Earth – The Many Shades of Green

Will Artificial Intelligence Help Reduce Climate Change and Have We Entered The New Twilight Zone?

The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”— Stephen Hawking

The aforementioned quote by Dr. Stephen Hawking, who was a theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author, was and still is considered one of the most brilliant minds in the world. He indicated that humans will one day be superseded by Artificial Intelligence. According to The National Humanities Center, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has infiltrated our daily lives—in the ways we conduct business, govern, provide healthcare and security, and communicate. The large-scale cultural and societal implications of these changes—and the ethical questions they raise—pose a serious challenge as we embrace a future increasingly shaped by the implementation of artificial intelligence technology. AI is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Are we entering entering a new Twilight Zone? Rod Serling said it best as he narrated the intro to each Twilight Zone TV show by saying: “You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.” We are now embarking on a shift into another dimension, and we are uncertain as to where it will lead. Artificial Intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.” AI technology can process large amounts of data in ways humans cannot, and it will lead us to paths yet to be known, as humanity will change.

People seem to be afraid AI as they fear it will take their jobs, control industries and that the world will change dramatically over the next decades. A recent survey by Forbes indicated that many Americans still trust humans over AI by a large percentage. Those surveyed shared that they think people would do a better job of administering medicine, writing laws, and even choosing gifts, just to name a few. AI algorithms are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on, so biased data can lead to biased decisions. In terms of the environment, Artificial Intelligence can help reduce climate change in a number of ways, but it also has a large environmental footprint. It can help improve energy efficiency, improve climate models, reduce carbon emissions, map ocean litter and support vulnerable communities. However, AI also has an environmental downside as it consumes a lot of energy, water, and critical materials, while producing electronic waste. A coalition of environmental groups has expressed concern about how much more energy AI will consume in the coming years. So, will humans become cyborgs? Will we all turn into the character Data on Star Trek? Are we in a hologram or another dimension?
It seems that we are on the precipice of a new era and that we are about to experience the Twilight Zone Part Deux or perhaps be transported into The Matrix!! Hang tight, it’s going to be a wild ride. For more info on AI go to https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/ or https://www.nationalacademies.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. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

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

Native Plants, Pesticides NO! Pollinators, Keystone Species, Spotted Lantern Flies and Alien Ladybugs with Victoria Alzapiedi Co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards

As humans, we need to raise our awareness of nature and the beauty which surrounds us, but alas, we always seem to look for ways to shorten our time to think about or take care of nature. We use leaf blowers to rapidly get leaves off our properties, and we apply pesticides to kill off the insects which might or might not cause us harm. Yes, ticks can carry Lyme’s disease and mosquitos can carry the West Nile virus, and I understand that we want to keep our families safe, but we need to understand that there are beneficial insects that are being destroyed and there are other ways to maintain our properties. Pesticides harm insects, wildlife and humans. As Fall approaches and mowers and blowers take over the landscape, we should educate ourselves about the practice of leaving leaves alone and planting native trees, shrubs and plants to protect pollinators. Pollinators are responsible not only for the reproduction of countless plants, but they are also instrumental in creating the seeds and fruits that feed wildlife – from songbirds to grizzly bears. When bees disappear, the ecological impacts are catastrophic. Pollinators need our help. Worldwide pollinator populations are declining due to habitat loss and pesticides. Native plants support pollinators and have evolved together as they need each other to survive. Victoria Alzapiedi, co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards gives us important info on native plants and keystone species. We discuss how to plant a native garden, the importance of pollinators, alien ladybugs, what to do about Spotted Lantern Flies and why it is important to reduce pesticide use to have a healthy yard. For more info go to New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook, The Nature Conservancy, https://www.nature.org/en-us/ Doug Tallamy’s Home Grown National Park https://homegrownnationalpark.org/ The Xerces Society https://www.xerces.org/
mynativegardenoasis.com and https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com

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

It’s too Damn Hot! Recent World Temperatures Broke Records; Take Action and Join the Less Lawn More Life Movement; Victoria Alzapiedi Co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards gives great info on how to take care of your garden and wildlife in these hotter times

