Politics – Page 2 – The Many Shades of Green

Got Wood? Lab Grown Wood! Plus what is “Plogging” and new innovations to reduce the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with Charlotte Ghiorse

The climate agenda was barely mentioned by either campaign in the 2024 election cycle, and it is virtually non-existent within the incoming administration, as after all, they say it is a hoax. Up is down and down is up! How do we make sense of this?

It will be up to individuals and environmental organizations to stop the red line from destroying our precious lands. What we do as individuals is more important than ever. I was looking to find something that was fun and helpful in the context of being stewards of the planet. I came across an article about plogging, which piqued my interest. Yes, plogging! The term comes from Sweden and combines the Swedish word “plocka upp,” which means “to pick up,” with the English word “jogging.” Essentially, it’s jogging while picking up trash along the way. Plogging has become a global movement, combining fitness and environmental activism in a unique way. Picture it: you’re on a run, you spot some litter, you bend down to pick it up, and toss it into a bag you’re carrying. The environmental impact is very positive. A single plogging session can result in bags of trash being removed from natural spaces, keeping plastic and other pollutants out of our oceans and helping wildlife. Plogging not only keeps the environment cleaner but also raises awareness. When people see others picking up trash while running, it’s a reminder of our shared responsibility to keep our spaces clean. Another topic that we discuss which recently got my attention is Lab Grown Wood. Charlotte Ghiorse, who is on this podcast episode, is our resident artist, eco-activist and astrologer. She sent me some info about Lab Wood and it is a very innovative idea. We also talk a tiny bit about the election, as well as an innovation the will help clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch a/k/a the Gyre. While many of us are shell shocked about what has happened in the US, we must try as the Brits say to “Keep Calm and Carry On”. There are many wonderful people doing amazing things to keep the environment safe and make the world a better place. For more info about Charlotte go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com and visit @Sexy Astrology on YouTube and Facebook. For info on plogging go to https://www.plogging.org/what-is-plogging

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

TMSOG is on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024!

Liberty and Justice for Some (The Rocky Horror Election Show) with Mark W. Sutton, Charlotte Ghiorse and George Polisner

“How can I trust a man, who doesn’t seem to understand, that there is something inherently dumb about Liberty and Justice for Some!” (Mitch M.)

“The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.” – John Lewis

The song played at the top of the podcast is titled Liberty and Justice for Some and was written by my Token Bro Mitch. He wrote it in the year 2000 in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v Gore, which reversed an order by the Florida Supreme Court for a selective manual recount which effectively awarded Florida’s 25 Electoral College votes to George W. Bush, ensuring victory over Al Gore. So here we are in 2024 and the court is even more politicized. My election stress is through the roof as are millions of other Americans at this moment in time. If DJT gets in, he will pack the Supreme Court, which already has issued major rulings which reflect the extreme right agenda, especially the overturning of Roe v. Wade and granting presidential immunity giving the president unchecked power. Mel Brooks got it right when he released the film High Anxiety, because we are all in the crippling mental condition of “high anxiety” which is election stress. This episode of TMSOG is a roundtable discussion about the 2024 Presidential election with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works, Charlotte Ghiorse, Artist, Eco-Activist and Sexy Astrologist, and Mark W. Sutton, author of the insightful and important book How Democrats Can Win Back Men. George, Charlotte and Mark give us their insight and opinions on the state of the current election cycle. There is a lot at stake, and the only way to stop the madness is to VOTE, and VOTE as if your life depends on it, because it does! My shade of green is evergreen, as we need everlasting greenery, beauty, hope and togetherness. If all else fails, have a slice of apple or pumpkin pie a la mode and a shot of Skrewball whiskey! For more info go to George’s website: https://civ.works/ Charlotte’s website: https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and Mark’s website: https://www.mark-sutton.com/ and for voter information: https://www.vote.org/ Mark’s book How Democrats Can Win Back Men is available on Amazon.

