Environment – The Many Shades of Green

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

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.

Who’s The Boss with George Polisner Founder of Civ.Works

The “Boss” Bruce Springsteen has been in the news of late, as he bravely tells his audiences what’s going on in America right now. He is not adverse to speaking his mind, as he sees his country and democracy slipping away in plain sight. He tells it like it is, with no holes barred. During a White House press briefing on May 15, 2025, Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, responded to Bruce Springsteen’s criticisms of DJT by saying, “Bruce Springsteen, you mean he calls himself the boss? How about the employee, because the boss is the President .” Leavitt’s statement came after Springsteen publicly criticized the current administration during a concert in Manchester, England, calling them “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous”. DJT responded by calling Springsteen “highly overrated” and a “pushy, obnoxious jerk”. One of the Boss’ tunes “Born in the USA” has become an American Anthem, but it is actually a commentary on war and the desperation of returning veterans. The 1984 hit describes a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to desperate circumstances and few options. Listen only to its surging refrain, though, and you could mistake it for an uncomplicated celebration of patriotism. You wouldn’t be the only one. Bruce told radio host Terry Gross in 2005 “The pride was in the chorus, in my songs, the spiritual part, the hope part, is in the choruses. The blues and your daily realities are in the details of the verses.” Bruce started many shows with a really rousing, anthemic-type version of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ With a bandanna on and a cutoff shirt and the fist-pumping, it felt like a celebration of being born in the USA — when really, it is a defiant song about ‘I was born in the USA, and I deserve better than what I’m getting.’ I think plenty of people didn’t get what it was about and it behooves us to pay attention to the lyrics of the verses of Bruce’s tunes. In current times, it is not hard to realize that we are in dystopian downward spiral and on the verge of authoritarian rule. People want to hide and wake up in 2028. So, there is much to talk about, and on this episode of TMSOG we are joined by our resident political analyst, environmentalist and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, who gives us some insight and helps us break down what is happening in the US of A, and why we must get up and stand up for our rights and find ways to counter what is going on inside the current regime in the White House. We discuss the Big Beautiful Bill a/k/a the Reverse Robinhood Bill as they are robbing from the poor to give too the rich. Plus the Middle East Crypto and 747 grift tour, Judges on the front line, the need to be proactive, the need to take care of ourselves and much more. Go to https://civ.works/and Civ.works/defend for more info. Listen to and buy music from Bruce Springsteen.

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 and https://www.brennancenter.org/ The Brennan Center helps protect voting rights.

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

Rising Revolution: The Extremes are Too Extreme: Plastic Eating Enzymes and More with Eco Activist, Artist and Sexy Astrologer Charlotte Ghiorse

The song Revolution had 3 versions and was written by John Lennon as a reflection of his feelings about the Vietnam War and other civil unrest taking place around the world. The lyrics expressed sympathy for social change but expressed doubt about the violence espoused by the New Left. He wanted change without the violence. Now enter Bruce Springsteen, the “Boss” who has thrown down the gauntlet and is outspoken about the dismantling of democracy in the U.S. He is using his music and status to make some noise. He said at a recent concert in Manchester England that “The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times!” So a question that keeps arising is are we on the cusp of a Revolution? The United States is currently facing intense political polarization, and there are legitimate concerns about the erosion of democratic norms, trust in institutions, and the rule of law. However, a full-scale revolution in the traditional sense remains highly unlikely in the near term due to various factors including resilience, protest, and institutions like the judiciary, the press (which to me is questionable) and civil society which are still in place to maintain checks and balances. While mistrust in government is high, most Americans still seek change through elections, protest, and civic engagement rather than violent uprising. Political scientists and democracy experts have been identifying warning signs that suggest democratic backsliding and potential systemic instability in the United States. These signs don’t mean a revolution is inevitable, but they indicate that the foundations of democratic governance are being strained. Political scientists like Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt (How Democracies Die) argue that democracies don’t usually collapse through coups anymore—they decay slowly when norms are eroded and institutions are co-opted from within. The United States is not “doomed,” but these warning signs show that vigilance and civic action are essential to preserving democratic stability. On this episode of TMSOG we talk to our resident artist, eco-activist and astrologer Charlotte Ghiorse about the problem of dealing with the narrow politics of the far left and the extreme right. We also touch on innovations that are breaking down plastics. Scientists are discovering enzymes that literally eat plastic. Dr. Antoine Roy, Lead Scientist at Carbios said:“Our enzyme breaks PET down into its original molecules, allowing true recycling. It’s like giving plastic a second life—again and again.” We also touch on what role mushrooms could play in the plastic fight, as companies like Ecovative are growing packaging from mycelium, the root structure of fungi. Charlotte also gives us her latest astrology reading. For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and Sexy Astrology on FB and YouTube.

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/ and the Brennan Center for Justice https://www.brennancenter.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.

The Invasion of Microplastics and How We Can Reduce Plastic Use and Packaging with Alexis Goldsmith, Organizing Director of Beyond Plastics

Plastic production is warming the planet and is expected to double in the next 20 years. Plastic is made from fossil fuels and contains 16,000 chemicals, many of them known to be harmful to humans and even more untested for their safety. Most plastics are made out of ethane, a byproduct of fracking. In 2020, plastic’s climate impacts amounted to the equivalent of nearly 49 million cars on the road, according to a conservative estimate by Material Research L3C. And that’s not including the carbon footprint associated with disposing of plastic. Our oceans have become a plastic dumping site with plastic pollution impacting whales, turtles, fish, dolphins and countless other marine species and habitats. It is on beaches, coastlines, and in lakes, rivers, as well as on land and in the air. Plastic has melded into rocks which is now called Plastistones, a newly recognized type of sedimentary rock that incorporates plastic within their structure. They are essentially “rocks” formed from plastic waste, often found in coastal areas or places where there’s a high concentration of plastic debris. There are micro plastics in the human body and in wildlife. While we all love the Prince tune Purple Rain, we need to find out what’s in ‘Plastic Rain’. Our lives are inundated with plastic, from shampoo bottles to shower curtains. There are micro plastics in toothpaste, plastic utensils, tea bags, bottled water and gum to name a few. How do we stop the proliferation of plastics in manufacturing and what can we do to take action to reduce plastic use? Joining us on this episode of TMSOG is Alexis Goldsmith, National Organizing Director of Beyond Plastics. We talk about how plastic affects climate and health, and we discuss legislation in New York (the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act) which is being worked on to reduce plastic packaging and the Bigger Better Bottle Bill which will increase the beverage container deposit fee from 5 cents to 10 cents.

We must take actions on an individual level to stop using single plastic bottles and other items, especially when it comes to using plastic pouches of baby food to feed our infants and toddlers. Those items used to be in glass containers, and the companies producing baby food should go back to that method of packaging. Please support the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act in New York State. In the words of Alexis Goldsmith “Imagine the world you want to see, connect to an organization or community group to take action. The act of trying is empowering.” For more information go to https://www.beyondplastics.org/

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/ 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.

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.

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