These statistics are horrifying, and mothers are rightly worried that the continued production of plastic will greatly affect the health and well being of their children. Mothers are the key protectors of their off spring and have become a growing force in the climate movement. They have taken on a big role in forming groups and organizations to tackle the hazards of climate change. Many groups have popped up over the last decade to highlight the need to protect their children and humanity at large from the dangers of pollution from fossil fuels, which is in good part responsible for a warming climate which is causing extreme storms, fires, destruction of forests, increased air and water pollution and much more. Plastic pollution is a major concern and the organization Mothers Out Front (MOF) is working on getting bills passed to reduce plastic packaging and phase out harmful chemicals in their production. Other organizations with moms at the helm are Clean Air Moms which has over 1.5 million members who are on a mission to protect kids from air pollution and climate change. Another group, Science Moms is composed of Climate Scientists who are moms who create tip sheets about climate and resources to take action. Climate Mama which was founded by my friend Harriet Shugarman, wrote the book How To Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action which gives parents tips about what to say to your kids about Global Warming. Emily MacKensie, a member of Mothers Out Front gives us info about the group, which is a national organization that focuses on climate positive grassroots efforts spearheaded by moms. She has two children, lives in the Hudson Valley and became involved with the organization after running into the local chapter leader on a walk and striking up a conversation that turned into a discussion about local air quality, which is being negatively impacted by the incineration of plastic waste. Emily gives us some good insight and information on the initiatives and outreach being worked on by Mothers Out Front to educate the public about plastics and other environmental issues of importance. Please note that as per Emily one does not have to be a mother to be a part of the effort, as the earth is a mother to us all! For more info go to mothersoutfront.org, beyondplastics.org and not to be left out go to @climatedads for their perspective.
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 proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>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 proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>There is some interesting history about hemp, for instance, did you know that George Washington grew hemp? Washington’s initial interest in hemp was as a cash crop, but he decided to grow it to meet the needs of his own plantation. Hemp was used at Mount Vernon for rope, thread for sewing sacks, canvas, and for repairing the seine nets used at the fisheries. Fast forward to current times and there are more good facts about hemp. According to the NIH National Library of Medicine, almost the whole body of the hemp plant has a wide array of utility: industrial production of food, fiber, and construction materials. In view of environmental sustainability, hemp requires less pesticides or water in cultivation compared to cotton, and is a representative fiber plant. Hemp has received a lot of attention because of its multipurpose usability, short production cycle, and low capital demand in cultivation, possibility as a carbon-negative material. From a medicinal standpoint Cannabis can be used to help reduce pain, and as of April 2024, recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states, which is almost half of the country.
On any given city block, on any given day in NYC, the odds of getting a contact high from the drifting winds of cannabis smoke is practically a given. For decades people moved the government to legalize weed. It was an uphill battle which eventually was won. Cannabis is the second-most commonly used recreational drug in NYC, after alcohol. On March 31, 2021, New York State legalized adult-use cannabis in recreational form by passing the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA). The legislation created a new Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) governed by a Cannabis Control Board to oversee and implement the law. I am not sure if there was dancing in the streets, but the gongs chimed as the bongs the filled the air with that unique smell which would take you to higher ground.
A stanza of Aurora HighDreamer’s poem Serenade of the Green “Euphoria” says it best:
So let the cannabis linger, like a soft and whispered song,
In the canvas of your being, where sensations dance along.
A symphony in the lungs, an ode to the sublime,
In the poetry of being high, where moments endlessly chime.
On this episode of TMSOG podcast we discuss the culture of cannabis, it’s use for reducing pain and how it relates to the environment with Rusti Wolintz, who is my BFF and Tush Twin. Rusti (Paula) and I worked together for many years running B.T. Puppy Records and working with The Tokens, of Lion Sleeps Tonight fame. We put together the Guinness World Record 1998 anthem tour in which The Tokens sang the national anthem in 30 major league baseball parks in one summer. We currently do a podcast/YouTube program called Tush Twins, which is a hoot, and runs on Malcolmpresents.com. Rusti is a real estate agent in NJ and also knows a thing or two about the Cannabis industry, and she gives us some great info and insight into edibles, industrial use hemp and cannabis pharmacies, Bong Appetit and much more. We also play a tune by Mitch Margo called Free the Weed https://mitchmargo.bandcamp.com/track/free-the-weed For more info on cannabis visit NORML.org and Leafly.com
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 proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>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/
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 proud to be on Feedspot’s list of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>Quel ton de vert préférez-vous? (What’s your shade of green/ what shade of green do you prefer?)
