Environment – The Many Shades of Green

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/

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.#RaiseYourSocialConsciousness

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

Speaking Out for Science with Julie McNamara, Associate Director of Policy for Climate and Energy at the Union of Concerned Scientists (ucs.org)

Will anything ever quite be the same? E. Abbey

America is being held hostage and we are in crisis mode. Senator Cory Booker said in his record braking 25 hour speech that “This is our moral moment. This is when the most precious ideas of our country are being tested.”

Millions of Americans are scared about the consequences of the actions of the current administration which is bent on creating misery, as it continues to slash programs that help Veterans, Seniors, the Disabled, Children’s Health and Education, Medical and Scientific Research, Environmental issues, Cultural institutions, National parks and more. These programs are all are being dismantled by DOGE. The term climate change is being removed from documents at the EPA and other agencies. What is their endgame??
The World Health Organization has indicated that climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health. It affects the physical environment as well as all aspects of both natural and human systems – including social and economic conditions and the functioning of health systems. It is therefore a threat multiplier, undermining and potentially reversing decades of health progress. As climatic conditions change, more frequent and intensifying weather and climate events are observed, including storms, extreme heat, floods, droughts and wildfires. Climate hazards affect health both directly and indirectly, increasing the risk of deaths, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, and health emergencies. The Executive branch has issued orders which abandon science, health, and climate change policies which will wreak havoc both on a national and global level. Slash and burn government is their credo. It is therefore crucial for those who are involved with creating policies to continue the work on important issues such as climate change, medical research and to create innovations and technology to move the country forward. Science informed policies must be supported in Congress to make sure we keep up with potential hazardous viruses and health conditions that could cause a future pandemic. Facts and truth must take precedent over lies and conspiracy theories. We must continue to expand on renewable energy so that our air, land and water are safe and clean. Research and technology innovations are crucial to a forward thinking society and functioning democracy. We are joined on this week’s TMSOG podcast by Julie McNamara who is the Associate Director for Policy at the Climate & Energy Program at Union of Concerned Scientists. Julie’s work primarily focuses on federal energy policy and agency regulations which runs the gamut from public health to infrastructure, to polluter loopholes, and more. She is making a difference and is a steward of the planet. We also touch on tariffs on penguins, which is quite fishy at best. For more info on the Union of Concerned Scientists and to donate, go to https://www.ucs.org/ 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/

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.

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.

Yes, The Sky is Falling, and We’re Not Gonna Take It w/George Polisner

“We’re Not Gonna Take It”… The song by Twisted Sister reflects the current mood in America. Something’s got to give somewhere. We need to resist and we must fight, rebuild and do everything in our power to stop the dismantling of our democratic principles and the Constitution.

The U.S. legal system is founded on the principle that no individual, including the President, is above the law. When SCOTUS declared that a President is immune from prosecution when exercising the ‘core powers’ of the presidency, that opened up the path for the the current administration to dismantle democracy. My question is what are the core powers? While in the past, there have been tensions between the executive branch and the judiciary, an outright defiance of a court order by a president is unprecedented in modern American history.

A president’s defiance of court orders challenges the foundational principle of checks and balances in the U.S. government. Upholding the rule of law necessitates that all branches of government adhere to judicial rulings, ensuring a balanced and functional democracy. On this episode of TMSOG, we have our resident political analyst, environmentalist and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, who gives us some insight into Project 2025, and the free fall of America into an authoritarian regime. We also explore instances where the administration has defied court orders on immigration which raises concerns about the balance of power in our government. What have we become and how will this all end? For more information go to civ.works. If you can donate to help lawyers defend our constitution go to https://www.aclu.org/ 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.

Plastic Rain, Acid Rain, Purple Rain and the Dismantling of the EPA, NOAA, FEMA, with Eco-activist/artist Charlotte Ghiorse

