PVC Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Health and Environmental Justice, Mike Schade returns to tell us how states are acting to protect their little citizens from toys, bottles and pacifiers that contain toxic chemicals Phthalates and Bisphenol A. But state legislatures need your public support to pass laws against these chemicals, which amount to, as Mike says, "toxic lollipops." LISTEN (8 min)
Today’s EcoTalk featured a compelling debate on long and short term viability of Solar Power. Severin Bornstein, Director of the University of California Energy Institute, says that although solar shows long-term promise , it requires more research and development before it’s ready for prime time. On the other hand, JP Ross, Policy Director for the Vote Solar Initiative, takes the egg to Bornstein’s chicken, citing increased use and demand as the engines that will drive technological innovation. But these two explain everything better than I can.
Listen for yourself! PART ONE (11 min) PART TWO (7 min)
Last week we heard from Wal-Mart’s perspective
on the company’s green endeavors. Less packaging and fossil fuel, more
organic food and green stores, and about a billion fluorescent light
bulbs are all part of the giant’s plan. This week, Simran Sethi goes
deeper with Andy Ruben, Wal-Mart’s vice president for corporate
strategy and sustainability, to see how the mega-retailer views its
role as a company with a mission.LISTEN (8 min)
Renowned nutritionist Marion Nestle, author of Foods Politics and What to Eat tells Betsy why she eats organic, why our government cannot do anything to guide us nutritionally, why a healthy diet is not as complex as it is made out to be ("Eat less, and eat more fruits and vegetables!"), and why it’s common sense for us omnivores to diversify our diets as much as possible.
PART ONE (11 min) PART TWO (7 min)
The original Green Patriot David Steinman tells Betsy about watching Green Patriotism enter the mainstream, the often overlooked fact of petroleum in all of our plastic products, and his new book Safe Trip to Eden: 10 Steps to Save Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown.
LISTEN (12 min)
Good news! NRDC’s Climate Center Director David Hawkins tells Betsy how the two private equity firms who are in talks to buy energy giant TXU wanted to talk to Environmental Defense and NRDC about how they could satisfy rising public opposition to proposed coal power plants in Texas.
This is a major victory for grassroots organizing, and the blueprint is clear: citizens make themselves heard in the streets, online, on the air, and in their state capitols; public opposition brings stock prices down; corporations are then forced to meet environmental groups at the bargaining table. Americans, you helped save the air you breathe! LISTEN (11 min)
Congratulations. Every single one of you who saw the movie and were moved by the movie, made "An Inconvenient Truth" simply too influential for the Academy to ignore. NRDC’s Allen Hershkowitz gives props to Al, the producers, and the Academy itself, which did about a thousand little things to green this year’s awards. Yay! LISTEN (7 min)
Just when you think California has been as ambitious and unequivocal as it can be in the face of a looming energy crisis and climate change, the state steps on the gas: Dan Kalb, California Policy Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, tells us about the latest bill in the California legislature, proposing a steep discount for fuel efficient vehicles, and a surcharge for gas guzzlers. LISTEN (12 min)
It’s pretty darn clear that the chocolate eater is not an endangered species, and so it would only make sense that the growing population of chocoholics would help those species who are a key part of our ecosystem, and need our support. Kill two birds wi– no, wait, save the birds!…<sigh>…Just eat chocolate and support endangered species with Endangered Species Chocolates! CEO Wayne Zink: "Endangered species are not just about animals on a list. ‘Endangered’ is where we are right now as a planet." LISTEN (8 min)
