TMSOG welcomes guest Margaret Perkins, climate activist with 350NYC

Our guest on this episode is Margaret Perkins, who works on climate legislation in NYC with 350NYC. We discuss the importance of cities in the global climate fight and the C40 international coalition of cities. We talk about the need to reduce carbon emissions in buildings, and we touch on the pandemic, and the vaccine, as Margaret has a background in public health and infectious diseases. It is very important that we all take action the reduce our carbon footprint, and below, see some solutions and actions you can take. For more info go to 350NYC.org, malcolmpresents.com, thegreendivas.com, 350.org . Send us a tweet @tmshadesofgreen

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS IN YOUR APARTMENT
Easy steps to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions that
cause climate change.

FOOD HABITS:
 Shift your diet to eat more plant-based foods
 Reduce food waste and buy foods from local producers
 Compost organic waste; find local drop-off sites here-
https://www.grownyc.org/compost

ENERGY EFFICIENCY and RENEWABLE ELECTRIC SUPPLY
 NYC passed Local Law 97 and this mandates limits on greenhouse
gas emissions in large building like Lincoln Towers by 2030
 Stay informed how you and your building must comply with this
law. https://www.newyorkbuildingenergy.com/
 Use LED light bulbs, Energy Star efficient appliances
https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits
 Urge your board and management company to choose a “green”
energy supply company (ESCO) that generates electricity from
wind, solar or hydro; https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/market-
insight/features/get-to-know/nyc039s-most-eco-conscious-energy-
providers/25522

MANAGE YOUR REFRIGERATOR AND AIR CONDITIONERS
 Buy brands that use non-fluorinated gases (CFCs and HFCs) as
coolants. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases. See brands here;
 https://eia-global.org/reports/20200625-hfc-free-refrigerator-list
 Dispose of old appliances according to local Dept of Sanitation
regulations: https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01792

The Many Shades of Green ZoomCast with guests Courtney Gravenese and Kevin Egolf

Finance and food are connected in various ways, as we need to have a healthy diet filled with good fruits and veggies to keep us fit, and we need to make sure the small farmers who grow our food locally, have the financial backing to keep them sustainable. Our guests Courtney Gravenese and Kevin Egolf bring their expertise to this episode, and give us insight into food and finance. Courtney is a Registered dietician, nutrition consultant and health educator. Kevin is the VP of Investor Relations at Capital Good Fund and founder of Local Farms Fund. For more information go to capitalgoodfund.org, localfarmsfund.com, malcolmpresents.com, thegreendivas.com and HudsonRiverRadio.com Follow Courtney on instagram @clgwellness and LinkedIn. Check us out on FaceBook, tweet us @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Food Systems, Community Gardens, and the pandemic

The current pandemic has highlighted problems with our food system, as food waste and food insecurity must be addressed more than ever. On this show Green Divas Meg, Max, Lisa and Elly delve into topics about food, how to get fresh food to communities in need, and how Community Gardens help in that area. We also discuss the need to build your immune system in the era of COVID, the Drawdown Project (drawdown.org), cows emitting methane (and no, it’s not cow farts), and the importance of growing your own food. Guest Dr. Susan Rubin talks about teaching children to garden, food pantries, gorilla gardens which helped start the Community Garden movement, and more. Check out the 50 Shades of Green Divas Podcast on Spotify, Buzzsprout, Stitcher, Apple Music, iHeart, and HudsonRiverRadio.com. Ask Alexa or Siri to play The Green Divas podcast, and check out the webpage thegreendivas.com

1908 Plastic, Plastic and more Plastic

We are a world filled with plastic bottles, bags, straws, packaging and more. Rivers, lakes, oceans, parks, highways, train tracks, fields are littered with single use throwaway plastic and it is damaging the planet. We can use our collective will to be more proactive and work to find solutions, as well as take personal responsibility. On this episode Green Divas Meg and Max delve into the plastic problem and give information and ideas about the problem and what can be done about it. We talk to Eileen Bastianelli, Founder of Eco Centric Solutions, who is a Plastic Hunter (she helps promote One Plastic Free Day) as well as a marketing advisor and eco-steward of the earth, about steps that can be taken to reduce plastic. For more information go to oneplasticfreeday.com. We also talk about the Octopuses Garden in the shade filled with plastic straws. We would love to hear from you, so tweet us @tmshadesofgreen, @50ShadesofGDs, @thegreendivas. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and tune in via thegreendivas.com on Spotify, Buzzsprout, iHeart, iTunes and ask Alexa or Siri to play The Green Divas podcast. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

1811 Food Not Lawns

Tune in to 50 Shades of Green Divas, as we discuss the role of lawns, and why we need to do something about our obsession with manicuring them. Spraying the grass with pesticides is not good for children, pets, or anyone else. Cancer rates are increasing, which is problematic to say the least, and the amount of water used to grow that perfect lawn, is adding to already bad drought conditions in many areas within the US and beyond. Why not do something lovely and grow a garden, or better yet grow some food. For more info go to thegreendivas.com    #FoodNotLawns
Tweet us @50ShadesofGDs, @thegreendivas, @tmshadesofgreen

1805 Using the Law to battle climate change with Maya Van Rossum and John Parker

Using the law to battle climate change, this episode of 50 Shades of Green Divas focuses on how the legal system is an important tool in combating global warming. We talk to Maya Van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, and author of the book, The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right to a Healthy Environment and John Parker, environmental lawyer and Adjunct Professor of Law at the Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Maya and John give us examples of recent court actions which have been successful in the fight to keep the planet clean and green. We also touch on how the kids are leading the way, not only on the gun issue, but on the environment via the case Juliana v. The US. Their complaint asserts that, through the government’s affirmative actions that cause climate change, it has violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, and has failed to protect essential public trust resources. Mix in some weird science facts on space and Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and you have the classic Green Divas Meg and Max at their podcast best.