First there was acid rain, then Prince brought us Purple Rain, and now we have plastic rain. In simple terms, acid rain refers to precipitation—rain, snow, sleet, or fog—that has high levels of acidic components, like sulfuric and nitric acid. It occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air from burning fossil fuels. These pollutants react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals in the atmosphere to form acidic compounds, which then fall to the earth’s surface as precipitation. It also disrupts aquatic ecosystems by making lakes and streams too acidic for fish and other wildlife to survive. Now we have plastic rain, which refers to the phenomenon where microplastic particles, tiny pieces of plastic, less than 5 millimeters long, are deposited from the sky in rain through atmospheric deposition.
The presence of microplastics in rain raises concerns about their potential impact on ecosystems and human health, as they can contaminate water sources, food chains, and even penetrate deep-sea habitats. Studies have shown that microplastics can be found in rainwater and even in remote areas like national parks and Antarctica. A study published in Science found that over 1,000 metric tons of microplastic particles fall into protected areas in the western USA each year. Microplastics get into the food we eat, the water we drink, the land we walk on and it is in our brains, lungs, bloodstream and more. Microplastics come from from synthetic fibers, industrial waste, and the breakdown of plastic products. Plastic pollution has become very pervasive and unless solutions are in place to stop plastic production, the problem will persist. To add to these problems, we now have a government which has slashed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with many health agencies and organizations which do research and put policies into place to protect the land, air, water and citizens of the US and the globe. How can we dodge the DOGE? Our resident eco-activist, artist and astrologer Charlotte Ghiorse joins us on this episode to talk about plastic rain, the dismantling of the US government agencies which were put in place to protect us, and she gives us an astrology update. Prince, as usual, was ahead of himself with Purple Rain, now if we can turn the clock back to 1999, that would be a good thing, as we would all sleep much better. For info on Charlotte go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ @sexyastrologer on Facebook and Youtube Donate to Union of Concerned Scientists https://www.ucs.org/ and ACLU https://www.aclu.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.

Preach, Protest and Perform with “Earth Defender” Rev Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping “Earthalujah!”

This episode of TMSOG podcast opens with the song Fabulous Unknown, which part of an amazing catalog of music performed and written by Reverend Billy Talen, and the Stop Shopping Choir. I met the Rev via a friend of mine, Rick Ulfik, founder of We, the World, who played keyboard for him for a number of years. So on this program we get up close and personal with Rev Billy, and we take a deep dive into the stories of activism, culture, and his unconventional voice which is meant to shake up the world. We talk about a movement that is as theatrical as it is radical. Rev Billy, is a performance artist, activist, and anti-consumerism preacher who leads the Church of Stop Shopping along with his partner Savitri. Since the late 1990s, he’s been spreading his gospel—literally—against corporate greed, environmental destruction, and the culture of overconsumption. He does it all with the flair of a revivalist preacher, blending satire, music, and bold public spectacles. He has recently toured with Neil Young, and will be on tour with him again this summer. He has performed and protested in many venues throughout NYC and the world. Alisa Solomon in an article written for the Village Voice about Rev Billy stated that “The collar is fake, but the calling is real.” The Church of Stop Shopping, has been referred to by academics as “performance activism,” “carnivalesque protest,” and “artivists”. Rev Billy is an Earth Defender and he preaches on stage as the gospel choir belts out songs of resistance. The Reverend Billy character isn’t so much a parody of a preacher, as it blurs the lines between performance and religious experience. “It’s definitely a church service,” Rev Billy exclaims, but, it’s “a political rally, it’s theater, it’s all three, it’s none of them.” For more info go to https://revbilly.com/ and for music go to https://revbilly.com/music/

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.

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

Is it Safe? Democracy is Free Falling! With George Polisner founder of Civ.works

“The rich run a global system that allows them to accumulate more wealth while leaving the majority struggling to survive.” – Naomi Klein

The government as we know it is dangling by a thread. The broligarchy has taken over and anointed a self proclaimed king. Here is a quote from the current occupant of the White House, and the dialog that ensued with MAGA MAN and the Governor of NY.

“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” DJ Trump

New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded by saying that President Trump’s gambit to kill congestion pricing is a direct federal “attack on New York sovereignty” by a self-proclaimed “king.” She further stated that “I’m here to say, New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now. The streets of the city where battles were fought, we stood up to a king, and we won then. In case you don’t know New Yorkers, when we’re in a fight, we do not back down — not now, not ever.” “I’m governing the great state of New York. I don’t need to be play-wack-a-mole every time something crazy comes out of Washington,” she said. “But you came after New Yorkers, and now I have to step up on this issue.We are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington,” she added. All I can say is bravo to Hochul for having the chutzpah to call out the liar in chief. While congestion pricing has its pros and cons, the fact that Governor Hochul had the balls to stand up to Trump was impressive. We need to shout from the rafters, that the US is not a Kingdom, and democracy is still alive!