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” Audrey Hepburn

Summertime and the living is easy… well not as easy as we would like it to be. The climate is changing and it’s getting hotter with many more dry spells, which makes it harder to keep our plants from wilting. We are also having more extreme storms which makes it more difficult to maintain our lawns and gardens. We have to be resilient and adjust to the changing climate, as the weather, in a word, is weird. We have to bring back habitats and improve our ecological practices in our yards. There is a Less Lawn More Life movement which is about to take hold with an 8 week guided challenge to unleash the potential of your lawn. It is a joint project with Plan It Wild and Bedford 2030 and you can visit lesslawnmorelife.com to get info and to join the challenge. Adaptation and resilience are important in helping fight global warming and climate change. Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru joins us to discuss how we can coexistence with nature and wildlife by starting in our own backyards. We talk about how we can grow meadows in lieu of lawns and protect wildlife, especially in these hotter times. 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 started the Facebook group “The Nature of Westchester” an active community of nature lovers which now has more than 4800 members. Victoria is also a native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations. Please visit mynativegardenoasis.com for more info. Follow New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook, check out birds.cornell.edu and the National Wildlife Federation at nwf.org

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

Climate Goodness, Earth Justice, Project 2025 and more with George Polisner Founder of Civ.Works

I have been thinking about songs that reflect my mood of late, and three songs came to mind. Two Beatles tunes and an amazing protest song by Tracy Chapman seem to spell things out.

Song number one is the Beatles song HELP

Help! I need somebody
(Help) not just anybody
(Help) you know I need someone, help

Chorus:

Help me if you can I’m feeling down

and I do appreciate you feeling ’round

Help me get my feet back on the ground

Won’t you please, please help me

The second tune is also from the Beatles Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Ob-La-Di, ob-la-da

Life goes on, brah

La, la, how the life goes on

It ends with:

And if you want to have some fun

Take Ob-la-di-bla-da

Thank you

and lastly a real protest song

Talkin’ Bout a Revolution (Tracy Chapman)

Don’t you know

They’re talking about a revolution?

It sounds like a whisper

Don’t you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run

‘Cause finally the tables are starting to turn

Talkin’ ’bout a revolution

The question now arises, which lyric would you choose to describe your state of mind? I said in a recent email to George Polisner, that I am pretty much a nervous wreck and I am falling down the rabbit hole. I feel like I have travelled through the looking glass into a bizzaro world, so my inclination is to go with the first lyric…HELP! The anger within me is Talkin’ Bout a Revolution, but the optimist inside is going with Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, as life will go on. Being a boomer, I have lived through the McCarthy Era, the Cuban Missile crisis, Duck and Cover, the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, the Vietnam War, the Civil rights movement, violent protests, 9-11, the 2008 financial collapse, the pandemic and more, but what is going on in this current political climate is a nightmare that I cannot seem to wake up from. On TMSOG we try to inform our listeners about environmental and social justice issues, and we highlight the positive work people are doing. We also call out those who are trying to take America down and bring us back to a time when our freedoms were restricted. I had more rights over my own body in the 1970’s than I do now as a result of the recent SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v Wade, and I am afraid of what they are coming for next. According to Project 2025 by the Heritage Foundation, women should go back to being housewives, mothers and nothing more. Their mantra is “go make some babies and stay out of politics!” What kind of world are we leaving for our grandchildren? Loyalty to party over country will wipe us out!! We have a responsibility to current and future generations, and we must do better, we must do whatever it takes for the greater good to create a world that is respectful to all its inhabitants. Our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into environmental and political issues. We talk about some good environmental news, tangible actions people can take to make their voices heard and improve society, as well as Project 2025 and more. Find out more by going to civ.works/actions, earthjustice.org and votefwd.org

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

Heat Domes, Deepfakes, Disinformation-Plus History of Juneteenth and CEO’s choosing dollars over Democracy with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

Yogi Berra quote: “It ain’t the heat it’s the humility.”

