I’ve been thinking that this might be fun to do – just give a little blurb about what happened on the radio and the podcasts that I listen to involving the environment and related issues.
So, without further ado, here’s my update for the week ending November 13:
Living On Earth from November 11, as usual, had some great interviews and information. They had Senator Byron Dorgan from North Dakota on the show to discuss his oil windfall profits proposal. They discussed alternative energy as it relates to the oil companies as well:[quote]DORGAN: Well, if they’re investing their profits to expand the supply of energy, regardless of the type of energy, they would not be taxed under my proposal. But, as you know, a substantial portion of the profits these days are going into buying back their stock, in some cases, hoarding cash in other cases. As Business Week said last year, “Drilling for Oil on Wall Street.” Well, you know, there is no oil on Wall Street, but that means using cash to go find mergers and acquisitions.
That’s not the same, as you know, for this country’s purposes, as sinking money into the ground to try to find new oil and natural gas. Sixty percent of our oil now comes from overseas, outside of our country. That is very dangerous. And we’re hopelessly addicted to foreign oil. So we need to begin developing renewable sources in order to relieve some of that addiction.[/quote]Living on Earth and just about everyone else was discussing ANWR being dropped from the budget bill. They talked to New Hampshire Congressman Charles Bass, who led the effort to take ANWR drilling out of the bill. Also discussed was solar heating in the wake of high oil and gas prices this winter.
Earthwatch Radio is a show/podcast that I’ve mentioned several times. Its concise, few-minute blurbs every day are very informational, especially considering how short and sweet they are. Last week, Earthwatch discussed implications for agriculture and wildlife as we wake up to fewer and fewer frosty mornings. A sad and frightening story was on environmental refugees and the possibilities of people losing their homes due to slowly changing environmental conditions. These sorts of refugees, it seems, don’t get noticed like people who lose everything because of more noticeable and quick disasters like hurricanes.
NPR’s Science Friday with Ira Flatow is always fun to listen to and very educational. It’s not constantly on top of environmental science, but recently it has been. This week, Mary O’Driscoll of Environment and Energy Daily and Greenwire was on to discuss ANWR drilling and Yucca Mountain waste management. Also last week, they spoke with Chris Mooney about “The Republican War on Science.” They talked mainly about evolution, but Mooney’s take on the politicizing of science definitely influences the environment and how our government handles it.
More Hip than Hippie is a fun, silly podcast with Val and Dori. They’re just two ladies who like to drink and eat and discuss their kids and their lives as they relate to the environment. A welcome change from the more serous, doom-and-gloom world of the green. This week, they teach us how to clean silver without toxic chemicals and wrap presents with recycled materials.
On The Media this week discusses the anti-Walmart film, The High Cost of Low Prices. Walmart has been trying to green its image by opening some experimental “green” branches, using biofuels, etc. It’s a start, Walmart. It’s a start.
Well, there you go for this week. Hopefully it was helpful.