In Tune to Nature Podcast

What’s Wrong with Wool? And What Materials are More EcoFriendly? The Shear Destruction report by the Center for Biological Diversity

In time for winter wardrobe & gift-giving, we review the many eco problems with the wool industry and what materials fashion-makers and consumers can support instead (like organic cotton and bamboo). The role of raising, killing, and processing farmed animals, like sheep, for fiber/clothing is often overlooked in environmental discourse (as we tend to just focus on the meat industry). So in this 27-minute podcast for In Tune to Nature, host Carrie Freeman talked with Stephanie Feldstein of The Center for Biological Diversity about their recent report (with the Collective Fashion Justice group) called "Shear Destruction: Wool, Fashion & the Biodiversity Crisis," https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/shear-destruction where Feldstein notes that “From habitat degradation caused by grazing sheep to the chemicals used in scouring, the entire process of rearing sheep and turning shorn wool into usable fiber is riddled with threats to wildlife.” The extensive report has creative and beautiful artwork by Ari Liloan (as seen in the cover illustration I'm using).

You can find out more about the Center for Biological Diversity at https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ 

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie radio station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wild and domesticated sheep, and other animals we share the planet with.

 

GA Voter Rights & Access for November Election: Georgia Conservation Voters’ Director Brionte McCorkle

In support of eco-friendly candidates who are climate champions, Georgia Conservation Voters advocates for all citizens in GA to exercise their right to vote, with their "Democracy for All" initiative. In this 28-minute podcast, host Carrie Freeman interviews Brionte McCorkle, Executive Director or Georgia Conservation Voters about issues with voting in Georgia, how to make a plan to vote in this November 2022 election, and how her organization vets Georgia political candidates to decide on whom to endorse each election cycle. You can see their endorsed candidate list along with who is on your own ballot at https://www.gcvoters.org/endorsements/  This helps you make a plan to vote by November 8th and get informed on who has environmental platforms and eco-friendly voting records.

Voters in GA can also see their ballot and check on polling locations in their county by going to the GA Secretary of State's election website https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/ (early voting ends Nov. 4th)

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie radio station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species (and keep them in mind when you vote).

State of the World’s Birds and How to Prevent Further Species Declines: A Birdlife International Report

Lead report author Lucy Haskell explains BirdLife International’s State of the World’s Birds 2022 report (it comes out every 4 years), finding that nearly half of the world’s bird species are in decline, painting the most concerning picture yet for the natural world,  But it also identifies all the many human-caused drivers of species loss and the critical solutions we desperately need to save nature if we can urgently garner the political will and financial commitment from decision-makers to implement these solutions at scale and pace. This depends on which politicians we elect into office in the next decade and if they make environmental protection, including climate change, a priority. We particularly discuss agricultural and fishing solutions and logging and deforestation solutions to protect bird species and their habitats and note how conservation efforts over the decades have helped reduce the number of birds that have gone extinct, so we know what works. We just need to make these solutions a political priority.

This comprehensive report can be found at the website https://www.birdlife.org/  It’s got such beautiful images and so many charts and maps and infographics to make it easy to stay engaged and recognize core findings and see how everything fits together. I think Kids can engage with the report too as they must be part of the solution.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species -- like birds!

 

 

AgroEcological & Veganic Farming as a Path to Regenerative Food Systems with Eugene Cooke

Food justice activist and veganic farmer Eugene Cooke shares an aspirational vision for why he practices agro-ecology in urban ag at Grow Where You Are farms around Atlanta and how this can be scaled up for widespread regenerative agricultural practices that the U.S. needs to stay viable and sustainable to feed our human population and nurture our soil naturally not chemically. In this 25-minute podcast (from Sept 2022), Eugene shares his unconventional roots from artist to farmer and what it's like to share his biodiverse Atlanta veganic crop farms with wildlife (not domesticating or farming any animals) and how they use composted food and yard scraps to generate compost fertilizers without all the slaughterhouse or antibiotic and chemical remnants in animal-based fertilizers. He and his farming partner Nicole then share their organic bounty with local folks (like at the Freedom Farmer's Market at the Carter Center each Saturday morning). Host Carrie Freeman is one of those nourished market customers enjoying their produce weekly (then composting the food scraps to make fertilizer to grow more food, via CompostNow). Eugene Cooke encourages us consumers to be part of this sustainable food transition by starting to eat more fresh foods/produce from regenerative agriculture producers, more so than eating processed commercial foods from big commodity monocrops. Check out his videos at https://www.growwhereyouare.farm/ or https://www.patreon.com/growwhereyouare 

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Working in Cooperation (rather than Competition) with Nature: Interview with ”Sweet in Tooth & Claw” award-winning author

An interview with Kristin Ohlson, author of "Sweet in Tooth & Claw," showcasing examples of how nature (including we human animals) thrive on cooperation and mutual aid between species, rather than focusing on the competitive or violent elements in nature that prompt us to try to tame and control species (and douse them with chemicals). The book “Sweet in Tooth and Claw: Stories of Generosity and Cooperation in the Natural World” shows how when we look deeper and embrace the complex interdependent communities all over our planet, we can all reap mutual rewards, much more so than when we see ourselves as needing to simplify, contain, and control species (in isolation).

