Voices for Nature & Peace

Ep.4 – Green Energy vs. the Mojave Desert

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 13:06:00 -0000

Ep. 4: "Green Energy" vs. the Mojave Desert

Kevin Emmerich is co-founder of Basin & Range Watch, a non-profit environmental organization based in southern Nevada that educates people about threats to public land from industrial development and energy extraction in the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin. These regions have been ground zero for "green energy" due to their plentiful sunlight, strong winds and lithium deposits.

Kevin enjoyed a career in the National Park Service for 20 years in seven different National Parks and Monuments, including Death Valley National Park since 1991 (now retired). He has also worked as a field biologist for research on desert species such as the Panamint Alligator Lizard, Desert Tortoise, and Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard.

I've been following Basin & Range Watch's work for over a decade, since I saw Kevin quoted in an LA Times article about a "green energy" project in California. I've interviewed both Kevin and the organization's co-founder Laura Cunningham a number of times for print and podcast. (Links below.) I appreciate not only their knowledge and experience, but also the love they both so clearly have for the Southwest, a love that I share. So when I had questions how the incoming Presidential election might affect "green energy" projects in this area, my first email was to Basin & Watch.

We don't go to Trump right away. First I asked Kevin to talk about the negative environmental effects of "green energy" development in the desert, and we mostly talked solar. Having laid the groundwork for why it's important to stop such projects, Kevin speculated on whether Trump will be worse, the same or better than Biden was and Harris was likely to be. "Better" meaning less development. If you want to skip right to this section, go to timecode:

If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe, and share it on social media. It really helps get the word out!

BASIN & RANGE WATCH SELF-DESCRIPTION: Basin and Range Watch formed as an informational website project in 2008 to educate people about public lands and the threats from development and extraction, as well as how to protect local communities' economies and quality of life, and recreational uses from outside commercial interests intent on taking land and resources for distant profit. We know, we live here. In 2015 we became a nonprofit organization to further our goals of keeping our public lands wild, natural, and accessible to all. A major focus for us currently is the push by federal and state agencies to open up undisturbed habitat and public lands in our region to energy development. 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.

LINKS: Basin & Range Watch: https://www.basinandrangewatch2.org/ Substack: https://basinandrangewatch.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BasinRangeWatch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basinrangewatch/ Twitter: https://x.com/BasinRange

Western Solar Plan (Bureau of Land Management): https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-releases-proposed-western-solar-plan

FOLLOW / SUPPORT Kollibri: Substack: https://kollibri.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kollibri Paid subscribers to Substack & Patreon get early access to new episodes, in their full unedited form, longer than the public versions. Venmo: @kollibri

CREDIT: Intro & outro narration: Sarah Beth Reiss

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Bonus episode: Are the Plants Invasive? or the Land Ethics?

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:49:35 -0000

Are the Plants "Invasive"? or the Land Ethics?

In this cross-posted guest episode, host Kollibri terre Sonnenblume takes the guest seat and is interviewed by Amy Walsh of The Nettle Witch, MD. Amy describes herself as someone who is "not so gracefully walking the line between medical doctor and wild woman" and who is "exploring the science and magic of healing through essays, storytelling and poetry." The subject: so-called "invasive plants." In their conversation, they dive into many of the basic critiques of this common but highly dubious narrative. We cover much of what the science says and doesn't say, and we also discuss what cultural beliefs and prejudices feed the narrative.

The Nettle Witch, MD on Substack: https://thenettlewitchmd.substack.com/

Conservation Sense & Nonsense: (Website recommended by Kollibri during interview) https://milliontrees.me/

Source of the term "invasive land ethics": "Anishnaabe Aki: an indigenous perspective on the global threat of invasive species" (Reo, Nicholas & Ogden, Laura. (2018). "Sustainability Science." 13. 10.1007/s11625-018-0571-4.) https://www.academia.edu/36568069/Anishnaabe_Aki_an_indigenous_perspective_on_the_global_threat_of_invasive_species

CREDIT: Intro & outro narration: Sarah Beth Reiss

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Ep.3 – Bringing Land Use into the Climate Conversation

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:47:41 -0000

Ep. 3: Bringing Land Use into the Climate Conversation

Nikos Giannakis is a biologist with the University of Leeds, currently working in Greece. His graduate work was in environmental pollution control and agricultural chemistry, and his PhD was on soil microbiology. His national service requirement in Greece led to environmental consulting including impact assessment. Currently he is living with his wife (an architect specializing in natural building techniques) and six cats in an abandoned village in a national park in northwestern Greece. His activism focuses on defending nature from "green energy" projects and on bringing land use into the climate conversation.

Our interview hit many topics including "green energy" projects in Europe; land use as the "other leg" of climate change (besides the greenhouse effect), as highlighted by Spanish climatalogist Millán Millán; carbon reductionism in the climate change narrative; the hijacking of the environmental movement by the carbon conversation; land use and fire mitigation; the necessity to be wholistic in our relationship with nature; the all-too-material reality of the digital realm; increasingly extreme weather; conservation efforts worldwide (which Nikos is involved with); future directions for agriculture; public vs. private land; humans as keystone species in ecology; the importance of community; opportunities for young people to find new answers; the power of media to control narratives and hence public perception, and much more!

LINKS called out in interview:

Millán Millán, climatologist: Publications on Academia.edu: https://independent.academia.edu/Mill%C3%A1nMill%C3%A1n1

Rob Lewis' three part series, "Millan Millan and the Mystery of the Missing Mediterranean Storms," on land use as the "other leg" of climate change: Part I: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of Part II: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of-526 Part III: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of-0e9

Meghan Walla-Murphy, bear tracker: http://www.meghanwallamurphy.com/

Venmo: @kollibri

CREDIT: Intro & outro narration: Sarah Beth Reiss

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Ep.2 – Eugenics & Conservation: Too Close for Comfort

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:44:32 -0000

Ep. 2: Eugenics & Conservation: Too Close for Comfort

In this episode, Kollibri is joined by co-host Nikki Hill for a conversation with Calyx Liddick, founder of the Northern Appalachia School. Calyx has taken a deep dive into the common origins of the eugenics and conservation movements in the US in the early 20th Century, and what she has found is alarming. The boosters of race science, white supremacy, forced sterilization of "lesser" people and other now discredited concepts were the same who founded conservationism, and their odious residue remains. Conservationism must now be re-thought so that what is good can be kept and what is bad dismissed.

In our far-ranging discussion, we talked about all this history plus "invasive species" (a central pillar of eugenics as expressed through anti-immigration sentiment and law); the futility of "fortress conservation"; how the wilderness ideal erases Indigenous people and their relationship to ecology; the importance of reciprocity, integration and coexistence in our interactions with nature; our disagreement with the characterization of "invasive plants" as agents of settler-colonialism; climate change, and more.

Calyx Liddick is a bioregional herbalist, ethnobotanist, holistic nutritionist, wildcrafter, writer, wildlife tracker and a mother of two. She is strongly interested in exploring the relationships between plants and people. Find out more about her and the school she runs at: https://www.northernappalachiaschool.com/

Subscribers to Kollibri's Substack or Patreon enjoy early access to all episodes in their full length. (Public episodes are edited for length and clarity.) Substack: https://kollibri.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

Interview with Calyx on Kelly Moody's Groundshots podcast: https://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com/podcastblog/calyx

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Ep.1 – Plant Advocacy

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:42:28 -0000

Ep. 1: "Plant Advocacy"

An interview with with Paul Moss, Executive Director of the Plant Initiative, a plant advocacy organization. In this far-ranging and intriguing conversation,we talk about plant intelligence, agriculture, "invasive" plants, anthropocentrism, and more.

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Reboot!

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:06:27 -0000

Introducing "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They’re From"--the podcast.

The "Voices for Nature & Peace" is still retired. But episodes of the new podcast will be uploaded to this feed. "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From" will feature interviews with nature lovers on plants & ecology, with a special focus on “invasive plant” mythologies and the threat to wildlife habitat from “green energy" development. Plus agriculture, wildtending, plant consciousness and more.

Paying subscribers on Substack and Patreon will get early access and exclusive content. https://kollibri.substack.com/ https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

The Substack also features writing and photography for the public, so head on over and check it out!

If you’re someone who loves plants and the planet, join us!

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Announcement of new podcast "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From"

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:44:52 -0000

Announcement of new podcast "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From"

Special announcement! This podcast, "Voices for Nature and Peace," is officially retired.

However, I have a new podcast called, "Speaking For the Trees, No Matter Where They're From," featuring interviews with nature lovers about plants & ecology, with a special focus on “invasive plant” mythology and the threat to wildlife habitat from “green energy." Plus agriculture, wildtending, plant consciousness and more.

Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts so you won’t miss an episode. Search for it by name: "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From."

Or watch it on my YouTube channel, Radio Free Sunroot: https://www.youtube.com/radiofreesunroot

This podcast is a spin-off of my Substack blog of the same name, which you can find at: https://kollibri.substack.com/.

So, thanks for following “Voices for Nature and Peace” and I hope you’ll subscribe to "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From."

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Ep.71 – "No Such a Thing as an 'Invasive Species'?" feat. Prof. Matt Chew

Tue, 04 May 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"No Such a Thing as an 'Invasive Species'?" feat. Prof. Matt Chew

Dubbed a ‘gadfly of invasion biology’ by Scientific American, Matt Chew is known for critiquing ecology’s overreliance on societal metaphors and conservationists’ misapplication of notions like ‘nativeness’. Dr. Chew has a B.S. Environmental Interpretation and an M.S. Range Science (Ecology) from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Arizona State University. As statewide Natural Resources Planner for Arizona State Parks, he coordinated their Natural Areas Program, researched wildlife issues, and served on interagency committees—one of which also included his future wife, plant ecologist Julie Stromberg, who was a guest in an earlier episode of this podcast.

Currently employed at Arizona State University, Dr. Chew conducts a field course in ‘novel ecosystems,’ lectures in ‘history of biology’ and ‘biology and society’, and works with postgraduate students. He was awarded an Oxford research fellowship in 2014. His articles in "Nature," "Science" and other publications have been cited in over 200 different journals.

In this episode, I am joined by two co-hosts, Gabe Crawford of the Groundshots Podcast, and Nikki Hill. Nikki has a degree in environmental science and has worked in restoration and agriculture. Currently she invests her energy in wildtending efforts. We co-authored a zine together called, "The Troubles of 'Invasive' Plants," which you can download for free at my blog.

Gabe Crawford was raised on a small homestead outside of Durango, Colorado and started learning about plants from an early age. He got launched on his plant journey by studying with Katrina Blair at the Turtle Lake Refuge in Durango. He moved to Sandpoint, Idaho where he worked with Twin Eagles Wilderness School and Kaniksu Land Trust mentoring kids. Through this, he started naturalist training which opened him up to the world of wild tending, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the ancient and intricate relationships between humans and ecology. Gabe spent time with Finisia Medrano learning about the ancient wild gardens of the west that were and still are tended by indigenous peoples and was taught how to tend these first foods and plant back for future abundance. He collects the seeds of native foods plants, fruit trees, berries and other exotics to plant feral orchards and wild gardens.

In this conversation we take a deep dive into the history of "invasion biology" and reveal its scientific shortcomings and its cultural biases.

Prof. Chew's profile at Arizona State University: https://www.sols.asu.edu/matthew-chew

Papers by Prof. Chew at academia.edu: https://asu.academia.edu/MattChew

This is a crossover episode with the Groundshots Podcast, which was created by Kelly Moody. Groundshots is an audio project exploring our relationship to ecology through conversations and storytelling: How do we do our work in the modern age, when the urgency of ecological and social collapse feels looming? How do we creatively and whole-heartedly navigate our relationships with one another and the land? These and other questions are explored by Kelly & Gabe with a wide range of guests. Find out more at Of Sedge & Salt: https://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com/

Music in episode introduction is "Loop Mix" by Flavio Concini https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_4397472/sounds/470763/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYgc5cG9tazDqsvEwqKpYQ

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

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Ep.70 – "Trans 101" feat. Terra

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"Trans 101" feat. Terra

Terra is a freelance artist, writer, and podcaster residing in Portland, OR. I have known them since 2007, when I was an urban farmer living in their backyard. They are on Twitter as @cybersatyr: https://twitter.com/CyberSatyr

We discussed how the new ideas fit in with the old ones; the phrase, "trans women are women;" the concept of misgendering; how quickly the discussion of gender has changed; trans people in the military; the term, "TERF;" the usage of "they/them;" the word, "transsexual;" trans athletes in sports; actors, acting and Hollywood; and the importance of accepting things even whennnnn you don't understand them.

This episode's introduction music is by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

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Ep.69 – "Animal Liberation / Human Liberation" feat. Robert Porzel

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"Animal Liberation / Human Liberation" feat. Robert Porzel

Prof. Robert Porzel is a national representative for “Physicians against Animal Testing” and founder of the animal rights group “T-Zelle,” which aims to establish intersectional collaboration between social movements. The current network connects about 20 individual groups and organizations in the state of Bremen, Germany. In January of 2019 he was elected as national speaker of the German Greens party for animal policies. Apart from his activism, he is a lecturer and researcher in the field of artificial intelligence at the University of Bremen.

Robert & I have known each other since 1987, when we were assigned as roommates during our freshman year at college together. Back then, we often talked for hours and hours, and though many years have passed, we easily found a groove in our conversation here. We covered a lot of topics including the lack of scientific basis for animal testing; alternatives for testing medicines that don't involve animals; the ecological cost of agriculture generally and animal agriculture specifically; the connection between the oppression of animals by humans and the oppression of certain humans by other humans; the cognitive dissonance of loving some animals while eating others; veganic agriculture; health issues related to eating animal products; the many issues with dairy production and consumption; how wild animals are sacrificed for the ranching industry; the importance of stepping outside cultural perspectives; the significance of social media communication; the relationship of capitalism to animal agriculture; reformism vs. abolition in social change; the increasingly serious effects of climate chaos; and what positive things that people can do both for animals and for human survival.

Papers by Prof. Porzel: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert-Porzel

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: https://paypal.me/kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

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Ep.68 – "People & Plants on the Move, Together" feat. Zach Elfers

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"People & Plants on the Move, Together" feat. Zach Elfers

Zach Elfers was raised in the piedmont of the mid-Atlantic but has travelled widely around the lower 48. He is a student of the plants who has learned from mentors, elders, and most importantly, from living outside spending as much time as possible with the more-than-human world. His areas of interest include ancestral ways of subsisting, living, and knowing, and his work is focused on growing and promoting bioregional plants as food, medicine, and the foundations of our subsistence economies, rather than the imported and ecologically destructive colonial agriculture.

In this episode, I am joined by co-host, Nikki Hill. Nikki has a degree in environmental science and has worked in restoration and agriculture. Currently she invests her energy in wildtending efforts. We co-authored a zine together called, "The Troubles of 'Invasive' Plants," which you can download for free at my blog: https://macskamoksha.com/2019/01/invasive-zine

We discussed ecological concepts that are popular but flawed; the racist origins of anthropology; the forests of Laurasia and the Arcto-Tertiary Geoflora; prehistoric and pre-agricultural human relationships with edible plants; the Wilderness Act; anthropogenic fire; the question of whether fire is good or bad; disconnection from nature in mind and in reality; the conceit that science is absent of value judgments; and his nursery work.

Future Forest Plants: https://www.futureforestplants.com/

Nomad Seed Project: https://www.nomadseed.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyzach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandrambler/

Episode introduction music is "Mastermind 07" by DaveJF https://freesound.org/people/DaveJf/sounds/542200/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace

Ep.67 – Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 3 of 3)

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:10:00 -0000

Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 3 of 3)

Disclaimer: This episode is full of obscenities and is probably not safe for work. Additionally, it contains words relating to sexual identity that may be offensive to some. All this vocabulary is not included gratuitously, but reflects the usage of the podcast’s subject, Finisia Medrano, a trans woman with a mouth like a sailor. You’ve been warned.

In this special edition of “Voices for Nature & Peace,” I speak with six people who knew Finisia Medrano, aka “Fin,” aka “Tranny Granny.”

Fin died on April 3rd, 2020, so this release marks that first year anniversary.

Fin was a well-known, or rather, notorious personality in rewilding, wildtending, and primitive skills circles. Her name was both praised and cursed, but even her critics had to acknowledge her experience and knowledge when it came to Native American first foods and how to cultivate them in the wild.

She spent about three decades in the western United States, much of it on horseback, getting to know these special plants and their ecosystems. Though of Irish background herself, she had been taught by Shoshone grandmothers in her youth.

She often spoke of “the Hoop,” which is an ancient migratory tradition of food gathering and cultivation that sustained Native Americans – and the land itself – in good health for thousands of years until it was violently disrupted by the European Invasion. The Hoop is not dead but is severely threatened, and Fin played an important role in not letting it die yet.

Unafraid of controversy and passionate to the core, she offended many. I myself was on her blacklist once but I didn't take it personally. What else can you expect from such a feral creature, so thoroughly discontented with civilization? After all, when we respect what we call “tact,” we usually end up being silent about our collective crimes: genocide, ecocide, etc. Some people were offended by her verbal crudity, but her fierce advocacy for wildtending was not only appropriate but vitally essential.

Please note that “Tranny Granny” is a term of affection, not a slur, having been bestowed upon her by some of the “Radical Faeries.” Fin underwent sex-reassignment surgery (as it was then known) to transition from male to female in her younger days, before being introduced to the Hoop. The Radical Faeries are a queer movement dating from the 70's who have been variously described as neo-Pagan, counter-cultural, anti-establishment, anarchist and radically environmentalist and their nickname for her carries no malice.

This presentation is not intended to be an exhaustive account of Finisia and her work. Nor did I attempt to interview a set of people who would provide a, quote, "balanced" view. That is, I did not talk to any of her haters. But none of these people were blind to her characteristics and the picture that emerges here can certainly not be described as “fawning.” And you know what? Fin – or Granny, as she always was to me – wouldn’t have respected a suck-up job either.

This episode is structured around a set of six questions that I asked each interviewee. They are:

part 1:

How did you meet Fin?
How would you describe Fin to someone who never met her?

part 2:

What did Fin do? / What was Fin's work about?
Describe a time you experienced friction or tension with Fin

part 3:

Can you sum up Fin's message to the world?
Do you have a memory of the last time you saw her / communicated with her?

The interviewees are: Gabe Crawford, Joanna Pocock, Joshua Dodds, Nikki Hill, Rain and Seda.

LINKS:

"Growing up in Occupied America" (autobiography by Fin): https://www.lulu.com/shop/finisia-medrano/shop/finisia-medrano/growing-up-in-occupied-america/paperback/product-1m44e98p.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Fin on YouTube (!) https://www.youtube.com/user/Finisiamedrano/videos

"Finisia Medrano and The Return" by Joanna Pocock: https://dark-mountain.net/finisia-medrano-and-the-return/

"Postcard From Eastern Oregon: When planting food is illegal" (in which I tell my story of meeting Granny) https://macskamoksha.com/2015/03/postcard-from-eastern-oregon

Other samples used: Drum Loop (1) by Cafftal ~ https://freesound.org/people/Cafftal/sounds/531436/ Loop33 by Zajo ~ https://freesound.org/people/Zajo/sounds/41586/ Amen Break B by Kevcio ~ https://freesound.org/people/Kevcio/sounds/263869/ Circuit 11 Drum 1 by Doctor Dreamchip ~ https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/sounds/553708/ 106 BPM Drump Loop 1 by esares ~ https://freesound.org/people/esares/sounds/431874/ Beep warning by SamsterBirdies ~ https://freesound.org/people/SamsterBirdies/sounds/467882/ door creak by ollitunes ~ https://freesound.org/people/ollitunes/sounds/563136/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace

Ep.66 – Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 2 of 3)

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:05:00 -0000

Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 2 of 3)

In this special edition of “Voices for Nature & Peace,” I speak with six people who knew Finisia Medrano, aka “Fin,” aka “Tranny Granny.”

Fin died on April 3rd, 2020, so this release marks that first year anniversary.

This episode is structured around a set of six questions that I asked each interviewee. They are:

part 1:

How did you meet Fin?
How would you describe Fin to someone who never met her?

part 2:

What did Fin do? / What was Fin's work about?
Describe a time you experienced friction or tension with Fin

part 3:

Can you sum up Fin's message to the world?
Do you have a memory of the last time you saw her / communicated with her?

The interviewees are: Gabe Crawford, Joanna Pocock, Joshua Dodds, Nikki Hill, Rain and Seda.

LINKS:

Fin on YouTube (!) https://www.youtube.com/user/Finisiamedrano/videos

"Finisia Medrano and The Return" by Joanna Pocock: https://dark-mountain.net/finisia-medrano-and-the-return/

"Postcard From Eastern Oregon: When planting food is illegal" (in which I tell my story of meeting Granny) https://macskamoksha.com/2015/03/postcard-from-eastern-oregon

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace

Ep.65 – Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 1 of 3)

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Rebel with a Cause: Remembering Finisia Medrano (part 1 of 3)

In this special edition of “Voices for Nature & Peace,” I speak with six people who knew Finisia Medrano, aka “Fin,” aka “Tranny Granny.”

Fin died on April 3rd, 2020, so this release marks that first year anniversary.

This episode is structured around a set of six questions that I asked each interviewee. They are:

part 1:

How did you meet Fin?
How would you describe Fin to someone who never met her?

part 2:

What did Fin do? / What was Fin's work about?
Describe a time you experienced friction or tension with Fin

part 3:

Can you sum up Fin's message to the world?
Do you have a memory of the last time you saw her / communicated with her?

The interviewees are: Gabe Crawford, Joanna Pocock, Joshua Dodds, Nikki Hill, Rain and Seda.

LINKS:

Fin on YouTube (!) https://www.youtube.com/user/Finisiamedrano/videos

"Finisia Medrano and The Return" by Joanna Pocock: https://dark-mountain.net/finisia-medrano-and-the-return/

"Postcard From Eastern Oregon: When planting food is illegal" (in which I tell my story of meeting Granny) https://macskamoksha.com/2015/03/postcard-from-eastern-oregon

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.64 – "A Lifetime Seeking Peace" feat. Kathy Kelly

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"A Lifetime Seeking Peace" feat. Kathy Kelly

Kathy Kelly is a lifelong pacifist and peace activist. In her efforts to stop the US military machine, she has traveled to war zones around the world, engaged in countless acts of non-violent civil disobedience, and been arrested dozens of times. With her own eyes, she has witnessed the brutal costs of US aggression. Her reality has focused on things that most US citizens don't even know are happening because the mainstream media and the political establishment studiously avoid them. She knows about the children who are killed or maimed and she speaks up for them.

Despite being witness to so much horror, she is not full of despair and does not believe that humans are intrinsically evil. She is clearly guided by love. I was so grateful for the chance to talk to her, as I have admired people like her my whole life. To me, such people are heroic -- not sports stars or politicians or soldiers -- but the rebels with causes: the justice seekers, truth-tellers, and rabble rousers.

In our conversation, we talked about International Women's Day (which happened to be the date of the interview); women's rights and the politics of peace; the brutality of war; how most US Americans are ignorant of the consequences of US militarism; the effects of using drones and special forces; her visits to Afghanistan; the 30th anniversary of Desert Storm, the original US military attack against Iraq; what she learned on a visit to the Russian Federation; how militarism has become "the main religion in the United States right now;" the connection between US imperialism abroad and the repression of Native Americans domestically; her experiences in prison; the subject of prison abolition; and what keeps her inspired as an activist.

Kathy Kelly's columns, as posted to Counterpunch: https://www.counterpunch.org/author/kathy-kelly/

Voices for Creative Nonviolence website http://vcnv.org/

World Beyond War: https://worldbeyondwar.org/

A School for Social and Cultural Change (SSCC) https://sscc.teachable.com/

Maine Natural Guard link that Kathy refers to: https://sites.google.com/site/mainenaturalguard/resources

Music in episode introduction is "Glass bass" by Frankum & Frankumjay https://freesound.org/people/frankum/sounds/442285/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.63 – "Rethinking Food & Agriculture" feat. Laila Kassam

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0000

"Rethinking Food & Agriculture" feat. Laila Kassam

Laila Kassam has been involved in social change for most of her career. She has worked in the international development sector since 2003, conducting research on poverty and food security for rural development projects in the Global South. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and by international organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO). Laila has an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Development Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She is a co-founder of the Veterinary Vegan Network, Ethical Globe and Animal Think Tank. She co-edited the anthology, "Rethinking Food & Agriculture: New Ways Forward," which features a number of well-known writers and activists including Rupert Sheldrake and Vandana Shiva. The volume contains three articles co-written by Laila, and discussing these was the bulk of our conversation.

We talked about the role of animal domestication in the neolithic revolution; the concept of "misothery;" the so-called "green revolution" in 20th Century agriculture; alternative paradigms including conservation agriculture, organic agriculture, agroecology, and regenerative agriculture; how the question of either chemicals or animal inputs is a false choice; and the myth of food scarcity. We spent the last third of the interview talking about solutions: how we can make agriculture sustainable and just, which involves not just farming methods but also systemic economic and social changes.

Excerpts from the book: inclusiveresponsibility.earth

Episode introduction music is "Cool Swing" by frankumjay: https://freesound.org/people/frankum/sounds/320500/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.62 – "The Bonobo Way" with Dr. Susan Block

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 07:30:00 -0000

"The Bonobo Way" with Dr. Susan Block

Susan Marilyn Block, Ph.D. is founder and director of the Dr. Susan Block Institute for the Erotic Arts & Sciences. A world-renowned sexologist and best-selling author, her book, "The Bonobo Way: The Evolution of Peace through Pleasure," has garnered critical acclaim from a variety of media outlets and celebrities, from politicians to porn stars. A magna cum laude graduate of Yale University “with distinction” in Theater Studies, Dr. Block, aka “Dr. Suzy,” received her master’s and doctorate in psychology from California Miramar University and an honorary doctorate from the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.

In our conversation, we started with the basics of Bonobo life, and then moved on to the effects of geography on their evolution; how sex makes you smarter; the "Bonobo handshake;" how male Bonobos are "mama's boys;" releasing your inner-Bonobo; sexual puritanism on the left; scarcity issues with sex in contemporary society; how humans were more egalitarian and sexually adventurous as gatherer-hunters than we are today; the problem of increasing screen time in the our culture; and efforts to save Bonobos and their habitat in the wild.

DrSusanBlock.com

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSusanBlock

BlockBonoboFoundation.org

Sex therapy: 213-291-9497

F.D.R. -- F*ck Da Rich! podcast, live on Saturday nights! Call in at: 866-289-7068 Wherever you find podcasts, plus on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHU3oZaLJvA&list=PLRnnn7gHDW4auLrpsw56q9zH8EaxkTHue

Organizations working to save Bonobos in the wild:

Lola Ya Bonobo, a sanctuary for orphaned Bonobos: https://www.bonobos.org/

Bonobo Conservation Initiative: http://www.bonobo.org/

The Bonobo Project: http://bonoboproject.org/

Episode introduction music is "EastAndW" by Romariogrande https://freesound.org/people/Romariogrande/sounds/399354/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume: https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.61 – "It's Time to Dismantle the United States" feat. Ajamu Baraka

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0000

"The Vital Need to Decolonize" feat. Ajamu Baraka

A human rights defender whose experience spans four decades of domestic and international education and activism, Ajamu Baraka is a veteran grassroots organizer whose roots are in the Black Liberation Movement and anti-apartheid and Central American solidarity struggles. He is an internationally recognized leader of the emerging human rights movement in the U.S. and has been at the forefront of efforts to apply the international human rights framework to social justice advocacy in the U.S. for more than 25 years. He is now a National Organizer for the Black Alliance for Peace, whose activities we discuss.

Baraka has taught political science at various universities and has been a guest lecturer at academic institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Baraka has appeared on a wide-range of media outlets including CNN, BBC, Telemundo, ABC, RT, the Black Commentator, the Washington Post and the New York Times. He is currently an editor and contributing columnist for the Black Agenda Report and a writer for Counterpunch.

We talked about the recent airstrikes by the US on Syria; how foreign policy was virtually ignored during the 2020 presidential campaign; the bloated US military budget; the global reach of US imperialism; neoliberalism as an expression of fascism; alternative media and social media; decolonization and the need to dismantle the United States; the structures of white supremacy; the dependency of technoindustrial culture on colonialism; following indigenous leadership; the necessity of revolutionary change; the weak organizational culture in the US; and the importance of acting in solidarity with social struggles around the world.

If you like this episode, please share it on social media, and subscribe to the podcast so you'll be alerted to future episodes. To support "Voices for Nature & Peace" financially, you can make a one-time donation at paypal.me or venmo to username kollibri. You can also become a member at Patreon.com/kollibri, where you'll get early access to most episodes and to exclusive content.

Now here is my conversation with Ajamu Baraka.

Ajamu Baraka's website: https://www.ajamubaraka.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajamubaraka

Black Alliance for Peace: https://blackallianceforpeace.com/

Music in background of introduction assembled from samples by: MieliTietty https://freesound.org/people/MieliTietty/ and jaffa1970 https://freesound.org/people/jaffa1970/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.60 – "We Shouldn't Be at War with Plants (How 'Invasion Biology' Misses the Mark)" feat. Prof. Juliet Stromberg

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0000

"We Shouldn't Be at War with Plants" feat. Prof. Juliet Stromberg

Julie Stromberg is a retired professor from Arizona State University, where she received her PhD in Plant Ecology in 1988. While at ASU, she specialized in riparian ecosystems. Much of her research focused on relationships between stream and ground water hydrology and riparian ecosystems, and on effects of ecosystem disturbance (floods and fire) on riparian plant populations, communities, and landscapes. Some of her studies were conducted at reference sites where human influence is minimal, while others were carried out at hydrologically altered sites or at sites undergoing restoration. By understanding pattern and process in riparian ecosystems, she provided resource managers with information that could inform conservation and restoration efforts. She contributed to over 80 scholarly articles during her career and now focuses on non-academic writing.

Nikki Hill joined me as the co-host of this episode. Nikki has a degree in environmental science and has worked in restoration and agriculture. Currently she invests her energy in wildtending efforts. We co-authored a zine together called, "The Troubles of 'Invasive' Plants," which you can download for free at my blog.

Much of our discussion focused on Tamarisks, aka Saltcedars, a tree of African origin that thrives in riparian areas across the western United States. Tamarisks have been called, "invasive," but the whole story of this plant--and the reasons for its abundance--is far more complex than that simplistic and unscientific label suggests. We talked about how popular knowledge and policy lags behind science and research; how human water use has changed the ecology of the Southwest; how the endangered bird species, the Willow Fly Catcher, has come to depend on Tamarisk; how it doesn't make sense that some biodiversity indexes ignore non-native plants in their tallies; the role of scientists in manufacturing myths around Tamarisks; how agriculture devastates biodiversity; the role of annuals--native or not--in early ecological succession; how non-native plants can have beneficial ecological effects; climate change and plant migration; plant agency and sentience; contemporary alienation from nature and the importance of re-engaging; the healing practice of wildtending; and how an adversarial approach to restoration won't solve the ecological problems we made by being adversarial.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.59 – "We're All Preppers Now" feat. Margaret Killjoy

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

"We're All Preppers Now" feat. Margaret Killjoy

Margaret Killjoy is a transfeminine author and editor currently living in a self-built cabin in the Appalachian mountains. She is the author of the Danielle Cain series of novellas, published by Tor.com. She hosts the podcast, "Live Like the World is Dying," in which she interviews people who think about how to prepare for and survive crises. Politically, she is an anarchist: she believes that society would be better off without systems of hierarchy and oppression such as the state, capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy, and the like.

Margaret and I have known each other since the early 2000s in Portland, Oregon, where we were both involved in the Indymedia and forest defense scenes. We lived in the same activist house for awhile, and I always appreciated her analysis, creativity and hard work. We hadn't talked for over a decade at the time of this interview, but we fell right back into an easy, enjoyable dialogue. There's more laughter than usual in this episode, as both of us can approach serious topics with levity.

Our conversation was centered around an essay she wrote in early January called, "We're All Preppers Now." We discussed elite panic; the three essential components of successful prepping: skills, gear and relationships; the different scales of preparation including individual, community and grid-level; the difficulties of agriculture; the challenges of off-grid living, including our own personal experiences; "frontiersman" mythology; the importance of being in relation to the land where you live; how abstinence is not the most effective response to exploitation; anarchism as social organization; anarchists in history; the role of imagination in making positive change; electoral politics and activism; the possibility of famine; and climate change. We end the podcast with a recording of the song "Cast Fire," from her band, Alsarath, which also plays in the background of this episode's introduction.

"We're All Preppers Now" article: http://www.liveliketheworldisdying.com/2021/01/11/were-all-preppers-now/

Where to follow Margaret Killjoy and her work: Blog: http://birdsbeforethestorm.net/ Podcast: http://www.liveliketheworldisdying.com/podcast-episodes/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/magpiekilljoy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretkilljoy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/margaretkilljoy Musical projects at bandcamp: Nomadic War Machine, Feminazgul, Alsarath, and Vulgarite

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.58 – I'm Interviewed on the Green Root Podcast

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Ep. 58: I'm Interviewed on the Green Root Podcast

In January I was interviewed by Josh Schlossberg for his Green Root podcast. Josh is an investigative journalist and recovering activist and with his podcast he is pursuing a quest to uncover the roots of the modern ecological crisis. I interviewed Josh in 2018 about how biomass energy isn't green, and you can read an abridged version online at my blog or the complete conversation in my book, "Roadtripping at the End of the World."

In this interview we discussed some of the problems with agriculture including habitat destruction, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, ocean dead zones, soil erosion & top soil loss; we also touched on small-scale farms vs. Big Ag and got into the issues with genetically-modified crops. We then switched gears to history and prehistory and examined how the agricultural revolution changed human culture and health for the worse. We ended by talking about the importance of taking our lead for the future from indigenous people.

"Green Root" is one of my favorite podcasts, and I recommend that you to check it out! https://greenrootpodcast.podbean.com/

The beats in this episode's introduction music are by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.57 – "Lithium Mining Ain't Green" feat. Kevin Emmerich

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Lithium Mining Ain't Green" feat. Kevin Emmerich

The ugly truth behind the in-demand element

Lithium mining is back in the news these days, with activists occupying the site of a proposed mine in northern Nevada. (See episode 53 for my interview with Will Falk, one of the occupiers.) So I contacted Kevin Emmerich of Basin & Range Watch, to get more details about how lithium mining works, and what its ecological effects are. Basin & Range Watch is a desert defense group based in southern Nevada. They track industrial energy developments on public lands in the US southwest, and I consider them to be the premier online resource for learning about and keeping up-to-date with these projects, which include solar and wind.

Kevin & I spoke on January 30th, and we discussed the proposed lithium mine at Thacker Pass; other projects at Clayton Valley and Rhyolite Ridge; the massive use of water in mining operations; the unique ecology of these sites in the desert and the Great Basin; the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan and how it was assaulted by the Trump administration; the prospects for exploitation and conservation of the desert under the Biden administration; the false choice of fossil fuels vs. "green" energy; and the importance of efficiency in reducing overall energy use and pollution.

Basin & Range Watch website: http://basinandrangewatch.org/ on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BasinRangeWatch

Rare Wildflower Threatened by Lithium Mine (blog post by Kollibri) https://macskamoksha.com/2019/10/rare-wildflower-threatened-by-lithium-mine

This episode's introduction music is assembled from loops by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.56 – "Conservation in a Post-'Wilderness' World" feat. Leia Barnett

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0000

"Conservation in a Post-'Wilderness' World" feat. Leia Barnett

The idea of ecological "conservation" has always been in evolution, and today it is responding to the challenges of climate change, as well as being enriched by the addition of indigenous practices and knowledge. Legislation still lags behind, as it tends to, but the field is undeniably growing, which offers some encouragement for an uncertain future.

One of the people who is helping to broaden the work and the ethics of conservation is Leia Barnett. Leia is the Greater Gila Campaigner for WildEarth Guardians, an organization that seeks to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the US American West. Born and raised in the foothills and arroyos of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in New Mexico, Leia is thrilled to bring her love and deep reverence for the high desert country of the Southwest to the Greater Gila campaign. Leia graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico’s cultural anthropology program, where she focused on the ways the more-than-human world can be reimagined through anthropological theory and practice.

Leia and I spoke on January 18th, and we discussed Piñon pines, their ecological role, and how climate change is affecting them; the question of how the conservation movement should respond; public lands and their levels of protection and exploitation; the concept of "wilderness;" the necessity of the involvement of indigenous people and knowledge in conservation work; linguistic anthropology; the power and limitations of science; the question of how to encourage nature awareness to urban dwellers; the remarkable adaptability of plants; grazing permit retirements as a way of reducing ranching on public lands; and her visions for the future.

Leia's story map trilogy about Piñon ecology: Part 1: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=dbf680efebb74d9ea3d950749eee57c1 Part 2: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c1889147b0d543558d7b93afd3a66462 Part 3: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9a10668c081b4b1f86eef45fafc8f082

Wild Earth Guardians https://wildearthguardians.org/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.55 – "No Going Back to Normal" feat. Kenn Orphan

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:44:10 -0000

"No Going Back to Normal" feat. Kenn Orphan

Kenn Orphan is an artist, writer, radical nature lover, antiwar and anti-capitalist activist, sociologist, spiritualist and hospice social worker. He writes about art and culture, socio-economic injustice, geopolitical issues, philosophy, and the existential threats we collectively face from corporate capitalism, the war industry, climate change and an ever imperiled biosphere. His work focuses on the desperate need for a global paradigm shift that fosters compassion for and solidarity with the suffering of humanity and the countless other species with whom we share this precious planet.

I first discovered Kenn's writing through Counterpunch, and began following him on social media. We regularly end up thinking and writing about similar topics at the same time, and I often find myself adjusting my sails based on his voice and perspective.

In our conversation on Jan 25, 2021, we talked about whether things will "go back to normal" and, more importantly, should they; the environmental disaster of the Alberta tar sands and the resistance against them; the globalized indigenous resistance to industrial development; the importance of following indigenous leadership in protest movements; corporate media and media criticism; Julian Assange and the attack on whistleblowers; the suppression of speech on social media; sexual repression in US culture; Pete Buttigieg and "identity politics;" the end of the Trump era and the opening of Biden time; hope for young people; the dire ecological situation that threatens so much life on earth; the danger and privilege of nihilism; and everything that's worth fighting for.

Kenn's Blog: https://kennorphan.com/

This episode's introduction music is "Trip Hammer" by leinadsorihcak https://freesound.org/people/leinadsorihcak/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.54 – "Wolves Under Fire" feat. Samantha Bruegger

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:19:11 -0000

"Wolves Under Fire" feat. Samantha Bruegger

Wolves are one of those animals who inhabit not only the material world, but mythological and cultural ones as well. Metaphorically, settler-colonial society warns of "the big bad wolf," "the wolves at the door," "wolves in sheep's clothing" and "lone wolves." In popular art, Duran Duran scored it big with "Hungry Like the Wolf," Leonardo DiCaprio starred in, "The Wolf of Wall Street." A little further back, Jack London wrote, "White Fang," and Sergei Prokofiev composed, "Peter & the Wolf." which is played in the intro of this episode.

First Nations in North America had much different traditions about Wolves, but it is European biases that led to their near extinction in what is now called the United States, and it is the policies of federal and state governments that now largely control the Wolf's future, which is the theme of this podcast.

Our guest is Samantha Bruegger, the Wildlife Coexistence Campaigner for WildEarth Guardians, an organization that seeks to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the US American West. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from the University of California Riverside and a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine. Her past work experience includes local government & business relations, public affairs and environmental policy. Focusing much of her career highlighting the economic impact of conservation, she connects the need for wildlife management reform to research on ethics, efficacy and government expenditures.

Samantha and I talked on January 13th and we discussed the recent and tragic federal de-listing of Wolves; the devastating effects of the Trump administration on the environment; how livestock trade organizations are more extreme than many of their member ranchers in terms of Wolf recovery; the failure of the feds to hold bad actors accountable; how Wolves are killed by state and federal gov't agencies; the Animal Damage Control Act; compensation programs for livestock taken by Wolves; the successful Colorado referendum to reintroduce Wolves; Wolf policy at the state level; the danger of agricultural and residential rodenticides for wildlife; the Great Lakes Wolves; prairie ecosystems; the nomination of Native American Deb Haaland for Interior Secretary; non-lethal coexistence with Wolves in residential and agricultural contexts; and the work of WildEarth Guardians.

Wild Earth Guardians website: https://wildearthguardians.org/

Peter & The Wolf accessed from the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/PeterAndTheWolfOp.67/PeterAndTheWolfOp.67-16.PeterAndTheWolf.mp3

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: Ep. 46: "How Big Pharma & Psychiatry Gaslight Us" feat. Bruce Levine

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Ep.53 – "Activists Occupy Site of Proposed Mine in Nevada" feat. Will Falk

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:41:53 -0000

Ep. 53: Breaking News: Activists Occupy Site of Proposed Mine in Nevada, feat. Will Falk

In this special breaking news episode, I talk to Will Falk, who is at an occupation of public land in Nevada in order to stop a proposed lithium mine. The encampment was just announced on Monday, Jan. 18th, and I spoke with him by phone that day. The long and the short of the story is that the Bureau of Land Management just gave the green light to a company called Lithium Americas to establish a massive operation in Thacker Pass. The company has already built roads, drilled boreholes, constructed a weather station, and dug a 2-acre test pit. They plan to build large tailing ponds for toxic minewaste, drill new wells, build a sulfuric acid processing plant, import more than 170 semi-loads of sulfur per day, pump 850 million gallons of water annually, and dig an open pit of more than 2 square miles into the mountainside. Additionally, the project will burn some 26,000 gallons of diesel fuel per day. At risk from this habitat-destroying industrial activity are a number of animal and plant species including the threatened Greater Sage Grouse, the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, a critically imperiled endemic snail species known as the Kings River Pyrg, old growth Big Sagebrush and Crosby’s Buckwheat, to name just a few. The stakes are high for all the creatures who live in and around Thacker Pass, and that's why the activists have set up there.

Will Falk is a biophilic essayist, poet, and lawyer. He believes the intensifying destruction of the natural world is the most pressing issue confronting us today and he aims his writing at stopping this destruction. His work has been published by Earth Island Journal, the Dark Mountain Project, CounterPunch, Whole Terrain, and the San Diego Free Press, among others. He is also the author of the book, “How Dams Fall.” His most recent endeavor was a multimedia project called, "The Ohio River Speaks."

Will and I talked about the geology of the area and its ancient natural history; the current landscape, including the observable effects of ranching; the details of what Lithium Americas plans to do in the area; the effects of human over-consumption on wildlife habitat; the sixth great extinction; how government policy instituted car culture; how dwindling resources will lead to social crisis; the fast-tracking of this project by the Trump administration; the bipartisan consensus on using public lands for industrial energy development; the endangerment of First Foods, a vital cultural resource; and what the campaign needs and how to follow and support them. Visit protectthackerpass.org for more information.

Protect Thacker Pass, Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectThackerPass

Protect Thacker Pass website: https://www.protectthackerpass.org/

Will Falk's writing: http://willfalk.org/

Previous podcast episode with Will Falk: "The Unsustainability of Civilization Itself": https://radiofreesunroot.com/2020/06/14/episode-18-the-unsustainability-of-civilization-itself/

This episode's introduction music is "The Warm Green Mist of the Afternoon" by Dan Hanrahan. Find more of his music here: https://danhanrahan.bandcamp.com

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: https://paypal.me/kollibri

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Ep.52 – "Everything Has to Change" feat. brenna bell

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:37:08 -0000

Ep. 52: "Everything Has to Change" feat. brenna bell

BARK and bite in defense of trees

brenna bell is the policy Coordinator & Staff Attorney at BARK, a grassroots environmental organization based in Portland, Oregon. BARK's mission is to transform Mt. Hood National Forest into a place where natural processes prevail, where wildlife thrives and where local communities have a social, cultural, and economic investment in its restoration and preservation.

brenna brings to her work a lifetime of passion for the Pacific Northwest, twenty years of organizing experience, and an extensive background in environmental law and education. Her involvement with Cascadia Forest Alliance and the campaign to save Eagle Creek led her to Lewis & Clark Law School, where she graduated cum laude. brenna has worked with numerous non-profits and is a co-founder of Tryon Life Community Farm - a community sustainability education center. She also lives, and is raising her two children and many goats, in Cedar Moon - the intentional community at TLC Farm.

brenna and I have known each other since the early 2000s when we met in Portland's forest defense community. I've been an admirer of her work and of BARK's efforts the whole time, so it was a real pleasure to talk to her on January 14th. We discussed her calling to legal work; her early years of forest activism; BARK's mission; the history of public land, starting with its theft from Native Americans; how public land is managed for resources extraction rather than preserved or restored for ecology; how national forests are required to meet annual timber targets; state co-management of federal lands; the damage to environmental protections during the Trump years, including from the "sue and settle" method; fire ecology; how climate change extends the fires season; how fire science is ignored by the timber industry and the Forest Service; how the media covers fire; viewing big wildfires as unstoppable weather events; climate change and the role of forests in sequestering carbon; the incoming Biden administration; climate justice; the mythology around the concept of "unpeopled wilderness"; the importance of looking to indigenous leadership for conservation and restoration; being inspired by today's youth; and the need for generational work.

BARK: https://www.bark-out.org/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.51 – "Spark of Fury" feat. Tim Hermach

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:30:56 -0000

Ep. 51: "Spark of Fury" feat. Tim Hermach

A veteran forest defender speaks

Tim Hermach is the founder and director of the Native Forest Council, based in Eugene, Oregon. Tim has been a forest defender since the late 1980s and at this point has ripened into a proper curmudgeon.

We talked on January 9th, 2021, and our conversation covered his early days in the Sierra Club; Biden's dismal record; Clinton's betrayal of the forests; "Gang Green"—the big non-profit environmental organizations based in DC; the corrupting influence of money; the decline of the environment and of environmental regulations over the last forty years; Kollibri's early experiences with forest activism in Portland; hardcore tactics and the Earth Liberation Front; how industry has veto power over the content of school textbooks; the decline of media coverage of environmental issues; and the need to fight and fight hard.

Native Forest Council: http://www.forestcouncil.org/

Tim Hermach on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.hermach

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.50 – "The Future is Relational" feat. Kitsuné Rêver

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:14:07 -0000

"The Future is Relational" feat. Kitsuné Rêver

Kitsuné Rêver is a resident of Alberta, Canada, where she is a nurse and a gardener among other things. This was her third appearance on the podcast and it was simply delightful to welcome her back to the show. In our wide-ranging conversation, we covered a lot of topics including a political scandal in Alberta where local office holders traveled in spite of COVID lockdown; pandemic fatigue; the difference between responding and reacting; the effects of social media on brain function & communication; the end of "normal"; consumption & consumerism; the possibility of famine; the population debate; Kitsuné's family heritage in Canada as an example of how lifestyles have changed; the human "longing for belonging"; how advertising manipulates our beliefs and choices; the poison of mainstream news media; the poor quality of information on the internet; and the importance of following indigenous leadership.

We recorded this six days after the Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6th, and we refer to it several times before talking about it near the end.

"Indigenous Canada" course at University of Alberta (which Kitsuné refers to near end): https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html

Kitsuné Rêver on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitsune.rever.1

This episode's introduction & incidental music is by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.49 – "Putting the Heart Back in the Valley by Putting the Fire Back in the Ground" feat. Bobby Fossek

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 18:33:35 -0000

Ep. 49: "Putting the Heart Back in the Valley by Putting the Fire Back in the Ground" feat. Bobby Fossek

A place-based, indigenous approach to ecological restoration in eastern Oregon

Cove, Oregon, is a tiny town in the eastern part of the state that most Oregonians haven’t heard of. Surrounded by fields of conventional monocrops in the heart of conservative ranching country, it seems an unlikely place for leading edge cultural transformation, and yet it is, thanks to what might strike some as an unlikely partnership between Native Americans and the Episcopal Church.

I first visited Cove, and met Bobby Fossek and his family, in the summer of 2017. I was traveling through the area with a friend on a foraging and wildtending mission that also took us to Hell’s Canyon. Bobby’s place was our base camp for a few days of picking and processing cherries from nearby trees, and we cooperated together in setting up drying racks and running their steam juicer.

Bobby is a Walla Walla and Yakima descendant from the Umatilla Reservation. In his youth, he picked up some traditional knowledge from his father, but it wasn’t until later in life that he committed more fully to learning and practicing the skills of his ancestors. Perhaps ironically, the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon provided the particular means to do so that he is now pursuing.

The Diocese is based in Cove, and has been running the Ascension School Camp there for decades. Bobby attended the camp regularly during his childhood because his father married an Episcopalian woman. As an adult, he visited the place again, and heard that the Diocese wanted to “right some wrongs” with the indigenous people whose land they were occupying. He inquired and they ended up inviting him to be part of that effort.

The background on this invitation is that, at its General Convention in 2009, the Episcopal Church passed resolution repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery and calling on congregations to support efforts by indigenous people seeking respect for “their inherent sovereignty and fundamental human rights.” Here's to hoping that other Christian denominations will also take up this banner to make up for past behavior.

The Diocese now provides Bobby with a salary and housing, as well as making the camp's facilities available for events that he helps organize. It's an inspiring story of real cooperation and a sincere attempt to make reparation.

Bobby and I conversed on December 30th, 2020, We talked about the ecological restoration he's doing at the camp and in the area, and how it encompasses more than the typical restoration projects sponsored by universities, governments or non-profits. Going deeper than science, Bobby's work is rooted in the traditional knowledge of his ancestors, and includes cultural values and language as essential elements. As he summed it up: "You can't restore the landscape without restoring the indigenous presence."

Naknuwithlama Tíichamna -- "Caretakers of the Land" -- on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caretakers_of_the_land/

This episode's introduction & incidental music was assembled from two loops by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: https://paypal.me/kollibri

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Ep.48 – "2020: The Year in Review" feat. Kristine Mattis

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 22:26:08 -0000

Ep. 48: "2020: The Year in Review" feat. Kristine Mattis

Kristine Mattis returns to the show as a co-host of this special year-end episode.

Kristine has PhD in Environmental Studies. As an interdisciplinary environmental scholar with a background in biology, earth system science, and policy, her research focused on environmental risk information and science communication. Before returning to graduate school, Kristine worked as a medical researcher, as a science reporter for the U.S. Congressional Record, and as a science and health teacher. She is no relation to the mad-dog general.

We hit a lot of subjects in our wide-ranging discussion, including where we spent the year; the question of whether 2020 was "the worst year ever"; the George Floyd uprising; the blindspots and biases of the mainstream media; censorship on social media; the presidential election; the lack of effective anti-war and pro-environmental movements in the US; the need for big picture thinking in the environmental movement; a nuanced look at the various opinions about COVID and vaccines; the provincialism of US culture; the ecological unsustainabiliy of the internet's infrastructure; and the delusional hope that a change in the calendar date will make a positive difference all by itself.

Follow Kristine here: https://twitter.com/kristinemattist https://medium.com/@k_mattis https://rebelpleb.blogspot.com.

Black Lives Matter photo by John Lucia (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Lives_Matter.jpg)

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.47 – "Cattle vs. Elk at Point Reyes National Seashore" feat. Laura Cunningham

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 15:51:08 -0000

"Cattle vs. Elk at Point Reyes National Seashore" feat. Laura Cunningham

Point Reyes National Seashore is the site of a conflict that is typical on US public lands: European-style agriculture vs. indigenous land management; private profit vs. public benefit; civilization vs. wildlife. Elsewhere it's logging vs. forest, mining vs. mountain or green energy vs. desert, and this podcast has been and will continue to pursue these stories too.

In this episode, our guest is Laura Cunningham, California Director of the Western Watersheds Project. Laura grew up in the Bay Area and she studied zoology, paleontology, botany, and resource management at UC Berkeley. She traveled extensively around the state doing wildlife biology work and surveys for California Fish and Wildlife, the US Geological Survey, the Bureau of Land Management, and various universities. She is also the author and illustrator of the book, "A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California," a beautiful and engaging volume on the state's natural history.

Podcast listeners might remember Laura from episode 3, back in April 2020, when I interviewed her and Kevin Emmerich of Basin & Watch about defending desert habitats from industrial energy development. https://radiofreesunroot.com/2020/04/13/ep-3-when-green-energy-aint-so-green-feat-basin-range-watch/

On December 17th, 2020, Laura and I talked about how her art led her to conservation work; the ecology and history of the Point Reyes area; the establishment of the park, including how ranchers accepted buy-out money but never left; how Elk died during a recent drought, due to being fenced off from water supplies; how the Park Service is sacrificing Elk and their habitat to cattle and agriculture; the ecological damage from ranching & dairying; floristic succession in damaged and recovering landscapes; the possibility that Elk will be killed in the future if they "infringe" on cattle pasture; where we are in the decision-making process about the park's future; and the effects of the Woodward fire there last summer.

Links from Laura (with her comments):

https://www.pointreyesrewild.org (my informal website to try to get the word out)

https://www.forelk.org (fantastic grassroots organizer)

https://savepointreyesnationalseashore.com (another friend organizing people and educating)

https://shameofpointreyes.weebly.com (passionate independent filmmaker friend making films about industrial ranching now, former great white shark filmmaker)

https://treespiritproject.com/elk/ (another great grassroots organizer)

https://www.westernwatersheds.org/point-reyes-national-seashore-coastal-ecosystem-full-of-wildlife-or-industrial-farms/ (the group I'm working with)

https://restoreptreyesseashore.org (local environmental group Resource Renewal Institute project website)

This episode's introduction music is "XD239 - Synth 1" by Doctor Dreamchip. You can follow Doctor Dreamship here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: https://paypal.me/kollibri

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Ep.46 – "How Big Pharma & Psychiatry Gaslight Us" feat. Bruce Levine

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:18:11 -0000

Ep. 46: "How Big Pharma & Psychiatry Gaslight Us" feat. Bruce Levine

This episode might be the most controversial that I've produced so far. Please note that it is not intended to disrespect anyone who has suffered mental health issues; indeed, I have experienced episodes of depression throughout my life, some of them quite intense. However, this episode does refute certain popular beliefs about the causes and treatments of mental health disorders, and as such, some people might find it upsetting.

Most people are familiar with the the "chemical imbalance theory," which posits that mental health disorders are caused by too much or too little of particular neurotransmittrs in the brain. For example, it's been claimed that depression is a result of a lack of seratonin, so people suffering depression are prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor--an SSRI--such as Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft.

There's a big problem with the chemical imbalance theory, though: it's not true. It's been repeatedly disproven, and is not recognized as valid in the field of psychiatry. Regardless, it is still widely believed in popular culture and among many health care professionals.

I first learned about the baselessness of chemical imbalance theory from the work of Bruce E. Levine. Bruce is a practicing clinical psychologist who writes and speaks about how society, culture, politics and psychology intersect. His most recent book is "Resisting Illegitimate Authority: A Thinking Person’s Guide to Being an Anti-Authoritarian―Strategies, Tools, and Models," published by AK Press. I've been an admirer of his work for several years now, so it was a true pleasure to have a conversation with him.

Bruce and I talked on Dec. 17th, 2020, and we covered a lot of ground. Among the subjects we discussed: critiquing the "defect model" of mental illness; how psychiatry resembles religion; the financial motivations of Big Pharma; that SSRIs are no more effective than placebos in clinical trials; the lack of connection between depression and seratonin levels; how Big Pharma load the dice in their studies; how Big Pharma influences the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (known as the DSM); the subjectivity of diagnosing mental health issues; when anti-authoritarian people are diagnosed as "mentally ill;" how blaming individuals for their mental difficulties gives systemic factors a pass; the role of trauma in adversely affecting mental health; the importance of community and its role in healing; the recent legalization of psilocybin mushrooms in Oregon; and his recent book, "Resisting Illegitimate Authority."

Again, no insult is meant to anyone who has experienced mood difficulties in their life, but we must dispense with some myths if we are going to work together towards a healthier society.

Bruce Levine's website: https://brucelevine.net/

Mad in America: Science, Psychiatry & Social Justice: https://www.madinamerica.com/

This episode's introduction music is "Trip Hammer" by leinadsorihcak https://freesound.org/people/leinadsorihcak/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

ONE-TIME DONATION: Ep. 46: "How Big Pharma & Psychiatry Gaslight Us" feat. Bruce Levine

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Ep.45 – "In Defense of the Last Wild Buffalo" feat. Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 15:25:21 -0000

Ep. 45: "In Defense of the Last Wild Buffalo" feat. Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign

Current battles in a centuries-long range war

The last wild herd of Buffalo in North America spend most of the year in Yellowstone National Park. They are descended from a mere 23 individuals who survived the massive Buffalo slaughters of the late 19th Century by hiding out in a valley there. Today the herd numbers in the low thousands, but is still not allowed to live a life free of harrassment from humans. The Buffalo Field Campaign was formally founded in 1997, and they employ a variety of tactics to defend and advocate for these Buffalo. On December 16th, I spoke with the campaign's media coordinator, Stephany Seay. She's been an earth activist since the late 80’s, has apprenticed as a wildlife rehabilitator, and is a student of horses. In 2003, she looked into the eyes of a wild buffalo and was never the same again. Since 2004 she has been on the front lines with BFC.

In our conversation, we talked about the history of the Yellowstone herd and what makes it unique; the annual killing of Buffalo every year when they migrate out of the park to forage; the Brucellosis myth; how the ranching industry opposes Buffalo; the effort to have Buffalo listed under the Endangered Species Act; how the Park Service rounds up buffalo every year and sends them to slaughterhouses; the genetic concerns with a herd that is kept so small; the importance of Buffalo as a keystone species; how domesticated cows do not fill the same ecological role as Buffalo; the relationship between Buffalo and Native Americans; how activists have mostly halted the "hazing" of Buffalo; and the work of Buffalo defense, which has included direct action.

This interview was short, so I filled out the episode by adding a reading from my 2019 book, "Roadtripping at the End of the World." The excerpt is from a section about Nine Mile Prairie in Nebraska in which write about the Tall Grass Prairie ecosystem and the Buffalo's place in it. "Roadtripping at the End of the World" is available at my website as an autographed paperback or a digital download.

Buffalo Field Campaign: https://buffalofieldcampaign.org

"Roadtripping at the End of the World": https://macskamoksha.com/product/roadtripping-at-the-end-of-the-world-paperback

The music in the background of the episode introduction is "Synth and Percussion Loop Created with Moog Mother 32 and Novation Circuit" (124 BPM, Key of C Minor) by Doctor Dreamchip of Portland, OR: https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/sounds/545717/ You can follow Doctor Dreamship here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

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Ep.44 – "Capitalism on a Ventilator" feat. Sara Flounders

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 14:39:37 -0000

"Capitalism on a Ventilator" feat. Sara Flounders

Sara Flounders is a writer and an activist who has been involved in progressive and anti-war organizing since the '60s. She is a member of the Secretariat of the Workers World Party, co-founder of the International Action Center, and a frequent contributor to the Workers World newspaper. She has traveled, spoken and organized extensively on behalf of justice and in opposition to imperialism, and it was an honor to speak to someone who is so accomplished.

The focus of our conversation was just released book, "Capitalism on a Ventilator: The Impact of Covid-19 in China & the U.S." of which Sara is a co-editor. The volume is an anthology of articles by over 50 activists and independent journalists from around the world covering the pandemic from December 2019 to August of this year. The book covers a lot of ground under the over-arching theme of "cooperation vs. competition."

We discussed the basic facts of China's response, including the role of their local community associations; how younger people in the US are more skeptical of capitalism than the older generations; the sorry state of health in the US; the myth of Chinese "backwardness"; the US military's "pivot to Asia"; China's aid to countries all over the world; the role of the US media in concealing the broader picture of the problems with US healthcare; the squashing of alternative media online by algorithms; the bipartisan consensus in the US; and the censorship of this book by Amazon.

Article by Sara, referenced in interview: "China’s global vaccines – a game changer": https://iacenter.org/2020/12/10/chinas-global-vaccines-a-game-changer/

Sneak preview of "Capitalism on a Ventilator," including four sample chapters: https://iacenter.org/2020/11/14/sneak-preview-capitalism-on-a-ventilator-the-impact-of-covid-19-in-china-the-u-s/

My review of the book: https://macskamoksha.com/2020/12/capitalism-on-a-ventilator

Buy the eBook: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/capitalism-on-a-ventilator

Buy the hardcopy: https://world-view-forum.myshopify.com/products/capitalism-on-a-ventilator

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

KOLLIBRI'S PATREON: Get access to members-only content https://www.patreon.com/kollibri

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Ep.43 – "Facing the Worsening COVID Crisis" feat. Eva Aaronson

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:07:50 -0000

Ep. 43: "Facing the Worsening COVID Crisis" w/ Eva Aaronson

A long, dark winter is coming...

It's early December, 2020, and we're in the middle of a worsening pandemic. Reported cases of COVID-19 in the US since early March are over 15 million. Total deaths are approaching 300,000 with current daily averages exceeding 2000. Hospitals across the nation are filling up, healthcare staff are being increasingly stressed, and the spike in new cases from Thanksgiving is still on the way. Additional spikes are expected after Christmas and News Years, so our situation seems set to worsen through at east the end of January.

Because of these dire circumstances, I wanted to feature a frontline healthcare professional on this podcast, and with Eva Aaronson of Portland, Oregon, I found exactly who I was looking for.

Eva's work spans both paid and volunteer capacities. She has experience in critical care in adult ICUs and currently works in a hospital emergency department. Additionally, she has also been a street medic at protests for 12 years, volunteers at a syringe exchange, and donates time and expertise at houseless encampments. Eva's social justice angle, as well as her ability to view the US healthcare system with a critical eye, is what makes her such a great fit for this podcast.

In our conversation we focused on the COVID pandemic. We talked about the increasing pressures on the healthcare system; the varying efficacy of different types of masks; life in the emergency department; what COVID tests test and what their limitations are; comparisons to the AIDS epidemic; the negative social effects of social distancing; and vaccinations and herd immunity. The topic of vaccinations is particularly controversial, and will become more so as they are rolled out in the coming months, so I was pleased to get Eva's point of view.

We also talked about her work at current houseless encampments in Portland and as a street medic at the BLM/George Floyd protests this year, but I edited out those sections on this recording in order to stay focused on COVID. However, the full interview is available to my Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/kollibri.

I'd also like to acknowledge that this episode was directly inspired by Patrick Farnsworth's "Last Born in the Wilderness" podcast, which just featured interviews about the pandemic with frontline healthcare workers in Idaho. Check it out here: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-b8q65-c535618?utm_campaign=w_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share

Referenced in this episode: Behind the Bastards podcast episode, "Andrew Wakefield: The worst doctor alive" https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/part-two-andrew-wakefield-the-worst-30587764/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/

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Ep.42 – Changing of the Imperialist Guard, feat. Margaret Kimberley

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 07:20:22 -0000

Changing of the Imperialist Guard, feat. Margaret Kimberley

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. (Read my review.) 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.

Margaret & I spoke on Nov. 6th, the Friday after the presidential election. At the time, no winner had been called yet. We talked about the myth of US democracy, how the Republicans and Democrats are far more alike than different, the global scourge of US militarism, the persistence of white supremacy and the need for localized grassroots political action. We enjoyed a few laughs, too.

Margaret's book: "Prejudential: Black America & the Presidents" http://steerforth.com/titles/prejudential/written+by-margaret+kimberley?feature=cover

Margaret's weekly column at the Black Agenda Report: https://blackagendareport.com/author/Margaret%20Kimberley,%20BAR%20senior%20columnist

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.41 – "Wildtending in the Colorado Rockies" feat. Kelly Moody & Gabe Crawford

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:15:17 -0000

"Wildtending in the Colorado Rockies" feat. Kelly Moody & Gabe Crawford

Kelly Moody produces the Ground Shots Podcast, which is an audio project that features conversations and storytelling about our relationship with ecology through creativity and philosophy.

Gabe Crawford collects the seeds of native foods plants, fruit trees, berries and other exotics to plant feral orchards and wild gardens.

I spoke with Kelly and Gabe on Sept. 5th about their recent "Plant-A-Go" trek through the Colorado Rockies, where they collected and planted the seeds of indigenous first foods. We talked about planting in the wild, the concept of "wilderness," the benefits of "moderate disturbance," climate change, and the destructiveness of ranching,

Instagram: Kelly: https://www.instagram.com/goldenberries/ Gabe: https://www.instagram.com/plumsforbums/

Ground Shots Podcast https://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.40 – "What is 'Sustainability,' Really?" feat. Kristine Mattis

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 07:15:35 -0000

"What is 'Sustainability,' Really?" feat. Kristine Mattis

Kristine Mattis received her PhD in Environmental Studies. As an interdisciplinary environmental scholar with a background in biology, earth system science, and policy, her research focuses on environmental risk information and science communication. Before returning to graduate school, Kristine worked as a medical researcher, as a science reporter for the U.S. Congressional Record, and as a science and health teacher. She is no relation to the mad-dog general.

This is Kristine's second appearance on the podcast. I invited her to be the co-host of this episode, so she came up with a list of questions about the concept of "sustainability" and we took off from there, covering so-called green energy, belief vs. knowledge, indigenous lifeways, the pandemic, the complications of technology, climate chaos, the loss of childhood experienced in nature, propaganda and media, lack of local food sovereignty, the urge toward escapism, the desire for a simpler life, and redesigning the American lifestyle.

Kristine's blog (through May 2020): https://rebelpleb.blogspot.com/

Kristine on Medium (since April 2020): https://medium.com/@k_mattis

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.39 – "Climate: The Most Important Issue of Our Time" feat. Nick Humphrey

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 07:00:00 -0000

"Climate: The Most Important Issue of Our Time" feat. Nick Humphrey

Nick Humphrey is a meteorologist who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. He has a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from South Dakota State University and a Master's Degree in Geosciences--Applied Meteorology from Mississippi State University. Nick and I spoke on Sept. 2 about the unfolding climate crisis, including carbon levels, ocean acidification, rising temperatures, extreme weather, feedback loops, methane emissions, effects on agriculture, technological challenges of reversing effects, and the hope that youth might lead the way.

Nick's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MeteorologistNickHumphrey

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wxclimonews

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbruptClimoMet

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.38 – "Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution" feat. Don Fitz

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:39:17 -0000

"Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution" feat. Don Fitz

Don Fitz is a Green Party activist who earned his doctorate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1974. He taught Environmental Psychology at Washington University and Fontbonne University in St. Louis and was also a research psychologist at St. Louis State Hospital for 25 years. He was the Missouri Green Party candidate for Governor and in 2016 and for State Auditor in 2018. Currently he serves on the editorial board of Green Social Thought.

Don and I spoke on August 26 about his new book, "Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution." https://monthlyreview.org/product/cuban-health-care/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.37 – "Facing the Climate Emergency" feat. Margaret Klein Salamon

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:24:59 -0000

Ep. 37: "Facing the Climate Emergency" feat. Margaret Klein Salamon

Margaret Klein Salamon, PhD, is a clinical psychologist turned climate warrior whose work helps people to face the deeply frightening, painful truths of climate change and transform their despair into effective action. She is the founding director of The Climate Mobilization and Climate Mobilization Project. Their mission is to initiate an emergency-speed, all-hands-on-deck mobilization to protect humanity and the natural world from climate catastrophe.

Prof. Salamon and I spoke on Aug. 27th about her new book, "Facing the Climate Emergency."

"Facing the Climate Emergency" book: https://facingtheclimateemergency.com/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.36 – "The Mythical, the Political & the Sublime" feat. Phil Rockstroh

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:33:40 -0000

"The Mythical, the Political & the Sublime" feat. Phil Rockstroh

Phil Rochstroh is a poet, lyricist and philosopher bard living in Munich, Germany. His mother escaped Nazi Germany after the Gestapo arrested her father. His father born on a Choctaw reservation and adopted out by white parents but did not learn about his origin until later in adult life. Phil grew up in Appalachia, lived in Manhattan and eventually expatriated to Germany.

I was inspired to ask Phil to be on the show by a recent essay he wrote: "The Banality of Evil of The Evil of Two Lessers + The Democratic Party’s Raison D’être Is To Co-Opt, Absorb, Marginalize, and Neutralize The Left." But when we started talking, we immediately branched out to other topics including names; the legacy of our ancestors; how German youth helped spark the hippie movement; the drama, poetry & gods of ancient Greece; Appalachian culture; the alienation of contemporary life; Phil's lifelong travels, and much much more.

The Banality of Evil of The Evil of Two Lessers + The Democratic Party’s Raison D’être Is To Co-Opt, Absorb, Marginalize, and Neutralize The Left https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/the-banality-of-evil-of-the-evil-of-two-lessers-the-democratic-partys-raison-detre-is-to-co-opt-absorb-marginalize-and-neutralize-the-left-by-phil-rockstroh/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phil.rockstroh

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.35 – "Thoughts from the Other Side of the Pond" feat. Alley Valkyrie

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:54:54 -0000

"Thoughts from the Other Side of the Pond" feat. Alley Valkyrie

Alley Valkyrie is a social activist, writer, artist, spirit-worker and co-founder of GODS & RADICALS Press. Though she is a US American citizen, she has been living in France for the last few years. We spoke on Sept. 3rd about American exceptionalism, religious fundamentalism, political differences between the US and Europe, the spirit of resistance in France, and the alarming rise of fascism in the US. We open the discussion with an excerpt from a recent essay she wrote.

Gods & Radicals Press: https://abeautifulresistance.org/

"Thoughts from the other side of the pond" https://abeautifulresistance.org/site/2020/8/5/thoughts-from-the-other-side-of-the-pond

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.34 – "The US Clusterf*ck" feat. Forrest Palmer

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 15:04:34 -0000

"The US Clusterf*ck" feat. Forrest Palmer

An electrical engineer by training, Forrest Palmer is an activist who lives in Houston, Texas. His work can be found at Wrong Kind of Green, which advocates an anti-capitalist approach to environmental work.

We talked on September 5th, and touched on the clusterf*ck of 2020, the George Floyd protests, the plight of millennials, Bernie Sanders, the ongoing collapse of the US, COVID-19, the flawed nature of the US Constitution, the inadequacy of a Green New Deal, climate chaos, climate denialism on both sides of the political aisle, the lack of class awareness in the US, the impossibility of returning to the so-called glory days of post-WWII America, the need for radical change beyond the ballot box, the corporate media, near term human extinction.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/forrest.palmer

Wrong Kind of Green http://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.33 – "Creating Cultural Transformation" feat. Riane Eisler

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:09:19 -0000

"Creating Cultural Transformation" feat. Riane Eisler

Riane Eisler is a social systems scientist, cultural historian, and attorney whose research, writing, and speaking has transformed the lives of people worldwide. Dr. Eisler pioneered the expansion of human rights theory and action to include the majority of humanity: women and children. Her research provides a new perspective on our past, present, and possibilities for the future, including a new social and political agenda for building a more humane and environmentally sustainable world. Her book, "The Chalice & the Blade: Our History, Our Future," had a big influence on my own perspective on human culture in general and patriarchy specifically, as did her 1988 lecture with Terence McKenna, "Man & Woman At The End Of History."

Eisler's latest book, Nurturing Our Humanity, offers a new perspective on our personal and social options in today’s world, showing how to structure our environments – from family and gender relations to politics and economics – to support our great capacities for consciousness, caring, and creativity.

This is a special edition of Voices for Nature & Peace, in which I team up with Patrick Farnsworth of the "Last Born in the Wilderness" podcast. Thank you to Patrick for the invitation to collaborate and for handling the recording.

Riane Eisler: https://rianeeisler.com/

Last Born in the Wilderness podcast: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com

Last Born in the Wilderness Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.32 – "Right Wingers Descend on Portland" feat. Blank, a street journalist

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 20:38:15 -0000

Ep. 32: "Right Wingers Descend on Portland" feat. Blank, a street journalist

On-the-ground reporting from our local correspondent

On Saturday, August 29th, right-wingers including Proud Boys and Trump supporters met up in the Portland area to stir up trouble with the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. Hundreds of them met up in a shopping mall parking lot outside the city and caravanned downtown. Blank, a street journalist who is our Portland correspondent, happens to live near the mall, so he headed over and blended into the crowd so he could observe. He ended up driving with the caravan downtown, where a right-winger was shot dead under circumstances that are still mysterious. Blank tells us what he saw that day. We also touched on the history of racism in the state of Oregon and mayoral politics in Portland. This is Blank's third appearance on the podcast. See also episodes #14 & 25.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.31 – "The Liminal Space of 2020" feat. Jessica L'abbé

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 19:24:19 -0000

Ep. 31: "The Liminal Space of 2020" feat. Jessica L'abbé

Jessica L'abbé is a resident of Alberta, Canada, where she is a nurse and a gardener among other things. In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the challenges and possibilities of 2020 on both sides of the border.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.30 – How the "Defund the Police" Proposal was Blocked in Minneapolis, feat. Robin Wonsley

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 22:20:00 -0000

Ep. 30: How "Defund the Police" was Blocked in Minneapolis

In mid-July, Counterpunch published, “Minneapolis Ballot Measure to Dismantle the Police Will Test the Strength of Our Movement,” authored by Robin Wonsley & Ty Moore. Intrigued by this article, I contacted Robin, and less than a month later, I interviewed her for my podcast. But already the proposal—which had attracted so much national attention—was dead, killed by the city’s undemocratic and bureaucratic process. Robin and I talked in depth about how this happened, including how the activist community sabotaged itself by giving away its power to the City Council.

The movement against racist policing in Minneapolis is certainly not over, but a battle was lost, and Robin’s analysis will be helpful for that movement, not just in Minneapolis, but around the whole nation.

Robin is a labor organizer with Education Minnesota, a Black socialist, and plays a leading role in Twin Cities DSA. She was previously a staff organizer with 15 Now Minnesota and helped organize the fight to make Minneapolis the first midwest city to win a $15/hour minimum wage.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.29 – "Joy of Resistance" feat. Bette Lee

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:42:15 -0000

"Joy of Resistance" feat. Bette Lee

Interview with an activist photographer

Bette Lee is a 70 year-old Asian American activist who's been involved in the struggle for justice and equality for over 30 years. She is a substitute teacher at an alternative high school for mostly Black and Brown students. She currently resides (and resists) in Portland.

In the early 2000s, when I was doing street journalism in Portland, it seemed like I ran into Bette Lee at every protest, rally and march I attended. I became a fan of her photography then, when she posted it regularly to the Portland Indymedia website. She was one of my favorite people in the activist scene there. So I was thrilled when, on July 31st, I saw an article published on Counterpunch under her byline: "Tear Gas and Thugs at the BLM Protests in Portland." I tracked her down on social media and arranged for this interview. It was a real pleasure to connect with her again.

Bette Lee's photography on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/joyofresistance/

"Tear Gas and Thugs at the BLM Protests in Portland" by Bette Lee (Counterpunch, 8.31.2020) https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/31/tear-gas-and-thugs-at-the-blm-protests-in-portland/

Email: leebette (AT) gmail (DOT) com

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.28 – "Update from Strawberry Rock Treesit" feat. Lupine

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 21:30:24 -0000

Ep. 28: "Update from Strawberry Rock Treesit" feat. Lupine

In this special breaking news episode, I talk again with Lupine, a tree sitter in Northern California, who I originally interviewed for episode 19, back in early June. Forest defenders have been occupying trees around Strawberry Rock, north of Eureka/Arcata since April 1st, and in the last week, Green Diamond, the logging company, has resumed work in the area, clearcutting the forest. Lupine has been witnessing this tragedy first-hand, from her perch, 60 feet up in one of the trees.

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redwoodforestdefense/

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/redwoodforestdefense/rfd

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.27 – "Remembering the Freedom Rides" feat. Max Pavesic

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 20:26:21 -0000

"Remembering the Freedom Rides" feat. Max Pavesic

A first-hand account of protest & imprisonment

In 1961, bus stations in much of the South were still segregated by race, in spite of a 1960 Supreme Court case that had declared the practice illegal. The Freedom Rides were a campaign in which whites and Blacks rode the buses together to defy the Southerners and force them to change. Many activists were beaten by locals, often while law enforcement looked on and did nothing. Many were also arrested.

Max Pavesic was a 21 year old student in Los Angeles when he decided to become a Freedom Rider. He rode from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi, where he was arrested along with others, and imprisoned at Parchman Farms.

Segregation on the buses was ended in November of that year, and ended soon afterwards, in a clear victory for the activists. This was a campaign that worked.

I spoke with Max on July 30th, 2020, which happened to be the 59th anniversary of his arrest. In this episode, he tells his story.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.26 – "Solidarity in Portland" feat. Cammie Pavesic

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 19:49:57 -0000

Solidarity in Portland feat. Cammie Pavesic

Cammie Pavesic is an actor, director, producer, activist and union thug. She has been attending the Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon, as a participant with the "Wall of Moms." She was born in Denver, grew up in Idaho, earned a Bachelors degree at Boise State University and attended the National Shakespeare Conservatory in NYC. She is married with one step daughter and two grandchildren. She directed the documentary, "Add the Words," about the campaign to add sexual orientation as a protected class to the Idaho constitution. You can find her on IMDB.

On July 25th, Cammie and I conversed on the phone, and started off about her 30 years of union organizing around the country. Regarding the protests in Portland, our discussion specifically focused on the efforts there to center people of color and Black Lives Matter (despite what the media might do). We ended by talking about her documentary.

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.25 – "Portland vs. The Feds" feat. Blank

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 21:43:10 -0000

Ep. 25: "Portland vs. The Feds" feat. Blank

First-hand report from the tear-gas filled streets

Federal officers have been in Portland, Oregon, for the last few days, on Trump's orders. They have been abducting people off the streets into unmarked vehicles and attacking protesters with a variety of "less than lethal" weapons including tear gas, pepper pellets and flash-bang grenades. George Floyd protests in Portland have been active downtown there for over fifty days, but numbers had dwindled to a few hundred a night. But with the arrival of the Feds, crowds have swollen into the thousands again, and last night (July 22nd) the mayor himself was tear-gassed.

Blank is an Indymedia comrade of mine from back in the day, and we logged a lot of hours on the streets together covering protests during the Bush regime. In his second appearance on this show, he gives us the low down on what he's been seeing, including what happened to the mayor. Blank is a life long Portland resident and has been providing streaming reports from Portland on a regular basis during the recent uprising.

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Ep.24 – "How Trump Stole 2020" feat. Greg Palast

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 21:12:20 -0000

Ep. 24: "How Trump Stole 2020" feat. Greg Palast

"Voter suppression is simply class war by other means."

Greg Palast is an investigative journalist who has written for the Guardian, BBC Television, Democracy Now!, Rolling Stone, and more. In 2001, he exposed how Florida was stolen from Al Gore, and since then, one of his main focuses has been voter suppression in the US. On this topic, he has few peers and has unearthed numerous scandals that deserve greater attention.

Mr. Palast's new book, "How Trump Stole 2020: The hunt for America’s Vanished Voters," was released this week, and is available at gregpalast.com. I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy from Seven Stories Press so I had a chance to read it before this interview. As with Palast's writing in general, it achieves that all too rare combination of being both informative and entertaining.

We discussed the moneyed interests behind voter suppression, including the Koch brothers, Paul "the Vulture" Singer, Georgia Pacific (the logging company), Georgia Power (the utility); the gutting of the Voting Rights Act in 2013; how exit polls show widespread voter suppression in 2016; the problems with mail-in voting; and how voter suppression is class war. At the end of our conversation, he extends an offer for how to get the audio book for free if you purchase the hard copy during this first week of release.

(One clarifying note: Mr. Palast talks to me here as though I'm an official staff member of Counterpunch, even though I'm merely an unpaid contributor. I didn't intend for him to get that impression, but that explains how he talks to me in a couple places.)

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.23 – "A View from France of US Collapse" feat. Alley Valkyrie

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 01:16:37 -0000

Episode 23: "A View from France of US Collapse" feat. Alley Valkyrie

Alley Valkyrie is a social activist, writer, artist, spirit-worker and co-founder of GODS & RADICALS Press. Though she is a US American citizen, she has been living in France for the last few years. We spoke on July 6th, mostly about the many ways in which French and European culture differs from the US. Specifically: ideas of freedom, responses to COVID, the social safety net, education and cultural memory. I really enjoyed our conversation. It was refreshing to be reminded that the way things are in the US is not the way things are everywhere.

Gods & Radicals Press: https://abeautifulresistance.org/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.22 – "The Necessity of Creating a Political Crisis" feat. Margaret Kimberley

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 21:15:59 -0000

"The Necessity of Creating a Political Crisis" feat. Margaret Kimberley

Margaret and I spoke on July 2nd, 2020 and covered a lot of topics: the George Floyed protests; the "ground-breaking" movement that seems to be emerging from it; the need for organizatin and leadership to push it forward; the importance of community control of the police; the importance of removing monuments and statues, including Mt. Rushmore; how COVID has increased the intensity of Black Lives Matters protests; the COVID disaster in general; the cultural resistance to wearing masks; the indulgence of the Left in COVID conspiracy theories; the inability of US Americans to come together in solidarity; the hope provided by young people; living in a time of collapse; the unfortunate selection of Biden; the lack of free and fair elections in the US; the Green Party; how third parties DON'T "spoil" elections; how the Black Alliance for Peace connects domestic and foreign policy; and the need for radical, revolutionary change.

Margaret's book: "Prejudential: Black America & the Presidents" http://steerforth.com/titles/prejudential/written+by-margaret+kimberley?feature=cover

Margaret's weekly column at the Black Agenda Report: https://blackagendareport.com/author/Margaret%20Kimberley,%20BAR%20senior%20columnist

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.21 – "The Corruption of the Democratic Party" feat. Ted Rall

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 23:09:24 -0000

Episode 21: The Corruption of the Democratic Party, featuring Ted Rall

Ted Rall is a graphic novelist, a syndicated columnist and the author of many books of art and prose, including biographies of Edward Snowden, Bernie Sanders and Pope Francis. You've probably seen his political cartoons, which are often published in urban weeklies. His newest book is called, "Political Suicide: The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party," which uses the graphic novel form to trace the history of the Democratic Party's rightward movement over the last few decades, and how its leadership has worked to suppress the party's progressive wing.

Ted & I talked on June 27th. We talked about how Biden is the toughest case in years as a "lesser evil" candidate; how COVID could affect voter turn-out; the history of Democrats presenting themselves as something they're not; how Jimmy Carter was not a saint; Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential run; the lack of Democratic calls for defense cuts since Bill Clinton; the lack of Democratic proposals for anti-poverty programs since LBJ; how not only the Democratic party but the nation as a whole is just coasting on undeserved reputations at this point; the question of where a progressive or leftist can go in the electoral arena; how the corporate duopoly throttles third parties; Ranked Choice Voting; how this year's protests are really something different; and a quick preview of Greg Palast's upcoming book, for which Ted created a 48 page comic insert.

Ted Rall's books, comics, & more: rall.com

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Ep.20 – "We Are All Prey" feat. Joanna Pocock.

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 01:50:29 -0000

We Are All Prey, featuring Joanna Pocock

Joanna Pocock is an Irish-Canadian writer living in London. Her writing has notably appeared in the LosAngeles Times, the Nation and on the Dark Mountain blog. Her most recent book is entitled, "Surrender," and is a memoir that mostly focuses on her adventures in the western United States. There, as she experienced menopause, she explored the history and nature of the landscapes, and met various rewilders including the notorious Finisia Medrano. The book takes its name from an eco-sex convergence she attended.

Joanna and I talked on June 25, 2020. Using her book as a jumping off point, we covered a variety of topics including settler colonialism, rewilding, cultural appropriation, how sexuality changes with age, social media, the challenges for youth in today's world and finding home in a placeless society. In the background of all these subjects was the environmental crisis, which alarms us both.

[Warning: Multiple uses of the F-word by both parties]

Where to order "Surrender": https://houseofanansi.com/products/surrender

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.19 – "Interview with a Tree-sitter" feat. Lupine

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 23:26:00 -0000

"Interview with a Tree-sitter" feat. Lupine

Episode 19: Interview with a Tree-sitter, featuring Lupine

When I first moved to Portland, Oregon, in the spring of 2001, I happened to end up living across the street from the Cascadia Forest Alliance (CFA). CFA was involved in direct action protests to stop logging in the Pacific Northwest, including tree-sits. I covered their efforts as an Indymedia reporter, and got to spend time with them in the forest, learning about ecology and resistance.

So I was thrilled to have the chance, in the second week of June, 2020, to interview Lupine, a tree-sitter who is currently participating in a Redwood Forest Defense campaign to stop logging at a site in Humboldt County, California. We spoke on the phone, and though we were disconnected several times by a weak signal, we were able to have a great conversation. Tree-sitters have always been heroes to me, and I really appreciated the chance to connect with someone from the newest generation to be out there fighting the good fight.

Redwood Forest Defense on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redwoodforestdefense/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redwoodforestdefense/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.18 – "The Unsustainability of Civilization Itself" feat. Will Falk

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 23:18:39 -0000

The Unsustainability of Civilization Itself

Will Falk is a biophilic essayist, poet, and lawyer. He believes the intensifying destruction of the natural world is the most pressing issue confronting us today and he aims his writing at stopping this destruction. His work has been published by Earth Island Journal, the Dark Mountain Project, CounterPunch, Whole Terrain, and the San Diego Free Press, among others. He is also the author of the book, "How Dams Fall." His newest project is an ongoing multimedia project called "The Ohio River Speaks."

Will and I spoke on June 14th. We talked about the problem of civilization, about depression as a gateway to understanding that, and about the profound cultural changes required for collective, individual and ecological health.

Will's website: http://willfalk.org/

Will's current multimedia project: "The Ohio River Speaks" https://www.theohioriverspeaks.org/

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Ep.17 – "Advocating for Mexican Gray Wolves" feat. Amy Harwood

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 22:47:12 -0000

"Advocating for Mexican Gray Wolves" feat. Amy Harwood

On June 2nd, 2020, I interviewed Amy Harwood of Lobos of the Southwest about her organization’s advocacy for the Mexican Gray Wolf, and particularly for its reintroduction into the wild.

Lobos of the Southwest is a joint outreach and education initiative of several different environmental organizations and individuals who live in the southwest US.

In our conversation, we talked about how the Mexican Gray Wolf nearly went extinct; breeding and reintroduction efforts, including cross-fostering puppies; the challenges of working with the US Fish & Wildlife Agency; cultural challenges; how 2020 was a rough year for the Wolf; and the joys of public advocacy, especially working with young people.

Lobos of the Southwest https://mexicanwolves.org/

How to participate in commenting on new Wolf rule https://mexicanwolves.org/index.php/news/2058/51/TAKE-ACTION-US-Fish-Wildlife-Begins-60-Day-Public-Comment-Period-on-Mexican-Wolves

Pup Naming Contest! https://pupnamingcontest.org/

Webcam: Mexican Gray Wolves Lighthawk and Trumpet https://nywolf.org/meet-our-wolves/webcams/webcam-mexican-gray-wolves-lighthawk-and-trumpet/

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Ep.16 – "The Need to Smash the System" feat. Kristine Mattis

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 22:21:18 -0000

"The Need to Smash the System" feat. Kristine Mattis

I've been a big fan of Kristine's writing for a few years now. More than once, I would have a particular thought about current events rolling around in my head that I wanted to write about, but then I'd go online and see that Kristine had just covered it. Few people are able to bring together science and compassion, or facts and ethics, or a sharp eye for both problems and solutions, as well as she does.

Kristine & I talked on June 1st and covered a lot of ground, including the dire state of the planet's ecology; the disarming of US environmental law; genetically modified crops; the danger of overemphasizing; the willingness of people to change; the George Floyd protests; the folly of the "jobs jobs jobs" refrain; the myth of "progress"; the narcissism of social media; the fruitless attempt to make capitalism "green"; and the necessity of profound paradigm change.

Kristine's blog: https://rebelpleb.blogspot.com/

Kristine on Medium: https://medium.com/@k_mattis

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

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Ep.15 – "George Floyd Protests in Chicago" feat. Dan Hanrahan

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 23:20:09 -0000

"George Floyd Protests in Chicago" feat. Dan Hanrahan

Ep. 15: "George Floyd Protests in Chicago" feat. Dan Hanrahan

This is a special breaking-news edition.

Dan Hanrahan is a Chicago-based musician, translator, poet, performer, and teacher of Latin American literature. He has written essays for Counterpunch, El Beisman, The Mantle, and OpEd News, and stage music for Chicago’s Spanish-language theater company Colectivo El Pozo. He recently released "Radical Songs for Rough Times," an album of original protest songs. Currently operating within Chicago’s genre cross-fertilizing music scene, this multilingual Milwaukee native has built a following for his songs, stage performances, and theatrical scores.

Dan and I talked on June 1, 2020, about activism, racism, and the George Floyd protests, with special attention given to a Chicago protest that he attended personally.

Dan's website: https://www.danhanrahan.net/

Dan's blog: https://danhanrahan.blogspot.com/

Dan's MUSIC on: Bandcamp: https://danhanrahan.bandcamp.com/album/radical-songs-for-rough-times Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4mo2fQ7wUfvTmqLgFXHhSH YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mx7syVI2eE1zCfQlNcUhapbgZPRifR9PQ

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Ep.14 – "George Floyd Protests in Portland" feat. Blank

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 06:49:42 -0000

"George Floyd Protests in Portland" feat. Blank

Special breaking news edition!

I speak with "Blank," an old Indymedia comrade in Portland, Oregon. Blank attended the last two evenings of George Floyd protests there. The second night he was teargassed. Blank gives blow-by-blow accounts of both evenings, and in the final third, we talk about some of the larger issues behind the protests.

[Photo credit: Mural portrait of George Floyd by Eme Street Art in Mauerpark (Berlin, Germany), by Singlespeedfahrer. License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.]

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Ep.13 – "Beyond Organic: 'Regenerative' Agriculture" feat. Melissa Hoffman of Sho Farm

Sat, 30 May 2020 23:02:00 -0000

Beyond Organic: "Regenerative" Agriculture, feat. Melissa Hoffman of Sho Farm

Melissa Hoffman is a co-owner with Shawn Smith of Sho Farm, LLC, in Vermont. Sho Farm is a unique place where regenerative farming, agroforestry, rewilding and a duck sanctuary all mix in what Melissa calls a “living laboratory.” Melissa and I talked shop about the various experiments and methodologies they are trying out on their 1300 acre parcel, including veganic approaches, integrating wildlife, utilizing so-called “invasive” plants, relocalizing our diets, encouraging pollinator habitats, indigenous land management practices, and the need for adaptability in both practical approach and in mind. Sho Farm entered the CBD market last year, and is applying an ecological approach to that crop as well.

This episode is of special interest to farmers and gardeners but will be eye-opening for anyone else interested in true sustainability.

Sho Farm website: https://www.shofarm-cbduck.com/

Sanctuary at Sho: https://www.sanctuaryatsho.org/

Living Future Foundation: https://www.livingfuture.org/

RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com

KOLLIBRI'S BLOG at MACSKA MOKSHA PRESS: Weekly essays, plus photography & more https://www.macskamoksha.com

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Ep.12 – "Beyond the War on Invasive Species" feat. Tao Orion

Sat, 23 May 2020 21:06:15 -0000

"Beyond the War on Invasive Species" feat. Tao Orion

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

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Ep.11 – "Radical Womb Sovereignty" feat. Samantha Zipporah

Sun, 17 May 2020 00:34:36 -0000

"Radical Womb Sovereignty" feat. Samantha Zipporah

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

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Ep.10 – "For People, Planet & Peace ...from the state of Maine" feat. Lisa Savage

Mon, 11 May 2020 19:07:44 -0000

"For People, Planet & Peace ...from the state of Maine" feat. Lisa Savage

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/

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Ep.9 – "The Pandemic as a Lesson in Humility" feat. Gilbert Mercier

Fri, 08 May 2020 01:42:39 -0000

"The Pandemic as a Lesson in Humility" feat. Gilbert Mercier

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/

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Ep.8 – "Society of Strangers" feat. Jessica L'Abbé

Sun, 03 May 2020 00:05:33 -0000

"Society of Strangers"

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.

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Ep.7 – "The Persistence of White Supremacy in the US" feat. Margaret Kimberley

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 00:31:45 -0000

The Persistence of White Supremacy in the US

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

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Ep.5 – "Radical is the New Sensible" feat. Rivera Sun

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 00:41:19 -0000

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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Ep.4 – "Welfare Ranching" feat. Katie Fite

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 00:23:21 -0000

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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Ep.3 – "When Green Energy Ain't So Green" feat. Basin & Range Watch

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:46:48 -0000

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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Ep.2 – "In Defense of Prairie Dogs" feat. Deanna Meyer

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:07:35 -0000

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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Ep.1 – "Peace Mom" feat. Cindy Sheehan

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 18:23:34 -0000

Cindy Sheehan is an anti-war activist and anti-imperialist rabble-rouser. She became politically active after her son, Casey, a soldier, was killed in Iraq in April 2005. Shortly thereafter she formed Gold Star Families for Peace, made up of other families who opposed US militarism. She became nationally-known in August of 2005 after establishing a protest camp near President George W. Bush’s ranch in Texas. Hundreds of people participated in the protest, which was called “Camp Casey” after Sheehan’s son. At this time, the media nicknamed her “Peace Mom.”

Sheehan has run for office three times, including against Congressman Nancy Pelosi. She rejects the US American political duopoly and is a member of the Peace and Freedom Party. In 2018, she formed the Women’s March On the Pentagon, which has been organizing an annual protest against war and imperialism at the Pentagon in Washington DC. She has been arrested multiple times.

Sheehan has authored eight books including “Dear President Bush,” “The Obama Files: Chronicles of an Award-Winning War Criminal” and “Myth America:10 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution!”

She also publishes a blog and produces a podcast at Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox, with new content every week.

In our conversation, recorded on March 3rd, 2020, we talked about antiwar activism, US imperialism, the futility of electoral politics, the environmental crimes of the US military, how propaganda supports war, how political organizing is affected by technology and social media, and other topics. It was a real honor to speak with her.

Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox: https://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/

March On the Pentagon: https://marchonpentagon.com/