Mothers Day in Retrograde, Mother X artwork, and some companies doing good!

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and we celebrate all women on that day who are caregivers and providers who give of themselves with all their heart and soul. It is also important to celebrate the ultimate mother of us all, Mother Earth. We must be eco-conscious and think about what actions are needed to preserve Mother Nature, so perhaps Mother’s Day traditions can also make space for our collective Mother. In the astrological world, this year on April 21st, Mercury turned retrograde in Taurus, the earth sign that rules sensuality and our bodies. As it turns out, Mercury in Retrograde runs through Mother’s Day, and I am not sure what effect that will have on the moms of the world, all 2 billion of them, as they celebrate the day. What type of energy will wrap itself around moms and Mother Earth? 

It’s interesting to note that in the US, Mother’s Day actually began as a women’s movement to better the lives of Americans. Its origins spring from lifelong activists who championed efforts toward better health, welfare, and peace.  Mother Earth is a metaphor which  focuses on the nurturing and life-giving aspects of nature, and she is THE collective Mother. All mothers want a healthy, safe, clean and green planet so that current and future generations can thrive. As Mother’s Day endures and evolves, we continue to commemorate the many ways mothers have fought to better the lives of their children, from social welfare to non-violence to protecting the planet. On this episode, our resident astrologist, artist, mother of three awesome kiddos, film maker and voice for moms, Charlotte Ghiorse joins us to discuss Earth and Mother connections during this period of retrograde, as well as her Mother X art exhibits, various green subjects and more. For more info check out houseofchoclet.com and Sexy Astrologist on YouTube and Facebook. You can catch past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Courtney on Health: Can Cranberries help prevent UTIs?

There was a reported rise in Urinary tract infections (UTIs) during the pandemic, as stress was high, and proper hygiene and diet were not something people in their pajama wearing and jigsaw puzzled state much cared about, especially during those lock down days. UTIs are caused by foreign bacteria entering into the urinary tract, usually from the bowel, and infections can happen to both men and women, but women get more infections than men. In fact, about 60% of women and 12% of men will have at least one UTI in their lifetime. If you’ve ever had one, you will recognize the symptoms immediately: burning  sensations when you urinate, cramping, frequent trips to the bathroom, strong-smelling odor when you go, and urine that may appear cloudy or dark, as well as a feeling of not quite being able to empty your bladder. UTIs are also annoying and frustrating, especially if they happen to you often. And, while the standard treatment for a UTI is pretty commonplace (an antibiotic usually clears it up in a few days), many people avoid seeing a doctor and don’t get the proper diagnosis and antibiotic prescription, as they think they can self treat, or it will go away by itself. Something that always pops up when you think you have a UTI is drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplements. One prominent theory is that a substance in cranberries, called proanthocyanidins, might help prevent UTI-causing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder and other urinary tract linings. So while you mostly think of cranberries as a delicious Thanksgiving side dish, should we be giving thanks to cranberries when we get a UTI? Courtney gives us some great info on how you can deal with UTIs and if can cranberries help prevent them.

To get more info, follow Courtney on her Facebook page Courtney on Health, and on Instagram and TikTok @clgwellnes. Visit her website: courtneygravenese.com.  For past shows go to malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com

“Motherhood Never Ends” with founder of The Museum of Motherhood, Joy Rose

May is Mother’s Month and we need to give thanks to Mother Earth and all she provides to keep all Earthlings Alive. Mother Earth is not just another mother, she is the greatest mother of them all! She needs to be cared for and protected every day. The same holds true for all mothers who care for others, as many times they neglect their health and well being in that role. There is a history of motherhood and which goes untold. We must be in control of our health, both on a physical and mental level. It’s ok to speak up for our needs, voice our opinions and take the time we need for ourselves. Let’s face it, we are in challenging times, and it is easy to feel down with all of the conversations about guns, corrupt politicians, and the obliteration of women’s reproductive rights and more. Is the mantra that moms can do it all is a myth? Moms need help, which is not always forthcoming, as it truly takes a village to raise a family. In the words of Joy Rose “Motherhood never ends!” Joy is the Founder and Acting Director of the Museum of Motherhood and she joins us on this episode to talk about the many shades of motherhood. Joy is a mother of four now adult kiddos (I knew them when they were littles). She also has two grands, and is a writer, Educator, Adjunct teacher, media maven and is truly a mom who rocks! Joy is a Shero in so many ways! For more info go to mommuseum.org

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on Facebook and on Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast apps #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

What is Pluralistic Ignorance and why we need recognize it as a problem? More Civic Engagement can help and Civics Activism Expert George Polisner tells us why.