For more info check out delawareriverkeeper.org, LEAF-Legal Environmental Fund of theHudson Valley (Susan Shapiro 845.371.2100), thegreendivas.com, themanyshadesofgreen.com   Tweet us @TheGreen Divas, @50ShadesofGDs, @tmshadesofgreen and @parkjlp (John Parker).

 

1803 Van Jones, Vien Truong, Rev Yearwood discuss Poverty, Pollution and Climate Justice

The most vulnerable members of society bear the brunt of adverse pollution effects. This is becoming more prevalent each day, as we see what has happened in Flint Michigan and the Port of Newark. Pollutants fill the air and water in lower and middle class neighborhoods, where the population is at greater risk both medically and financially.  This episode brings in three powerful community leaders, Van Jones, Vien Truong and Reverend Yearwood to discuss this important issue.  Cheech and Chong and Harold and Kumar also get mentioned, as spotted owls need to be saved from black market marijuana growers in CA.  There is also the story of Camels and Botox, yup you read that right.  So tune in, be informed and be active. It’s time to be Green for All! For more info go to greenforall.org, hiphopcaucus.org, vanjones.net

Also visit thegreendivas.com and tweet us @TheGreenDivas, @tmshadesofgreen and @50ShadesofGDs

 

1718 Pesticide Madness

Pesticides are permeating the land, air and water. Our crops and food are sprayed with toxic chemicals which is causing health issues, pollution and collapse of pollinators. We talk to Carey Gillam, author of the new book  Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science. Ms. Gillam picks up where Rachel Carson left off with the perils of DDT,  but this time the culprit is glyphosate, the main chemical used in Roundup, produced by Monsanto. We also chat with June Stoyer, host of The Organic View, about neonictinoids, and how it is causing the reduction in the bee population.  We need to work to stop the pesticide madness.

Tune in to find out what the hottest tortilla chip on Earth will do to your digestive system and mouth. It’s the hottest chip on the Scoville heat scale, coming in at 1.92 SHU, a Guinness World Record.

For more information go to U.S. Right to Know: usrtk.org, careygillam.com theorganicview.com, thegreendivas.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com

 

 

 

1621 Climate Monologues, Climate Change and Irthlingz

#1621 Climate Monologues,  Stories of Climate Change and the plight of all Irthlingz

I caught up with Sharon Abreu after a performance of her one woman show, The Climate Monologues, at the United Solo Theatre in New York City. Sharon channels the voices of people affected by climate change, and brings their stories to life via monologues and music. Check out more by visiting:

climatemonologues.com, irthlingz.com and send Sharon a tweet @SharonAbreu

 

#1620 Rock and Wrap It Up

This episode of 50 Shades of Green Divas features Syd Mandelbaum, founder of Rock and Wrap it Up, an anti-poverty think tank, which works to feed those in need by taking unserved food from concert and sporting events, and delivering what is collected to local food charities. This not only helps feed those who go hungry, it minimizes waste in landfills, and thus reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The organization is also working to feed veterans and get needed supplies to women who cannot afford feminine products. For more information go to rockandwrapitup.org

 

#1617: Green Sex For Climate’s Sake

Green Sex for Climate’s Sake (Yes, Green Sex is a shade of green)

There is no single solution for climate change…but separating sex from childbearing represents an under appreciated opportunity to forestall climate disaster…for the climate, family planning’s potential benefits are profound.

Those are the words of my guest this week, Alisha Graves, who is the co-founder of the OASIS Initiative (a project of UC, Berkeley which focuses on reducing population growth and poverty in the Sahel region of Africa). Her recent article, “Green Sex for Climate’s Sake,” debates the link between carbon emissions and population, and the need to educate young women, as well as young men, about contraception, family planning and health. For more information go to: oasisinititative.berkeley.edu and projectdrawdown.org.

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1602: Slick Water

slick-water-andrew-nikifourkIt is no secret that mainstream media coverage of environmental issues is slow-moving, and many stories go un-reported in the press. Climate change deniers spout their ideology with reckless abandon. Enter my guest this week, Andrew Nikiforuk, an award winning environmental writer based in Calgary, Canada, who has written a new book about the hydraulic fracturing industry entitled Slick Water: Fracking and One Insider’s Stand Against the World’s Most Powerful Industry. The book traces the saga of Jessica Ernst, and the path she takes to hold Encana Oil and Canada’s environmental government agencies, responsible for secretly fracking hundreds of gas wells around her home, in a rural area northeast of Calgary. A cover-up ensues, which leads Ms. Ernst to take legal action against the various parties for their role in contaminating land, water and air in her community. For more information andrewnikiforuk.com and to amazon.com to check out his new and older works.

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