Tim Peterson, the cultural landscapes program director of the Grand Canyon Trust, joins us to discuss efforts to import radioactive waste from Estonia to the White Mesa mill adjacent to the original border of Bears Ears National Monument. He also covers the cultural and historical significance of Bears Ears National Monument, the devastating impacts of Uranium mining on the Indigenous Peoples of the Colorado Plateau, and the fundamental connection between people and nature. All of this is viewed thru the lens of environmental justice, which is the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. To learn more about Tim and the Grand Canyon Trust please visit https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/ To express your opposition to the White Mesa mill’s efforts to import radioactive waste from Estonia please visit https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/act/protect-bears-ears-region-radioactive-waste The deadline to submit comments is July 10th. We encourage all our listeners to take advantage of the Grand Canyon Trust’s take action web page which can be found here. https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/take-action

John Holland, the board president of the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, joins us to discuss the non-conservational activities that are taking place on the recently downsized Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. These include mining, road building, deforestation, and opening land to cattle grazing. We talk about the ways in which the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners support the monument. We also cover a new and disturbing attitude within Federal agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Land Management that prioritizes commercialization over conservation, and local management over federal oversight. To learn more about how you can help protect the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners please visit https://gsenm.org/

In this episode David Rankin talks about his scientific endeavors in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. He describes his amazing fossil finds, which include a previously undiscovered dinosaur like creature and the oldest Mammoth fossil in Utah. He also discusses his years chasing flash floods and his discovery of asteroids. The interview takes place at David’s new place of work, the Kuiper telescope near Tucson. His job is to track potentially hazardous asteroids that might collide with the Earth. The episode concludes with a discussion about climate science, the administration’s disregard for science, and the dangers this disregard poses to society. To see David’s work visit www.rankinstudio.com

Get a whole new perspective on the the militarization of America’s southern border during this discussion with wildlife biologist Sergio Avila. Sergio currently works as the southwest outdoors coordinator for the Sierra Club. We discuss his research on Jaguars, Ocelots, Owls, and Monarch Butterflies. We also explore the importance of Indigenous knowledge to environmental issues. From childhood to his new experiences as what he calls an elder in training, Sergio shares a wonderful story of connection to the environment, and the importance of recognizing the connection of people to the environment.

Amber Reimondo Energy Program Director for the Grand Canyon Trust discusses the threat of Uranium mining on lands just outside of Grand Canyon National Park, the efforts of Uranium mining companies to get the government to support the industry, and the Grand Canyon Protect Act. To learn more about Amber and the Grand Canyon Trust you can visit https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/ To learn more about Musicians Saving Our Home Planet visit our Facebook page.