The Native American teacher, leader and activist -- Dennis Banks -- came to national attention almost 40 years ago when he took part in occupying Alcatraz Island in an attempt to claim the abandoned government prison as a center for Native American Studies. After 18 months, he and the other organizers were forcibly removed, an action that led to an event called The Trail of Broken Treaties or The Longest Walk in 1972.

Now, in the face of climate change dramatically affecting life on the reservations -- drying up marshes, wildfires and floods on the Indian nations -- The American Indian Movement and other supporters held a sequel, dubbed The Longest Walk 2.

This 8 thousand-mile trek came to its completion in July in Washington, DC. It began, like its predecessor, at Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay. This walk followed two routes -- a southern one through Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina -- and a northern one through Nevada, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Earthbeat host Daphne Wysham joined the founder of the American Indian Movement -- Dennis Banks -- the new leader of the group -- Tashina Banks Moore -- and two of the walkers themselves in one of the event's tipis that were erected in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol.

Modern scientists are now beginning to study the Earth as one system, as if it was one living organism with many, many parts. This idea is called "Gaia Theory" and while it's new to scientists -- native peoples have viewed the Earth as a living being for thousands of years. At an Gaia conference held in the DC area, Native American Lloyd Pinkham spoke about Native Science, a practice that covers social, economic, natural and wildlife resources.

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Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Coal is a dark and dirty source of energy -- it's also the source of about 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

So why is the coal industry pushing to build over 100 new coal-fired power plants across America? They're rushing construction before Congress finally sets caps on greenhouse gases. But activists are fighting back.

Patrice Simms, a senior project attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council joins host Mike Tidwell in this encore broadcast of Earthbeat to discuss coal nationwide.

Then we focus on one plant planned in Wise County, Virginia. Joining us from Charlottesville, Virginia is Cale Jaffe, the lead attorney fighting against the planned Dominion Virginia power plant. Cale is a staff attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. Joining him is Matt Wasson, the conservation director for the group, Appalachian Voices.

Finally, we talk about the people living in the shadows of coal. Nick Miroff is a staff writer for the Washington Post - his story on prescription drug abuse among coal miners can be read here. Joining him is Kathy Selvage. She's a citizen activist and the vice president of the group - Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards.

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Music for this edition of Earthbeat comes from Moving Mountains: Voices of Appalachia.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Recently, armed rebels in Nigeria attacked an enormous oil facility in the Niger Delta. That and other attacks cut Nigeria's oil production to its lowest level in nearly two decades -- and sent America's gasoline prices even higher. Earthbeat host Daphne Wysham speaks to Nnimmo Bassey, the executive director of Environmental Right Action / Friends of the Earth, in Nigeria. John Ghazvinian, the author of Untapped: The Scramble for Africa's Oil, and Michael Watts, the director of African Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, join the conversation.

Then we look at the upside of the high price of oil - stopping suburban sprawl. Filmmaker Andrea Torrice discusses her latest work that focuses on the economic justice issues of sprawl with Carl Anthony of Earth House Leadership Center. And we hear about the connections between high gas prices and the bursting of the housing bubble with Joe Cortright, an economic analyst for Impresa Consulting in Portland, Oregon.

Then, we discuss the possibilities of plug-in hybrid cars with David Sandalow, a senior fellow on foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.

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Music for this edition of Earthbeat is from Thievery Corporation.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Today on Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell takes on Exxon for its sponsorship of the nation's only green ballpark - the Washington, DC Nationals. Joining CCAN in Strike Out Exxon is John Passacantando, the executive director of Greenpeace USA and Steve Kretzmann, the director of Oil Change International.

A new federal report sums up the links between climate change and the extreme weather we're seeing all across America - from the massive flooding in the Northeast, to drought and wildfires in the West to killer storms and tornadoes in the East. John Passacantando joins Mike Tidwell to discuss NOAA's report.

And we discuss the NOAA report as well as how the American media fails to connect the dots between national disasters and climate change with Brad Johnson, a research associate at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Brad is a contributor to their website the Wonk Room.

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Music for this edition of Earthbeat include versions of "Take me Out to the Ballgame" by Hot Buttered Elvis as well as Doc & Merle Watson.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

The poor in developing countries are fighting back against the multi-national oil companies. Host Daphne Wysham speaks to activists from Nigeria and Indonesia about how oil exploration and biofuel production are devastating the developing world.

Mina Susana Setra, from Indonesia, is the director of international advocacy and foreign affairs for AMAN - Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara - Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago. From Nigeria is Nnimmo Bassey, the executive director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria. View the film, The Forest Lament.

David Waskow, the director of the climate change program for Oxfam America speaks about how US policy could greatly affect adaptation around the world. View the Oxfam video on adaptation.

David Korten is the author of When Corporations Rule the World. In his latest work, The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community, Korten lays our his paradigm shift for true worldwide change. He spoke at the recent IFG/IPS Teach-In.

