In Tune to Nature Podcast

Love in Their Hearts Book: Stories of Animal Emotions for Young Adults with Marc Bekoff and Jeff Campbell

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:21:57 -0400

The last time Dr. Marc Bekoff was on the show, he discussed his "Emotional Lives of Animals" 2nd edition; now he's co-authored a version for teens/young adults called "Love in Their Hearts: A Celebration of Animal Emotions and a Guide to Compassionate Action," with writer and friend Jeff Campbell, both of whom join host Carrie Freeman for a 52-minute conversation that is both fun and touching, as they share stories of nonhuman animal altruism, heroism, and grief -- from Marc's dog Jethro (bunny rescuer), to dairy cow mothers, to the famous grizzly bear 399 in Wyoming, to heroic humpback whales and dolphins. And we ponder why wild/free-living killer whales choose not to attack us humans?

We also discuss how kids can learn from the lessons of Drs. Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff in terms of their career trajectory innovating wild animal ethology (respectfully studying animal behavior as compassionate conservationists) and their childhood experiences connecting with other animals (and having supportive parents). Marc is very passionate about young people following their hearts in school and not letting teachers/professors force them to do anything violent to animals (dissection, experimentation, killing). His co-author Jeff ensured that the book contained Marc's and Jane's experiences as students, as an example of how you can be highly successful in science while still following your heart and doing what is best for our animal friends (recognizing them as someone not something).

Marc and Jeff have created a free educator's guide so teachers can use the "Love in their Hearts" book in the classroom: https://marcbekoff.com/love-in-their-hearts. You can also check out Jeff's other books for young adults at his website https://jeffcampbellbooks.com/

"In Tune to Nature" is an hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody -- radically candid and compassionate.

And remember to take care of yourself and others, including fellow animals with love in their hearts.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Beyond Toxic Plastics (Virgin and Recycled) to a Healthier Future: Greenpeace Plastic Campaigner Lindsey Jurca

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 19:10:45 -0400

Recorded on my mom, Cathy Packwood’s, birthday, I'm covering a topic she has become passionate about – microplastics and how and why society should end the production and circulation of plastics, for the health of humans and other animals and our shared habitats – and how can we work individually in our homes (that's hard), and collectively as engaged citizens (that's hard too, especially in this administration), to create a healthier existence free from plastics; even recycling plastics causes toxins and can perpetuate reliance on plastics! See Greenpeace's Forever Toxic recycling report (not recycling is a hard one for me since I have spent so many hours cleaning and recycling plastic for decades -- should we just throw plastic containers in the trash when we can't avoid getting them?!)

It's time to replace this chemical-filled, unhealthy (albeit convenient) product with something sustainable, reusable, nontoxic, and non-polluting (especially around our food and drink items); we discuss how plastics are made of fossil fuels (petroleum) that adds to the climate crisis, so a plastic-free future goes hand in hand with a clean-energy future, where communities could be more resilient from the fluctuating oil market inflated prices, like now with the U.S. war with Iran, if we weren't so reliant on plastics.

To tell us about this herculean personal and public effort is our guest Lindsey Jurca, Senior Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace. Lindsey talks about their work with nations worldwide developing a "Global Plastics Treaty" with some teeth in it, to turn off the plastic cycle that is drowning us all in toxins. Join us to talk solutions in this 49-minute conversation in honor of my mom Cathy's birthday (I got her a lot of bamboo kitchen utensils and natural sponges and glass spray jars for a plastic-free kitchen).

A resource is https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-plastic-pollution/

And remember to take care of yourself and others, including the other animals, who don't want to live with plastic pollution in and around us anymore. Enough already!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: courtesy of Greenpeace

Saving Wildlife on Cumberland Island National Seashore: Kelly Cox at Defenders of Wildlife

Sun, 31 May 2026 09:55:52 -0400

I'm excited to talk about one of my favorite places, Cumberland Island National Seashore here in coastal Georgia. I got word from the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife that they are working to prevent some new proposed construction of large houses on Cumberland Island and increased recreational activity that will be disruptive to wildlife. We also talk about the wild horses who live there, as they were introduced to the island and they face some welfare issues and also cause some ecological issues for island habitat. As part of this discussion, we will consider the trump administration’s budgetary and staffing cuts to the National Park Service, but end this 20-minute segment on a positive note by discussing the Wildlife Corridors Act proposed in Congress, to help wild animals migrate safely between habitats on public lands.

In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman leads this 29-minute conversation with guest Kelly Cox, the Senior Policy & Planning Specialist at Defenders of Wildlife, where she works to protect imperiled species and their habitats on national public lands. The Defenders of Wildlife website is https://defenders.org/ Kelly recommends that people follow Wild Cumberland, a local group of advocates to stay informed on the public lands sale and visitor management plan.

And remember to take care of yourself and others, including the free-living animals who call Cumberland Island home.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Host Carrie Freeman took this photo of a wild horse in 2018 that she saw on Cumberland Island (she mentioned him in the show).

The Most Influential Wildlife Conservationists You've Never Heard of: George & Kay Schaller's Groundbreaking Life by Biographer Miriam Horn

Sun, 03 May 2026 10:56:27 -0400

Author and environmental advocate Miriam Horn brings the pioneering impact of wildlife conservationist George Schaller to life in her new book “Homesick for a World Unknown: The Life of George B. Schaller.” Since the 1950’s, George, often along with his wife Kay (an anthropologist), pioneered the fieldwork of living peacefully amongst large, wild/free-living animals like snow leopards, gorillas, lions, tigers, jaguars, giant pandas, Tibetan antelope, Marco Polo sheep, and Gobi bears in remote habitats, that helped pave the way for humane conservationists like Jane Goodall and Dianne Fossey, recognizing animal agency and their "theory of mind." Schaller also created parks and preserves all around the world to save vital wilderness habitat. Why have most of us never heard of him?!

It's important that the Schallers' legacy is intimately detailed through Miriam's wonderful storytelling to fully appreciate how they went to wild places few scientists had ventured, persevered in tough and often politically fraught conditions, trained a cadre of young local scientists around so many nations to protect their local wildlife, published scientific books and articles proving wild animals' vast capabilities and needs, and campaigned politically to get habitats protected. You'll enjoy this 50-minute lively discussion between author Miriam Horn and Carrie Freeman, host of In Tune to Nature.

And remember to take care of yourself and others, including the other animals with whom we share the planet.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Embracing a Human Animal Earthling Identity to Unify Progressive Causes: Melody Interviews Carrie about her book

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:06:41 -0400

For earthday 2026, I'm replaying an interview of me describing the Human Animal Earthling identity as a strategy to creating alliances for social change by cultivating a more inclusive ingroup and broader moral sphere of concern -- a planetary team spirit, where humans embrace their animality and protect other sentient beings and our habitats.

Co-host Melody Paris interviewed me (Carrie Freeman) back in December 2020 (we were all distracted by the U.S. Presidential election back then, remember?) about my new book with UGA Press "The Human Animal Earthling Identity: Shared Values Unifying Human Rights, Animal Rights, and Environmental Movements" https://www.humananimalearthlings.com/ (which subsequently went on to win several environmental book awards in independent book publishing categories, such as "Book Most Likely to Save the Planet"....although, in order to 'save the planet' people need to read it or listen in to apply its findings from me studying 18 social movement organizations and interviewing their leaders).

In this 50-minute podcast, we discuss why identity is core to social change, how to resolve tensions between human and nonhuman causes, shared values all progressive causes endorse, common opponents, root causes of problems to address, and shared projects all advocacy groups could work on in a way that would help all living beings (not just one subset).

As Human Animal Earthlings, we take care of ourselves and others, including other species.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Saving America's Top 10 Most Endangered Public Lands: Stephanie Pearson Explains the Political, Corporate, & Ecological Threats

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:27:28 -0400

Award-winning travel writer Stephanie Pearson explains the top 10 federal public lands in the USA (out of the 640 million acres that we co-own with wild animals) that are most in need of our protection from a variety of elevating threats at this point in human history (we discuss industrial activity in Alaska and Minnesota, AI data centers all over, climate crisis-caused extinctions in Hawaii, wildlife fragmentation in the Western grasslands, introduced species killing off mammals in the Everglades, government censorship at parks nationwide, and proposed border walls messing up wild lands in Texas). This is based on Stephanie's special news report co-published by Outside magazine and RePublic. The article is titled “America’s Most Endangered Public Lands 2026” and can be read at the website Republic(dot)land. Republic is a new nonprofit online journalism source dedicated to protecting America’s public lands.

In this 50-minute "In Tune to Nature" radio show, aired March 25, 2026, host Carrie Freeman interviews outdoors writer Stephanie Pearson about her public lands article and ideas for getting politically engaged and enjoying public lands, and at the end we get a preview of her newest National Geographic book "100 Hikes of a Lifetime USA". Stephanie's travel and outdoor writing can be found at https://stephanieannpearson.com/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who depend on our millions of acres of publicly-owned land for their survival.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Republic.land website image of Stephanie Pearson's "America's Most Endangered Public Lands" article

Letting Wildlife ROAM: Eco Journalist Hillary Rosner's Book on Repairing Our Fractured World for Wild Animals

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:11:03 -0400

From taking down barbed-wire fences for pronghorn and elk In Wyoming and elephants in Kenya, to letting wetland water flow naturally in South Florida for wading birds and fish, to creating 'agave highways' for migrating birds to refuel in New Mexico, to designing spaces with wildlife in mind everywhere, journalist Hillary Rosner shares her insights on how humans are helping stitch back together fragmented and degraded habitats for wild animals globally in her new book "ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World" (published with gorgeous photography in 2025 by Patagonia Press on 100% recycled non-bleached paper). See Hillary's website at https://hillaryr.net/

In this 50-minute interview, In Tune to Nature radio host Carrie Freeman especially enjoys talking with Hillary (who works at Univ of Colorado's Center for Environmental Journalism) about lessons from the places in the USA they both went to work on books on wildlife -- the rapidly developing/growing areas of the Yellowstone National Park region in Montana and Wyoming, and South Florida's Everglades National Park/Big Cypress region in Southwest Florida. Hillary describes how the Corkscrew Sanctuary in Florida is being hemmed in by housing developments, and how those human communities are wanting to divert wetland water to prevent flooded streets and yards, at the expense of Sanctuary residents like birds, fish, and alligators; she also shares her experiences with volunteers taking down several miles of barbed wire fences near Cody, Wyoming and how fences can be redesigned to let certain animals get over or under them safely instead of being a dangerous impediment for elk, pronghorn, bears, mountain lions and other mammals. You can see her list of organizations doing good work for wildlife in those regions and the global locations in her book (on the Patagonia Press Roam page).

