Preservation – The Many Shades of Green

Are We Living In A Cartoon?

South Park Theme Song (Opens the program)

I’m goin’ down to South Park, gonna have myself a time.

Friendly faces everywhere, humble folks without temptation.

Goin’ down to South Park, gonna leave my woes behind.

Ample parking day or night, people spouting: “Howdy, neighbor!”

Headin’ on up to South Park gonna see if I can’t unwind.

Has any series ever had a more fitting theme song than “South Park”? The “South Park Theme” by funk metal group Primus, later reworked by projects led by Les Claypool, is a twanging, frenetic jingle that quite deliberately fails to convince the viewer that its monotone lyrics about the titular small town’s idyllic nature hit their mark. It’s a perfect way to set the stage for the absurdities that invariably follow. The whole thing was carefully planned out and arranged, but as “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone said back in 2010, “the whole thing took just one incredibly lucky cold call to pull off. “

So the question is, are we living in a cartoon?

In a cartoon, characters exaggerate everything: emotions, reactions, conflicts. Sometimes I feel that we are living in an episode of South Park which just keeps rotating day in and day out, sort of like the plot in the movie Groundhog Day. If you’ve ever watched South Park, you know the formula. Something ridiculous happens in the news. The characters react in completely over-the-top ways. Everyone argues, chaos spreads, hypocrisy gets exposed, and by the end of the episode you’re laughing… but also slightly uncomfortable because the satire feels a little too real. The creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, built their reputation on one simple idea: take the most outrageous thing happening in society and push it just a little further until the absurdity becomes obvious. At its core, animation is a form of storytelling, and stories are an essential part of the human experience. From the earliest days of human history, people have used stories to make sense of the world around them, pass on knowledge and wisdom, and connect with others.

Animation takes this storytelling to a new level, using visuals and sound to create a rich and immersive experience that can transport us to new places and introduce us to new characters.

In a cartoon, a character falls off a cliff and pops back up unharmed, in real life, when systems break, people get hurt. In the current moment in the United States, sometimes reality seems to be moving faster than the satire. It feels like we are living in an alternate universe and we are being governed by what resembles a reality show. Even if politics feels like a cartoon, the consequences are very real. Policies affect healthcare, schools, immigration, climate policy, and civil rights. Trust in elections are declining, environmental protections are being dismantled and economic inequality is widening. We are now at war with Iran, and we have not received a credible explanation as to why. Every day there is chaos and people are suffering and are stressed. Prices for oil, gas, food, rent and more are rising daily, and we the people are not being heard. When will the madness end? It’s no wonder that Americans are moving to Europe and other places globally, but we need to stay and we must continue to fight, protest, and bring our collective will together to fix this mess. Actions speak louder than words, and we need to take action, so in the words of Bob Marley, “Get up stand up, stand Up For Your Rights!“

On this episode of TMSOG podcast, Charlotte Ghiorse joins me as we delve into the question: are we living in a cartoon? Charlotte is our resident eco activist, artist, astrologer, comic, marvelous mom and founder of House of Choclet. We talk about the environmentally conscious ten your old fashion designer Max Alexander, and what he is doing to reduce fashion waste. We also touch on politics, astrology, eco and social issues and more. For more info about Charlotte, House of Choclet and Sexy Astrology go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com

For more information on civic action go to https://civ.works/ To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ https://malcolmpresents.com and https://themanyshadesofgreen.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.

Feng Shui in the Fire Horse Year with Anjie Cho

I’m just here to mess with your feng shui

Rearrange the room in a new way

Get you back to feelin’ like yourself

Again, again, again

We start off the podcast with Philadelphia artist John Faye’s song Feng Shui, which uses the ancient Chinese philosophy of space and energy as metaphor of rearranging home energy to find emotional balance. The track is a standout single from his 2024 album, The Long Game, and is often celebrated as an anthem for resilience and personal renewal.

