http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/radioactivity/~3/eiA9jnmRCBo/wmnf_161025_110618_radioactivityT1_187.MP3 By Rob Lorei Last week The Guardian newspaper reported that 2016 was on track to be the hottest year on record—hotter than the previous record set just last year. And on Monday the BBC reported that for all of 2016 the CO2 levels in the atmosphere will be above 400 parts per million—the highest… Read more »
Twenty-six Florida scientists have written a letter to Donald Trump; they want to meet with the Republican presidential nominee to talk about the latest climate science and the threats expected because of a changing climate. That’s because Trump has claimed that human-caused climate change is a hoax. WMNF News interviewed one of the scientists who… Read more »
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/radioactivity/~3/kpzhv4lzRto/wmnf_161024_110617_radioactivityM1_348.MP3 By Rob Lorei Recently there have been protests against the construction of the Sabal Trail Pipeline, a 515-mile natural gas line that, once completed, will cut through Alabama, Georgia, and Central Florida. Our first guest on Radioactivity Monday was Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, Organizing Representative of the Sierra Club, says that the pipeline threatens lands sacred to Native Americans, fragile… Read more »
A Pinellas County Congressional district could change parties after Election Day; Republican incumbent David Jolly faces an uphill battle in the newly redrawn district against Democrat Charlie Crist. The district now has more Democrats. Tuesday morning in downtown St. Petersburg, critics of Congress member Jolly tried to paint him as anti-consumer. Democratic State Representative Dwight Dudley… Read more »
On Monday’s WMNF Sustainable Living program we talked about permaculture and the up-coming Florida Permaculture Convergence with one of the organizers of the Convergence, Wendell Martinkovic . Wendell and his wife own and operate a permaculture-based farm near Lake Panosofkee . Also, we had a Pinellas County Fair farm update with Pamela Sindlinger, with Gateway… Read more »
Tampa-area Democrats and two independent candidates for a State Senate seat continue to criticize the Republican in the race for being a no-show; Republican state Representative Dana Young skipped a Tiger Bay Club of Tampa debate Friday because of a funeral. But former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink called Young out in a question to the… Read more »
The Dakota Access Pipeline — the site of major protests and where journalist Amy Goodman had charges dismissed Monday — isn’t the only fossil fuel pipeline that’s drawing controversy; here in Florida, environmentalists are protesting against the Sabal Trail Pipeline. Our guest, Tim Martin, is with Florida Suncoast Sierra Club and helped to organize a protest… Read more »
http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_161012_110617_radioactivityW1_189.MP3 BY Rob Lorei Our first guest on Radioactivity Wednesday was Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO. It’s the largest union federation in the US, representing more than 12 million active and retired workers. Trumka is a former coal miner and an attorney who was elected president of the AFL-CIO in 2009. He gave his take on Trump’s stance… Read more »
http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_160929_110618_radioactivityR1_191.MP3 By Rob Lorei On Radioactivity Thursday we look at Amendment 1, also known as “Rights of Electricity Consumers Regarding Solar Energy Choice”, that is being back by 4 large for-profit utility companies: Florida Power and Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric and Gulf Power. Why would these utility companies, who mostly make their money off of coal,… Read more »
http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_160928_110617_radioactivityW1_189.MP3 By Rob Lorei On Radioactivity Wednesday we talked about the effects phosphate mining in West central Florida. Billions of tons of phosphogypsum- located in Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, and Desoto counties-is strip mined and eventually used to make commercial. Last month, a giant sinkhole, opened up under a gypsum stact at a Polk County processing plant… Read more »
Florida Governor Rick Scott took a helicopter tour of the massive sinkhole on the property of Mosaic Company in eastern Polk County Tuesday; but a nearby resident says her family is sick and her well water has not yet been tested by Mosaic after the sinkhole dumped contaminated water into the aquifer. A sinkhole formed… Read more »
http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_160926_110617_radioactivityM1_348.MP3 By Rob Lorei On Radioactivity Monday, we first listened back to the latest episode of Florida This Week, a political discussion show on local PBS station WEDU that is also hosted by Rob Lorei. In this episode, our panel of political experts and insiders discuss the hottest stories in Florida news and politics: Calls for… Read more »
