Earthbeat Radio

The Supreme Court opens the floodgates for corporate money to flow directly into elections. We’ll discuss how this stampede of special interests will affect climate change laws.

Joining host Mike Tidwell to discuss the implications of the Supreme Court vote is Rich Thomas, the general counsel and senior vice president of the League of Conservation Voters.

Then, what can Brown do for you? We speak about the surprise election to the US Senate of a Republican from Massachusetts – Scott Brown. Joining the conversation are two environmentalists who know Brown more than most. Jack Clarke is the director of public policy for Mass Audubon, the oldest and largest environmental group in the Northeast USA, and Lora Wondolowski, the executive director for the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters.

There are less than 4 thousand wild tigers in the entire world. Now a new study shows how one out of every 10 of these tigers may be underwater within the next 100 years due to climate change. Joining us in our Washington, DC studios is Colby Loucks, the deputy director of the conservation science department at the World Wildlife Fund and the author of the new study in the scientific journal Climatic Change.

Image copyright World Wildlife Fund

Music for this edition of Earthbeat includes instrumental versions of Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.”Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

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To give to the people of Haiti affected from a massive earthbeatquake – we suggest Doctors without Borders, Partners in Health or Mercy Corps. Also, our friends at Other Worlds, with three decades of experience working with social movements in Haiti, have this message to share
with you: Other Worlds.
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While the US Senate continues to stall on climate change – allegations continue into oil company lobbyists writing legislation suggested by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. Joining host Daphne Wysham to discuss these Senate shenanigans is Steven Biel of MoveOn.org and Courtney Abrams of Environment America.

Then we discuss presidential power and climate change with Kevin Bundy of the Center for Biological Diversity. He’s one of the authors of the new report “Yes, He Can.”

Then a critical discussion on agriculture and climate change. Rachel Smolker of BioFuel Watch joins us to discuss agribusiness, biochar and agricultural offsets.

Music from this edition of Earthbeat is by the Haitian band Tabou Combo from their album Taboulogy. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Image used courtesy of Laura Padgett via Flickr.

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Keep Winter Cold is a yearly polar bear plunge by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to highlight climate change.
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As climate legislation continues to crawl through Congress, standing in the way of any real action on climate change are Senators who seem more concerned about oil company profits than climate change effects. On this hour of Earthbeat, host Mike Tidwell reviews two Senators who are obstructing climate change legislation.

Both come from powerful political families, both are Democrats, and both represent states that are uniquely affected by climate change.

Louisiana is arguably the US state that is most affected by climate change, and yet Senator Mary Landrieu has proudly proclaimed herself “the most fervent pro-drilling Democrat in the Senate.” Montana is the home to Glacier National Park and its forests are being ravaged by a explosion of beetles that now live through warmer winters. However Senator Max Baucus is proud to be the only Democrat to vote against climate legislation, and he did so be says its carbon emission targets are too high.

Joining us from Louisiana is Aaron Viles,the Campaign Director for the Gulf Restoration Network; and from Montana is Jim Jensen, the head of the Montana Environmental Information Center.

Then, the recent explosion in solar energy across America. Solar power is stronger, faster and cheaper than ever before. Joining us to discuss solar is author Amanda Little. Her book ‘Power Trip‘ describers her first-person journey across American to catalog our energy landscape.

Finally, a commentary by host Mike Tidwell about how – against the odds – we’re winning more than we’re losing when it comes to fighting climate change – based on his recent editorial in the Baltimore Sun.

Music: Two renditions of the Pink Panther Theme, one by Bobby McFerrin and a second by Alfred Choral. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Photo by Hanneorla via Flickr.

Nuclear power proponents say it’s ‘clean energy’ because, unlike coal-fired power plants, nuclear power doesn’t produce carbon dioxide. In this encore episode we hear from Dr. Helen Caldicott the author of Nuclear Power is Not the Answer on the dangers of nuclear power and how it DOES create massive amounts of greenhouses gases. Dr. Caldicott joins the discussion with host Daphne Wysham. More information about the rise of nuclear power in the US Senate can be found at Mother Jones magazine. The report Dr. Caldicott mentions is Carbon Free Nuclear Free.

Top American companies ditch their membership in the US Chamber of Commerce because of its climate change denial. We speak to Pete Altman, the climate campaign director for the Natural Resources Defense Council and Antonia Juhasz, the author of the book The Tyranny of Oil. To take action and support companies demanding the U.S. Chamber of Commerce change its stance on climate change, either call 1-877-5-REPOWER or visit WhoDoesTheChamberRepresent?

The federal government classifies incinerators as a source of renewable energy. Meg Sheehan of Ecolaw in Massachusetts discusses the irony of naming waste as renewable.

Biochar is a type of charcoal that’s the result of burning plant matter with very low oxygen. It’s a sooty, black substance that holds great promise for not only slowing down climate change – but actually reversing it. In this encore episode of Earthbeat, host Mike Tidwell discusses the promise of biochar with Durwood Zaelke, the president and founder of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development.

The connections between population and climate change go far beyond the recent comments by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Kathleen Mogelgaard of Population Action International speaks about how giving women the control they want over the size of their families ends up being a win-win for them, and the climate.

Finally, we hear about a rock that naturally traps carbon dioxide right out of the air. It’s kinda like the ‘anti-coal;’ we speak to researcher Sam Krevor of Stanford University’s Energy Resources Engineering Department.

Music used in this edition of Earthbeat is ‘Charcoal’ by Mrs. Tanaka.