2023 Archives
CLIMATE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION INITIATIVE
with Dan Galpern
Eco 890 21 March 2023
with Dan Galpern
Eco 890 21 March 2023

Our guest on Ecotopia was Dan Galpern, the General Counsel & Executive Director of the Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative. From their website: “Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative is a 503(c)(3) non-profit, public-interest, science-based, advocacy organization that is guided by scientists, legal scholars, and community and religious leaders who share our mission to protect and restore a viable climate system. Their Objectives:
To protect and restore our climate system, so as to enable our children to thrive we must:
Listen to the program; click below.
To protect and restore our climate system, so as to enable our children to thrive we must:
- Phase out fossil fuel and other greenhouse (GHG) emissions,
- Protect and restore vital natural systems, including mature and old-growth forests, and
- Remove excess atmospheric CO2 and methane (CH4).
Listen to the program; click below.
Andrew Boyd is a writer, activist, humorist, and CEO (Chief Existential Officer) of the Climate Clock, a global campaign that blends art, science, and grassroots organizing to get the world to “act in time. He also co-created the grief-storytelling ritual, the Climate Ribbon, and led a 2000s-era satirical campaign Billionaires for Bush.
The title and subtitles of his book tell all: we’ll be discussing today has a title and subtitles worth absorbing:
The title and subtitles of his book tell all: we’ll be discussing today has a title and subtitles worth absorbing:
I WANT A
BETTER
CATASTROPHE
NAVIGATING THE CLIMATE CRISIS
with Grief, Hope, and Gallows Humor
An existential manual for tragic optimists,
can-do pessimists, and compassionate doomers
Listen to this engaging and often humorous interview. Click below.
BETTER
CATASTROPHE
NAVIGATING THE CLIMATE CRISIS
with Grief, Hope, and Gallows Humor
An existential manual for tragic optimists,
can-do pessimists, and compassionate doomers
Listen to this engaging and often humorous interview. Click below.
center for biological diversity
with peter galvin
eco 886 28 february

Our guest this evening was Peter Galvin, co-founder and Director of Programs of the Center for Biological Diversity, an organization that does wide-ranging environmental work throughout the world. A longtime environmental activist, Peter also serves on the board of directors of the Beech Hill Foundation and is a member of the Science Oversight Team for the Global Owl Project.
This was a fabulous interview ranging over so many topics that Susan described him as "a man who knows everything and inspires everyone." Included in the discussion were the Center's priorities for 2023.
1. Declare National Emergencies Over the Climate Crisis and the Loss of Wildlife
2. Double the Amount of Protected Land and Water
3. Defend and Fully Fund the Endangered Species Act
4. Protect Endangered Species from Dangerous Pesticides
5. Act Boldly to Protect Wildlife.
Don't fail to listen to this program!
Click below.
This was a fabulous interview ranging over so many topics that Susan described him as "a man who knows everything and inspires everyone." Included in the discussion were the Center's priorities for 2023.
1. Declare National Emergencies Over the Climate Crisis and the Loss of Wildlife
2. Double the Amount of Protected Land and Water
3. Defend and Fully Fund the Endangered Species Act
4. Protect Endangered Species from Dangerous Pesticides
5. Act Boldly to Protect Wildlife.
Don't fail to listen to this program!
Click below.
red hot chili peppers
with stephanie Walker
and phil elkins (senior felipe)
eco 883 24 january 2023

This program was another in our series of "ecosystems you might not think about." We've done ants, the electron, caribou and the tundra, and this program on the Chili Pepper. While these are unusual ecosystems, we're finding that they make interesting connections with larger environmental issues such as climate change, water supplies, and even the atmosphere.

Our first guest was Dr. Stephanie Walker of the Chili Pepper Institute, New Mexico State University. She told us about the diverse functions of the institute, including developing new cultivars, providing support for New Mexico chili farmers, and educating the public about chilies. She also told us about how climate change is affecting the growing season, availability of water, and other problems for the farmers. The institute is well known, and its annual conference attracts people from all over the globe.
Learn more about the institute at cpi.nmsu.edu.
Listen to the interview: click below.
Learn more about the institute at cpi.nmsu.edu.
Listen to the interview: click below.