In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews award-winning author and journalist Kristin Ohlson in this 24-minute uplifting podcast, talking trees, bees, birds, fungi, and coffee beans. 

The 400-page coffee-table book by Patagonia is printed on 100% recycled, chlorine-free paper and is filled with gorgeous color photos. 

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. (that's my motto and the theme of the book)

 

Coyote Killing Contests: Transcending urban rural differences in debates over bans, with Dr. Debra Merskin

Communication Professor Dr. Debra Merskin discusses her study of arguments for and against a ban on Oregon's coyote killing contests, including her recommendations for animal advocates to use approaches that are more likely to resonate with the rural residents arguing to keep the killing contests (although, other rural residents and some hunters also believe these killing contests should be banned). This 27-minute interview, hosted by Carrie Freeman for "In Tune to Nature," from August 2022, is broad enough to be applicable to any state's efforts to ban wildlife killing contests in considering various people's worldviews on animals, government, and independence. You can read Dr. Merskin's full study in the international open-access scholarly journal Journalism & Media at https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/3/2/22/htm 

Project Coyote is a good resource for those looking for wildlife advocacy strategies that have worked. Their website is https://projectcoyote.org/

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive radio station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. 

Photo credit of coyote killing contest: Humane Society of the U.S.

Saving the Georgia Coast: Paul Bolster Tells a Political Success Story for Wilderness Protection

From Cumberland Island up through Tybee Island, the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act of 1970 is the reason the Georgia coast is largely a protected natural marshland and not a polluted, exploited, and/or commercialized tourist trap. Historian & former GA congressperson Dr. Paul Bolster discusses the political lessons of getting this marshland protection act passed, as explored in his award-winning new book: “Saving the Georgia Coast: A political history of the coastal marshlands protection act" (UGA Press). In this 26-minute interview with host Carrie Freeman, Dr. Bolster also discusses issues affecting the Georgia coast today and how the political lessons of the 1970s could create bipartisan support for environmental protection today. https://www.paulbolster.com/ 

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. 

 

Misuse of Land for Cattle Grazing: Transitioning to Sustainable Ag to Feed a Growing Population

The large proportion of agricultural land (the majority) allocated for grazing of farmed animals doesn't equate to a large amount of nutrients/calories produced and is thus a misuse of land that could be re-wilded or used to grow nutrient dense crops. Host Carrie Freeman interviews Dr. Jennifer Molidor, Senior Food Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity to discuss how we can move toward more sustainable agriculture that allows for less grazing and feed crops, and more precious space designated to wildlife thriving and forests regenerating. This more efficient and smart use of land for organic plant based ag can increase food production necessary to nutritiously feed a growing human population. She discusses the https://grazingfacts.com/ website and its section on land use issues https://grazingfacts.com/land-use (see land map there) as well as how governments can help us make this sustainable agriculture transition that is needed.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. 

 

”Eating animals is biting us back”: News Coverage of Pandemic Prevention to Reduce Future Zoonotic Diseases

Is the news helping us prevent future zoonotic disease pandemics by facilitating needed policy changes in animal and eco protection (namely the wildlife trade/hunting and agribusiness)? In Tune to Nature radio host and researcher Dr. Carrie Freeman, a professor of communication, shares her recent study in this 31-minute podcast analyzing the pandemic prevention solutions covered in the last 2.5 years of global news coverage of zoonotic disease and its relationship to meat (from wild animals hunted or domesticated animals farmed). She discusses findings and interesting quotes from the news stories and her recommendations of how the news media could cover this topic further (it dropped off the radar since spring of 2020) and help urge societies to curb risks they know are catalysts for pandemics (deforestation, hunting, farming, and trading in animal bodies), and cover solutions such as fostering plant-based foods as replacements and new livelihood practices for those affected by needed changes to business as usual with animals.

Experts predict it's not a matter of if but when we get hit with another pandemic that likely could be deadlier than covid (such as avian influenza/ bird flu). What have we changed in our interactions with other animal species and nature to prevent this?  For more information, check out an interesting documentary on this topic: End of Medicine. 

