When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

64 - Early Homes of America (the Pioneers didn’t all live in log cabins)

Early settlers of America found the most comfortable homes were often similar to those inhabited by the Native Americans who had survived in this climate for thousands of years.  

Early residents of Philadelphia built cave homes along the Delaware River - but where forced to abandon them when William Penn decided they were not "British" enough.  

Homes made of sod, grass, mud, and yes - even log cabins dotted the landscape.  So what did the early pioneers build and why?  And why did it all change?  

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of dead white scientists and their continuing impact on the realities of sustainable living.

152 – Seeking Social Justice

What is social justice and why is it not incorporated in all aspects of life, business and our culture? What can we personally do to help promote a culture of fairness and equity in our everyday activities.

 

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Jarod Marsh, who recently graduated with a degree in human rights and sustainability from the University of Dayton - then packed off to India to experience whether not the world reflected the theory.

151 – Utility Scale Solar

Huge solar arrays are beginning to dot the landscape - sometimes 300 acres or more... spreading out across farmland and next to highways. So what is happening? What are the dynamics that are changing the utility landscape, closing coal and natural gas power plants and replacing them with acres of solar? And is this all a good thing?

 

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Jake Kuss, assistant director of the Utility Scale Solar Energy Coalition of Ohio for a discussion on utility-scale solar and how it will change the way we get energy for decades to come.

150 – Finding the Life/Work Balance

We have all had periods in our lives when there there are pressures that seem determined to suck the joy out of life and lead us down a path of constant toil. For some this is a terminal condition. We all have to work to live... but do we need to live to work?

 

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how to find the right balance between work and living your life.

149 – Food Foraging and Medicinal Plants

The world is your buffet if you only know what to look for and where to look. Not only is every walk in the woods full of plants that are nutritious and delicious - but there is also a free medicine cabinet out there packed with remedies for what ails you.

 

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they are joined by Laurel Hobden for a discussion what naturally healthy plants are waiting for you in your back garden or along your favorite woodland trail.

088 - Solar Pollution

Solar energy is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide.  It currently produces about 3% of the US electricity - but is anticipated to generate as much as 30% within a decade.  And as is true with any large industry - it will create its share of problems.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the environmental problems the growth of solar energy will generate for our planet - from mineral extraction, to pollution during manufacturing, to how to deal with the waste stream when the systems grow old and fail.

078 - Fake Meat

The industrialized food industry has discovered that a growing number of people are hungry for meat alternatives.  Everyone from fast food restaurants to mega grocery stores are rolling out their meat alternatives. 

But are these fake meat products healthy (as claimed)?  Just what is in this stuff?  Join Annie and Jay Warmke as they discuss the evolving world of fake meat - coming to a grocery store near you.

148 - What Solar Really Costs in 2022

As solar goes more mainstream, we are beginning to see solar “aluminum siding salesmen” knocking on doors and trying to sell homeowners systems that are overpriced and may or may not meet the needs of the household. We are seeing misleading advertisements claiming there are “new incentive programs for your zip code” that the utility companies “don't want you to know about.”

 

So how do you separate the truth from the BS?

 

Every six months, the solar consulting company Energy Sage publishes a comprehensive study, asking solar installers around the nation questions about how the business has changed and what things really cost in the market today.

 

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of this report's findings and what you should expect to pay should you decide to put solar on your roof.

147 - Emotional Resiliency

Increasingly there is a growing awareness that the world is in crisis. Four years of Trump, two years of Covid, the outbreak of war in Europe... people are reaching an emotional breaking point.

 

Well clearly the sad reality is that difficult and troubling things happen in each of our lives. But how do some seem to deal with this stress better than others?

 

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of how to create emotional resiliency in your life.

146 - Environmental Impact of Lawns

Ah, the suburban dream. A lush, freshly cut lawn stretching as far as the eye can see. But as far as the planet is concerned, that lawn is an ecological disaster, a toxic polluting wasteland devoid of biodiversity.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the resources consumed and the environmental problems unleashed when we pursue the perfect lawn. And what are some alternatives that are a bit gentler on Mother Earth?