The Green Flame

The Wildlife Rescue was formed in 2010 to provide quality health care, often on an emergency basis, to native wildlife. Located in Delhi, India the NGO was founded by brothers Nadeem Shehzad and Muhammad Saud. This interview is a conversation with Nadeem and Saud.

Their work was the focus of a 2022 documentary film, All That Breathes, which won Best Documentary at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals (the first documentary to ever win both), and was nominated for the Academy Award for best documentary feature film. The film won at least 37 other major awards.

On average, about 2,500 sick, injured and orphaned birds are treated and cared for annually by the Wildlife Rescue. The center is run by staff trained in emergency aid, with specialized avian veterinary care. The hospital treats a wide variety of injuries and illnesses that include broken bones, infections, diseases and malnutrition. It also cares for babies and juveniles that have been left orphaned. For whatever reason a bird is brought into the hospital, the aim of the center is to rehabilitate that bird back into the wild.

Help raise funds for their work in India: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-all-that-breathes-protagonists-save-birds-in-india

Their website: https://www.raptorrescue.org/

A massive copper mine is planned 100 feet from the edge of Lake Superior (and may actually mine underneath the lake), adjacent to "the most beautiful State Park in the country" in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. Sound like a bad idea? It gets worse: Tom Grotewohl says this should be called a "toxic waste mine" because 98.55% of what is produced will be toxic waste, not copper. At stake is wolves, fish, forests, endangered species, and a full 10% of the freshwater on the surface of our planet. Tom is organizing with other individuals and allies to oppose this mine. To learn more, donate, and sign their petition, visit their website at: https://protecttheporkies.com/

Roger Hallam is the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, Radical Routes, Burning Pink, and Just Stop Oil. On today's show, we discuss strategy for the climate and ecological movements, the role of mass street protests and public assemblies, violence vs. nonviolence, revolutions throughout history, the collapse of industrial civilization, the dangers of fascism, practical organizing tips, and more. While we don't agree with Roger on everything, we're always thrilled to discuss these topics with passionate and hardworking people. Roger's website is https://rogerhallam.com/. The Green Flame podcast could use your support! JOIN the email list for the new confederation: https://mailchi.mp/4b63d232c6ee/soft-launch DONATE to The Green Flame: https://gofund.me/514f19bb Leaving us a positive review or rating helps us reach a larger audience. You can also share these shows with your friends. And finally, the goal of this show is to activate people. So if you really want to support this show, start organizing in your own community. Thank you again for listening.

For episode 100 of The Green Flame, we hosted a special live conversation between hosts Jennifer Murnan and Saba Malik, Saba Malik, Renee Gerlich, Carl Van Warmerdam, and Rebecca Wildbear. We announced that the show has separated from Deep Green Resistance, reflected on the origins of the Green Flame, discussed our favorite and most impactful episodes, and discussed our organizing projects. This episode is a celebration.

• JOIN the email list for the new confederation: https://mailchi.mp/4b63d232c6ee/soft-launch
• DONATE to The Green Flame: https://gofund.me/514f19bb
• READ Max's reflections on leaving DGR: https://maxwilbert.substack.com/p/grieving-change-celebrating-rebirth

Leaving us a positive review or rating helps us reach a larger audience. You can also share these shows with your friends. And finally, the goal of this show is to activate people. So if you really want to support this show, start organizing in your own community. Thank you again for listening.

Episode 99 is an interview with Carl Van Warmerdam.  Carl delves into on the impact listening to the Ahjamu Umi Green Flame episode had on his life and activism. 

We asked Carl three primary questions: How has the GF informed and inspired you?  What is your favorite episode?  What would you like to hear more of on the GF? 

Please email [email protected] with your written, audio or video recorded responses to these questions so we can include your reflections in our Episode 100! Live Event, April 14th 2024, 4 - 7 PM Pacific Time.  You can find this live event on DGR's facebook and X accounts. As always, a BIG THANK YOU to you, our GF listeners.

The Tongass Rainforest in Southeast Alaska is the last great expanse of temperate old growth forest left in the United States, and it has been partially protected since the "Roadless Rule" halted most logging there in 2001. 

Now, the "biggest threat to the west coast rainforest this century" is here: Bill S.1889/H.R. 4748, which would permanently privatize 115,200 acres (including 60,000 acres of old-growth) of Tongass National Forest into the hands of Sealaska Corporation — which has already logged massive swathes of the region.

This conversation with Tlingit elder and forest defender Wanda Culp and filmmaker and activist Joshua Wright — who has been on the show before to discuss Fairy Creek — dives into "indigi-washing," one of the divide and conquer strategies used defeat public opposition to the destruction of the land.

Wanda and Joshua are looking for allies: organizations and individuals willing to fight this project and defend the Tongass.

For more information, visit https://www.notongassprivatization.org/

Dr Nzinga Dalilia, Saba Malik, and Max Wilbert join in conversation offering their unique perspectives on trauma, trauma community, addiction, “environmental justice”, othering, the necessity of feeling safe in the process of seeing and being seen, healing spaces, falling back in love with ourselves and with all of life and coming into our individual and collective power in the process and much more. Watch for part two of this heartfelt compassionate and expansive exploration of Black People for the Natural World.  

Dr. Dalila's book can be found here: https://nzinghadalila.gumroad.com/l/nxrbq

Before listening to this episode, stop. For the first time Lierre Keith’s presentation on non-violent direct action is publicly available!  Go here and absorb this information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMk1eltyuek

Next, listen this GF episode, Lierre’s account of ten courageous women's experiences as they organized and practiced NVDA brilliantly in November 2023 in Portland, Oregon. Here’s the link to listen to the women’s speeches that the mob failed to silence: 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgCCULqQ1mqE7kDS3JOS7H6ZQeUjAhpkg 

Attny Bobby Chan graces us with an introduction to the deep social justice and spiritual roots of PNNI (Palawan NGO Network Inc) founded in 1991. PNNI organizes communities through consensus. They use advocacy, civilian enforcement and increasingly are seeking legal measures to protect and defend the Palawan paradise. To learn more and support this work go to https://www.pnni.org/

Jessica Reznicek is a 40-year-old land and water defender who has worked with and lived in the Des Moines Catholic Worker Community. After being charged with a "terrorism enhancement," she was sentenced to 8 years in 2021 for taking action to protect the water along the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) route by disabling construction machinery during the Standing Rock uprising. 

No one was injured by Jessica and her fellow Catholic Worker’s actions, and the land was protected from the flow of oil for an additional six months.

On this episode, we share an update on her legal case, and encourage our listeners to support her team and consider writing to her. More information can be found at http://supportjessicareznicek.com/.

The Green Flame is honored to rebroadcast our interview with Jessica in the second part of this show. We conducted an interview with Jessica and Ruby Montoya on July 26th, 2017 — after they had admitted publicly to sabotaging the pipeline but before they had been arrested or charged with these crimes.

The two activists set fire to heavy machinery and used blow torches to damage the oil pipeline and valves in an effort to decisively halt the project. While the DAPL was ultimately finished, their actions singlehandedly delayed construction for weeks or months.