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ or https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature/ Consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like all the wildlife who need us to help them roam safely to survive.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: ROAM book interior cover image of an endangered bear's fur in a barbed wire fence in Italy, taken by Bruno D'Amicis.

How Can a Sentientist Philosophy Improve the World? Guest Jamie Woodhouse Combines Reason with Compassion for All Sentient Beings

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:53:12 -0500

We explore an ethical worldview that may be new to a lot of people (but may capture how you really feel if you care for animals). It’s called sentientism, described by our guest Jamie Woodhouse (creator of Sentientism.info and the Sentientism podcast) as “a simple, potentially unifying, philosophy or worldview. It commits to using evidence and applying reason, and grants moral consideration to all sentient beings." Basically, animals are sentient beings, as they (we) experience consciousness and feelings of pleasure or pain and suffering, which tends to be the actual basis of most moral concerns for others (rather than limiting it to species boundaries).

In this 46-minute discussion in February 2026, host Carrie Freeman talks with Jamie Woodhouse (from his home in London) about what society would be like (and how our environmental policies and our political systems would be improved) if the focus of our concerns and laws were not just on human beings, but on all sentient beings, since we humans impact and often harm them so greatly -- we would be applying reason and scientific evidence (avoiding dogma, misinformation, and conspiracies) to help determine what all us animals need to flourish.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like all sentient beings.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: I took the image of various animals' eyes as a screenshot off the Sentientism.info website.

Greenwashing Meat, Whitewashing Milk: Dr. Vas Stanescu Uncovers Animal Ag's Tricky PR Tactics

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:43:12 -0500

You'll be fascinated to learn how the animal ag industry (following the tobacco and fossil fuel industry playbook) influences academic climate research to highlight or produce favorable findings to trick the public and policymakers into continuing to subsidize it and avoid needed regulations that would protect wild and domesticated animals, workers, surrounding ecosystems, and our climate. Associate Professor of Communication at Mercer University, Dr. Vasile Stanescu, has a lively discussion with fellow critical animal studies scholar and vegan advocate Carrie Freeman (host of In Tune to Nature) in this 54-minute podcast where he explains his intriguing research on the meat and dairy industry's rhetorical tactics. He attended industry conferences where they talk about how to undermine legitimate reports/research exposing the devastating harms of their animal exploitation industry. We end with ways to move forward to honestly promote a needed transition to plant-based agriculture and how and why to thank a vegan. We also discuss his podcast with his partner Devs called How We Win: Achieving Animal Liberation at https://www.winforanimals.org/

Check out some of the open-access publications that Dr. Stanescu references on the show:

Cowgate:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378179039_Cowgate_Meat_Eating_and_Climate_Change_Denial

“White Power Milk”:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363267122_Animal_Studies_Journal_'White_Power_Milk'_Milk_Dietary_Racism_and_the_'Alt-Right'

“Slaughterhouse Capitalism” (from Current Affairs; it makes the class-based argument we discussed):
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-industrial-slaughter-became-the-blueprint-for-modern-capitalism

The Guardian uncovers a Master's in Beef Advocacy:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/03/beef-industry-public-relations-messaging-machine

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wild and domesticated animals.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Can Informed Kids Transform our Food Systems? Yes, says Lorena Mucke, Founder of the Educated Choices Program

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:31:02 -0500

Carrie talks with Lorena about her program educating millions of school kids around the world on issues with our food systems (especially with animal agriculture and commercial fishing) and talking with classmates and their teacher to consider the environmental, nutritional, public health, social, and/or ethical issues with our industrial food practices, and what the students want to do about it to be part of the solution. To tell us about the Educated Choices Program nonprofit and all their freely available, scientifically-backed videos and lesson plans for teachers K-12 and college level is their Founder & CEO, Lorena Mucke. Lorena and her expert team have been developing and improving the award-winning Educated Choices Program lessons for over 10 years, reaching more than 3 million people in at least 70 countries (available in many languages). It's all done virtually now with the full library at their website, so parents, teachers, and teens may want to check it out at https://educatedchoices.org

On this 44-minute episode, Carrie and Lorena talked in early January 2026 about the positive impacts of the educated choices programs and also dig a bit deeper into one of their popular videos/module "The Environment & Modern Agriculture" and its lesson plan activities, and their newest video in development -- "Sea the Impact" on protecting ocean life.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wild and domesticated animals.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Educated Choices Program

Rudolph, Jingling Horses, and Six Geese a Laying: Six Popular Christmas Songs Analyzed by an Animal Rights Activist

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:52:51 -0500

This Christmas, I thought it would be fun to analyze six popular Christmas songs referencing animals-other-than-humans (mostly mammals who are forced to pull people around the snow in sleds, and then some birds, mainly fowl who are killed and eaten by humans but sometimes avians humans admire for their beauty). The songs are Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Run Run Rudolph, Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bells, The 12 Days of Christmas, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song. In this 24-minute podcast (originally recorded Christmas 2024), I deconstruct these Christmas songs from a Critical Animal Studies perspective. In other words, as an animal rights activist who is sympathetic to the more-than-human-world and the perspectives and interests of other animal individuals and our shared habitats, I analyze these classic songs and what lessons they teach us about fellow animal species and how we could be more respectful, kind of like those Politically Correct Bedtime Story series that gives you a critical yet humorous perspective on classic tales in Western society.

My Radio Free Georgia version of this episode has the license to broadcast these popular songs, but for my podcast friends, I don’t have copyright permission to play the songs, so I linked to the youtube versions of the songs in the podcast notes here below. For the recording, I'll put a jingle bell sound in there when you can cue up the songs to play yourself if you want to. But I’ll speak the key lyrics dealing with animals that I discuss.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMletImQ_cs

Run Run Rudolph: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqVtqbzTdVs

Sleigh Ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZTzai1H9DM

Jingle Bells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3RhTbq3Ds

The Twelve Days of Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QPQI5QUs74

The Christmas Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKhRnZZ0cJI

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station). Hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature You can email me at my first name at wrfg.org. Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like reindeer, partridges, French hens, turtle doves, bobtailed horses, and more.

Photo Credit: by Aleksei Zaitcev on Unsplash

Horse Neighing audio credit: From Duke the Palomino who has his own YouTube channel

Journalism's Coverage of Research on Unwilling Subjects: Hosts Carrie & Melody Discuss the Role of News in an Animal-Free Research Future

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500

My cohost and fellow activist Melody Paris interviews me (Carrie Freeman) about the Animal-Free Research Foundation conference talk in Switzerland that I gave this fall, titled: "Unwilling, Unconsenting, and Unnecessary Research Subjects: Addressing Anthropocentric Bias in Journalistic Coverage Legitimizing the (Ab)Use of other Animals in Research." We discuss sociocultural and structural barriers to fair coverage of anti-vivisection and animal-free research alternatives, as well as guidelines from me and Deb Merskin's AnimalsandMedia.org website that apply to improving journalistic coverage of the animal research issue, and examples of common research-oriented news stories and how good journalism could facilitate a needed transition to modern, ethical alternatives to researching on unwilling and inappropriate subjects; regarding the news topics Melody and I have observed over our decades as animal advocates, we include coverage of the Free Wenka campaign against Emory's Yerkes primate lab, recent stories like the poor monkeys who escaped a lab truck crash in Louisiana only to be gunned down by cops and citizens, coverage of how tax dollars could be spent on more effective and innovative animal-free medical research, and how sanctuary stories can help us see what's wrong with experimentation on our animal kin (like profiles of residents at the Project Chimp sanctuary for chimpanzees retired from labs). This is a 57-minute taping of a live radio show that aired Nov 19, 2025 at the Radio Free Georgia studios.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, zebra fish, dogs, cats, and monkeys.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Wild roof rat peeking out from a log in Tennessee, by Joshua Cotten from UnSplash (I decided to show a rat as he ought to be -- free from lab cages).

Seeing, Hearing and Celebrating Animals in Poetry: Nickole Brown recites Donkey Elegies and Mercy

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 15:50:10 -0500

Raised in Kentucky now residing in Asheville,NC Nickole Brown -- poet, writing teacher, and animal rescue volunteer -- shares her love for our wild animal and farmed animal kin with "In Tune to Nature" host Carrie Freeman in this lovely 50-minutes conversation. We enjoy hearing Nickole reading the emotive poem "Mercy" from her award-winning chapbook "To Those Who Were our First Gods" and three poems as essays from her book "The Donkey Elegies." Carrie discusses the many clever, compassionate, and compelling messages found within each poem that truly helps us hear and see fellow animals for the beautiful individuals they are. We question how our society may be diminishing the worth of other animal communities, as we sometimes do with fellow humans. Hopefully we can build solidarity between humans of all classes and animals of all other species.

You can read some of Nickole's poetry and find all her books at her website https://www.nickolebrown.org/ . And eco writers/poets may want to check out the Hellbender Gathering of Poets, a conference she has organized in the Western NC mountains (named after the Hellbender salamander in the Appalachian mountains that she loves).

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like donkeys!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Donald Schuster took this lovely image of Nickole and Gulliver

Background audio captured by Carrie of birdsong in Suches, GA and a hawk in Atlanta.

