WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:08.400 Hudson River Radio dot com. It beats listening to nothing. Being Frank. 2 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:16.920 We're the only way to be is Frank away and welcome to Being Frank. 3 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:21.480 We're the only way to be is Frank. I'm your host, Frank Lebono, 4 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:24.839 and we'd like to thank you for joining us here on what we call 5 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:30.120 the Intelligent Conversation Podcast. You know, your time is valuable and competition is 6 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:34.320 fierce. Seems like everybody has a podcast these days, but we like to 7 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:38.759 think of ourselves as an alternative to all that noise, So we really appreciate 8 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:42.039 you sharing at least some of your day with Being Frank. You know, 9 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:46.840 we stream from Hudson River Radio dot com and beautiful and historic Stony Point, 10 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:51.280 New York. It's about twenty five miles north of Midtown Manhattan. You know 11 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:55.799 the mailman is always there, mister Neil Richter, our engineer. I call 12 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.240 him that because he always delivers and keeps us streaming. Now, remember, 13 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.840 even though Hudson River Radio dot Com is our home base, you can download 14 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:11.079 us wherever and whenever you listen to your favorite podcasts. That includes iHeartRadio, 15 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:15.000 Spotify, Apple Speaker, and all the others you can find the links on 16 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:19.560 our Hudson River Radio Facebook page. It's public so it's easy to get to. 17 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:23.680 Please think about becoming a subscriber there and leaving us a comment too. 18 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:27.959 We also have our own website, Hudson River Radio dot com, and if 19 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:33.239 you go to that website you'll see all the terrific shows that are streamed from 20 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:38.480 Hudson River Radio dot com. Being Frank included It's me. I can't see 21 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.879 me, but I'm mimickating the photo my open arms in front of the old 22 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:48.319 CBS building in New York, and that's our link. Click on that and 23 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:52.480 you'll be able to listen to any of our podcasts at anytime. If you 24 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:56.560 like the program, please consider sharing it with family and friends. You know, 25 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:00.879 Being Frank brings our audience a new topical program every week. We begin 26 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.159 on Thursdays, but you can listen to your convenience, and remember every program 27 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:08.199 as archived, so you can listen to any Being Frank virtually any time you 28 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:13.520 want. We think it's the intelligent thing to do. And for reference, 29 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:17.319 we are recording live to tape, as they say on July thirteen, so 30 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:23.199 give you a little bit of reference. It's no longer hyperbole to say that 31 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:27.560 our planet is dying, and of course if it does, we perish with 32 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.439 it. In my mind, we reach that threshold a long time ago, 33 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:35.319 and if you don't do something about it, not just soon, but right 34 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:38.360 away, it may be too late to reverse the damage. In fact, 35 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:45.000 many scientists feel that we've already reached that tipping point and we must do something 36 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:49.240 about it because we have caused it. There is no longer a doubt that 37 00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:54.039 our never ending pursuit of a more perfect world has produced virtually the completely opposite 38 00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:00.400 result. Just recently, the area where this podcast streams from a point, 39 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:05.759 New York was devastated by torrential rains and the corresponding flooding. I lived in 40 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.680 this area for over forty years, and I've never seen anything like it, 41 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:14.199 Because no one has. And the record for the hottest days ever recorded on 42 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:19.960 the planet were set and broken on four consecutive days. It only promises to 43 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.039 get worse. Is it too late? Is there nothing that can be done? 44 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.719 Well, one thing is for certain. If we don't try, we'll 45 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:30.439 never know. Joining me to discuss not only the cause of this dilemma, 46 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:36.639 but possible sensible solutions as well is a man eminently qualified to do so. 47 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:43.439 He was in the USDA and the administration, an instructor in the famous Yale 48 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:49.599 School of Forestry. He is one of the foremost experts and use of open 49 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:53.520 space in the country. And a longtime friend was gonna say an old friends 50 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.919 both literally and euphemistically, I guess I'd say, because we're both old and 51 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:01.840 we've actually known each other for about sixty years. That's kind of scary. 52 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:05.800 He's been a guest before, and he joins us once again. Jim Lyons, 53 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.280 James, thank you once again for joining us here. I'm being Frank, 54 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:12.240 No, thank you, thank you very much, Frank. And you 55 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:16.199 know, hopefully with age comes wisdom. Yeah, well, we could certainly 56 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:20.519 try to sell that anyway. We'll too bark best this evening, but it 57 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:26.160 is certainly a serious topic and you're always welcome here. But again you're back 58 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.639 again, and we always try to talk about good news and the sudden that 59 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:33.079 involves some of your work with the use of open space and land, and 60 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:36.439 we're can talk a little bit about that in the second half of our program, 61 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:40.839 but in the meantime, we've got to talk about what really is a 62 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:47.879 dire situation and that is mostly driven by climate change, and we've seen the 63 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:53.279 terrific effects of it just recently again up here in the Rockland County area, 64 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:57.879 which I mentioned only about twenty five miles north of New York City. Some 65 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.680 of the damage was devastating and it's increasing in frequency. So there is no 66 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:08.920 longer any doubt that this will affect our lives, and not in the not 67 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.519 too distant future, but it's already affecting us now. Jim, talk a 68 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:16.920 little bit about how, you know, we see things in a broad sense, 69 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:20.480 and we tend to think of environmental issues as global and they are. 70 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:25.279 But you and I, in our discussion to come into the program, talked 71 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:29.639 a little bit about how it's really felt most severely on the local level, 72 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:33.920 and that was witnessed recently. To talk a little bit about that, sure, 73 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:40.680 well, I think it goes without saying that the effects that we've seen 74 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:46.560 in this region, the recent floods, you know, the darkned skies early 75 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:51.279 in the morning across the river in Manhattan, you know, they were effective 76 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:57.160 of the consequences of climate change. You know, extensive fires in Canada. 