Education – The Many Shades of Green

Are We Living In A Cartoon?

South Park Theme Song (Opens the program)

I’m goin’ down to South Park, gonna have myself a time.

Friendly faces everywhere, humble folks without temptation.

Goin’ down to South Park, gonna leave my woes behind.

Ample parking day or night, people spouting: “Howdy, neighbor!”

Headin’ on up to South Park gonna see if I can’t unwind.

Has any series ever had a more fitting theme song than “South Park”? The “South Park Theme” by funk metal group Primus, later reworked by projects led by Les Claypool, is a twanging, frenetic jingle that quite deliberately fails to convince the viewer that its monotone lyrics about the titular small town’s idyllic nature hit their mark. It’s a perfect way to set the stage for the absurdities that invariably follow. The whole thing was carefully planned out and arranged, but as “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone said back in 2010, “the whole thing took just one incredibly lucky cold call to pull off. “

So the question is, are we living in a cartoon?

In a cartoon, characters exaggerate everything: emotions, reactions, conflicts. Sometimes I feel that we are living in an episode of South Park which just keeps rotating day in and day out, sort of like the plot in the movie Groundhog Day. If you’ve ever watched South Park, you know the formula. Something ridiculous happens in the news. The characters react in completely over-the-top ways. Everyone argues, chaos spreads, hypocrisy gets exposed, and by the end of the episode you’re laughing… but also slightly uncomfortable because the satire feels a little too real. The creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, built their reputation on one simple idea: take the most outrageous thing happening in society and push it just a little further until the absurdity becomes obvious. At its core, animation is a form of storytelling, and stories are an essential part of the human experience. From the earliest days of human history, people have used stories to make sense of the world around them, pass on knowledge and wisdom, and connect with others.

Animation takes this storytelling to a new level, using visuals and sound to create a rich and immersive experience that can transport us to new places and introduce us to new characters.

In a cartoon, a character falls off a cliff and pops back up unharmed, in real life, when systems break, people get hurt. In the current moment in the United States, sometimes reality seems to be moving faster than the satire. It feels like we are living in an alternate universe and we are being governed by what resembles a reality show. Even if politics feels like a cartoon, the consequences are very real. Policies affect healthcare, schools, immigration, climate policy, and civil rights. Trust in elections are declining, environmental protections are being dismantled and economic inequality is widening. We are now at war with Iran, and we have not received a credible explanation as to why. Every day there is chaos and people are suffering and are stressed. Prices for oil, gas, food, rent and more are rising daily, and we the people are not being heard. When will the madness end? It’s no wonder that Americans are moving to Europe and other places globally, but we need to stay and we must continue to fight, protest, and bring our collective will together to fix this mess. Actions speak louder than words, and we need to take action, so in the words of Bob Marley, “Get up stand up, stand Up For Your Rights!“

On this episode of TMSOG podcast, Charlotte Ghiorse joins me as we delve into the question: are we living in a cartoon? Charlotte is our resident eco activist, artist, astrologer, comic, marvelous mom and founder of House of Choclet. We talk about the environmentally conscious ten your old fashion designer Max Alexander, and what he is doing to reduce fashion waste. We also touch on politics, astrology, eco and social issues and more. For more info about Charlotte, House of Choclet and Sexy Astrology go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com

For more information on civic action go to https://civ.works/ To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ https://malcolmpresents.com and https://themanyshadesofgreen.com/ Follow The Many Shades of Green on FB, Threads and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps.#RaiseYourEco&SocialConsciousness.

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Help Birds and Wildlife Snuggle and Survive the Winter with Victoria Alzapiedi Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards

We start the podcast with the song Little Bird by Annie Lennox.