Food as EcoFriendly Holiday Gift Giving: Ideas from Dulce Vegan baker Idalys Sansores

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:58:38 -0500

Food is both a necessity and a pleasure, yet these days it costs more than ever (in financial and planetary resources), so to continue this show's annual holiday tradition of exploring eco-friendly gift giving ideas to get your Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa holidays started off in the right spirit, I wanted to concentrate this year’s show on exploring gifts of food, keeping it plant-based to be more ethical and sustainable (including sweet treats, savory meals, chocolates, drinks, and time spent together enjoying food).

So I was thinking “Who do I know who is a good cook?” which led me to invite Idalys Sansores to be the guest for this episode, since she is the owner of Dulce Vegan Bakery & Café in Atlanta, a place I have frequented for years. It’s an organic vegan café that has been around as a brick and mortar restaurant in the Kirkwood neighborhood since 2011. Dulce Vegan’s mission says “they are a proud queer- & woman-of-color-owned small business,” and “they seek to create the type of world we want to live in—one of passion, radical inclusion, intentionality, sustainability, and care for others.” Idalys and her team make both sweet and savory items and coffee and tea drinks, so I thought she could give us some advice on some great things to make and how to make them look great too (even keeping in mind food allergies people might have). In this 46 minute "In Tune to Nature" show, she takes us from baked goods, to dinner party meals, to hot chocolate. And we keep it plant-based/vegan, so it remains more eco-and-animal friendly and inclusive for everyone.

I hope these ideas help you treat your friends and family to foods they love and need, without leaving too high of a footprint on the planet (by keeping it plant-based, local, organic, and wrapping in re-usable containers) and leaving nothing cluttering up their houses after the holidays (better to give food than items/objects/products as gifts). Btw, the Loving it Vegan site is a go-to of mine for recipes.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Carrie Freeman sharing some home-made vegan chocolate candy cane cookies

Background Christmas Music Credit: Sound Gallery by Dmitry Taras (from Pixabay)

Bloom Again Climate Fiction and Among Wolves Nonfiction Books: Nature Writer Marybeth Holleman in Alaska

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 23:24:15 -0400

In this 50-minute podcast, we talk polar bears, wolves, women, climate activists, and Denali wolf advocacy, through the tales of award-winning nature writer Marybeth Holleman whose new book is the eco-climate fiction novel “Bloom Again” a tale of two women in midlife -- estranged childhood friends -- Astrid a paleo-botanist in Raleigh, North Carolina at UNC and Elyse, a painter in Anchorage, Alaska, who both eventually reunite while experiencing major life changes, in their attempts to mitigate the climate crisis and take some risks in their careers, and through them we realize the road to climate solutions relies on a marriage of art and science. Polar bears play a central role in the plot of Bloom Again (Marybeth and I read some book passages on a polar bear, Binky, in the Anchorage zoo).

I really enjoyed reading Bloom Again, as I liked how the narrative pivoted back and forth between Astrid’s dramas in NC and India and then Elyse’s dramas in Alaska and Siberia, but with some connections between the two women and their friends and the shared environmental crisis we all face.

In this show recorded in October 2025, I also talk to Marybeth about an important 2013 nonfiction book of hers called “Among Wolves,” co-authored with the late Denali National Park wolf researcher and staunch wolf advocate Gordon Haber, who tragically died when his small research plane crashed when he was out monitoring the wolves in the park in 2009. Marybeth co-authored the Among Wolves book with Gordon after his death, using his field notes and telling his passionate story with Alaska’s wolves, and their dramas, family joys, as well as their abuse at the hands of some brutal human hunters and trappers. Gordon provides solutions for fairer, smarter, and more humane wolf policies (as individuals not "packs" of interchangeable wolves).

Both books, Bloom Again, and Among Wolves, will affect you deeply. They are published by University of Alaska Press, as Marybeth resides in Anchorage, Alaska. Her website that links to all her writing is https://www.marybethholleman.com/

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other animals like polar bears and wolves.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Rick Steiner took this photo of spouse Marybeth Holleman with dog Xena at Arctic Valley in Alaska

Zion National Park: Carrie's Vegan Basecamp Community Hiking and Camping Adventure

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:58:14 -0400

Travel along with me through my first fun trip to the gorgeous, dry, red rock canyons of Zion National Park in Utah, on my unique weekend "vegan basecamp" camping experience with my friend Deb and 30 other vegan folks in mid September 2025 (so different from the green, humid Atlanta region I came from). We go together on the iconic "narrows hike," sloshing through the rocky Virgin River in a beautiful slot canyon and later on a night hike under the stars. I also share audio and musings from the Weeping Rock trail, the Emerald Pools trail, Wildcat Canyon trail (and a few birds, bees, squirrels, a turkey, a tarantula, crickets, and mule deer...some folks saw endangered California Condors but I didn't). In this 51-minute "In Tune to Nature" episode that I pieced together from my phone audio, you'll also enjoy lively banter around the campfire (and in line for the Zion shuttle) with people like Tara, Ashley, John, Nova, Elizabeth, and Deb sharing their nature experiences in Zion and why they are continuously inspired to be vegan and help fellow animals (whether it's adopting a dog who was going to end up in the food system or getting stuck on a Las Vegas highway next to a slaughterhouse truck filled with panicked pigs).

Elizabeth and Colt put together these community vegan group camping experiences as a labor of love https://theveganbasecamp.com/ cooking us delicious plant-based meals and coffee over a grill, and it might inspire others to do the same in their own park regions.

On the trip, I didn't see that many Zion Park Service employees, but I always thanked them for their service and expressed my discontent with the insulting budget and hiring cuts that are making their lives so stressful. So at the end of the show, I remind us how to support the park service by contacting Congress and also joining conservation advocacy groups like the National Park Conservation Association. https://www.npca.org/. Plus there is a new public lands journalism outlet (nonprofit) that can keep us informed: Re:Public at https://www.republic.land/

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other animals from tarantulas to condors to mule deer.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Selfie with Carrie Freeman and Debra Merskin, Zion NP.

BIPOC Animal Activism Starter Guide for Collective Liberation: Yvette Baker of APEX Advocacy

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:42:16 -0400

To many animal activists (especially activists of color), veganism isn't just a diet to help nonhuman animals; it's a collective liberation movement, part of a systemic approach to seeking justice for all beings and decolonizing our food system. Yvette Baker shares her philosophies on this and more, as the lead author of the innovative and in-depth 68-page Animal Activism Starter Guide for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), available for free download from APEX Advocacy -- a nonprofit advocacy group started by friend-of-the-show Christopher 'Soul' Eubanks here in Atlanta, that is building a community of BIPOC animal rights advocates by empowering their activism and providing them professional development.

In this 44-minute "In Tune to Nature" interview from Sept 2025, host Carrie Freeman talks with Yvette Baker (L.A. activist and APEX's Director of Activism and Community Impact) about:

the value of having an animal activism starter guide centering on BIPOC activists and their perspectives;
creating solidarity between animal activism and social justice causes as many compassionate BIPOC activists have done historically;
why she uses the terms "nonhuman animal" and "other animals" to push back on dehumanizing, racist, and colonial lies separating humans from all other animals;
the six main reasons activists of color should get involved in animal activism;
spotlighting Julia Magnus, of the Open Sanctuary Project and micro-animal-sanctuary in Chicago ; and
the importance of building BIPOC activist communities beyond white vegan led spaces, which can often be alienating and less connected with broader justice causes. And, as a white animal activist and vegan, Carrie points out the value she found in reading and learning from this BIPOC guide.

The guide took a year for Yvette and her team to produce, so our radio show can't fully cover all the many sections and wisdom it provides (including legal protection for activists of color; self care; indigenous roots of plant-based eating, and systemic activism strategies), so it's totally worth checking out online and discussing with friends. https://www.apexadvocacy.org/starterguide Consider also supporting or joining APEX Advocacy, as BIPOC-led nonprofits receive just 4% of funding of white-led organizations, and this financial inequity needs to change so the world can change.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other animals because we are all connected.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Deep Ecology Reconnection with Nature: With Aussies John Seed & Tema Milstein

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:28:41 -0400

If you like eco-therapy and/or Australian accents, you'll get both in this episode, as Carrie interviews John Seed, Deep Ecology father, founder/activist of the Rainforest Information Centre and co-author of the open-access book "Thinking Like a Mountain: Toward a Council of All Beings," and Dr. Tema Milstein (American turned Australian), Fulbright Scholar, and environmental communication Professor at Univ of New South Wales in Sydney. Both are co-facilitators of Deep Ecology workshops, that help reconnect us with each other and nature and heal our separation, like the compelling workshop I attended with them in Hobart Tasmania this June (you'll hear brief audio clips from that workshop of a kookaburra bird, Tema ringing bells, and my reflections after an emotional exercise). In this 56 minute interview, we describe some of my favorite workshop exercises like the council of all beings, breathing with trees, a solar system planetary walk, and the truth mandala (honouring our pain for the world). John also recites two poems by Robinson Jeffers.

You can find out more about this eco-philosophy and everyday practice of Deep Ecology at John's websites below, and in the U.S. through "The Work That Reconnects" https://workthatreconnects.org/

https://www.facebook.com/johnseed.deepecology
https://www.instagram.com/johnseed_deepecology/
https://substack.com/@johnseed
Occasional blog posts at htpps://johnseed.net
Podcasts, essays, films etc https://rainforestinfo.org.au/johnseed.htm
Plus follow Tema at https://www.instagram.com/temamilstein/

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species because we are all connected.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo of Tema Milstein and John Seed was taken by Carrie Freeman at the Tasmania Deep Ecology Workshop. June 2025.

Coexisting with Insects in our Greenspaces: Photographer Danae Wolfe on Chasing Bugs

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 17:23:10 -0400

Insect photographer/advocate Danae Wolfe (of ChasingBugs.com) talks with me about amazing insects (like the spiders, butterflies, moths, and fireflies that I saw in the Appalachia mountains) and why they and their habitats are deserving of our protection, instead of our disdain, zappers, and poisons. We discuss cool tips in her new book "Grass Isn't Greener" to be wildlife-friendly in our greenspaces/ yards (as insect populations are declining and need our help), like by: passing on the pesticides, lessening our lawn, leaving the leaves, planting native plants, flipping the switch on lighting, and avoiding fake Halloween spiderweb mesh yard decorations (go for real spiderwebs). Danae and I also critique some militaristic and negative language common in demonizing insects, and I explain why I try to avoid saying "bugs" (as in 'they bug me'). She also tells me how to avoid being bitten when outdoors.

