Tough Times with Lou Young

Pick Your Apocalypse!

Popular fiction is obsessed with the end of civilization. In this episode we wonder out-loud about how magnetic the idea is and what grain of truth at the center of these stories scares us the most. Host Lou Young, co-host George Potanovic, and producer Will Hennessey pick the fertile brains of media executive/movie producer Matt Sullivan and energy expert/sci fi fan Susan Filgueras in an examination of our current the end-of-the-world menu Nuclear Holocaust, pandemic, climate change, and robot revolutions top the bill. We have clips from “The Last of Us” and “Children of Men,” two scenarios that feature a zombie fungus (based on a real-life organism), and a sudden infertility in the human race. Alien Invasions, Overpopulation, interplanetary contamination, and asteroid collisions come up as well. It all hangs by a thread and we seem to understand that, but is there something to be done? It's a fascinating 2-hours of observation, information, musical connections, and revival-tent fervor. (That last bit courtesy of Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping!) Another questions: What do Metallica and Richard Wagner have in common? You’ll have to listen to find out.

“Two Edged Swords: The Problem with that Solution”

Its 2 hours of facts and more than a little fun as Guests Jerry Knapp & Peter McCartt run us through some environmental innovations that come with difficulties of their own. Knapp is a long-time veteran firefighter/EMT with the West Haverstraw (NY) Fire Department and currently Rockland County Fire Chief of hazardous materials; and McCartt is Westchester’s Director of Sustainability and Conservation. They talk with Host Lou Young, Co- Host George Potanovic, and Producer/engineer Will Hennessey on this 40 th episode of “Tough Times with Lou Young.” Knapp runs us through the hazards of lithium batteries (so popular in an energy-conscious world) outlining the very real fire dangers and telling us flat-out that emergency responders aren’t really prepared to pry occupants from crashed Electric Vehicles because of their radically new designs: (Gasp—“Hang in there sir, while we read the safety manual!”) 

McCartt talks about his worries over the decommissioning of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant and the radioactive waste we’ll have to deal with “….essentially forever,” (to quote host Lou Young.) It’s radioactive so long that aliens could land here in 50,000 years and wonder what happened. 

Then there’s the giant environmental train wreck in Ohio and the revelation what every major freight company expects it to happen and prepares. That check to the town of East Palestine was just “an opening bid hoping the railroad gets lucky.” 

There’s Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, Jerry’s shocked reaction, music from America’s failed drug war, and our very first listener song request (essentially some tunes you can use to whistle past the graveyard.) Folks these are tough time. Buckle up!

Indian Point Nuke: Not quite gone, certainly not forgotten.

Workers first broke ground for first nuclear reactor at Indian Point, NY in 1956. The last reactors stopped operating on April 30, 2021. Every bit of fuel ever used in those decades is still on site and part of the decommissioning process along with vast tanks full of radioactive water where spent rods are still stored. Guests on Tough Times with Lou Young this week include Marilyn Elie from Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, Manna Jo Greene Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Environmental Director, Chairperson of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Catherine Borgia, and Marie Insera from United for Clean Energy. Lou and producer Will Hennessey grill the gals and get the goods on the decommissioned nuke and its potential future. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping also stop by bringing News from the Natural World with Savitri D. We have music from The Clash, Margo Shepard, Barbara Streisand singing Burt Bacharach, and Imagine Dragons. (It’s a left brain/right brain thing) Co-Host George Potanovic is off and is expected back next week.

A chill wind blows. Is it a sobering dose of reality or the approach of doom? Our guest is Jessica Stomback, CEO of Joule, a company that helps local municipalities arrange aggregate agreements for clean energy and establish local power generation: solar arrays and windmill farms. Lou Young, co-host George Potanovic, and Will Hennessey explore the path of moving away from fossil fuels to clean energy and the creation of “minigrids” that can continue to function in the face of widespread outages during severe storms or terrorist attacks. Mamaroneck Mayor Tom Murphy joins the discussion from Westchester where the community is contemplating a possible municipal solar array on a capped landfill. e also hear from Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, Savitri D with News from the Natural World, new music from the choir and the Fiery Eagles of Justice jazz combo as well as 40,000 citizens of Estonia singing their national anthem in defiance of Russian occupation. Music from John Lennon, Adele, and Linda Ronstadt along with some hope….. a little hope in an anxious time.