Adaptation to the energy crisis and climate change -- that's coming up today on Earthbeat.

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Image courtesy of Oxfam via Flickr.

Today on Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell gazes into his crystal ball. We discuss what's next for Congressional action on climate change now that the Lieberman-Warner legislation is dead with Jeremy Symons, the executive director of the National Wildlife Federation and Dave Hamilton, the director of global warming and energy programs for the Sierra Club.

What's next for the White House now that Barack Obama will become the Democrat's nominee? We continue our conversation with Jeremy Symons and speak to Paul Ferguson, a member of the Virginia Governor's Commission on Climate Change. Ferguson is currently the clerk of the circuit court for Arlington County.

And what's next on the Republican side of the coin? We discuss John McCain and his love of nuclear power with Joe Romm, the author of Hell and High Water and a blogger with the website Climate Progress.

Here is Barack Obama's Kentucky clean coal advertisement - Here are details of Obama's campaign.

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The massive earthquake and aftershocks in China's Sichuan province unveiled the weaknesses in dams in the country. Today on Earthbeat we look at hydropower's problems - and some possible solutions.

Host Daphne Wysham speaks to a senior advisor to the US Army Corps of Engineers - Jerome Delli Priscoli. He's the editor of a scientific journal by the World Water Council as well as the editor of the forthcoming book, Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts.

Joining the conversation to discuss her recent travels and analysis of China's dams is Nicole Brewer, the China global program associate for the California-based group International Rivers.

Greedy developers around the world are manipulating hydropower's clean-energy reputation for profit in the world-wide trade of carbon credits. International River's Executive Director Patrick McCully joins us, and discussing the links between this and US climate legislation is Kate Horner of Friends of the Earth.

Then, a discussion of how some dam projects actually contribute to global warming and how to build a clean dam with Jerome Delli Priscoli and Brian Richter, the co-leader of the Global Freshwater Team at The Nature Conservancy.

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Image courtesy of Taylor Miles via Flickr.

350 is the magic number for climate activitsts. That's the number of parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere that scientists say is a SAFE level. But scientist say the Earth is already above 350. Joining host Mike Tidwell in our Washington, DC studios is Phil Aroneau of 350, an organization that's working to make 350 the goal number for the United Nations, climate activists and the world.

Right in the shadow of the US Capitol are two windmills that are part of the US Botanic Garden's summer exhibition - One Planet-Ours. Executive Director Holly Shimizu discusses the message they're bringing to the three-quarters of a million visitors who will stroll through the exhibit this summer.

Part of the garden's exhibition is solar cooking and coming into the studios to discuss how solar cooking can revolutionize the world is Louise Meyer. She's the founder of Solar Household Energy.

Hot fun in the summertime -- that's all coming up on this edition of Earthbeat.

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The connections between the devastating cyclone in Burma and climate change.

The military government in Burma renamed the country Myanmar and decreed that farmers devote thousands of acres to growing biofuels instead of food. Now, the country's rice reserves are wiped out - and the military is blocking full international aid.

Joining host Daphne Wysham on the telephone from the Thailand-Burma border is Charm Tong of the Shan Women's Action Network and Sai Khur Hseng of the Ethinic Community Development Forum of Burma. In our Washington, DC studios is Jeremy Woodrum of the US Campaign for Burma; and on the telephone from his offices in Seattle Washington is Jeffrey Wright of the Christian Charity - World Vision.

Bestselling author John Perkins joins us to discuss how US corporations help to shore up Myanmar's military dictactorship. Perkins' book "The Secret History of the American Empire" is now out in paperback.

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Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Children sit amidst the debris of their destroyed homes southwest of Yangon May 7, 2008. Photo credit: REUTERS/Stringer via Flickr.

The Bush Administration has listed the polar bears as 'threatened.'

On this edition of Earthbeat we discuss how the oil companies plan to undermine this new polar bear protection - using the argument that protecting the polar bears will hurt African Americans. We'll have the latest on the status of polar bears in the wild - and in Washington.

Joining host Mike Tidwell is Mike Daulton, Director of Conservation for the National Audubon Society and Doug Inkley, senior scientist with the National Wildlife Federation.

Plus, Joe Romm will join us to discuss the latest climate news, including the emergence of 'Grolar Bears.' Romm is the voice behind the website Climate Progress.

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Image used courtesy of AngelStar2134 via Flickr.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat is "Bi-Polar Bear Blues" by Johnny Lloyd Rollins and "Bi Polar Bear" by Wax Fang.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

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Getting to ZERO carbon dioxide emissions - without going nuclear; and the connections between climate change and the world food crisis.

Host Daphne Wysham speaks to Arjun Makhijani and his colleagues at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research on their plan for cutting greenhouse gases without turning to nuclear power.

