Green Root Podcast

greenrootpodcast

Join environmental writer, investigative journalist, and organizer Josh Schlossberg on a quest to uncover the roots of the modern ecological crisis on the Green Root Podcast, the OFFICIAL podcast of Eco-IntegrityAlliance.org

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29 episodes
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Avg 46 min
English

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#147
October 21 · 47 min
Victory for the Forest!
On episode 146 of the Green Root Podcast, Sam Stearns, founder of Friends of Bell Smith Springs, announces a great victory for forest protection and how other ecosystem advocates might win just as big. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Sam about: -How grassroots conservation groups stopped the McCormick logging scheme in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois; -The U.S. Forest Service’s withdrawal of the “Shawnee Prescribed Fire” scheme (backed by The Nature Conservancy), also in the Shawnee N.F.; -How “prescribed burning” is ecologically inappropriate in eastern hardwood forests and, in western forests, is typically coupled with destructive Wildfire Pretense Logging; -What grassroots groups across the U.S. can learn from such huge back-to-back victories; -Sam’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#146
October 14 · 17 min
Why Won’t They Speak Up for Nature?
On episode 145 of the Green Root Podcast, host Josh Schlossberg ponders how the grassroots conservation movement might engage with large enviro NGOs that haven’t sold out to corporate interests but won’t take a strong public stand in defense of wildlands and wildlife. Josh talks about how: -How certain conservation NGOs privately share concerns about threats to nature only to stay out of the public discussion; -How a lot of Big Green is staying neutral on Colorado’s Proposition 137, which could log up to 25,000 acres of public lands every year; -How several national environmental orgs oppose Prop. 137 on paper while keeping pretty quiet about it; -Why so many of our best-funded allies seem reluctant to stand up for what they believe in; -What grassroots advocates might do to empower these folks to speak more loudly on behalf of life on Earth.
#145
October 7 · 59 min
Ending the Massacre of Prairie Dogs
On episode 144 of the Green Root Podcast, Elise Elswood, Founder of Grasslands Colorado, calls on Colorado Parks and Wildlife to take immediate action to curb the unregulated recreational shooting of prairie dogs on public lands. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Elise about: -How outfitter-led prairie dog shooting sprees are killing up to 1,000 per day of the keystone species; -Grasslands Colorado’s case study, “Massacre for Sport: Ending Unregulated Prairie Dog Hunts in Colorado’s Protected Lands,” which reveals how prairie dogs are at less than 1 percent of original populations on 2 percent of historic habitat; -The complexity of prairie dog calls that reveal high intelligence; -The myth that prairie dogs spread plague (they’re victims not vectors); -Elise’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#144
September 30 · 48 min
Election Interference by Anti-Environmental Media?
On episode 143 of the Green Root Podcast, host Josh Schlossberg reports how media outlets may be influencing a state election through one-sided and inaccurate coverage of a ballot measure (Colorado’s Proposition 137) that would siphon hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to INCREASE wildfire risk to communities through industrial logging. Josh talks about how: -Colorado Politics, Colorado Sun, Denver Post and other outlets may be interfering with fair elections through biased and censorious news and opinion around the deceptive and dangerous Prop. 137; -Nearly all Colorado media has thus far not simply overlooked the opposition to Prop. 137 but denied its existence; -Each of the outlets named above (and numerous others) have ignored multiple press releases about the ballot issue committee registered with the Colorado Secretary of State, Protect Colorado’s Land, Communities, and Tax Dollars (NoProp137.com); -All but a few outlets have published only the perspectives of Prop. 137’s corporate-funded NGOs without any fact-checking; -You can hold these media outlets accountable by sending the following email to these addresses: Subject: Concerns About One-Sided Coverage on Prop. 137 “Please cover Prop. 137 in a fair and balanced manner with equal time for news coverage and opinion pieces of backers and opposition. Such unbiased coverage is crucial at all times but especially so during an election.” editor@coloradopolitics.com, Marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com, Luige.delpuerto@coloradopolitics.com newsroom@denverpost.com, eschmelzer@denverpost.com, mschrader@denverpost.com tips@coloradosun.com, jason@coloradosun.com, opinion@coloradosun.com
#143
September 23 · 1 hr 40 min
The Economic Case Against Logging Public Lands
On episode 142 of the Green Root Podcast, Mike Rawluk with Protect Colorado’s Land, Communities, and Tax Dollars (NoProp137.com) analyzes a ballot measure that would siphon away tens of millions in tax dollars every year to expand scientifically-debunked “wildfire fuel reduction” logging on public lands. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Mike about: -Colorado’s Proposition 137, which would take $175 million every year from the general fund and/or taxpayer refunds, half of which could pay for up to 25,000 annual acres of public lands logging; -The numerous government funds this money would be routed through, making it difficult to track or demand accountability; -How watchdogging taxpayer spending on controversial land management should be a non-partisan issue; -How people can protect land, communities, and tax dollars from extraction interests by opposing Prop. 137 at NoProp137.com; -Mike’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#142
September 16 · 56 min
A Tale of Two Anti-Nature Ballot Measures