Annie Lennox released Little Bird as part of her debut solo album Diva, it might be one of the best songs ever to reference birds and it quickly became one of her signature songs. The track reached number three on the UK charts and became a number one hit on the U.S. dance charts. At its heart, though, the song is about Annie watching a bird in flight and longing for that same freedom, finally declaring: “this little bird’s fallen out of that nest now, so I’ve just got to put these wings to test.” For anyone who has ever wished they could spread their wings and take flight, this song remains a reminder that sometimes you just have to test those wings and soar. (The Birding Life-songs about birds)

It’s been a long, cold, snowy winter and we all want Spring to come, as there is only so much cabin fever one can take. After the recent blizzard which dumped over 20 inches of snow on my property, I kept looking out my window and did not see birds or other animals for a couple of days. Where did they all go? How do they survive? When a blizzard hits, most of us hunker down inside, dress in layers, turn up the heat, and drink hot chocolate, and keep that cup of coffee or shot of whiskey within reach. But outside, in the howling wind and blowing snow, birds and other critters are doing something extraordinary, they are surviving. While we cancel plans and complain about snow, tiny birds, each weighing less than a deck of cards are enduring the same storm with no walls, no heaters, no guarantees. Small birds will often roost alone or in groups, minimizing exposure to wind. The key enemy in a blizzard isn’t cold—it’s wind and wetness. Birds survive winter storms largely because of feathers, which are remarkably engineered insulation. Before a storm, birds fluff up, trapping pockets of warm air close to their bodies. Cold is survivable, but starvation is the real threat. Birds respond by gorging before storms, building fat reserves—sometimes increasing body weight by up to 10% in a single day. After the storm, it’s a race against time. A small songbird may only survive one winter night without food. This is why backyard feeders matter most during and immediately after storms, not just on calm winter days. Animals survive blizzards by finding shelter to escape wind and cold, such as tree cavities, thickets, underground burrows, or under structures like sheds,according to wildlife reports. They often hunker down and snuggle curling into balls to conserve body heat, or, in the case of small mammals like mice, burrow into insulating snowdrifts. In a way, birds and other wildlife surviving blizzards are reminding us resilience is about adaptation.
On this episode we have Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru who discusses wildlife surviving in winter. We talk about how birds (and other species) endure brutal winter storms—blizzards, ice, white-out conditions—and what their survival can teach us about resilience, adaptation, and even how we can help. We also discuss the importance of planting trees to provide resources for wildlife. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards and Chair of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board. 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 5000 members. Victoria is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations (mynativegardenoasis.com). For more information go to New Castle Healthy Yards and The Nature of Westchester on Facebook. Check out the Audubon Society @ https://act.audubon.org and https://www.nwf.org/ National Wildlife Federation.

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ https://malcolmpresents.com and https://themanyshadesofgreen.com/

Follow The Many Shades of Green on FB, Threads and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps.#RaiseYourEco&SocialConsciousness.

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Courage and High Hopes with Yolanda Nava, Tina Flores and George Polisner

This week’s podcast started with the song “High Hopes” sung by Frank Sinatra, which is an anthem about optimism, perseverance, and overcoming impossible odds by believing in yourself. The song ends with the phrase “Oops, there goes another problem, ker-plop.” It became a signature tune for its uplifting message, and was even adopted by John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign. Some of the lyrics are about overcoming obstacles which represent challenges that seem insurmountable but are overcome with “high hopes”. The tune encourages listeners to not give up when things seem impossible and for people to have a positive “can-do” attitude.

I started the New Year with high hopes, only to have those hopes dashed by the current regime starting a war with Venezuela, thus continuing the chaos of 2025. Hope seems elusive now, but it is crucial that we continue to fight and resist. I don’t have high apple pie in the sky hopes, as the song lyric says, but again, we cannot give up, as there are more of us. So where can we find hope? Is it something that is achievable in these difficult times? There are good things happening, but it is mostly under the radar, as mainstream media has been reduced to regurgitating the lies and misinformation being planted in the press daily. On the environmental front, 2025 marked the first year in which renewable energy generated more electricity than coal. Regarding social justice issues, people are mobilizing and taking to the streets to protest the demise of democracy and to protect their civil rights.

