When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

182 - The Problem with Lithium

Lithium and specifically lithium batteries promise to be the “oil” of the coming decades. But like oil, it comes at a price. There has already been a military coup of a democratically elected government (applauded by the US govt, sound familiar?) over control of this resource. Mining practices are wreaking havoc on some regions of the world – and the transition to lithium is just beginning.

But is the future of lithium all doom and gloom, or the dawn of a bright new age?

Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the positives and negatives the world faces as it transitions to a battery economy – and what new sources and technologies hold promise that history does not have to repeat itself.

180 - Be the Change you Want to See

So you want to change the world. We know the political and social structures that helped make that possible in the past are deaf and/or broken. So how can you begin to create effective change from where you are... with the resources you have available?

Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how not to feel helpless and hopeless in a world that often feels overwhelming and dysfunctional.

181 - Ohio’s Potential Nuclear Disaster

After WWII the US Department of Defense decided it would be a good idea to refine Uranium for nuclear bombs in the small southern Ohio town of Piketon.  Over the decades the released vast amounts of radioactive material into the region, elevating death rates to twice the national average, causing schools to be closed due to high radioactive measurements and resulting in more than $1 billion in worker's comp claims. 

Yet few people have heard of this... and they are planning to reopen and expand operations.

Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Pat Marida of the Ohio Nuclear Free Network to discuss the history of this plant and an upcoming forum to be held in Piketon to address the past and future issues this plant is imposing upon the region.

179 - Fixing Appalachia’s Chronic Poverty

Appalachia is a region that seems perpetually stuck in recession, followed by depression, followed by recession. What are some of the causes of this chronic cycle of poverty and how can the region emerge economically.

Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Natalia Rudiak of Reimagine Appalachia and Ted Boettner of the Ohio River Valley Institute for a discussion of these and other issues that face the region.

153 – Save the Soil

According to a United Nation's study, the planet has only about 60 years of soil left. The nutrients in our soil have been so depleted that today you must eat 8 oranges to get the same vitamins that your grandparents got by eating just one. So what are the issues and what can we do about them?

 

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Heather Kabler and Chitra Iyer of the Isha Foundation to discuss the Save Soil Movement and what is being done to raise awareness of this critical issue.

178 - Solar Cookers

Cooking with the sun. Not only is it a practical solution to deforestation in third-world nations, keeping smoke and ash out of poorly ventilated buildings and causing women to risk their health and safety by walking miles for fire wood – but is also a great alternative here at home as well.

Join perhaps the nation's leading expert on solar cookers, Luther Krueger, as he discusses the art and science behind solar cookers with Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station.

177 - Changing the World

As the song goes... "we all want to change the world..."
but how to go about it?

The old tropes, call your congressman, write a letter, protest... it just seems that absolutely no one in power is listening.  So how can we, each of us, change our little part of the world.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how to make "good trouble."

145 – High Tunnels

In case you hadn't noticed, the climate is changing and plants are dying. How can homesteaders cope with extreme weather events and a changing ecology. Well, one way is to create an environment for their garden that they can control to a certain extent. This is where high tunnels come in.

A high tunnel, or hoop house is a greenhouse like structure where plants can be cultivated and raised under more controlled conditions.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion on their experience with high tunnels, building it, the grant process with the government, and plans for how they intend to use it in the future.

118 – Preppers

The world is teetering on the edge of disaster. The Great Depression – the Cold War – 9-11 – Katrina – the 2008 Economic Meltdown – Covid...

Doesn't it make sense to build yourself a bunker, stock it with beans and ammunition, and wait out the Zombie Apocalypse? Is that what it means to be a “prepper.” Or is it just a common sense approach to have the skills and supplies on hand to deal with whatever emergency may come your way?

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they discuss the realities of living a sustainable life.

176 - Community Benefit Agreements

Huge amounts of money have been allocated by the government under the Infrastructure Law as well as the Inflation Reduction Act. So how do local recipients ensure that the funds actually benefit the local community – and not just provide wages for out-of-town workers who swoop in to build a project and then move on to follow the money? Community Benefit Agreements are one tool to make sure these funds are equitably distributed.

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Natalia Rudiak of ReImagine Appalachia in a discussion of how the region can “win the win” when these funds are allocated.