Tough Times with Lou Young

Independence Day, are we even listening? Misunderstand popular patriotic music that defines who we are or who we hope to be as we talked through the recent Presidential Debate and US Supreme Court decision with US Constitutional and Civil Rights Attorney Michael Sussman. Rev Billy, Neil Young, News from the Natural World and much more…

A Conversation with Alec Roberts, USA Today columnist and founder of Housing Innovations. Rev Bill tears it up…. News From the Natural World, music and more….

Talking Electric.: Noam Bramsom CEO of Sustainable Westchester NY’s top renewable power aggregate group. How does it work if the electricity is coming over the same wires from the same old power utility? Also remembering Rockland County activist Geoff Welsh. Rev. Billy, Music and more…

SHRINKING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, HANGING WITH THE STARS OF TV NEWS, AND ON THE ROAD WITH NEIL YOUNG AND REVERAND BILLY

Host Lou Young is a climate “doomer,” according to producer Will Hennessey: He’s just so pessimistic about or climate prospects in the future. Co-host George Potanovic is a bit more optimistic and so is our first guest, Stephen Cea from the Nyack Climate 2030. Stephen outlines ways the regular folks like us can reduce our carbon footprint with some simple appliance changes. Lou may have started his road to pessimism during his 43 years in TV news, most of it in New York City which is why we had so much fun with our second guest, Jerry Barmash who has penned a book about the heyday of TV news is New York City. “Here Now the News,” is about the revered news anchors of the 70’s and 80’s during the years before the internet. Later in the show Reverend Billy reports in from New Orleans where he and the Stop Shopping Choir are opening for Neil Young during this Summer’s North American tour. We have New from the Natural World with Savitri D, music from Fountains of Wayne, Arthur Browne, and Don Henley. It’s a keeper.

Earth Day again. Are we just in time or far too late? 2024 marks the 54th celebration of Earth Day and we connect with folks from across the country who relate their experience and perception of the day and the climate problem through the years. Who’s optimistic? Who’s not and why? Rev Billy weighs in with a lament about the litany of failed human protests in the deepening climate crisis. We also visit with Lem Srolovic from the NYS Attorney General’s Office via Aidan Charron’s “22 Minutes” podcast, where the discussion is about the state lawsuit against Pepsi over plastic waste pollution. The theme of Earth Day 2024, after all, is “Planet Vs. Plastics.”

ECLIPSE: WITNESSING TOTALITY

Live from the past, Eclipse watchers in Watertown NY report from April 8 as the sun is blott4ed out from the sky. Share the experience of a lifetime!

LET’S TALK ABOUT WATER

The Co-Founder of the Rockland Water Coalition joins Lou Young for a discussion about our drinking water: The massive NYC water system of reservoirs and aqueducts, the well fields, the de-salination schemes, and the prices that always seems to be going up. George Potanovic is that man.

Lots of callers and interviews. Quench your thirst for knowledge!

GOT DEMOCRACY?

Orange County's Michael Sussman stops in for a riveting two hour visit to talk about how democracy is in danger because we really don't understand it.  Sussman is one of the best Constitutional lawyers who've ever practiced and helps us connect the dots where local and national politics go off the rails together and the future begins to look murky.  It is not a partisan problem but the talk prompts several penalty buzzers from our man on the audio board Will Hennessey who enforces the banned words of "Tough Times" (you can't say "conservative, liberal, Republican or Democrat")  In a rare moment Lou gets the buzzer himself!  

Leilani Yizar-Reid joins the discussion direct from the Village of Mamaroneck where an affordable housing fight is raising eyebrows and our resident activist, George Potanovic talks about a LACK of public input in local government while host Lou Young recounts how unfiltered opinion at local meetings can lead to misinformation and intimidation.Reverend Billy revisits the Sixth Extinction, now renamed 6X because it is hard to say three times fast.  News From The Natural World and the Stop Shopping Choir make their weekly appearance.  Music by Cowboy Junkies, Everclear and.....wait for it.....Groucho Marx!

Two hours gone in a flash.  One listener texted that he was sad to see it end.  You however are in luck because it is right here for your listening pleasure.

ACTIVISTS' ANNIVERSARY

A SMALL TOWN STEPS UP

We were knocked out!  Lou and co-host, George Potanovic attended the Climate Solutions Fair in a small New York State Village, which was held on a chilly Wednesday, February 7 night and we frankly didn’t expect much. Wow! Hundreds jammed the Nyack Center in Nyack, NY – an old colonial style wooden church that bristled with community spirit, innovative ideas, and good, solid information about what you can personally do to take action in the face of our climate catastrophe. Peggy Kurtz, co-founder of the Rockland Water Coalition and leader of the Lower Hudson Sierra Club joined our call with a notice to oppose the current Veolia water rate increase at the upcoming NYS Public Service Commission online public hearing on February 21.

If you’re worried about what’s happening, need a way to take action and a reason to raise hope, please tune in and join hosts Lou, George and producer Will Hennessey on this edition of TOUGH TIMES WITH LOU YOUNG – which includes a musical tribute to The Beatles’ 60th anniversary of arriving in America!

Read the 2030 Nyack Climate Action Plan: http://tinyurl.com/4dwycyzk