Then we spoke with Phil Elkins, a.k.a. Senor Felipe, KZFR host of LA Sounds, Wednesday, 3-5 pm. A while back, Phil had a highly successful career as a salsa maker, staring out in Chico but going global-ish. He spoke about recipes, manufacturing processes, and, of course, the choice of chili pepper varieties. Phil is also a wonderful storyteller and laughs a lot as he tells of his experiences.
Learn more about Phil at srfelipe@weebly.com
And listen to the interview; click below.
Learn more about Phil at srfelipe@weebly.com
And listen to the interview; click below.
energy efficiency
with doug davenport and mark salavitch
eco 682 17 january 2023

This program explored energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings. Our first guest was Doug Davenport, Founder and Executive Director of Prospect Silicon Valley (ProspectSV), a nonprofit that helps companies develop sustainability strategies. He described how he works with a wide range of entitities to create and fund energy efficiency projects. We were impressed with both the intent and scope of the program.

Then we spoke with Mark Salavitch, Program Manager for PG&E, which is participating in the program. Mark described their Market Access Program (MAP) and how it is working throughout its system to reduce stress on the grid and reduce energy consumption generally. Again we were impressed by the range and success of the project.
Learn more about ProjectSV at https://www.prospectsv.org/
And learn more about PG&E at https://www.pge.com/en_US/small-medium-business/save-energy-and-money/energy-savings-programs/energy-savings-programs.page
Listen to the program: Click below.
Learn more about ProjectSV at https://www.prospectsv.org/
And learn more about PG&E at https://www.pge.com/en_US/small-medium-business/save-energy-and-money/energy-savings-programs/energy-savings-programs.page
Listen to the program: Click below.
protecting alaska's cook inlet
with sue mauger
eco 681 january 10, 2023

Our focus in this program was Cook Inlet in Alaska, a body of water stretching south from Anchorage, which lies over great stores of gas and oil. Congress has mandated leasing of those waters and the resources beneath and held an auction on December 30. Our guest was Sue Mauger of Cook Inletkeeper, an organization that has long campaigned against these leases and joined with Earthjustice and others in filing suit to prevent the auction. The auction did proceed, and Sue shared with us the results, which were in some ways encouraging to those who would like to preserve the inlet and its resources. She also spoke with us about some of the InletKeeper’s other projects. Specifically, Sue Mauger studies Alaska’s wild salmon streams and leads Inletkeeper's efforts to highlight the relevance of climate and land-use change in local decision-making. She coordinates regional water temperature monitoring networks and uses thermal infrared imagery to map and protect cold-water habitats: the stepping stones salmon will need to move up and down otherwise warming stream channels. Sue did her undergraduate work at Duke University and got her masters in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University. She was among 80 women worldwide selected to take part in the second team of Homeward Bound, a global leadership initiative for women in science.Learn more about the great work of Cook InletKeeper at https://inletkeeper.org
To listen to the interview, click below.
To listen to the interview, click below.
saving life on earth
with tierra curry
eco 680 3 january 2023

To kick off the new year, Susan interviewed Tierra Curry, Saving Life on Earth Campaign Director, Center for Biological Diversity. She works nationally with individuals and groups in support of celebrating and protecting biodiversity. Prior to joining the Center in 2007 she worked as an amphibian field biologist, environmental educator and community organizer. She holds a bachelor's in English from Berea College and a master's in biology from Portland State University.
They discussed just a few of the Center's many programs and such topics as global extinction, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Endangered Species act, and the current status of Monarch Butterflies, Humboldt Martens, and Lassic Lupines. Click below to listen to or download the program.
They discussed just a few of the Center's many programs and such topics as global extinction, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Endangered Species act, and the current status of Monarch Butterflies, Humboldt Martens, and Lassic Lupines. Click below to listen to or download the program.