A discussion on the connections between climate change and the world food crisis. Joining us from locations around the world are: Walden Bello with Focus on the Global South; Debbie Barker with the International Forum on Globalization; and Anuradha Mittal of The Oakland Institute.

In our final segment - we get an on-the-site report from the border of Burma and Thailand on the thousands of people killed and injured during the recent devastating cyclone. (The military government of Burma have renamed the country - Myanmar.)

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Image used courtesy of Squacco via Flickr.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat is "World Looking In" by Morcheeba and "Lebanese Blonde" by Theivery Corporation. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

The connections between eating meat to climate change.

As the world food crisis continues, the ties from food to fuel have never been more apparent. Try to count the carbon of your dinner plate and suddenly you're considering the irony that more carbon may released by your local farmer and her free-range chickens than the far away mega-farm with four stories of chicken coops. Today on Earthbeat -- biofuels, vegetables, counting-carbon, eating locally, agribusiness, even Al Gore.

Speaking about his research on counting carbon, Adrian Williams from the Department of Natural Resources at Cranfield University in Britian. Tom Philpott, the food editor from the magazine Grist gives an overview on food and climate.

Two farmers speak about sustainable agriculture and grass-fed beef. Dan Imhoff is also the author of the book Food Fight: A Citizen's Guide to the Farm Bill. Anthony Flaccavento is the director of the group Appalachian Sustainable Development.

Standing front in center in linking meat to climate is the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETAVice President Bruce Friedrich speaks about their campaign to turn Al Gore into a vegetarian.

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Photo used courtesy of Janet Towbin.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat is "Stroking the Grits" and "Chokin on a Piece of Steak" by The Poets of Rhythm. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Many environmentalists call Portland, Oregon - nirvana. The city is on track to meet the Kyoto Protocols, has a land use policy that stops sprawl, miles of bike lanes and even has a plan for Peak Oil.

On this encore edition of Earthbeat, host Daphne Wysham takes a road trip to Portland. Recording the show from the studios of KBOO in Portland, Daphne gets an overview of Portland's policies with city commissioner Erik Sten and the Oregon Environmental Council's Teresa Huntsinger.

Taking a in-depth look at Portland's Peak Oil program is Michael Armstrong with the city's office of Sustainable Development, and David Cohan. David is a project manager for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and a member of the grassroots group that put Peak Oil in Portland front and center.

Finally, Daphne talks about the main reason why so many people move to Portland -- its astounding natural resources. Steve Pedrey the spokesman for Oregon Wild discusses so-called 'salvage logging' after forest fires and how it damages the environment and the CEO and President of the Wild Salmon Center - Guido Rahr, discusses the effects this fish has on the economy, and the psyche, of the Pacific Northwest.

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This edition of Earthbeat is dedicated to Dr. Donald Wysham, a man whose love of the great outdoors remains an inspiration.

Image used courtesy of Bill Harvey via Flickr.

Music used in this edition of Earthbeat: Portland, Oregon by Loretta Lynn & Portland by The Replacements.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Thank you to all the wonderful people and volunteers at KBOO in Portland, Oregon. Don't forget to support public radio, the voice of the people!

Global warming is already having an effect on the world's tourism industry. While islands begin to disappear and coastlines erode, a macabre type of tourist is emerging - people burning through thousands of gallons of jet fuel - just to be the last to see disappearing places. Joining host Mike Tidwell during this encore edition of Earthbeat is Jonathan Tourtellot, the director of the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations and the geotourism editor for National Geographic Traveler. Joining the conversation from his office in Ann Arbor, Michigan is Will Weber, the director of the adventure travel outfitter, Journeys International.

One group that is combining direct political action with their love of America's playgrounds is the National Parks Conservation Agency. Their director of Clean Air Programs, Mark Wenzler, discusses their report: Unnatural Disaster.

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Image used courtesy of suntoksabwan.

Music used in this edition of Earthbeat: Travelin' Man by DJ Honda & Mos Def. Umi Says by Mos Def, Zero 7 remix.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

The World Bank is trying to tie itself to the climate crisis by positioning itself as the savior behind a world-wide carbon market.

But while the Bank's left hand is making claims of clean energy and a new world-wide economy -- its right hand continues the Bank's old fossil fuel ways.

Joining Earthbeat host Daphne Wysham in our studios is Janet Redman, the author of a report investigating the Bank's carbon double-dealing. The report is titled: The World Bank: Climate Profiteer, it is available at the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network at the Institute for Policy Studies. Focusing on the World Bank-funded new coal-fired power plant in India is Barbara Bramble of the National Wildlife Federation.

Taking action against fossil fuels around the world is Energy Action, a coaltion of youth groups around the world fighting against climate change. Recently they held Fossil Fool's Day in April to highlight the folly of fossil fuels. Joining us in the studio to discuss Energy Action's actions is Ragini Kapadia and Whit Jones.

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Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.