People are mobilizing by staying informed, by showing up to local meetings, school boards and town halls. We must support independent journalists, organizers, and watchdog groups and call our representatives—and not just during election season. Our right to protest must be protected. Democracy must remain participatory—or it disappears. We must unite and use our power as citizens. So it’s good to see that millions of people are taking to the streets to protest war, ICE and the rise of fascism. We must continue to raise our voices, protect one another and fight for truth, justice and our fundamental rights under the Constitution. We need to continue to find space for hope, as we cannot let fear overtake us. Yolanda Nava, Tina Flores and George Polisner give us great information, stories, life experience and wisdom on social justice, environmental issues and more.

For more information go to https://civ.works/ To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ and https://malcolmpresents.com Follow The Many Shades of Green on FB, Threads and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps.#RaiseYourEco&SocialConsciousness.

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Help Save Buttonhook Forest (savebuttonhook.org) with Victoria Alzapiedi and Stacy Morgan

We have an interesting song to start the podcast entitled Plantasia.

Plantasia was recorded by Mort Garson on his Moog synthesizer in 1976. The album was created for houseplants to grow, but I am sure the trees would also love it, and your doggies will too. It is quite incredible that the composer created this music for growing plants. The album cover’s tagline reads “warm earth music for plants… and the people who love them.”

On this episode we discuss saving Buttonhook Forest, which is in a suburban area about 45 minutes from NYC. Forests are one of our most critical natural pathways for absorbing and storing excess carbon to fight climate change. For millennia, trees have pulled carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and turned it into their bark, wood and leaves through the oldest carbon-capture technology on Earth: photosynthesis. Trees and plants communicate with each other through underground fungal networks and by releasing airborne chemical signals. These networks allow plants to share nutrients, water, and alarm signals, while chemical signals can warn nearby plants of threats like insect attacks.

The “Wood Wide Web”: A vast network of mycorrhizal fungi connects the roots of trees and plants, enabling them to exchange resources. Plants and trees can share vital resources like carbon, water, and nutrients through these fungal links. For example, a shaded sapling may receive carbon from a nearby tree. When a plant is under attack from pests, it can send warning signals through the network to alert its neighbors. When we protect existing forests, we avoid and reduce deforestation which contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss. Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They provide habitat to 80% of the world’s land-dwelling species. They help keep our water clean by naturally filtering out pollution. They provide sustenance and offer refuge as well as recreation to billions of people around the planet. A forest isn’t just a patch of trees, it’s a living archive. It’s ecological history. And it’s a space with deep cultural, spiritual, and even ancestral importance.

Indigenous communities relate to forests socially, economically, politically and spiritually. They use traditional knowledge and sustainable agriculture and resource management to ensure their forests’ survival. It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of forests. The story of saving Buttonhook Forest in is a powerful one as it touches on ecology, water, land, heritage, and a community fighting to protect something irreplaceable. The journey to save this magical forest has taken the core members of the non-profit, Friends of Buttonhook Forest on quite a ride. Joining us to discuss the forest is Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru. She is a board member of Friends of Buttonhook Forest and is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards. She is the chair of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board. In addition, we have Stacy Morgan, a core member of Friends of Buttonhook Forest. Stacy is an organic chemist, and she became interested in climate science while working at the National Physical Laboratory in London. Stacy is working hard to save this diverse and important carbon sink and she continues to educate and engage the community in protecting this amazing land. For more information go to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/ and if you can donate, please check out the website and find the Go Fund Me link. Follow the forest on Facebook via Friends of Buttonhook Forest and Instagram @SaveButonhook.

