Go Green Radio

With over 30 yoga videos produced, and gushing endorsements from followers like Oprah Winfrey and Donna Karan, today’s guest has helped some of the busiest people on the planet learn how to bring their minds and bodies into alignment with their health goals. But much more than simply being a fitness instructor, Rodney Yee works in conjunction with Gaiam, Inc. to produce products and tools that respect natural resources, and help people tread more lightly on the Earth. Tune in to learn more about Rodney’s philosophy of sustainable living, and to participate in guided meditations you can do in the office, at home or in transit!

The rapid spread of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) has temporarily boosted US natural gas and oil production . . . and sparked a massive environmental backlash in communities across the country. The fossil fuel industry is trying to sell fracking as the biggest energy development of the century, with slick promises of American energy independence and benefits to local economies. Richard Heinberg, one of the world’s foremost energy educators, casts a critical eye on the oil-industry hype that has hijacked America’s energy conversation. This is the first book to look at fracking from both economic and environmental perspectives, informed by the most thorough analysis of shale gas and oil drilling data ever undertaken. Is fracking the miracle cure-all to our energy ills, or a costly distraction from the necessary work of reducing our fossil fuel dependence?

In our culture, pregnancy, birth, and childrearing are deeply connected to consumption and resource use. From the baby shower to the minivan and the larger apartment or first house, the baby-raising years are the most hyper-consumptive of our lives, and can set a family on an unsustainable track for years to come. The Zero Footprint Baby: How to Save the Planet While Raising a Healthy Baby shows how to raise a child with little to no carbon footprint. This timely book covers every issue new parents face, including pregnancy (what kind of birth has the lowest impact?); what to feed your baby (breastfeed, formula, or both?); childcare (who should take care of the baby, and how?); and of course, diapering. Using a mix of personal anecdotes, summarized research, and clear guidance on how to pursue the most sustainable baby-rearing options, environmental expert and new mom Keya Chatterjee has authored the ultimate resource for all new parents with green inclinations.

Linda Marsa is an investigative journalist and contributing editor at Discover who has covered medicine, health and science for more than two decades. A former Los Angeles Times reporter and author, she has just released her new book, Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Hurt Our Health, and How We Can Save Ourselves. The book includes interviews with the world’s leading climate scientists and healthcare experts. Tune in as we discuss the human health implications of climate change, and what we can do to create a more resilient public health system in advance of the crisis.

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. beekeepers lost 1 in 3 honeybees during the winter of 2012, and this is cause for alarm. Declining bee populations have been making news recently, and this is much more than an endangered species story. Certain crops we take for granted are dependent upon bee pollination to grow. Among these are: apples, almonds, blueberries, watermelon, cherries, peaches, avocados, cucumbers, cranberries, onions, blackberries, grapefruit, oranges, raspberries, cantaloupe, pumpkins, pears, and plums. If you want to help ensure these crops remain bountiful (and, hence, affordable), tune in today as Ted Dennard, CEO of Savannah Bee Company, joins us to discuss this crucial topic.

Concerned citizens of the UK are pressuring their supermarkets to revert to requiring use of non-GMO feed, not just for poultry and eggs, but for ALL their livestock products. In April 2013 Tesco, Co-Op, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsbury’s announced that they would switch their egg and poultry production to genetically modified (GMO) feed, reportedly to save consumers a few pennies on animal products. But many shoppers are concerned about the human health implications of consuming animal products that were nourished with genetically modified food, and also the health effects for people living near the GM crops. Tune in and learn more about the campaign to stop GM livestock feed from entering the supply chain of UK supermarkets.

These days, consumers have a lot of choices when buying a car, and “green” options have never been more plentiful. Today’s show will help us understand the difference between EVs, Hybrids, and Eco-friendly vehicles and which option best suits our lifestyle. James Bell, auto expert and Head of Consumer Affairs for General Motors will join us to discuss the “Do’s and Don’ts of Green Car Shopping.” Prior to joining GM, James was Vice President of Corporate Communications and Executive Market Analyst for Kelley Blue Book. With almost 15 years of experience, James Bell is a nationally recognized and authoritative resource within the automotive industry.

Defining environmental finance is tricky as there's no widely agreed upon definition. Instead, there are a variety of certifications, standards and attributes that can be used to help identify greener businesses. Wells Fargo set a goal of providing $30 billion in environmental finance by 2020, and is asking for public feedback on the categories they have established for environmental financing. Today we will talk about the environmental impact of the projects Wells Fargo is currently funding, and what may be on the horizon. Our guests are Wells Fargo’s VP of Environmental Affairs, Stephanie Rico, and VP, Environmental Finance, Dustin Kahler. To give your input, visit: Wells Fargo Environmental Forum

With over 30 yoga videos produced, and gushing endorsements from followers like Oprah Winfrey and Donna Karan, today’s guest has helped some of the busiest people on the planet learn how to bring their minds and bodies into alignment with their health goals. But much more than simply being a fitness instructor, Rodney Yee works in conjunction with Gaiam, Inc. to produce products and tools that respect natural resources, and help people tread more lightly on the Earth. Tune in to learn more about Rodney’s philosophy of sustainable living, and to participate in guided meditations you can do in the office, at home or in transit!