She answered “Vert Caca d’oie” (Goose poop green)
Charlotte was in France at the time of the taping, so we got slightly carried away with the what’s your shade of green question. Both Paris and Ithaca have been in the news of late, as both cities have put green initiatives into place to reduce their carbon emissions. In Ithaca, the city is focused on eliminating gas from buildings because as stated in eartheasy.com, homes in the United States are responsible for about 20% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions annually. These emissions come directly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, fracked gas and gasoline. Shifting your home energy towards cleaner alternatives is a critical component to slashing emissions and creating a healthier future, as natural gas is mostly methane, a potent greenhouse gas with more climate-warming particles. The goal then is to switch buildings to electricity that’s generated mostly from renewable electricity. Heat pumps and geothermal energy are being used as alternatives to gas. Ithaca is working with their electric utility NYSEG, and using incentives to make the gas to electric switch happen.
On the other side of the pond, Paris is working to make the city more resilient and has added more bike lanes and green space. The air quality is not great and the Seine is polluted, but Paris has a plan. The city is preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics and is working hard to have the various sites be more sustainable. The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has placed green policies at the forefront of her campaigns, and she has plans to plant four new ‘urban forests’ next to major landmarks including the Hôtel de Ville, the Gare de Lyon and the Opéra Garnier. Hidalgo told The New York Times that one of her major goals is to “build this city around the individual” using the “15 minute city” model proposed by Carlos Moreno, a professor at the city’s Sorbonne University. In this model of the city, residents would have access to all basic services (public transport, shops, schools) within a quarter-hour of their home. One simple way to do that, is to put nature back into urban life. I was in Paris at the Eiffel Tower last November and I saw the work being done on the new park surrounding the landmark, and it is going to be beautiful. As mentioned, an area of concern now is the pollution in the Seine. Many Olympic water events are going to take place on and in the river, so something needs to be done quite quickly to resolve this issue, as the controversy surrounding the quality of the water is in the forefront. With that aside, Paris is making headway to be cleaner and greener. By 2030, the most famous street in Paris, the Champs-Élysées, will be turned into an ‘extraordinary garden’ as part of a massive €250 million makeover. The plans include reducing the number of car lanes from four to two, creating new pedestrian and green areas, and planting ‘tree tunnels’ that improve air quality along the 1.9km-long avenue. Joni Mitchell will be happy to hear that news, as her tune Free Man in Paris originally released in 1974, has her wandering down the Champs-Elysees, which will soon look quite different, and will be environmentally friendly.
Our resident artist, eco-activist and astrologist, Charlotte Ghiorse discusses what is happening in Ithaca and Paris to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She also gives us some updated astrology (Uranus in conjunct with Jupiter in the 11h House), and much more. To get more info as to what Charlotte is up to go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and visit Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. Check out eartheasy.com for sustainability info. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow The Many Shades of Green (TMSOG) on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness
TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s list (at # 8) of the 50 Best Environmental Podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>“Pardoning the Bad, is injuring the Good.” Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1748
Benjamin Franklin was a scholar, a thinker, was ambitious, rebellious, persuasive and he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. He tried to make sense out of things while using the art of compromise. He was adept at reading the room. Though I try to make sense of the world these days, I cannot wrap my head around what is going on around me, as very few people seem to be reading the room. I know that there are those who think the same way I do, but I am losing my confidence that even though I think there are more of us who care, those who don’t, those who are bowing to authoritarian leaders, and those who are in it for their version of it’s pay back time, seem to capture the news and the attention of the populous. There are people and companies doing amazing things for the greater good, but they are hidden under the radar. The unsung heroes of science and innovation tend to go unnoticed. In the US, President Biden has accomplished more than the majority of past presidents, and he gets little recognition. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has climate/clean energy provisions, medicare drug negotiations, provisions to invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) law authorizes $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending with $550 billion of that figure going toward “new” investments and programs . In addition to these two major Acts, President Biden has expanded overtime guarantees for millions, made over-the-counter birth control pills available, and he established the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In 2023, schools were awarded $286 million in federal dollars to support student wellness and school mental health professionals. Renewable power is now the No. 2 source of electricity in the U.S. There is a sweeping crackdown on “junk fees” and overdraft charges. He is cracking down on cyberattacks, reinvigorating cancer research to lower death rates, making airlines pay up when flights are delayed or canceled and much, much more. He has experience, and yes, he can read the room. An article in Politico in February 2024 listed the 30 things President Joe Biden has as done you might have missed and I encourage you to read that article at https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/02/joe-biden-30-policy-things-you-might-have-missed-00139046
How do we get the word out so that people know what is being done to help them. I don’t think we are paying attention, and the media, the fourth estate, is not doing its job. So on this episode our resident environmentalist, political analyst and curmudgeon, George Polisner, founder of Civ.works, gives us some insight into current events in the political and environmental arenas. We discuss eco innovations regarding mushroom technology, plus issues of governance, leadership, politics, the media, elections 2024, and more. Get more info at Civ.Works and check out the mighty mushroom at https://www.ecovative.com/ For past programs go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen and listen to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps.
