Go Green Radio

Are genetically modified seeds and crops safe for human consumption? Are they already in our food supply? Should genetically modified food be labeled as such, so consumers can decide for themselves if they wish to purchase it? Today we’re joined by Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non GMO Project (www.nongmoproject.org). Megan will discuss GMO’s from the perspective of consumers, farmers, and the future of our global food supply.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 31, people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to saving energy and saving the Earth. What started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia has now become a worldwide movement. Some will celebrate by candlelight in a public gathering, while others will do so in the privacy of their homes. In either case, millions of people will unite in one common cause: to take personal action to help stop climate change. Today’s guest is John McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy and Policy Development for GE Energy’s Digital Energy business. He will discuss the impact of Earth Hour, the latest technological breakthroughs shaping our energy future, and what each of us can do to positively impact the way energy is distributed around the world.

Will it be up to women to save the planet? Perhaps, according to a new award-winning documentary, Mother: Caring for 7 Billion. Grounded largely in the theories of acclaimed social scientist and best-selling author Riane Eisler, the film strives not to pass on blame for our environmental and social challenges, but to rather to educate, highlighting a different path for humanity. The film highlights encouraging evidence of what’s starting to happen around the world. Women, who have been primarily responsible for the work of care all these years, are now stepping into new roles of public leadership all over the planet. A child’s rights activist in Mother believes this could create a tidal wave of change, that’s not only going to ease our population problem, but also bring about policies that will sustain a new attitude towards our planet. Eisler’s research documents what Mother shows: that environmental health, population stabilization, and raising the status of women worldwide are inextricably intertwined.

The pipes that make up our nation’s water systems were not built to last forever. They need maintenance, and in many cases, they need replacement, but government investment to keep our water flowing has dried up. Without significant investment in our clean water delivery systems and our wastewater treatment facilities, we will no longer be able to take clean water for granted. Clean water isn’t just needed for drinking, it’s needed to water our crops and to operate our nation’s energy plants. Obviously, this is not a problem that we can fix by purchasing bottled water. Today’s guest is the national campaign manager for Public Water Works, an effort to bring government investment in our water infrastructure back up to the levels it was in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, when our nation was committed to ensuring that safe and reliable water was a priority from coast to coast. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to get involved.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 31, people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to saving energy and saving the Earth. What started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia has now become a worldwide movement. Some will celebrate by candlelight in a public gathering, while others will do so in the privacy of their homes. In either case, millions of people will unite in one common cause: to take personal action to help stop climate change. Today’s guest is John McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy and Policy Development for GE Energy’s Digital Energy business. He will discuss the impact of Earth Hour, the latest technological breakthroughs shaping our energy future, and what each of us can do to positively impact the way energy is distributed around the world.

In Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation (New Village Press), author Sharon Danks broadens our notion of what a well-designed schoolyard should be, taking readers on a journey from traditional, ordinary grassy fields and asphalt, to explore what's being created in the growing movement toward green schoolgrounds in the United States and around the world. This book documents exciting examples from more than 150 schools in 11 countries, illustrating a vast range of possibilities in outdoor classrooms for learning and play. Easily the most practical how-to book of its kind, Asphalt to Ecosystems walks readers through the process of designing, funding, and creating an outdoor environment that stimulates learning and imagination for all children, regardless of their learning style. For more information, visit http://www.asphalt2ecosystems.org/home

While we fight about short-term environmental obstacles and debate symptoms and solutions, societies fail to offer positive incentives for change. We need a positive vision for humanity’s future to harness the full power of human imagination and community initiative. This is where Mother Earth News publisher, Bryan Welch, and his new book, Beautiful and Abundant, come in. Learn how to make your lifestyle more sustainable, and learn how to look beyond immediate obstacles toward humanity's destination: a world that is aesthetically beautiful, economically abundant, ethically fair and irresistibly contagious. For more information on his book, visit http://beautifulandabundant.com/. Tune in as Bryan teaches us the value of clearly envisioning the world the way we want it to be, then setting out to do our part to bring our vision to fruition.

