Earthbeat Radio

Today on Earthbeat, host Mike Tidwell discusses how President Obama is missing in action when it comes to climate leadership.

‘Black carbon’ makes up 50 percent of the non-carbon dioxide global warming pollution in our atmosphere. In this rebroadcast of an April 2009 interview, we speak to Durwood Zaelke, the president and founder of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development.

The TED talks are renown for bringing together some of Silicon Valley’s leading thinkers and innovators. John Doerr is a partner in the famed venture capitalism firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers and known for investing in Amazon, Google and others before they were household names. John is now focusing his efforts, and his fortune on green technology.

Alex Steffen is the founder of the website Instructables and is the cofounder and executive editor of the website WorldChanging. He speaks about how innovation will help us create a sustainable future.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat comes from the album Sangria by Mariah Parker.

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

Host Daphne Wysham speaks to the president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, Arjun Makhijani; the Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists, Marchant Wentworth; and the deputy legislative director for the League of Conservation Voters, Sara Chieffo.

The fight against coal heats up with Congressional testimony and high-profile arrests of NASA scientist James Hansen and actress Daryl Hannah. Kate Rooth of Greenpeace USA and Stephanie Pistello of the Alliance for Appalachia and Appalachian Voices join us to discuss the recent actions.

And an architecture research group that’s working to slow climate change - we speak to Edward Mazria, the founder and executive director of Architecture 2030.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat is Planet Passion by Ancient Futures.

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

What your community will look like in a hundred years in a changed climate. Host Daphne Wysham speaks to the Tony Janetos, the co-author of an effort that brings together 13 US government agencies, laboratories and universities to create a comprehensive report on climate change in America. Janetos is the director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute at the University of Maryland and the Pacific Northwest National Lab.

The USA’s first major climate legislation is poised to come to a vote in Congress this week, joining us to discuss the bill and review how it will affect the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks is Erich Pica, policy analyst for the Friends of the Earth; Gillian Caldwell, campaign director for 1Sky; and Devin Helfrich, the legislative advocate for the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Part of the wrangling over the bill is intense lobbying by big agriculture companies as they push their way into the trillion dollar carbon market. Stanford Law professor Michael Wara joins us to discuss their efforts. Wara is also a member of the program for Energy and Sustainable Development at Stanford University.

Then, the legal precedent set by oil giant Shell’s decision to pay out over $15 million dollars to settle a thirteen-year case filed by the family of the slain Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiaw. We speak to Nigerian human rights lawyer, Oronto Douglas and the executive director of the group Oil Change International, Steve Kretzmann.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat is Fela Kuti.

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

A major government report on climate change impacts here in the United States is released - but while government scientists are raising the alarm, the US delegation at the international climate talks seems to be dragging its feet.

Joining host Mike Tidwell with this week’s Copenhagen Countdown is Karen Orenstein of the Friends of the Earth, Angela Anderson of the US Climate Action Network and Lou Leonard of the World Wildlife Fund.

Forced migration is an idea being floated by conservation biologists that would move plants and animals to new locations to protect them from extinction due to climate change. Professor Jessica Hellmann of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana.

The world’s largest wind company is headquartered in a tiny country not know for being windy. We’ll hear from Roby Roberts of the wind turbine manufacturer Vestas.

Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell discusses the behind-the-scenes negotiations leading up to the crucial Copenhagen climate meeting being held by the United Nations in December.

Joining the conversation is Carroll Muffett, Greenpeace USA’s deputy campaigns director, and David Doniger, the policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Deforestation accounts for almost 20 percent of global warming emissions - more climate pollution than all of the world’s cars, trucks, trains, planes and ships - combined. Lindsey Allen is a forest campaigner for Greenpeace. She’ll discuss their new report connecting the leather used for Nike, Adidas, and Reebok sneakers - and the Brazilian cattle farms that are destroying the Amazon.

Recently the head of the Department of Energy Steven Chu suggested ‘painting the world white‘ - creating roof covers that are light-colored and moving from dark asphalt to lighter concrete for roads. It turns out there’s a considerable amount of math and science that supports this simple-sounding idea. Dan Leistikow of the Department of Defense joins us to discuss the details.

Image used courtesy of v.song via Flickr.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat comes from the album Sangria by Mariah Parker.

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

The Nigerian military’s Joint Task Force launched a full-scale assault on villages in the oil-rich Niger Delta on May 13, 2009. The military says the action is targeted at militants in the area. But reports from the ground suggest hundreds and perhaps thousands of innocent civilians have been killed. Humanitarian aid groups and journalists are banned from entering the Delta.

Billions of dollars in oil is extracted from under the feet of the people in the Niger Delta, and yet the region is marked by abject poverty.

Host Daphne Wysham sat down with the founder and director of the non-profit group, the Niger Delta Professionals for Development - Joel Bisina. Joining the conversation is Mary Ella Keblusek, the group’s international director. Mary Ella is also an associate producer of the forthcoming documentary on the Niger Delta, Sweet Crude.

Oil companies are now coming under legal fire for polluting the Amazon and for allegedly working hand-in-hand with corrupt governments in oppressing the people living in oil-rich areas globally.

Antonia Juhasz joins us to discuss the one oil company’s actions - Chevron’s - and shares with us the contents of her just-released alternative annual report on the oil company. Juhasz is the author of the book The Tyranny of Oil. Her alternative annual report on Chevron is entitled, The True Cost of Chevron.

Today on Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell debates the massive Waxman-Markey climate bill with Joe Romm, the editor of the blog Climate Progress, and the author of the book, Hell and High Water.

Waxman-Markey is the shorthand for the massive, over 900-page climate change legislation introduced by Congressmen Henry Waxman of California and Edward Markey of Massachusetts.

Then Mike discusses a blue-ribbon military report that says that America’s national security is gravely threatened by our country’s reliance on fossil fuels. The authors of the report include a former Army Chief of Staff, Commanders-in-Chief of U-S forces around the world, general officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, and a former NASA space shuttle astronaut.

Joining us to discuss the report is the executive director of the Military Advisory Board of the Center for Naval Analsyes, the non-profit research arm of the center - Sherri Goodman.

Music in this edition of Earthbeat is ‘Gauri the Golden’ by Matthew Montfort.

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

As the behemoth Waxman-Markey climate bill lurches forward - environmental groups are rallying to strengthen the bill. On this special edition of Earthbeat, host Daphne Wysham moderates a roundtable discussion on the bill and the new EPA vehicle emission standards.

Taking part in the discussion is David Bookbinder of the Sierra Club, Erich Pica of Friends of the Earth, Carroll Muffett of Greenpeace USA, Payal Parekh of International Rivers, and Devin Helfrich of the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Image used courtesy of Near DC via Flickr.

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

Al Gore takes on the largest group of climate deniers – Congressional Republicans. During the Waxman-Markey climate bill hearings the former Vice President countered ignorance with information.

Today on Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell reviews Al Gore’s climate testimony.

The global economic collapse has shown the folly of letting Wall Street traders run the world. The result is a wake-up call to those who believed that climate change could be fixed by carbon credits in the global market. The alternative is a carbon tax. In this encore edition of Earthbeat, host Daphne Wysham speaks to Charles Komanoff of the Carbon Tax Center.

Then, a debate at the National Press Club in Washington, DC between two environmental leaders on the merits and problems of relying on nuclear power to fight global warming. Patrick Moore is the co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, he debated Arjun Makhijani, the president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.

Image used courtesy of Pixelens Photography via Flickr.

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