“When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.” Ronald Reagan

Over half of the United States is currently sweltering under a heat dome making millions of people miserable. The song Summer Time written by George Gershwin, which has been covered by Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin and others has the line “summer time, and the living is easy” but climate change is changing the tune. As weather becomes more extreme, heat waves, floods and wildfires are now the norm, and more and more people are living in conditions that are detrimental to their health and well being. The cries from the cult say it’s all a hoax, and it’s just the weather. Well, if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn. The weather is so extreme, that insurance companies are no longer offering home insurance in many states which are more prone to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes. Deny, deny, deny and drill, drill, drill continue to be the mantras of a certain political party out of touch with the citizens who they represent who have been affected by extreme weather and cannot get their lives back. Disinformation is being used to divide the populous and create chaos. A government of the people, by the people and for the people cannot subsist when propaganda rules the news cycles. So what can we do to make things better and how can we shape policy and forge ahead in a more positive way? There are actions being taken to help the environment, such as the newly established American Climate Corps. The first class of ACC was recently sworn in to this federal program that is meant to place young people in the clean energy, conservation and climate resilience sectors. In addition, there are clean tech innovations being developed and environmental groups are working to protect the planet. In terms of what you can do to help, be active in your community and teach civility and civics to your kids. Also, please make sure you are registered to vote (go to voteamerica.com). 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 and political issues. We discuss Juneteenth, deepfakes and disinformation, as well as what actions we can take before November 5th and much more. Visit civ.works for more info.

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

Environmental Art: Does it impact Climate Change? Plus 4 Planets in Gemini… Eco-artist, Eco-activist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse joins us to discuss these topics and more.

The shade of green for this episode of TMSOG is Hooker Green, which in this instance is purely PG. Hooker Green according to our resident eco-artist Charlotte Ghiorse, is a green with some red, which is left of mint and has a hint of pistachio.

Shades of green aside, I recently went to the Whitney Museum in NYC to see the Biennial Exhibit. There were many displays of modern artists using materials other than oil, watercolor or acrylic paints. Kiyan Williams a young upcoming artist displayed his work Ruins of Empire ll or The Earth Swallows the Master’s House on the outside terrace. The piece was totally composed of earth and depicted the north facade of the White House, which leans on one side and sinks into the floor. It also had an upside down flag on the top which got many museum visitors talking, as it seemed to strike a nerve with the currents events of the day. Another young artist, Ektor Garcia, had an interesting work displayed entitled Teotihuacan. He used welded steel, waxed thread, cotton, bone, upholstery needles and white lace to create a work which hung with grace from the ceiling, and caught everyones eyes. Both of these artists produced works that were thought provoking and incorporated environmental themes, which got me thinking about environmental art, its origins and how it is viewed today. Environmental art can be traced back to prehistoric times, with early humans creating rock art and other forms of visual expression on natural surfaces. The earliest examples of this are cave paintings dating back to around 40,000 BCE. Those early forms of environmental art expressed the understanding of the natural world and the relationship of the painters their surroundings. Ecological related art primarily celebrates an artist’s connection with nature using natural materials, and is created in response to or in collaboration with the natural world. One can question if today’s environmental artists reflect what is happening to the planet today, as climate change is taking center stage. Within the last thirty odd years, it is becoming more and more about awakening to environmental concerns, and green practices. The artist Christo always comes to mind when one thinks of environmental public art. Did he and his wife Jeanne-Claude, create The Gates to get people to walk in Central Park to be one with nature, or was there another motive? It got people together walking through orange colored drapes which took up twenty-three miles of pathways in Central Park from February 12th to the 27th, in 2005, in the dead of winter. It was popular, but the reactions were mixed. Many people loved Christo for brightening the bleak winter landscape and encouraging late-night pedestrian traffic in Central Park; but others hated him, accusing him of defacing the landscape. Public art can serve many purposes and it can also be political. Environmental art and public art have merged in recent years as more and more artists are creating works that are focused on environmental issues which are created to be displayed in public spaces. Our monthly guest commentator, eco-activist, eco-artist and sexy astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse joins us to discuss her perspective on environmental art. We also get some Astrology updates as 4 planets are in Gemini plus much, much more. Check out https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and Sexy Astrology on FaceBook and YouTube to get more info about what Charlotte is up to.

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

Jeffrey Rissman author of ‘Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity’ discusses GHG Emissions in the Industrial Sector