Consumers have looked to Good Housekeeping for trusted advice for more than 125 years. The magazine has crusaded for food and toy safety, warned readers about flammability risks in Halloween costumes, children’s sleepwear, and kids’ rain coats, and called out manufacturer deceptions on a variety of product claims. In 2009, the magazine introduced the Green Good Housekeeping Seal (GGHS), an environmental extension of the brand’s primary Seal, the most recognized consumer icon in America, to offer consumers guidance in a marketplace saturated with green claims. For more than three years, the scientists and engineers at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the magazine's state-of-the-art product testing laboratory, have worked with Brown & Wilmanns Environmental, one of the nation’s leading green consultants, as well as an Environmental Advisory Board, to establish criteria for the Green Good Housekeeping Seal.

As sustainability practices continue to mature, recent events and trends have set the stage for significant shifts in 2012. Brighter Planet, a leading sustainability technology company, forecasts five big transformations in how leading organizations will address sustainability in the coming year. From shareholder demands to employee engagement, big companies are no longer able to simply “green wash” their way to being considered a good, green enterprise. Data on carbon emissions is now merely a baseline measurement, and sustainability leaders are looking to water impacts and adaptation strategies as climate change is embraced as our inevitable future. Tune in on Friday, March 2, from 9-10a.m. Pacific/Noon-1p.m. Eastern to hear Brighter Planet CEO, Patti Prairie, discuss the top five corporate sustainability trends to watch in 2012 on www.VoiceAmerica.com

Many veterans who fought an oil war overseas are now coming back home with a renewed sense of duty – this time, to the environment, energy security, and their communities. They’re looking for meaningful jobs defending our country’s natural resources, as a continuation of their military service. Veterans Green Jobs launched a new initiative that matches veterans with green sector jobs in energy efficiency, outdoor conservation, green construction and other areas. The program’s goal is to place 300 veterans into green sector jobs by mid-2013 by partnering with green sector employers. To lead this strategic initiative, Veterans Green Jobs has hired Lieutenant Colonel (Retired, U.S. Army) John Toth as senior director of Veterans Programs. A decorated airborne-ranger infantry officer and combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Toth recently completed his military career as professor of military science at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He brings a wealth of experience working with post 9/11 soldiers and ca

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water. The Alliance has embarked on seven key tasks to support and enhance water conservation efforts: • Stand as a clear and authoritative national voice for water efficiency. • Provide comprehensive information about water-efficient products, practices, and programs--what works and what doesn’t. • Represent the interest of water efficiency in the development of codes and standards. • Transform the market for fixtures and appliances. • Coordinate with green building initiatives to institutionalize water efficiency. • Train water conservation professionals. • Educate water users. Tune in as we talk with Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO of AWE. For more information, check out their website at: www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org

Authors David Hanson and Edwin Marty, and photographer Michael Hanson, took a short bus than ran on biofuels (sometimes) across America, and came back with a story of urban farming projects happening in the most incredible circumstances. Their new book, Breaking Through Concrete, chronicles the beauty and determination of people in twelve cities who participate in their food system in ways of their own choosing. From raising livestock in Detroit to rehabilitating contaminated soil in Philadelphia, readers will see city dwellers of all ages and ethnicities bringing life and health to urban centers that were once paved over. Tune in as we ask David and Edwin some of the lessons they learned on their journey and where they believe the urban farm revival is headed in the coming years.