If you want to help protect the environment go to https://earthjustice.org and https://www.nrdc.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ and https://malcolmpresents.com as well as https://themanyshadesofgreen.com/ Follow The Many Shades of Green on FB, Threads and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps.#RaiseYourEco&SocialConsciousness

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Clean Your Plate! Courtney Gravenese MS, RDN talks about Eating healthy, reducing food waste and processed food, plus tips for holiday gatherings

This week’s podcast opens with the iconic tune”Food Glorious Food” from the 1960’s musical Oliver by Lionel Bart. The song is based on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. The lyrics depict the poor orphans dreaming of a grand feast, juxtaposing their reality of gruel with images of rich foods like “hot sausage and mustard” and “cold jelly and custard”. The song we use is the parody version by John Powell from the animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Food Glorious, Food, we love to eat and enjoy food. It is a source of comfort, and it plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. We need a varied diet with protein, fruits, veggies, dairy and carbs. While we all love sweets, we should eat them in moderation. On this episode of TMSOG we explore the food choices that shape our health, our communities, and our planet. We discuss what we eat, what we waste, and how it affects our health and climate, as processed food, food waste and diet all have a climate connection. Food waste is one of the most overlooked contributors to global warming and it is something many of us don’t think about day to day. According to the United Nations, we waste about one-third of all food produced globally — and in the U.S., it’s closer to 40%. When that food breaks down in landfills, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. It’s staggering how much food goes uneaten and gets thrown away, especially when millions of people do not have enough to eat. What we buy, how we cook, and what we waste — really can make a difference. Another food related issue that we address is processed food, which is so prevalent because it’s convenient, affordable, and heavily marketed. Many of these foods are ultra-processed — loaded with added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. We need to be conscious of what we eat, what it contains, and how it affects our health and the health of the planet. Joining us on this episode is Courtney Gravenese and we talk about nutrition, diet, and how we can eat better by putting together cleaner plates. Courtney is a nutrition consultant and health educator in the New York Metro area. She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist with Nourish, and also has a private practice providing nutrition education to individuals, communities and corporations. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Teacher’s College- Columbia University and has greater than twenty five years of experience including nutrition therapy, fitness training, worksite wellness, and health writing for various organizations in the area. Courtney gives us important information on eating healthy, the ultra processed food problem, food waste and tips for planning meals for the holidays. Every mindful meal helps build a healthier planet. Go to https://courtneygravenese.com/ and https://www.usenourish.com/ for more information.

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Our Kids Climate: Teach Your Children Well with Harriet Shugarman, Executive Director of ClimateMama

It cannot be denied that we are in a difficult period of time in the US and globally. How do we talk to children about what is going on without scaring the living daylights out of them? How do we talk to them about the state of our nation and about climate change? We need to start listening to them in order to understand their feelings, so that we can better connect with them on topics that might be difficult to explain. With respect to the environment, a good starting point can be to find ways to relate climate change to their daily lives and explore the basic facts together. Try to expose your child to nature as much as possible, and nurture their enjoyment while being outside. Focus on positive action, exploring solutions as a family and pointing out the ways people and communities are working to make a difference. We have to empower children by showing them how they can contribute, emphasizing that it’s not their fault, and fostering a connection to nature and their community. We need to focus on actions and solutions and site examples of people who are working on ways to address climate change. For every problem you discuss, try to show a solution. Discuss positive and inspiring stories you see on the news or in your own community.

Climate education is key and (CRETF work) New York State, outlines the elements that educators believe are required for a successful statewide climate education program. It is based on research and analysis of best practices in other states, as well as the expertise from members, many of whom are educators, scholars, policymakers, and students. It lays out a shared vision which is aligned to ensuring the successful realization of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) New York State’s climate law, which is one of the most ambitious in the country.