TMSOG is on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024!

Meteorologists Under Threat, Idiocracy and the Media Propaganda Pipeline with George Polisner Founder of Civ.Works

Like Alice in Wonderland, I grapple with questions of reality and identity. We seem to be painting the roses orange instead of red! What would Lewis Carroll’s take on Alice be today and what would he write about the bizzaro state of the US of A? Our society is staring through the looking glass, and what we see is Mike Judge’s 2006 movie Idiocracy. It turns out that Idiocracy was not actually a Sci-Fi, Adventure Comedy movie but rather a documentary about the year 2020 by a time traveler. Idiocracy was granted new life during a tense 2016 election and continues to feel dangerously close to reality in its aftermath. The legacy of a film that Rolling Stone once called the “smartest stupid movie ever made” is more reality than fiction. I cannot grasp what is going on in the world today. There is an uptick in extremism, misinformation, outright lying and bias in America happening in plain sight. The media pipeline is dropping the ball, and is no longer a check on government or anything else. A story lives for one day and then gets buried. When meteorologists received death threats for reporting that the recent monster hurricanes are caused by climate change and the fossil fuel industry, which has been spewing carbon emissions into the atmosphere for decades, its time for the media to wake up and follow the story daily. Mainstream media must report on a constant basis that fossil fuel emissions are causing the ocean temps to be that of a hot tub, which in turn fuels category 4 and 5 hurricanes. Instead they focus on disinformation, propaganda, hate speech and bias. The go to source for news is now social media. X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Tik Tok and others reach hundreds of millions of people, who use it as their primary news source. Hard hitting and fact based journalism is slip sliding way. On this episode of TMSOG podcast our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into environmental and political issues. We discuss the breakdown of the media pipeline, the recent threats to Meteorologists about reporting on hurricanes, the Presidential election, what to do between now and November 5th to help save democracy, and more. For more info go to Civ.works where you can also check on your voter registration. Also check out fair.org and medialiteracynow.org

TMSOG is on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024!

Men, Mustaches, Climate Change Makers and the 2024 Election with Mark W. Sutton

“What the hell are you waiting for? “Because if it’s the women thing, it’s time to get over that. It’s time to be a man and vote for a woman.”

That quote is from a recent ad put out by the Lincoln Project, founded and run by former republican political consultants which is narrated by actor Sam Elliot. Mr. Elliot played the infamous role as “The Stranger” who was the narrator of the film The Big Lebowski. The Stranger posed as a cowboy, who had this amazing mustache, and sat at the bar in the bowling alley and offered insight and advice to Lebowski. The film also starred Jeff Bridges as “The Dude” who is now part of the White Dudes for Harris group. The point is that the Dems must reach out to men in this election, as their numbers are critical in getting VP Harris to the magic number of 270. On the other side, women must also step up in numbers to get the job done. Jane Fonda is helping to lead the charge and has been quoted as saying “the climate fight is what I’m going to do till I die.” The actress and activist has stated that “we are in a do-or-die situation when it comes to the November election, the threat of fossil fuels and climate change.” She went on to say in an article in Rolling Stone last June that “November’s election is an existential election, because who becomes president is going to be a big determining factor on whether there’s a livable future.” Fonda continued by saying that “nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are “worried” about the climate, but they don’t always bring that concern to the ballot box”. She further stated that “I’m trying to encourage people to vote with climate in mind and there are enough of us that if we band together, we can win.” During the recent debate between VP Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, climate change was practically a throw away question. It is an issue that the youth vote is very concerned about and more American citizens should heed their call.