We need to start dredging up the tea leaves from Boston Harbor and kick start our brains into taking action to stop the self proclaimed king and his henchmen from destroying our country. I would always think to myself, how did the people of Germany and the world let the atrocities of the Third Reich happen? It’s not quite 100 years later, yet here we are, in the US of A, experiencing a takeover of democracy in front of our eyes. Is it a coup, is it a Constitutional Crisis, will it take a Revolution or Civil War to stop it? The spineless GOP and mainstream media are in with it, after all, the golden calf needs to be milked, and power and greed are the end game. We are all in the Gulf of Despair, paddling with half a paddle. The only ones who will save us are ourselves! On this episode of TMSOG, we have our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works. on the program. George gives us some insight into the state of the world and the quick sand we find ourselves in. Where is the opposition, the media, the union soldiers? It’s time to get out of our collective funk and take action. For more info go to http://civ.works/defend/ Please donate to 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/is-it-safe-democracy-is-free-falling-w-george-polisner-founder-of-civ-works–64484514

Shift Happens in Communities with Dayna Reggero of The Climate Listening Project and Paula Swepson-Avery Executive Director of The West Marion Community Forum

“You Got the Power, I’ve seen you use it, they say you don’t have it, that’s how you lose it!” Mitch Margo from his song California Reggae Debate (You Got the Power)

We do have the power, and there are amazing people doing great work to make things better. The Climate Listening Project is a healing listening effort from award-winning documentarian Dayna Reggero to create safe spaces to connect and share hopeful conversations on climate change impacts and move forward towards community solutions. Dayna works within communities to listen and partner with nonprofit organizations and groups to help share the stories that need to be heard. She is working with Paula Swepson-Avery, Executive Director of The West Marion Community Forum. Paula’s quote on the Forum website states: “The best thing about the Forum is that it allows you to dream.”The mission of the Forum is to enhance the quality of life of its residents in McDowell County, North Carolina. This is done by showing compassion, advocating for policy and systems change, promoting economic development, sharing resources, empowering youth, and creating equitable outcomes for all.

In these times of uncertainty, I think we all find ourselves feeling helpless as to what we can do to make a difference. It is therefore more important than ever that we communicate, and truly listen to one another within our communities so that we can work together to be agents of change. Environmental justice and social justice must be supported and given priority in the conversations of those in government, organizations and with the citizenry. On this episode of TMSOG podcast, we talk to two amazing women who work to bring these important issues to the forefront. Dayna Reggero who is a friend of TMSOG, is an award-winning filmmaker and founding director of the Climate Listening Project. Her work has been recognized for amplifying voices that often go unheard in the mainstream climate conversation. We also speak with Paula Swepson-Avery who is the Executive Director of The West Marion Community Forum. The Forum helps engage residents to help them become leaders to create change through new businesses, empowered youth, affordable housing, teaching gardens, and a community center that creates opportunities for the future. We need to be proactive and be better listeners as we have the power, and we need to use it. For more information go to climatelisteningproject.org and westmarion.org
West Marion was donated a Community building that used to be a Black school that will be used as a local resilience hub: https://mcdowellnews.com/news/local/government-politics/marion-city-council-west-marion-inc-community-center-epa-grant-hudgins-high-mountain-view/article_00ee8a70-5fd9-11ef-9850-c3b3f4657839.html

Shift Happens in Communities: https://www.shifthappenstoolkit.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. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

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.

Plastics, Politics and Pinky and the Brain with Charlotte Ghiorse, Founder of House of ChoClet

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” – Benjamin Franklin“

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” – Robert Kennedy

On this episode of TMSOG we went off book and started the podcast with the theme song of the animated series Pinky and The Brain. The lyric of the tune is as follows:

They’re Pinky & the Brain.
Yes, Pinky & the Brain.
One is a genius, the other’s other insane.
They’re labratory mice.
Their genes have been spliced.
They’re Pinky, they’re Pinky & the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain

Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They’ll take over the world.

They’re Pinky & the Brain.
Yes, Pinky & the Brain.
Their twilight campaign is easy to explain.
To prove their mousey worth
they’ll overthrow the earth.
They’re Dinky, they’re Pinky & the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, NARF!

So who is the genius and who is insane? Not sure what the answer is, but we are not in normal times. I feel that we are back in Germany in the 1930s, and if we don’t fight back, if we don’t resist, we are doomed. Our monthly resident artist, eco-activist and Sexy Astrologist gives her take on what’s happening in Washington DC, and co-host Malcolm Burman chimes in with some of his thoughts. Democracy is hanging by a thread, which begs us to ask; where is the opposition, where is the main stream media, and why are more people not jamming the streets and screaming? Where are the lawyers and the hackers who are on the side of the Constitution? We have a shadow president running and simultaneously ruining the country. Who is going to take a stand and stop the madness?? Since Charlotte is the Sexy Astrologist (@soulfulsexyastrology) she gives us some information on President 45/47’s astrology chart. We also talk about the danger of microplastics in our bodies, as well some innovative companies helping solve the plastic problem. For more info on Charlotte go to Sexy Astrology on Facebook and visit https://www.houseofchoclet.com/

To donate and take action go to https://www.aclu.org/ and EarthJustice https://act.earthjustice.org/ and https://civ.works/

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.

