Go Green Radio

What do coal plants, volcanoes, and your breath have in common? Carbon emissions. Of course, there are countless examples of additional sources of carbon emissions – some natural, some man-made – but our planet’s ability to absorb all that carbon is strained, to say the least. Wetlands, forests and oceans are the systems that bear the greatest capacity to extract carbon from the atmosphere, but as Earth’s CO2 levels continue to rise, and forests and wetlands increasingly succumb to development, the ocean is left to do more of the heavy lifting when it comes to carbon sequestration. As a result, the ocean is becoming more acidic and more hostile to marine life. Even if you don’t eat seafood, the increased acidity of the ocean is having a negative impact on human life. Tune in today as we talk with Brita Belli, editor-in-chief of E-The Environmental Magazine, as she discusses her cover story in this month’s edition: “Oceans on Acid – Rising carbon emissions are changing the chemistry of our seas, threatening sh

Food is one of the most basic things that all human beings have in common. We don’t all eat the same types of food, but we are all linked to one another in our need for nourishment. Modern agriculture has increased the amount of food that is produced, yet even in America, there are hungry, malnourished children. Additionally, the environmental footprint of modern agriculture places it in direct competition with other industries and consumers for limited resources like oil, water, and minerals. On top of that, the way we as consumers handle our food compounds the environmental impact of our food supply. What we purchase and what we waste can have very negative effects on our air, water and soil quality. Tune in today as we talk with Jonathan Kaplan, the Director of Food and Agriculture and Senior Policy Specialist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Andrea Northup, , Founder and Director of D.C. Farm to School Network, and NRDC’s 2012 Growing Green Award Winner in the Young Food Leader categor

“The United States is still almost completely reliant on finite fossil fuels, which are rapidly being depleted,” says R. Paul Williamson, author of Winning the Energy Wars: A Sustainable Energy Plan for America’s Future (www.usa-sep.com). “We should be following a plan now that transitions us to sustainable energy sources but, believe or not, there is no plan.” Dr. Williamson has a plan. Tune in as he shares insights into three innovative features of his proposal: Abolish the U.S. Department of Energy. The Department of Energy has done nothing to create a sustainable energy plan in its 35 years of existence. Such a strategic plan isn’t even a goal. Create a Governors National Sustainable Energy Council. Thirty of our 50 states have adopted goals for sustainable energy, and some have already achieved them Funding from the decommissioned Department of Energy (currently, $25 to $35 billion a year) would be diverted to the council. Enact legislation to establish funding. Williamson proposes a National Alter

It would be hard to overestimate David Brower's influence on the environmental movement. As its first director, Brower built the Sierra Club into the flagship conservation organization that it remains today. He went on to found the League of Conservation Voters, Friends of the Earth, and Earth Island Institute, all of which have been instrumental in saving countless natural wonders. An outspoken and tireless defender of the environment long before it was a popular to be so, Brower fought to protect iconic places like the Grand Canyon and the California redwood forests. His passion, eloquence, and conviction roused the conscience and spirit of young activists and shifted environmental concerns into public awareness and on to the popular agenda. Now, David Brower's son Kenneth, an acclaimed nature writer, has brought together the testimonials of twenty environmental leaders whose lives and careers were transformed by his father. Tune in as Kenneth shares his insights on one of the pioneers of modern environmen

Chris Martenson may know more about The Three E’s (economy, energy and environment) than just about anybody else. Once a vice-president of an international Fortune 300 company, he was definitely part of the 1%. Now, the dynamic, articulate and entertaining Martenson is regularly invited to speak at the United Nations, major corporations, municipalities, the U.K. House of Parliament and various U.S. state legislatures – but not because his message is one the 1% want to hear. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Dr. Martenson has devoted himself to dissecting and explaining “The Three E’s” in a way which helps the 99% understand what is going on. His book, The Crash Course, discusses unsustainable trends in the economy, energy and the environment with solid facts presented in a calm, nonpartisan manner. Tune in to hear Chris discuss his positive vision for how our lives can become more balanced, resilient, and sustainable.

