Can we humans be "good" when our collective and individual actions contribute to environmental crises like climate change, habitat loss and species extinction? What does "good" mean? And how do we proceed in the face of consequences of our impacts?
                          
These are deep questions. Philosopher and environmental spirituality scholar Roger Gottlieb explores the ambiguities, challenges and opportunities we face, in his new book "Morality and the Environmental Crisis," and in this conversation with fellow enviro-advocate and deep thinker/feeler, Earthworms host Jean Ponzi.

Give a listen. Your thoughts and responses will not disappoint. And you may well come away motivated and encouraged.

Music: Abdiel, performed live at KDHX by STL's own Dave Black

Thanks to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms techno-sustainable engineer

Related Earthworms Conversations: Handprints: Retouching Human Impacts with Gregory Norris (March, 2019)

Native Science: All Our Relations (Oct 2018)

Community Radio: Purpose, Value and Insider Insights (Aug 2015)

Listening to: the thread of a tale, voice music, history, mystery, action conveyed through words direct into heart and ears, eyes and mind. Teller and Audience merge in the story exchange.

     

The St. Louis Storytelling Festival is the largest free storytelling festival in the world. Celebrating its 40th year, for all ages of humankind, the alchemy of this event strikes sparks around our Big River town. Tellers of international to local renown will take their tales to public and special venues April 25 - May 4, 2019.

Current and former festival directors Lisa Overholser and Nan Kammann-Judd bring their love of this interaction to the Earthworms studio - and the festival brings a night of Irish tales to The Stage at KDHX on Tuesday, April 30.

Throughout time, people have preserved their culture, values, and beliefs through storytelling. Giving voice to the human experience, storytelling allows families and communities to pass on their history to succeeding generations, and it remains an evolving, dynamic art form.

Music: Butter II, performed live at KDHX by Ian Ethan Case
Thanks to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms Green-savvy audio engineer

Related Earthworms Conversations: 

The Patterning Instinct in Human Nature with Jeremy Lent (June 2017)

The New Territory: Traversing the Literary Midwest with Tina Casagrande (May 2017)

Mid-way along his marathon cycling trip from CA to MA, Tim Oey is educating humans of all ages about: Oceans, Plastic, Climate Change and Kids. His two wheeling fleet travel mode packs everything he needs, with (as is his life practice) ZERO WASTE.

Tim's stop here with KDHX Earthworms followed three talks this morning at our neighboring Performing Arts Academy. He's on track for his goal of 180 talks in 95 days. Some are presentations, many are conversations. All are likely - as you can hear - thoughtful, encouraging, and gently intense about serious stuff.

Music: Magic 9, performed live at KDHX by Infamous Stringdusters
Thanks to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms Green-living engineer.

Related Earthworms Conversations: David Henry, Climate Walker (Dec 2015)

Brian Ettling's Climate Change Advocacy Marches On! (Oct 2018)

Climate: A New Story with Charles Eisenstein (Nov 2018)

American Hemp, the new book from Earthworms guest Jen Hobbs (Skyhorse Publishing, 2019), details "how growing our newest cash crop can improve our health, clean our environment, and slow climate change." 
                     
Hobbs details these claims for a plant brought to North America by British colonists, banned and pressed into service and banned again, and now legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill. Its seeds are a superfood. Its stalks house you in "HempCrete." Its oil, the substance CBD, can calm anxiety, control seizures, and more.

With real potentials for this flowering plant to earn as much as $30K per acre, its story is growing fast.

Music: Washboard Suzie, performed live at KDHX by Zydeco Crawdaddies

Thanks to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms green-savvy audio engineer