Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 07.07.16

INDIAN POINT and DIABLO CANYON are two nuclear reactor names that strike fear in the hearts of anyone who knows about atomic power. We discuss the two reactors north of New York City with MANNA JO GREEN (Clearwater), GARY SHAW (IPSEC) and KEVIN KAMPS (Beyond Nuclear). These long-term activists and experts are dedicated to shutting the two nukes irradiating the Hudson River. They outline the critical deterioration threatening the future of these aging, uneconomical reactors.

We are then joined by ROCHELLE BECKER of California’s Alliance 4 Nuclear Responsibility who describes the landmark new deal cut between PG&E, the unions and environmental groups to shut the two nukes at Diablo Canyon by 2025. This complex multi-faceted agreement calls for a 100% conversion to renewable energy, a “retain and retrain” program for the plant’s workers, and a definitive death date in 9 years. A wide range of issues have arisen amongst those of us demanding an immediate shutdown of these decayed, deteriorating and deadly reactors. Lets figure out how to get them down…

Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 06.30.16

Smart Alec and Diablo Canyon are with us today in Solartopia.

We begin with Matthew Cardinale who has formed a new progressive campaign for human legislation aimed at countering the horrific Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council. The Koch’s ALEC has polluted our government since the 1970s with a heavily funded flood of bad bills aimed at enthroning the rich and powerful. They have now issued a “cease and desist” letter to Cardinale demanding his Smart Alec stop trying to pass legislation that might actually serve democracy. This is a fun and informative conversation.

We’re then joined by Linda Seeley and Myla Reson to talk about the horrific decision by California’s State Lands Commission to not require an Environmental Impact Report at Diablo Canyon. The report is required under the California Environmental Quality Act. Myla and Linda are long-time activists devoted to shutting this horrendous atomic reactor complex upwind of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, June 28, the Lands Commission hearing resulted in a unanimous vote taken as a kick in the teeth by those wanting Diablo shut ASAP. Myla and Linda give us the inside story.

Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 05.19.16

Solartopia celebrates the amazing life & unmatched activism of the legendary MICHAEL MARIOTTE, a truly one-of-a-kind No Nukes activist, pamphleteer, researcher and strategist who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer.

Michael’s legendary career as a nuke-buster, grassroots organizer, writer, speaker, rock drummer and husband/parent/friend has inspired a whole generation. For decades he has been at the core of fighting the nuke industry in general, with particularly powerful impact at Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, the uranium project in Louisiana he helped defeat, and much much more.

Our tributes begin with MARY OLSON from the NUCLEAR INFORMATION & RESOURCE SERVICE, which Michael has helped lead since the 1980s. PAUL GUNTER then joins us, along with KEVIN KAMPS, both from BEYOND NUCLEAR.

ALFRED MEYER chimes in from PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY along with BOB BACKUS from the Seabrook fight, ROCHELLE BECKER from Diablo Canyon, TIM JUDSON (the new Executive Director of NIRS), DIANE D’ARRIGO of NIRS, ALLISON FISHER from PUBLIC CITIZEN, attorney DIANE CURREN, Michael’s band-mate and more.

For those of us who knew him, the hole Michael leaves in our movement and in our hearts will be impossible to fill.

There are few greater things one can do to further our power and wellness than what Michael accomplished in his lifetime.

Thank you, brother. We hope you enjoy the show….

Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 04.14.16

THE URANIUM Film Festival in Los Angeles will feature a number of important full-length movies about atomic power on April 27 at the Raleigh Theater.

We hear all about it from publicist Alexandra Radlovic and from the legendary Kat Kramer, who will be co-hosting (with me) an after-film panel on shutting
the Diablo Canyon nuclear power reactors that will feature Mimi Kennedy, Lou Gosset, Jr., Libbe Halevy and others. Also at the festival will be the deeply moving full-length feature The Last Picture by noted German filmmaker Micael Von Hohenberg who talks to us from Germany about this major anti-nuclear work and all it has to say about the atomic madness.

We’re then joined by Lori Grace, noted election protection organizer and activist from the northern California Sunrise Center. Lori tells us about webinars, public talks and other important contributions she is making to the desperate attempt to stop the theft of yet another presidential election. Without this critical work, we are guaranteed to have another stripped and flipped outcome, driving our nation further down into the corporate sinkhole.

Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 02.25.16

SHUTTING THE DIABLO CANYON NUKE is essential to the survival of human beings in North America. We discuss developments at this twin reactor complex sitting on a dozen earthquakes faults with key experts in the fight.

JIM HEDDLE and MARY BETH BRANGAN of the ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIONS NETWORK of northern California are joined by DONNA GILMORE of SAN ONOFRE SAFETY and CYNTHIA PAPERMASTER OF CODE PINK.

We discuss the criminal negligence by Pacific Gas & Electric that blew up 50 houses in the town of San Bruno and killed 8 people. Such irresponsible safety abuse is everywhere evident at Diablo Canyon, where radioactive fuel canisters are leaking, critical security features can’t be inspected and major operating components have been installed upside-down.

Thankfully, the BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL has joined the movement for sanity by passing a resolution to shut Diablo Canyon as soon as possible.

This deep exploration with four great activists will tell you much you need to know to push ahead for the shut-down of these truly horrifying nukes.

Solartopia Green Power and Wellness Hour – 02.18.16

THE WAR AGAINST SOLAR POWER comes to Solartopia today with three great expert/activists.

Pulitzer-nominee JACQUES LESLIE opens with his powerful NYTimes article on Nevada’s attempt to crush the massive, successful spread of rooftop panels. Jacques’ unique, distinguished journalistic career has spanned the field from Vietnam to a marquee book on big dams and much more.

Long-time nuclear opponent JUDY TREICHEL reports to us from Nevada on the Public Utilities Commission decision to assault homeowners like herself who have installed highly productive solar panels. The corrupt state government is now waging war to protect the fossil/nuke investments of the Koch Brothers against the clean, cheap, job-producing power of the sun.

By contrast, activist PAUL KANGAS joins us to talk about the California Public Utilities Commission decision to guarantee a 15 cent/kilowatt-hour payment to homeowners pumping juice into the grid from their own solar panels. The city of Berkeley has now resolved to shut the Diablo Canyon nuke, upping the ante on the race between renewables and the likelihood of a catastrophic explosion at the state’s last reactors.

All-in-all, this is a program sure to make the sun shine in your heart…and on your roof.