It is my honor to have Harriet Shugarman join us on the Season 14 opening episode of TMSOG. Harriet is involved with the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force (CRETF) and is one of the leading voices in the global parent climate movement. She is the founder of and Executive Director of ClimateMama, and the award-winning author of “How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate, Turning Angst into Action.” She is the chair of the Advisory Council for Our Kids Climate, an anchor organization connecting national and grassroots groups from more than 50 countries working on intergenerational organizing and engagement strategies. Harriet is a core team member with Climate Junction/The Ecopsychepedia Project, as well as a Leadership Council member with Dear Tomorrow and a professor of World Sustainability and Climate Change Policy and Society. She is an economist and policy analyst and worked for 13 years with the International Monetary Fund including 10 as an IMF representative at the United Nations. Harriet is a mentor and leader with the Climate Reality Project and the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring. So it is important to teach our children well, and Harriet is leading the way in educating children and adults about the need to protect Mother Earth.

New York Climate Week 2025 runs from September 21st to September 28th. For more info on Climate Week NYC go to: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/ Event Calendar from The Climate Group

Additional links of interest are below:

NEST Climate Campus at the Javits Center

Dear Tomorrow Pop Up at The Creative Climate Forum, Pier 57 on 9/25 (no ticket needed to drop in)

https://www.wecaninternational.org/climate-week

https://www.wecaninternational.org/event-details/climate-week-women-in-action-for-climate-justice-and-a-just-transition-path-to-cop30-and-beyond

WECAN EVENT UN Church Center 9/24

Climate Education In Action 9/26 SunDay 9/21 with GreenFaith and other organizations. Check out EcoPsychepedia via Climate Junction

Dear Tomorrow

Our Kids Climate

CRETF Climate Education in NYC

To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ and https://civ.works/ If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Consider the Octopus-Engaging Youth with Gae Polisner and George Polisner

Walk on the ocean, Step on the stones, Flesh becomes water, Wood becomes bone (Chorus of the song Walk on the Ocean by Toad the Wet Sprocket)

So let’s talk about the ocean which covers approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface. We really can’t walk on it, unless there is some divine intervention. We can revel in it, and walk beside it. I grew up near the ocean and I enjoyed a wonderful childhood on the beach. But I am vexed these days, as the actions of humans are polluting the ocean and large garbage patches called gyres are swirling around harming sea life. If you mention the gyre to the average person, no one knows what you are talking about. The fact that we are literally turning into plastic beings, as nano and microplastics are in our blood, doesn’t seem to connect with a majority of humans on Mother Earth. We need to educate the populace, as time is running out. So let’s have a quick lesson on gyres. A gyre is a massive system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and the Earth’s rotation. There are five major oceanic gyres: the North and South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean gyre. These currents move slowly, continuously—shaping climate, distributing nutrients, and unfortunately, collecting our plastic waste. As plastics break down, they enter the food web. In essence, the plastic pollution concentrated in the gyres creates a toxic and dangerous environment for many marine species, while simultaneously enabling the establishment of unexpected ecosystems of species far from their usual habitats. Many species, such as Octopuses eat crustaceans and small fish that may have already ingested these pollutants. Over time, toxins can build up in their bodies, threatening their health—and ours, if we eat them. Many animals mistake plastic debris for food, filling their stomachs with indigestible material, leading to starvation or internal injuries. Loggerhead sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their preferred prey. Albatrosses mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs and feed them to their chicks, resulting in starvation or organ rupture. The Houdinis of the sea, Octopuses are highly adaptable, and can slip through tiny crevices, change color, mimic other animals, and use tools. But bad things happen when their watery homes are impacted by gyres as they become garbage traps. Octopuses as well as thousands of other sea creatures need to be protected, and us humans need to work harder to preserve the oceans for all sea life.

On this weeks podcast, in addition to George Polisner our resident political analyst, eco-activist, curmudgeon and founder of Civ.works we have Gae Polisner, author of young adult and adult adult novels. She is also a practicing family law attorney and mediator. She has co-authored a book with Nora Raleigh Baskin titled Consider the Octopus, which is a heartfelt story about friendship and an empowering call to environmental protection, especially to young people who are already stepping up to help save our oceans and our Earth. For more info go to https://www.gaepolisner.com/copy-of-seven-clues-to-home and @gaepol on instagram. Also go to https://civ.works/ and find out how to take actions to heighten your civic duty .

