90 Miles from Needles: Back from Utah

Yes. It has been a long time since we sent one of these out. There have been a lot of complexities getting in the way. Also the slide into fascism. still, I had set myself the task of sending one of these out each time we publish a new episode, and yet I haven’t gotten to it since April.

It should be less of a problem in weeks to come, in part because the podcast’s new website automatically does a few things like reaching out to guests to alert them that an episode is live, posting links to new episodes to Facebook and Insta and Patreon and LinkedIn, and this saves some time.

That said, if you would like to earn my undying loyalty as a volunteer and you can commit to sending out at least one of these things per month, which should be a commitment of less than two hours at first and then about half an hour once you have learned how to use this mailing list software, we should talk. Might be an avenue for expression you have heretofore lacked.

Anyway, I let six episodes pile up in between demonstrations and research road trips and root canals and untoward pharmaceutical reactions, so here they are, in reverse chronological order.

In late May and early June, I spent a week in Utah in Salt Lake City and then the Four Corners region. On one of those days I had the good fortune to chat with Diné activist Davina Smith about Bears Ears. This episode is the result.

S4E18: Resilience & Resistance in Navajo Country

Chris has a compelling discussion with Diné activist Davina Smith on the significance of the Bears Ears National Monument.

In 1994, David Helvarg wrote the indispensable book The War Against The Greens: The “Wise-Use” Movement, the New Right, and Anti-Environmental Violence. We checked in with David to discuss the fact that his most dire predictions have come true.

S4E17: The War Against The Greens, Updated

Investigative journalist David Helvarg talks to us about threats to democracy, public lands, and global environmental activism amid escalating misinformation and violence

Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson have both taken heat and won applause for their book Abundance, which essentially advocates for deregulation. We take a look at the truth behind some of the duo’s claims. We are not particularly impressed.

S4E16: Ezra Klein's New Book Has an Abundance of Problems

Chris explores Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's book "Abundance," scrutinizing its stance on environmental regulations.

As both the desert and the political scene heat up, we are likely looking at yet another bleak season of mortality among border-crossers. Fortunately, Humane Borders is on the ground trying to keep people alive. We talk to Humane Borders’ board chair, Laurie Cantillo.

S4E15: The Fight to Save Lives on the U.S.-Mexico Border

Chris interviews Laurie Cantillo, Chair of Humane Borders. They discuss the organization's critical work in saving lives by providing water in the Sonoran Desert, the challenges faced by migrants, and the alarming militarization of the US-Mexico border.

If you yet haven’t run into Teal Lehto’s efforts on social media — she writes as @WesternWaterGirl on Colorado River and related issues — then you’re in for a treat.

S4E14: @WesternWaterGirl Gives Social Media a Reality Check

Chris chats with Teal Lehto, a passionate water rights activist also known on social media as @WesternWaterGirl. Teal shares insights into her work on public lands protection, the challenges posed by current legislative threats to environment-focused organizations, and the critical issues facing the Colorado River Basin.

Barret Baumgart has an interesting, irreverent take on Joshua trees. If you’ve found yourself recoiling from nature prose that treats living things with dripping sentimentality, Baumgart’s book Yuck might be the book for you.

S4E13: Yuck: The Wild, Weird History of Joshua Trees with Barret Baumgart

The conversation centers around Baumgart's book "Yuck," which explores the peculiar and iconic Joshua Tree. From its historical misunderstandings and numerous failed attempts to capitalize on the plant, to its symbolic resistance against commodification, the chat offers a fresh perspective on the interaction between humans and this resilient desert species.

And here, bringing up the rear, is our reaction to recent claims that a company has brought the dire wolf back from extinction. The claims were made just as I was recovering from a Bernie Sanders/AOC rally in Los Angeles, which means I was able to head to the tar pits to commune with the real things, as fossilized as they may be.

S4E12: We Need To Talk About "De-Extinction"

Chris explores the controversial claim of dire wolves' de-extinction, the ecological implications, and the potential risks tied to genetic modification. Get insights into recent political maneuvers, the delicate nature of ecosystems, and why reviving the past isn't as simple as it seems.

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