Earthbeat Radio

****
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.
****

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.

***
Keep Winter Cold is a yearly polar bear plunge by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to highlight climate change.
***

The UN Climate meeting is underway in Copenhagen. Outside, massive street demonstrations and alternative forums outside the Bella conference center focus the energy of tens of thousands of activists. Inside, developing countries push for action against the foot-dragging of the U.S. and a handful of wealthy countries.

In this special edition of Earthbeat, host Mike Tidwell reports from Denmark. We hear from representatives of the thousands of activists who have been locked out of the center. Then, the stirring words from the President of the Maldives Islands, Mohamed Nasheed and the founder of the group 350.org, Bill McKibben about the desperate need for true action on climate change.

More posts and updates will be coming, so keep tuning in right here for updates all week!

Indymedia Denmark is running a radio show daily with reports and interviews from the street in several languages, as well as a continuous loop of past content.

Image by Adam Welz for 350.org, used for media permission, all rights reserved.

The United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark is underway. Joining host Mike Tidwell to discuss what’s occurring during the official meeting is author and climate activist Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org. And from the floor of the Copenhagen talks themselves is Jennifer Morgan, the director of the World Resources Institute’s Climate and Energy Program.

Peter Barnes joins us to discuss his views of the current status of climate action. Peter is is with the social justice group On the Commons based in San Francisco. He’s also the author of the book Who Owns the Sky? and a supporter of a cap and dividend way of combating climate change.

Then, we get a view of what’s occurring outside the official U.N. Climate meeting from George Marshall, the founder of the Climate Outreach and Information Network from Wales, UK and from the Copenhagen meeting itself is Jihan Gearon of the Indigenous Environmental Network.

Image from © Greenpeace / Christian Åslund all rights reserved

The debut of the new animated film The Story of Cap and Trade. Host Daphne Wysham, who recently penned an op-ed for The Huffington Post on cap and trade, speaks to narrator Annie Leonard and and the founder of Free Range Studios, Jonah Sachs, the animator. The Story of Cap and Trade is featured in The New York Times and creating a stir in the blogosphere.

Then Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi joins us to discuss how the investment bank Goldman Sachs stands to make a killing in the carbon market. And, how activists are planning to demonstrate at the upcoming Copenhagen climate meeting. We speak to Kim Wasserman, the coordinator of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Nadine Bloch of the Mobilization for Climate Justice, and David Solnit, who helped to organize the Seattle demonstrations and is the co-author of the book The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle.

Indonesia recently rounded up and deported international journalists and activists who were in-country to witness the massive, intentionally set, fires that are destroying the country’s tropical rainforest.

Thanks in most part to those fires, Indonesia is the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter standing right up with China and the U.S. Joining host Mike Tidwell to discuss the devastation to the area – and its consequences for our climate are Greenpeace forest activists Rolf Skar in San Francisco and Chiara Campione in Italy.

Then 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.

Host Mike Tidwell then speaks directly to President Obama on how leadership could drive the United States into a clean energy future, if only he took the reins and lead the nation. Read that commentary here.

Music by Jacco Muller – Viento del Desierto. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Image copyright John Novis for Greenpeace, all rights reserved.

If you’d like to hear this edition of Earthbeat – please send us an e-mail

The EPA tried to silence two of its own staffers when they criticizing the White House’s cap and trade program. Host Daphne Wysham speaks to Laurie Williams and Allan Zabel about their YouTube video that shows how cap and trade is fatally flawed.

We review of the recent UN climate meeting in Barcelona with Ilana Solomon of Action Aid and Janet Redman of the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network. Then, details of President Obama’s climate agreement with China with Julian L. Wong of the Center for American Progress.

Image used courtesy of Sam Feinstein via Flickr.

If you’d like to hear this edition of Earthbeat – please send us an e-mail

Al Gore’s long-awaited follow up to ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ is in bookstores. ‘Our Choice’ is a master plan for fighting climate change. Joining host Mike Tidwell to talk about the book is Joe Romm. Joe is the author of the website Climate Progress and the author of the book Hell or High Water.

Then speaking of high water, we review a lawsuit by victims of Hurricane Katrina against the oil companies that they say contributed to the ferocity of the storm. We speak to Hannah McCrea, the author of the website Warming Law, and F. Gerald Maples, the lead attorney in the case.

If you’d like to hear this edition of Earthbeat – please send us an e-mail

Top American companies ditch their membership in the US Chamber of Commerce because of its climate change denial. Host Daphne Wysham speaks 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?

Then, why the EPA called a secret grand jury hearing to investigate what has been called the biggest toxic dumping scandal of the 21st century. We speak to BBC investigative producer Meirion Jones of the program Newsnight and Greg Palast, the best selling author of the book Armed Madhouse.

The leaked documents can be viewed below.

One the same day that the US Senate announced its version of climate change legislation the EPA announced new action limiting greenhouse gases by big emitters. Mike Livermore, the executive director of the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University’s School of Law and Bill Snape, the senior counsel for the Center for Biological Diversity, connects the dots for national, and international, action. Host Daphne Wysham wrote an editorial on this issues at Alternet.

Music by Donald Knaack, The Junkman from the album Junk Music 2. Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

Image of the World Trade Center used courtesy of NYC Comets

If you’d like to hear this edition of Earthbeat – please send us an e-mail