The Many Shades of Green is proud to be number 8 on Feedspot’s List of the 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
#RaiseYourEcoConsciousness
]]>On this episode, our resident eco-activist, artist and Founder of Sexy Astrology Charlotte Ghiorse, gives us some insight about what work is being done within the scientific community in the climate tech arena regarding carbon capture, water purifying technology, and how seaweed can be converted to a biopolymer as a substitute for plastic. We also touch on Women’s History Month and Charlotte has astrology updates and some notes for Malcolm who is a Pisces, the sign which rules the ocean and water. For more info go to https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-tech?page=1
Follow Sexy Astrology and House of Choclet on Facebook and on the web at https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ For past shows go to HudsonRiverradio.com, Malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Please give us some feedback via Instagram, Facebook, Threads @tmshadesofgreen, and tune in to TMSOG podcast on Spotify, Amazon, Spreaker.com, Apple, iHeart and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness
TMSOG is proud to be on Feedspot’s top 50 (#8) Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/recycling-composting/postconsumer-paint-collection
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4246/amendment/A
For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com. Listen to the podcast on apps via Amazon, Apple, Spotify, Spreaker.com and more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. TMSOG is proud to be #8 on Feedspot’s 50 Best Environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>But now they only block the sun
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
Plastic in clouds is not an illusion, so maybe the lyric needs to be updated to say:
Now microplastics are in the air
within the clouds and everywhere,
now scientists are really scared
they know what must be done,
We have to work to clear the skies
and wipe the plastic from our eyes,
from tears and rain we cannot hide
plastic cannot rule the way
On this episode we focus on how plastic winds up in clouds. Researchers recently collected 28 samples of liquid from clouds at the top of Mount Tai in eastern China. They found microplastic fibers—from clothing, packaging, and tires—in their samples. Lower altitude and denser clouds contained greater amounts of microplastics. Plastic is now part of the Earth’s geology as it is in rocks, reefs, and shells, soil and more. It now has a geologic name: plastistones. We discuss how plastic is infiltrating the environment and getting into the clouds, and we delve into astrology-Pluto in Aquarius, with our resident eco-activist, artist, and sexy Astrologist, Charlotte Ghiorse. For more info about plastic/chemicals in our environment go to asc.org. Get more info about Charlotte via HouseofChoclet.com and Sexy Astrology on YouTube. Find more shows on HudsonRiverRadio.com, Malcolmpresents.com, and TMSOG – themanyshadesofgreen.com. Follow us and Like us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen, and listen and share TMSOG podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, iHeart (Spreaker.com) and more. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness
The Many Shades of Green is proud to be on Feedspot’s list of environmental podcasts to follow in 2024 (@ #8) https://podcasts.feedspot.com/environmental_podcasts/
]]>On this episode, the shade of green is phthalo (a mixture of yellow ochre and a little cool green viridian), and we get some insight about what work is being done within the scientific community to help reduce plastic pollution and waste, with our resident eco-activist, artist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse. We also intertwine astrology connections to the environment within the discussion (Mars in Sagittarius and Pluto in Capricorn). For more info go to houseofchoclet.com and visit Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. Visit Earth.org for eco news and for past TMSOG podcasts go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Please subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more. Follow TMSOG on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness
]]>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
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