In this 47-minute "In Tune to Nature" podcast, you'll learn a lot about insects (and coexisting with them) from the wealth of experience and enthusiasm Danae Wolfe has an artist and conservationist. Check out her website with cool photos and a short film https://www.chasingbugs.com/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like fireflies and oak treehoppers.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit by Danae Wolfe: Oak Treehopper mother and baby (one of Danae's favorite insects)

The TransFARMation to Free us From Factory Farming: Stories from Leah Garces

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:48:14 -0400

I was excited to have longtime food and animal activist (and local Atlantan) Leah Garces, CEO of Mercy for Animals, join me in the WRFG studio to share interesting stories from her latest book “TransFARMation: The Movement to Free Us From Factory Farming.” In this 49-minute podcast (recorded July 2025), we discuss all kinds of animals, including many humans, who are affected by industrial animal agribusiness -- from animal farmers, to rural communities, to slaughterhouse workers (many of whom are immigrants), to pigs, chickens, and cows -- everyone fighting exploitation in this broken system.

Since we all are part of this food system and are affected by factory farming, we are all involved in creating what Leah calls a “transFARMation.” Her book, and our talk today, is focused on how people are making this necessary and positive transition happen. We hope you'll be part of this movement to a just, humane, and sustainable foodsystem. TheTransFARMationProject.org is the website to explore this effort to positively transform the rural economy with Leah’s nonprofit group Mercy for Animals.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Tell me about any factory farming stories of yours that I might share on the show.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like chickens, pigs, and cows.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Taking you along my Tasmanian Wildlife Journey: Part 2 Maria Island Wombats to Hobart Eco Heroes

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 22:56:01 -0400

Join me on the second segment of my ecotourism trip to Tasmania, Australia (my unscientific, amateur, American, vegan, wombat-obsessed perspective) with all my own audio recordings from my June 2025 trip. This 58-minute (part 2) segment of the trip takes you along with me to my favorite part -- Maria Island National Park and its wombats, kangaroos and wallabies, stingrays, and ruby red anemones, and the culling issue of marsupial "overpopulation" -- through to Port Arthur Historic Convict Site, then on to the city of Hobart, with insights from my Conference on Communication and Environment #COCE2025 (at Univ of Tasmania), including compelling audio clips from Tassie Green Party pioneers who spoke to us -- Bob Brown and Christine Milne. As retired Members of Parliament, and forest/river and gender activists, Christine and Bob have refreshingly candid political advice for activists that also gives listeners insights into current Australian politics. Plus you get to hear their cool Aussie accents (much better than my one attempt early on to do an Aussie accent). "Bad Weather" pronounced "Beed Weeth-uh." (side note: I loved the cool weather there in their winter and the sunny days on the coast). If you like my ecotourist ramblings and low-tech audio, make sure you've listened to Tassie podcast part 1 in the previous podcast posting. And see photos and videos from my trip at https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature

Idea: You can do a drinking game every time I talk about wombat poop, the ferry, and how adorable any marsupial is.

Note: All the animal audio and photos here are of free-living/wild animals (no one was captive in a zoo or sanctuary), which did limit the number of other animal species I interacted with (no Tasmanian Devils or platypuses this time), but I felt it was a more natural and respectful way to interact (it was the animal individual's choice to get near me or allow me nearer to them). And I had an amazing time, and was elated for every wild animal I saw (like fairy wrens or swamp hens at outdoor bistro tables eating my chia pudding cup).

As part of me compensating for the greenhouse gas emitted from my international trip, I made some donations to the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania and the Friends of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Tell me about wildlife experiences YOU have had in Australia or any comments on my Tasmania trip, and I might mention it on a future show. Thank you, friends!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wombats!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Taking you along my Tasmanian Wildlife Journey: Part 1 Cradle Mountain to Wineglass Bay

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 21:19:14 -0400

I’m so excited to share my three-week ecotourism trip through Tasmania, Australia. This 50-minute podcast is the first of a multi-part podcast series I created from the audio that I took along my June 2025 trip (and you can pair that with the gorgeous photos I posted on https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature ) to get a feel for this extraordinary place, and its animals, like wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, seals, whales, sheep, cows, and birds like cockatoos, forest ravens, magpies, wrens, and kookaburras. Often I’m adding in my own audio commentary and context as an American traveler and animal and environmental advocate, but other times I’m just quietly recording the voices and sounds around me, particularly the other animals there.

Across the full series exploring Tasmania (or lutruwita, as the Aborignal Palawa people have called their homeland for 40,000 years), the itinerary I’ll take you on is first a quick visit to Melbourne on the front end of the trip (hello city Cockatoo), and then we spend a week traveling through Northern and Eastern Tasmania, starting at beautiful Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain National Park (where I see my first wombats), through the second largest city, Launceston, and the wine and agricultural region, over to the East Coast to the iconic wineglass bay in Freycinet National Park (this is Part 1). And then in future podcasts, I take the ferry to Maria Island (with so many wild animals, including kangaroos) and Port Arthur historic convict site, then South, over to the largest city, Hobart, for a week for my participation in the Conference on Communication and Environment at Univ of Tasmania, and a post-conference on Deep Ecology with esteemed activist John Seed (and we also get to meet two of their biggest environmental activists who started the Green Party in Australia, Christine Milne and Bob Brown). Then before flying out of Melbourne, on the mainland of Australia, I share my tour of the Great Ocean Road where I got to see my first wild koalas up in the eucalyptus trees, and a kookaburra, black and white magpies, and kangaroos at their gorgeous national parks.

Note: all the animal audio and photos here are of wild/free-living animals (no one was captive in a zoo or sanctuary), which did limit the number of other animal species I interacted with (no Tasmanian Devils or platypuses this time), but I felt it was a more natural and respectful way to interact (it was the animal individual's choice to get near me or allow me nearer to them). And I had an amazing time, and was elated for every wild animal I saw (even wrens or swamp hens at outdoor bistro tables), plus I enjoyed the human Aussies I met as well. Love their accents!

As part of my compensation for the resources used and greenhouse gas emitted from my international trip, I made some donations to the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania and the Friends of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Tell me about wild life experiences you have had in Australia or any comments on my Tasmania trip, and I might mention it on a future show. Thank you, friends!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wombats!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Apocalyptic Authoritarianism: Dr. Hanna Morris Discusses Climate Crisis News Coverage and Progressive Politics in the trump Era

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:08:20 -0400

Environmental communication scholar Dr. Hanna Morris shared her insights from "Apocalyptic Authoritarianism: Climate Crisis, Media, and Power," her 2025 book with Oxford Univ Press. This book meets the political moment in analyzing the way most mainstream news media actually lean moderate to right in climate coverage that "others" and villianizes the New Left activists and progressive politicians as too 'radical' or 'woke' (like A.O.C. and often other women of color or those proposing the Green New Deal) in favor of older American narratives of "order" and quick solutions via white male authorities and American exceptionalism, rather than exploring democratic coalitions of many Americans who are proposing deeper climate justice and equity initiatives and new sustainable ways of living (going beyond simplified technological global warming fixes preferred by authorities).

But Morris has ideas for how more robust climate journalism --that challenges privileged authority figures, respects the wisdom of the public, and acknowledges the violences of the climate crisis -- could foster the kinds of democratic and holistic/deep responses the climate crisis warrants. We discuss current issues that the journalism profession is facing in this digital era and trump regime.

Dr. Morris and I begin this 50-minute In Tune to Nature podcast by chatting about our upcoming trips to Tasmania for the Conference on Communication and the Environment #COCE2025 as members of the International Environmental Communication Association that we volunteer for. We also contend with the ironies of using fossil fuels to fly to environmental conferences and how to offset the costs in some ways. I end the podcast with audio of an Australian (Tasmanian) animal species (nonhuman) and ask you to identify the species and email me your guess.

Hanna Morris, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the School of the Environment at University of Toronto. Her website has book information at https://hannamorris.com/

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ For the kind of robust climate journalism and progressive public affairs programming Dr. Morris is advocating, please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like Tasmanian Devils.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

What is Welfare for Sparrows and Other Wild Animal Individuals? Wild Animal Initiative Interview

Sat, 31 May 2025 15:13:37 -0400

When you hear the term "animal welfare" you probably think cats, dogs, horses, maybe pet parakeets. But there is an organization called Wild Animal Initiative that is expanding the notion of animal welfare to include wild/free-living animal individuals. For my 100th podcast episode, my guest Cat Kerr with Wild Animal Initiative was here to talk about how scientists try to measure wellbeing in wild animals (you can guess some of the criteria) and why we have not often done that in scientific research on a regular basis (it's different from veterinary research and conservation research). Cat and host Carrie Freeman talk for 50 minutes in the Radio Free Georgia studio in Atlanta in April 2025, sharing some stories about a one-eyed squirrel on Carrie's porch, wild bird welfare, how scientists are helping house sparrows live better lives (despite how some folks don't like sparrows, go figure), what wild birds with bird flu are going through, and how to promote wild animal welfare research and policies, including what we can do to improve our animal neighbors' lives.

Check out https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/ to read and support their research (they also offer grants to researchers...since science funding is getting hard to come by these days).

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like one- or two- eyed squirrels and house sparrows.

Photo Credit: cute House Sparrow photo from Wild Animal Initiative website.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Protecting the Endangered Species Act (and Wild Animals) from trump Attacks: An Interview with Wildlife Legal Expert Tara Zuardo

Tue, 13 May 2025 18:27:07 -0400

In this mass extinction era, can we save the Endangered Species Act? We discuss how engaged citizens can speak out against the trump regime's recent proposal to weaken the notion of what “harm” legally means (so the Endangered Species Act would essentially no longer protect animals’ habitats from exploitation, even though habitat destruction is the largest threat to species). Here's a link to a public comment opportunity for engaged citizens to post their thoughts to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (by May 19 ,2025). But the fight will be ongoing and end up in court, so continue to keep tabs on what we can all do for wild animal protection.

