May 27, 2010: Grease the Biodiesel vs. Grease the Movie: Small Producer Makes It Work

At a time when the US biodiesel industry has been in turmoil – faulted for where it sources raw materials or feedstock and hammered by the economy – a small producer in Seattle has plans to expand. What’s their secret? Grease. General Biodiesel takes used cooking oil collected from local restaurants and converts it to biodiesel. The company may not be able to displace all the country’s fossil fuel usage, but they’re carving out a niche market with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

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May 20, 2010: Oil Follies, Lawsuits Against Interior, Concerns from Alaska and Puget Sound Fishermen and Climate Legislation

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been embroiled in controversy since it was revealed on May 5 that he allowed the Minerals Management Service to exempt BP’s offshore drilling plan from environmental review. This week the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit against Salazar for approving 300 drilling operations without permits required by the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Drilling opponents in Alaska would like to see a moratorium on drilling. While fishermen in the Puget Sound say all fisheries are at risk if drilling and oil addiction continue.

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May 13, 2010: Care for a Job With That Locally Grown Bok Choy?

Green jobs and growing local food are usually served as separate items on today’s sustainability menu. A new urban farm hopes to offer both as entrees for the new green green economy. The farm, Ground Up Yesler, is on the site of Yesler Terrace, a culturally diverse housing project on First Hill. Their non-profit partner is Creatives For Community or C4C. C4C was inspired in part by Will Allen, a nationally respected urban farm leader and Van Jones, a leader in creating green jobs for all. Martha Baskin has our story.

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May 6, 2010: GMOs, Food Security and Misplaced Philanthropy, An Interview with Jos Ngonyo with the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition

Organic non-GMO foods aren’t just the preference of countries in the so-called developed North. 40,000 tons of GMO-grown maize was recently rejected in Kenya. Protestors are making sure it remains stuck in the port city of Mombassa. Jos Ngonyo, with Kenya’s Biodiversity Coalition spoke to Green Acre Radio in a recent visit to Seattle. Ngonyo spoke about why small-scale farmers reject the Green Revolution in Africa and about "dysfunctional aid." The Gates Foundation helped launch the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa four years ago.

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