The world is facing a climate crisis, and we still are not paying enough attention, especially here in America. It is hard to understand why a large share of the populace in the US doesn’t seem to believe that climate change is a serious problem. A study published by nature.com  dated August 23, 2022, entitled: Americans Experience a False Social Reality by Underestimating Popular Climate Policy Support by Nearly Half, states that a collective action problem like climate change requires individuals to recognize the problem as a threat, and should engage in coordinated actions that result in raising environmental consciousness and social change.  Pluralistic ignorance is a shared misperception of how others think or behave, and poses a challenge to collective action, especially with a problem like climate change, which requires individuals to engage in coordinated actions that result in the development of solutions, behavioral adaptation and resilience. Collective action problems pose a difficult challenge as individuals are less likely to act when others standby and do nothing—and this outcome is only more common when the problem at hand is not clearly perceived to be a threat. Pluralistic ignorance is described as a false social reality: a near universal perception of public opinion that is the opposite of true public sentiment. Supporters of climate policies outnumber opponents two to one, while Americans falsely perceive nearly the opposite to be true. Further, Americans in every state and every assessed demographic underestimate support across all polices tested.  We need to shed light on this conundrum and my monthly civics and political analyst, George Polisner helps me delve into this and other topics that affect how we act, how we vote, and what is needed to push the needle to create positive change. George is the founder of Civ.works, who works to bring civic engagement, activism, citizen participation and political communication to the forefront. For more information go to Civ.Works

You can subscribe to all TMSOG podcasts on your favorite podcast apps, and listen to this and past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green on Facebook and Instagram @tmshdesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Earth Connections with Charlotte Ghiorse

We are in Earth Month, and Mother Earth is not happy with us humans on many levels. We continue to pollute the land, air and water. We are giving Mother Nature a fever, as the planet is warming on a daily basis, which if not corrected soon, could make it tough for Earthlings to survive. We continue to ignore the science, the warnings, and while there is some hope, climate scientists and activists need a better PR campaign. In addition to global warming, we face multiple issues on the social justice front, as reproductive rights are slipping away, racism continues to invade state houses, the gun lobby is more important than the lives of 9 year olds, and we all numb to what the news throws at us daily. We need to shout in order to breathe. We need to pay attention to details, and perhaps the interaction of the planets can help us deal with our interactions on Earth. Our resident Artist and Founder of Sexy Astrology, Charlotte Ghiorse gives us some insight into how astrology is part of the big picture, and what role PLUTO and other planets are playing in current events. She gives our super podcast engineer Neil his astrology chart reading on air. Charlotte is a painter, video and performance artist, and a mom of three who has vision and a sense of depth that takes on life one day at a time.  For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/about-the-artist and for past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on Facebook and on Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. Find TMSOG podcast on your favorite podcast app. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Sustainable Westchester: The Grid Rewards Program and more with Lauren Brois and Dan Welsh

Local environmental organizations play a key role in creating programs to build sustainable communities, and they truly make a difference in helping to create a cleaner, greener planet Earth. Sustainable Westchester is an organization which works to integrate policies, environmental campaigns and outreach to educate the citizens of Westchester County about issues of sustainability, and how they can take action to be adaptive and resilient, in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Some of Sustainable Westchester campaigns include: GRID Rewards, Solar and Geothermal incentives and deductions, Westchester Power and more. Lauren Brois and Dan Welsh work to help activate people to reduce their carbon footprint, and are dedicated to creating a more sustainable planet through local programs in Westchester County and beyond. For more information go to sustainablewestchester.org, check out the Grid Rewards Program via your smartphone app or on your computer at gridrewards.com.