“THE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER OF CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS WE CANNOT BURN OUR WAY TO PROSPERITY. WE ALREADY RELY TOO HEAVILY ON FOSSIL FUELS. WE NEED TO FIND A NEW PATH TO THE FUTURE WE WANT. WE NEED A CLEAN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.” BAN KI MOON, FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Progress is defined as movement toward an improved or more developed state. The Industrial Revolution was a major period of industrialization, and a defining moment in the timeline of mankind’s accomplishments, but while it has it brought manufacturing to the forefront, as well as new ideas and technologies, it has also brought a depletion of natural resources, as factories continue to spew smog and soot into the air. The emissions and release of pollutants and chemicals into rivers and streams has resulted in increased air and water pollution. Fossil fuels, which include coal, oil, and fracked gas play a major role in the release of green house gas emissions into the atmosphere, but there are other high-emission sectors which need to cut emissions, specifically those which manufacture materials such as iron, steel, chemicals, cement, and concrete. Jeffrey Rissman discusses current technology and policies being put into place to combat greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector. Jeffrey is the Senior Director for Industry at Energy Innovation, where he leads the company’s work on technologies and policies to eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. He is the author of Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity (2024) and coauthor of Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy (2018). In 2024, Jeffrey was appointed by Secretary Jennifer Granholm to serve on the Department of Energy’s Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee. Jeffrey is also the creator of the Energy Policy Simulator, an open-source computer model that quantifies the effects of various energy and environmental policies in combination, predicting outputs such as fuel use, pollutant emissions, financial cost or savings, electric vehicle deployment, power sector structure, and more. For more information go to https://zerocarbonindustry.com/

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

Wake Up Media! Turbulence, CAT 5 Hurricanes Gain Strength (Don’t Expect Science to Save Us!) with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

“Green is the fresh emblem of well founded hopes. In blue the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.” ― Mary Webb

Scientists expect that the rapid intensification of hurricanes will continue in the future unless drastic measures are taken to limit further climate change -Fiona Lo, Climate Scientist

We live in very turbulent times, and that includes the weather, the political landscape and so much more that makes our heads spin. The NOAA’s outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85% chance of an above normal season. NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). La Nina and warmer-than-average ocean temperatures are major drivers of tropical activity. Abundant oceanic heat content in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea creates more energy to fuel storm development. Climate change is a contributing factor, as over 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the world’s oceans. Warmer waters, rising seas, higher wind speeds and more moisture in the atmosphere are making hurricanes stronger, wetter and more likely to intensify rapidly, unleashing record-breaking downpours with little time for communities to evacuate. It should also be noted that climate change is causing more air turbulence when flying. Research indicates that climate change exacerbates clear-air turbulence, a particularly hazardous type because it is invisible and hard to predict. The warmer air is caused by carbon dioxide emissions which increases wind shear in the jet streams, strengthening clear-air turbulence globally. So while we hope the skies remain friendly, we have to prepare and adapt to the changes ahead, as science alone cannot save us. There is so much to keep track of these days, and we all get wound up in what is the web (literally and figuratively) of our daily lives. More and more each day I observe that mankind does not pay enough attention to what’s going on both on a local and global level. We rely more and more on social media and sound bites for the news. Mainstream media is stuck in a quagmire, and is dropping the ball when it comes to reporting. Where have you gone Walter Cronkite? He was an institution who was often cited as “the most trusted man in America.” We hunger for his journalistic abilities, accuracy and his fairness in reporting local, national and global events and issues. He always signed off with the line “And that’s the way it is.” Someone who knows the way it is, is our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works. George gives us some insight into environmental and political issues as we discuss the upcoming hurricane season and climate change, why trust in mainstream media is slipping, upside down flags, cover ups under the covers, elections in US and UK and more. For more information go to civ.works

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

New York City and Westchester County Water Threatened By PFAS Chemicals with Guests George Klein (member of Sierra Club’s Lower Hudson Group) and Richard Ruge (Civil Engineer and Water Treatment Expert)

Clean and safe water is a right for every Earthling on the planet. It is a very divisive political issue in countries, cities, towns and municipalities around the globe. On average, one individual human uses between 135 and 140 liters of water per day. Water is vital for all life, as no other molecule matches water when it comes to properties that support life. We must work to keep our drinking water free of toxins and chemicals, which is why we have to protect watersheds and water quality buffer areas in order to provide safe drinking water to the populous. Adverse environmental impacts affect communities, and on this episode of TMSOG, we talk about a water filtration plant set to be constructed and placed next to Westchester County Airport, which is a local airport in a suburb of NYC. Recently the Westchester County Board of Legislators approved a land swap that provides a 13.4-acre parcel to Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW) that is adjacent to the airport. There continues to be strong opposition to construction of the facility, partly because the plant will be within the Kensico watershed. This watershed area is in close proximity to the airport where contaminated groundwater is being monitored and treated for assorted toxic chemicals including polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Recently, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first-ever federal limits on toxic PFAS in drinking water, establishing the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for the two most widely-detected PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. The EPA’s limits are now stricter than the 10 parts per trillion that is the current standard in New York State.