On this episode of The Many Shades of Green, we explore something ancient that feels surprisingly urgent-how feng shui connects to sustainability and environmental responsibility, as well as personal balance. Feng Shui is rooted in Taoism and Chinese philosophy, which teaches us that humans are inseparable from the natural world. The goal is balance between light and dark, activity and rest, people and planet. That’s also the foundation of sustainability. Imagine if environmental responsibility began with the energy in our bedrooms, kitchens, and gardens. Imagine if climate action wasn’t just about policy, but about how we arrange our living rooms. Maybe sustainability isn’t only about sacrifice, but about aligning your space with nature’s rhythms. We need to be intentional about what we bring into our homes. In feng shui, clutter blocks energy, as it creates stagnation. In environmental terms, clutter often represents overconsumption as we tend to buy fast furniture and disposable decor. Sustainability asks us to buy less, choose well, and keep things longer. Minimalism, when done thoughtfully, aligns with feng shui’s emphasis on intentional placement and meaningful objects. Instead of filling space, we curate it. It’s important to look at the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) through a sustainability lens, wind, energy, water and flow. Our homes can be sanctuaries, not just for us, but for the planet. Decluttering allows energy to flow and feng shui encourages natural materials, indoor plants, and connection to sunlight. It is important to align your space with nature’s rhythms and being intentional about what you bring into your home and your office. Organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council promotes LEED-certified buildings that optimize sunlight, airflow, and water efficiency — principles that mirror feng shui’s ancient guidelines. Feng Shui connects us to being more sustainable, as it helps us design spaces that heal us and the planet.

Our guest on this episode of TMSOG is Anjie Cho, who helps us understand how feng shui can give us balance, and how it helps us consume with intention. We touch on the importance of the Five Elements, as well as the current Lunar Year of the Fire Horse. Anjie is a feng shui guru, and is a New York-based architect, author, certified feng shui consultant, and teacher of mindful, holistic design. As the owner of Anjie Cho Architect PLLC and co-founder of the Mindful Design Feng Shui School, she focuses on creating nourishing environments through feng shui, ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), and sustainable design. Anjie hosts the Holistic Spaces podcast, runs a blog at HolisticSpaces.com, and has written books including Holistic Spaces and Mindful Homes.

We are living in a world that needs balance and needs us to take action to reduce chaos and create peace through understanding. To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ https://libertyjusticecenter.org/

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org and https://action.nrdc.org/ Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

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

Help Birds and Wildlife Snuggle and Survive the Winter with Victoria Alzapiedi Co-Founder of New Castle Healthy Yards

We start the podcast with the song Little Bird by Annie Lennox.

Annie Lennox released Little Bird as part of her debut solo album Diva, it might be one of the best songs ever to reference birds and it quickly became one of her signature songs. The track reached number three on the UK charts and became a number one hit on the U.S. dance charts. At its heart, though, the song is about Annie watching a bird in flight and longing for that same freedom, finally declaring: “this little bird’s fallen out of that nest now, so I’ve just got to put these wings to test.” For anyone who has ever wished they could spread their wings and take flight, this song remains a reminder that sometimes you just have to test those wings and soar. (The Birding Life-songs about birds)

It’s been a long, cold, snowy winter and we all want Spring to come, as there is only so much cabin fever one can take. After the recent blizzard which dumped over 20 inches of snow on my property, I kept looking out my window and did not see birds or other animals for a couple of days. Where did they all go? How do they survive? When a blizzard hits, most of us hunker down inside, dress in layers, turn up the heat, and drink hot chocolate, and keep that cup of coffee or shot of whiskey within reach. But outside, in the howling wind and blowing snow, birds and other critters are doing something extraordinary, they are surviving. While we cancel plans and complain about snow, tiny birds, each weighing less than a deck of cards are enduring the same storm with no walls, no heaters, no guarantees. Small birds will often roost alone or in groups, minimizing exposure to wind. The key enemy in a blizzard isn’t cold—it’s wind and wetness. Birds survive winter storms largely because of feathers, which are remarkably engineered insulation. Before a storm, birds fluff up, trapping pockets of warm air close to their bodies. Cold is survivable, but starvation is the real threat. Birds respond by gorging before storms, building fat reserves—sometimes increasing body weight by up to 10% in a single day. After the storm, it’s a race against time. A small songbird may only survive one winter night without food. This is why backyard feeders matter most during and immediately after storms, not just on calm winter days. Animals survive blizzards by finding shelter to escape wind and cold, such as tree cavities, thickets, underground burrows, or under structures like sheds,according to wildlife reports. They often hunker down and snuggle curling into balls to conserve body heat, or, in the case of small mammals like mice, burrow into insulating snowdrifts. In a way, birds and other wildlife surviving blizzards are reminding us resilience is about adaptation.
On this episode we have Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru who discusses wildlife surviving in winter. We talk about how birds (and other species) endure brutal winter storms—blizzards, ice, white-out conditions—and what their survival can teach us about resilience, adaptation, and even how we can help. We also discuss the importance of planting trees to provide resources for wildlife. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards and Chair of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board. 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 now has more than 5000 members. Victoria is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations (mynativegardenoasis.com). For more information go to New Castle Healthy Yards and The Nature of Westchester on Facebook. Check out the Audubon Society @ https://act.audubon.org and https://www.nwf.org/ National Wildlife Federation.