In this 44-minute podcast, In Tune to Nature Host Carrie Freeman interviews Tara Zuardo, a legal expert, and Senior Advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/# Tara discusses: the successes of the 50+ year Endangered Species Act (ESA) (it has faced attacks before, but courts have held firm), how contentious some have made the ESA historically (such as with the spotted owl), how flexible the ESA actually is in balancing human and nonhuman animal interests, larger issues of needing to legally protect all (even non-endangered) wild/free-living animals in North America, such as on wildlife refuges and from trapping (yes that's still a thing), and how to work at the state and local level on wildlife-friendly policies (while acknowledging our exhaustion that we have to waste time and resources for four years, trying to protect what we have, rather than moving forward at the federal level).

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who rely on us and enforcement of laws like the Endangered Species Act.

Endangered FL Manatee Photo Credit: Keith Ramos USFWS, from the Center for Biological Diversity action item on website.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Sharing National Parks Memories to Help Save OUR National Parks & Staff

Sat, 10 May 2025 15:30:06 -0400

In honor of National Park Week and Earthday 2025, we are supporting OUR national parks by sharing stories about what we love about the parks that we all collectively own (the most beautiful and ecologically significant wild places/habitats in the nation...and in the world, as some earned UNESCO World Heritage Site designations), to help encourage Americans to ask for political support to stop trump and musk/DOGE from defunding OUR parks and to stop firing our hard-working park rangers and staff who are our park defenders. In this 28 minute episode I talk about an Atlanta group of women I'm working with on National Park support projects via an Intown Women's Resistance group. They helped send in stories from people around the nation of people talking about parks they love and why (like Cumberland Island NP in GA, and Arches NP in Utah, and me talking about seeing bison and interviewing wolf biologist Rick McIntyre in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley).

We encourage you all to share your own park memories with friends and on social media, and to contact your federal Senators and Representatives to demand they protect park employee jobs and fully fund the national parks, and any park programs associated with climate mitigation and DEI, and protect all OUR public lands (some of which are now threatened with being sold to private owners/industries, snuck into a recent Republican budget bill). We must stay vigilant.

Here are some organizations that support parks and their employees and can keep us educated on issues and action items, recommended by friend and retired Forester from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Kristine Johnson:

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including our park employees and the wild animals who rely on our public lands.

Photo Credit: Resist Destruction Smoky Bear sticker from the Alt National Parks group. Check them out on FB.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Solving the "egg crisis" means confronting the Factory Farming crisis: Jennifer Molidor on Bird Flu and Sustainable Food Solutions

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 18:23:51 -0400

We reframe the “egg crisis” (high prices and low supply of commercial hen’s eggs in a bird flu outbreak) as a crisis of mass farming of animals, proposing sustainable alternative food solutions that can replace eggs and reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases, pollution, and the killing and harm of millions of wild and domesticated animals. Jennifer and Carrie discuss this in the context of the bird flu outbreak, as avian influenza is spreading and mutating in a variety of animal species (including cows used for dairy and human farm workers) – this infectious pathogen is an increasingly alarming issue for wild animals, farmed animals, and human health. The existence of factory farms keeps viruses circulating, making everyone less safe. We discuss how institutions can help us shift toward safer more humane, plant-based food systems. We end by discussing alternatives to eggs in your baking and cooking.

Dr. Jennifer Molidor, Sr. Food Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity is host Carrie Freeman's guest on this 42-minute podcast, recorded in late March 2025.

Jennifer mentioned these resources:

One of Carrie's go-to sites for animal-free recipes, especially baking, is Loving it Vegan https://lovingitvegan.com/

If you want to see where America's animal products come from (and who they come from), check out this factory farming website from Farm Sanctuary (an animal rescue organization) that helps us look these individuals in the eyes with compassion and justice: https://www.farmsanctuary.org/issue/factory-farming/

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including birds and all other species.

Photo Credit: Compassion Over Killing (now called Animal Outlook) photo of egg laying hens crowded in standard industry cages.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Save the National Parks' Staff from Firings! Retired Forester Kristine Johnson Talks about Effects on Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:43:21 -0500

Our National Park Service staff are under seige, as so many federal employees are, from trump and Elon Musk’s unfair attacks on our federal government agencies with haphazard and frankly cruel mass firings of public servants (not truly based on inefficiency or poor performance) along with spending and hiring freezes that are traumatizing and debilitating park employees and surrounding communities, creating a culture of fear and demoralization (the rhetoric not only lacks appreciation but is insulting). What little we gain in $ savings are outweighed by the massive long-term costs for everyone.

I turned to a career public servant with over 40 years in the National Park Service -- retired Supervisory Forester Kristine Johnson from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, still living and volunteering in Gatlinburg, TN-- to have her on the "In Tune to Nature" show to help us understand what is going on and how these firings and spending freezes are really affecting park employees and morale on the ground (kids and the broader Gatlinburg community included). In our 47-minute conversation, Kristine also shares the potential long-term harmful impacts on wild animal residents and park habitats, concerns about the government privatizing park jobs and prioritizing recreation over wildlife and scientific research, public and wild animal safety issues, and what we as citizens can do now to help support our parks in this crisis.

Prior to the trump regime, our national parks were already overloaded with tourists who love them, while being chronically understaffed and underfunded. The parks can't afford to lose any more dedicated staff, so American citizens need to step up to defend them if we truly care. Do we have the power to get these hardworking and talented folks re-hired if we tell our U.S. Senators and Representative that's what we demand?! Let's find out. Organizations who are speaking out and can serve as resources for us are:

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including the imperiled public servants in our federal agencies.

Photo Credit: Supervisory Forester Kristine Johnson, by Joye Ardyn Durham, upon her retirement from GSMNP in 2021.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Solving Climate Change Requires Changing Our Food Systems: Dr. Svetlana Feigin, Journal Lead Author

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 18:58:46 -0500

We gotta start eating plants not other animals. A 2025 article published in the journal “Oxford Open Climate Change” titled “Solving climate change requires changing our food systems” outlines the need for human societies globally to transition to plant-based food systems and phase out factory farming, offering pathways to make that vision a reality to reach climate mitigation goals and spare the worst warming and deforestation impacts. (the article is open-access and available to share, with a wealth of sources in the bibliography https://academic.oup.com/oocc/article/5/1/kgae024/7942019?l )

"In Tune to Nature" host Carrie Freeman is one of 20 co-authors on that article, talking in this 29-minute podcast with the article’s lead author, Dr. Svetlana Feigin, Executive Director of the All Life Institute, recorded in February 2025.

Dr. Feigin shares compelling statistics about how the current and growing global demand for inefficient, animal-sourced meat and dairy (largely factory-farmed) is wasting vital land and resources and contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, and how plant-based food sources are a logical solution for ecological, ethical, and public health reasons. Example "Although 83% of the world’s farmland is occupied by animal agriculture, this provides just 18% of the calories and 37% of the protein humans consume, and the majority of cereals and soy produced today are fed to farm animals [climate change journal article on social media and with community leaders.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station). Hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other animals who are struggling to survive on this planet of over 8 billion hungry humans.

Factory Farming Photo Credit: Female cows stuck in dairy milking stalls. From Jo-Anne McArthur of We Animals Media (a great resource for animal photojournalism)

A Declaration of Animal Dignity as Part of Human Dignity: With Author Melanie Challenger

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:44:36 -0500

We discuss the concept of animal dignity – two words that don’t often get put together; we typically only hear of human dignity, as if it means we are dignified precisely because we aren’t animals, yet we humans are part of the animal kingdom and not the only animal species who possesses a dignity that should be respected.

In this special 55-minute podcast, host Carrie Freeman explores this novel ethical and legal concept with our guest, award-winning British author, philosopher, and animal advocate Melanie Challenger who has a new edited book out on Animal Dignity and just worked on a project creating a Declaration of Animal Dignity, signed by hundreds of experts at animaldignity.info/ There is also a pledge there that supportive individuals and organizations can sign.

The discussion covers why dignity is foundational (as distinct from rights, sentience, consciousness); what dignity means for humans and how it could be applicable to nonhuman animal species, and in a way that does not cause dehumanization, especially when focused on supporting the flourishing, appreciation, and freedom of each animal species (and indeed each individual) based on what makes them unique and capable beings (think of dolphins, ravens, pigs, mice, lions, bees, etc.). This includes ways to avoid degrading the dignity of vulnerable beings, like many animal individuals under human control or care. Several examples feature Carrie's dog Elliott (a particularly dignified canine).

Take care of yourself and others, including other animals, recognizing the dignity in each of us.

Photo Credit: The cover of Melanie Challenger's edited book "Animal Dignity: Philosophical Reflections on Non-Human Existence" (2023, Bloomsbury).

Build A Meaningful Life Helping Animals and Nature: Carrie & Melody Talk Personal Growth Opportunities

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 16:15:47 -0500

Carrie and Melody discuss how to incorporate animal and eco protection into your life in meaningful ways to meet your own life goals, priorities, and interests in big and small ways, syncing up with actions and virtues the world needs from us humans.

Since the beginning of each new year is a time to reassess our own goals and priorities, it seemed a good time to have an In Tune to Nature show that focused on our own personal growth resolutions and how that can synergize with efforts to help other species. This is also a special show because it airs on the radio on our birthday, January 8th, as my co-host and friend Melody Paris and I share the same birthday – just one of the many things we have in common.

The agenda for the 1 hour show today is that before we get to some personal growth exercises and self reflections that you our listeners can use to figure out your own best path (inspired by best selling personal growth authors), I thought Melody and I would start by sharing our own path toward incorporating animal and eco issues into our daily lives (over the decades) to see how our own stories and actions might resonate with listeners or spark ideas for you. So it would be good for you to have a way to take notes during this show, and you can pause at times to answer some questions and do some self reflection (on your inner priorities, and what excites you, what you're good at, and what the world needs to protect animals and nature) before we move on to each new topic.

