June 30, 2011: Nash's Organic Farm

If organic farms want to maintain their unique niche – over the past decade sales of organic produce have shown an annual increase of 20% - they’re going to have to train people to grow the food. The average age of both organic and conventional farmers is 57. Just 6% are under thirty-five. An organic farm on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula is trying to turn things around. For the last fifteen years Nash's Organic Farm has offered jobs to motivated young people interested in learning the art of organic farming. The next step will be offering shares of land to a promising new generation.

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June 23, 2011: Sampling for Toxic Contamination in Puget Sound's Muddy Bottom

Can muddy waters provide answers to understanding what toxic contamination is polluting Puget Sound waters? Marine scientists with the Department of Ecology hope so. The scientists are engaged in a multi-year study to collect sediment or mud from the bottom of urban bays. Sampling in Elliott Bay and Commencement Bay found most contaminants come from storm run off. Some like lead are on the wane, while others like phthlates, the key ingredient added to plastic to make it flexible, remain steady. Green Acre Radio joined ecologists in South Puget Sound’s Oakland Bay and has our report.

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June 9, 2011: Bicycle Tour of Rain Gardens: Special Gardens Made to Absorb Pollutants Before They Reach Local Waterways

A bike tour of rain gardens? Makes sense when you know these special gardens can absorb contaminated runoff. Vehicle runoff of oil and heavy metals is the Sound’s number one pollutant. Seattle Public Utility’s "Rainwise Program" and environmental organizations say more rain gardens are a big solution to controlling the flow of contaminants surging off urban surfaces every time it rains. Green Acre Radio’s Martha Baskin hopped on a bike and has this story.

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June 2, 2011: Interview w/ Edward Humes, author of Force of Nature, The Unlikely Story of Wal Mart’s Green Revolution

This week Walmart is the subject on Green Acre Radio. The largest retailer in the work, reviled by many for its take-no-prisoners approach to market domination, has become an improbable trailblazer in the burgeoning field of green business. Green Acre Radio interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Humes about his just released book, Force of Nature, The Unlikely Story of Wal Mart’s Green Revolution.

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