Studies show that more than 90% of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Yet for twenty years we have been denied that right. While our reasons for wanting to know what’s in our food may vary, what unifies us is the belief that it’s our right. Without labeling of GE foods, we cannot make informed choices about our food. The Just Label It campaign was created to advocate for the labeling of GE foods (www.justlabelit.org). Today our guest is Robyn O’Brien, founder of Allergy Kids Foundation and author of The Unhealthy Truth. A former food industry analyst, Fulbright grant recipient, author and mother of four, Robyn O’Brien brings insight and detailed analysis to her research into the impact that the global food system is having on our health. She is regarded as an expert on children’s health policy, hailed as “food’s Erin Brockovich” by The New York Times and has been named by SHAPE Magazine as a “Women To Shape the World”

Are genetically modified seeds and crops safe for human consumption? Are they already in our food supply? Should genetically modified food be labeled as such, so consumers can decide for themselves if they wish to purchase it? Today we’re joined by Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non GMO Project (www.nongmoproject.org). Megan will discuss GMO’s from the perspective of consumers, farmers, and the future of our global food supply.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 31, people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to saving energy and saving the Earth. What started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia has now become a worldwide movement. Some will celebrate by candlelight in a public gathering, while others will do so in the privacy of their homes. In either case, millions of people will unite in one common cause: to take personal action to help stop climate change. Today’s guest is John McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy and Policy Development for GE Energy’s Digital Energy business. He will discuss the impact of Earth Hour, the latest technological breakthroughs shaping our energy future, and what each of us can do to positively impact the way energy is distributed around the world.

Will it be up to women to save the planet? Perhaps, according to a new award-winning documentary, Mother: Caring for 7 Billion. Grounded largely in the theories of acclaimed social scientist and best-selling author Riane Eisler, the film strives not to pass on blame for our environmental and social challenges, but to rather to educate, highlighting a different path for humanity. The film highlights encouraging evidence of what’s starting to happen around the world. Women, who have been primarily responsible for the work of care all these years, are now stepping into new roles of public leadership all over the planet. A child’s rights activist in Mother believes this could create a tidal wave of change, that’s not only going to ease our population problem, but also bring about policies that will sustain a new attitude towards our planet. Eisler’s research documents what Mother shows: that environmental health, population stabilization, and raising the status of women worldwide are inextricably intertwined.

The pipes that make up our nation’s water systems were not built to last forever. They need maintenance, and in many cases, they need replacement, but government investment to keep our water flowing has dried up. Without significant investment in our clean water delivery systems and our wastewater treatment facilities, we will no longer be able to take clean water for granted. Clean water isn’t just needed for drinking, it’s needed to water our crops and to operate our nation’s energy plants. Obviously, this is not a problem that we can fix by purchasing bottled water. Today’s guest is the national campaign manager for Public Water Works, an effort to bring government investment in our water infrastructure back up to the levels it was in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, when our nation was committed to ensuring that safe and reliable water was a priority from coast to coast. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to get involved.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 31, people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to saving energy and saving the Earth. What started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia has now become a worldwide movement. Some will celebrate by candlelight in a public gathering, while others will do so in the privacy of their homes. In either case, millions of people will unite in one common cause: to take personal action to help stop climate change. Today’s guest is John McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy and Policy Development for GE Energy’s Digital Energy business. He will discuss the impact of Earth Hour, the latest technological breakthroughs shaping our energy future, and what each of us can do to positively impact the way energy is distributed around the world.

In Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation (New Village Press), author Sharon Danks broadens our notion of what a well-designed schoolyard should be, taking readers on a journey from traditional, ordinary grassy fields and asphalt, to explore what's being created in the growing movement toward green schoolgrounds in the United States and around the world. This book documents exciting examples from more than 150 schools in 11 countries, illustrating a vast range of possibilities in outdoor classrooms for learning and play. Easily the most practical how-to book of its kind, Asphalt to Ecosystems walks readers through the process of designing, funding, and creating an outdoor environment that stimulates learning and imagination for all children, regardless of their learning style. For more information, visit http://www.asphalt2ecosystems.org/home

While we fight about short-term environmental obstacles and debate symptoms and solutions, societies fail to offer positive incentives for change. We need a positive vision for humanity’s future to harness the full power of human imagination and community initiative. This is where Mother Earth News publisher, Bryan Welch, and his new book, Beautiful and Abundant, come in. Learn how to make your lifestyle more sustainable, and learn how to look beyond immediate obstacles toward humanity's destination: a world that is aesthetically beautiful, economically abundant, ethically fair and irresistibly contagious. For more information on his book, visit http://beautifulandabundant.com/. Tune in as Bryan teaches us the value of clearly envisioning the world the way we want it to be, then setting out to do our part to bring our vision to fruition.