77 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.639 Fires have always been an issue, and you know, in the northern woods 78 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:08.720 of Canada. But these fires are large, consistent, and largely out of 79 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.600 control and will continue to burn until they burn out, and with warm weather 80 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:15.120 that could be a very long season. The same thing with the floods you 81 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:20.079 just referenced. You know, we've seen extensive flooding, flooding in places we've 82 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:27.199 not seen before, and it too has devastating consequences. So these weather extremes, 83 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:31.600 we're all predicted by people who were talking about climate change decades ago, 84 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:39.920 and now we're coming to realize their predictions have come true. And you know, 85 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:46.079 others have talked about anticipating the impacts of climate change, the need to 86 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:48.920 take action to address these issues. And I would say fortunately, and I 87 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:55.759 have worked in two democratic administrations, though I don't think I'm buysed in terms 88 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:58.399 of my observations here. But you know, for the first time, we 89 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:04.519 have an administration by administration that's worked with the Congress to take incredibly aggressive action 90 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:11.519 to commit five hundred billion dollars to begin to address the causes of climate change 91 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:17.000 and also to mitigate the damage while trying to increase opportunities for new jobs, 92 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:23.319 new technology, and to grow our economy at the same time. So I 93 00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:27.319 think it's quite a feat they seek to achieve, but they're well on their 94 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:30.360 way, and you know it would be a long time before the consequences are 95 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:35.720 dealt with. But their commitment is to try to cut emissions by fifty percent 96 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:44.160 by twenty thirty that's global warming causing emissions, and to get to net zero 97 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.399 emissions by twenty fifty. So again a very aggressive objective, but one I 98 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:56.199 think is evidenced by the damages we're talking about. Essential if we're have some 99 00:07:56.279 --> 00:08:00.959 semblance of a life we used to know, and hopefully you know that a 100 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:03.720 healthy planet in the safety that we all seek. I want to talk about 101 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:09.199 some of those things in details, and particularly who are the major culprits. 102 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:13.680 But before we get to that, you mentioned something this is not necessarily new, 103 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:20.360 And again in our preamble before the show, we mentioned that we were 104 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:24.639 in high school together in nineteen seventy six of the first our Earth Day, 105 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:30.079 and we might have even been the same class. I kind of kind of 106 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:35.399 vaguely remember the celebrations, etc. But my point being that awareness of the 107 00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:41.480 environment this is not necessarily new, especially in a social sense where it's it's 108 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:48.879 they have in books Silent Spring for example, many years ago we brought environmental 109 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.519 issues to our attention, but it really it's really started to coalesce. It 110 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:58.639 seems in the seventies and those of our our listeners of our age will probably 111 00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:01.279 remember, I'm going to play with something. It was kind of a fun 112 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.879 commercial, and it's meant to be taken as fun. But the point that 113 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:11.240 I'm trying to make is that environmental awareness and the potential danger if we don't 114 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:16.279 listen to Mother Nature and already gave some of it away, there will be 115 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:18.480 consequences. So Neil, if you're ready for that, it's a little thirty 116 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:24.799 second commercial. Let's listen to that Mother Nature. I didn't know you were 117 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:26.320 so fine on the vine. Well, there's a lot you don't know. 118 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:31.200 I'll bet you don't know about this. Oh come on, that's a stick 119 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:35.279 of my sweet creamy butter. Right, Chiffon stick, Margarine, Chiffon stick, 120 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:39.559 Margarine, right, Chiffon, fool you. It's not nice to fool 121 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:52.519 Mother Nature, but it's not. It's Chiffon. Now. I don't even 122 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:54.720 know if they make Chiffon butter anymore. And this is by no means an 123 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:00.440 endorsement of margarine or butter. Of any kind. But the point that I 124 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:03.159 was trying to make is that and that's that's a why do you look at 125 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:09.279 it? But environmental causes have been around a long time? But how did 126 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:13.559 it get so out of control? Jim? What what with with with that 127 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:16.639 kind of impetus and movement? And we were moving in the right direction and 128 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:22.240 then we seem to have kind of fallen. Well, first of all, 129 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:24.960 I got to correct your frank. We didn't graduate seventy six. We're graduating 130 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:28.559 seventy three. Well that's right, So that's wrong, thank you. And 131 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:37.960 so yeah, you're in our fiftieth anniversary of our graduation is this fall. 132 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:43.080 So I expect to see you there, although we'll all look very different from 133 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.000 what we did back then. UM, well, you know back then, 134 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:50.240 just to use that as a benchmark. UM, you know, I had 135 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:56.960 an interest in kind of conservation environmental issues, and UM ended up going to 136 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:03.000 college at Rutgers. UM there weren't programs focused on the environment. The nearest 137 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:07.799 I could come to was forestry, but there are other courses that kind of 138 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:11.399 I was able to sew together to begin to build a foundation for you know 139 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:18.080 what I'm doing today. I remember a course that was taught by a professor 140 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:24.200 who was also a lawyer, and under the Knicks administration, some laws were 141 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:28.120 put in place, a framework was created, EPA was established. You know, 142 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.960 that really provided a you know, the kind of the beginnings of starting 143 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.600 to look at the environment you know, as a as a national concern. 144 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.879 What was interesting was there was really no major textbook available. So this professor 145 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:48.120 at Rutgers had sewn together different articles and from magazines and newspapers speeches he had 146 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:50.720 heard, and that was the textbook that we worked with. I mean, 147 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:56.200 now there's thousands of textbooks unsure, but so fifty years is not a long 148 00:11:56.320 --> 00:12:01.399 time. But you know, we can see the conselts of our failure to 149 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.759 act quickly, and now we're trying to catch up as fast as we can. 150 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:11.600 And I think that's that's the challenge. You know, sometimes people in 151 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:13.879 general, I think, can be hurricanes in particular. You know, um, 152 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:18.039 they have to see it to believe it. Well, now we're seeing 153 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:20.519 it, and now people are much more serious about it. And you know, 154 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:24.360 fortunately again, you know, I think we've an administration that has put 155 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:30.279 together an excellent team of people who understand these excused you know, from agriculture 156 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:35.000 and forestry, to renewable energy production, to the impacts it has on human 157 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:41.279 health, on disadvantaged communities. And they've put together a pretty robust package that 158 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:46.159 they were able to pass five hundred billion dollars focused on some of the critical 159 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:52.000 issues we need to research that we need to address and investments we need to 160 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:58.919 make to have a strong economy, safe communities, um but a healthier environment. 161 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:01.399 And you know, that's that's what it's going to take. I mean, 162 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:07.240 view and has had identified this as a significant issue a number of years 163 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:11.679 ago and made that clear. I would also make note that they recognize the 164 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:18.080 loss of biodiversity as a threat to global health. Those two are linked because 165 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:24.840 changes in habitat, changes in water resources and the like also have consequences for 166 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.200 fish and wildlife, and so we're seeing those consequences as well. But I 167 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:37.600 think, you know, the problem is convincing others that the impacts were feeling 168 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:43.159 are really driven by human caused carbon emissions, and we need to tackle those 169 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:48.000 emissions. We need to come up with alternative mechanisms to mitigate the impacts, 170 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:52.799 to reduce our emissions, and ultimately, you know, to develop what people 171 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.000 refer to as a clean economy, and it's going to take a while to 172 00:13:56.039 --> 00:14:01.039 get there, but we can't waste any time, which is the reason for 173 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:05.799 the aggressive action by the Biden administration and the work that's occurring around the globe 174 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:13.440 and universities here in the United States. That comes with both feeling the impacts 175 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:18.279 and I think growing recognition among a wide portune of the American public that this 176 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.000 is for real and now they're gonna look to their government, and they should 177 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:28.559 also look to the private sector, corporations and community organizations to help lead the 178 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:33.919 effort to try to mitigate the damage and hopefully reverse the consequences of Quanta patres. 179 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.120 You know, Jim, I wrote down three words that I think are 180 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:43.679 perfect to mention here at this point of the program. Renewable, sustainable, 181 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:50.919 and the third one that we don't often group with the other two profitable. 182 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:56.840 And I know that you feel that there are ways to accomplish all three, 183 00:14:56.039 --> 00:15:01.440 and I think most Americans have in their had the idea that any kind of 184 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:07.440 environmental regulation or change it's going to be painful, it's going to be costly, 185 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:09.879 it's going to ruin my business, it's going to drive up the cost 186 00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:15.240 of food prices, and that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. I 187 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.480 know that if things are well managed, and I know you're very much into 188 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.759 that, where things can be as I said, renewable and not only and 189 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:28.000 then therefore sustainable. And if we have those two things, why can't we 190 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:31.799 make them profitable? Why is that image so difficult to sell when you attach 191 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:39.600 it to the word of environmental Well, I think it's because certain sectors of 192 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:50.320 our population and certain industries saw addressing easycotes as a threat, you know, 193 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:54.879 a threat to their well being, a threat to their profitability and U and 194 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:58.240 you know, in many respects they fought back. I mean a great example 195 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:02.559 as your own guess industry. You know, it's it's obvious and I think 196 00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:06.559 you know, most people understand now that you know, emissions, whether it's 197 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:11.440 hailpipe emissions or emissions from power plants, full fire power plants which which are 198 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:18.120 um in steady declient almost non existent. Now, um, that's the kind 199 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:23.480 of emissions that that feeds global warming and the consequences we see. Um. 200 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:27.559 You know, but there were alternatives, um to addressing these issues that can 201 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:30.799 produce you know, a clean economy, you know, just a couple of 202 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:36.679 examples, you know, in the in the Inflation Reduction Act, which included 203 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:41.320 this five hundred billion dollar commitment. UM. There's a commitment to produce electric 204 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:48.759 vehicles UM, which citizens could buy UM with a tax credit that would come 205 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.200 with that UM, which would be seventy five hundred dollars per vehicle UM. 206 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:57.440 And the goal is to reduce uh fifty percent of m fifty percent of the 207 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:03.000 automobile seals be electric vehicles by twenty thirty. Now that's ambitious, but UM, 208 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:07.440 that means new investments. And you see this and Ford in general motors, 209 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:12.000 you know, all introducing you know, new electric vehicles, and how 210 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:17.599 there are there are ev trucks and there's even an evy Mustang put out by 211 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:25.480 Ford, UM that is as powerful uh and no. So so you know, 212 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:33.200 Americans, I think the ingenuity and the creativity of Americans are what we're 213 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:37.119 going to help us get out of this morass, UM, once we come 214 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:42.039 to recognize the threat it is to our society or well being and our incomes. 215 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:45.279 You know, I think, uh, you know, examples of other 216 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:52.720 opportunities. There's sixty billion dollars UM in the legislation I referenced earlier for clean 217 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:59.759 energy manufacturing, producing solar panels and turbines, batteries. UM. You know 218 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:06.480 that it's all money UM that will help subsidize the development of these industries and 219 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:14.279 hopefully ensure their their profitability. You know, for the first time UM legislation, 220 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:18.880 and the legislation includes UM attacks on methane production, which is going to 221 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:26.799 force some energy producers who are generating methane to look at alternative methods so that 222 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.480 they can reduce their costs. So, you know, they are both incentives, 223 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:34.519 and there are just incentives that are built into this legislation to address these 224 00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:40.000 issues. You know, the biggest producers of emissions right now remain the oil 225 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:45.559 and gas industry, and they continue to fight against some of the constraints that 226 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:52.079 have been UM included in the bill. And you know that's understood. But 227 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:57.440 the reality is that if we're to save the planet, not to be too 228 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.359 grandiose about this, but if we're to save the planet, we all need 229 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:04.000 to work together. And some industries have come along, I think others are 230 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:08.160 coming along slowly, and the changes can be dramatic, you know, And 231 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:14.799 I'll offer as an analogy, my parents smoked your parents smoked, everybody smoked, 232 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:18.559 nobody believed smoke and cause cancers. And then lo and behold. Years 233 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:26.440 later, the science made clearer and the evidence indicated that millions of Americans were 234 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:30.039 dying a lung cancer as a result of this, and some laws changed, 235 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:37.279 and certainly you know that created a distancentive for people to smoke or to produce 236 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:41.599 um, you know, the cigarettes anymore, the same strategy as being used 237 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:45.839 here. One is the incentives to do the right thing with subsidies that are 238 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:51.240 you know, produced by tax revenue, but to help industries grow that are 239 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:56.000 going to help us address climate change, grow employment opportunities, produce new factories, 240 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:03.240 and produce the materials that are necessary to generate energy, but but non 241 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:07.559 in a non polluting way. Um. And then there are there are distancentives 242 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:10.880 in the oil and gas industry. You know it is going to face limits 243 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:17.000 on emissions. Um. They certainly don't like it, but I think UM, 244 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:22.519 they also recognizing that there's a need to to a transition, particularly to 245 00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:29.160 reduce for example, the release of methane associated with oil and gas production. 246 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.640 Uh. And methane is the most significant polluter, if you will, in 247 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:42.319 terms of air pollutants that accelerate um UM the creation of UH emissions that cause 248 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:48.400 climate change. You know, you mentioned the oil and gas industries and as 249 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:53.599 the culture UH and we've talked about it before. I had done some freelance 250 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:57.440 work as a photographer and and and went to some of the corporate meetings, 251 00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:04.359 and a common theme that you hear is that you're just shifting if you will, 252 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:08.720 how can I put it properly? You're you're just shifting the burden from 253 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:15.039 one area to another. For example, electricity has to be generated. So 254 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:22.440 their argument often is, by the time you've generated the electricity used to power 255 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:30.240 cars, etc. You've used more oil or gas or whatever natural element to 256 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:33.039 produce that UH then you would have if you would have done it in the 257 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:37.720 old traditional methods. There was one, and I think we might have even 258 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:42.319 discussed it before, a farmer who was saying, oh, with electric tractors, 259 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.920 what am I going to do? I run my tractors twenty four hours 260 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:49.599 a day. There's no batteries that can last that long. And even if 261 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:56.160 I do charge the batteries, there's power that's needed to complete the charging process. 262 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:00.279 So in other words, we're just kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul. 263 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:06.759 That's their argument. How would you address that? Well, I think 264 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:14.839 what I would say is um ingenuity. UM is probably one of the strongest 265 00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:21.200 words I think of when I think about Americans, an American industry. UM. 266 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:27.599 You know it it has affected tremendous change, UM and UM, and 267 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.359 we lead the world in so many different ways that others try to mimic our 268 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:37.039 production, sometimes try to steal our technology, but UM, you know it 269 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:40.880 makes a big difference. So you know, UM, we see the changes 270 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:44.400 already occurring. You know, let's take agriculture for example. First of all, 271 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:48.200 you know, there's ten billion dollars in UM you know, in the 272 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:57.599 Climate Bill UM to help farmers transition to less impactful um UM methods for growing 273 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:03.240 the crops and changing uh, you know, the kinds of inputs they have 274 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:11.279 that might be cocluding, and you know, transitioning to more sustainable agricultural approach 275 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.039 to doing business. So that's clearly in that positive But you know, I 276 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:18.559 mean, look at what you see around communities in this area today. You 277 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:22.960 see houses with solar panels on them, and there's a whole industry that has 278 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:29.519 developed around selling solar panels, not just the individuals to reduce their to reduce 279 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:33.640 their use of fossil fuels UM. You know, oftentimes they get a credit 280 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:40.920 for adopting these and now you see entire communities that are now becoming clean energy 281 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:47.160 focused. See the same with wind energy mentioned farming. If you drive across 282 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:52.519 the United States today, UM you know, Iowa, Minnesota, the Dakotas, 283 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.680 UM you see wind turbines everywhere. And so those farmers, yes, 284 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:03.519 they're producing you know, wheat and corn and UH and livestock to sustain us, 285 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:07.240 they're also producing energy and that energy is both helping them reduce their cross 286 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:11.559 on the farm, but they're also selling their energy UM to companies that might 287 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:15.759 have produced energy with coal in the past but are now looking at renewable energies. 