Please subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast apps. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. For more shows go to hudsonriverradio.com and malcolmpresents.com

Cornell Cooperative Regional Clean Energy Hub in the Hudson Valley

We all have to care, we all have to do our part to protect Mother Earth. With the recent IPCC report from the UN, which stated that we will pierce the 2 degree threshold for global warming within a decade, it is more important than ever that we take actions now on both local and global levels to reduce the impact of climate change and carbon emissions. Our local and state officials must lead the way to create programs that help communities, especially in underserved areas, to be proactive in reducing green house gas emissions and more. This includes making renewable energy more available and affordable, creating green jobs and educating the public on what must be done to get people involved in working to curtail the use of fossil fuels while encouraging the use of clean energy. On December 9, 2022 Governor Hochul announced $52 Million Dollars in Awards for Regional Clean Energy Hubs to Connect New York Communities with Clean Energy Resources. 12 Regional Clean Energy Hubs were created to serve as centers of outreach, awareness, and education in regions across New York State to help foster residents’ participation, especially those in underserved or otherwise disadvantaged communities, with respect to New York’s clean energy transition. The announcement supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act which is in place to deliver at least 35-40 percent of the benefits from clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, and help advance an equitable clean energy transition for all New Yorkers.  My guests on this episode are Frankie Lede and Amanda Catale who are working to put these important sustainability  programs into effect and are both stewards of Mother Earth.  Frankie and Amanda are Energy Resource Educators/Advisors with Cornell Cooperative Extension, who are working with the Energy Hub located in the Mid-Hudson Valley. For more info go to: https://midhudsonenergychoices.org/ SustainableWestchester: https://sustainablewestchester.org/energysmarthomes/Mid-Hudson Regional Energy Hub Workforce Development – New Yorkers for Clean Power: https://nyforcleanpower.org/

Courtney on Health: Pros and Cons of that kick from Caffeine

According to the makers of Maxwell House coffee, your morning cup of Joe is “good to the last drop” but is it good for you? For most people, it is not harmful to consume up to 400mg of caffeine a day, but according to MedlinePlus, if you do eat or drink too much caffeine, it can affect your body as it can cause restlessness, shakiness and insomnia. On the other hand there can be the heart-healthy benefits in your morning brew. In a large study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology it was suggested that the benefits of coffee could benefit your overall cardiovascular system. Magnetic resonance imaging results for more than 30,000 study participants, showed that daily coffee drinkers had healthier-sized and better functioning hearts than those who didn’t drink coffee regularly, though experts say more research is needed to fully understand the connection. Courtney has some great info on the pros and cons on how the kick from caffeine affects your body and soul.  

To get more info, follow Courtney on her Facebook page Courtney on Health, on Instagram and TikTok @clgwellnes, visit her website: courtneygravenese.com.  For past shows go to malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com.  Courtney on Health: Smart, Sound Nutrition. Strong, Safe Fitness!

Is that kick from caffeine good for you?

A Blue print for Spring to protect Mother Nature.

Spring is upon us and we need to form a blue print to protect Mother Nature. It’s time to plant native, reduce your lawn by growing a meadow, and take steps to get away from the mow, blow and spraying harmful chemicals mindset. We need to live in balance with our wildlife, and like the Lorax, we must protect the trees, as each tree is an ecosystem unto itself.

