Category: Preservation

Climate Scientist and Organic Chemist Stacy Morgan talks about Climate Change, Mothers Out Front, Renewable Heat Now, and Buttonhook Forest

I used to say, when I was talking about climate change, that climate change is serious, certain, and soon. But this is no longer accurate. Now it is very serious, very certain, and now.”(Posted August 9, 2021 Sci-Line (sciline.org) Linda O. Mearns, Ph.D. Senior scientist, Research Applications Lab, National Center for Atmospheric Research 

 We need to listen to the scientists, and take heed before it’s too late. So on this episode we talk to scientist Stacy Morgan, who gives us some important information and her thoughts on the climate crisis and how organizations  like Mothers Out Front and Renewable Heat Now are putting solutions into place that can help reduce CO2 emissions. Community involvement on a local level is crucial to getting things done. Stacy is an organic chemist, and she became interested in climate science while working at the National Physical Laboratory in London. She lives in Northern Westchester with her family and is a core member of Friends of Buttonhook Forest, which is group of community residents who are trying to preserve a magnificent 20.3 acres of land, which contains over 1000 trees, is a wildlife habitat and contains Native American Sacred Ceremonial Stones.  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. To contact Stacy go to Instagram @savebuttonhook and follow Save Buttonhook on Facebook. Also go to mothersoutfront.org and renewableheatnow.org. For past shows go to HudsonRiverradio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow us on Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to the TMSOG podcast on Amazon, Apple, Spotify, iHeart and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Leading the Way to Fix Things with the Repair Cafe Movement in the Hudson Valley with Suzie Fromer and Kathy Galione

We live in a throw away society, and we tend to toss things out which end up in landfills and perpetuates waste. We used to bring items to folks who would repair them. Televisions, radios, jewelry, clothing would be brought to the neighborhood repair shop to get the item fixed, with nothing being added to the trash. A movement has started to bring back the concept of repair, and  Repair Cafes are popping up which connects folks who need items repaired to those who can fix them. Sasha Nahr, Chair, of the Larchmont Environmental Committee stated that ”So much stuff gets thrown away unnecessarily, adding to ever growing piles of trash.” Anything that is broken, not working, or can be mended, can be brought in to a Repair Cafe. So on this episode, we have two amazing women, Suzie Fromer and Kathy Galione who are working to reduce waste by encouraging items to be fixed, and are active in the creation of Repair Cafes in the Hudson Valley. For more information and upcoming Repair Cafe dates go to repaircafehv.org. Subscribe to TMSOG podcasts on all major podcast apps. For past shows go to themanyshadesofgreen.com, HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on FB, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Regenerative Farming, American Climate Corps plus Astrology and more with Eco-activist, Artist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

The farmer in the dell, The farmer in the dell, Hi-ho, the derry-o, The farmer in the dell. The farmer takes a wife, the wife takes the child, the child takes the nurse, the nurse takes the cow, the cow takes the dog, the dog takes the cat, the cat takes the mouse, the mouse takes the cheese, and the cheese stands alone.

It would take some time to analyze this song by the Mother Goose Club that we sang as kids in school back in the day. I never quite understood why the nurse took the cow, and don’t get me started on the cheese! In Kindergarten and First grade, we would gather in a circle and do this performance piece as if we were on a farm. Kids were picked to be the farmer, the wife, the dog and so on, but you NEVER wanted to be the CHEESE who stood alone, because your classmates would make fun of you. So who is standing alone now in the farm world? Small farmers have to compete with BigAg, which has turned modern farming into big business.  Industrialization after WWII popularized the use of machinery, pesticides and herbicides in agriculture and suppliers of tanks and chemical weapons looked to pivot to a different business model. While it is important to feed the populous, it is also important to keep the populous safe from chemicals which can cause cancer and other illnesses. The AgriChemical industry has a large lobby and has overwhelming pull on politicians and researchers who get their way in keeping chemicals that should be banned in the agribusiness (Monsanto/RoundUp). Small farmers generally cannot compete on many levels, and they want to reduce the use of chemicals and fertilizers. They are also feeling the effects of climate change. So enter a new, yet old method of farming called Regenerative Agriculture, which is on the rise. It is actually based on both Indigenous and modern farming practices which abides by four principles: no tillage, no chemicals, herd grazing and use of cover crops. There have been recent documentaries like Kiss the Ground, Biggest Little Farm and most recently Common Ground, which focus on regenerative farming and the need to implore that these practices be used to keep the earth fertile for farming instead of scorching the ground. We have spoken on past shows about this farming technique with Farmer and Founder of DIG Farm, Allison Turcan, and on this episode we continue that discussion with our resident Eco-activist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse, who gives us some more insight into the importance of regenerative farming. We also touch on President Biden’s Conservation Corps, a/k/a American Climate Corps, and Charlotte delves a bit into October Astrology with Mars going into Scorpio. Please check out House of ChoCLet and Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. For information on the American Climate Corp go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/climatecorps/ Also check out farmaid.org