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ https://malcolmpresents.com and https://themanyshadesofgreen.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.

Hail Sweden’s Second Hand Mall, plus good environmental news about the Amazon Rainforest, and some Astrology with Charlotte Ghiorse, Founder of House of Choclet

I’m wearing second-hand hats
Second-hand clothes
That’s why the call me Second Hand Rose
Even our piano in the parlor
Father bought for ten cents on the dollar
Second-hand pearls
I’m wearing second-hand curls
I never get a single thing that’s new

The aforementioned lyrics are from the song Second Hand Rose as performed by Barbara Streisand. The song is apropos to the topic we discuss in this week’s TMSOG podcast, which is about the need to reduce waste by recycling, reusing clothes and other items.
I used to shop with my mom, QOFE Ruthie at second hand and antique stores in Brooklyn and NYC, especially Greenwich Village. I loved wandering around checking out cool hats, clothes, costume jewelry, dishes from England and sometimes vinyl records, 33s, 45s, and 78s mostly from the 40s,50s and early 60’s. People would sometimes look down upon those of us who shopped at stores with gently used items, but secondhand stores are no longer a stigma. We can make smarter choices, take action on the climate and show creative expression. People are selling and buying secondhand for so many reasons. Many folks want to save money, reduce waste, avoid fast fashion, find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces and make extra income from selling items they no longer use. Resale apps like Depop, Vinted, ThredUp, Poshmark, and eBay have made it easy. But Sweden took the idea even further — and turned secondhand into an actual mall experience. In Eskilstuna, Sweden, there’s something called ReTuna Återbruksgalleria, often known as the world’s first secondhand mall. It’s a full shopping mall where everything sold is reused, repaired, upcycled, or secondhand. We are a throw away society, so maybe it’s time to consider selling old clothes, and swapping them for other items, donating them, and to reimagine what you can do with older items to reduce waste. It is highly possible that somewhere out there, someone else might need exactly what you no longer use. So this week we discuss the second hand mall in Sweden, a Swedish billionaire who is helping to save the Amazon Rainforest, Octlantis where Octopuses thrive, plus Astrology, and other eco and social issues with our resident eco activist, artist, astrologer, comic, marvelous mom and founder of House of Choclet, Charlotte Ghiorse- https://www.houseofchoclet.com/

To help protect the environment visit and please donate to https://earthjustice.org Help save a forest by going to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

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

Help Save Buttonhook Forest (savebuttonhook.org) with Victoria Alzapiedi and Stacy Morgan

We have an interesting song to start the podcast entitled Plantasia.

Plantasia was recorded by Mort Garson on his Moog synthesizer in 1976. The album was created for houseplants to grow, but I am sure the trees would also love it, and your doggies will too. It is quite incredible that the composer created this music for growing plants. The album cover’s tagline reads “warm earth music for plants… and the people who love them.”

On this episode we discuss saving Buttonhook Forest, which is in a suburban area about 45 minutes from NYC. Forests are one of our most critical natural pathways for absorbing and storing excess carbon to fight climate change. For millennia, trees have pulled carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and turned it into their bark, wood and leaves through the oldest carbon-capture technology on Earth: photosynthesis. Trees and plants communicate with each other through underground fungal networks and by releasing airborne chemical signals. These networks allow plants to share nutrients, water, and alarm signals, while chemical signals can warn nearby plants of threats like insect attacks.

The “Wood Wide Web”: A vast network of mycorrhizal fungi connects the roots of trees and plants, enabling them to exchange resources. Plants and trees can share vital resources like carbon, water, and nutrients through these fungal links. For example, a shaded sapling may receive carbon from a nearby tree. When a plant is under attack from pests, it can send warning signals through the network to alert its neighbors. When we protect existing forests, we avoid and reduce deforestation which contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss. Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They provide habitat to 80% of the world’s land-dwelling species. They help keep our water clean by naturally filtering out pollution. They provide sustenance and offer refuge as well as recreation to billions of people around the planet. A forest isn’t just a patch of trees, it’s a living archive. It’s ecological history. And it’s a space with deep cultural, spiritual, and even ancestral importance.

