#1532: The Green Living Guy

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

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

#1530: Rewilding Manhattan

Rachel-Frank-The-Many-Shades-of-GreenWild thing, you make my heart sing, you make everything groovy, wild thing. Enter my guest this week, Rachel Frank, a Brooklyn based artist who focuses on the environmental practice of rewilding. Her performance pieces have been shown at Socrates Sculpture Park, The Select Fair and the Bushwick Starr. I met Rachel at an art event on a rooftop in NYC via the Franklin Furnace. She performed a piece using giant sculpted Bison Head Masks, as a vehicle to reintroduce bison into select landscapes in NYC and other parts of the country. The Bronx Zoo is currently working on a Bison Project, and the concept of rewilding is taking hold in both urban and rural areas. For more information on what Rachel is currently working on go to rachelfrank.com

#1530: Rewilding Manhattan by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1529: Going Solar, Baby!

Vote-Solar-the-many-shades-of-green“Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say, it’s alright.” – George Harrison

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

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

#1527: Farm to School

staff_Jaime2According the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents within the past 30 years. Enter the National Farm to School Network, which is working to bring local, fresh foods to school across the U.S., in an effort to reduce obesity, and bring healthy food choices to cafeteria menus. My guest this week is Jaime Lockwood, Development Director at the Farm to School Network, which helps connect local farmers with schools, chefs to cafeterias, and students to gardens. We talk about the importance of the Farm to School Act of 2015, and discuss how chefs inspire healthy eating, environmental awareness, and fitness via wellnessintheschools.org. Jaime is also a board member of Urban Tree Connection, an organization based in Philadelphia, that works to educate and develop community driven greening and gardening projects on vacant land. For more information visit farmtoschool.org. and urbantreeconnection.org

#1527: Farm to School by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1523: Mamapalooza, Eco RV’ing & More

This week’s show takes us to the Mamapalooza Festival in NYC, which celebrates moms via education and entertainment. We spoke to “super mom” Joy Rose, founder of Mamapalooza and the Mom Rock Movement. She started the band “Housewives on Prozac” to not only rock out, but take us through the trials and tribulations of Motherhood. We also talked to Pierce Delahunt, a masters student at the Institute for Humane Education (IHE), to get some insight into education and how IHE is working to grow a more just, humane and healthy world. In addition, we chat with Brian Horowitz, host of the Rock and Roll History Show, about the greening of RVs and hitting the road in his solarized Air Stream. For more information go to mommuseum.org, humaneeducation.org and glacier-entertainment.com

1523: 2015 Mamapalooza, Eco RV’ing & More by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

Food Revolution: Jamie Oliver Teams with Music Greats to Change How We Eat

We eat too much. We eat the wrong things. According to Jamie Oliver, “Obesity is one of the three biggest social burdens created by human beings alongside smoking, and armed violence, war, and terrorism. Obesity costs $2 trillion dollars globally each year.” #FoodRevolutionDay is May 15th, a day Oliver wants us to join him in kicking off a campaign to change the way we eat at home, at school, and out. He’s got some highly talented help from Ed Sheeran, Hugh Jackman and Paul McCartney with this music video.

We’ve been buying into the corporate model since the advent of industrialism. Crops are modified; hormones and antibiotics are given to animals as routine business; pesticides flow freely; forests are cleared for immediate pay back; and the list grows. We’ve become robots of digestion and consumption.

The World Health Organization compiled this data on obesity:

– Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.

– In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese.

– 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13% were obese.

– Most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.

– 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013.

– Obesity is preventable.

Time to connect the dots. A revolution doesn’t “just happen.” The consciousness for changing how we eat comes from the work of individuals, groups, and organizations like the Organic Consumer’s Association, The Cornucopia Institute, and The Food Tank, to name a few.

McDonald’s growth isn’t declining because society wants “to speed up customer service,” as reported by Business Insider. Steve Easterbrook, the new CEO, says he’s going to turn McDonald’s around by introducing a better burger and removing antibiotics and “hard to pronounce ingredients” from its chicken in the US. Not enough. What about the beef? Consumers want healthy food – simple food – that fulfills its mission: Nutrition, health, and energy, which give back to life rather than take from it. The mighty Mac food conglomerate began a slow descent when its ingredients went public. As consumers, we’re becoming smart.

instagramJamie Oliver takes on the tough subjects. His goal is to implement food education in the school system. Not easy. I’ve worked in schools, and I’ve owned my own restaurant where I’ve watched this organic, eat-better/grow-better food movement on a national and international level. From Central America to Europe to the US, organic food and better eating practices are shaking up the way tradition has boxed in food. Oliver also aims to pave a path towards better eating at home. Also not an easy task. Even for me, an organic girl from way back, I struggle to feed my family with organic food and as little sugar and fats as possible. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No. We can’t continue stuffing ourselves as the conventional model wants us to do. The more we demand higher quality, the more we’ll get it – and at a better price.

Back up to the World Health Organization’s last point about obesity: It is preventable. Our health reflects the health of our planet. If we’re sick, so is our food system. #FoodRevolutionDay is more than signing a petition. It’s a movement in awareness reflecting a change we not only need to happen, but also want to succeed.

