Episode Two: "In Defense of Prairie Dogs" with guest Deanna Meyer.
Deanna Meyer is a long time environmental activist. Born and raised in Colorado, she gained a deep appreciation for the land and its living communities but came to recognize that everyone she loved was under attack. In 2015, she began her fight on behalf of prairie dog colonies along the Front Range when she launched a campaign to protect a large prairie dog colony from extermination in Castle Rock. She has been campaigning and advocating for numerous colonies and prairie communities ever since and intends to do whatever it takes to save this keystone species and the communities they support.
Deanna is the executive director of Prairie Protection Colorado, which advocates for prairie dogs by drawing attention to the mass exterminations of prairie dog colonies along the Front Range, and by organizing and resisting the destruction of the last remaining prairie communities. PPC organizes on-the-ground and works with local governments, the media and legal channels to cast a web of protection over the last remaining prairie dog colonies.
I first made contact with Deanna in November 2017 when researching an article entitled, "Slaughter in Colorado Highlights the Prairie Dog’s Plight," which was about the extermination of a colony in Longmont Colorado by a construction company.
We spoke on March 4, 2020, and the topics we covered included Prairie Protection Colorado's mission, the ecology of prairie dogs, the crimes against nature of the state of Colorado and the federal government, and the big picture of US American culture and its war on the environment.
Prairie Protection Colorado https://prairieprotectioncolorado.org/
"Slaughter in Colorado Highlights the Prairie Dog’s Plight" https://macskamoksha.com/2017/11/prairie-dogs-plight
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Basin and Range Watch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to conserve the deserts of Nevada and California and to educate the public about the diversity of life, cultures, and history of the desert, as well as sustainable local renewable energy alternatives. They seek to protect desert wildlands and species, groundwater resources, dark night skies, culturally important landscapes, local ways of life, and more.
A major focus is the current push by federal and state agencies to open up undisturbed habitat and public lands in the desert to energy development. They say: "Our goal is to identify the problems of energy sprawl and find solutions that will preserve our natural ecosystems and open spaces. We specialize in ground-truthing proposed project sites and reporting our findings to the public so that everyone is well-informed about how to comment during agency review periods. We pioneered citizen science monitoring of energy projects in the desert. We support energy efficiency, better rooftop solar policy, and distributed generation/storage alternatives, as well as planning for wise energy and land use following the principles of science and conservation biology."
In this episode, I talked to the founders of Basin & Range Watch, Laura Cunningham & Kevin Emmerich.
Laura Cunningham has a Bachelor's degree in paleontology from the University of California at Berkeley, where she also studied zoology, botany, herpetology, and natural resource management. Additionally, she undertook graduate study at the University of California, Santa Cruz in Science Communication. She is also a talented artist who has published two illustrated books: A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California (Heyday), and a children's book: The Bay Area Through Time.
Kevin Emmerich is a former National Park ranger and field biologist. He has focused on desert conservation and land-use issues for many years.
The three of us spoke on the phone on March 8th. We talked about the many issues with large-scale green energy projects in the deserts of the southwest, and also about common sense, locally-based alternatives. This was the second time I interviewed them together; a transcript of the first one, in 2015, appears in my book, "Roadtripping at the End of the World." Their message--that green energy ain't always green--deserves far, far more attention than it gets.
links: Basin & Range Watch https://www.basinandrangewatch.org/
"Your Money or Your Life: Can We Afford to Work for Peanuts?" https://macskamoksha.com/2015/03/your-money-or-your-life-can-we-afford-to-work-for-peanuts
Roadtripping at the End of the World: https://macskamoksha.com/product/roadtripping-at-the-end-of-the-world-paperback
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As the Western Watersheds Project’s Biodiversity Director, biologist Katie Fite has monitored more public ground than arguably any other single person in the Western United States. Her work has repeatedly set her against the anti-environmental bureaucrats at the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service.
She is currently Director of Public Lands at Wildlands Defense, an Idaho-based organization that is dedicated to protecting and improving the ecological and aesthetic qualities of the wildlands and wildlife communities of the western United States for present and future generations. Wildlands Defense engages in legal and administrative advocacy, scientific research, and wildland and wildlife monitoring, and also by supporting and empowering active public engagement.
