Keeping Things Alive Podcast

Listen to Jim Anderson interview Laura about her new book, Silent Seasons, on his radio show. Laura talks with Jim about the motivations behind writing the book, how she wrote the book, early memories of nature, and more. Conversations with Jim Anderson airs every Monday in Buffalo, NY at 10am on Power 96.5 FM (1080AM). This interview took place on October 10, 2022. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series.

John and Laura talk about Laura's new book, Silent Seasons: Chasing Sustainability through the Law, and then Laura reads the book's introduction. Silent Seasons is now available as an ebook and paperback! You can order both on Amazon, or call your local bookstore and request an ebook (through Kobo) or a paperback (through IngramSpark).

In this episode, Laura interviews Margaret Wooster about sustainable water planning and her latest book, Meander: Making Room for Rivers. Margaret has worked as a watershed planer for local governments and environmental groups in Western New York. She is a founding member of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and has taught Environmental Planning at the University at Buffalo.

You can purchase Meander online, as well as locally in Buffalo at Talking Leaves Books, Barnes & Noble, and Fitz Waffles and Books. You can also order online straight from SUNY Press: https://sunypress.edu/Books/M/Meander.

Season 7 of the Keeping Things Alive Podcast is here! Listen to Laura and John Washington talk about what they have been up since last year and their intentions for the upcoming season. They discuss Laura's new book, Silent Seasons, and how it can help readers navigate current environmental issues and events.

The purpose of this episode is to share the exciting news that Laura wrote a book! "Silent Seasons: Chasing Sustainability Through the Law" will be published by New Degree Press this fall. The purpose of "Silent Seasons" is to offer accessible information about environmental law and new perspectives on sustainability for everyone, based on Laura's life. There are still 6 days left to pre-order your signed copy, get a ticket to launch party, and support the publication of this exciting project!

Here is the campaign webpage: https://igg.me/at/silent-seasons

Samantha Nephew is a Healthcare Advocate with the Healthcare Education Project and 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, focusing on programming and campaigns related to public heath, health and wellness, and the social determinants of health. Sam is a past podcast guest, all the way back to Episode 11 in 2017! In this episode, Sam and Laura talk about voting for Kimberly Beaty to be the next Erie County Sheriff, having kids while climate change rages, the Covid-19 pandemic, and more.

Just in time for the start of early voting in Erie County, NY (voting started this past Sat. October 23rd and runs until this Sunday Oct. 31st, followed by Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd), Episode 83 is the annual "ballot review" episode that I put together with John Washington for this Fall 2021 election in Buffalo, NY. This is the third election that John and I have reviewed what government positions will be on the City of Buffalo ballot. John is a thoughtful and experienced community organizer and political educator living in Buffalo, NY.

The purpose of this ballot review episode is help listeners become aware of what government positions are on the ballot (in the City of Buffalo, which also includes some Erie County seats and voter propositions that apply beyond City of Buffalo residents) and how they may affect a person's life. We also talk about the Working Families Party, democratic socialism, and what we know and have experienced in and around the particular candidates who are running.

For two of the races, we are clear on who we want to win, and why: vote for India Walton and Kimberly Beaty!

Now please go vote, and when you're in the booth, remember to flip over your ballot to answer the propositions on the back!

In this episode, Laura speaks wtih Schondra Aytch, a Buffalo-based freelance writer and journalist who covers all things music and culture. Most known for creating the burgeoning Hip-Hop + R&B blog Sneakvibing, Schondra has also contributed her writing for staple WNY publications like The Challenger News, Cornelia Magazine, and Qween City. Listen to Laura and Schondra talk about the importance of women voices and commentary, Hip-Hop in Buffalo, the history of Sneakvibing, & more.

John Heim is a clean water activist with the Southwest Florida Clean Water Movement. In this episode (recorded over Zoom on July 19, 2021), Laura and John talk about water pollution issues in Florida, including the current devastation in Tampa Bay, where hundreds of tons of marine life have died due to an intense episode of Red Tide (a toxic algae that causes air pollution and harm to all life). This deadly event is extra big and toxic because the Piney Point fertilizer facility spilled chemicals directly into Tampa Bay this past April. Laura links this interview to past episodes 53, 54, and 55, which she recorded in Florida in February 2019, a few months after the 2018 Red Tide killed hundreds of tons of marine life (sadly this year is worse).

Congratulations City of Buffalo Mayor-Elect India Walton! In this month's info collage, Laura talks about last week's primary election and her experiences with the police in Erie County, followed by information about the healing properties of plantain (a backyard plant found everywhere in WNY). After that, Laura shares her conversation about cannabis in New York State with Reggie Keith, Pavel Belov, and Nhi Kha. And to close it all out, Laura and Eva Danielle pull the Page of Wands tarot card and talk about how it relates to the energy of the moment.