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and follow us @tmshadesofgreen on FaceBook, Instagram and Threads! Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Farm Aid 2023, Support Local Farms, Help Our Farmers with Allison Turcan Founder of DIG Farm and host of the podcast Getting Dirty

“Family farmers have the solutions to some of our toughest challenges. As we face a changing climate, farmers in Indiana, across the Midwest and all over the country are farming in ways that create more resilient farms to build healthy soils and protect our water.” — Willie Nelson Farm Aid

The development of agricultural took place about 12,000 years ago and changed the way humans lived. The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle switched to permanent settlements and farming. The earliest farmers lived in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East (near what is now Turkey) and grew crops like peas, lentils and barley. As humans learned to control their sources of food, they no longer had to be nomads, as they could settle in one place.  Forward to 2023, and there are 2 million farms in America, 98% of which are operated by families, family partnerships or family corporations. Farmers are the backbone of America, as they provide food for the citizens of the US and the globe. But more than 9,000 farms were lost between 2021 and 2022.  Data from USDA’s Economic Research Service indicates that Michigan led the list with 1,700 fewer farms, Texas lost a thousand, and Kansas fell 900. California, Kentucky, and New Mexico each lost 600 farms, and there were 500 fewer farms in Nebraska. Farmers play an integral role in feeding the populous, and many need economic assistance to keep afloat. Small farms are an important part of the agricultural system, as they promote locally grown food which brings communities together. Our guest on this episode is Allison Turcan, a Farmer and the Founder of DIG Farm, a local farm in North Salem, NY. Allison recently attended the Farm Aid event in Noblesville, Indiana and met with farmers, organizers and some legendary music artists. She is the host and producer of the podcast Getting Dirty on HRR, and she works with Westchester Land Trust as the farmer for their food bank garden. I am proud to call her my friend:) For more info go to farmaid.org, Digfarm.org, Homegrown.org. For more shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. TMSOG is available on all major podcast apps (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more). Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Kitchen Table Democracy, A Win in Montana and Will Bikini Beach Clean-up Ever Be a Thing?

Julia Olson, the chief legal counsel and executive director for Our Children’s Trust, the group behind a climate lawsuit in Montana, called the recent decision by Judge Seeley a precedent and “a sweeping win” for Montana, the youth plaintiffs, and the climate, and said more court victories would be coming. “For the first time in U.S. history, a court ruled on the merits of a case that the government violated the constitutional rights of children through laws and actions that promote fossil fuels, ignore climate change laws, and disproportionately imperil young people,” Olson said. Around the globe, youth is rising as Gen Zs are starting to make their presence known in both the legal and political arenas. Claire Vlases was 17 years old when she became a plaintiff in the Montana case. Now 20 and working as a ski instructor, she said “climate change hangs over every aspect of her life.“

On this episode George Polisner, founder of Civ.Works, who is our resident political, eco and social justice expert gives us some insight into political, environmental, social issues and current events. How can we better speak to each other over the kitchen table? We also jokingly banter back and forth (as I also did with Charlotte Ghiorse in a previous podcast), about whether starting a ‘Bikini Beach Clean-Up’ would entice more people to help clean beaches while getting the message out about climate change. It does sound like a silly idea, but could it work??

For more info go to Civ.Works, and for past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com. Follow TMSOG on FB and on Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

“The Birds” We have to do more than watch the birds, we need to Protect them! Victoria Alzapiedi co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards gives us some important information how we can help safeguard the dwindling bird population.

“We are seeing a meltdown of bird populations” says Ariel Brunner, director of BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, a conservation NGO. Loss of habitats, the rising use of pesticides on farms, and, yes, climate change—these are among the factors to blame. Even if you are not a birdwatcher, the loss of birds impacts you. Birds regulate ecosystems by preying on insects, pollinating plants, and spreading seeds. We rely on healthy ecosystems for breathable air, the food we eat, and a regulated climate.” That quote by Ariel Brunner is from an on-line article by Chris Baraniuk (June 28, 2023) in Wired Magazine, which further goes on to say that fewer birds are around today than half a century ago. The numbers are startling. There are  73 million fewer birds in Great Britain alone than there were in 1970. Europe has been losing around 20 million every year, says Vasilis Dakos, an ecologist at the University of Montpellier in France—a loss of 800 million birds since 1980. And in the US, just shy of 3 billion individual birds have disappeared in only 50 years with 389 species of birds on the brink of extinction. This is a crisis, and not enough is being done to get this information out. People need to get out of their bubble and start paying attention to what is happening to Earth’s species which are vanishing. The disappearance of birds is staggering! Our resident wildlife, garden and habitat guru, Victoria Alzapiedi, co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, gives us some great info about our need to protect birds. For more info go to audubon.org and follow New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook. Check out past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