Katie and I talked on March 9th, 2020, and took a deep dive into what is known as "welfare ranching." What's that? Well, the sepia-toned myth of the self-reliant cowboy is just that--a myth. In reality, the cattle industry of the western US recieves big subsidies from the federal and state governments, at taxpayer expense. The big losers in this scam are native wildlife and natural ecosystems. It's a tragedy that's been unfolding for centuries and that has only gotten worse in recent years. It's well past time to remove all cows and sheep from public lands, full stop.
Wildlands Defense http://wildlandsdefense.org/
The Latest BLM Hoodwinkery: "Fuel Breaks" in the Great Basin https://macskamoksha.com/2020/02/fire-breaks-in-the-great-basin
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Rivera Sun is a change-maker, a cultural creative, a protest novelist, and an advocate for nonviolence and social justice. She is the author of many novels including The Dandelion Insurrection and The Way Between and other novels. She is also the editor of Nonviolence News, a free weekly newsletter.
I first discovered Rivera's writing on Counterpunch and began following her on social media. A couple years back, when I asked her if I could mail her a copy of my most recent book, "The Failures of Farming & the Neccesity of Wildtending," she graciously offered to send me one of her own books. I chose "The Dandelion Insurrection," which I found so compelling that I couldn't put it down once I started it, and ended up spending an entire day reading.
I will admit that I have been skeptical of "non-violence" as an approach. This dates back to my time in Portland, Oregon, in the early 2000s, when the big protests against the upcoming Iraq War were going on. There, some of the prominent non-violence activists I knew struck me as close-minded, uptight, and unrealistic. Disagreements often came up as to whether property destruction constituted violence, which I felt tended to fetishize property, and by extension to shield class and capital from criticism. Additionally, some non-violent proponents tended to conflate violence and illegality, as if Gandhi and King and others had not purposefully engaged in illegal actions when appropriate.
The most frustrating moment came for me when some of the folks from that crowd got upset that people were using chalk on sidewalks and walls to express antiwar messages. In Portland, chalking is not even illegal; this I knew for certain from a local lawyer who provided letters to chalk activists that they could show to police if challenged. And chalking is not destructive; in rainy Oregon, it'll soon be gone. That was a breaking point for me, and I pretty much ignored the non-violent crowd after that for years to come.
But when I started getting into Rivera Sun's work, I came to understand that non-violence does not at all have to be about prissiness or passivity. To the contrary, it can be loud, bold, active, engaging and quite effective. I found myself re-inspired, and that was a happy feeling.
I interviewed Rivera on March 11, 2020, and we covered a lot of ground. By the end of this interview, I hope that you, too, will be excited about non-violence.
Rivera Sun https://www.riverasun.com
Non-Violence News https://nonviolencenews.org/
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Margaret Kimberley is an Editor and Senior Columnist at the Black Agenda Report, which publishes news, commentary and analysis from the black left. She is author of the book, "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," which is an eye-opening and very well researched volume published by Steerforth Press in February 2020. She contributed to the anthology, "In Defense of Julian Assange," which includes essays by over three dozen other well-known figures including Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg and Matt Taibbi. Margaret is also on the coordinating committee of the Black Alliance for Peace, which seeks to recapture and redevelop the historic anti-war, anti-imperialist, and pro-peace positions of the radical black movement.
I have been reading Margaret's work since the Obama years, when the Black Agenda Report came to my attention as a source for principled critique of US society and politics, no matter who is president. The writers there were not afraid to call Obama to account for his misdeeds both domestically and overseas, and their truth-telling has continued unabated to the present. I had the great pleasure of meeting Margaret in person in Manhattan in August 2018, and a transcript of our conversation appears in my book, "Roadtripping at the End of the World."
This podcast was recorded on April 24th, 2020. We discussed her book, "Prejudential," US foreign policy, the 2020 elections, Russiagate, how the COVID-19 virus is disproportionally affecting Black Americans, and the historic opportunity for fundamental change that is presenting itself during the current crisis.
Margaret Kimberley's "Freedom Rider" columns https://blackagendareport.com/author/Margaret%20Kimberley,%20BAR%20senior%20columnist
Black Agenda Report https://blackagendareport.com/
"Prejudential: Black Americans & the Presidency" http://steerforth.com/titles/prejudential/written+by-margaret+kimberley?feature=cover
My review: "230+ Years of White Supremacy: 'Prejudential: Black America & the Presidents'” https://macskamoksha.com/2020/02/prejudential
"In Defense of Julian Assange" https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/in-defense-of-julian-assange/
Previous interview: "The Myth of the USA’s “greatness” – A conversation with Margaret Kimberley" https://macskamoksha.com/product/roadtripping-at-the-end-of-the-world-paperback
My book, "Roadtripping at the End of the World" https://macskamoksha.com/product/roadtripping-at-the-end-of-the-world-paperback
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
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Jessica L'Abbé is a registered nurse who lives and works in Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada. I know her only from social media, where I have been appreciating her perspectives and knowledge, especially now, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We spoke on April 29th, 2020, by Skype. We talked about US / Canadian differences in health care, governance and the culture at large. She also had some very astute observations to make about media, not only regarding its messaging but also its nature. In general, I find it refreshing to converse with someone who is not a US American, and Jessica was certainly no exception.
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
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Gilbert Mercier is a is a French journalist, photojournalist and filmmaker. He founded the News Junkie Post in 2009 and is its Co-Editor-in-Chief. Over the years, he has been a guest analyst on television and radio programs for RT, BBC World News, the Progressive Radio Network, Sputnik, Al Hurra TV, CounterPunch Radio, and Radio Islam. Mercier’s articles have been republished by Alternet, Truthout, CounterPunch, Z Communications, Signs of the Times, Popular Resistance, and others. He authored the book, "The Orwellian Empire." He is a member of the National Press Photographers Association and the Art Directors Guild of America.
Gilbert and I spoke on May 5th, and covered a variety of political and environmental topics, many of them in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
News Junkie Post http://newsjunkiepost.com/
COVID-19 Great Depression: Global Ecosocialism Is the Way Out http://newsjunkiepost.com/2020/04/27/covid-19-great-depression-global-ecosocialism-is-the-way-out/
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG:https://www.amazon.com/Orwellian-Empire-Gilbert-Mercier/dp/099665352X Weekly essays, plus photography & more https://www.macskamoksha.com
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Lisa Savage is running for Senate in the state of Maine against Republican incumbent, Susan Collins. Lisa is long-time antiwar and environmental organizer, as well as being a public school teacher and a grandmother. Although she has been an active member of the Green Party, Lisa is running as an independent candidate due to restrictive ballot access laws in Maine. The state does, however, boast the advantage of having ranked choice voting, which gives independent candidates a better shot.
Lisa & I spoke on May 7th, 2020, and covered a lot of ground: COVID-19 relief (including her call for a People's Bail-Out), healthcare, agriculture, campaigning during a pandemic, the recently released documentary, "Planet of the Humans," the Green New Deal, and US militarism. If she wins, she will certainly be one of the most progressive people to ever serve in the US Senate.
Lisa For Maine official campaign site: https://www.lisaformaine.org/
Lisa For Maine on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaForMaine/
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
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Episode Eleven: "Radical Womb Sovereignty"
Samantha Zipporah is a reproductive and sexual health educator who provides counseling on everything from ovulation to orgasms, abortions to births, and menstruation to yeast infections. Sam brings a holistic approach to her work, seeking to deindustrialize all aspects of women's reproductive health. She is also an author and a musician.
In our conversation we talked about natural contraception, fertility awareness, plant medicine, the ecology of the menstrual cycle. how "the pill" works, "gyn-rape," and how men can be allies to women who are exploring these subjects and practices. This episode digs deep into many misunderstandings and mysteries about women's bodies and our culture and I hope that it sheds light for the listener.
Sam's website, where you can find info on her books, courses, events & more https://www.samanthazipporah.com/
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG: Weekly essays, plus photography & more https://www.macskamoksha.com
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Tao Orion is the author of "Beyond the War on Invasive Species: A Permaculture Approach to Ecosystem Restoration."
We conversed on May 18, 2020, and we talked about: the difficulty of defining the term "invasive;" the dangers of the pesticides that are used against them; the question of whether they need to be eradicated at all; understanding invasives as symptoms of bigger problems rather than being problems themselves; pre-Columbian indigenous land management; "intermediate disturbance" as a restoration method; the notorious zebra mussel; the roles that invasives play in their new environments; invasives as a stage in ecological succession; the usefulness of invasive plants for food, medicine and crafts; how native wildlife takes advantage of invasive plants; how permaculture can be used in restoration and agriculture in relation to invasive species; and, a recent experience I had dealing with an invasive species on the land where I'm living.
"Beyond the War on Invasive Species" -- more info on the book: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/beyond-the-war-on-invasive-species/
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG: Weekly essays, plus photography & more https://www.macskamoksha.com
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RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG: Weekly essays, plus photography & more https://www.macskamoksha.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kollibri.terre.sonnenblume
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