#1537: Dayna Reggero, Climate Listening Project

Billions of people around the globe are affected by the changes in climate every day. There are many stories that need to be told and many stories that need to be heard. My guest this week, Dayna Reggero, project director for the Climate Listening Project, has gathered stories from a variety of individuals and businesses about the direct effect of climate change on their lives and communities. Farmers, scientists, faith based and environmental groups are working towards solutions to adapt and build resilience to the extremes of climate change. We must connect actions to our words and work towards building a cleaner, greener world. Dayna has also been involved with the Showtime Series, Years of Living Dangerously, and has partnered with Laura Lengnick, author of the book Resilient Agriculture: Cultivating Food Systems in a Changing Climate. Dayna and Laura conduct storytelling workshops at colleges via the Cultivating Resilience Tour. For more info go to: daynareggero.com, @DaynaReggero and facebook.com/climatelisteningproject.

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People Changing our World and Our Consciousness for Global Change

By Susan Lutz

The link between a peaceful, thriving, global existence connects always, without exception, to the seeds of our consciousness when we make choices. At the onset, we sip a cup of coffee, knowing it’s fair trade or organic, or we turn our cup and look in the other direction. We drink bottled water and toss the empty into the recycle bin, content in the fact that we’ve done something good by recycling. Is that good enough? We’re beginning to recognize that consumerism has the potential to change lives, not destroy it. Here’s a few people to watch as we see a shift in consciousness from taking and consuming for ourselves, with little thought of how it affects only our short-term needs, to understanding every sip, every thought, that moves us forward in balance or tips the scales out of our favor.

Professor Angus Deaton – On October 12, 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that the Scottish born economist earned the prize for “his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare.” Deaton’s work has focused on how our individual, family choices figure into the bigger picture of economics. When we choose individually, we impact the bigger picture. We increase poverty, climate change, and health by not understanding that our decisions help or hurt farmers and production. Professor Dean is optimist about our future, yet he notes that we’ve got a lot of work left to do.

Pope Francis I – With a voice perhaps long too quiet in the world of religion, Pope Francis is using his time in leadership to open dialogue and question the status quo. At an international Climate Change Conference, he said we should govern our ideas about the planet by “principles of a fair and integral ecology” – putting people as one of the integral factors of our decision-making practices and global choices. Earlier this year, Pope Francis issued a papal encyclical on the environment. The document, Laudato Si, subtitled, “On Care for Our Common Home,” appoints each individual on this planet as responsible for the health of our climate, our home. The Pope, consistent with current global warming theories on climate change, warns that we are accelerating the warming of the Earth’s surface, thus putting in jeopardy all living things, and the planet.

Christina Figueres – In July of 2010, she took the position of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Poised to lead the next conference at the end of November 2015, Figueres sees no option in failure. The daughter of a former president of Costa Rica, she grew up watching how revolution founded a government that laid down its weapons and chose peace as it’s rule. With no army to fund, Costa Rica started establishing a strong middle class and a democracy, an anomaly for a tumultuous region burdened with high rates of poverty, corruption, and war. Figueres’s task entails getting countries that don’t agree on much to find another way to power our planet. With many men leading the way, it will most likely be women that take the helm and eventually get the job done.

#1536: Brute Force

“Generally speaking, my background is the universe. As a life form I have been classified as a human being… I have been taught to believe in the unknown”….Stephen Friedland/Brute Force.

Under the pseudonym Brute Force, Stephen has a cult following, especially for his recording of The King of Fuh, which was distributed by George Harrison, on the Beatles’ Apple label. It is a rare collectors item, listed in their catalog as Apple 8. Stephen is also an actor, and he has recently appeared in a music video featuring the song Forgiveness, sung by Enrique Iglesias and Nicky Jam. Stephen’s collection of work is a gift to mankind, as his beautiful lyrics, and consciousness raising world rock, is spiritual, message driven, farcical, satirical, political, eccentric and unique. I have many favorite Brute Force tunes. I especially love “The World Is Full of So Much Bullshit”, and as a kid his song, “The Fall” made me laugh out loud every time I listened to it. Stephen is a keeper of the planet, and his album, Planetwork, is a wonderful concept piece, which is an homage to the beauty and bounties of Mother Earth. Brute continues to play clubs with his daughter Lilah (Daughter of Force), and be sure to catch the documentary about him at bruteforcethemovie.com. For more info go to brutesforce.com

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#1535: Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Microbeads are not part of a kids craft project, they are tiny plastic particles which are entering the wildlife and human populations. My guest this week, Jordan Christensen, is the Program Coordinator for the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and she is working to put pressure on our elected officials to ban the use of microbeads. She is also working on projects to limit raw sewage and toxins from entering the waterways, as well as reducing use of chemicals in schools. We have to write letters to our local and national representatives to let them know that Earth comes first. Go to www.citizenscampaign.org for more information.

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The Pollination Grant: Funding Visions of Change

By Susan Lutz

Small grants. Big visions. The Pollination Grant offers $1000 grants every day to those who desire to change the level in a big way. From lighting schools to shining hope on marginalized populations, winners of The Pollination Grant believe in big change through hard work and a solid vision at the ground level. Anyone, worldwide, can apply.

I know the impact a small grant can have on work. I was awarded The Pollination Grant in the fall of 2014 for my film, The Coffee Dance: Seeds of Empowerment, a documentary looking at the lives of women and children in dire poverty and how they find a way to rise above and give back to others.

Over the last year, I have watched amazing people receive these grants and have seen how this small change really does make a difference. The Pollination Grant originated from the ideals of Ari Nessel. In 1997, Nessel changed the way he thought about life, about how we treat each other and the planet. His dream became a vision to help others help others. He believed small change could make a big difference, planting seeds of consciousness through education, community involvement, and service to others. His idea lit up a corner of the world, and soon The Pollination Grant was on CBS Sunday Morning.

Applying for the grant takes serious planning and organization. Though not difficult, the online application requires a clear vision with obtainable goals in mind. Reading about the grant and the guidelines is important. For example, the grant does not allow any expenditure for food made from animals. Most costs must also be recycled materials and/or eco-friendly.

The grants fund projects such as art therapy for veterans, speech therapy for children in Afghanistan, and teaching empowerment through agriculture for women in Cameroon. What’s amazing is not only the vast amount of grants awarded but also that there are so many people and organizations out there truly trying to make a difference. The Pollination Grant joins the consciousness of care and community through it’s giving.

To learn more about The Pollination Grant, you can visit its website. There you’ll find photos and stories about how you can support and join in changing the world.

#1534: The End of Plenty

Can we feed the world without wrecking it? Are we farming ourselves out of food? My guest, Joel K. Bourne Jr. and I delve into those questions on this week’s show. Joel’s new book, THE END OF PLENTY: The Race to Feed a Crowded World, discusses the world food crisis, as it relates to population increase and environmental concerns. Farm land is becoming decimated, as water shortages are spreading globally, thus reducing growth of crops needed to feed the populace. Political unrest and revolutions have occurred in various hot spots around the world, as wheat crops have failed, which has lead to tightening grain supplies. Lives are lost as fights break out over bread. Will 3D printing of food save us? Probably not, but there is hope, as farmers are using innovations in food irrigation, as well as conservation methods to solve some of the problems. A new land ethic must be put into place to feed the world. For more information go to joelkbournejr.com and amazon.com for his book, THE END OF PLENTY.

#1525: The End of Plenty by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1532: The Green Living Guy

Do 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

#1531: A Modern Day Johnny Appleseed

Almost born on the Brooklyn Bridge, salvaged in Manhattan, and raised on the Brooklyn side. Sounds like a punk rocker was born, but it was the life beginning of this week’s guest, Samuel Robinson. Sam is a Green Living Consultant, Horticulturalist, Sculptor and blogger. He is the modern day Johnny Appleseed, as he cruises around the streets of NYC in his 1961 Willys Farm Jeep, distributing plant seeds and spreading the green message across the urban landscape. Sam is working on bio-remediation projects to help clean the water in the Gownaus Canal, which has turned into a toxic brew over the last several decades. We all need to take action and let our elected officials know that green spaces and clean waterways will improve the quality of life in the city, and legislation is needed to do that. If Paris can go green, NYC can go green. For more information go to greenwoodrobinson.com

#1531: A Modern Day Johnny Appleseed by The Many Shades Of Green on Mixcloud

#1530: Rewilding Manhattan

Wild 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!

“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

DARK Act Passes Congress: Act Now to Defeat It

By Susan Lutz

The Right-Not-To-Know gained ground in congress in another attempt to keep information hidden and corporate operations thriving. If you want to know what’s in your food, take the time now to contact your Senator to repeal the DARK Act.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the upcoming vote in the House:

The bill, dubbed The Dark Act: Deny Americans the Right to Know, #stopDARKact, is spun by supporters to look as though it is legislation supporting transparency, but according to a recent House Agriculture Committee on Biotech Labeling Laws with Just Label It chairman, Gary Hishberg, it’s an anti-labeling push to keep the consumer out of the labeling process. A proposed amendment, mandating GMO labeling is being backed by anti GMO groups.

