October 2012. An unseasonally-cold winter storm last week brought the first local tornado we’re aware of. As it moved east, the storm joined two other fronts to form the historic cyclone Sandy. All are in-our-face manifestations of increasing climate change. Denial should be over, yet the topic remains unaddressed by both U.S. presidential candidates, a hot potato that might cost votes.
Fortunately, individuals and groups are responding and reducing carbon footprints. For our part, this summer we’ve been working intensively outdoors to cut, split and deliver oak firewood from down trees. It’s our first year selling firewood, so we Wood Wenches Help Fuel Local Economy (and fuel Peak Moment TV too).
Celebrating a Lighter, Leaner Janaia introduces the dietary pattern that has transformed our bodies and lives for nearly two years. It’s the low carbohydrate ketogenic (fat-burning) diet which human bodies evolved on, and fueled our ancestors for most of humans’ time on the planet. Janaia lost and has kept off 40 pounds eating richly satisfying meals and without going hungry. More blogs to come.
As we approach Peak Moment TV’s seventh anniversary early in 2013 (hard for us to believe!), we’re grateful as always for your energetic support, good words, dollars, show ideas, and becoming a contact person when we travel to your area (a gleam in our eye but no set dates yet).
Janaia & Robyn
Calling all California Voters: Yes on 37
If you’re a California voter or know one, we urge a Yes on 37 vote next week. It’s the right to know what’s in our food. It requires labeling food containing GMOs (genetically modified organisms). GMOs can cause multiple organ damage, digestive problems, and cancers. Monsanto and Big Biotech are fighting hard with massive lies to the tune of $1million a day. You may not care about GMOs, but please let everyone choose rather than be part of a massive uncontrolled experiment. It’s important for people in every state (if it passes in California, it’ll de facto become national). Tell every Californian you know to vote Yes on 37 and spread the word (info and messaging help at CARightToKnow.org.)
This engaging one-minute Rat’s Tale cartoon sums up the problems with GMOs. You can watch the stunning documentary Genetic Roulette online (watch free until October 31).
Widening Circles
Guy Dauncey’s Solving the Environmental Crises – We Can Do It (episode 218) and selected Peak Moment shows are on Films for Action, a “community-powered alternative news center and learning library for people who want to change the world.” Thanks Tim Hjersted and team.
Greg Crawford’s An Earthen House Built by Hand (episode 215) was shared by Tiny House Talk.
Undriving™ founder Julia Field gave a talk at TEDxTheEvergreenStateCollege with stories of “Undriving Sparks” that creative Undrivers have come up with.
Janelle Orsi, one of the Young Lawyers Lower the Bar to Sharing Economy (episode 210) has authored a new book Practicing Law in the Sharing Economy: Helping People Build Cooperatives, Social Enterprise, and Local Sustainable Economies. She contributed to Share Spray, a charming short animation about transforming our lives and communities cif sharing became the new way to do everything.
Janaia’s Journal
Celebrating a Lighter, Leaner Janaia kicks off a series of blogs on the low carbohydrate, fat-burning (ketogenic) diet that’s given both of us more energy. It has enabled us to maintain demanding levels of woods work for the past six months as we Wood Wenches Fuel the Local Economy and reduce wildfire hazard.
Joanna Macy: Active Hope Reconnects Us to Life is a transcript of Joanna Macy’s inspiring talk in Grass Valley on August 25th.
A quote from a colleague prompted Whatcha Gonna Believe – Opinion or Information?
Peak Moment episodes and reviews
Solving the Environmental Crises — We Can Do It!
Futurist Guy Dauncey’s enthusiastic determination is absolutely infectious! The author of Climate Change: 101 Solutions to Global Warming sees multiple environmental crises descending on us all at once. He points to numerous historical examples of our coming together around critical issues. “We can do this!” he insists. We can “change, adapt, innovate and build an entire economy operating in harmony with nature.” Tools like the internet and cellphones enable us to amplify organizing worldwide, so we can follow our ancestors’ lead in “not wimping out.” (episode 218)
Neither Pessimism Nor Optimism Is Relevant for Greens, But Determination Is review by Sami Grover, Treehugger
Prairie Fire — Revolutionize the Food System
Novelist Dan Armstrong’s Prairie Fire is a fast-paced thriller whose characters forge unlikely alliances to revolutionize the American food system. It’s spearheaded by farmers squeezed by skyrocketing oil prices while marketeers get whopping price gains. This revolution is unlikely to succeed, yet… well, we won’t spoil it! In Dan’s Taming the Dragon, climate change causes Chinese grain production to plummet, bringing the world to the brink. Dan illuminates the real-world backdrop behind both novels. His solution? Localize food production. Meet farmer Harry MacCormack with exciting results in central Oregon. (episode 219)
Simplicity, Joy and Social Change
When Cecile Andrews asked herself, “What matters?” the answer popped up: “Having time to do the things you want to do.” She simplified her life, quit her full-time job, and started simplicity circles to support others in savoring life. Now she has expanded into neighborhood stop-and-chats and a Gross National Happiness movement. Her latest book advocates broadening the joy in our lives — Less is More: Embracing Simplicity for a Healthy Planet, A Caring Economy, and Lasting Happiness. (episode 220)
Human-Powered Machines – Can Pedals Power the World?
Jump on that bike and power up the blender for your morning smoothie! Matthew Corson-Finnerty shows several machines he has developed while at Aprovecho Center in Oregon. Watch us pedal power an electricity generator, a grain mill, a blender, and a straw-chopper. Matthew notes there’s “considerable difference between the power that one person can generate, and [what’s] generated by a fossil fuel engine or a coal-fired plant to provide electricity.” After watching these machines, what do you think? (episode 221)
A Viewer Says
“Thanks to everyone at peak moment for taking the time to make these little videos, they’re the best example of constructive journalism I can think of. Cheers!”
— YouTube viewer cookiefox
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