On episode 141 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Delia Malone, president of ColoradoWild, and host Josh Schlossberg discuss two destructive and deceptive ballot measures threatening Colorado’s wildlands and wildlife, which may be exported across the nation if they pass. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Delia about: -Amendment 83, aka the “Right to Hunt,” which may bring back leghold traps, snares, cyanide bombs, and hunting bears with hounds and bait; -Proposition 137, aka the “Clearcut Initiative,” which would hide behind recreation to siphon $175 million in tax dollars towards an estimated 25,000 acres (40 square miles) per year of public lands logging while increasing community risk to wildfire; -How the State of Colorado’s legislative council refuses to accurately describe these ballot measures—or even the arguments against them—in the voter’s “Blue Book.” -How most “Corporate Green” NGOs either remain silent on or support (!) these historic threats to nature, with many media outlets promoting the measures and/or censoring critics. -How the last real conservationists might better unite and strengthen our grassroots movement to stand for the wild; -Delia’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#141
September 9 · 47 min
The Worst Public Lands Sellout in History?
On episode 140 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg exposes the Corporate Green land management NGOs selling out wildlands, wildlife, and their own reputations by greenwashing and FUNDING the most destructive public lands extraction scheme in the history of the West. Josh talks about: -The Corporate Green land management NGOs handing over public resources to extraction interests across potentially hundreds of millions of acres across the U.S. under the guise of “conservation”; -Colorado’s Proposition 137, which would siphon $175 million per year in taxpayer dollars, half of which would finance up to 25,000 annual acres of industrial logging; -The need for Grassroots Greens to call out and stand against Corporate Green corruption and unite under a common vision to genuinely and permanently protect Earth’s living ecosystems.
#140
September 2 · 24 min
The Wildfire Refugee Fund
On episode 139 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg shares his solution for dealing with those destroying the American Western landscape by whipping up wildfire hysteria to siphon billions in tax dollars towards scientifically-debunked “fuel reduction” logging. Josh talks about: -Colorado’s Prop 137, which would siphon $175 million per year in taxpayer dollars, half of which would finance up to 25,000 annual acres of industrial logging; -How industry, government, politicians, NGOs, and media have colluded to promote disinformation and silence criticism to push clearcutting and mature and old-growth tree logging across Roadless Areas, endangered species habitat, and old-growth forests; -A solution for mountain and forest edge residents who are so afraid of wildfire that they’ve been duped by vested interests into cheerleading the degradation and destruction of the Western landscape they claim to love instead of actually protecting their homes and lives through home hardening. The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support. Email eia@eco-integrityalliance.org to get plugged into your state today!
#139
August 26 · 47 min
Drought and the Future of the American West
On episode 138 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), John C. Krieg, landscape architect and environmental writer, exposes the hard reality of drought, the limits of consumption and economic growth, and the future of human habitation in the Western U.S. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with John about: -The impact of drought on rivers, deserts, chaparral, and forests; -Rapidly approaching environmental tipping points; -Water conservation, regenerative agriculture, green burial, and other ecological solutions; -His books, including the September publication of OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AWAKENING; A BRIEF GUIDE TO SURVIVING CLIMATE CHANGE; -John’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#138
August 19 · 32 min
Silencing Environmental Activism?
On episode 137 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg examines a new tactic decision makers and gatekeepers may be using to silence environmental advocates. Josh talks about: -Three recent, specific instances where decision makers and gatekeepers tried to silence Eco-Integrity Alliance’s science-based critique of public lands logging; -The emails back and forth between Josh and a government agency staffer, a local politician, and the moderator for an environmental email list; -Whether Josh is imagining this attempt at censorship and/or is in the wrong himself; -Why this tactic may be employed and, if so, what enviros might do about it.
#137
August 12 · 47 min
The Real Story on Washington’s Wildfires
On episode 136 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Andy Zahn, Washington State legislative candidate, shares the facts and debunks the myths on the recent wildfires in Spokane, Washington. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Andy about: -How the Spokane wildfires aren’t forest but grassland fires driven not by fuels but weather and wind; -How urban sprawl makes cities such as Spokane so hard for firefighters to defend; -Andy’s candidacy for Position 1 in Washington’s 20th legislative district; -Andy’s platform to support the ecology and economy of rural communities through the designation of new public parks; -Andy’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#136
August 5 · 53 min
Art as Environmental Activism
On episode 135 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Carol Rhodes, founder of Artists for Climate Awareness and Fran Kremer, co-founder of Uniting Artists and Scientists for Climate Action, reveal how art can be a form of environmental activism.
#135
July 29 · 16 min
Four Obstacles to Effective Activism
On episode 134 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), a woodland owl offers some insight into the four biggest obstacles to effective grassroots environmental advocacy and how to overcome them. The owl hoots about: -Distraction - electronics, entertainment, and human-centric causes; -Laziness - our natural habit to save energy by avoiding difficult tasks; -Fear - exaggerated or unfounded worries about negative feedback or blowback; -Infighting - our species’ difficulty getting along with each other; -How advocates might acknowledge and overcome these obstacles to start reversing the eco-crisis. The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support. Email eia@eco-integrityalliance.org to get plugged into your state today!
#134
July 22 · 57 min
Poisoning Wild Watersheds