Also please go to the following organizations to get info and if you can, donate to https://www.ucs.org/ (Union of Concerned Scientists which helps scientists continue their valuable work). If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ You can also donate to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ and World Wildlife Fund: WWF

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Less Lawn More Life with June Boyle

Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi is a commentary on the way humans are treating Mother Earth. The song critiques the destructive practices of consumerism and industrialization, such as the use of DDT and deforestation and its core message is a warning against the destruction of the natural world and the consequences of unchecked development. The lyrics “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” encapsulate this theme, highlighting the replacement of natural beauty with concrete and infrastructure. We are in the 25th year of the 21st century and we are not heeding the warnings of climate change as we continue destroying the land, the air and the water with little care and indifference. We over fertilize and spray pesticides on our property without any forethought as to how it affects wildlife and pollinators, as well as the health of our children, our pets and ourselves. How we treat our lawns is parallel to how we treat the planet.

So let’s rethink the idea of a “perfect lawn.” What if the perfect lawn isn’t green, mowed, and sterile, but buzzing with life, color, and purpose? That big stretch of turf grass isn’t as green, environmentally speaking, as it looks. Rethinking our lawns isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about restoring balance. When we trade a bit of turf for native plants, we create space for life to thrive again, and we become stewards, not just homeowners. Today, we’re talking about why it’s time to rethink our lawns, and how replacing just a portion of that grass with native plants can lead to big benefits for you and the planet. The U.S. is home to over 40 million acres of lawn, more than we devote to any irrigated crop. That’s a lot of mowing, watering, and fertilizing. Lawns might look neat, but they’re ecological deserts. They don’t provide food or shelter for wildlife. They guzzle water, especially in places where water is already scarce, and they often need chemical fertilizers and pesticides that run off into our waterways. The amount of mowing is astronomical! Gas-powered lawn equipment is a big source of carbon emissions and air pollution. We want people to join the Less Lawn More Life Challenge which is free, and on this episode we talk to June Boyle, who is the Project Lead for the national Less Lawn More Life Challenge. We delve into the LLML movement, discuss the WildR score, touch on Doug Tallamy’s Home Grown National Park, Plan It Wild and more. June’s journey into native plant advocacy began as a participant in the first Less Lawn More Life challenge three years ago. What started as a desire to learn evolved into deep involvement with the campaign’s growth from a small Westchester County competition to a national movement. June strives to help everyday rewilders make meaningful changes in their own backyards. June is a member of New Castle’s Conservation Board and lives on a former horse farm dating back to 1770, where she continues to transform her landscape one native plant at a time – battling 255 years of non-native plantings in the process. In addition to her work with LLML, June is the President of Cerco Consulting, where she specializes in strategic communications and organizational effectiveness.

For more information go to https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ and check out Plan It Wild https://www.planitwild.com/ also check out https://homegrownnationalpark.org/

Please go to the following organizations to get info and if you can, donate to https://www.ucs.org/ (Union of Concerned Scientists which helps scientists continue their valuable work). If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ You can also donate to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org and https://www.brennancenter.org/ The Brennan Center helps protect voting rights. Also check out civ.works/defend

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Tarri-fied of the Constitutional Crisis in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave (or is it?) With George Polisner Founder of Civ.works

In the words of Billie Joe Armstrong of the music group Green Day, “The American Dream is Killing Me”

It’s truly impossible to keep up with my daily newsfeed which highlights the dereliction of duty coming out of the executive branch of the US Government. Each day brings new misery, new bombshells, bringing down the American way of life which is hanging by a thumbnail. At this moment in time, the American dream seems DOA. The concept of the American Dream is rooted in the idea that anyone—regardless of where they come from or what social class they were born into—can achieve success and upward mobility through hard work, determination, and initiative.