My sign-off each show has been “Take care of yourself and others, including other species,” and I literally think that is the meaning of life. And in this anthropocentric (human-centered) culture, I want to make sure we don’t leave other species out of that care-taking effort -- with the goal of us shifting our identities and culture toward a biocentric (life-centered) orientation and beginning to see ourselves as part of a broader community as human animal earthlings. So our resolutions/goals can be in improving our mindset and identity as well as in formulating tangible task-oriented goals/achievements. Toward the end of the podcast, Melody and I review the top 20 virtues that humans could embody, from pg 207 in my "Human Animal Earthling Identity" book, so virtue ethics plays a role in this show.

The show draws upon books like "Essentialism" by G. McKeown, "Emotional Chaos to Clarity" by P. Moffit, and "Die with Zero" by B. Perkins, and "Oasis Earth" by R. Steiner.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. That's the meaning of life!

Photo Credit: Carrie Freeman. I took this photo of my hand petting a rescued goat at a sanctuary in Georgia, as part of a Georgia Animal Rights and Protection hands-on volunteer day that Melody helped organize.

Rudolph, Six Geese a Laying, and Jingling Horses Pulling Sleighs: Popular Christmas Songs Analyzed by an Animal Rights Activist

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:22:33 -0500

This Christmas, I thought it would be fun to analyze 6 popular Christmas songs referencing animals-other-than-humans (mostly mammals who are forced to pull people around the snow in sleds, and then some birds, mainly birds that humans kill and eat but sometimes birds humans admire for their beauty). The songs are Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Run Run Rudolph, Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bells, The 12 Days of Christmas, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song. I’m going to deconstruct these Christmas songs from a Critical Animal Studies perspective. In other words, as an animal rights activist who is sympathetic to the more-than-human-world and the perspectives and interests of other animal individuals and our shared habitats, I analyze these classic songs and what lessons they teach us about fellow animal species and how we could be more respectful, kind of like those Politically Correct Bedtime Story series that gives you a critical yet humorous perspective on classic tales in Western society.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMletImQ_cs

Run Run Rudolph: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqVtqbzTdVs

Sleigh Ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZTzai1H9DM

Jingle Bells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3RhTbq3Ds

The Twelve Days of Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QPQI5QUs74

The Christmas Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKhRnZZ0cJI

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station). Hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature You can email me at my first name at wrfg.org. Please support nonprofit indie media like our Radio Free Georgia station at https://wrfg.org/ Thank you!

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like reindeer, partridges, French hens, turtle doves, bobtailed horses, etc.

Photo Credit: by Aleksei Zaitcev on Unsplash

Horse Neighing audio credit: From Duke the Palomino who has his own YouTube channel

Gifting Experiences & Services over Items: Eco-and-Animal-Friendly Holiday Gift Giving Show

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 19:44:32 -0500

To have a greener holiday season (and beyond) and avoid buying a bunch of cluttering stuff your friends and family don't need (and probably don't want), this annual holiday show focuses not on eco-friendly products/items but more on eco-friendly experiences and services in order to avoid cluttering up our lives (and planet) with more items that land in our homes permanently and ultimately weigh us and our descendants down (or just end up in a landfill down the line).

So my emphasis here is on sharing gift-giving ideas for vegan-friendly foods/restaurants or experiences (airbnbs/cabins, park passes, professional photography sessions and massages, etc. excluding animal entertainment venues) or lending a helping hand (dog-sitting, babysitting/tutoring, lawncare and home vegetable gardening, home organization), or media subscriptions (to streaming services like Ecoflix, PBS Passport, the Guardian, Vox, NYT, AJC, Sentient Media, Inside Climate News, Insight Timer app), or savings/investing ideas, and giving your holiday money to communities and small businesses in distress. Basically, don't head to the mall or Amazon.com and get sucked into traditional consumerism. Plan ahead and be thoughtful and you'll probably save money in the process.

I forgot to mention this gift idea on the show; you can also sponsor/"adopt" rescued animals or endangered species from nonprofit sanctuaries and wildlife organizations to give funds to those advocacy groups and educate kids about what we owe to these beautiful animal kin -- for example, Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey program https://www.farmsanctuary.org/adopt-a-turkey

The radio show is focused more on gifting for the adults in our lives, as I know that kids often do need books, toys, and clothes as they grow (and you can buy used, eco-friendly, and vegan products there).

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

U.S. election postmortem expressing love to overlooked animals: Collective grieving and venting with Deb Merskin and Carrie Freeman

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:16:35 -0500

I decided animals needed an election postmortem after being erased from the political and media agenda by self-centered anthropocentrism; so I wanted to use this media platform with my friend from Oregon, Dr. Debra Merskin, to collectively grieve, vent, and discuss how we really feel this week as animal rights activists, vegans, environmentalists, social justice advocates, human animal earthlings, and feminists who were excited to have America's first women president after 200+ years! While the show is hopeful and uplifting in parts, that was not actually my aim. I just wanted to get real in explaining my despair and my fears and to share in some communal grieving and exhaustion that I know so many of you are feeling.

In this 33- minute spirited discussion (it really gets going in the middle), we talk about how wild animals and domesticated animals (and all of us in a climate crisis) are likely to be negatively impacted (progress backtracked and undone) by this federal trump administration and all his (potentially unscientific and inappropriate) appointees, empowered by a conservative judiciary and legislative branch.

We try to re-affirm biocentric values and discuss how we can put other animals on the political and media agenda so they are not continually ignored and forgotten, especially as we humans are largely the source of their harm, extinction, and exploitation and thus are responsible for rehabilitation; reminding us that we are all interdependent beings in a shared vulnerable biosphere (the ultimate reality apart from the post-truth mediated realities).

We end with a “what to do now” variety of options on how to continue to be an activist for all marginalized communities of beings, if you even have the strength to be an activist at all anymore – local and community activism vs national or global solidarities -- collective resistance and non-compliance with authoritarian tactics and harmful policies. But maybe just for now, allow yourself to be sad and rest (and eat good vegan food).

In Tune to Nature is a weekly radio show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Check us out at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please consider donating to support this 50-plus-year old independent, progressive, non-commercial Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by John Hyde. Female brown bear in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Republican administrations tend to be harsher/deadlier toward omnivorous/ "predator" species like bears, even though these species are imperiled and we have decimated their populations and habitats.

Vote to take care of yourself and others, including other species -- who need us to be their voice!

Solutions to our Planet in Peril this Decade: Restoring Oasis Earth with Author Dr. Rick Steiner

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 18:04:02 -0400

This election season is the ultimate time to consider that this decade is our last best chance to transition to a liveable planet instead of continuing to further recklessly degrade the sustainability of our own species’ future, and that of fellow earthlings, and our one Oasis Earth. Marine conservationist, former U of Alaska professor, and clean energy and wildlife consultant, Dr. Rick Steiner speaks with In Tune to Nature radio host Carrie Freeman about his book Oasis Earth: Planet in Peril – Our Last Best Chance to Save Our World. Anyone can download, read, and share this open-access/free digital book at the website https://www.oasis-earth.com/oasis-earth-planet-in-peril (or you can buy a hardcopy of this beautiful, full-color book, full of images from the UN Environmental Program’s photographic contest winners and NASA images of Earth from space).

In this special 52-minute radio show, we set the stage for outlining environmental solutions by first reviewing the four fundamental causes of ecological crisis and why this decade 2020-2030 is so crucial to everyone’s future viability (why we can’t keep going business as usual). Then we go through some of the main environmental problems we face, especially human population growth, unsustainable animal agriculture and fishing, and the climate and wildlife extinction crises.

In the latter half of the show, we focus on Rick’s many solutions and goals in Oasis Earth, including redefining progress to account for what we really care about (going from GDP to wellbeing), instituting more citizen advisory councils around all communities for bottom up democratic leadership, and funding/investing in ecological initiatives like wildlife conservation and a living planet emergency fund and no longer subsidizing destructive practices like fossil fuel energy and unsustainable ag. We focus a lot on needed government policies and legal means to ensuring our political leaders and us as citizens start to foster a liveable planet rather than a dying planet, and creating that political will to prioritize this transition to an ecocentric way of living and not a short-sighted/misguided anthropocentric way of living (living as only human lives matter is ultimately going to kill us, along with so many other species). Dr. Rick Steiner helps us understand his concept of “constructive engagement” toward a variety of Oasis Earth goals he outlines for Agenda 2030.

But in this decade, will we vote in the kind of political leaders who are brave and visionary enough to institute these needed, life-saving transitions to a liveable planet? Can we make that our priority? Please share this podcast to see if we can make it a movement!

In Tune to Nature is a weekly radio show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Check out show info or contact us via https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please consider donating to support this 50-plus-year old independent, progressive, non-commercial Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Photo Credit: The cover of the Oasis Earth book published by Cirque Press, Anchorage, Alaska

Vote not only to take care of yourself, but to take care of others, including other species who need us to be their voice!

Georgians Early Vote with the Environment in Mind: Brionte McCorkle of Georgia Conservation Voters Helps us Make a Voting Plan

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 19:33:54 -0400

We voters really do care about eco issues (it's aligned with our health and economy and love for other animals...and future generations), so I wanted to get us prepared, motivated, and confident for early voting in Georgia Oct 15 - Nov 1st, with resources and tips shared by Brionte McCorkle, Executive Director of the nonpartisan Georgia Conservation Voters (GCV) at https://www.gcvoters.org/vote/

That GCV voter resource website includes a link to this nonpartisan tool https://gcv.branch.vote/summary where you can see your ballot ahead of time and check out the candidates' views on various issues and an explanation of referendums, so you can make your voting decisions before heading to the polls. Brionte suggested printing this out and bringing it with you to early vote. It's the latter half of the podcast that focuses on these tips on how, where, and when to vote in GA, finding your many early voting locations -- like libraries-- (most open 7am - 7pm) across your county Oct 15-Nov 1st (whereas if you wait until Nov 5th election day, you have to go to your one set polling location and will likely have a longer wait). You can check out all of your voting options at the GA My Voter Page https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/ so you can making a voting plan!