Are genetically modified seeds and crops safe for human consumption? Are they already in our food supply? Should genetically modified food be labeled as such, so consumers can decide for themselves if they wish to purchase it? Today we’re joined by Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non GMO Project (www.nongmoproject.org). Megan will discuss GMO’s from the perspective of consumers, farmers, and the future of our global food supply.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ECO-TERRORIST is the true, no holds barred story of 30 years of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) campaigns leading up to the hit show Whale Wars. It’s a feature documentary that reveals the true odyssey of the most wanted environmentalist today, Captain Paul Watson. Filmmaker and longest-serving SSCS crew member Peter Jay Brown documented the mythic deeds of the organization while acting as the cinematographer, first mate, deckhand, quartermaster, Zodiac driver and officer/captain in Watson’s absence starting in 1980. Peter Brown, a Sea Shepherd insider expertly exercises aikido with his camera by turning a negative accusation into a positive confession of influential activism. He gives us an intimate and honest look at what really goes on behind the scenes on some of the most infamous environmental campaigns ever.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the U.S. desperately needs clean, affordable energy. But maybe it takes a nuclear physicist who founded an investment banking firm to help the government make better choices about where to invest public dollars to help speed the development of renewable energy. Today’s guest on Go Green Radio is Dr. Michael Gamble, a formerly on staff in the physics division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he researched devices such as terawatt laser systems, and is now a founding partner of a California investment banking and corporate advisory firm. He’ll talk with us about promising new technologies and companies that are poised to bring massive amounts of clean energy to the grid at prices that are competitive with current market rates.

When natural gas is used as a fuel, it is cleaner burning than oil and coal, so you might say it’s a more eco-friendly fuel. However, the process for extracting natural gas from the earth has people from New York to Wyoming wondering if more environmental damage is being done than good. The process of hydraulically fracturing shale rocks with chemicals, water and sand has come under fire recently. Blamed for recent earthquakes in Ohio and Oklahoma, “fracking” has also been blamed for contaminated drinking water in other regions. Today’s guest is John Armbruster, a seismologist affiliated with Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who is studying the seismic implications of fracking

During Earth Week 2011, I visited the OSU campus, and toured the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) where the world’s fastest electric vehicle (top speed 320 mph) is housed. The only thing more impressive than getting to see the “Buckeye Bullet” in person was meeting the Director of CAR, Dr. Giorgio Rizzoni. While the Buckeye Bullet is fueled by lithium ion batteries, the world class research facility run by Dr. Rizzoni is fueled by his unparalleled brilliance and enthusiasm for advanced electric propulsion and energy storage systems for reduced fuel consumption and emissions. Dr. Rizzoni and his team are focused on advanced engines and alternative fuels that will shape transportation in the 21st century. Whether you’re into cars or into green, this interview will leave you thrilled that Dr. Rizzoni is in the driver’s seat of one of the world’s premiere transportation transformation incubators!

Think there’s no connection between the food on your plate and water pollution and ocean dead zones? Think again. Philippe Cousteau, grandson of the legendary Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau, joins us to discuss his new education program for middle and high school students, which is designed to help them make informed decisions about what they eat, based both nutritional value AND environmental impact. The program references the award-winning documentary, Food, Inc., and includes free teacher’s guides and student worksheets intended to help kids understand how modern food production works, and how their food choices can influence the industry. On today’s episode, we will also be joined by the co-author of Philippe’s new guide: What’s on Your Fork? A Campaign for Meatless Choices, Cathryn Berger Kaye, who is a renowned service learning expert, author and speaker.

What’s on your grocery list this week? Milk, bread, eggs…how about sustainability? Today on Go Green Radio, we’re joined by the VP of Strategic Sourcing, and the Director of Supply Chain Sustainability for Safeway, Inc. They will give us some insights on how their grocery chain is “going green,” and how they are working with their suppliers to bring eco-friendly products and services to a market near you.

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water. The Alliance has embarked on seven key tasks to support and enhance water conservation efforts: • Stand as a clear and authoritative national voice for water efficiency. • Provide comprehensive information about water-efficient products, practices, and programs--what works and what doesn’t. • Represent the interest of water efficiency in the development of codes and standards. • Transform the market for fixtures and appliances. • Coordinate with green building initiatives to institutionalize water efficiency. • Train water conservation professionals. • Educate water users. Tune in as we talk with Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO of AWE. For more information, check out their website at: www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org