There are many environmental groups taking steps to get more people to take action. One group that we briefly touch on is Climate Changemakers, founded by Elizer Nemser, which is taking political action in the name of climate change. We talk to Mark Sutton, who is the author of the insightful and important book How Democrats Can Win Back Men. We delve into why the upcoming 2024 election is the most crucial election of our lifetime, and Mark gives us some insight into how the dems can best reach out to men, as well as where the presidential candidates stand on the environment. Mark has produced radio content for NPR, Air America (where I first met him) and The Mother Jones Radio Show. He appeared as a gender expert on MSNBC, CBS Radio and as a guest host for the TV show Men’s Net. He is passionate about economic justice, the environment and much more. For more information go to mark-sutton.com, check out How Democrats Can Win Back Men which is available on Amazon. To take action on climate change please visit www.climatechangemakers.org. Go to Vote.org to make sure you are registered to vote!

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Climate Urgency, Pet Insurgency, The Great Debate: Kamala Rattles Trump

Everything is affected by politics. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the ground we walk on, the gas we put in our cars, the oil or hopefully the solar or geothermal energy that heats our homes, the food we eat, and the medical care we receive are all in the hands of our elected officials and the policies that they create on local, state, national and global levels. It is therefore so important that we all pay attention to the election set for November 5th which will affect the state of democracy in the United States of America. At the top of the ticket we have Kamala Harris, who as result of the decision of President Joe Biden to leave the presidential race, is the nominee for the Democrats along with her VP choice Tim Walz. The GOP has nominated Donald Trump, who is running for a second term. MAGA is still rearing its head, our country greatly divided, and the world is watching. This election is the most crucial election in my lifetime and millions of citizens feel the same way. We had a debate this week which gave us a view of two candidates who are on two very different levels. One seems angry all the time, faces jail time and encourages chaos. The other tries to bring civility, empathy, joy, diplomacy, policy and comfort to the masses. It seems quite clear that Kamala Harris won the debate as she rattled the former president and got under his skin. On this episode of TMSOG podcast our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us insight into environmental and political issues. We discuss the recent debate, the upcoming Presidential elections, and what we need to do between now and November 5th to save democracy. We hail Taylor and her Swifties and we believe the Mayor of Springfield OH when he assures us that pets in town are safe. Please do your civic duty and VOTE! For more info go to Civ.works and Vote.org

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

The Greening of the Paris Olympics, Media Shame, and is Weird to Blame? with George Polisner

What makes someone weird, and why are they labeled as such? There is good weird and bad weird. The good weird might include someone doing things on the edge or being more creative and just a bit kookie, the bad weird tends to focus on a person who is a labeled a weirdo, as they drift far from the norm. One can be considered weird if you are bizarre, crazy, erratic, screwy, off the wall, outlandish, wacky, spaced out, off-kilter and way out. We can refer to many things as weird, for instance the weather over the last few years has been really weird because it has been extreme, with heat domes, derechos, CAT 5 cyclones and hail the size of softballs pounding our roofs, car hoods and lining our front lawns. So using the phrase “the weather has been really weird” is common of late as it’s not the usual. It’s raining cats and dogs is now passé, as it is more likely raining King Kong and Godzilla sized raindrops. Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz used the “weird” label when he addressed the Republican candidates in July. He said about the party: “These guys are just weird. They’re running for He-Man women-haters’ club or something. That’s what they go at..” So now, weird is in the spotlight and on the front of a tee shirt that your Blue voting neighbor might be wearing. The question arises, are you good weird or bad weird? Therein lies the conundrum. Joining us on this episode of TMOSG is our resident environmentalist, political analyst, curmudgeon, and difference maker, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works. He gives us some insight into his take on weird, as well as on environmental and political issues. We talk about the greening of the Paris Olympics, the need for the media to do their jobs and call out lies when they are blatantly spoken. We also touch on the 2024 elections and where the weird folks are, as well as the phrase “the exhausted majority.” For more info go to Civ.works, brennancenter.org and vote.gov

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Pollution, Politics and Positive Astrology of the Harris/Walz ticket #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

“If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.” – from the song Garbage by Pete Seeger, late American singer and social activist.