This election is really high stakes, so plan to go early vote with a friend and offer neighbors rides to the polls or get a ride at rideshare2vote.com (or you can also volunteer to be a driver). It can be good to have the voter protection hotline number in your phone contacts in case you run into any issues or shenanigans at the polls: 866-OUR-VOTE.

In the first half of this 47-minute In Tune to Nature podcast (hosted by Carrie Freeman), Brionte tells us how we care about eco issues in Georgia, and highlights the GCV "environmental scorecard" for legislators' voting records and why some elected officials rank higher or lower in environmental and voter protection policymaking. We did discuss my observation that most republicans ended up ranking lower and how we hope that will change in the future to make eco issues nonpartisan again, as we need that desperately in this era of climate and species extinction crises.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50plus-year old independent, progressive, noncommercial Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Photo Credit: Edmond Dantes (got from GCV).

Vote not only to take care of yourself, but to take care of others, including other species who need us to be their voice!

Project 2025 Republican Plan for more Drilling and Killing in Oceans: Conservationist Angelo Villagomez Sounds Warning

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 20:54:52 -0400

Elections are about more than just the current economy. We citizens must consider longterm effects of policies on our climate stability, wild animal livelihoods, community wellbeing, ecosystem health, and sustainable economic opportunities for future generations. But "Project 2025," the Heritage Foundation's extreme right-wing policy plan for a trump presidency forecasts a grim future of handing over more power to industries for oil and gas exploitation in ocean habitats, increasing not decreasing the deadly climate crisis, with less government scientific oversight and fewer protections and preservations of aquatic communities, more noise and toxic disruptions and killing/fishing of animals who live in the sea, and less respect for local coastal and indigenous communities. Based on his article "Project 2025’s Plan To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Threatens Ocean Health and Economic Stability," Angelo Villagomez, Senior Fellow on the Conservation Team at the Center for American Progress (a progressive policy institute) talks with host Carrie Freeman in this 32-minute radio show about the dangers of Project 2025 and what would be a healthier and fairer path forward for ocean life and coastal communities. It's up to the American voters.

Angelo reminds us at the end (right before he closes the show with his not so "mediocre" ukulele solo) that voting Nov 5th is the least we should do, and we should also get civicly engaged in participating in our government as part of our life, such as sharing public input via checking the federal register frequently https://www.federalregister.gov/

Your vote matters! In preparation for everyone early voting, find out and share more about what a potential trump presidency under a Project 2025 plan would actually mean for America (and our precious planetary habitats) in terms of a power grab by the president and industries over the wellbeing of people and wildlife, weakening scientific governance and protections; see these series of reports https://www.americanprogress.org/series/project-2025-exposing-the-far-right-assault-on-america/ And to prep for voting, investigate what other Presidential candidates' (and state and local officials) plans are to protect our habitats and health, and which candidates the League of Conservation Voters endorses as being environmentally responsible and why https://www.lcv.org/

Vote not only to take care of yourself, but to take care of others, including other species who need us to be their voice!

How Are We Doing Protecting 30 Percent of Ocean Areas by 2030? Beth Pike of Marine Protection Atlas

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:24:52 -0400

The Marine Protection Atlas maps the global conservation of ocean areas that are supposed to legally protect aquatic animals and plant life from industrial activities like commercial fishing, mining, and drilling, but they have varying levels of protection and effectiveness so far. In this 33-minute podcast, we discuss the status of legally protected marine ocean areas worldwide, some of which are called “blue parks,” based on a report titled “Ocean protection quality is lagging behind quantity: Applying a scientific framework to assess real marine protected area progress against the 30 by 30 target” this was published in the Conservation Letters journal in 2024. Host Carrie Freeman interviews our guest -- the lead author of that report -- Beth Pike, who is also a ship captain, whale researcher, and the current Director of Marine Protection Atlas at the Marine Conservation Institute. You can explore the maps at https://mpatlas.org/

This is in context of the monumental agreement from 188 countries at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference in 2022 to protect 30 percent of our planet's land and waters by the year 2030 (Hence "30 by 30"). Beth's co-authored report tells us how we are lagging behind on that 30 x 30 goal and what we need to do to meet it, including ensuring that nations hold themselves accountable for not just making a marine area a park on paper but actually taking the extra steps to fund and enforce protections to avoid oil drilling, mining, and commercial fishing/poaching in those areas --high protections well managed so they actually allow marine plants and animals to regenerate and flourish and stem the tide of mass extinction we humans have caused.

Parks require policy, and they need political will to be funded and protected, so at the end we discuss the importance of voting for political leaders who care to do the right thing for biodiversity and our planetary health, and do so in an equitable/fair way that works with frontline and indigenous communities to use their knowledge in the process of developing policies that work for humans and nonhumans alike. In the context of US Politics, see articles like https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025-would-be-a-disaster-for-national-marine-sanctuaries/

You can see a summary of Beth's report in this Inside Climate News article that alerted me to this issue. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/17062024/largest-marine-protected-areas-have-inadequate-protections/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who live in our oceans.

Photo Credit: Stellar sea lions looking at us and depending on our marine protection efforts, by Jett Britnell/Coral Reef Image Bank.

Safeguarding Rivers & Communities from Factory Farm Pollution: Waterkeeper Larry Baldwin on Pure Farms, Pure Water program

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 20:33:00 -0400

Water is essential to life, yet factory animal farms have polluted freshwater and river and wetland ecosystems and rural neighborhoods for decades. But we can work to protect water, wildlife, animals, and community health. To tell us how, is our guest Larry Baldwin. He’s with the nonprofit group Waterkeeper Alliance https://waterkeeper.org/ and serves as their Campaign Coordinator for the “Pure Farms, Pure Waters” program in North Carolina. He works with the 15 licensed Waterkeeper Alliance groups in North Carolina in their efforts to reform the current polluting practices of the industrial meat producing facilities, known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs.

In this 36-minute interview, "In Tune to Nature" radio host Carrie Freeman asks Larry Baldwin about what these mass hog facilities and mass chicken warehouses look and smell like (horrible for the animals), how the growers/farmers are in debt while agribusiness corporate executives profit, what water and air pollution these animal factories produce, like the open manure pits surrounding pig factory farms -- feces that puts bacteria and sewage into creeks and also gets sprayed into the air, creating environmental injustices in the largely Black rural communities where these factory farms are ruining quality of life. Larry was featured in a documentary on fighting this injustice, called The Smell of Money, streaming now.

Larry discusses programs and policies that can protect communities and water ecosystems from CAFO pollution, and helps us know how we can help move past factory animal farming.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Check out show info or get in touch with us via https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/ Please consider donating to support this 50plus-year old independent, progressive, noncommercial Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who rely on healthy river ecosystems.

Photo Credit: Waterkeeper Alliance photo of hog CAFOs in NC next to open manure pits (those aren't lakes, people). We purposely can't see the pigs suffering behind closed doors.

Wildlife Equity and Multi-Species Tourism Justice: Professor Carol Kline on Sustainable Tourism and Animals

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:36:50 -0400

I love hearing about "wildlife equity" for the wild animals who are often an integral focus of tourists. As ecotourists, we long to see amazing wild animals, but how can we ensure we aren’t endangering or harming them and putting ourselves or tourism profit before the lives and wellbeing of local humans and other animals in these tourism hotspots? To tell us about her (and co-authors') concept of wildlife equity and multispecies tourism justice is our guest Dr. Carol Kline, Appalachian State University Professor and Hospitality & Tourism Management Program Director, in the Department of Management. She recently edited two books about the ethics of eating animals within the context of tourism: called “Animals, Food & Tourism” and “Tourism Experiences & Animal Consumption: Contested Values, Morality, & Ethics.” An intersectional scholar, she is part of a network of researchers who focus on Race, Ethnicity, & Social Equity in Tourism.

In this 30-minute podcast with host Carrie Freeman, Dr. Kline tells us about the burgeoning scholarship and advocacy on wildlife equity in tourism, and how to reduce risks to wildlife, respect animals' will/agency/privacy, what would be responsible marketing and transparency from wildlife tourism operators, and issues related to responsible food consumption while on vacation, including maintaining your own value system when traveling while still trying to enjoy local culture (authentically). Plus we address what we can do to be responsible ecotourists when nonhuman animals are part of our trip plans, since so many of us love and appreciate the more-than-human world.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the wild animals we share the planet with.

Image Credit: Carrie Freeman took this image of a humpback near Juneau, Alaska on a whale watching tour in 2024. The small boat near the whale was not moving and the whale chose to get close to it, but boats are required to back off to a certain distance when near whales. I was on a whale watch tourboat that is a member of the Whale Sense program that I mention in this podcast and I zoomed in to get this image as the whales were feeding on herring, swimming around us.

Coastal Georgia Right Whale, Sea Turtle, and Horseshoe Crab Protection

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:10:54 -0400

We talk with Catherine Ridley, VP of One Hundred Miles, about wildlife protection efforts in coastal Georgia, focusing on the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale and Loggerhead Sea Turtles who breed here and are at risk due to fatal ship strikes, fishing gear entanglements, dredging, and noise and light pollution, as well as discussing ancient Horseshoe Crabs, who are especially under threat lately by pharmaceutical industries who are capturing (kidnapping) hundreds of thousands of them and draining them of their blue blood, despite a synthetic substance that serves the same medical purpose without the massive animal exploitation.

In this 27-minute interview with In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman, Catherine Ridley discusses policy solutions such as zones for slower ship speeds, beach lighting ordinances, dredging bans during breeding season, and synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, all of which would save animal lives if we made them and our ecosystem health a priority. Catherine urges civic engagement and for us to get passionate and speak up.

See the Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition that has action items to ban the mass exploitation https://hscrabrecovery.org/

See action items for all coastal species at One Hundred Miles' page on wildlife https://onehundredmiles.org/wildlife/ and you can join their email action item list here https://onehundredmiles.org/join-mailing-list/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the individuals who live along our coasts.

