decals on windows to prevent them from crashing into window panes. We can leave leaves alone and let them nourish the earth to settle into compost. Halloween in almost upon us and we should be cognizant of using decorations which could hurt wildlife, particularly fake webs which can entangle birds, insects and other animals. Our resident wildlife, garden and habitat guru, Victoria Alzapiedi, co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards gives us helpful info and tips about best practices for being one with the beauty of Autumn. For more info follow New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook, check out the National Wildlife Federation at nwf.org, the Audubon Society at act.audubon.org and leaveleavesalone.org. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast platforms. Follow us on FB and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness