Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hudson River Radio dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello out there in podcast land and other areas and beyond,
Maxie Margot Rubin along with my co host Malcolm Berman.
And this is the Many Shades of Green, our program
that adds a dash of green into your life. As
we engage in conversations that move to inform, educate, activate,
and raise your eco and social consciousness through culture, politics, music, arts,
(00:45):
science and community, we hope to inspire you to pick
a shade of green and become a steward of this beautiful, blue,
green planet we call Earth. So I'm going to say
hi Malcolm out in the la land there, Powdy, and
Hi to Victoria close really close by, and Neil back
in studio in and uh we are actually in Earth
(01:10):
month right now. And there's a particular song I've always
liked since it was kind of little and uh it's
called the Rain, the Park and other things by the Costles.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I saw her sitting in the rain.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Rain.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
She didn't see the cave. She sat there smiling. Then
I just she.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
She seems sweet and she cot to.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I don't know. I just really loved that song.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
That this connection, both Neil and I have a connection
to the Castles in some way. And so that song.
Every time I think of the Flower Girl, I think
of spring, right, you think of spring. So anyhow, so
that song of flower Girl, which was a hit by
the family singing group The Castles, as I mentioned it
was in the sixties, later sixties, and again, flowers after
(02:47):
all bring us closer to nature, and the actual song
brings together certain elements that are relatable to the environment
rain parks for sure, and other things. And there's a
lot of other things that we need to go over,
and that's kind of subject to one's interpretation. So I'm
always fond of bringing in music of late, and thank
(03:09):
you Neil for always helping me out there. Music is
the message for many movements, including Earth Day, which is
celebrated on a particular day it's April twenty second, but
now the month of April is Earth Month. Every day
should be Earth Day, of course, and it brings attention,
much needed attention to the continued need to activate the
(03:32):
populace and.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
To caring for Mother Earth.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
There have been many songs which emphasize the environment, but
one of them that really kicked it off is called
burn On, and it was panned by Randy Newman. It's
about the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, literally catching fire
because it was filled with oil waste. That incident helps
bur the environmental movement. As one of the founders of
(03:57):
Earth Day. Former Senator gay Lord Nelson cited the Cuyahoga
River fire as the inspiration for holding a national teach
in to emphasize environmental problems. Other songs that have environmental
themes are Mercy Mercy Me the Ecology by Marvin Gay
with the infamous line where did all the Blue Skies Go?
(04:19):
And then there's Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi Save Paradise,
put up a parking lot, Neil Young's After the Gold
Rush with the lyric look at Mother Nature on the
Run in the nineteen seventies, which he has updated to
say now in the twenty first century. We also have
(04:39):
dar Williams, which is she's in our local area here
in Newcastle, grew up here, and she wrote a song
called Go to the Woods which expressed her fears that
the green space of the world, they're disappearing the green spaces.
So music is an integral part of activism and I
(04:59):
hope more c and artists following the footsteps of the
older artists like Dylan and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
Joan Baiez is still carrying the mantle. She recently performed
at the Hands Off protest in LA with Neil Young
and Maggie Rogers. A little younger artist, Green Day did
a great set at Coachello. We had them bring us
(05:20):
in on the show last week as well. And unfortunately, though,
things are happening that are countering a lot of the
good stuff that's popping up because now we're in a
really crazy space in the world. The EPA is now
slashing regulations that have been put in place to safeguard
the health and safety of the citizens of the US
(05:42):
and the globe, to preserve the planet. I mean the
chief EPA Chief Administrator Lee Zelden said on March twenty
first that we are stated that this is twenty for
us of March. When he said this, he said, is
the greatest day of deregulation of our nation that our
(06:03):
nation has seen. We are driving a dagger straight into
the heart of the climate change religion to drive down
cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring
auto jobs back to the US and more. Yes, there's
a dagger involved, and the dagger is basically to just
(06:25):
kill the environment at this point, so with all the
good people are still trying to do.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Now, we're trying to protest and.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Make some noise, but we'll see where this all goes,
hopefully somewhere good. On today's podcast podcast, we have Victoria Alzipedi.
I know you like that in Joe, Victoria, She's looking
at me like, what.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Well, it's beautiful. I mean, you're so right about everything
you said, and you said it so eloquently, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
So it's like, what do you what are you to do?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So we're gonna she's a resident garden Wildlife and Healthy
Yards guru, amazing woman, and we're gonna discuss Earth Month,
discuss how we can maybe stop using things that you know,
cause issues with the environment, like leaf blowers and pesticides,
(07:17):
and we'll talk a bit about the EPA rulings, how
they're dismantling everything and it's so detrimental to the health
and safety of humans and wildlife, and what we need
to do to help the environment get back to basics,
you said, Victoria, in our yards and go natural so
(07:39):
quickly Victoria Is she's been on I know you know her,
but I'll just go through it quickly. Victoria is the
co founder of Newcastle Healthy Yards and is the chair
of the Town of Newcastles and is the chair of
the Town of the Newcastle Conservation Board. Now she's doing
great work already as well as a member of the
Westchester Climate Smart Communities task Force. She's all a member
(08:00):
of Friends of button Hook. I'm also a friend of
button Hook. We're working to save a twenty point three
acre of forest in the Town of Newcastle. She's the
co founder of Newcastle Pollinagra Pathways Coalition and started the
Facebook group The Nature of Westchester, an active community of
nature lovers which has more than how many members are
(08:20):
close to how.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
Five thousand we're like creeping.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Up Wow, almost five thousand.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Fantastic. She's also a native plant gardening consultant and coach,
providing eco friendly planting recommendations my Native garden oasis dot com.
And we implore you to get outside and be one
with nature, listen to music while you're doing that. While
you're cleaning up a local park, you know, you can
have the music bop.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Around, clean up the park it's all good.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
We need to be come part of the solution and
care for mother Earth again. Attribute that to Victoria. So
welcome to the many shades of green. And I know
there's lots to go through here. We'll go through the question.
Of course, the first one always is the shade of green,
(09:08):
because now no one knows what their shade of green
is at any moment now.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Yeah, so yes, thank you as always for inviting me
to join you. And that was a really powerful intro, Maxine.
I think you captured the moment and the challenges and
the gravity of everything that we're facing. So thank you
and thanks for the music. We have to be optimistic,
we have to kind of do what we need to
(09:36):
rev ourselves up. I always tell people when things are bad,
like just turn on the music and play your most
empowering songs right now and the songs that give you
the most confidence and hope and use that as inspirations
to take action. So thank you for figuring that all.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Up to be y, that's important because music is it's
it's crucial to to As I said, movements.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I mean, if you.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Look back, look back over the century, over less century,
especially in the.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
Sixties, the last century.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:05):
When I was growing up in the sixties, Yeah, sure,
the civil rights movement was based on like when they
walk down the street, we shall overcome.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
There was a lot of music, and of course there
was woodstock. Of course there was protests at all the
you know, army.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Places to recruit.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And I remember going to who the one in Coney Island,
and I protested and my parents would.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Scream, don't go there.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And because I was like fourteen, you know, you went anyway,
even though you weren't supposed to. And and now today,
you know, they're saying, oh, it's the boomers that are protesting,
Like damn right, because now we have our kids and
our grandkids to worry about, you know, and we need
the youngins more, We need the young's more.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
So stepping up generational I think that you know, we
were at a period back then everyone communicated together. You know,
there was one television, a few channels. Now there's so
many ways and places that people communicate. And so I
always say to people, whatever are your channels, you know,
whether it's social media, whatever it is, take action there.
(11:14):
You know, everyone has a responsibility right now. We can't
wait for someone else to do the work for us.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
So right, that's so true.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
I mean, that's what the Trump is trying to control,
you know the media.
Speaker 7 (11:26):
Yeah, well, because that's what But he's you know, he's
suing everybody for all the networks, know, the stations that
don't agree with what he wants.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
But the other people out of the media are are
hitting back harder the education end of it. Harvard really
stood up to start this whole thing. But anyway, we're
kind of digressing here.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Those are good examples. I mean, I think when you
think about the color the you know, the shade of
green that is most resonating with me on Earth month
day or is kind of taking a step back and
thinking about how much green is on our planet, and
we continue to cut down trees, we continue to you know,
(12:12):
build a de forest, and there's less and less green
on the planet. And the green is precious because it
is sequestering carbon so we can breathe better, so our
air is cleaner, so that our wildlife have a place
to live and breed, and you know, bring on the
next generation of critically important pollinators and birds and wildlife
(12:35):
that is essential to the survival of the planet, to
the survival of humans. And I encourage everyone to go
to their town, their community, their city and ask for
you know, a map, ask if they can show you
an image of the trees the forested area in your
area compared to like twenty five years ago. Sometimes you
(12:59):
can find this on Google Earth. And it's very powerful
to see the decline in green And there are a
lot of communities now that have what we call kind
of hot spots, heat hotspots where there used to be
trees and now there are not trees. And so what
happens is you have the sun beating down and the
(13:19):
temperatures are getting higher than ever as we know, and
it's it's oppressive, it's oppressive for humans to live. Humans
are now seeking shelter in the shade more than ever
because of the hot sun and the you know less
trees that are sheltering and providing shades.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
So, speaking of the songs of green fields, greenfields are
going now by the sun going on the valleys, rivers
used to run.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Whose do you remember who that is?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Malcolm was way, that was back, that was back back, back, man,
that's back even I don't remember that.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
That's the folks are I think it's a I.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
Don't know, greenfields irrelevant, it's work.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Look at it.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
And they thought back then that there were troubles, well
look cure, but we think and there were, but now
there are you know, tenfold right because of everything happened.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
We had Rachel Carson, do you know the DDT silent
spring and DDT you know, was something that I believe
it was used in warfare or chemical warfare or something
and they hadn't left over from the war and let's
figure out's figure out who to do with this. It
had to spray and kill everything. And now we have
(14:34):
now that we kind of got that, you know, under
you know, in a better place that we don't have
to deal with. I believe we have the round up,
you know, and now it's just other countries have banned it,
but not here, you know.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
I mean, it's only the beginning. If you think about it,
think about d DT, Think about all those harmful chemicals
that were put into the earth, were disposed of improperly
because there wasn't research. There wasn't data in most cases
that told us how dangerous they work. And that's because
we didn't have the strength of the EPA. EPA is
(15:12):
not perfect, but it does create some standards, the infusion
of money for research so that we know the harms
of the chemicals. And so now what's happening with all
the deregulation that you mentioned at the EPA, the Department
of Protection happening at a national level. They're removing money
for research. They're removing all the regulations that really protect us.
(15:35):
I mean, it protects the Earth and it protects us
as human beings on this planet. And so what's going
to happen now is companies are not going to have
to think about the impact. They're going to just continue
to make more money on selling those products, you know,
without any regulation. And that's where we're going to wind
up now. It's basically the foundation for health related you know,
(15:57):
illnesses and all sorts of problems down the road as
a result of what's happening right now.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Right it's we always talk about pesticides on the show
and where to you know, do our monthly and it's
just I see in my area, you know these yellow
signs that say don't don't go on the lawn for
twenty four hours, And how can you think might look
at the signs that's being put up on your lawn
(16:25):
and why aren't you connecting the dots to that? What
what's missing that they're not getting it? And also more trees,
you know in my area are coming down. And when
I walk my dogs years ago, there were trees and
I knew the spots I can take the dogs because
it was cooler in those spots by five minimally five degrees.
(16:50):
Now those same blocks with no trees.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Is hot, really really hot.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
And I don't you know, I can see if this
tree is hanging over a wire, you know, something dangerous
is one thing. But just doing it because oh, you know,
don't like it or whatever, it just.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
I don't know. I just don't know what to say
at the time.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
You're so right, and it really behooves us to wonder
why are people not realizing the harm that's going on?
And you know, think about like Smoky the Bear, right,
so Smoky the Bear. For years and years, we have
these comercials that only you can prevent forest, only you, right,
And a lot of people thought, don't have a forest
near me, you know, we don't have fire fires here,
and so people kind of let it go in and out.
(17:39):
One they're in one near out the other. Well, now
we have fires where we never used that. Right now,
New Jersey is on fire, right woldlands of New Jersey
are on fire.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
And we have been getting, you know, warnings about air
quality quality.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, and so maybe it will take And I hate
to say this. I mean, I I'm a hopeful person,
and I you know, I think, you know, I hope
the best for humanity. But maybe it will take something
to happen. Maybe it will take the air quality to
be unbreathable for a month. You know that it really
sinks into people that they have to take action. And
(18:17):
when when Smoky the Bear said, only you can prevent
forest fires, I mean, this is a call to action.
Only we can have an impact on the world around us.
We can't rely on the federal government anymore. The state
governments are so overwhelmed now because they're losing so much
money across the board. They're going to have to pick
and choose where their funding is reallocated. And hopefully some
(18:38):
of it will be obviously towards the environment, but it
may not be. So we have to take action. Now's
the time, you know, we talk about taking action in
your yard, stopping the use of pesticides because of the
harm it does to the air, to the soil, to
the water on every level, to health of ourselves, our children,
our wildlife. Now we really have to do something because
(18:59):
now we're going to be so much more vulnerable to
all the harm. We have to be proactive. It is
truly up to us to take action and to be
more aware. And as we lose all the research, you know,
you kind of lose what you take for granted. How
much information is out there, and there's some things that
aren't on the shelves as harmful as round up is
and so many other pesticides frankly that are on the
(19:21):
market that are easily available. There are some that are
even worse, which may wind up on our shelves right
alongside of roundup. And because it's on the shelf, people
are going to think, oh, it's fine, and we've taken
for granted that there's some regulation. We can't take that
for granted anymore. We have to use the media the
forums for information much more proactively. So Google and other
(19:45):
sources need to be our friend much more. Buy or beware.
It really is a world now where you have to
take it upon yourself and maybe build alliances with community
members to compensate for all the knowledge that we used
to take for granted that we are not and have
moved forward, right.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I mean you sent me something just right before about
de Zerceees Society, which they care for you know, butterflies
and bees and.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
All of that.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And they, you know, all these organizations that we both know,
get federal funding and they are very important. They have
they do very important things research and and and they
scope out you know, mapping of where the monarchs will be,
or where the milkweed is or where you know, things
that we normal people. I mean, I don't know if
(20:32):
I can't use the word normal people. People getting through,
trying to get through their life. Everybody has something, right,
You look at somebody and you don't know what's behind them.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
You don't know what what you.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Know under the iceberg, as they say.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Right exactly, so to get them to do something, you know,
we always say this, we have the choir, we have
the choir. We have the choir, and we need to
get a bigger choir. All past the one of the.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
Two last weekend, I think it was in sixty minutes,
they had a segment on the monarch butterflies. Yeah, there
from Canada to the US now to Mexico and they
are so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Right, Well, you know that was sixty minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And then since that broadcast, now there's a it's been
in the news a lot, not for good reasons.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
You know.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
The guy who runs that show for years and years
and years quit because he was losing his independence to
give actual news, cotton dry news, factual news, because the
regime doesn't want that.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Yeah, look it is scary. I mean the Zerce Society
is a perfect example. So there's a group that was
for the public interest, right, I mean, our government is
supposed to exist not just as a business for the
public interest, interest for all of us, for us as individuals,
community nation. And that's what we're starting to lose. So
we're not going to have all that great information about
(22:08):
the benefit of the bees. And that's you know, that's
kind of the mo right now, that losing all the
access to information. So we really have to we must
must pay close attention and try to get as much
information as we can now and keep it top of mind.
And look at there's going to be a lot of
competing interests, right, so a lot of times the environment
(22:31):
falls to the bottom of the barrel right for many years.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yeah, it always has pretty much.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Yeah, social justice was obviously, people need to eat, people
need shelter. Right right now, we're up against climate changes
that are adding more water to the ocean and to waterways.
So as we know all of those communities that are
on the coasts and that are along the water, there
are certain you know, countries, islands that are now very
(22:57):
much underwater because the increase in water in the oceans,
and so that's going to be a priority, you know,
and hopefully there will be more funding put towards that.
But the flip side of that is, unfortunately a lot
of those important climate oriented programs are being cut. So
we are going to be so vulnerable on all humanity
(23:19):
kind of levels, and we have to make sure that
we remember. I mean, some people say mother Earth, right,
I mean the Earth, and it sounds so hokey and
mother Earth, but the reality is everything comes from the earth, right.
The Earth really is the source of everything. If you
look at anything in your office, in your house, in
your yard, it's the origins are pretty much in some
(23:42):
way natural. Something that comes from the earth, material or water, liquid,
you know, whatever it may be, chemical compounds, and so
if we destroy that, there really is no turning back.
And so we really must more than ever protect the earth.
And we talk about Earth Day and I think, you know,
I was a little concerned this year because we've gotten
(24:03):
so used to Earth Day. Right, there was a while
that it was new.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
This is in the seventies.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Oh, it's fun, and you go to Central I remember
going to Central Park on one of the first Earth
Days and you celebrated.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Now, I think some people have just taken that for granted.
Like the Conservation Board, we are posting if anyone's around
Newcastle or Westchester Tristate area. On Sunday afternoon at Gidney
Park in Millwood, we are having an Earth Day from
twelve thirty to five pm. We're having a lot of
the nature and environmental groups have tables there. We're doing
walks in the park giving out a lot of information
(24:37):
on all these topics that we talk about. And you know,
I really feel like we need to do more and
not just think of it as a day, but every
single day we should be protecting and nurturing the earth.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Absolutely, Well, we're at the break, so we have to
pick it up on the other side. Of the break,
we'll be back with more great info from Vic Toria
Alzapiti talk about Earth Day and other things, and how
important it is to have societies like Zersees and others.
You know, stay afloat, so please stay tuned.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 8 (25:18):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 8 (25:29):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Hello, We're back with Victoria.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Al Zippedi to talk more about what we need to
do to be more sustainable, to take actions to care
for Mother Earth because she really needs our help. And
also please subscribe to our podcast and all major podcast apps.
Follow us on Instagram and threads and Facebook at tm
Shades of green and blue sky and we are and
(26:15):
just together. I mean, there was a In terms of music,
I'll just quote one thing. This is a lyric from
a song, and the lyric is I see trees of
green red roses too. I see them bloom for me
and you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Speaker 7 (26:35):
I love the song I got. The words are great,
but louis Armstrong.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Since louis Armstrong, AG read that and you'll appreciate walking
outside and I.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Hate killed that. You know, listen to him and lean
back and envision.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
So that's the vision we need to be get back
to so we can know that this is a wonder
it is a wonderful world.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
It's the kill. Is that a messing it up? I
think so?
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So can I just say one thing? It's you're reminding
me and I'm not I'm certainly not advocating the commercialism
of spaceflight and split space travel. But in these recent
flights where people have gone above the atmosphere, you know,
out in the space and they're able to look down
at the Earth and coming down to the ground, and
you know, it's very moving for them because you realize
(27:23):
that this is it. This is the place where humans live.
Maybe light years away. Some places we can't live. Maybe
there's there's somewhere that there's air we could breathe, but
at this point there's nowhere else with air that we
can breathe, right, I mean, this is it, and we
are so lucky, we are so fortunate that we are
(27:44):
in a place where we can breathe the air, we
can drink the water. I mean so far. But so
this is it. We have to protect it. Because there's
no other right, there's no other planet b as they say, right.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Right, and and we have to do something about it.
So and we were talking talking about this at the break,
So what what what say you about that? How do
we get this? You know people mean to take more action?
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Yeah, I think you know, it's a big mindset shift.
First of all, I think of all these I was
flooded as I was preparing for this with all these
quotes about you know, be part of the solution. There's
no time like the present. Take it into your own hands,
you know, If not now, when, if not you who?
You know? These are real. These quotes came into being
(28:30):
because they're real.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Right.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
No one is going to save us, No one is
going to do it. We have to do it ourselves.
So I always think, you know, when you think about
making plans, when you think about envisioning your future, right,
I mean people who do coaching life coaches, they kind
of take you through what is your vision? How are
you going to get there? I think it's important to
be very intentional about what you are going to do.
(28:54):
Things don't come to fruition typically unless we envision them.
We have a timeline for them, and we write them
down right, so prioritize what you're going to do. Think
about almost like if you take out a piece of
paper and put the buckets. What are you personally going
to do to protect the air? What are you personally
going to do to protect the water? What are you
(29:17):
personally going to do to protect the soil? Think about
the categories. What are you actually going to do? For example? Right,
so that we're not tabula rossis, so you have some
things to think about for someone who lives in the suburbs, right,
or in a rural community, who anyone even if you
have a backyard like you know Park Soap in Brooklyn.
People have a little backyard, you know, a cycle, right,
(29:38):
It's small, but it's theirs and they can do stuff
with it. So the soil is really important. Everything comes
out of the soil. Think about I mean, think about
New York City. It's covered with concrete. We forget our
connection to the earth because it's it's literally a concrete jungle, right.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
And it's sinking. Scrapers are sinking.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Yeah, I mean that's a whole other topic.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
That's a whole other topic.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
It's really disturbing. So think about the soil. Everything grows
out of the soil, right, and soil is where birds
find their food, insects under the soil. There's so much
of a universe going on under the soil. But yet
people put herbicides. People think about fertilization. They're fertilizing their grass.
They're putting nature. As we said, go back to basics.
(30:26):
Nature does not need any additives if you let it
thrive and don't do anything to it, and nurture it
and plant native plants, and you don't need to use pesticides.
So anyone out there listening really try not to use
pesticides or herbicides or fertilized. You know, if you have
healthy soil, put in some good composts. Make some composts.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Right.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
If you can compost your vegetables right there, you don't
even have to have like a big outdoor composter. You
can have a kitchen table of kitchen countertop posting unit.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
Right.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
We have those in Newcastle. The Newcastle Sustainability Advisory Board
focuses on those and hands them out. You know, create composts.
Add that to your soil if you want it to
be healthier. It's full of nutrients, right, So make good
choices for soil so pick especially if you have a
yard or you have somewhere green. What are you going
to do to keep your soil healthy and protect the soil? Right?
(31:24):
No pesticides, no herbicides, no fertilizer or anything else you
can think of. I'm just trying to spark your all
of your creativity, all the listeners out there, and then
what are you going to do to protect the air?
Think about it. We breathe the air. As you were
saying earlier. Vaccine. There is an alert in Westchester County
today and in all the counties around New York City.
(31:45):
Get your jersey's on fire. What are you going to
do knowing that we have more and more of these
poor air quality days? Right? Leaf flowers, I know we
talk a lot about leaf flowers, whether you're we should,
we should if you're in the suburbs, if you're in
a rural environment. I see them even used in more
urban places. Now, let's remember why we don't want to
(32:06):
use leaf flowers. They literally muck up the dust, all
the particulate matter it's put into the air. If you
may not even see it, right. There's sometimes where maybe
you drive by and you see or walk by and
you see a leaf flower going and you see in
the air, literally you can see all the dust.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
The dirt is being just thrown up into the air,
and that dirt a lot of times they had the
treatment of the fertilizer and the pesticides. And then I
saw this recently the very next day, three guys on
the lawns blowing.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Now they're not cut, the grass.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Isn't of a you know, didn't grow that high yet
their lawns are spotless.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
There's nothing on them. Right, what are they doing?
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Literally, it's a money making industry. Also, it's a money
making industry and everyone needs to make a living. But
landscapers can be doing other things. They can be removing
invasive plants, they can be there's so many other things
they can be given as projects to make money instead
of blowing leaf blow around. I mean, it is a waste.
And you know, I know, people get excited about the
(33:12):
spring and they want to do something. Take a walk,
look at where you might have some gaps in your
yard and think about what native plants. Think about where
you're going to plant milkweed, right, I mean, we're we're
just talking about you know, monarchs monarchs need milkweed. They
literally cannot lay their baby eggs on any other plant
other than milk weed plants. If they do, when the
baby eggs hatch and come out as little caterpillars, those
(33:36):
caterpillars can only digest milkweed. So where are you going
to put milk weed in your yard to support the monarchs? Right? So,
think about other ways to spend your time and your
money preparing your yard to be healthy and to contribute
to the air. Trees or plant a tree, I mean
everyone always says planet tree. Well, really, folks, plants really do.
There are all kinds of programs right now that are
(33:58):
giving away free, free native trees. The Arbor Day Society.
They give away, you know, packages of things to celebrate
trees that you can put in your own yard, all
different size trees, big trees, MENI, planet trees, small trees,
a tree to fit, a native tree, to fit any space.
Those are gonna help keep the air clean. And the
only other thing I wanted to say about those leaf flowers,
(34:20):
even after the air seems like it clears, right, So
maybe you go back to where you saw the cloud
of dust two hours later and you're like Okay, there's
no more particular matter. Well, you know what, there's microscopic
particulate matter that's still getting in your lungs even when
you can't see it. It's very insidious. And once it's
in your lungs, you know what, you can't get it out.
(34:41):
It's in your lungs.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Well, I walk my dog and I walk through the
landscapers on my road every day.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Now, it started in February.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
Even you shouldn't have to wear a mask out in
the open. You shouldn't have to.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
And I'm wondering.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
You know, my dog and I are both breathing the sin,
you know, and it's just.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, who knows what it is?
Speaker 5 (35:04):
A public health is a public health issue, right and again,
don't despair. I mean, yes, we're having trouble with some
of the regulations on a national level. Disappearing. Go to
your municipalities. I mean here we talking about Okay, So
if you're worried about the air, don't use leaf flowers. Well,
you know what. Also, go to a town board meeting,
go to a town council meeting. Say something, yes, say something.
(35:27):
Grassroots all have to focus on where we live, our community.
Let people know that this is if maybe they don't know. Ignorance,
you know, shouldn't be blissed.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
We should educate.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
Let people know. If you're listening to this now, I'm
sure there's someone in your locality and your local community
who you can let know. Hey, we need to be
more careful about our air quality. What are we going
to do? How do we compensate for the fact that
the air is getting worse? How do we limit leaf
blowers so that there isn't an Honestly, it's not just
gas leaf blowers. It's, of course critically important to stop
(36:01):
gas leaf flowers because they emit so much toxic fuel,
But the little baby leaf blowers that are electric, frankly,
they also muck things up in the air. So you
know that whenever you can use a broom, use a rake.
Contain learn to live with things where they are as natural,
you know, carve out little places.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
But folks, it used to be when I've been in
this town over thirty years, there was no leaf blowers
going on.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
When I was remember, there was something called a rake.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
But the kids.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Then you can hire a kid, Yeah, a college kid
wants to make some bucks.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
That's that's over. It's literally over. It's like, you know, no,
I don't need to do that. Dad gave me all
the money I need.
Speaker 6 (36:49):
Remember, there was something called shovels.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Or maybe your hands that maybe a file of leaves shoveled,
you know, yeah, I mean what a novel concept. We
had a good exercise, right, I was.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
That was my other thing.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It was I wanted to have something like, you know,
you don't need the gym, just go outside.
Speaker 7 (37:10):
And I mean that was good exercises when you're fifteen sixteen,
but when you're seventy, I don't know if that would
be good exercise.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
My husband does the lead.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
He does the leaves in the front, but I think
we might need someone to do the back now because
he hit the seventies mark.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
That's seventies.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Yeah, go ahead. What I was going to say, I
totally hear what you're saying, and you know, yes, you
can get some folks to help. Just give them direction
that you don't want a leaf or you wanted gentle.
I always say, gentle, gentle, Imagine you're in that little
pile and you're a little spider. It's going to be
crushed and killed and you're gonna have one less creature.
To eat your mosquitos, right.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
I leave the spiders alone as much and if I
find one inside, I.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Try to get him outside, but doesn't always work, but
I try.
Speaker 5 (37:57):
We should all do that, right.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
We go, we go spider hunting. Yeah, it's just uh,
you know, that's.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
What I think.
Speaker 7 (38:03):
The thing that's going to survive everybody or the insects
or whatever is the roach.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I know, we've we've established that in the city. In
the city.
Speaker 7 (38:13):
Yeah, I think I mentioned it each year when I
said in Manhattan, the Museum Natural History had an exhibit
on roaches at the end of the summer.
Speaker 5 (38:24):
Oh really, Yeah, I missed that.
Speaker 7 (38:27):
And the roach lived in prehistoric times and that they
could yeah, and they could live in the Antarctica in
cold they can live in subtropic weather.
Speaker 6 (38:39):
And they survive yep.
Speaker 5 (38:42):
Well, and we need to start teaching them to lobby
for the environment and.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well maybe maybe if there's a tariff on roaches, then
maybe we'll see you know, there was a terriff tariffon penguins.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
I just I want to get a T shirt that's
with the penguins holding the teeth throwing it over into
Boston Harbor.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
I want to. I want to get that into a
T shirt.
Speaker 6 (39:09):
That's like going on strike, Are you kidding?
Speaker 3 (39:11):
Yeah? I think they'd be holding up signs now, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
But yeah, it's right right, you know, don't don't You
don't need the gym.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
Just get a rake, get a shovel. You know that
you don't need to do. It's really good exercise like everything,
you know. But yeah, but anyway this, you know, I don't.
Speaker 5 (39:32):
Want us to forget about the water because I talked
about how to protect the soil, how to protect the air,
the water. Right. In many Native American cultural philosophies, water
is life, Water is like to think about it. We
are comprised of water. A huge part of our bodies
are water, right, yeah, something like that. I should know
(39:54):
the exact answer to that, but a huge part of
our bodies. And think about how easy it is to dehydrate.
What happened when we dehydrate, our organs stop functioning? Right,
We really cannot function without water.
Speaker 6 (40:05):
You sound you sound like my doctor.
Speaker 7 (40:07):
Every time I go with him with another ailment, he says,
you've got to hydrate.
Speaker 5 (40:11):
Drate, drink, drink.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
I try to drink a lot.
Speaker 7 (40:16):
Pants and your muscles or your legs hydrate. You're not
drinking enough water.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
I drink a lot of tea. Well, he has water,
but it's also good.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
But it's it's a diuretic. A lot of tea, just
to be cognizant of that.
Speaker 7 (40:30):
You know, I don't know if the green tea is
of one of them.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Yeah, with nobal t, it's maybe a little less of
a diarbretic. It's true, but you know what I mean
if yes, Mexican.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
I was just saying, you're talking about the water, and
recently I've seen a couple of articles that the salt
that's being used on the roads in the winter is
going into the water supply and the water is becoming
more salidated. And right now that is like I've seen
more and more about it, you know, in different publications,
(41:06):
and I think we really need to start focusing on
that because if the water is too.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Salinate it we can't drink it.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
And if the salt that they're using is so you know,
using sodium chlorid, they can use calcium chlorid, which wouldn't
be as bad. I'll still have some runoff, but now
they say it's becoming really bad.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
It's corrosive.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
But not only that it's in the drinking water, then
what you know, how do you get it out?
Speaker 5 (41:34):
It's you can only filter out so much, right, and
there are a lot of things by the way, you
go ahead, I'm sorry, And.
Speaker 6 (41:41):
We're doing with four rode.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
Yeah, whole issue.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
That's a whole I mean, you can't. You can't keep
up quick enough, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
And the time we're doing this show, there will like
five of the things done that will be in the
news when we get off the air.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
As to what.
Speaker 7 (41:59):
The most important thing that we have to do is listen.
Listen to the scientists about what's happening with our air
that's causing a global warming. Scientists the carbon footprint.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Well, unfortunately a lot of them are leaving.
Speaker 7 (42:17):
Just look at the fires, look at the hurricanes. You're right,
weather conditions right that everybody. So this is the worst
that it's ever been.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
So let's pull back regulations that regulation, let's pull back
on the National Institute of Healthy n o a A.
The FDA. We're not inspecting milk, we're not inspecting food.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Where is this?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I mean, what is their endgame? They just want to
kill everyone? I mean what I mean, how much I
don't know what to say. I'm literally out of words
so many times now, I don't know what to say.
It's just it's it's frightening and it's scary, and you've
kind of feel sometimes like banging your head against the wall,
(43:04):
and how can we help?
Speaker 3 (43:05):
I know we're making some in roads.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
I know a lot of the legal actions are so important,
and that seems to be where it is at this moment,
stopping things that are going, you know, forward, But it's
like you're an alluding tone form.
Speaker 7 (43:20):
What's it going to take to get Congress to act
the Republicans and Congress to act nothing?
Speaker 3 (43:27):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (43:28):
Unfortunately, unfortunately, there's an orientation like I've been talking a
lot about. You know, people go to business school for
an MBA to be effective in business, and people go
to public policy school to get a master's in public
administration to help public policy. And unfortunately, what we have
now is people who have a business orientation trying to
(43:49):
run the government. So every question is about whether they're
going to make more money, and of course having a
business sense is very important, but to just totally desecr
the government and lose all of these wonderful scientists, people
who do research. Their goal is not to make money.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
They will they be.
Speaker 5 (44:08):
At a reduced amount of money that they could make
in the private sector. And so but because it's not important,
because it's not about making money, those people are disposable.
But they're not disposable to humanity because we need them.
We desperately need them and their scientific council and their
wisdom to help us stay alive and stay healthy.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
The government's supposed to be by the people for the people.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Okay, So where I didn't say and your NBA at Columbia,
you know, it just didn't say that.
Speaker 5 (44:37):
You know, And I just think that it's very important.
I mean when Malcolm was talking about, you know, the
carbon issue, and you know everything is connected. The water,
the soil and the air. They're all part of an ecosystem. Right.
We see ecosystem very flippantly, but it is a system.
Everything is connected, you know. In other words, look at
your house you have or your apartment. You have a
(44:59):
bad room, you have a kitchen, you have a bedroom. Right,
you need all those three things because each one has
a different function.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Correct.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
You can't just have a house with no kitchen or
any place to cook. I mean maybe you have an
outdoor grill, but you have something akin to a kitchen
to make your food. You can't have no bathroom. I
mean maybe you have an outhouse or somewhere, but you
need that because it's all part of a functioning life
as it's a heap of human being healthy, and so
everything's about the health of the environment, you know. I
(45:28):
just wanted to say one more quick thing about the water,
because everything flows into our waterways.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
Right.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
You may not think about it, but even in New
York City, you have the East River on one side, right,
you have the Hudson River on the other side, and
it's an island. Manhattan's an island, and everything eventually winds
up in the water. Think about the sewer system, right, Look,
whether you're in the suburbs or in the city, watch
the water when it rains, and it all is meant
(45:54):
to flow into the sewers and that goes somewhere. In
other words, whether it's dirt, you know, whether it's chemicals
being used on the city streets, or chemicals in people's yards.
If put someone put pasticides, herbicides, any of these chemicals
on their yard, on their lawn, it will flow into
(46:15):
our waterways into our drinking water. And there's only so
much you can filter out of water, right. There are
amazing processes now to filter and keep water clean. But
you know what, you can't filter everything. Look at those
micro the little microcrystals that they're finding now, microplastics, microplastic
maicals aren't being filtered out, and there's no way to
get them out of our water system anymore. They're in
(46:36):
there permanently. So think about that. Whenever you put something
on the ground on your yard, on your lawn, it's
going to wind up in our waterway. So don't ever
put anything that is on.
Speaker 2 (46:45):
And in your body. I mean, it's in your lungs,
it's in your brain, it's in I mean, hey, guys,
you know it's in your reproductive little private parts too.
You know, it's everywhere. And they're saying more and more
they're they're seeing it and they're seeing you know that
this can be a really really bad situation that continues,
(47:08):
and it is.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
Yeah, And I mean one thing I would say too.
I know we sometimes think we're preaching to the choir,
but I would ask everyone to make a personal commitment
to talk to someone you know, at least one person
who you can try to clue into the importance of
these things. However you want to say it, however diplomatically
you want to frame it, pick someone who you think
(47:29):
may hear you that you can make a difference and
have an impact.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
Right, well, we yes, absolutely, I second that and third that.
So everybody has to do their their their part, and
you can help the environment, as you know, be less
wasteful and compost, reduce, reuse, recycle, join and support an
environmental group, help save a forest, save buttonhook dot org,
(47:53):
walk in nature, limit water use, use light bulbs, LEDs.
There's so much you can do, and just think about
how you have to keep the land clean and green
and think about you know, Earth Days every day. So
where can people get info about you and about what
you're doing?
Speaker 5 (48:12):
So always Newcastle Healthy Yards on Facebook. Pollinator pathways whether
it's Newcastle pollinator pathways or pominator pathways in general, the
National Wildlife Federations are great source healthy yards. Dot org
has great sources as well. Nationally. You can go to
the Zeroces Society before they lose their website, you know.
Speaker 6 (48:32):
That would be.
Speaker 5 (48:34):
X E r c s All Native Works.
Speaker 3 (48:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (48:39):
Dot org really really important go Also, you know, if
you need some data, Beyond Pesticides is a great website,
Washington DC, non Partisan advocacy Group, great data studies, information,
ways to talk to your neighbors, really great stuff to
reduce pesticide use.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
So there's a lot of places to go to and
they all need your help right now. So Victoria, thank
you again as usual for your great work and all
you do to try to make things better and get
people to take action. And thanks for joining us for
the Many Green. For more info and shows, go to
Hudson River Radio dot com, Malcolm Presents dot com, the
(49:17):
Many Shades of Green dot com. You can leave us
you know, some sort of message on our web page
the Many Shades of Green dot com and follow us
on Facebook and Instagram at Team Shades of Green. Uh So,
Also I want to thank majorly mister Neil back there
in studio and Brian and Malcolm for their help and
(49:41):
always remember to pick a shade of green and raise
your eco consciousness and social consciousness. Maxie margat Rubin and
we'll see you again next time.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
Hudson River Radio dot com
Hudson River Radio dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello out there in podcast land and other areas and beyond,
Maxie Margot Rubin along with my co host Malcolm Berman.
And this is the Many Shades of Green, our program
that adds a dash of green into your life. As
we engage in conversations that move to inform, educate, activate,
and raise your eco and social consciousness through culture, politics, music, arts,
(00:45):
science and community, we hope to inspire you to pick
a shade of green and become a steward of this beautiful, blue,
green planet we call Earth. So I'm going to say
hi Malcolm out in the la land there, Powdy, and
Hi to Victoria close really close by, and Neil back
in studio in and uh we are actually in Earth
(01:10):
month right now. And there's a particular song I've always
liked since it was kind of little and uh it's
called the Rain, the Park and other things by the Costles.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I saw her sitting in the rain.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Rain.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
She didn't see the cave. She sat there smiling. Then
I just she.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
She seems sweet and she cot to.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I don't know. I just really loved that song.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
That this connection, both Neil and I have a connection
to the Castles in some way. And so that song.
Every time I think of the Flower Girl, I think
of spring, right, you think of spring. So anyhow, so
that song of flower Girl, which was a hit by
the family singing group The Castles, as I mentioned it
was in the sixties, later sixties, and again, flowers after
(02:47):
all bring us closer to nature, and the actual song
brings together certain elements that are relatable to the environment
rain parks for sure, and other things. And there's a
lot of other things that we need to go over,
and that's kind of subject to one's interpretation. So I'm
always fond of bringing in music of late, and thank
(03:09):
you Neil for always helping me out there. Music is
the message for many movements, including Earth Day, which is
celebrated on a particular day it's April twenty second, but
now the month of April is Earth Month. Every day
should be Earth Day, of course, and it brings attention,
much needed attention to the continued need to activate the
(03:32):
populace and.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
To caring for Mother Earth.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
There have been many songs which emphasize the environment, but
one of them that really kicked it off is called
burn On, and it was panned by Randy Newman. It's
about the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, literally catching fire
because it was filled with oil waste. That incident helps
bur the environmental movement. As one of the founders of
(03:57):
Earth Day. Former Senator gay Lord Nelson cited the Cuyahoga
River fire as the inspiration for holding a national teach
in to emphasize environmental problems. Other songs that have environmental
themes are Mercy Mercy Me the Ecology by Marvin Gay
with the infamous line where did all the Blue Skies Go?
(04:19):
And then there's Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi Save Paradise,
put up a parking lot, Neil Young's After the Gold
Rush with the lyric look at Mother Nature on the
Run in the nineteen seventies, which he has updated to
say now in the twenty first century. We also have
(04:39):
dar Williams, which is she's in our local area here
in Newcastle, grew up here, and she wrote a song
called Go to the Woods which expressed her fears that
the green space of the world, they're disappearing the green spaces.
So music is an integral part of activism and I
(04:59):
hope more c and artists following the footsteps of the
older artists like Dylan and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
Joan Baiez is still carrying the mantle. She recently performed
at the Hands Off protest in LA with Neil Young
and Maggie Rogers. A little younger artist, Green Day did
a great set at Coachello. We had them bring us
(05:20):
in on the show last week as well. And unfortunately, though,
things are happening that are countering a lot of the
good stuff that's popping up because now we're in a
really crazy space in the world. The EPA is now
slashing regulations that have been put in place to safeguard
the health and safety of the citizens of the US
(05:42):
and the globe, to preserve the planet. I mean the
chief EPA Chief Administrator Lee Zelden said on March twenty
first that we are stated that this is twenty for
us of March. When he said this, he said, is
the greatest day of deregulation of our nation that our
(06:03):
nation has seen. We are driving a dagger straight into
the heart of the climate change religion to drive down
cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring
auto jobs back to the US and more. Yes, there's
a dagger involved, and the dagger is basically to just
(06:25):
kill the environment at this point, so with all the
good people are still trying to do.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Now, we're trying to protest and.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Make some noise, but we'll see where this all goes,
hopefully somewhere good. On today's podcast podcast, we have Victoria Alzipedi.
I know you like that in Joe, Victoria, She's looking
at me like, what.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Well, it's beautiful. I mean, you're so right about everything
you said, and you said it so eloquently, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
So it's like, what do you what are you to do?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So we're gonna she's a resident garden Wildlife and Healthy
Yards guru, amazing woman, and we're gonna discuss Earth Month,
discuss how we can maybe stop using things that you know,
cause issues with the environment, like leaf blowers and pesticides,
(07:17):
and we'll talk a bit about the EPA rulings, how
they're dismantling everything and it's so detrimental to the health
and safety of humans and wildlife, and what we need
to do to help the environment get back to basics,
you said, Victoria, in our yards and go natural so
(07:39):
quickly Victoria Is she's been on I know you know her,
but I'll just go through it quickly. Victoria is the
co founder of Newcastle Healthy Yards and is the chair
of the Town of Newcastles and is the chair of
the Town of the Newcastle Conservation Board. Now she's doing
great work already as well as a member of the
Westchester Climate Smart Communities task Force. She's all a member
(08:00):
of Friends of button Hook. I'm also a friend of
button Hook. We're working to save a twenty point three
acre of forest in the Town of Newcastle. She's the
co founder of Newcastle Pollinagra Pathways Coalition and started the
Facebook group The Nature of Westchester, an active community of
nature lovers which has more than how many members are
(08:20):
close to how.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
Five thousand we're like creeping.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Up Wow, almost five thousand.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Fantastic. She's also a native plant gardening consultant and coach,
providing eco friendly planting recommendations my Native garden oasis dot com.
And we implore you to get outside and be one
with nature, listen to music while you're doing that. While
you're cleaning up a local park, you know, you can
have the music bop.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Around, clean up the park it's all good.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
We need to be come part of the solution and
care for mother Earth again. Attribute that to Victoria. So
welcome to the many shades of green. And I know
there's lots to go through here. We'll go through the question.
Of course, the first one always is the shade of green,
(09:08):
because now no one knows what their shade of green
is at any moment now.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Yeah, so yes, thank you as always for inviting me
to join you. And that was a really powerful intro, Maxine.
I think you captured the moment and the challenges and
the gravity of everything that we're facing. So thank you
and thanks for the music. We have to be optimistic,
we have to kind of do what we need to
(09:36):
rev ourselves up. I always tell people when things are bad,
like just turn on the music and play your most
empowering songs right now and the songs that give you
the most confidence and hope and use that as inspirations
to take action. So thank you for figuring that all.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Up to be y, that's important because music is it's
it's crucial to to As I said, movements.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I mean, if you.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Look back, look back over the century, over less century,
especially in the.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
Sixties, the last century.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:05):
When I was growing up in the sixties, Yeah, sure,
the civil rights movement was based on like when they
walk down the street, we shall overcome.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
There was a lot of music, and of course there
was woodstock. Of course there was protests at all the
you know, army.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Places to recruit.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And I remember going to who the one in Coney Island,
and I protested and my parents would.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Scream, don't go there.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And because I was like fourteen, you know, you went anyway,
even though you weren't supposed to. And and now today,
you know, they're saying, oh, it's the boomers that are protesting,
Like damn right, because now we have our kids and
our grandkids to worry about, you know, and we need
the youngins more, We need the young's more.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
So stepping up generational I think that you know, we
were at a period back then everyone communicated together. You know,
there was one television, a few channels. Now there's so
many ways and places that people communicate. And so I
always say to people, whatever are your channels, you know,
whether it's social media, whatever it is, take action there.
(11:14):
You know, everyone has a responsibility right now. We can't
wait for someone else to do the work for us.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
So right, that's so true.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
I mean, that's what the Trump is trying to control,
you know the media.
Speaker 7 (11:26):
Yeah, well, because that's what But he's you know, he's
suing everybody for all the networks, know, the stations that
don't agree with what he wants.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
But the other people out of the media are are
hitting back harder the education end of it. Harvard really
stood up to start this whole thing. But anyway, we're
kind of digressing here.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Those are good examples. I mean, I think when you
think about the color the you know, the shade of
green that is most resonating with me on Earth month
day or is kind of taking a step back and
thinking about how much green is on our planet, and
we continue to cut down trees, we continue to you know,
(12:12):
build a de forest, and there's less and less green
on the planet. And the green is precious because it
is sequestering carbon so we can breathe better, so our
air is cleaner, so that our wildlife have a place
to live and breed, and you know, bring on the
next generation of critically important pollinators and birds and wildlife
(12:35):
that is essential to the survival of the planet, to
the survival of humans. And I encourage everyone to go
to their town, their community, their city and ask for
you know, a map, ask if they can show you
an image of the trees the forested area in your
area compared to like twenty five years ago. Sometimes you
(12:59):
can find this on Google Earth. And it's very powerful
to see the decline in green And there are a
lot of communities now that have what we call kind
of hot spots, heat hotspots where there used to be
trees and now there are not trees. And so what
happens is you have the sun beating down and the
(13:19):
temperatures are getting higher than ever as we know, and
it's it's oppressive, it's oppressive for humans to live. Humans
are now seeking shelter in the shade more than ever
because of the hot sun and the you know less
trees that are sheltering and providing shades.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
So, speaking of the songs of green fields, greenfields are
going now by the sun going on the valleys, rivers
used to run.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Whose do you remember who that is?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Malcolm was way, that was back, that was back back, back, man,
that's back even I don't remember that.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
That's the folks are I think it's a I.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
Don't know, greenfields irrelevant, it's work.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Look at it.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
And they thought back then that there were troubles, well
look cure, but we think and there were, but now
there are you know, tenfold right because of everything happened.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
We had Rachel Carson, do you know the DDT silent
spring and DDT you know, was something that I believe
it was used in warfare or chemical warfare or something
and they hadn't left over from the war and let's
figure out's figure out who to do with this. It
had to spray and kill everything. And now we have
(14:34):
now that we kind of got that, you know, under
you know, in a better place that we don't have
to deal with. I believe we have the round up,
you know, and now it's just other countries have banned it,
but not here, you know.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
I mean, it's only the beginning. If you think about it,
think about d DT, Think about all those harmful chemicals
that were put into the earth, were disposed of improperly
because there wasn't research. There wasn't data in most cases
that told us how dangerous they work. And that's because
we didn't have the strength of the EPA. EPA is
(15:12):
not perfect, but it does create some standards, the infusion
of money for research so that we know the harms
of the chemicals. And so now what's happening with all
the deregulation that you mentioned at the EPA, the Department
of Protection happening at a national level. They're removing money
for research. They're removing all the regulations that really protect us.
(15:35):
I mean, it protects the Earth and it protects us
as human beings on this planet. And so what's going
to happen now is companies are not going to have
to think about the impact. They're going to just continue
to make more money on selling those products, you know,
without any regulation. And that's where we're going to wind
up now. It's basically the foundation for health related you know,
(15:57):
illnesses and all sorts of problems down the road as
a result of what's happening right now.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Right it's we always talk about pesticides on the show
and where to you know, do our monthly and it's
just I see in my area, you know these yellow
signs that say don't don't go on the lawn for
twenty four hours, And how can you think might look
at the signs that's being put up on your lawn
(16:25):
and why aren't you connecting the dots to that? What
what's missing that they're not getting it? And also more trees,
you know in my area are coming down. And when
I walk my dogs years ago, there were trees and
I knew the spots I can take the dogs because
it was cooler in those spots by five minimally five degrees.
(16:50):
Now those same blocks with no trees.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Is hot, really really hot.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
And I don't you know, I can see if this
tree is hanging over a wire, you know, something dangerous
is one thing. But just doing it because oh, you know,
don't like it or whatever, it just.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
I don't know. I just don't know what to say
at the time.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
You're so right, and it really behooves us to wonder
why are people not realizing the harm that's going on?
And you know, think about like Smoky the Bear, right,
so Smoky the Bear. For years and years, we have
these comercials that only you can prevent forest, only you, right,
And a lot of people thought, don't have a forest
near me, you know, we don't have fire fires here,
and so people kind of let it go in and out.
(17:39):
One they're in one near out the other. Well, now
we have fires where we never used that. Right now,
New Jersey is on fire, right woldlands of New Jersey
are on fire.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
And we have been getting, you know, warnings about air
quality quality.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, and so maybe it will take And I hate
to say this. I mean, I I'm a hopeful person,
and I you know, I think, you know, I hope
the best for humanity. But maybe it will take something
to happen. Maybe it will take the air quality to
be unbreathable for a month. You know that it really
sinks into people that they have to take action. And
(18:17):
when when Smoky the Bear said, only you can prevent
forest fires, I mean, this is a call to action.
Only we can have an impact on the world around us.
We can't rely on the federal government anymore. The state
governments are so overwhelmed now because they're losing so much
money across the board. They're going to have to pick
and choose where their funding is reallocated. And hopefully some
(18:38):
of it will be obviously towards the environment, but it
may not be. So we have to take action. Now's
the time, you know, we talk about taking action in
your yard, stopping the use of pesticides because of the
harm it does to the air, to the soil, to
the water on every level, to health of ourselves, our children,
our wildlife. Now we really have to do something because
(18:59):
now we're going to be so much more vulnerable to
all the harm. We have to be proactive. It is
truly up to us to take action and to be
more aware. And as we lose all the research, you know,
you kind of lose what you take for granted. How
much information is out there, and there's some things that
aren't on the shelves as harmful as round up is
and so many other pesticides frankly that are on the
(19:21):
market that are easily available. There are some that are
even worse, which may wind up on our shelves right
alongside of roundup. And because it's on the shelf, people
are going to think, oh, it's fine, and we've taken
for granted that there's some regulation. We can't take that
for granted anymore. We have to use the media the
forums for information much more proactively. So Google and other
(19:45):
sources need to be our friend much more. Buy or beware.
It really is a world now where you have to
take it upon yourself and maybe build alliances with community
members to compensate for all the knowledge that we used
to take for granted that we are not and have
moved forward, right.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I mean you sent me something just right before about
de Zerceees Society, which they care for you know, butterflies
and bees and.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
All of that.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And they, you know, all these organizations that we both know,
get federal funding and they are very important. They have
they do very important things research and and and they
scope out you know, mapping of where the monarchs will be,
or where the milkweed is or where you know, things
that we normal people. I mean, I don't know if
(20:32):
I can't use the word normal people. People getting through,
trying to get through their life. Everybody has something, right,
You look at somebody and you don't know what's behind them.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
You don't know what what you.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Know under the iceberg, as they say.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Right exactly, so to get them to do something, you know,
we always say this, we have the choir, we have
the choir. We have the choir, and we need to
get a bigger choir. All past the one of the.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
Two last weekend, I think it was in sixty minutes,
they had a segment on the monarch butterflies. Yeah, there
from Canada to the US now to Mexico and they
are so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Right, Well, you know that was sixty minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And then since that broadcast, now there's a it's been
in the news a lot, not for good reasons.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
You know.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
The guy who runs that show for years and years
and years quit because he was losing his independence to
give actual news, cotton dry news, factual news, because the
regime doesn't want that.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Yeah, look it is scary. I mean the Zerce Society
is a perfect example. So there's a group that was
for the public interest, right, I mean, our government is
supposed to exist not just as a business for the
public interest, interest for all of us, for us as individuals,
community nation. And that's what we're starting to lose. So
we're not going to have all that great information about
(22:08):
the benefit of the bees. And that's you know, that's
kind of the mo right now, that losing all the
access to information. So we really have to we must
must pay close attention and try to get as much
information as we can now and keep it top of mind.
And look at there's going to be a lot of
competing interests, right, so a lot of times the environment
(22:31):
falls to the bottom of the barrel right for many years.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yeah, it always has pretty much.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Yeah, social justice was obviously, people need to eat, people
need shelter. Right right now, we're up against climate changes
that are adding more water to the ocean and to waterways.
So as we know all of those communities that are
on the coasts and that are along the water, there
are certain you know, countries, islands that are now very
(22:57):
much underwater because the increase in water in the oceans,
and so that's going to be a priority, you know,
and hopefully there will be more funding put towards that.
But the flip side of that is, unfortunately a lot
of those important climate oriented programs are being cut. So
we are going to be so vulnerable on all humanity
(23:19):
kind of levels, and we have to make sure that
we remember. I mean, some people say mother Earth, right,
I mean the Earth, and it sounds so hokey and
mother Earth, but the reality is everything comes from the earth, right.
The Earth really is the source of everything. If you
look at anything in your office, in your house, in
your yard, it's the origins are pretty much in some
(23:42):
way natural. Something that comes from the earth, material or water, liquid,
you know, whatever it may be, chemical compounds, and so
if we destroy that, there really is no turning back.
And so we really must more than ever protect the earth.
And we talk about Earth Day and I think, you know,
I was a little concerned this year because we've gotten
(24:03):
so used to Earth Day. Right, there was a while
that it was new.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
This is in the seventies.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Oh, it's fun, and you go to Central I remember
going to Central Park on one of the first Earth
Days and you celebrated.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Now, I think some people have just taken that for granted.
Like the Conservation Board, we are posting if anyone's around
Newcastle or Westchester Tristate area. On Sunday afternoon at Gidney
Park in Millwood, we are having an Earth Day from
twelve thirty to five pm. We're having a lot of
the nature and environmental groups have tables there. We're doing
walks in the park giving out a lot of information
(24:37):
on all these topics that we talk about. And you know,
I really feel like we need to do more and
not just think of it as a day, but every
single day we should be protecting and nurturing the earth.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Absolutely, Well, we're at the break, so we have to
pick it up on the other side. Of the break,
we'll be back with more great info from Vic Toria
Alzapiti talk about Earth Day and other things, and how
important it is to have societies like Zersees and others.
You know, stay afloat, so please stay tuned.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 8 (25:18):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 8 (25:29):
This is Hudson River Radio dot com.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Hello, We're back with Victoria.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Al Zippedi to talk more about what we need to
do to be more sustainable, to take actions to care
for Mother Earth because she really needs our help. And
also please subscribe to our podcast and all major podcast apps.
Follow us on Instagram and threads and Facebook at tm
Shades of green and blue sky and we are and
(26:15):
just together. I mean, there was a In terms of music,
I'll just quote one thing. This is a lyric from
a song, and the lyric is I see trees of
green red roses too. I see them bloom for me
and you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Speaker 7 (26:35):
I love the song I got. The words are great,
but louis Armstrong.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Since louis Armstrong, AG read that and you'll appreciate walking
outside and I.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Hate killed that. You know, listen to him and lean
back and envision.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
So that's the vision we need to be get back
to so we can know that this is a wonder
it is a wonderful world.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
It's the kill. Is that a messing it up? I
think so?
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So can I just say one thing? It's you're reminding
me and I'm not I'm certainly not advocating the commercialism
of spaceflight and split space travel. But in these recent
flights where people have gone above the atmosphere, you know,
out in the space and they're able to look down
at the Earth and coming down to the ground, and
you know, it's very moving for them because you realize
(27:23):
that this is it. This is the place where humans live.
Maybe light years away. Some places we can't live. Maybe
there's there's somewhere that there's air we could breathe, but
at this point there's nowhere else with air that we
can breathe, right, I mean, this is it, and we
are so lucky, we are so fortunate that we are
(27:44):
in a place where we can breathe the air, we
can drink the water. I mean so far. But so
this is it. We have to protect it. Because there's
no other right, there's no other planet b as they say, right.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Right, and and we have to do something about it.
So and we were talking talking about this at the break,
So what what what say you about that? How do
we get this? You know people mean to take more action?
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Yeah, I think you know, it's a big mindset shift.
First of all, I think of all these I was
flooded as I was preparing for this with all these
quotes about you know, be part of the solution. There's
no time like the present. Take it into your own hands,
you know, If not now, when, if not you who?
You know? These are real. These quotes came into being
(28:30):
because they're real.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Right.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
No one is going to save us, No one is
going to do it. We have to do it ourselves.
So I always think, you know, when you think about
making plans, when you think about envisioning your future, right,
I mean people who do coaching life coaches, they kind
of take you through what is your vision? How are
you going to get there? I think it's important to
be very intentional about what you are going to do.
(28:54):
Things don't come to fruition typically unless we envision them.
We have a timeline for them, and we write them
down right, so prioritize what you're going to do. Think
about almost like if you take out a piece of
paper and put the buckets. What are you personally going
to do to protect the air? What are you personally
going to do to protect the water? What are you
(29:17):
personally going to do to protect the soil? Think about
the categories. What are you actually going to do? For example? Right,
so that we're not tabula rossis, so you have some
things to think about for someone who lives in the suburbs, right,
or in a rural community, who anyone even if you
have a backyard like you know Park Soap in Brooklyn.
People have a little backyard, you know, a cycle, right,
(29:38):
It's small, but it's theirs and they can do stuff
with it. So the soil is really important. Everything comes
out of the soil. Think about I mean, think about
New York City. It's covered with concrete. We forget our
connection to the earth because it's it's literally a concrete jungle, right.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
And it's sinking. Scrapers are sinking.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Yeah, I mean that's a whole other topic.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
That's a whole other topic.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
It's really disturbing. So think about the soil. Everything grows
out of the soil, right, and soil is where birds
find their food, insects under the soil. There's so much
of a universe going on under the soil. But yet
people put herbicides. People think about fertilization. They're fertilizing their grass.
They're putting nature. As we said, go back to basics.
(30:26):
Nature does not need any additives if you let it
thrive and don't do anything to it, and nurture it
and plant native plants, and you don't need to use pesticides.
So anyone out there listening really try not to use
pesticides or herbicides or fertilized. You know, if you have
healthy soil, put in some good composts. Make some composts.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Right.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
If you can compost your vegetables right there, you don't
even have to have like a big outdoor composter. You
can have a kitchen table of kitchen countertop posting unit.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
Right.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
We have those in Newcastle. The Newcastle Sustainability Advisory Board
focuses on those and hands them out. You know, create composts.
Add that to your soil if you want it to
be healthier. It's full of nutrients, right, So make good
choices for soil so pick especially if you have a
yard or you have somewhere green. What are you going
to do to keep your soil healthy and protect the soil? Right?
(31:24):
No pesticides, no herbicides, no fertilizer or anything else you
can think of. I'm just trying to spark your all
of your creativity, all the listeners out there, and then
what are you going to do to protect the air?
Think about it. We breathe the air. As you were
saying earlier. Vaccine. There is an alert in Westchester County
today and in all the counties around New York City.
(31:45):
Get your jersey's on fire. What are you going to
do knowing that we have more and more of these
poor air quality days? Right? Leaf flowers, I know we
talk a lot about leaf flowers, whether you're we should,
we should if you're in the suburbs, if you're in
a rural environment. I see them even used in more
urban places. Now, let's remember why we don't want to
(32:06):
use leaf flowers. They literally muck up the dust, all
the particulate matter it's put into the air. If you
may not even see it, right. There's sometimes where maybe
you drive by and you see or walk by and
you see a leaf flower going and you see in
the air, literally you can see all the dust.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
The dirt is being just thrown up into the air,
and that dirt a lot of times they had the
treatment of the fertilizer and the pesticides. And then I
saw this recently the very next day, three guys on
the lawns blowing.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Now they're not cut, the grass.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Isn't of a you know, didn't grow that high yet
their lawns are spotless.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
There's nothing on them. Right, what are they doing?
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Literally, it's a money making industry. Also, it's a money
making industry and everyone needs to make a living. But
landscapers can be doing other things. They can be removing
invasive plants, they can be there's so many other things
they can be given as projects to make money instead
of blowing leaf blow around. I mean, it is a waste.
And you know, I know, people get excited about the
(33:12):
spring and they want to do something. Take a walk,
look at where you might have some gaps in your
yard and think about what native plants. Think about where
you're going to plant milkweed, right, I mean, we're we're
just talking about you know, monarchs monarchs need milkweed. They
literally cannot lay their baby eggs on any other plant
other than milk weed plants. If they do, when the
baby eggs hatch and come out as little caterpillars, those
(33:36):
caterpillars can only digest milkweed. So where are you going
to put milk weed in your yard to support the monarchs? Right? So,
think about other ways to spend your time and your
money preparing your yard to be healthy and to contribute
to the air. Trees or plant a tree, I mean
everyone always says planet tree. Well, really, folks, plants really do.
There are all kinds of programs right now that are
(33:58):
giving away free, free native trees. The Arbor Day Society.
They give away, you know, packages of things to celebrate
trees that you can put in your own yard, all
different size trees, big trees, MENI, planet trees, small trees,
a tree to fit, a native tree, to fit any space.
Those are gonna help keep the air clean. And the
only other thing I wanted to say about those leaf flowers,
(34:20):
even after the air seems like it clears, right, So
maybe you go back to where you saw the cloud
of dust two hours later and you're like Okay, there's
no more particular matter. Well, you know what, there's microscopic
particulate matter that's still getting in your lungs even when
you can't see it. It's very insidious. And once it's
in your lungs, you know what, you can't get it out.
(34:41):
It's in your lungs.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Well, I walk my dog and I walk through the
landscapers on my road every day.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
Now, it started in February.
Speaker 5 (34:51):
Even you shouldn't have to wear a mask out in
the open. You shouldn't have to.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
And I'm wondering.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
You know, my dog and I are both breathing the sin,
you know, and it's just.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, who knows what it is?
Speaker 5 (35:04):
A public health is a public health issue, right and again,
don't despair. I mean, yes, we're having trouble with some
of the regulations on a national level. Disappearing. Go to
your municipalities. I mean here we talking about Okay, So
if you're worried about the air, don't use leaf flowers. Well,
you know what. Also, go to a town board meeting,
go to a town council meeting. Say something, yes, say something.
(35:27):
Grassroots all have to focus on where we live, our community.
Let people know that this is if maybe they don't know. Ignorance,
you know, shouldn't be blissed.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
We should educate.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
Let people know. If you're listening to this now, I'm
sure there's someone in your locality and your local community
who you can let know. Hey, we need to be
more careful about our air quality. What are we going
to do? How do we compensate for the fact that
the air is getting worse? How do we limit leaf
blowers so that there isn't an Honestly, it's not just
gas leaf blowers. It's, of course critically important to stop
(36:01):
gas leaf flowers because they emit so much toxic fuel,
But the little baby leaf blowers that are electric, frankly,
they also muck things up in the air. So you
know that whenever you can use a broom, use a rake.
Contain learn to live with things where they are as natural,
you know, carve out little places.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
But folks, it used to be when I've been in
this town over thirty years, there was no leaf blowers
going on.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
When I was remember, there was something called a rake.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
But the kids.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Then you can hire a kid, Yeah, a college kid
wants to make some bucks.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
That's that's over. It's literally over. It's like, you know, no,
I don't need to do that. Dad gave me all
the money I need.
Speaker 6 (36:49):
Remember, there was something called shovels.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Or maybe your hands that maybe a file of leaves shoveled,
you know, yeah, I mean what a novel concept. We
had a good exercise, right, I was.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
That was my other thing.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It was I wanted to have something like, you know,
you don't need the gym, just go outside.
Speaker 7 (37:10):
And I mean that was good exercises when you're fifteen sixteen,
but when you're seventy, I don't know if that would
be good exercise.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
My husband does the lead.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
He does the leaves in the front, but I think
we might need someone to do the back now because
he hit the seventies mark.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
That's seventies.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Yeah, go ahead. What I was going to say, I
totally hear what you're saying, and you know, yes, you
can get some folks to help. Just give them direction
that you don't want a leaf or you wanted gentle.
I always say, gentle, gentle, Imagine you're in that little
pile and you're a little spider. It's going to be
crushed and killed and you're gonna have one less creature.
To eat your mosquitos, right.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
I leave the spiders alone as much and if I
find one inside, I.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Try to get him outside, but doesn't always work, but
I try.
Speaker 5 (37:57):
We should all do that, right.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
We go, we go spider hunting. Yeah, it's just uh,
you know, that's.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
What I think.
Speaker 7 (38:03):
The thing that's going to survive everybody or the insects
or whatever is the roach.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I know, we've we've established that in the city. In
the city.
Speaker 7 (38:13):
Yeah, I think I mentioned it each year when I
said in Manhattan, the Museum Natural History had an exhibit
on roaches at the end of the summer.
Speaker 5 (38:24):
Oh really, Yeah, I missed that.
Speaker 7 (38:27):
And the roach lived in prehistoric times and that they
could yeah, and they could live in the Antarctica in
cold they can live in subtropic weather.
Speaker 6 (38:39):
And they survive yep.
Speaker 5 (38:42):
Well, and we need to start teaching them to lobby
for the environment and.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well maybe maybe if there's a tariff on roaches, then
maybe we'll see you know, there was a terriff tariffon penguins.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
I just I want to get a T shirt that's
with the penguins holding the teeth throwing it over into
Boston Harbor.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
I want to. I want to get that into a
T shirt.
Speaker 6 (39:09):
That's like going on strike, Are you kidding?
Speaker 3 (39:11):
Yeah? I think they'd be holding up signs now, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
But yeah, it's right right, you know, don't don't You
don't need the gym.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
Just get a rake, get a shovel. You know that
you don't need to do. It's really good exercise like everything,
you know. But yeah, but anyway this, you know, I don't.
Speaker 5 (39:32):
Want us to forget about the water because I talked
about how to protect the soil, how to protect the air,
the water. Right. In many Native American cultural philosophies, water
is life, Water is like to think about it. We
are comprised of water. A huge part of our bodies
are water, right, yeah, something like that. I should know
(39:54):
the exact answer to that, but a huge part of
our bodies. And think about how easy it is to dehydrate.
What happened when we dehydrate, our organs stop functioning? Right,
We really cannot function without water.
Speaker 6 (40:05):
You sound you sound like my doctor.
Speaker 7 (40:07):
Every time I go with him with another ailment, he says,
you've got to hydrate.
Speaker 5 (40:11):
Drate, drink, drink.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
I try to drink a lot.
Speaker 7 (40:16):
Pants and your muscles or your legs hydrate. You're not
drinking enough water.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
I drink a lot of tea. Well, he has water,
but it's also good.
Speaker 5 (40:25):
But it's it's a diuretic. A lot of tea, just
to be cognizant of that.
Speaker 7 (40:30):
You know, I don't know if the green tea is
of one of them.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Yeah, with nobal t, it's maybe a little less of
a diarbretic. It's true, but you know what I mean
if yes, Mexican.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
I was just saying, you're talking about the water, and
recently I've seen a couple of articles that the salt
that's being used on the roads in the winter is
going into the water supply and the water is becoming
more salidated. And right now that is like I've seen
more and more about it, you know, in different publications,
(41:06):
and I think we really need to start focusing on
that because if the water is too.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Salinate it we can't drink it.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
And if the salt that they're using is so you know,
using sodium chlorid, they can use calcium chlorid, which wouldn't
be as bad. I'll still have some runoff, but now
they say it's becoming really bad.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
It's corrosive.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
But not only that it's in the drinking water, then
what you know, how do you get it out?
Speaker 5 (41:34):
It's you can only filter out so much, right, and
there are a lot of things by the way, you
go ahead, I'm sorry, And.
Speaker 6 (41:41):
We're doing with four rode.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
Yeah, whole issue.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
That's a whole I mean, you can't. You can't keep
up quick enough, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
And the time we're doing this show, there will like
five of the things done that will be in the
news when we get off the air.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
As to what.
Speaker 7 (41:59):
The most important thing that we have to do is listen.
Listen to the scientists about what's happening with our air
that's causing a global warming. Scientists the carbon footprint.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Well, unfortunately a lot of them are leaving.
Speaker 7 (42:17):
Just look at the fires, look at the hurricanes. You're right,
weather conditions right that everybody. So this is the worst
that it's ever been.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
So let's pull back regulations that regulation, let's pull back
on the National Institute of Healthy n o a A.
The FDA. We're not inspecting milk, we're not inspecting food.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Where is this?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I mean, what is their endgame? They just want to
kill everyone? I mean what I mean, how much I
don't know what to say. I'm literally out of words
so many times now, I don't know what to say.
It's just it's it's frightening and it's scary, and you've
kind of feel sometimes like banging your head against the wall,
(43:04):
and how can we help?
Speaker 3 (43:05):
I know we're making some in roads.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
I know a lot of the legal actions are so important,
and that seems to be where it is at this moment,
stopping things that are going, you know, forward, But it's
like you're an alluding tone form.
Speaker 7 (43:20):
What's it going to take to get Congress to act
the Republicans and Congress to act nothing?
Speaker 3 (43:27):
I don't.
Speaker 5 (43:28):
Unfortunately, unfortunately, there's an orientation like I've been talking a
lot about. You know, people go to business school for
an MBA to be effective in business, and people go
to public policy school to get a master's in public
administration to help public policy. And unfortunately, what we have
now is people who have a business orientation trying to
(43:49):
run the government. So every question is about whether they're
going to make more money, and of course having a
business sense is very important, but to just totally desecr
the government and lose all of these wonderful scientists, people
who do research. Their goal is not to make money.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
They will they be.
Speaker 5 (44:08):
At a reduced amount of money that they could make
in the private sector. And so but because it's not important,
because it's not about making money, those people are disposable.
But they're not disposable to humanity because we need them.
We desperately need them and their scientific council and their
wisdom to help us stay alive and stay healthy.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
The government's supposed to be by the people for the people.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Okay, So where I didn't say and your NBA at Columbia,
you know, it just didn't say that.
Speaker 5 (44:37):
You know, And I just think that it's very important.
I mean when Malcolm was talking about, you know, the
carbon issue, and you know everything is connected. The water,
the soil and the air. They're all part of an ecosystem. Right.
We see ecosystem very flippantly, but it is a system.
Everything is connected, you know. In other words, look at
your house you have or your apartment. You have a
(44:59):
bad room, you have a kitchen, you have a bedroom. Right,
you need all those three things because each one has
a different function.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Correct.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
You can't just have a house with no kitchen or
any place to cook. I mean maybe you have an
outdoor grill, but you have something akin to a kitchen
to make your food. You can't have no bathroom. I
mean maybe you have an outhouse or somewhere, but you
need that because it's all part of a functioning life
as it's a heap of human being healthy, and so
everything's about the health of the environment, you know. I
(45:28):
just wanted to say one more quick thing about the water,
because everything flows into our waterways.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
Right.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
You may not think about it, but even in New
York City, you have the East River on one side, right,
you have the Hudson River on the other side, and
it's an island. Manhattan's an island, and everything eventually winds
up in the water. Think about the sewer system, right, Look,
whether you're in the suburbs or in the city, watch
the water when it rains, and it all is meant
(45:54):
to flow into the sewers and that goes somewhere. In
other words, whether it's dirt, you know, whether it's chemicals
being used on the city streets, or chemicals in people's yards.
If put someone put pasticides, herbicides, any of these chemicals
on their yard, on their lawn, it will flow into
(46:15):
our waterways into our drinking water. And there's only so
much you can filter out of water, right. There are
amazing processes now to filter and keep water clean. But
you know what, you can't filter everything. Look at those
micro the little microcrystals that they're finding now, microplastics, microplastic
maicals aren't being filtered out, and there's no way to
get them out of our water system anymore. They're in
(46:36):
there permanently. So think about that. Whenever you put something
on the ground on your yard, on your lawn, it's
going to wind up in our waterway. So don't ever
put anything that is on.
Speaker 2 (46:45):
And in your body. I mean, it's in your lungs,
it's in your brain, it's in I mean, hey, guys,
you know it's in your reproductive little private parts too.
You know, it's everywhere. And they're saying more and more
they're they're seeing it and they're seeing you know that
this can be a really really bad situation that continues,
(47:08):
and it is.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
Yeah, And I mean one thing I would say too.
I know we sometimes think we're preaching to the choir,
but I would ask everyone to make a personal commitment
to talk to someone you know, at least one person
who you can try to clue into the importance of
these things. However you want to say it, however diplomatically
you want to frame it, pick someone who you think
(47:29):
may hear you that you can make a difference and
have an impact.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
Right, well, we yes, absolutely, I second that and third that.
So everybody has to do their their their part, and
you can help the environment, as you know, be less
wasteful and compost, reduce, reuse, recycle, join and support an
environmental group, help save a forest, save buttonhook dot org,
(47:53):
walk in nature, limit water use, use light bulbs, LEDs.
There's so much you can do, and just think about
how you have to keep the land clean and green
and think about you know, Earth Days every day. So
where can people get info about you and about what
you're doing?
Speaker 5 (48:12):
So always Newcastle Healthy Yards on Facebook. Pollinator pathways whether
it's Newcastle pollinator pathways or pominator pathways in general, the
National Wildlife Federations are great source healthy yards. Dot org
has great sources as well. Nationally. You can go to
the Zeroces Society before they lose their website, you know.
Speaker 6 (48:32):
That would be.
Speaker 5 (48:34):
X E r c s All Native Works.
Speaker 3 (48:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (48:39):
Dot org really really important go Also, you know, if
you need some data, Beyond Pesticides is a great website,
Washington DC, non Partisan advocacy Group, great data studies, information,
ways to talk to your neighbors, really great stuff to
reduce pesticide use.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
So there's a lot of places to go to and
they all need your help right now. So Victoria, thank
you again as usual for your great work and all
you do to try to make things better and get
people to take action. And thanks for joining us for
the Many Green. For more info and shows, go to
Hudson River Radio dot com, Malcolm Presents dot com, the
(49:17):
Many Shades of Green dot com. You can leave us
you know, some sort of message on our web page
the Many Shades of Green dot com and follow us
on Facebook and Instagram at Team Shades of Green. Uh So,
Also I want to thank majorly mister Neil back there
in studio and Brian and Malcolm for their help and
(49:41):
always remember to pick a shade of green and raise
your eco consciousness and social consciousness. Maxie margat Rubin and
we'll see you again next time.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
Hudson River Radio dot com
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