The Natural Resources Defense Council has just released its annual report on water quality at U.S. beaches, and found that the number of beach closing and advisory days exceeded 20,000 for the 8th time in the past 9 years. On today’s show, we’ll talk with Jon Devine, NRDC’s Senior Attorney for their water program, who will help us understand the sources of pollution that impact our beaches, and what can be done to mitigate or eliminate the pollution altogether. For anyone who loves a great day at the beach, this show will empower you to advocate for measures to keep our beach free from toxins that pose a serious threat to human health.

Yearly plug-in vehicle sales increased 198 percent in 2012, and the number of available models in the U.S. market is expected to triple by model year 2015. Since entering the market just more than two years ago, more than 70,000 plug-in vehicles have hit American roads. Today we’ll be joined by Brian Wynne, President of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), to discuss both performance and public policy issues that impact the electrification of light transportation in the U.S.

Defining environmental finance is tricky as there's no widely agreed upon definition. Instead, there are a variety of certifications, standards and attributes that can be used to help identify greener businesses. Wells Fargo set a goal of providing $30 billion in environmental finance by 2020, and is asking for public feedback on the categories they have established for environmental financing. Today we will talk about the environmental impact of the projects Wells Fargo is currently funding, and what may be on the horizon. Our guests are Wells Fargo’s VP of Environmental Affairs, Stephanie Rico, and VP, Environmental Finance, Dustin Kahler. To give your input, visit: Wells Fargo Environmental Forum

One of the drawbacks of solar and wind energy is the intermittency of power generation, and the inability of our current electricity grid to handle an inconsistent flow of electrons. If solar and wind power were coupled with large-scale energy storage capacity, this could create the steady flow of electricity that is optimal for our grid. One of the promising technologies for mass energy storage is vanadium flow batteries (VFB’s). Today we’re joined by the CEO of American Vanadium, a Canadian mining company preparing to launch operations to extract vanadium in Nevada. Currently, there is no other source of vanadium in the U.S. Tune in to learn more about vanadium, and why having a domestic supply of this critical element could impact national security.

As Terry Walters writes in the introduction to her book, CLEAN FOOD, “In this country, the topic of food is charged with emotion and controversy…Our produce departments and grocery shelves are lined with…pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, chemical additives…stripping our food of its inherent nutritional value. Behind each glass of milk or piece of meat is an agenda, a lobbyist, a Fortune 500 company, a distribution chain, a processing plant…The further we remove ourselves from the source of our food, the less we are able to maintain physical and emotional balance…The cleaner we eat, the clearer we think, and the better we can embrace good health and nutrition.” Tune in to learn more about how to convert your kitchen into a place where your family is truly nourished.

Today’s guest is Dr. Sarah Janssen, senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council's health and environment program. Her work has included research on flame retardants, cosmetics, plastics and plasticizers, breast cancer and threats to adult reproductive health and child development. She is an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco where she is conducting clinical research. She completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Illinois, a Masters in Public Health at UC-Berkeley in 2005 and residency training at the University of California, San Francisco.

If you are concerned with your family’s health and the environment you leave to the next generation, then it’s time to consider the impact that factory farming is having on both. Today’s guest has been hailed “the conscience of the food movement” by Time magazine. Gene Baur is the President and Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that is on a mission to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living. Even if you love steak and cheeseburgers, there are ways you can help minimize the ill effects of factory farms on animals, the environment and your own health. Tune in to learn how to eat in alignment with your values.

Military veterans know what it means to work hard. They have leadership skills, an ability to adapt, team-oriented values, and a desire to continue serving their country. That’s why they expect to find good employment opportunities after leaving the service. They want a job that is well-suited to their skills and interests, and allows them to take care of themselves and their family. But when it comes to finding those jobs, veterans may not know where to start. Veterans Green Jobs can help. Veterans Green Jobs’ employment program matches veterans’ military experience to the skills needed by green sector employers, links them to training programs to provide them with skills in key subject areas, and connects them with available jobs. Tune in to learn more about VGJ’s work to connect military veterans with meaningful employment opportunities that serve our communities and environment.

Traffic in National Parks during peak season is significant. Americans have long enjoyed packing in to bring their families to visit our national treasurers, and the fondest memories of many generations happen in our National Parks each year. Adding to the long lines of traffic are trucks bringing in something for sale that is already in the park for free – water. In addition, there are trucks heading out of the parks carrying tons of plastic water bottles. Does this make sense? We’ll discuss this issue today with Grace Morris, who is a spokesperson for a campaign to remove plastic water bottles from our National Parks.

Are industrial meat operations to blame for the rise in drug-resistant illnesses and superbugs? How can consumers protect themselves, and what role should the government play in safeguarding our food supply from unhealthy farming practices? Today we are joined by Russ Kremer, a.k.a. the “Pope of Pork”, a recipient of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 2013 Growing Green Award, and Dr. Jason Newland, Medical Director of Patient Safety and Systems Reliability Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics Kansas City, MO. We will discuss the current state of meat production in America, and what farmers like Russ are doing to create healthier options for consumers.

Traffic in National Parks during peak season is significant. Americans have long enjoyed packing in to bring their families to visit our national treasurers, and the fondest memories of many generations happen in our National Parks each year. Adding to the long lines of traffic are trucks bringing in something for sale that is already in the park for free – water. In addition, there are trucks heading out of the parks carrying tons of plastic water bottles. Does this make sense? We’ll discuss this issue today with Grace Morris, who is a spokesperson for a campaign to remove plastic water bottles from our National Parks.