Humor helps break down topics. Laughter relieves tension and lets the commentary get to the truth. To better understand the issues, here is a clip from Bill Maher who “labeled” the issue perfectly and asked if we wanted a legislation that was “the freedom from information act?”

The Organic Consumers Association is encouraging citizens to truly understand what is happening:

Now that the DARK Act has been approved by the House, we’ll have to stop it in the Senate. We have to move fast—because Monsanto is desperate to pass a bill that preempts mandatory GMO labeling laws at the state and federal levels, before Vermont’s GMO labeling law takes effect next year.

This legislation hides the ultimate goal of furthering interests of a larger, corporate interest. When meat is in clear, pretty cellophane packages and the only thing you see on the label is the price, it’ll be too late to ask: Where did the beef come from? And what’s in it?

Take action now. Contact your Senators. Share. Let others know.

#‎LabelGMOs #‎GMO #‎Food #‎Ag #‎RightToKnow

Kill the K-Cup Before It Kills Us

By Susan Lutz

In the hospital, I waited for my son to get out of a simple procedure; we’d be home by the end of the day. I looked at the counter, hoping for some coffee. And, there it was. Packaged. Flavor injected. Plastic. The K-cup – the new, killer coffee that’s killing the coffee with its convenient, single-serving delivery system. Coffee drinkers loaded up and bought them, about 9 billion a year, filling a need we didn’t even know we had.

Billions of cups mean billions of little plastic, worthless-after-one use, go-in-the-trash cups. And the cost doesn’t seem to matter. Folgers coffee, in one of those K-cups, measures out to $50.00 a serving. For a few years, I owned a coffee shop; I wasn’t making that kind of margin. Even the priciest of coffees from the most exotic of places doesn’t garner that price.

The profit is not going to the farmers either. Is the coffee organic? Fair trade? Mostly no, though suppliers are putting out organic and fair trade. Our desire for this product is insatiable. I spent time with the people working the coffee fields. It’s a tough life. Many do not have medical coverage, are exposed to chemicals and treated poorly. Many are women and children. We love our coffee. We treat it almost as if it is a right rather than a privilege. Before the hospital waiting room, I had never seen these machines in action. I thought they were a luxury. But, I lived in Central America where most things are luxuries, including roofs that don’t leak and enough food to feed a family.

An hour went by as I waited for my son. I was hungry and the coffee looked so tempting. I put the K-cup into the spot, pushed a button and got just water. I walked down the hall to the bathroom and dumped out the water. I tried again and got the worst coffee I’d ever tasted. I went to the bathroom and dumped it out. When I threw away the little cup, I felt miserable. I had no coffee, I was in a hospital, and now I just added to the billions of little, non-recyclable trash mounding in landfills.

There’s a campaign to KILLTHEKCUP with a pretty intense video about the destruction of our planet from the killer K-cup. I saw an interview with Kevin Sullivan, chief technology officer at Keurig Green Mountain, maker of coffee machines on CBS Sunday Morning. He said the company was beginning to find ways to make the product recycle by 2020:

“We’ve been hard at work to solve that problem,” said Sullivan. “We introduced a system called Vue that has cups that are, in fact, recyclable. We have a company objective that everything will be recyclable by the year 2020. We certainly aren’t going to wait that long. I think we’re going to start that much sooner, and hopefully convert sooner than that.”

I was stunned. By 2020 the company will have little plastic k-cups that are recyclable? Do the math. Let’s say, for simplicity, 9 billion cups are sold a year, starting in 2015 and going until 2019 (we’ll just ignore the damage already done and we’ll ignore growth or decline in sales):

9 billion x 5 = 45 billion little, useless plastic cups filling up our needs to get something quick, fast, and with no regard for others. Getting the k-cup recyclable is, in this day and age, a non-negotiable item. But why after the fact? Why not create the product with some consciousness before the damage is done? Did Kevin Sullivan ever hear of climate change? We cause climate change in every choice we make. It’s not just the billowing smoke from factory smoke stacks. It’s us, our decisions to use or reuse or to choose sustainable with our spending power. There’s plenty of other single serving machines out there that cost the same or less than the Keurig coffee system. Are we that tight for time we can’t spend another minute tamping down a bit of coffee in a reusable machine?

My son and I went home. He was sleepy, but up and playing like little kids do by early evening. I made a cup of coffee when I got home, a single, grounds-only, cup of coffee. It was worth the wait.