Discussion with Jenny Milchman author of the the psychological thriller “The Usual Silence”

In this world gone mad, we need to take time to escape, and a good book can take you to a place that allows your imagination to run free. Psychological thrillers are quite popular, as they keep you immersed in stories that connect characters with plot lines that create suspense. According to an online article in Psychology Today by Yoo Jung Kim MD and Yoo Eun Kim, psychological thrillers explore their characters’ innermost thoughts and motivations, allowing us to examine how their decisions propel the plot forward into the extremes of human ethics and morality. The author, Jean Hanff Korelitz who wrote the title You Should Have Known states that the reason that psychological thrillers are so engaging is the ongoing tension between what the audience knows (or thinks that they know) and what the characters know (or what they don’t know) and the sort of “smugness” the readers feel in relation to the characters. She states, “and while we’re busy yelling at them (in our heads, at least) not to make such stupid decisions, we’re also telling ourselves that we would never fall for such a suspicious character or obvious ruse.” Our guest on this episode of TMSOG is Jenny Milchman, the Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning and USA Today bestselling author known for her gripping psychological thrillers. In her latest novel, The Usual Silence, Jenny introduces us to psychologist Arles Shepherd, a character haunted by her own past while striving to help others, and she brings true crime podcast characters into the plot, which reflects the growing influence of true-crime media in real-life investigations. True crime podcasts are very popular and some have contributed to solving cases. There is even a TV show, Only Murders in the Building, where the characters have a shared interest in true crime podcasts, and wind up producing their own podcast about the murders which took place in their upscale apartment building in NYC. In The Usual Silence, Jenny highlights how modern technology, podcasts and social media can intersect with traditional investigative methods.

Beyond her writing, Jenny Milchman is the founder of “Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day,” an initiative celebrated annually across all fifty states and on five continents, encouraging young readers to explore the joys of bookstores, and she is also known for her extensive book tours, having embarked on journeys that span over 400 bookstores across the United States, reflecting her dedication to connecting with readers nationwide. For our listeners eager to dive into Jenny’s newest compelling psychological thriller, The Usual Silence, it is available at bookstores, libraries and online at amazon.com. To stay updated on Jenny’s future projects, visit her website at https://jennymilchman.com/

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.

Mother Nature to Earthlings “only you can prevent wildfires, so do something about it!” Planting Native trees and shrubs is a start…

FIRE by Bruce Springsteen

Romeo and Juliet

Samson and Delilah

You can bet

Their love they couldn’t deny

Your words say split

But your words they lie

When we kiss

Oh, fire, Fire

So to go back a bit before Romeo and Juliet, the discovery of fire dates back to prehistoric times, when Homo erectus inhabited the Earth. The earliest evidence of controlled fire use is at least one million years old. The oldest unequivocal evidence of fire use is from Qesem Cave in Israel, which dates back 300,000 to 400,000 years. Use of fire in prehistoric era Homo erectus likely used fire inspired by lightning strikes and forest fires.
Fast forward to 2025 and fire is more associated with disasters, as the prevalence of wildfires in the US and around the globe have reached levels not previously seen before. As global temperatures rise and winds increase in velocity, many forest areas have become a tinderbox. Climate change has brought us more extreme weather, and the latest fire tragedy in Los Angeles is more proof that many states in the US are not prepared for what’s coming, and that it is crucial for governments and citizens to adapt and be more resilient in dealing with this new abnormal. It is therefore so important to incorporate methods to help reduce the severity of wildfires, as well as droughts, floods and other climate related weather. California is a desert, and non-native plants can be a hazard. Palm trees are beautiful, but most are not native to the state, with the Desert Fan Palm being the exception. As a rule, no matter what state you live in, we have to make our yards more resilient and plant native. I will use LA as an example, but our ecosystems must be supported nationwide. L.A. must balance fire resilience with ecological preservation by gradually replacing flammable non-native plants like eucalyptus and palm trees with native and fire-resistant species while rethinking urban landscapes and land management practices. California native plants have remarkable characteristics that provide protective services to homes and structures during and after a fire. Los Angeles must adopt long-term strategies for sustainable rebuilding and land management.

Our resident wildlife and environmental expert Victoria Alzapiedi joins us on this episode of TMSOG to talk about the importance and benefits of planting native. We also delve into how toxins released by wildfires impact human health, as well as erosion control, the importance of adding solar panels to roofs, keeping our local and regional waterways clean and more. For more info go to New Castle Healthy Yards and The Nature of Westchester on Facebook.
mynativegardenoasis.com and California Native Plant Society https://www.cnps.org/ also have good information. Please donate to the NRDC.org and Earthjustice.org

To donate to those affected by the LA Wildfires go to: https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/california-wildfires/ and https://spcala.com/programs-services/dart/?bbFormId=178a1dfb-5482-4675-ba9e-4b315097f86f

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.