Finding the Balance. Lou Young grills Senator Pete Harckham about his new role as Chairman of the NY Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. How do we find the middle ground between preserving the larger environment and protecting our infrastructure endangered by climate change? Young is joined by co-host George Potanovic, the President of the Stoney Point Action Committee for the Environment and engineer/producer Will Hennessey as Harckham talks about everything from the decommissioning of the Indian Point nuclear power plant to the Champlain-Hudson Power Express line connecting Canada and New York City. Also joining the conversation: Mayor Mike Kohut of Haverstraw, and Mayor Karen Tarapata of Upper Nyack about clean energy for their communities, Reverend Billy and Church of Stop Shopping with a another dramatic “service” from the “Earth Church”, News from the Natural World with Savitri D and musical interludes of songs “joined at the psyche.” What do Johnny Rivers, Marvin Gaye, and Mick Jagger have in common? It’s two hours that’ll fly by.

Tracy Brown, President Hudson Riverkeeper, weighs in the Army Corps of Engineer Plans to build massive storm surge barriers to keep the Atlantic Ocean at bay. “A square peg for a round hole” she calls it. Lou Young, George Potanovic, and Will Hennessey escort Ms. Brown through the host of coastal problems and proposed cures in this latest episode of “Tough Times with Lou Young.” We visit with climate activist Greta Thunberg in Davos, Switzerland and scan the planet from the ecological instruments in “the big machine.” The gang also pays tribute to the late David Crosby and introduces us to South African singer-songwriter Connell Cruise. Plus—we “marry” two tunes that were written twenty years apart: separate recordings landing in the same emotional space.

CLIMATE CLEAN ELECTRIC POWER Lou Young, co-host George Potanovic, and Will Hennessey grill experts on both sides of the Hudson about making our electric supply less fossil-fuel dependent. Peggy Kurtz from Rockland Community Power, Andrew Goodwillie from Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Dan Welsh from Sustainable Westchester, Mike Donovan from Orange & Rockland Utilities explain the ins and out of community aggregate power contracts. State Assemblyman Chris Eachus joins the conversation. TV Producer Michael Horowicz reports on climate change conditions from the West coast. Lou Young “marries” two pieces of remarkable 20th century movie music. We also say goodbye to artist John Sims and listen to a remarkable piece called “Afro-Dixie Mix” as Black artists provide their take on the iconic theme of the Old South and Susan Filgueras from Stony Point Action Committee for the Environment (SPACE) discusses the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE).

Environmental outlook in the new year. Lou and the gang (George Potanovic, and Will Hennessey) welcome Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann (an environmentally minded Republican now running for a third term after dumping the town’s term limit law), NY State Senator Bill Weber and NYS Assemblyman Chris Eachus (both recently elected), and Andrew Larkin (A local oyster farmer) about the bi-partisan space where climate policy can flourish. Turns out bi-valves are our environmental friends, and the politicos on both sides of the aisle SAY they want to co-operate on saving the planet. Also: Reverend Billy and Savitri D from the Church of Stop Shopping, News From the Natural World and our first “Music Marriage.” What to The Zombies and Airborn Toxic Event have in common?

CHEMICAL CREEP/FUSION FUTURE//MEANDERING MCCARTHYISM

Lou Young and the crew (George Potanovic & Will Hennessey) lead an examination of “forever” PFAS Chemicals finding their way into our air. water, and bloodstreams.  Policy advocate Liz Moran from “Earth Justice”, Bill Madden from Violia Water Systems,

NY Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, and NY Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski join the discussion about the chemicals found in everything from firefighting foam to clothing (and that teflon pan on your stove).  Changing safety guidelines reveal a number of communities in Westchester and Rockland counties on the wrong side of the threshold.

We also hear from US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Deputy National Security Administrator Marv Adams about the Fusion power breakthrough achieved at the federal government’s Lawrence Livermore Laboratory.  What could be one of the most important discoveries in human history is explained in a way we can (almost) understand.  Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping also present coverage of Activist Angela Davis’ recent appearance in Rockland County despite local attempts to “cancel” her.  It’s part of what they’re calling “The new McCarthyism."

Tap the breaks on your Toxic Holiday Traditions: Christmas shouldn’t leave us stressed out and certainly shouldn’t make us broke; Why do we do it? This episode of Tough Times with Lou Young deals with stepping away from the most wasteful aspects of the holiday. You’ll hear a clip from the documentary “What Would Jesus Buy?” and enjoy a lengthy conversation with the film’s subject “Reverend” Billy Talen. 

Lou, co-host George Potanovic, & producer Will Hennessey also mourn the loss of singer/songwriter Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, comparing their favorite tunes from the captivating “songbird.” 

There’s News From the Natural World with Savitri D and new music from singer/songwriter Kevin Thomas who introduces us to “Matilda” (You’ll like her too).