288 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.200 At the next step, I think another you know, critical part of 289 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:25.559 this is um UM you know, offshore wind and UH. And while there's 290 00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:30.079 some controversy about offshore wind, particularly in the Northeast, concerns about that, 291 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:33.119 I think, you know, commitments have been made to develop more offshore wind 292 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.640 and to do it in a way that's not going to adversely impact marine life 293 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:45.400 UM and and do it in ways actually that ensures that those turbines aren't actually 294 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.359 visible. We were just down in Asbury Park a couple of weeks ago, 295 00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:53.000 great music scene and uh, you know, and the talk down there was 296 00:24:53.039 --> 00:25:00.359 of the governor's initiative to accelerate the development of offshore wind and to sure that 297 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:04.359 um, you know, it produces what the energy that we need, but 298 00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:10.240 you know it does not adversely impact you know, the tour and the views 299 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:15.319 you see. Um, there has been some controversy about wheels being found dead 300 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:21.200 off Pete May in that area, but so far, at least there's no 301 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:26.160 evidence that it is caused by by the softore one production. So you know, 302 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:30.519 again American ingenuity boosted by you know, a taxpayer investment. Included in 303 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:38.039 this legislation is allowing you know, companies, entrepreneurs in individual homeowners, um, 304 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:41.759 you know, to move forward in ways that are going to help us 305 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:45.839 all by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Well, I want to talk about that. 306 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:48.920 There's there's a bigger picture of the global that we've talked about, and 307 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:52.359 you can bring it down to the local. And I saw a story recently 308 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:55.599 and I thought it was just terrific. It was a small municipality. It 309 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:56.720 might have been in New Jersey, but it doesn't matter. It could have 310 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:03.799 been anywhere. And they had something called no Mow May where they encouraged people 311 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:10.680 not to mow their lawns a reduce some of the pollution of lawn mowers, 312 00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:14.920 which we don't think of. They often now there are electric ones and we're 313 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:18.039 changing, but they often belt fumes. But also the idea that it was 314 00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:22.920 good for pollinators, so which is overall again good for the environment. So 315 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:26.480 kind of a small fun thing. And they didn't say you could cut your 316 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:30.160 lawn. I want to make that clear. They didn't sindn't say you couldn't, 317 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:33.720 but they encouraged people at least for the month of May, and there 318 00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:40.039 would be no fines obviously associated with the growing of the lawn, but with 319 00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:47.680 the point being a kind of a community local grassroots pun intended grassroots movement where 320 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:52.279 something small like that and no Mow May it's a signal or assigned for something 321 00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:56.920 much larger where every little bit helps. What do you know of any other 322 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:00.640 little success stories like that? People doing? You know, who are some 323 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.279 of the good guys that are doing some of the more innovative things. I 324 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:08.599 know there were a couple of surfers who are now innovative through cleaning the oceans. 325 00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:12.839 So and you mentioned innovation, and some of it is great and big, 326 00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:17.720 but some of it starts on a smaller, much more grass roofs level. 327 00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:21.680 Well. I actually think a lot of organizations, a lot of conservation 328 00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:27.720 organizations I know that have taken these initiatives. For example, for example, 329 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:34.559 the UM there's a lot of concern about the loss of monarch butterflies, which 330 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:42.000 continues UM about the National Wildline Federation and other organizations banded together UM to encourage 331 00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:52.279 people to plant milkweed, which is important, I heard so and monarch butterflies, 332 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:57.839 you know, basically congregate in a very small location in north western Mexico 333 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:03.720 and then you know, UM then migrates to the north UM. You know, 334 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:07.359 I see industries like this popping up, you know, in many, 335 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:11.079 many places. And the great news is oftentimes it's communities that hear about these 336 00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:15.960 things, and individuals who then bring the community together, you know, to 337 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:18.720 you know, to try to do these take these inditiatives and do things that 338 00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:22.240 are going to not only help their community but help the environment. You know. 339 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:27.279 It's UM. I think that's what makes America great. Honestly, Um, 340 00:28:29.160 --> 00:28:33.319 it's that people are willing to take the initiatives, they are willing to 341 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:37.839 work as a community. And you know, despite some of the political rhetoric 342 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:41.319 these days, um, the government plays an important role in facilitating that, 343 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:48.480 in financing that, and and in helping people understand the difference they can make 344 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:52.720 as individuals, as families, as communities, you know, to improve their 345 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:59.480 community and collectively improve in our environment. That should never get lost. It 346 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:03.240 gets brought up in political rhetoric, I'm afraid, but um, I think 347 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.079 or you and I know from growing up, and yeah, we came from 348 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:11.720 you know, families of policemen you know who you know, gave a lot 349 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:17.839 um you know, of their lives to benefit the community. And uh, 350 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:22.279 you know, I think that attitude I've seen in volunteer firemen in this you 351 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:27.680 know, particularly in this community where we have volunteers. But I see it 352 00:29:27.799 --> 00:29:34.240 among conservation organizations. I see it among workers in factories who are willing to 353 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:40.119 try new things and take initiatives to improve their own health and safety, but 354 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:44.880 also to improve the environment. Um it, you know, in some respects. 355 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:51.559 I'm thinking of the Oppenheimer movie that is very popular this week. It 356 00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:55.400 rolls out. Yeah. But you know, I think back to World War 357 00:29:55.440 --> 00:30:00.680 Two when we all saw the threats U felt the effective you know, the 358 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:07.119 attack on uh, you know on Hawaii and D Day, Uh, you 359 00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:11.400 know, in response, but you know, communities stepped up and UM. 360 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:15.759 You know, people men and women went to work in the factories and you 361 00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:21.599 know, built communitions, built the ships, UM, and helped support you 362 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:26.039 know, an effort to fight you know what what them was. You know, 363 00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:30.160 we're two common enemies. Yeah, UM, to some degree, you 364 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:33.039 know, UM, this is not a war, but some degree, that 365 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:37.240 kind of initiative, that kind of innovation, that kind of commitment, UM 366 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:41.640 is needed to tackle climate change. It is the biggest threat we face today 367 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:45.920 on a global scale. And UM, and they are very simple things that 368 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:49.799 people can do to make a difference. And uh and I see it now 369 00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:53.759 every day. And you know, again prison Biden's UM, you know, 370 00:30:55.039 --> 00:31:00.920 five hundred billion dollar investment is geared towards providing the seed money and the resources 371 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:03.599 to help. I mean I didn't mention this earlier, but you know there's 372 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:10.799 sixty billion dollars in UM in that program that serves grants to communities that have 373 00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:15.240 been impacted by pollution and to start clean energy many of those disadvantaged communities where 374 00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:18.920 they don't have the resources to make these investments. And in the ag sector, 375 00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:22.720 which I'm sure we'll talk a little bit more about twenty billion to reduce 376 00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:29.480 emissions, you know, from from using fertilizers to generate emissions and converting to 377 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:34.559 other mechanisms to fertilize their crops to improve soil conservation and enhance the environment. 378 00:31:34.920 --> 00:31:40.079 So, you know, a small investment given the ingenuity, and I think 379 00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:44.519 the enthusiasm of people, Americans in particular, can make a big difference. 380 00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:47.640 And I think that's that's going to be the key to our success. We 381 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:49.480 all have to pitch in and figure out ways to address these issues. But 382 00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:53.599 the science is there, the technologies there, and to seed money in in 383 00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:59.400 many cases, you know, additional resources there to help industries, to help 384 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:06.559 communities and help individuals tackle this existential threat. You know, you mentioned new 385 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:12.240 technologies and innovations, and on a previous program we've speaking a little bit about 386 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:15.839 AI artificial intelligence, you know, on the upside, how it's being used 387 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:24.079 and particularly in the agricultural field to improve water use. As you mentioned, 388 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:30.960 your proper use of fertilizing, timing, etc. So it is being applied. 389 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:36.079 You also mentioned agriculture and open space. I know you're working on an 390 00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:38.599 exciting project. You've been at it for a while here in the Hudson Valley. 391 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:42.319 I wanted to discuss that in some detail. And I also want to 392 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:45.839 talk a little bit about the so called farm Bill and the importance of it 393 00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:50.400 and what means particularly to the people here in the Hudson Valley, but also 394 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:53.160 all over all over the country. So we'll do that right after the break. 395 00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:58.319 You're watching Being Frank. We're the only way to be is Frank my 396 00:32:58.440 --> 00:33:01.960 guest tonight as environment to lists Jim Lyons, I'm your host. Frank Labono 397 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:07.519 will be more. Be back with more intelligent conversation right after these brief commercial 398 00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:14.759 messages. Hudson River Radio dot com Bring a dash of green into your life. 399 00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:17.680 Check out the Many Shades of Green with Maxine, Margot Reuben, and 400 00:33:17.880 --> 00:33:23.119 Malcolm Berman. Get informed about environmental issues and current events that affect us. 401 00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:28.720 All. Pick a shade of green and raise your eco consciousness with the Many 402 00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:34.880 Shades of Green available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Spotify, or wherever you 403 00:33:34.920 --> 00:33:39.559 get your podcasts. You ought to be in movies. Well, at least 404 00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:45.119 you should watch movies. The silver Screen Podcast talks about all aspects of film 405 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:51.000 and entertainment, current films, old films, how movies are made, and 406 00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:57.359 interviews with moviemakers, authors and musicians too. Check out the silver Screen Podcast 407 00:33:57.440 --> 00:34:02.880 at Hudson River Radio dot com or wherever you get your podcasts and go watch 408 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:13.599 a movie. Hudson River Radio dot com. Welcome back. I'm your host, 409 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:16.840 Frank Labono. You know we're here every week with a new topic streaming 410 00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:22.079 from Hudson River Radio dot com. But remember you can get us wherever and 411 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:28.320 whenever you listen to your favorite podcast. This evening where Saving the Planet. 412 00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:34.880 My guest and I Jim Lyons. He's one of the country's foremost environmentalists and 413 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:43.159 specialists in use of open space. So and a longtime friend and a frequent 414 00:34:43.239 --> 00:34:47.360 contributor here at being Frank So Jim, we wanted to talk a little bit 415 00:34:47.400 --> 00:34:52.239 about some of the work that you're doing an open space. But before we 416 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:54.840 get to that, let's talk a little about the farm Bill. What is 417 00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:00.360 it exactly and why is it important for people who are not phone The farm 418 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:07.880 bill is more than a Farm Bill. The Farm Bill does address issues associated 419 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:15.920 with federal farm programs, and there are farm programs that help farmers grow their 420 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:23.440 crops, market their crops, inspect their crops. There are incentives for conservation, 421 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:30.800 for soil conservation, for protecting water and watersheds, for protecting wildlife. 422 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:37.360 There's a long history of farm bills. I worked on my first farm bill 423 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:40.880 when I was on the House Agriculture Committee staff in nineteen ninety. At that 424 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:45.159 time, there was a conservation title, but there wasn't There was not a 425 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:50.559 forestry title. So I actually wrote the first farestry title and then worked on 426 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:53.639 some of the things that I think at the time, renovative program to protect 427 00:35:53.639 --> 00:36:00.280 wetlands, which again, you know, back then, were suddenly of interest 428 00:36:00.360 --> 00:36:05.239 and concern to people, the loss of wetlands. People call them swamps back 429 00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:08.000 then, but we've come to realize that they're an important part of um, 430 00:36:08.360 --> 00:36:17.719 you know, a landscape, important environment. We we developed programs to help 431 00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:23.320 increase pre planning and tree maintenance in cities. We called it the Urban Forestry 432 00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:29.199 Program, and that now has has ballooned into a huge program. Most cities 433 00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:34.719 have foresters, or at least have urban forestry programs. That's true in New 434 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:39.159 Jersey's. New York has a huge program, and you know, trees are 435 00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:45.599 planted not only for esthetics, but to reduce the impact of heat in certain 436 00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:50.400 communities, to attract wildlife, and for other purposes. But the you know, 437 00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:57.800 the Farm Bill is really kind of a catalog of programs of resources, 438 00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:05.000 both in terms of financial assistance to certain farmers as well as technical assistance. 439 00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:10.280 It sets the requirements for food safety and inspection, and an important part of 440 00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:19.519 it is it is also where authorization can be found for food stamps, which 441 00:37:19.639 --> 00:37:24.039 was originally intended as a program to take surplus commodities, you know, leftover 442 00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:31.159 fruits and vegetables and other things and share them with disadvantaged communities, in largely 443 00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:37.000 in schools through what's known as the school Lunch program. But that expanded in 444 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:40.880 scope considerably, and now you know, with so many Americans living in food 445 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:45.480 deserts or in need of nutritious food, the food stamp program becomes a critical 446 00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:50.440 part of the bill. In fact, in many respects it has been in 447 00:37:50.480 --> 00:37:57.840 the past under the largest part of the bill in terms of federal funds that 448 00:37:57.960 --> 00:38:00.559 go into it. So the very broad bill, it's done every five years, 449 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:05.519 and there's a lot of excitement about it this year because of the interest 450 00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:12.559 in addressing climate change, because of the interest in regenerative agriculture, in improving 451 00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:19.320 cropping practices and how we manage our forests, which is also part of the 452 00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:22.800 Farm Bill, and a whole host of other things that are critical to dealing 453 00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:28.719 with the issues we face today. But continue to improve upon our basic food 454 00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:35.079 safety and food production programs, which goes back to decades. Great, now 455 00:38:35.079 --> 00:38:38.360 you're also working on something as you have been for a while now in terms 456 00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:43.920 of preserving open space, important open space with a couple of farms, I 457 00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:46.000 believe here in the Hudson Valley. Tell us a little bit more about it 458 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:51.159 in the current status. Where are you with that project? Well, let 459 00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:53.679 me let me set the stage by saying that there are a lot of organizations, 460 00:38:54.159 --> 00:39:00.559 conservation organizations in the Hudson Valley that are very much involved in in trying 461 00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:08.280 to advance conservation to just climate change improved, the protection of scenic landscapes, 462 00:39:08.360 --> 00:39:12.480 provide for wildlife, etc. Et cetera. I mean, you know Scena 463 00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:17.840 Cutson for example, of Open Space Institute, Orange County Land Trust. Those 464 00:39:17.880 --> 00:39:22.920 are just a few I could name any more, but those are three that 465 00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:24.760 I've worked with quite a bit. Scena Cutson is leading an effort with a 466 00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:32.440 number of other organizations as well as with Cornell Extension to put together recommendations for 467 00:39:32.679 --> 00:39:37.159 this upcoming farm bill, you know, and and it just so happens that 468 00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:42.639 there are a number of members from the New York Delegation and the Pennsylvania Delegation 469 00:39:44.119 --> 00:39:47.639 who are on the Agriculture Committee, and we hope we'll have an interest in 470 00:39:47.679 --> 00:39:52.519 advancing some of the ideas and concepts that have been developed by these organizations. 471 00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:55.679 I can't name all the organizations involved, but you know, those are just 472 00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:59.199 a few, and they do an outstanding job. I mean, these are 473 00:39:59.239 --> 00:40:05.760 these organizations that depend on contributions from citizens by and large, but they put 474 00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:13.480 together some very talented staff and are working not just in the New York metropolitan 475 00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:17.559 area for the Udson Valley, but also working with colleagues throughout New England. 476 00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:24.119 Put together a program that reflects the unique nature of agriculture in the East and 477 00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:30.639 the Northeast, in particular some of our unique needs, but also recognizes important 478 00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:36.480 opportunities for improvements in these programs in terms of what I'm doing. You know, 479 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:40.000 I've had a long history of working in land conservation. Back when I 480 00:40:40.079 --> 00:40:45.440 was under Secretary of Agriculture at USDA, we expanded our land conservation programs. 481 00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:54.159 When I worked in Interior under President Obama, I worked a lot on public 482 00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:59.719 lands in the West and conserving lands for wildlife, as water cheds and other 483 00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:02.280 things. But UM, and you know in my part of the world, 484 00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:07.000 uh, in northern New Jersey and kind of the southern tier of New York 485 00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:10.880 State, a lot of land has been conserved by these conservation groups. UM. 486 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:15.920 There are there's some other parcels we're hoping we can conserve and UM and 487 00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:25.199 use as demonstration projects for UM for UM practices that are going to improve soil 488 00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:31.800 health, UM demonstrate our ability to farm in a manner that does not adversely 489 00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:38.639 impact the climate UH called climates more agriculture, regenerative agriculture UM. And UH 490 00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:42.400 you know, ideally to use that you know, only an hour from New 491 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:46.480 York City as a mechanism to bring people out to let them see what UM, 492 00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:52.400 you know, climate friendly agriculture and conservation looks like. And UH and 493 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:57.320 maybe you also use it as a as a mechanism to UM. Help you 494 00:41:57.320 --> 00:42:02.119 know, the the powerful people who loan millions and millions of dollars, billions 495 00:42:02.159 --> 00:42:07.320 of dollars to organizations both in the United States and around the world. Let 496 00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:12.320 them come out and see what, um what Regenerative agriculture with a new approach 497 00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:15.440 to agriculture and forest we could mean both in terms of our ability to you 498 00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:22.239 know, feed our population, but also to improve climate resilience and reducing adverse 499 00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:27.159 impacts on wildlife and and u and natural resources. Even your mind is, 500 00:42:27.159 --> 00:42:30.480 is there time? Can can we reverse the trend? Or you know, 501 00:42:30.480 --> 00:42:34.559 I don't want to sound overly fatalistic, but some scientists do. Say you 502 00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:40.199 know, where within a breath a hair, if you will, of of 503 00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:45.159 of the tipping point, which means the point of no return. Well, 504 00:42:45.239 --> 00:42:51.320 I I guess I would answer it this way. UM, there's always hope. 505 00:42:51.679 --> 00:42:57.239 And as it's difficult to define you know when um, when it's too 506 00:42:57.320 --> 00:43:01.280 late. Um. And no one I think is seriously said you know that 507 00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:05.440 can happen, But there is an urgency. That's why, as I said, 508 00:43:05.559 --> 00:43:10.039 you know, the Biden legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, you know, 509 00:43:10.159 --> 00:43:16.000 would reduce emissions by fifty percent by twenty thirty. That's a significant game, 510 00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:20.599 a challenging one. And then you know, the goal of reaching net 511 00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:24.719 zero by twenty fifty is consistent with international goals UM. You know, but 512 00:43:24.800 --> 00:43:31.280 again you know something that's very challenging to achieve UM in many respects. I 513 00:43:31.280 --> 00:43:35.599 hate to use this analogy, you know, but you know, kind of 514 00:43:35.639 --> 00:43:39.679 like wildfire, these concepts have caught hold in many places. I talked to 515 00:43:39.719 --> 00:43:49.000 colleagues across the United States who are exploring regendative agriculture. My wife, Jennifer 516 00:43:49.159 --> 00:43:52.679 Almrie UM much better know than than i. U is on the board of 517 00:43:52.719 --> 00:43:58.280 an organization called Women and Redenting, And these are women who are focused on 518 00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:01.639 m ranching practices, mainly in the West, but you know, seeking to 519 00:44:02.119 --> 00:44:07.800 improve ranching to address climate related issues UM. And you know, demonstrate that 520 00:44:07.840 --> 00:44:12.880 one can make a living off the land without without damaging the land and natural 521 00:44:12.920 --> 00:44:15.400 resources. So there are lots and lots of organizations like that that are out 522 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:19.440 there trying to make a difference. And I think, you know, that 523 00:44:19.559 --> 00:44:23.159 kind of ingenuity, that kind of commitment, and you know, the resources 524 00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:30.920 coming from UM, the Biden legislation, from the private sector. Many foundations 525 00:44:30.920 --> 00:44:37.320 are making significant investments as well as individuals. Um those resources I think can 526 00:44:37.360 --> 00:44:42.360 be the seeds of change if you will um in, and I think moving 527 00:44:42.440 --> 00:44:45.880 us in a much more sustainable direction and away from, you know, the 528 00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:52.559 threat that climate change presents. Renewable, sustainable, profitable I think I like 529 00:44:52.679 --> 00:44:58.000 that anyway. That's being Frank, right, James, Jim, thank you 530 00:44:58.239 --> 00:45:02.519 for being Frank and your intelligence conversation always, my friends, always a pleasure 531 00:45:02.519 --> 00:45:07.440 to have you join us with truly intelligent conversation. It's great to see your 532 00:45:07.480 --> 00:45:14.400 Frank and look forward to you joining us for the first and upcoming Rutgers football 533 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:16.800 game. Yes, better season this year, man. We certainly, we 534 00:45:16.840 --> 00:45:21.039 certainly hope. We always hope for the best, don't we, James? 535 00:45:22.239 --> 00:45:25.199 Anyway, Yes, thanks to Neil Richter, our engineer. He's always driving 536 00:45:25.239 --> 00:45:30.199 at bus for us, getting us to our final destination. And of course 537 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:34.719 we offer special thanks to our listeners who take the time to give us a 538 00:45:34.800 --> 00:45:38.639 voice in their lives. Remember, we offer a fresh topic every week and 539 00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:44.920 you can catch us wherever and whenever you get your favorite podcasts like Apple, 540 00:45:45.079 --> 00:45:50.079 Spotify, iHeart Radio, Speaker and more. You can also check us out 541 00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:54.280 on the Hudson River Radio Facebook page okay or Hudson River Radio dot com. 542 00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:59.400 Like us and leave us a comment. Please. We also ask that you 543 00:45:59.440 --> 00:46:04.519 consider sharing being frank with your family and friends. Of course, I leave 544 00:46:04.559 --> 00:46:07.719 you with two last little nuggets a quote. This one is from Neil to 545 00:46:07.880 --> 00:46:13.000 Grassie Tyson, and he said, if every day we're Earth Day, we 546 00:46:13.039 --> 00:46:16.880 wouldn't be in the mess. Wherein simple and to the point. You've also 547 00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:22.079 got some great music for you. Another one of my friends, a man 548 00:46:22.119 --> 00:46:27.840 I'm proud to call friends, Scott Staton, with a song called Perfect Geometry. 549 00:46:29.159 --> 00:46:30.639 It's a rock and tune. I think you'll like it, and he 550 00:46:30.719 --> 00:46:35.960 and his band the Unit, will be at Casa del Sol Lanaiak this Saturday 551 00:46:36.079 --> 00:46:38.360 the fifteenth. If you're around, check them out. Always a lot of 552 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:43.599 fun. I'd like to thank you for joining us and being frank with us, 553 00:46:44.039 --> 00:47:05.599 and we'll see you next week. A French curvel wicked back in sat 554 00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:10.599 She's really well, amut the cold to sre in a tennis fights, the 555 00:47:10.760 --> 00:47:19.920 angles always right, tall and cannon lovely sight, she hopes herself erect. 556 00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:27.960 He cannot be direct. Well, let us get you in a dram for 557 00:47:28.239 --> 00:47:37.519 you alone and slander frame I'll never be the same, A perfect balance of 558 00:47:37.679 --> 00:47:45.519 attraction, insuducing bold, what's in the cheap Oh she's logan not so well, 559 00:47:46.000 --> 00:47:54.559 ye'll ring my bell perfect ever, Yeah, that's all me. She's 560 00:47:54.599 --> 00:48:00.440 treating len you know, yes, that's intention know you get to be gets 561 00:48:00.599 --> 00:48:07.840 bad for your fuck. But she's a raal yet so natural role an evolution 562 00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:20.920 everything of luck I can remembers here and the message is perfect them in in 563 00:48:21.119 --> 00:48:30.239 a tea. It's all so simple to me and Lisa seems it's more than 564 00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:38.280 man more people over kind of sense of being with Oh she's on a nice 565 00:48:38.360 --> 00:50:01.840 so well carring my bed ricky your she yeah, water tea exquisite design. 566 00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:08.719 Man, she's all fine. She's competing to the end, degreed like defining 567 00:50:08.840 --> 00:50:17.519 the sky equal I don't will try and matching gigs beweaving on the cover of 568 00:50:17.679 --> 00:50:30.159 the Madam. I'm not talking rationalom. It's all so simple to be, 569 00:50:31.480 --> 00:50:38.960 at least it seems to be this Morgan man more really gets a simple Physicia. 570 00:50:43.880 --> 00:50:52.840 She's a good eyes so well, yelling my bella gyah, that's all 571 00:50:55.519 --> 00:50:58.360 Hudson River Radio dot Com