We need to raise our awareness of what is going on around us. What we need to do is take a moment out of each day to do something proactive to reduce our carbon footprint. The tag line of The Many Shades of Green is Raise Your Eco Consciousness, but how do we do that, and what is eco-consciousness? There is actually a definition. Eco-consciousness, also known as ecological consciousness, is the practice of living sustainably to minimize or harmlessly impact the environment. It involves being aware of how your actions and decisions affect the environment, and making conscious choices to reduce your environmental footprint. Ecological conscience is the awareness of the human impact on the environment and other living organisms and the need for humans to adjust their behaviors and thinking to ensure that the environment and its resources are not destroyed. So what can we do to elevate our actions to be more in tune with nature and reduce our impact? Here are some examples of some actions you can take to be more sustainable: Use LED lights, which use 90% less energy than other lights for the same amount of light. You can also encourage the use of electric leaf blowers, mowers, and weed trimmers. Use water conservation techniques, such as reducing water usage, shorter showers, and using rain barrels. In terms of transportation take the train, bike, walk and think about purchasing an EV. Use compostable containers, source from local and sustainable farms, plant native plants and recycle. There are many issues that must be addressed including Air and Water Pollution, Food Waste, Plastic pollution and more. We need to do more as individuals to become part of the solution and not the problem. Joining us on this podcast episode is our monthly guest commentator, eco-activist, eco-artist and sexy astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse. We touch on topics regarding Air, Water, Plastic Pollution and Food Waste, as well as what Canada is doing to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition Charlotte gives us a rundown of Harris Walz ticket from an Astrology point of view. The new Dem nominees, Harris and Walz are very conscious about environmental issues and they promise to direct legislation to promote clean air, water and more. Climate and environmental advocacy groups are calling the Harris-Walz Democratic ticket a strong pairing on climate policy, citing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s record of pushing for policies to mitigate climate change in his state. Go to houseofchoclet.com and Sexy Astrology (@SexyAstrology) on YouTube for more info. Check out kamalaharris.com and follow their environmental policies.

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Mark Sutton talks about his new book “How Democrats Can Win Back Men” plus environmental issues that affect men’s health, how to handle the current election cycle and more

In a recent article in USA Today by Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy entitled Lessons from Hillary: Harris campaign faces a familiar playbook versus Trump, something important was brought up that will greatly effect the US Presidential election in November. It contained a quote by Carol Evans, the founder of Executive Women 4 Hillary in 2016 and the co-founder of 100 Days 4 Harris in North Carolina. She emphasized and stated:”Don’t forget men.” “Invite, welcome and get the men involved. And don’t worry about likability. She’s running for president.”

I know Carol Evans, as she lives in my town, our kids went to school together, and her quote is spot on. We cannot make the same mistake twice, as our democracy is hanging in the balance. My guest on this episode is Mark Sutton, who has much to say about what democrats need to do to win the election. Mark and I have known each other for many years, as we both worked on a radio show on Air America with host Marc Sussman called Green America, which morphed into The Money Message. The program touched on the environment, politics and finance. So flash forward to 2024 and Mark Sutton has written a book entitled How Democrats Can Win Back Men. With the recent turn of events with President Biden dropping out of the race, and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in, we have a different scenario. While woman are lining up and adding their support, we need to reach out to men to help reverse the loss of their demographic within Democratic party. While it is important to concentrate on female and younger voters, reaching out to men is crucial in this election cycle. We must bring in male voters and work to understand what their issues are, as it is vital to a Democratic victory. Mark gives us some insight into how the dems can best reach out to the male population, a/k/a The Dudes! He has vast experience in media, as he has produced radio content for NPR, Air America and The Mother Jones Radio Show. He appeared as a gender expert on MSNBC, CBS Radio and as a guest host for the TV show Men’s Net. Mark is passionate about economic justice, the environment and much more. His book How Democrats Can Win Back Men is available through Amazon and you can check out Mark’s webpage https://www.mark-sutton.com/ and his blog on Substack via https://menandthe2024election.substack.com/

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Heat Domes, Deepfakes, Disinformation-Plus History of Juneteenth and CEO’s choosing dollars over Democracy with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

Yogi Berra quote: “It ain’t the heat it’s the humility.”