Indigenous communities relate to forests socially, economically, politically and spiritually. They use traditional knowledge and sustainable agriculture and resource management to ensure their forests’ survival. It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of forests. The story of saving Buttonhook Forest in is a powerful one as it touches on ecology, water, land, heritage, and a community fighting to protect something irreplaceable. The journey to save this magical forest has taken the core members of the non-profit, Friends of Buttonhook Forest on quite a ride. Joining us to discuss the forest is Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru. She is a board member of Friends of Buttonhook Forest and is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards. She is the chair of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board. In addition, we have Stacy Morgan, a core member of Friends of Buttonhook Forest. Stacy is an organic chemist, and she became interested in climate science while working at the National Physical Laboratory in London. Stacy is working hard to save this diverse and important carbon sink and she continues to educate and engage the community in protecting this amazing land. For more information go to https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/ and if you can donate, please check out the website and find the Go Fund Me link. Follow the forest on Facebook via Friends of Buttonhook Forest and Instagram @SaveButonhook.

If you want to help protect the environment go to https://earthjustice.org and https://www.nrdc.org/

To listen to past TMSOG shows go to: https://hudsonriverradio.com/ and https://malcolmpresents.com as well as https://themanyshadesofgreen.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.

Pragmatic Environmental Stewardship with Rand Manasse, Board President of Federated Conservationists of Westchester County (FCWC)

We recently lost a truly great human, Jane Goodall. She was a steward of the Earth in so many ways, was a true conservationist and a mensch. She will be missed. This is one of her many wonderful and insightful quotes:

“We face the sixth extinction, climate change, loss of forests, poverty. But hope is about taking action in spite of it all. It’s about saying: I will do my bit. And when we join together, those bits become a movement.”

When we think of Mother Earth we think of conservation. We might envision beautiful national parks, forests full of wildlife, or the ocean’s coral reefs. We must all take action to conserve the land, and be more resilient and sustainable. Conservation is about the daily choices we make — at home, in our neighborhoods, and in our communities. We all need a sense of community to help us get through our daily lives. People have to come together to work on projects that affect their lives. Whether it’s joining an organization to clean up a river or save a forest, or building a relationship with a favorite farmer to support your local farmers market, we must work together to make things better. There are many organizations which work to make an impact on their communities which range from issues on sustainability, as well as supporting local businesses, and educating the citizenry on matters affecting their everyday lives. One of the best examples of community-driven environmental work in Westchester is the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, known as FCWC, which has been uniting local groups, schools, and municipalities to protect our natural resources for over 60 years. They advocate for clean water, open space preservation, and sustainable development — but more than that, they connect people who care.
On this episode of TMSOG we are joined by Rand Manasse who is the Board President of the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, which has been at the heart of environmental advocacy, education, and action in Westchester County New York. For more information and to donate, go to https://www.fcwc.org/ Also please visit other environmental organizations to help protect the environment: https://earthjustice.org and https://www.nrdc.org/ and https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/

To help defend democracy and to help lawyers defend our constitution check out: https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ as well as https://www.democracydocket.com/ If you want to take more effective civic action visit 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.

Know Your Pokeweed, Plant Trees, and Leave Leaves Alone + Sun, Flood or Drought with Victoria Alzapiedi

The realities of climate change are happening in plain sight. Many parts of the Northeast are experiencing drought conditions, which is more than just dry soil—it’s a stressor that cascades through plants, pollinators, ecosystems, and agriculture. Droughts are becoming more frequent/intense with climate change, even in regions previously thought relatively water-secure. During a drought the soil cracks under the heat. Streams run low. Gardens wilt. And overhead, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds search for nectar that just isn’t there. Pollinators are essential: they enable reproduction of many wild plants, support ecosystems, and are vital for food crops. While challenges are real, there are many practices, from the backyard to policy level, that can make a difference. Pollinators have survived through great adversity; with awareness and action, people can help them thrive even under changing climate. We also need to pay more attention to the importance of trees. Trees are vital because they produce the oxygen we breathe, absorb carbon dioxide to combat climate change and filter the air, improving air quality. They provide food and shelter for wildlife, prevent soil erosion with their roots, regulate water cycles, and cool urban areas by providing shade. On this episode Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru joins us to discuss current drought conditions on the East Coast which affect our gardens.Our hotter and drier conditions are a result of climate change and global warming. We need to educate people to be more proactive in their behavior to become more attuned to Mother Earth.