 All flora and fauna need space to thrive and grow. Humans must work in a symbiotic relationship with all living organisms. Let’s start to change our ways a bit, and let nature take its course. Our resident wildlife and habitat guru, Victoria Alzapiedi guides us and gives some great info about how to work within your landscape to become more adaptive to the needs of the wildlife, insects, trees and shrubs, so that we can all be more resilient. Victoria is the co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, the New Castle Pollinator Pathways Coalition, and she started the Facebook group “The Nature of Westchester” an active community of nature lovers which now has more than 4000 members. Follow NCHY on Facebook and please subscribe to TMSOG on your favorite podcast app. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and malcolmpresents.com #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness and help save a Forest: go to preservebuttonhook.org

The Democracy Doomsday Clock is Ticking

We are now in very trying times and the need for putting together the collective will of the people who want clean air, healthcare, gun reform, affordable housing and democratic values is becoming more difficult due to the spreading of misinformation and outright lies. The citizenry must vote for leaders who have the ability to provide policies, and are educated and versed in making government work. Time in not on our side, and my guest on this episode, George Polisner, says that the democracy doomsday clock is quickly ticking away. George is a monthly commentator and friend of the podcast, who is working to educate citizens about civic responsibility to increase participation to promote the civic good. He is working to engage the populous to be more active and take action to protect our democratic values. George is a Behavioral Economist and Technologist with a passion for civic engagement and works to create a growing and fair economy, safe and well-funded schools and environmental protection. He is active in policy, addressing wealth and income inequality, participatory democracy and he has significant experience in corporate social responsibility. George is the Founder of Civ Works, a non-profit technology platform for civic engagement, constituent engagement, participatory democracy and participatory budgeting. For more info go to Civ.works. Please subscribe to TMSOG podcast on your favorite podcast app, and for past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Courtney on Health: Breakfast, a good way to start your day, and Mikey Likes It!

Life Cereal created a commercial which aired in 1972 and featured real-life brothers Michael and Tommy Gilchrist, sitting around a breakfast table, suspicious of the cereal because it’s supposed to be healthy. They’re convinced that Mikey won’t like it, since he is supposedly picky and doesn’t like much of anything. But, lo and behold, Mikey likes it!  The catchphrase took off, the commercial won a Clio award in 1974, and it remains one of the most iconic ads of its time. Fast forward to 2023, and breakfast has changed a bit. We have overnight oats, ACAI bowls and burritos. Many people skip breakfast as their morning time is limited, and the mad dash to get the kiddos off to school leaves only a few minutes to drink that first cup of joe. It is important to leave time for breakfast, as it provides necessary fuel for your body and brain. A nutritious breakfast should include unprocessed foods from each of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. A good breakfast can also help regulate hunger by reducing the urge to snack throughout the day. For children, eating breakfast has been positively associated with academic performance, as well as a decreased risk of obesity. Courtney discusses what a healthy breakfast should consist of and how it can be a meal that Mikey likes!

To get more info, follow Courtney on her Facebook page Courtney on Health, on Instagram @clgwellnes on TikTok and visit her website: courtneygravenese.com.  For past shows go to malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com.  Courtney on Health: Smart, Sound Nutrition. Strong, Safe Fitness! 

The Environment, Astrology and solutions to waste in the fashion industry/culture with Charlotte Ghiorse

So let’s talk Astrology… Uranus in Taurus impacts the Environment. Taurus is an earth sign, so it’s associated with nature, the land, and farming, and it’s represented by the symbol of the bull and will stick around through the end of 2026. (Uranus’ transit through Taurus has also aligned with radical changes in the way we think about the environment). The conversation around climate change has become even more critical since Uranus entered Taurus, spurred in part by Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg’s powerful speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in 2019. (Her first ever TED Talk was in 2018, just months after Uranus entered Taurus). There is so much waste produced by humans on planet Earth. Waste in the form of overproduction, lack of proper recycling and overuse of fossil fuel. One industry that has a high waste factor is the fashion industry, and Charlotte and I delve into that topic as well as how Neptune in Pisces with Saturn is working out for President Biden. Charlotte Ghiorse is TMSOG’s resident Sexy Astrologist and environmental contributor. In addition to her expertise in astrology and how it affects life on planet Earth, Charlotte is a painter, video and performance artist, and a mom of three, who has vision and a sense of depth that takes on life one day, hour, minute at a time. Visit Charlotte on her Sexy Astrology You Tube and Facebook pages and at www.houseofchoclet.com. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps and please subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart and more. For past shows go to hudsonriverradio.com and malcolmpresents.com. Follow us on Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness