The Green Front - 2/1/12

The scientist whose chapter on climate change got dumped by Newt Gingrich - the candidate who wants to colonize the moon - will talk about that experience. Katherine Hayhoe, atmospheric scientist at Texas Tech and author of "A Climate For Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith Based-Decisions", has been in the national news for weeks. Hear one of her first interviews, on The Green Front. Buildings are a big contributor to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - we'll meet one of the first energy retrofitters in the country, Dennis Crook, who - along with his wife Siti - has run Eco-Built for more than three decades and written a book called "Stop Heating The Neighborhood".

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The Green Front - 01/25/12

It's the morning after the President's State of the Union address - do we now have a better idea where he stands on climate change? We'll talk to two climate activists who give Obama a low grade, but not quite flunking since he did mention the word once, which is once more than last year! Green Front contributor, Roger Shamel, of the Global Warming Education Network, weighs in with a "D-" for the President on energy issues. Next, Peter Sinclair of Climate Crocks, shares his candid opinion and talks about his interview with Katherine Hayhoe, the evangelical atmospheric scientist from Texas Tech who wrote the climate change chapter for climate flip-flopper, Newt Gingrich.

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The Green Front - 01/18/12

Good breaking news on The Green Front - President Obama has put a hold on the Keystone KL pipeline, offering hope for an eventual stop to the misguided project - and snow is coming to dry Colorado and California at last! First up, Auden Schendler, VP of Sustainability at Aspen Ski Company and author of "Getting It Done".  Among other things we'll discuss his recent article on the slow and bumpy path to solving climate change. Next, Jamie Henn, with 350.org on today's announcement on Keystone deferral decision - then D.R. Tucker joins me to weigh in on all this, plus Jon Huntsman's withdrawal from race leaving no climate "believers" in the Republican race to the White House.

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The Green Front - 01/11/12

Just how much clout do the oil and gas industry lobbyists wield? How about 12 million dollars worth, over the last two years alone! No wonder the head of the American Petroleum Institute is threatening "huge political consequences" if President Obama does not approve the Keystone XL pipeline. We'll talk to the researcher who heads an organization that keeps track of such things, Jeffrey ErnstFriedman, Director at  MapLight, a "nonpartisan research organization that reveals money's influence on politics". Next we'll learn about the trend of EcoBirths from advocate Molly Arthur.

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The Green Front - 01/04/12

What is missing from the national conversation (or lack thereof) about climate change and other impending eco-disasters? According to our first guest, it's the morality piece that's absent from the equation. Kathleen Dean Moore is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University at Corvallis and co-editor of "Moral Ground -Ethical Action For A Planet In Peril". We'll discuss the original collection of moving essays from the Dalai Lama to Thomas Friedman. Next, we'll meet the founder of Eco-Tensil, an innovative company that has broken the mold of plastic spoons with an eternal afterlife. Peggy Cross has invented a better "tasting spoon" and it's biodegradable!

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The Green Front - 12/28/11

After a check-in from D.R. Tucker with a year-end view of the latest eco shenanigans, we turn from politics to 'pillow talk'. Learn what Hilton Hotels is doing to green their properties, using a model in the Bay Area as a pilot program. Hilton's Matt Hohenstreet says their new practice of refurbishing pillows is saving them a lot of green and keeping piles of pillows out   of the landfill. Next up, The Clean Coalition. Ted Ko, Associate Executive Director tells us what's being done to deploy more renewable sources of electricity.

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The Green Front - 12/21/11

Two eco activists from Canada will join me on the Green Front. Lynn Palmer and Scot Kyle are both from Ontario where environmental issues center around preserving forests and fighting threats from extractive industries, primarily mining. Lynn - who has participated in UN conférences - and Scot - a Green Party candidate in Canada - weigh in on Canada's recent pullout from Kyoto Accords, Keystone controversy and the threat of climate change. Next, a chat with Ken Silber, a conservative Republican writer and blogger who is trying to move his party leaders in a greener direction, and advocating for a carbon tax.

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The Green Front - 12/14/11

REPEAT PROGRAM: 12/14/11

 

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The Green Front - 12/7/11

My trashiest green friend, Annie Leonard, joins me on The Green Front to talk about The Story of Stuff and her latest (en)viral video, The Story of Broke. Annie has it all; talent, brains, heart of green, humor and passion so don't miss this interview with my she-ro! Next we'll meet Brad Friedman of Brad Blog and Desi Doyen, co-hosts of The Green News Report, coming soon to The Green Front. Brad and Desi are so in sync with our views on green media, the political gridlock in Washington, and need for an eco-evolution that I'm sure we'll be chatting again soon!

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The Green Front - 11/30/11

A fellow green radio host, Alex Smith, joins Betsy to discuss the current state of environmental media in the age of climate change, freaky weather, peak oil and ocean issues, to name a few challenges. Alex' program, EcoShock, also airs on PRN so we interviewed each other about what's needed now

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The Green Front - 11/23/11

Climate convert and Green Front friend, D.R. Tucker, joins me to chat with Carol Oldham and Joe Elcock with the National Wildlife Federation in Massachusetts. We'll discuss attacks on The Clean Air Act,and share predictions about the death of climate denialism. Next, Zach Alton, Climate Director for Oceana, joins the conversation to discussed renewed efforts to allow drilling off the Atlantic coast as well as Oceana's new photo petition campaign to push for wind turbines rather than oil rigs off America's coastlines. 

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The Green Front - 11/16/11

Green Front friends, Susan and Roger Shamel talk about the latest efforts and accomplishments of GWEN, their Global Warming Education Network, on the climate beat. This dynamic duo has come come up with an idea that's gotten the attention of uber-activist Bill McKibben; a State of the Climate Speech that President Obama would deliver to get the issue on the American and political agenda.

Next, another dynamic duo, Kimberly and Foster Gamble, producers of the new documentary "Thrive". This breakthrough film manages to connect all the dots, name the forces behind what they call a global dominance conspiracy, and best of all lay out a road map for what we can do about, as 2012 approaches.

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The Green Front - 11/9/11

Betsy's favorite climate activists grace this edition of The Green Front.

Up first is Dr. Peter Joseph of The Climate Project, just back from the DC tar sands protest.  He'll share his interpretations of the current temperature of climate politics as well as what's at stake for President Obama on tar sands decision. Then, Alec Loorz of Kids vs. Global Warming and the iMatter march, checks in from the road.  And last, but not least, "oar" own Roz Savage - fresh from her Indian Ocean crossing - on what's next for the solo rower for climate change awareness!

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The Green Front - 11/2/11

The Green Front - 10/26/11

Mark Reynolds of Citizen's Climate Lobby makes a return visit to The Green Front with word that Congressman Pete Stark, and nine other liberal legislators, have bucked the crimson anti-climate tide and floated a measure to tax carbon producers. Reynolds says it likely won't get out of committee but provides an opportunity to talk about the prospect! Next, we meet Beth Waitkus, a trailblazer and "avant- gardener". She'll talk about her groundbreaking "Insight Garden" project at San Quentin prison which teaches hard core inmates how to grow plants and nurture the possibility of a future beyond bars. 

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The Green Front - 10/19/11

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On today's Green Front, leading climate writer Stephen Lacey, of climateprogress.org, joins me to talk about the week's top stories including a fake solar scandal from "Faux News"  and a call to government leaders to take action on climate change from managers of some 20 trillion dollars in global investment funds. He'll also weigh in on the Republican presidential debates where not one word was uttered about our environmental, energy or climate crisis and how Hermain Cain is proud of his alliance with the Koch Brothers. I guess some things do go better with Koch...Pizza and Coke! 

Then we'll meet tree lover and expert Gail Zawacki who writes about the less than fabulous fall foliage and other signs of environmental degradation. The "Wit's End" blogger has also spent some time at the Occupy Wall Street protests in NYC and she shares her observations.

The Green Front - 10/12/11

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California Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation to ban the sale, possession and trade of shark fins, hoping to slow the consumption of shark fins soup and slaughter of an estimated 73 million sharks per year. We'll savor that victory with Peter Knights, Executive Director of WildAid, one of the global organizations leading that legislative effort in California, and continuing around the world. Next we'll introduce Stephen Lacey, climate blogger at The Center for America Progress, who has written a slew of stories about the solar industry, Solyndra and clean energy progress - and obstacles. Meet the man behind many compelling stories on www.climateprogress.org

The Green Front - 10/05/11

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The anti GMO factions are out in force this week with a two-pronged attack on the need for proper labeling of food products made with genetically modified organisms. The "Just Label It" campaign is demanding "GMO" appear on product packages as is the "Right2Know" March, a two week walk from New York to The White House. David Bronner, of the Bronner Soaps family, joins us to share what's at stake for the future of our food supply. Next, a victory for environmental health as Governor Jerry Brown signs legislation banning BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups. Now, what about the rest of cans and bottles that contain bisphenol A? And, staying on the theme of consumables, Woody Tasch of the Slow Food Movement and Investor's Circle, joins us to preview the upcoming "Slow Money" Conference in San Francisco next week.

The Green Front - 09/28/11

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Today's show is dedicated to the life and legacy of Wangari Maathai, of Africa, and the world. The pioneer who planted seeds - and trees - for the benefit of environmental and womens transformation, died this week of ovarian cancer at the age of 71 in Nairobi. We'll speak to the Director of Greenbelt Alliance about what the Nobel Peace Prize winner was working on when she died - Steve Mills  will also talk about Maathai's unusual corporate partnership with the Shaklee company. Then we'll chat with Joseph Romm about America's "allergic reaction" to climate change, Solyndra's non-scandal, and Stephen Colbert's hilarious take on global warming reality!

The Green Front - 09/21/11

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Climate change communications is the focus of today's interview with Edward Maibach, Professor and Director of George Mason University's Center For Climate Change Communication. The Center has been doing cutting edge research on how Americans are understanding and responding to global warming...or not...and studying the factors behind beliefs and attitudes around our greatest ecological challenge.