Consumers have looked to Good Housekeeping for trusted advice for more than 125 years. The magazine has crusaded for food and toy safety, warned readers about flammability risks in Halloween costumes, children’s sleepwear, and kids’ rain coats, and called out manufacturer deceptions on a variety of product claims. In 2009, the magazine introduced the Green Good Housekeeping Seal (GGHS), an environmental extension of the brand’s primary Seal, the most recognized consumer icon in America, to offer consumers guidance in a marketplace saturated with green claims. For more than three years, the scientists and engineers at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the magazine's state-of-the-art product testing laboratory, have worked with Brown & Wilmanns Environmental, one of the nation’s leading green consultants, as well as an Environmental Advisory Board, to establish criteria for the Green Good Housekeeping Seal.

As sustainability practices continue to mature, recent events and trends have set the stage for significant shifts in 2012. Brighter Planet, a leading sustainability technology company, forecasts five big transformations in how leading organizations will address sustainability in the coming year. From shareholder demands to employee engagement, big companies are no longer able to simply “green wash” their way to being considered a good, green enterprise. Data on carbon emissions is now merely a baseline measurement, and sustainability leaders are looking to water impacts and adaptation strategies as climate change is embraced as our inevitable future. Tune in on Friday, March 2, from 9-10a.m. Pacific/Noon-1p.m. Eastern to hear Brighter Planet CEO, Patti Prairie, discuss the top five corporate sustainability trends to watch in 2012 on www.VoiceAmerica.com

Many veterans who fought an oil war overseas are now coming back home with a renewed sense of duty – this time, to the environment, energy security, and their communities. They’re looking for meaningful jobs defending our country’s natural resources, as a continuation of their military service. Veterans Green Jobs launched a new initiative that matches veterans with green sector jobs in energy efficiency, outdoor conservation, green construction and other areas. The program’s goal is to place 300 veterans into green sector jobs by mid-2013 by partnering with green sector employers. To lead this strategic initiative, Veterans Green Jobs has hired Lieutenant Colonel (Retired, U.S. Army) John Toth as senior director of Veterans Programs. A decorated airborne-ranger infantry officer and combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Toth recently completed his military career as professor of military science at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He brings a wealth of experience working with post 9/11 soldiers and ca

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water. The Alliance has embarked on seven key tasks to support and enhance water conservation efforts: • Stand as a clear and authoritative national voice for water efficiency. • Provide comprehensive information about water-efficient products, practices, and programs--what works and what doesn’t. • Represent the interest of water efficiency in the development of codes and standards. • Transform the market for fixtures and appliances. • Coordinate with green building initiatives to institutionalize water efficiency. • Train water conservation professionals. • Educate water users. Tune in as we talk with Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO of AWE. For more information, check out their website at: www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org

Authors David Hanson and Edwin Marty, and photographer Michael Hanson, took a short bus than ran on biofuels (sometimes) across America, and came back with a story of urban farming projects happening in the most incredible circumstances. Their new book, Breaking Through Concrete, chronicles the beauty and determination of people in twelve cities who participate in their food system in ways of their own choosing. From raising livestock in Detroit to rehabilitating contaminated soil in Philadelphia, readers will see city dwellers of all ages and ethnicities bringing life and health to urban centers that were once paved over. Tune in as we ask David and Edwin some of the lessons they learned on their journey and where they believe the urban farm revival is headed in the coming years.

Are genetically modified seeds and crops safe for human consumption? Are they already in our food supply? Should genetically modified food be labeled as such, so consumers can decide for themselves if they wish to purchase it? Today we’re joined by Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non GMO Project (www.nongmoproject.org). Megan will discuss GMO’s from the perspective of consumers, farmers, and the future of our global food supply.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ECO-TERRORIST is the true, no holds barred story of 30 years of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) campaigns leading up to the hit show Whale Wars. It’s a feature documentary that reveals the true odyssey of the most wanted environmentalist today, Captain Paul Watson. Filmmaker and longest-serving SSCS crew member Peter Jay Brown documented the mythic deeds of the organization while acting as the cinematographer, first mate, deckhand, quartermaster, Zodiac driver and officer/captain in Watson’s absence starting in 1980. Peter Brown, a Sea Shepherd insider expertly exercises aikido with his camera by turning a negative accusation into a positive confession of influential activism. He gives us an intimate and honest look at what really goes on behind the scenes on some of the most infamous environmental campaigns ever.