“When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.” Ronald Reagan

Over half of the United States is currently sweltering under a heat dome making millions of people miserable. The song Summer Time written by George Gershwin, which has been covered by Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin and others has the line “summer time, and the living is easy” but climate change is changing the tune. As weather becomes more extreme, heat waves, floods and wildfires are now the norm, and more and more people are living in conditions that are detrimental to their health and well being. The cries from the cult say it’s all a hoax, and it’s just the weather. Well, if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn. The weather is so extreme, that insurance companies are no longer offering home insurance in many states which are more prone to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes. Deny, deny, deny and drill, drill, drill continue to be the mantras of a certain political party out of touch with the citizens who they represent who have been affected by extreme weather and cannot get their lives back. Disinformation is being used to divide the populous and create chaos. A government of the people, by the people and for the people cannot subsist when propaganda rules the news cycles. So what can we do to make things better and how can we shape policy and forge ahead in a more positive way? There are actions being taken to help the environment, such as the newly established American Climate Corps. The first class of ACC was recently sworn in to this federal program that is meant to place young people in the clean energy, conservation and climate resilience sectors. In addition, there are clean tech innovations being developed and environmental groups are working to protect the planet. In terms of what you can do to help, be active in your community and teach civility and civics to your kids. Also, please make sure you are registered to vote (go to voteamerica.com). On this episode of TMSOG podcast, our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into environmental and political issues. We discuss Juneteenth, deepfakes and disinformation, as well as what actions we can take before November 5th and much more. Visit civ.works for more info.

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Jeffrey Rissman author of ‘Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity’ discusses GHG Emissions in the Industrial Sector

“THE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER OF CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS WE CANNOT BURN OUR WAY TO PROSPERITY. WE ALREADY RELY TOO HEAVILY ON FOSSIL FUELS. WE NEED TO FIND A NEW PATH TO THE FUTURE WE WANT. WE NEED A CLEAN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.” BAN KI MOON, FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Progress is defined as movement toward an improved or more developed state. The Industrial Revolution was a major period of industrialization, and a defining moment in the timeline of mankind’s accomplishments, but while it has it brought manufacturing to the forefront, as well as new ideas and technologies, it has also brought a depletion of natural resources, as factories continue to spew smog and soot into the air. The emissions and release of pollutants and chemicals into rivers and streams has resulted in increased air and water pollution. Fossil fuels, which include coal, oil, and fracked gas play a major role in the release of green house gas emissions into the atmosphere, but there are other high-emission sectors which need to cut emissions, specifically those which manufacture materials such as iron, steel, chemicals, cement, and concrete. Jeffrey Rissman discusses current technology and policies being put into place to combat greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector. Jeffrey is the Senior Director for Industry at Energy Innovation, where he leads the company’s work on technologies and policies to eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. He is the author of Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity (2024) and coauthor of Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy (2018). In 2024, Jeffrey was appointed by Secretary Jennifer Granholm to serve on the Department of Energy’s Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee. Jeffrey is also the creator of the Energy Policy Simulator, an open-source computer model that quantifies the effects of various energy and environmental policies in combination, predicting outputs such as fuel use, pollutant emissions, financial cost or savings, electric vehicle deployment, power sector structure, and more. For more information go to https://zerocarbonindustry.com/

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

Wake Up Media! Turbulence, CAT 5 Hurricanes Gain Strength (Don’t Expect Science to Save Us!) with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.Works

“Green is the fresh emblem of well founded hopes. In blue the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.” ― Mary Webb

Scientists expect that the rapid intensification of hurricanes will continue in the future unless drastic measures are taken to limit further climate change -Fiona Lo, Climate Scientist