We talk to George Klein and Richard Ruge who are opposing the building of the water filtration plant so close the the Kensico watershed area near Westchester County Airport. George Klein has worked with the Sierra Club nationally and locally on issues of environmental sustainability since 1989. He is currently an activist with the Sierra Club’s Lower Hudson Group, which covers Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. The Lower Hudson Group works on local environmental issues, such as the climate emergency, limiting the impact of Westchester County Airport, the safe decommissioning of Indian Point Nuclear Plant and education and outreach programs. Richard Ruge has been working in the public water supply field for 40 years. He has a degree in civil engineering and holds a Grade 1B water treatment license from the NYS DOH. He was Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Westchester Water Works Conference and was a Trustee at Large for the New York Section of the American Water Works Association. For more info and to find ways to take action go to https://www.sierraclub.org/atlantic/lower-hudson

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

Blackbirds Singing in the Dead of Night and How Wildlife Mammas Connect with Nature to Raise their Babies with Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, Victoria Alzapiedi

I was thinking about the podcast topics for this weeks’s episode of TMSOG while walking my Diva poodle Sparkles and I saw a number of blackbirds flying from tree to tree, and communicating with each other with loud screeches. It got me thinking about birds and what they do in the dead of night, as well as how they protect their young. It also got me thinking about the tune Blackbird, which most of us thought was about birds. As it turns out, we were wrong, as the lyrics of Blackbird by Paul McCartney were not actually written about blackbirds. The tune was written about the integration of schools across the American south during the civil rights era in the 60s. More specifically, Sir Paul was inspired by the images of the Little Rock 9 in Arkansas, being assaulted and jeered by an angry mob. It seems that the US has been consumed by angry mobs for centuries, including today, as angry mobs mixed with peaceful protesters converge on many college campuses, but that’s a topic for another time. Paul McCartney met two of the women who were part of the Little Rock 9, Mothershed and Eckford, at his Little Rock concert on April 30, 2016. He took to Twitter after the meeting to say, “Incredible to meet two of the Little Rock Nine–pioneers of the civil rights movement and inspiration for Blackbird.” It’s a wonderful example of music as a message, and we need more more songs like that right now. Since Mother’s Day is almost upon us, Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru discusses the connection with wildlife mammas and their coexistence with nature. Malcolm chimed in with a spider story, so we chat about insects as well. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, and is a member of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board. She is a member of Friends of Buttonhook, which is working to save a 20.3 acre forrest in the Town of New Castle. In addition, Victoria 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. She is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations, visit her website mynativegardenoasis.com for more information. Also check out New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook and help save a forest at https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/ Visit https://www.audubon.org/ for great info on birds.

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. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

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

Building a Bridge: Garden & Music Connections and Butterfly Wings with Educator, Gardener & Musician Paul Clarke

We are in Earth month, Spring is in the air, music’s in the air and cherry blossoms are putting on a show. The trees and bushes are sprouting their light green buds and we are surrounded by Mother Earth’s beauty. Animals and birds scurry about for food, picking at the ground for insects and seeds. The ecosystems are working in harmony and concurrent to this, Community and school gardens are gearing up to start planting for the season. According to the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, research shows school gardens have a positive impact on student learning, health, and nutrition. Gardening helps students become more engaged, as it is an immersive experience which teaches them valuable skills while establishing a greater sense of community. Our guest on this episode is Paul Clarke, a retired Special Ed teacher in NYC for over 25 years, who now works part-time as the Garden Coordinator of the Vito Marcantonio Community Peace Garden, an ongoing project he brought to life originally at P. S. 50, now Central Park East II. Paul is also a life-long song writer, and he calls his genre Theatrical Pop with Conscience. Before he began teaching, Paul participated in Music Under New York, an MTA-sponsored program that promotes subway musicians. He also wrote and performed musicals with homeless New Yorkers via a not-for-profit Manhattan community outreach program. We play his tune Build A Bridge, which has beautiful music and lyrics. Paul believes that beauty, nature, and kindness are powerful healers in our broken world. For more info go to paulclarkesongs.com. To get additional info about school gardens in NYC go to GrowNYC.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. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

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

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/