We talk about pokeweed, the need to plant trees and native plants. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, and is the chair of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board, as well as a member of 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 forest in the Town of New Castle https://www.preservebuttonhook.org/ In addition, Victoria 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 now has more than 5000 members. She is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations (mynativegardenoasis.com). Check out New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook as well as Doug Tallamy, Entomologist, Conservationist, Author and Professor at University of Delaware who will be giving a lecture at CPAC in Chappaqua on November 2nd. https://homegrownnationalpark.org/doug-tallamy/

To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ and

https://www.democracydocket.com/ If you want to take more effective civic action visit https://civ.works/ If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org and https://www.nrdc.org/

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

Raindrops, Redford and Resistance with George Polisner, Founder of Civ.works and special guests Yolanda Nava and Tina Flores

We open this episode of TMSOG with the song Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head sung by B.T. Thomas which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

Redford and Newman both epitomized the human spirit and stressed the importance of giving back by taking action to make things better. We recently lost Robert Redford. He was an amazing actor, director, conservationist and family man. He starred in such films as All The Presidents Men, The Candidate, The Way We Were, and he won an Oscar for directing Ordinary People. Robert Redford was an environmentalist, and he worked in concert with the NRDC to fight for the land. He also started the Sundance Film Festival which helped keep Independent film alive. He was greatly loved and admired and he will be missed.
We are losing our freedoms on a daily basis. So where do we go and what do we do? Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head uses the metaphor of raindrops to represent life’s challenges and struggles, but it also emphasizes that one needs to remain positive and believe that happiness is on its way. The lyrics go on to suggest a realization that complaining won’t stop the rain, and instead, one must “take action” or “take the initiative” to move life in the desired direction. The song can also be interpreted as promoting freedom and the idea that as long as one is free, everything is okay. In today’s world we are facing very difficult times and the rain drops seem more like Oobleck, as in the children’s book Bartholomew and the Oobleck written by Dr. Theodor Geisel, a/k/a Dr. Seuss. In that book the king is bored with normal weather, (is there such a thing as normal weather today?) and orders his magicians to create a new kind of precipitation. They conjure up Oobleck, a sticky, green goo (similar to Nickelodeon’s Green Slime) that falls and quickly wreaks havoc, causing the entire kingdom to become covered and immobilized. Young Bartholomew is the king’s page, and he is the only one not stuck in the green muck. He has to get the king to apologize to break the magicians spell. Bartholomew eventually convinces the king to apologize for his greedy desire for a new type of precipitation, and the king’s apology causes the Oobleck to melt away, and he learns to appreciate the simple, natural weather. Right now we are dealing with a wannabe king who has no capacity for apologies or being a leader for ALL the people of the USA. He believes climate change is a hoax and has reduced staff at the NOAA, FEMA, the EPA and other agencies that do research and follow weather patterns, hurricanes and other extreme weather. In these challenging times we need to resist, take action and work to save the Republic for which we stand! We are joined on this episode by our resident political analyst, environmentalist and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, to give us some insight into the free fall of democracy in the US and the globe. We also welcome Yolanda Nava and Tina Flores, as they will be doing a new TMSOG monthly program with a focus on activism, community organizing and climate, and the historic importance of diversity. So let’s walk between the raindrops, stay away from the Oobleck and activate our eco and social consciousness. Go to Civ.works for more info.

To help defend democracy please donate if you can to help lawyers defend our constitution by going to https://www.aclu.org/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ and

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

Consider the Octopus-Engaging Youth with Gae Polisner and George Polisner

Walk on the ocean, Step on the stones, Flesh becomes water, Wood becomes bone (Chorus of the song Walk on the Ocean by Toad the Wet Sprocket)