On episode 133 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), concerned citizen Mike Rawluk questions a Colorado government/corporate scheme to poison a watershed and drinking water source inside designated wilderness with a fish-killing pesticide. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Mike about: -How Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Denver Water plan to use the pesticide/piscicide rotenone to extirpate an “invasive” trout subspecies native to Colorado from McQueary Creek and Lake in the Vaquez Peak Wilderness; -The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2006 ban on rotenone for agricultural and household due to potential health risks; -Recent legal victories in Montana to stop spraying rotenone in watersheds as a violation of the Wilderness Act; -Whether poisoning entire waterways to remove certain fish species—including in Rocky Mountain National Park—does more harm than good; -Mike’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#133
July 15 · 36 min
A Winning Model for Grassroots Organizing
On episode 132 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg shares Eco-Integrity Alliance’s brand new “Ponderosa Pine Model,” a winning model for grassroots environmental organizing. Read about the model here: https://eco-integrityalliance.org/ponderosa/ Josh talks about: -The lack of structure in a lot of well-meaning grassroots environmental campaigns; -Movement successes and failures that birthed the Ponderosa Pine Model; -The various roles, minimal time commitments, and specific tasks that let organizers, advocates, and volunteers plug in to take effective action without burn out; -How grassroots organizers might use the Ponderosa Pine Model to win grassroots campaigns and start reversing the eco-crisis!
#132
July 8 · 1 hr 6 min
Poisoning California’s Most Famous Lake?
On episode 131 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Melissa Soderston, president of Tahoe Forest Matters, exposes California “land management” agencies’ scheme to log, burn, and poison public lands surrounding Lake Tahoe. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Melissa about: -How the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies spray toxic herbicides after destroying forest ecosystems with ineffective “wildfire fuel reduction” logging; -How glyphosate/Roundup threatens the waters of California’s iconic Lake Tahoe; -How the region’s forests are growing back beautifully after the so-called “devastating” Caldor fire of 2021; -The myth that California’s public lands are “unmanaged” as they are subjected to some of the largest, most destructive logging schemes in the U.S.; - Melissa’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.
#131
July 1 · 28 min
Nature Lover, User, or Abuser?
On episode 130 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg asks the controversial question: Will more recreationists (Nature Users) join with wildland and wildlife protectors (Nature Lovers) or keep teaming up with resource extractors (Nature Abusers)? Josh talks about: -The difference between being a Nature Lover, User, and Abuser; -How important it is for those of us who take from nature—recreationists—to give back; -Why such a small proportion of recreationists support and/or are engaged in genuine conservation; -How recreationists are running cover for resource extraction, such as Colorado’s Clearcut Initiative 308 (coloradosmokescreen.org/clearcut-initiative), which would fund industrial logging in endangered species habitat, old-growth forest, and protected Roadless Areas; -How Nature Lovers might bring more Nature Users over to our side. The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support.
#130
June 24 · 1 hr 6 min
Defending Australia’s Threatened Forests
On episode 129 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), forest defender and artist, Holly English (Hollyenglish.com), fills us in on the state of Australia’s native hardwood forests along with past and ongoing campaigns to protect these ecosystems from industry, government, and NGO degradation and destruction. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Holly about: -Her past involvement in nonviolent direct-action forest defense campaigns; -Australians’ awareness of and politics around environmental issues; -How wildfire is exploited as an excuse by industry, government, and some NGOs to log forests; -The connection of indigenous Australians to these iconic landscapes; -Holly’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis. The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support.
#129
June 17 · 24 min
Clearcut Ballot Initiative Unconstitutional?
On episode 128 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), host Josh Schlossberg asks whether a new ballot initiative to expand taxpayer funded logging on public lands—“Clearcut” Initiative 308—might be violating the Colorado State Constitution. Josh talks about: -Clearcut Initiative 308, which would fund clearcutting and industrial logging in endangered species habitat, old-growth forest, and protected Roadless Areas; -How it’s being sold to the public under the guise of recreation and “conservation”; -How the measure is funded by Trump-aligned NGOs that take tax dollars to promote and/or carry out public lands logging; -How its language makes outright false claims—that logging can somehow “prevent wildfires”—that not even the U.S. Forest Service defends; -How Clearcut Initiative 308 may violate the Colorado State Constitution’s “Single Issue Rule” by lumping three topics—recreation, conservation, and logging—under one measure. The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support.
#128
June 10 · 1 hr 17 min
Colorado's War on Wildlife
On episode 127 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Delia Malone, president of ColoradoWild, pulls the curtain back on how Colorado government and certain NGOs promote some conservation efforts while also decimating the state’s iconic wildlife and wildlands at the behest of well-funded special interests. Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Delia about: -The successes and challenges of Colorado’s wolf reintroduction; -The stranglehold the state legislature’s Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resource Committee has on conservation policy; -How Colorado Parks and Wildlife is stacked with hunting and trapping interests; -How Delia was banned (!) by the Sierra Club for her powerful advocacy for wolves; -Delia’s take on a root cause of the ecological crisis.

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