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. 

Image of factory farmed birds is from Getty Images in a recent story on the first American to contract Avian Influenza this spring in this latest bird flu outbreak.  https://www.everydayhealth.com/bird-flu/us-reports-its-first-human-case-of-bird-flu/ 

Animal Farming Whistleblower Vet Dr. Alice Brough on Pandemic Prevention and ”The End of Medicine” as we know it

This 25-minute interview features the whistleblower from The End of Medicine documentary (on Apple TV and itunes), former pig farm industry veterinarian Dr. Alice Brough in the UK who shares why she quit trying to reform animal ag from within, given its immense systemic problems with animal welfare, public health and antibiotic resistance, environmental racism, and environmental pollution and destruction. As a vegan, she now advocates for animal rights, human rights and public health, and environmentalism, and is pressuring the UK government to make policy changes to prevent future pandemics and continued antimicrobial resistance caused by animal agribusiness practices.  https://www.scrapfactoryfarming.org/

Dr. Brough's story is featured prominently in the new documentary The End of Medicine @theEndofMedicine, along with other experts on health and environmental and human rights issues caused by the raising and eating of animals for food. In the podcast and in the film, it discusses systemic solutions that can save lives and medicine as we know it. https://lockwoodfilm.com/unbound 

This podcast is an episode of a weekly radio program on Radio Free Georgia (wrfg.org) (airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm EST-Atlanta) called In Tune to Nature, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and/or Melody Paris. If you appreciate the publication of these important topics, please support independent, non-commercial progressive media like Radio Free Georgia www.wrfg.org 

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. 

Preventing Pandemics & Mistreatment of Animals via the Convention on Animal Protection, a global treaty (interview with Dr. Raj Reddy)

Law professor Dr. Raj Reddy explains an important new global treaty for animal welfare and pandemic prevention called “Convention on Animal Protection” found at https://www.conventiononanimalprotection.org/   This is a first draft of a treaty prepared by Lawyers for the Convention on Animal Protection, following the passage of a resolution on animal protection by the American Bar Association House of Delegates in February 2021 which “urges all nations to negotiate an international convention for the protection of animals that establishes standards for the proper care and treatment of all animals to protect public health, the environment, and animal well-being.” 

In this 26-minute podcast, host of In Tune to Nature, Carrie Freeman, speaks with Raj Reddy, JD, PhD who directs the Global Animal Law and Animal Law Advanced Degree Programs at the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School in Oregon, USA. He discusses the purpose and need for the Convention on Animal Protection global treaty that nations and international bodies could ratify that guides animal welfare policies to better protect the interests of nonhuman animals, as well as humans (via public health) and our mutual life-preserving interests in environmental sustainability. We especially concentrate on the One Health concept and how the treaty addresses the holistic approach to preventing future pandemics (and zoonotic disease transmission) by dramatically improving our interactions with fellow animals in wild and domesticated settings. If we go back to business as usual in trading in and confining and eating nonhuman animals, we will continue to see more frequent and probably more virulent pandemics in human society. Now is the time to leverage the political will to act to set standards for how we relate to the nonhuman animal world. This Convention on Animal Protection is one way to get started, so please do promote it with your political leaders. Check it out at www.conventiononanimalprotection.org

In Tune to Nature is an eco and animal protection radio program hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and Melody Paris as part of Radio Free Georgia’s progressive indie media programming. It streams weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on www.wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and can also be subscribed to on streaming sites via podcasts and shared at https://cpfreeman.podbean.com/.

Please consider making a financial donation to support non-commercial, indie media with a mission at www.wrfg.org (40+ years strong).

Take care of yourself and others, including other species!

Bird Flu outbreak mass killing methods in industrial farms: An interview with Farm Sanctuary’s animal welfare expert

A highly pathogenic bird flu is causing the premature deaths of millions of birds in 2022, including wild birds but especially domesticated birds on industrial egg farms, since U.S. factory farms are conducting horrific mass killings of tens of millions of birds exposed to the virus. Unlike most news stories that focus on avian influenza from a human economic or agricultural perspective, we are going to talk about it from the perspective of those who are most affected and are suffering painful deaths – the birds themselves – and we will talk about the three main ways these grotesque mass killings are being conducted in the sheds, proving there is no way for large farms to protect individual animal welfare, especially not in crisis situations.

In this 27-minute podcast, "In Tune to Nature" Host Carrie Freeman interviews Lauri Torgerson-White, an animal welfare scientist and research director at the nonprofit Farm Sanctuary. https://www.farmsanctuary.org/  For over 35 years, Farm Sanctuary has fought the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through farmed animal rescue, education, and advocacy. 