So let’s talk about the ocean which covers approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface. We really can’t walk on it, unless there is some divine intervention. We can revel in it, and walk beside it. I grew up near the ocean and I enjoyed a wonderful childhood on the beach. But I am vexed these days, as the actions of humans are polluting the ocean and large garbage patches called gyres are swirling around harming sea life. If you mention the gyre to the average person, no one knows what you are talking about. The fact that we are literally turning into plastic beings, as nano and microplastics are in our blood, doesn’t seem to connect with a majority of humans on Mother Earth. We need to educate the populace, as time is running out. So let’s have a quick lesson on gyres. A gyre is a massive system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and the Earth’s rotation. There are five major oceanic gyres: the North and South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean gyre. These currents move slowly, continuously—shaping climate, distributing nutrients, and unfortunately, collecting our plastic waste. As plastics break down, they enter the food web. In essence, the plastic pollution concentrated in the gyres creates a toxic and dangerous environment for many marine species, while simultaneously enabling the establishment of unexpected ecosystems of species far from their usual habitats. Many species, such as Octopuses eat crustaceans and small fish that may have already ingested these pollutants. Over time, toxins can build up in their bodies, threatening their health—and ours, if we eat them. Many animals mistake plastic debris for food, filling their stomachs with indigestible material, leading to starvation or internal injuries. Loggerhead sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their preferred prey. Albatrosses mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs and feed them to their chicks, resulting in starvation or organ rupture. The Houdinis of the sea, Octopuses are highly adaptable, and can slip through tiny crevices, change color, mimic other animals, and use tools. But bad things happen when their watery homes are impacted by gyres as they become garbage traps. Octopuses as well as thousands of other sea creatures need to be protected, and us humans need to work harder to preserve the oceans for all sea life.

On this weeks podcast, in addition to George Polisner our resident political analyst, eco-activist, curmudgeon and founder of Civ.works we have Gae Polisner, author of young adult and adult adult novels. She is also a practicing family law attorney and mediator. She has co-authored a book with Nora Raleigh Baskin titled Consider the Octopus, which is a heartfelt story about friendship and an empowering call to environmental protection, especially to young people who are already stepping up to help save our oceans and our Earth. For more info go to https://www.gaepolisner.com/copy-of-seven-clues-to-home and @gaepol on instagram. Also go to https://civ.works/ and find out how to take actions to heighten your civic duty .

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/ https://www.brennancenter.org/ and World Wildlife Fund: WWF

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.

Octopus’s Plastic Garden with masterful creator of art, eco activist, and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

I want to give a shout out to Ringo Starr and wish him a Happy 85th Birthday. He still bops around the stage and plays the drums with gusto and is an example of how to live life to the fullest, and defeat ageism. Ringo wrote the the song Octopus’s Garden in 1969 with playful lyrics “We would sing and dance around, because we know, we can’t be found. I’d like to be under the sea in an octopus’s garden in the shade.” I opened the podcast with this tune, as a roundabout way to continue discussions on plastic pollution and its affect on sea life and oceans, specifically the Octopus. Ocean plastic is a growing threat to octopuses, impacting their habitats, food sources, and even their ability to survive. There is a theory that Octopuses are aliens, as they are so biologically unusual that they may have originated from another planet. They have a genetic uniqueness with many genes that are not found in other animals. They exhibit intelligent behavior, such as problem solving, communication and camouflage, and they have an alien like appearance with their large eyes, long tentacles and bulbous bodies. Their highly skilled abilities can put them in harms way as they use human-made trash as shelters, which can expose them to harmful chemicals and potentially disrupt their natural behaviors. Plastic pollution can affect the availability of prey for octopuses, such as crustaceans and small fish, by degrading their habitats or altering water quality. Larger plastic items can entangle octopuses, causing injury or death. Plastic debris can also block their digestive tracts when ingested. Octopuses can ingest plastic directly or indirectly through their prey, leading to potential health issues. Chemicals leached from plastics, like cadmium, can accumulate in octopus tissues and disrupt their endocrine and immune systems. There is a pervasive and harmful impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and the creatures that inhabit them. Organizations like the Octopus Foundation support scientific exploration and public awareness about the marine world.

Plastic is present in everything, as we ingest microplastics daily through consumer products such as toothpaste, shampoos, plastic water bottles and more. Our masterful creator of art, eco activist, and astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse gives us some of her thoughts and insight on plastic pollution and scientific innovations that are being developed to solve the plastic problem. We also touch on other environmental issues, as well as astrology, and Charlotte’s upcoming art show in NYC Relentless Women. So think about adopting an Octopus and as per Ringo, show some peace and love. For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and Sexy Astrology on FB and YouTube. Check out Charlotte’s upcoming show RELENTLESS Women from July 16-August 16 at the Theatre For The New City: TNC Gallery 155 First Avenue, NYC. Join an Octopus fan club via OctoNation – The Largest Octopus Fan Club! which raises awareness and funds for octopus conservation through educational resources and community engagement. World Wildlife Fund: WWF offers symbolic adoptions of octopuses, which support their global conservation efforts.

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/ 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.

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

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.