We live in very turbulent times, and that includes the weather, the political landscape and so much more that makes our heads spin. The NOAA’s outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85% chance of an above normal season. NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). La Nina and warmer-than-average ocean temperatures are major drivers of tropical activity. Abundant oceanic heat content in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea creates more energy to fuel storm development. Climate change is a contributing factor, as over 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the world’s oceans. Warmer waters, rising seas, higher wind speeds and more moisture in the atmosphere are making hurricanes stronger, wetter and more likely to intensify rapidly, unleashing record-breaking downpours with little time for communities to evacuate. It should also be noted that climate change is causing more air turbulence when flying. Research indicates that climate change exacerbates clear-air turbulence, a particularly hazardous type because it is invisible and hard to predict. The warmer air is caused by carbon dioxide emissions which increases wind shear in the jet streams, strengthening clear-air turbulence globally. So while we hope the skies remain friendly, we have to prepare and adapt to the changes ahead, as science alone cannot save us. There is so much to keep track of these days, and we all get wound up in what is the web (literally and figuratively) of our daily lives. More and more each day I observe that mankind does not pay enough attention to what’s going on both on a local and global level. We rely more and more on social media and sound bites for the news. Mainstream media is stuck in a quagmire, and is dropping the ball when it comes to reporting. Where have you gone Walter Cronkite? He was an institution who was often cited as “the most trusted man in America.” We hunger for his journalistic abilities, accuracy and his fairness in reporting local, national and global events and issues. He always signed off with the line “And that’s the way it is.” Someone who knows the way it is, is our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works. George gives us some insight into environmental and political issues as we discuss the upcoming hurricane season and climate change, why trust in mainstream media is slipping, upside down flags, cover ups under the covers, elections in US and UK and more. For more information go to civ.works

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/

New York City and Westchester County Water Threatened By PFAS Chemicals with Guests George Klein (member of Sierra Club’s Lower Hudson Group) and Richard Ruge (Civil Engineer and Water Treatment Expert)

Clean and safe water is a right for every Earthling on the planet. It is a very divisive political issue in countries, cities, towns and municipalities around the globe. On average, one individual human uses between 135 and 140 liters of water per day. Water is vital for all life, as no other molecule matches water when it comes to properties that support life. We must work to keep our drinking water free of toxins and chemicals, which is why we have to protect watersheds and water quality buffer areas in order to provide safe drinking water to the populous. Adverse environmental impacts affect communities, and on this episode of TMSOG, we talk about a water filtration plant set to be constructed and placed next to Westchester County Airport, which is a local airport in a suburb of NYC. Recently the Westchester County Board of Legislators approved a land swap that provides a 13.4-acre parcel to Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW) that is adjacent to the airport. There continues to be strong opposition to construction of the facility, partly because the plant will be within the Kensico watershed. This watershed area is in close proximity to the airport where contaminated groundwater is being monitored and treated for assorted toxic chemicals including polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Recently, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first-ever federal limits on toxic PFAS in drinking water, establishing the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for the two most widely-detected PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. The EPA’s limits are now stricter than the 10 parts per trillion that is the current standard in New York State.

We talk to George Klein and Richard Ruge who are opposing the building of the water filtration plant so close the the Kensico watershed area near Westchester County Airport. George Klein has worked with the Sierra Club nationally and locally on issues of environmental sustainability since 1989. He is currently an activist with the Sierra Club’s Lower Hudson Group, which covers Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. The Lower Hudson Group works on local environmental issues, such as the climate emergency, limiting the impact of Westchester County Airport, the safe decommissioning of Indian Point Nuclear Plant and education and outreach programs. Richard Ruge has been working in the public water supply field for 40 years. He has a degree in civil engineering and holds a Grade 1B water treatment license from the NYS DOH. He was Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Westchester Water Works Conference and was a Trustee at Large for the New York Section of the American Water Works Association. For more info and to find ways to take action go to https://www.sierraclub.org/atlantic/lower-hudson

TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/