In Tune to Nature is a radio show on WRFG (Radio Free Georgia), an indie station in Atlanta for progressive issues, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and Melody Paris, airing Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta. Please support independent, noncommercial progressive radio like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species (like hens).

Photo Credit: Animal Outlook photo of egg laying hens in standard cages in U.S. egg farms.

 

Wild Animal Trapping Investigation by Born Free USA: Dr. Liz Tyson Exposes Cruel Reality and Calls for a Ban

We discuss an undercover investigation (in Iowa) of the wild animal trapping industry in the U.S., conducted by Born Free USA and the Humane Society of the U.S., where the investigator witnessed how animals are beaten to death, if not dead already, when found suffering in leghold traps or snares (with callous disregard and even joking), along with the role that government agencies like the DNR play in protecting (poorly regulating) this cruel and unnecessary practice (much of which is to steal and sell their fur). In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews Dr. Liz Tyson, Program Director of Born Free USA, about the investigation report and video, the legal issues, and how and why we can work to ban trapping, such as banning it in on public lands or in federal wildlife refuges (yes, despite being called a "refuge," animals are often hunted or trapped in these refuges). (23 minute podcast, free of adverts)

See the trapping report and video at https://www.bornfreeusa.org/campaigns/trapping/trappingexposed/ 

Action: Support the "Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act" https://www.bornfreeusa.org/action-center/rfcta2021/

https://www.bornfreeusa.org/trapfreetrails/ (wildlife refuge page).

Action: Tell the Dept of Interior to ban trapping on public lands https://bornfree.salsalabs.org/notrapping/index.html

This Born Free page on trapping has resources like the 2017 report that grades each state on their trapping policies, so you can work locally to protect animals. https://www.bornfreeusa.org/campaigns/trapping/resources/

The photo is a still shot from the Born Free investigation of a trapper about to club to death a raccoon who got stuck in his leg hold trap. There is no humane or quick death for anyone crushed in these traps and snares.

In Tune to Nature is a radio show on WRFG (Radio Free Georgia), an indie station in Atlanta for progressive issues, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and Melody Paris, airing Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta. Please support independent, noncommercial radio like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

 

Women’s Earth & Climate Action Network: An interview with founder Osprey Orielle Lake

Women, especially women of color, are highly impacted by the climate crisis and the fossil fuel industry and also are leaders (and increasingly should be) in promoting a clean energy transition and healthy communities. Osprey Orielle Lake discusses the nonprofit she founded and directs -- WECAN -- Women's Earth & Climate Action Network International in this 25-minute podcast recorded in March 2022 (for Women's Herstory Month) for "In Tune to Nature" radio show, with host Carrie Freeman. https://www.wecaninternational.org/ 

In addition to answering questions about 'why focus on women?' and 'what is your vision for climate solutions?' Osprey also shared some results of WECAN's latest report Gendered and Racial Impacts of the Fossil Fuel Industry in North America and Complicit Financial Institutions: A Call to Action for the Health of our Communities and Nature in the Climate Crisis. The report can be found here;

https://www.wecaninternational.org/2021-divestment-report

“In Tune to Nature" broadcasts every Wednesday at 6:30pm Eastern Time online at www.wrfg.org and on Atlanta radio station 89.3FM. It is hosted by either Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. The views and opinions expressed on this show do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers. We hosts are volunteers.

Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Photo credit: WECAN

 

Cattle Grazing on Public Lands: We all Pay as Ecosystems & Wildlife Suffer

Chris Bugbee, SW Conservation Advocate of the Center for Biological Diversity, discusses the ecological problems with cheap permits allowing cattle grazing across so many millions of acres of public lands in the U.S. West -- the largest commercial use of public lands. This is especially damaging in riparian zones along rivers, reducing biodiversity and threatening the other animals and plants who live there. We discuss how government land management agencies are not fulfilling a responsibility to serve public and conservation interests as long as they continue catering to ranchers' economic interests (equating to a long-time taxpayer subsidy of the beef industry). We end by discussing some recent victories of The Center for Biological Diversity in its efforts to fight this destructive ranching practice. Host Carrie Freeman interviewed Chris Bugbee in February of 2022 (24 minutes). https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ 

“In Tune to Nature" broadcasts every Wednesday at 6:30pm Eastern Time online at www.wrfg.org and on Atlanta radio station 89.3FM. It is hosted by either Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. The views and opinions expressed on this show do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers. We hosts are volunteers.

Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Photo credit: Greg Shine/BLM