Everyone should have the chance to pursue their goals and improve their life which includes personal and economic freedom (like free speech, owning property, starting a business), success through merit: Not based on background or privilege, but on talent and effort. Everyone wants stability and prosperity which is often symbolized by owning a home, having a stable job, and supporting a family. It also about financial independence, creative freedom, or just a fair shot in a system that often feels stacked. I now question whether the American Dream is still accessible as there is rising inequality, student debt, excessive healthcare costs, and systemic barriers which are in place to reduce access to programs that help Americans. The current administration via DOGE has taken out the chainsaw to slash government workers, scientists, educators, immigration, climate policy and more. The Executive branch is defying Supreme Court and Federal Court orders. The US Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the Trump administration must try to release a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to a mega-jail in El Salvador. The government has conceded Mr Ábrego García was deported due to an “administrative error”. No one is safe, as the red shirts and ICE, are using the tactics of the brown shirts, and they are scooping up citizens regardless of their legal status, which means not even US citizens are safe from being stopped, questioned and even taken away for looking different or disagreeing with the current administration. The American Dream is hanging by a thread, for the sake of future generations, this cannot stand!

On this episode of TMSOG we are joined by resident political analyst, environmentalist and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, who gives us some insight into tariffs, taxes, and the free fall of America into fascism. We examine the current constitutional crisis as the SCOTUS 9-0 ruling regarding the illegal deportation of Kilmar Garcia to El Salvador is being ignored by the current administration. We touch on Harvard taking a stand against authoritarian rule, as Trump and his Broligarch advisors, Miller, Musk and others continue to dismantle democracy, key federal agencies and much more. We are in the many shades of authoritarian rule and chaos is ensuing! For more info go to http://civ.works/defend/ Also go to the following organizations to get info and donate https://www.ucs.org/ (Union of Concerned Scientists help scientists continue their valuable work). If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ https://www.beyondplastics.org/ You can also donate to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ and the Brennan Center for Justice https://www.brennancenter.org/

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Penguins, Politics, Plastic and Protest with Charlotte Ghiorse

“You got the power, I’ve seen you use it, they say you don’t have it, that’s how you lose it.” Lyric by Mitch Margo from his song California Reggae Debate (What Can I Do?)

We must act, speak out, protest, and do everything in our power to stop the dismantling of democracy. It’s up to us!!! The current administration is banning words from research documents and reports. An online article from InvestigateMidwest.org stated that: On the day of his inauguration, DJT claimed his administration would end the “censorship of protected speech.” But actions speak louder than words. Thanks to a leaked email memo, we now know the Trump administration has drawn up a list of 110 words and phrases that have now been banned from use in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). ARS is the division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tasked with providing the agricultural research, education and economic analysis that protects the health of the nation’s farmland, ensures the safety of the food we eat and develops solutions for diseases, disasters and other threats to the food supply. Here are the climate related terms that have been removed:

climate, climate change, climate-change, changing climate, climate consulting, climate models, climate model, climate accountability, climate risk, climate resilience, climate smart agriculture, climate smart forestry, climatesmart, climate science, climate variability, global warming, carbon sequestration, GHG emission, GHG monitoring, GHG modeling, carbon emissions mitigation, greenhouse gas emission, methane emissions, green infrastructure, sustainable construction, carbon pricing, carbon markets. Other topics with banned words are Pollution Remediation, Water Infrastructure, Clean Energy, Clean Transportation, Affordable Housing, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion).

I am convinced we are in an alternate universe or a hologram, as we are living in a reality show which has no basis in REALITY! On this episode of TMSOG Charlotte Ghiorse, our art guru, eco-activist and sexy astrologist joins us to discuss banned words, the microplastic problem, the tariff on Penguins, protests, the current state of our nation, what astrology has got to do with it and more. For more info go to houseofchoclet.com, Sexy Astrology on FB and YouTube.