A Big Green Office Plant, plus Rotational Grazing, Regenerative Farming and some Sexy Astrology with Charlotte Ghiorse

From office plants to meadows to farming, we must work to be resilient and sustainable and help things grow in a more environmentally friendly manner. There is a newer method of farming called Regenerative farming, which is an approach to agriculture that focuses on restoring and improving the health of the soil, enhancing biodiversity, and promoting long-term sustainability. It is often considered a holistic and ecological approach to farming. The movie Biggest Little Farm and GrassRoots Farmers Co-op give insight into the practice of regenerative farming as a more sustainable way to grow produce, raise animals and be better stewards of the land. Regenerative farming involves agricultural methods that are more sustainable and work to heal the land and soil. Farmers and ranchers grow a diversity of plants and trees, establish cover crops and use no-till methods for planting, and incorporate grazing animals that naturally produce compost. We talk with our resident artist, eco-activist, Sexy astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse about the rotational and regenerative farming and agriculture practices that are used on some farms and ranches to bring more sustainability to the land. We also chat about a famous office green plant and play Mitch Margo’s tune ‘Green Plant’ (#TheTokens) plus July’s astrology chart and Charlotte’s upcoming art projects/shows. For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and check out Charlotte’s Facebook and Youtube pages Sexy Astrology. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Slime Molds, the Spotted Lanternfly, Fungi, Trees and preserving Nature with Taro Ietaka: Recreation Supervisor and Conservationist Westchester County, NY

Mother Nature is in need of help. It is imperative that we all work to keep the air, land and water clean, as well as do whatever we can to be active participants to achieve reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. We rely on experts to help us in this process, especially those who are conservationists. Nature conservationists are responsible for the practical management of the countryside. They help develop policies to preserve and protect areas such as woodlands, fields, rivers, mountains, forests or coastal areas, to develop awareness and understanding and to encourage people to be proactive in taking care of the environment. In Westchester County New York, there are terrific people who work to preserve the natural environment through a host of initiatives designed to protect thousands of acres of open space and the hundreds of species of plants and wildlife that thrive in the county. The conservation division plays a vital role in working on a variety of programs and services. We talk to Taro Ietaka who is a Recreation and Conservation Supervisor with Westchester County PRC (Parks, Recreation & Conservation). Taro coordinates the County’s biodiversity program to assess and protect the flora and fauna, and he oversees the six County-operated nature centers. We discuss the importance of science and nature programs for kids. We touch on, but don’t want to touch, the infamous slime mold, and we discuss what might help eradicate the invasive Spotted Lantern Fly (aside from squashing them, vacuuming might be a solution). We also talk about the importance of fungi being an integral part of forests and landscape. Taro is a certified arborist, and past president of the Connecticut-Westchester Mycological Association. He plays a vital role in maintaining and improving Westchester’s unique and beautiful natural environment for current and future generations to come. For more info go to parks.westchestergov.com.

Check out past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com. Please subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. Follow us on FB and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYour EcoConsciousness

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

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 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

Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion with Peter Schlactus

If you are living near a large or small airport, please know that you are being exposed to ultrafine particles of air pollution. Emissions from aviation are a significant contributor to climate change. If unmitigated, aviation emissions are expected to double or triple by 2050. Adverse environmental impacts affect communities that are near airports, especially those near watersheds areas which affect stormwater runoff and drinking water. Westchester Airport is a local airport in a suburb of NYC and there are major concerns about water and air pollution, as well as noise and increased usage by private jets. The skies are not very friendly in the surrounding communities, and my guest this week, Peter Schlactus, is tirelessly working to reduce the expansion of Westchester Airport, to help reduce environmental impacts to area residents, as the airport borders the Kensico watershed. Peter is a member of the Steering Committee of the Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion, a non-profit watchdog group of community and environmental organizations, as well as many hundreds of unaffiliated residents that together represent thousands of constituents united in seeking a vibrant but limited and environmentally responsible County airport, with no expansion of airport operations. For more information go to CTPWAE.org or https://www.coalition-to-prevent-westchester-airport-expansion.org/

To file a noise complaint go to https://www.coalition-to-prevent-westchester-airport-expansion.org/noise-complaints

Please subscribe to The Many Shades of Green Podcast on Spotify, Apple, Spreaker.com, iHeart, Amazon and more. Check out past shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com. Follow us on FaceBook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness