As we rapidly run out of precious fossil fuels, there is a huge demand to explore other options as quickly as possible, especially due to the increasing cost of energy. There is a highly controversial debate about a process called hydrofracking. It is a method of extracting natural gas from shale. This is especially a heated topic in Upstate, New York, the home of the Catskill Mountains. This natural gas which is embedded deep underground beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio is said to be enough to supply the East Coast for up to 50 years. So why can’t we just go along and drill, baby, drill? There are a myriad of reasons, especially one main reason, potential ground water contamination. This would not only pollute drinking water but the thousands of eco systems dependent upon the drinking water. However, there are others that feel that the verdict is still out and before the actual facts are in, we should explore it regardless. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dr. Sandra Steingraber about what you need to know about fracking.

In the Northeast, there is an area that extends throughout much of the Appalachian Basin called The Marcellus Shale. This area would appear to offer the perfect resource to produce more gas and according to the gas companies, create new jobs. The shale contains largely untapped natural gas reserves and has now become the prime focus for energy development as the natural gas industry pumps millions of dollars to convince the public that the current methods of extraction are not only perfectly safe but will create hundreds of jobs. The process of extracting the gas is called hydro-fracking or more commonly referred to as fracking. While it seems to be the perfect solution there are many people who are very concerned about the natural gas companies promises of prosperity as toxic chemicals are pumped very close to their drinking water. Many people are beginning to speak out and want answers to questions such as how safe is fracking and what exactly does fracking do to the environment? If there is a problem, is the land owner responsible for the environmental clean up? Does the local fire department have proper training and resources to put out any unexpected fires? How will this affect your property value? For the last three years, Councilman James Gennaro and other elected officials and environmental advocates have to called upon New Yorkers to prevent natural gas drilling in any part of New York City’s million-acre upstate drinking water supply that provides drinking water for more than nine million New Yorkers. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Councilman James Gennaro about the regulations and how this will impact the land. Stay tuned!

Parents love to talk about their kids but when it comes to certain subjects, such as autism, many parents choose not to be so vocal because of the mindless criticism or negative comments others will make. For Kim Stagliano, talking about her children is never an issue. In fact, she gets very personal about her own life raising not one but three daughters with autism. Typically, people focus on the negatives but tend to forget the positives. In her best -selling book, All I Can Handle, I’m No Mother Teresa (A Life Raising Three Daughters With Autism) Kim candidly and humorously discusses everything from: the challenges of potty training her daughters ( and somehow finding poop everywhere in the house); dealing with financial woes from layoffs- one Christmas she was so broke that they did not have enough money to buy presents for the kids; what it is like to deal with doctors (some of whom told her there was nothing wrong with her kids); making time for intimacy (she talks about how they manage to make time for each other and almost got divorced over a round of golf); to some of the typical problems parents deal with that can just push you over the edge ( she described the panic attack she had when she lost one of her daughters at Disney World) Kim Stagliano is a nationally recognized advocate for people with autism who uses humor to educate. Although Autism typically affects boys 4 to 1 over girls, all three of Kim’s daughters have Autism. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Kim Stagliano about her life, raising three daughters with Autism. Stay tuned!

The most popular breakfast juice in America is of course, organic orange juice. Packed with Vitamin C, it is a healthy choice no matter what time of day you drink it. However, when it comes to the actual process of how organic orange juice is produced most people have no idea about what it really takes to make organic orange juice from seed to shelf. In 1999, Matt McLean ventured into the organic juice business with a passion for healthy living as well as a long family history of growing citrus in Florida. Matt’s goal was, and still is, to produce the highest quality juice, using only premium 100% organically-grown fruit that is free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. His company, Uncle Matt’s Organics is the leading producer of premium certified organic citrus from Florida. Due to the desire to produce locally grown organic foods, many people are opting to start their own organic farm. To have an organic citrus farm, you really need to have a great deal of knowledge about citrus as well as an understanding of how to operate a business. Especially in the organic industry, there are a lot of things to learn before taking the plunge. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Matt McLean, CEO and Founder of Uncle Matt’s Organics to talk about operating an organic citrus farm. Stay tuned!

As the already intense pressure increases for America to cut the umbilical cord from the Middle East, gas companies are desperately trying to find alternatives in our own back yard. With such slogans as “drill, baby, drill!” the public seems to be on board with the urgent need to find alternatives as soon as possible. In the Northeast, there is an area that extends throughout much of the Appalachian Basin called The Marcellus Shale. This area, located in the Northeast seems to offer the perfect resource to produce more gas and according to the gas companies, create new jobs. The shale contains largely untapped natural gas reserves and has now become the prime focus for energy development. The natural gas industry is spending millions of dollars to sell the merits of drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale. The process of extracting the gas is called hydro-fracking or more commonly referred to as fracking. While it seems to be the perfect solution, just how safe is it? What exactly does fracking do to the environment? Is there any impact on our drinking water? What happens to your land if you do not wish to permit the gas companies to frack on your land but your neighbor does? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to the councilman, Douglas Shields from the City of Pittsburgh and Brigit Shields of Marcellusprotest.org and will talk about their own personal experiences with fracking as well as what people need to know. Stay tuned!

The best way to get people to understand something is to educate them. When it comes to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) there are many people who are tired of the corporate manipulation of the quality and purity of our food and are taking action. In the city of Boulder, Colorado, GMKnow.org was formed to create such awareness about GMO’s and educate people about what they can do. Their mission is to foster positive community change through positive citizen action. GMKnow.org is a group of activated citizens empowering people for local sovereignty and healthy food choices. They stand for banning genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from Boulder County public open space and educating people about their rights to choose Non-GMO foods. Boulder County has allowed GMO’s to be planted on publicly-owned open space since 2001 beginning with BT corn and/or Round Up Ready Corn. Close to 12,000 acres have been devoted to these particular crops. These GM crops have been treated with neonicotinoids which have contaminated the land, further devastating the declining bee population. GMO’s have made it onto the nations radar screen after being released in the US food supply over 15 years ago without any consumer labeling. On October 1st, The "Right2KnowMarch.org" kicked off in NYC and is now heading to Washington, DC on October 16. The march is advocating government-mandated labeling of GMO foods as it creates national awareness about the safety of food produced in America. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Scott and Mary Smith about GMKnow.org and how this community is working with others to make a difference. Stay tuned!

Percy Schmeiser is well known activist that has been fighting hard to educate the public about GMO’s and the issues that arise for farmers. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. The landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, attracted international attention because it demonstrated the power of the farmer. When it comes to our food in American, there are no laws that mandate labeling for GMO’s. Consumers assume that the manufacturers are using ingredients that are safe and will not affect their health. Unfortunately, 80% of the packaged foods in America contain Genetically Engineered ingredients that have not been proven safe and are not labeled! The Right2KnowMarch.org which was organized to raise awareness for GMO-Labeling is a historic event that kicked off on October 1st and will continue to October 16th. Marchers from across the country will be walking from New York City to the White House, demanding labeling of all Genetically Engineered Foods. This event seeks to raise national awareness and create pressure in the 2012 election cycle for politicians to take positions and enact legislation requiring Genetically Engineered foods to be labeled. In many ways this march is the beginning of a new broad-based movement for GMO labeling. Percy Schmeiser will be speaking at the event about his experience and also to educate the public about why GMO labeling matters! In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his advocacy about GMO’s and why there needs to be clarity with our labels.

When it comes to kids’ snacks, there are all sorts of products on the market that use everything from the latest cartoon superhero to pop music icons. However, all these clever marketers are doing is creating yet another generation of consumers that reach for junk as opposed to healthy, life sustaining organic good foods. Two moms, Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson decided to take matters into their own hands when they first launched Tasty Brands, which produces Certified Organic and Non-GMO snacks in the USA. Their line of snacks does NOT use high fructose corn syrup or GMO’s but uses organic sugar, agave and their line of organic cereal bars is made with both fruits and vegetables baked in. Both Liane and Shannan are truly devoted to educating the public about GMO’s and are especially supportive of the Right2KnowMarch.org which is working towards changing the law to make all food manufacturers label GMO’s. Consumers in America have the right to know what is in the food they buy. If more people knew that the snack foods they are buying for their kids were made with GMOs the world would be a healthier place. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, tune in to host, June Stoyer as she talks to Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson about the importance of certified organic and gmo-free snacks and why consumers need to mandate GMO Labeling!

There are many people that live in the city or even in the suburbs that talk about escaping their crowded community for the charmed life of the country, with the intentions of having their own “organic” farm or simply changing things in their own home environment. While this may seem like the thing to do, especially since there is so much need for each and every person to play their part, it is not necessarily the easiest transition to make. Especially when it comes to farming, it is not that simple. There are no Farming 101 college courses or single reference point that can tell you all that you need to know as far as how to manage all of the responsibilities farm life requires. However, there is a great deal of information that is available as far as different options for creating your own sustainable and earth friendly environment. The main thing is to make a decision and learn as much as you can before you take the plunge. Even if you don’t necessarily want to have a farm but still want to do something as simple as creating a compost bin or start a vegetable garden, you still need the right information so that your time and money are well spent. In the book, Urban Homesteading, authors, Rachel Kaplan and K. Ruby Blume discuss everything you really need to know from how to make a compost toilet, starting a container garden, recycling grey water to 31 Uses for Beeswax and so much more. Whether you are interested in starting your own organic farm or just want to do things more sustainably and responsibly in your own back yard, this book offers so much information and guidance as far as what you need to know to get started. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, tune in to host, June Stoyer as she talks to Rachel Kaplan and Ruby Blume about creating your own “Urban Homestead”, stay tuned!

Just how much bottled water do you drink? Have you ever given it any thought that water is something that is free and plentiful; or is it? Is bottled water safer than tap water? Why is it that the giant beverage corporations are buying up land that host precious springs? What exactly is this doing to our environment? Is the surrounding eco-system being destroyed in the sake of capitalizing and exploiting this natural resource? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to author, Elizabeth Royte about the evolution of bottled water in our society and the politics of marketing something that is our birth right. Stay tuned!