Take some action: Sign the petition; buy something organic; make a salad; take a walk with someone you love. We can do this. Our lives depend on it.

#1519: “Local Action” a Film for the Bedford 20/20 Movement

Nick-Gutfreund-the-many-shades-of-green-sq-500Nick Gutfreund, founder of Long Run Media, is my guest this week, and we discuss how film is a powerful tool to educate and communicate messages, to help promote participation in the eco-movement. He is currently working on a documentary entitled “Local Action,” which focuses on grassroots community groups, and how those groups move to build awareness of environmental and social issues. Local organizations are the change agents who help create solutions for a more sustainable planet. Please visit longrunmedia.com and bedford2020.org to get more information.

#1519: “Local Action” a Film for the Bedford 20/20 Movement by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1518: To Life! Eco-Art in Pursuit of a Sustainable Planet

Linda-Weintraub

What is Eco-art and how does it differ from conventional western art and mediums? For the answer, tune in to this week’s program, as Eco-artist, educator, author and curator, Linda Weintraub and I discuss how eco-artists connect to the natural earth via photography, performance and public art, and much more. These cutting edge artists help transform our way of life, through their unique approaches and unconventional methods, which set out to transform our environmental consciousness. From the use of microbes, which ebb and flow into divergent patterns of life forms, to a sunflower which is equipped to photograph the sun as it follows it in the sky, this burgeoning art field helps raise awareness of the environmental impact, both positive and negative, that we humans are having on the planet. For more information about Linda’s work and her book: To Life! Eco-Art in Pursuit of a Sustainable Planet, go to lindaweintraub.com.

#1518: To Life! Eco-Art in Pursuit of a Sustainable Planet by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1517: 2015 NYC Vegetarian Food Festival

Veg-Food-Fest-the-many-shades-of-green-podcast-squareBe Kind to Animals, Don’t Be Cruel, Eat Your Veggies. All these phrases come together on this week’s program, as we celebrate vegetarian cuisine and cruelty free living at the New York City Vegetarian Food Festival. We spoke with Zoe Weil, Co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education, Nora Kramer, Founder and Executive Director of YEA (Youth Empowerment Action) Camp, Annie Hauck Lawson, Founder of Brooklyn Mompost, Susan Hargreaves, Founder of Animal Hero Kids, and Isis Phillips, Executive Director of Indy Kids. It was a pleasure speaking with all this dynamic and amazing women, who do so much to make the world a better place. For more information on these organizations go to humaneeducation.org, solutionaryschoolnyc.org, yeacamp.org, brooklynmompost.org, animalherokids.org, indykids.org and nycvegfoodfest.com

#1517: 2015 NYC Vegetarian Food Festival by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1450: New Year’s Eve Special

Robyn-Moore-The-Many-Shades-of-GreenRaising Veg Kids’ Robyn Moore and Dom Gervasi of Made in Brooklyn Tours tell us why it’s important to buy local, and enjoy the flavors of products made in Brooklyn.

Eating well is a good resolution for the New Year, and Robyn’s blog RaisingVegKids.com gives you the information needed to make healthier food choices.

Dom-Gervasi-The-Many-Shades-of-Green-1Dom will take you on tours of places in Brooklyn where various items are made local, and where food is prepared fresh daily. Since Made in Brooklyn tours are walking tours, you get exercise, as well as the feel of many neighborhoods and landmarks which make Brooklyn such a special place.

For more information go to MadeinBrooklynTours.com and Raisingvegkids.com

#1448: Zoe Weil, Co-Founder and President of The Institute for Humane Education

Zoe-Weil-Humane-Education-The-Many-Shades-of-GreenWhat connection does Star Trek have to humane education? What needs to be done to our education system to foster creativity, compassion, ethics, empathy and critical thinking? Students need to be better prepared to be problem solvers and thinkers. Our guest this week is Zoe Weil, co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE). Zoe and I discuss the importance of transforming education, via concepts that teach children to be more caring, nurturing, and curious. While teaching the three R’s is important, humane education will lead to a more peaceful and harmonious society. Zoe is working to establish the Solutionary School in NYC, as she believes that societal problems can be solved by offering curriculum which highlights social justice, respect and empathy, in order to create a more humane and sustainable world. For more information about The Institute for Humane Education and The Solutionary School please visit humaneeducation.org & solutionaryschoolnyc.org and check our her inspiring “The World Becomes What You Teach” Tedx Talk: http://youtu.be/t5HEV96dIuY

#1441: Paul Lazarus Discusses His New Documentary, “Slingshot”

Paul-Lazarus-BWWater is the source of all life, there is a world water crisis, and millions of people on the planet do not have potable, clean, drinking water. My guest this week, Paul Lazarus, director, writer and producer of film, television and theater has directed a wonderful documentary entitled, Slingshot. The film focuses on the the current global water crisis, and the path that inventor/engineer extraordinaire, Dean Kamen takes to bring his water purification system to the world market. The documentary has won film festival awards, and is a must see movie. For more information, go to www.slingshotdoc.com