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman updated City Council Thursday about the massive dump of stormwater and partially treated and untreated sewage during Tropical Storm Hermine; Kriseman updated media Friday morning before an unrelated press conference. Listen: “The update is, as a result of last night’s meeting, we are, as quickly as we can, moving forward with… Read more »
http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_160919_110618_radioactivityM1_348.MP3 By Rob Lorei On Radioactivity Monday we aired the latest episode of Florida this Week, a panel discussion show on state and local politics that is hosted by Rob Lorei on local PBS station WEDU. Among the topics this week: Calls for a federal investigation into Donald Trump’s donation to Pam Bondi’s campaign; The number of… Read more »
Have you been following the massive sinkhole – just 30 miles east of Tampa in New Wales? JACLYN LOPEZ, Florida Director, Staff Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity. Jacki thinks Florida may be beginning to wake up to its massive phosphate mining problems. The sinkhole has already caused at least 215 million gallons of contaminated water to… Read more »
Executives from The Mosaic Company apologized Tuesday morning to Polk County residents for weeks of delays in notifying the public about a 45-foot-wide sinkhole that caused more than 200 million gallons of slightly radioactive water to drain into the aquifer. Walt Precourt, senior vice president of phosphates at Mosaic, told the Polk County Commission there are no… Read more »
On Thursday Hermine strengthened to a hurricane; because of heavy rainfall Wednesday the City of St. Petersburg began what it calls a “controlled wastewater discharge into Tampa Bay.” The city says based on previous releases “90% of the discharge is expected to consist of rainwater/storm water.” But St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman says the amount of… Read more »
*update: Hermine became a hurricane on Thursday September 1 Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Wednesday because of the approaching Tropical Storm Hermine. The state of emergency covers 42 counties, including Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and the counties north of the Tampa Bay region. It’s about 400 miles west-southwest of Tampa. The National Hurricane Center has upgraded… Read more »
A Pinellas County resident contracted Zika in Florida, so county officials are scrambling to find ways to control the mosquito that carries the virus; several leaders have signed a letter to the feds asking for permission to release genetically modified mosquitoes as part of the strategy to kill Aedes aegypti. One person who signed is… Read more »
We take an in-depth look at the Zika virus in Florida and beyond, including hearing from the director of USF Health and from a mosquito control expert on the pros and cons of genetically modified mosquitoes and the insecticide Naled. Listen to the full show here: On Monday Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced a program to try… Read more »
On Thursday the Manatee County Planning Commission recommended changes sought by the Mosaic Fertilizer company that could lead to more phosphate mining in the east end of the county; but during an all-day meeting sixteen members of the public spoke out against the changes and against phosphate mining in general. Debbie Mafera and her husband live… Read more »
A newly-published scientific paper describes a massive coral disease outbreak in Florida that is “arguably one of the most lethal ever recorded on a contemporary coral reef.” The lead author of the study, William Precht, is the director of marine and coastal programs at the environmental consulting firm Dial Cordy and Associates, based in Miami…. Read more »
By Rob Lorei Today on Radioactivity Tuesday we looked at the work that local activists are doing to promote solar energy and a livable, $15-an-hour minimum wage. http://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_160816_110618_radioactivityT1_187.MP3 First, we spoke with Deirdre Macnab and Julie Kessel from Florida’s League of Women Voters, and local Sierra Club Member Emily Gorman about Amendment 4 on the August 30th ballot that would… Read more »
On Monday’s Sustainable Living program we talked about healthy, locally produced food. In April of this year the Tampa Bay Times published a series of articles about local food, farmers markets and restaurants that were making deceptive or inaccurate claims about from where their food was sourced, and whether or not it was organic. Our guests… Read more »
We look at phosphate mining in Florida: what it’s used for, how it’s mined and its effects on the environment, water and public health. Listen to the full show here: The first half of the show is a presentation by Andy Mele. He’s vice chair of the Manatee-Sarasota Sierra Club group and spoke last week at the… Read more »
