Putting Out the Planetary Fire

A new NYPIRG–Environment America report found that 42% of New York State public schools had at least one drinking or cooking water outlet testing above the state’s 5 parts per billion (ppb) lead limit, representing over 12,000 outlets statewide . Blair Horner discusses the report with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Elizabeth Kolbert will speak on Sat. Sept. 26 at 3:45 PM at UAlbany as part of the 9th Annual Albany Book Festival with the NYS Writers Institute. Kolbert is one of America’s best-known journalists covering the climate crisis and the natural world. Her new book is Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World (2025), a landmark collection of her most important pieces, and a New Yorker “Best Book of the Year.” Kolbert’s previous books include Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change (2006), The Sixth Extinction (2014), winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future (2021). Her talk will be moderated by Judith Enck. Betsy talks with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. www.albanybookfestival.com

September 25 was the close of the public comment period to the State Public Commission (PSC) on the state’s Advanced Nuclear Policy Options Paper, which lays out potential approaches to Governor Hochul’s desire to add five new nuclear power plants. Three dozen lawmakers submitted a letter urging the PSC to reject any public subsidies for the nuclear power expansion. Fred Harrison, a long time utility rate advocate who has worked with groups like Food and Water Watch and the Alliance for a Nuclear Free New York, talks with Mark Dunlea about concerns by environmentalists about the Governor’s proposals.

Environmentalists are calling on Starbucks to stop telling customers that its single-use plastic cold cups are “widely recyclable,” after a nationwide tracking investigation by Beyond Plastics could not confirm a single cup being recycled. As part of a national week of action, a protest will be held at the Starbucks at 1244 Western Ave. in Albany (near UAlbany) on Saturday Oct. 3 at noon. Alexis Goldsmith of BP talks with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

“Climate hushing” refers to the trend among some U.S. Democrats to downplay or avoid talking about climate change, focusing instead on issues like affordability, It has also become a trend in the media, with fewer stories highlighting the issue., such as making the connection between extreme weather and global warming. Covering Climate Now is a global journalism initiative dedicated to improving and expanding climate change coverage worldwide. Kyle Pope talks about the media and climate hushing with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

From September 28 to October 14, Beyond Plastics has organized 22 actions in 11 states targeting Starbucks . Environmentalists called on Starbucks to stop telling customers that its single-use plastic cold cups are “widely recyclable,” after a nationwide tracking investigation by Beyond Plastics could not confirm a single cup being recycled. In NY groups pushed for the state legislature to finally pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Some groups called to expand the bottle bill and to halt garbage incineration. At the protest on Saturday October 3 at the Starbucks at 1244 Western Ave, we hear from emcee Alexis Goldsmith, City Auditor Sam Fein, Chris Bottino of NYPIRG, and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics. We then have some short audio from protests in Burlington by Vermont PIRG and in Philadelphia. ByMark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The 108 mile Women’s Water Walk to protest the Constitution Pipeline ended on October 6 at the NY State Capitol. Prior to their press conference at the Capitol urging Governor Hochul to deny the water permit, Mark Dunlea talked to Owl (Ramapough Lenape), Erin Dudley of the Waterfall Unity Alliance, Ashni Sanders of the Mumbets Freedom Farm, Ethan Gormley of Citizen Action, and Sandra Owén:nakon Deer-Standup of the Mohawk Nation. For the Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

After completing the Women’s Water Walk, a 108 mile walk along the route of the proposed Constitution pipeline, participants rallied at the Capitol to urge Gov. Hochul to stop the project. We hear from Renee Vogelsang of Frack Action, Karenna Gore of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary; and Tanja Konwinski of Warnerville NY.

On Tuesday, June 30th, nine events were held across New York State to oppose Governor Hochul’s nuclear proposals as too expensive and bad for the environment. At the state Capitol in Albany, we hear from Mark Dunlea for PAUSE / 350Albany; Ethan Gormley of Citizen Action; Isaac Silberman-Gorn of Frack Action; Peter Lavenia of Green Party of NY; and Tom Ellis of Upper Hudson Peace Action.

On June 30 and July 1, events were held in nine communities to express opposition to Governor Hochul’s proposal to build 5 nuclear power plants. Ann Heindenrich of the Campaign for a Nuclear Free North Country talks to Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. about why they feel nuclear is too expensive, too slow, and too toxic.