Go to https://www.ucs.org/ and donate to help scientists continue their valuable work. If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ https://www.beyondplastics.org/ You can also donate to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ and the Brennan Center for Justice https://www.brennancenter.org/

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

Bee Smart-Skip the Spring Pesticides with Victoria Alzapiedi Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards

On this episode of TMSOG we dive into sustainable living, eco-friendly habits, and practical solutions for a healthier planet, and we tackle an important topic: reducing pesticide use on lawns. For many homeowners, a lush green lawn is a point of pride, but maintaining that perfect lawn often comes at a cost—both to our health and the environment. Chemical pesticides and herbicides, commonly used to control weeds and pests, can contaminate water sources, harm beneficial insects, and pose health risks to humans and pets. We must be aware of the dangers to chemical exposure specifically 2,4-D, or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a widley used herbicide and plant growth regulator that controls broadleaf weeds by disrupting their growth processes, often used in products for lawns, farms, and other areas. Studies have linked occupational exposure to 2,4-D and other chlorophenoxy herbicides to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Parkinson’s disease. So, what can we do to maintain beautiful lawns while reducing pesticide reliance? Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru joins us to discuss how we can coexist with nature and wildlife by reducing pesticide use on our properties and what the alternatives are to spraying pesticides. We encourage you to grow meadows in lieu of lawns and to plant native trees and shrubs to protect pollinators. 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 Westchester 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 has grwon to almost 5000 members. Victoria is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations. For more info go to New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook, check out mynativegardenoasis.com. If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ https://www.beyondplastics.org/ If you can donate to help lawyers defend our constitution go to https://www.aclu.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ and https://malcolmpresents.com Follow The Many Shades of Green on FB and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen and on Blue Sky @tmshadesofgreen.bsky.social. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps.#RaiseYourSocialConsciousness

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

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

National Parks, eBird, Big Nights (Vernal Pools) and other things with Victoria Alzapiedi

Teddy Roosevelt was a very active president who established many public lands, including national parks, national forests, and national monuments. He was known as “The Conservation President”. He said the following:

“All life in the wilderness is so pleasant that the temptation is to consider each particular variety, while one is enjoying it, as better than any other. A canoe trip through the great forests, a trip with a pack-train among the mountains, a trip on snow-shoes through the silent, mysterious fairy-land of the woods in winter–each has its peculiar charm.”

“it is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals — not to speak of vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements. But at last it looks as if our people were awakening.”

So how awake are we, as our national parks are in jeopardy, and they need a life line to be saved from indiscriminate cuts by the current regime in the Whitehouse. Let’s go into a little bit of history as to how our national park system came into being. It started with the the Act of March 1, 1872, when Congress established Yellowstone National Park in the Territories of Montana and Wyoming “as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” and placed it “under exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior.” The founding of Yellowstone National Park began a worldwide national park movement. Today more than 100 nations contain some 1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves. Congress declared in the General Authorities Act of 1970 “that the National Park System, which began with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, has since grown to include superlative natural, historic, and recreation areas in every region…and that it is the purpose of this Act to include all such areas in the System….” nps.gov The crowning jewel of the US, its National Park System, has been tarnished and put on the chopping block. It saddens me to say, but our national parks as we know them are about to be dirtier, less safe, and less accessible due to the purge and shredding by DOGE and the Orange King. Over 1000 park service employees have been fired, and the gem of the US has been targeted in a land grab to privatize public lands for the fossil fuel and lumber industries to decimate, as greed now rules the land. Victoria Alzapiedi co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards and chair of the New Castle Conservation Boards joins us and gives us great information about National Parks, Birds (eBird), Big Nights (Vernal Pools), planting Native trees and plants in the Spring, and much more. For more info go to NewCastle Healthy Yards and
The Nature of Westchester on Facebook.
Check out mynativegardenoasis.com and the apps for birding Merlin and eBird. If you can donate, please go to http://civ.works/defend/ https://www.aclu.org/ and https://earthjustice.org/

A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.

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

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ebird-it-s-spring-big-nights-other-things-w-victoria-alzapiedi–64613009