Photo credit at horseshoe crab pharmaceutical facility: Ariane Mueller

Crossings Book Explores Road Ecology Paths to Save Wildlife: With Journalist Ben Goldfarb

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:49:17 -0400

Conservation Journalist Ben Goldfarb explains stories and lessons from his fantastic book "Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet" It examines how our vast system of roads and all our car and truck traffic is dissecting landscapes and making life dangerous and often lethal for other animal species (to bypass the "moving fence" of traffic) – and what we can do about it to support biodiversity and to share our planet more equitably with other animal individuals striving to thrive and survive amongst the noisy and dangerous new roadway 'ecosystems.'

I found "Crossings" so eye-opening and so comprehensive –it's about every aspect of road and vehicle impacts you could ever think of and for all kinds of animals from bears to butterflies to frogs and fish-- and so many interesting and well written stories. It’s heartbreaking to hear about this constant mass killing of animals and infringement upon their freedoms, migration, and lives, but also heartwarming due to all the people (from engineers and biologists to animal activists) trying to help other animals and find solutions like building wildlife crossings and rewilding older roads in public forests.

In this 34-minute interview host Carrie Freeman asks Ben Goldfarb why our road systems have such an extremely negative effect on wildlife and ecosystems, how various animal species have different ways of dealing with roads (some more cautious and some more cavalier), how wildlife overpasses over highways are helping larger mammals like mountain lions out west connect to other habitats/mates, and how underpasses are helping some smaller animals like turtles in Florida get to other habitats without getting squashed by the thousands. We also discuss the surprising effects of road noise on animals' ability to thrive and communicate, and we conclude with a variety of solutions, including more roadless areas in national forests and more carpooling in buses in national parks, slowing down speed limits, and building safe wildlife road passages in key migration sites (a bipartisan win/win issue as it pays for itself).

Conservation journalist Ben Goldfarb has other great books and articles. See his work at his website www.bengoldfarb.com/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species...by driving less often and slower and advocating for roadless spaces and wildlife crossings.

Cowspiracy Filmmakers Discuss Impact and Activism for Animals 10 Years Later

Tue, 28 May 2024 12:58:00 -0400

A decade after the release of the 2014 award-winning documentary Cowspiracy, filmmakers Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn come together with Atlanta animal activists and scholars in a webinar on May 21st 2024 to discuss the impact of the film and the status/progress/strategies of the vegan movement today. Facilitated by host Dr. Natalie Khazaal, a critical animal studies scholar and Associate Professor at Georgia Tech (the webinar was funded by a grant from her department, the School of Modern Languages), this 57-minute webinar allows the filmmakers to answer questions from GA Tech students and Atlanta animal activists (including me, In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman) where we discuss: which few environmental orgs actually have the integrity to campaign to reduce or replace animal ag, knowing its immense environmental destructiveness (shout out to the Center for Biological Diversity and the Western Watershed Project); the pros and cons of lab-grown/cultivated meats (esp. good for pet food); the need to campaign against animal ag subsidies and regenerative ag/holistic grazing myths and for divestment from animal ag; and how best to persuasively connect with people, such as using ethical/animal rights messages, and bypassing cognitive dissonance in favor of carnism/meat-eating.

We also mention other impactful animal/food documentaries, as Kip and Keegan run AUM (Animals United Movement) Film and Media company https://www.aumfilms.org/ , a nonprofit that produces provocative full-length films inspiring healthy coexistence, such as Seaspiracy, What the Health, and the End of Medicine. Christpiracy is the latest film, which addresses spiritual/ethical and religious tenets in support of abstaining from farming/eating other animals.

For studies I have published in the Environmental Communication journal analyzing environmental organizations' campaigns related to animal ag and commercial fishing and the need for greater critiques, see Take Extinction Off Your Plate (2022) and Meat's Place on the Campaign Menu (2010). Both found on my open-access site https://works.bepress.com/carrie_freeman/

Note: I edited the original webinar to fit the radio format to be under an hour.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species...by supporting animal activism and veganic/produce farming.

Nourishing all Species with Veganic Farming and AgroEcology: Atlanta Farmer Eugene Cooke of Grow Where You Are

Sat, 04 May 2024 16:04:32 -0400

Food justice activist and veganic farmer Eugene Cooke shares an aspirational vision for why he practices agro-ecology in urban ag at Grow Where You Are farms around Atlanta and how (and why) this can be scaled up for widespread regenerative agricultural practices that the U.S. needs to stay viable and sustainable to feed our human population and nurture our soil naturally not chemically. In this 25-minute podcast (from Sept 2022), Eugene explains his unconventional roots from artist to farmer and what it's like to share his biodiverse, Atlanta-based veganic crop farms with wandering wildlife (not domesticating or farming any animals) and how they use composted food and yard scraps to generate compost fertilizers without all the slaughterhouse or antibiotic and chemical remnants in animal-based fertilizers. He and his farming partner Nicole then share their organic bounty with local folks (like at the Freedom Farmer's Market at the Carter Center each Saturday morning). Host Carrie Freeman is one of those nourished market customers enjoying their produce weekly (then composting the food scraps to make fertilizer to grow more food, via her CompostNow service). Eugene Cooke encourages us consumers to be part of this sustainable food transition by starting to eat more fresh foods/produce from regenerative agriculture producers, more so than eating processed and sugary commercial foods from big commodity monocrops. Check out his videos at https://www.growwhereyouare.farm/ or https://www.patreon.com/growwhereyouare

Take care of yourself and others, including other species...by supporting veganic farmers

Working for Wildlife into their 90s: Interviews with the Inspirational Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. E.O. Wilson

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 23:32:24 -0400

To honor primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall's 90th birthday (April 3 2024) and her continuing conservation work, I am playing part of a recent Mongabay News interview with her, hosted by Rhett A. Butler, followed by a PBS News Hour interview from 2016 with the late biologist E.O. Wilson where he discussed his final book "Half Earth" which he wrote in his late eighties. He continued working until he passed at age 92 in 2021 and his legacy lives on with his many nature books and his Half Earth Project nonprofit that seeks to protect half of our planet's most biodiverse land and sea spaces to ensure wildlife has access and can thrive there without humans exploiting them or taking over the space -- this protection Wilson explains is necessary to end the mass extinction crisis (other animals cannot thrive living in fragmented isolated parks here and there). I think you'll enjoy hearing from these legends with their hopeful messages and solutions on this 31-minute podcast.

You can find out more about the pioneering and ongoing work of these inspirational lifelong biologists at their nonprofits: The Jane Goodall Institute and the Half-Earth Project. You can also support non-commercial news like Mongabay and the PBS News Hour whose journalistic work was featured on this program...and Radio Free Georgia, my indie station!

Take care of yourself and others, including other emotional animal species.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG its board, staff, or volunteers....most of us are volunteers.

Photo Credit: Mongabay News

The Emotional Lives of Animals: Dr. Marc Bekoff Explains Why Animal Wellbeing Matters

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 19:14:17 -0400

Renowned animal ethologist Dr. Marc Bekoff shares insights from the newly revised edition of his classic book: “The Emotional Lives of Animals: A leading scientist explores animal joy, sorrow, and empathy, -- and why they matter” with a foreword by famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. In April 2024, with the release of the book near Dr. Goodall's 90th birthday, Dr. Bekoff spent 38 minutes with host Carrie Freeman discussing: what it's like working with Dr. Goodall, what has changed in the exploding field of cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds) in the last 20 years, how fairness and justice are a common trait in social animals to maintain cooperation (like with coyotes), why less "charismatic" animals like fish and mice will surprise us with their personalities (as all animals are individuals not just inter-changeable members of their species), how we need to work for animal "wellbeing" not just animal "welfare" for domesticated and wild animals, and ethical choices -- what we all can do to play our part in reducing animal suffering and advocating for animals (whom we should no longer under-estimate or ignore). We end on a hopeful note, thanks to a 4th grader who inspired Marc.

The Emotional Lives of Animals book chapters cover: the indisputable case for animal emotions; animal minds and hearts; what animals feel; wild justice, empathy, and fair play; and a final chapter on why animal wellbeing matters - with lots of recommendations across various fields of animal types and uses (zoos, farms, research labs, etc.).

The author, Marc Bekoff, PhD has been an animal advocate and researcher for close to 50 years, and he’s a prolific author of more than 30 books on nonhuman animals. A professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Dr. Bekoff has won many awards for his research on animal behavior, compassionate conservation, animal protection, and animal emotions. He publishes regularly for Psychology Today. His website is https://marcbekoff.com/

I’m happy to report that The Emotional Lives of Animals book is printed on 100% recycled paper bc the publisher -- New World Library-- is part of the Green Press Initiative. I wish all book publishers made recycled paper a priority.

Take care of yourself and others, including other emotional animal species.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG its board, staff, or volunteers....most of us are volunteers.

Defending the Atlanta Forest & Stopping Cop City: Dr. Jackie Echols on Civil Rights Act and Clean Water Act Legal Actions

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 14:23:25 -0500

We discuss the latest in the 2024 fight against environmental racism and stream water degradation as part of the "Save The Atlanta Forest" movement also knowns as the "Stop Cop City" movement, in Southeast Atlanta, comprised of many allied groups of citizens who over the last several years are working to stop/discontinue the building of a multi-million dollar mega law enforcement training center in a forested watershed area, where it is unwanted by the adjacent human community of many Black residents, and by the wildlife who (used to) live there too.

To tell us about the ongoing legal efforts is Dr. Jacqueline Echols, Board President of the South River Watershed Alliance. @southriverGA #southriverGA In this 28-minute Feb. 2024 interview, host Carrie Freeman asks Dr. Echols to explain the civil rights act administrative complaint her organization filed, alleging the origins of the copy city installation constitute intentional harm and qualify as environmental racism. And she discusses another pending legal case alleging violations of the clean water act from increased sediment deposits harming the already polluted streams and river that may not be able to sustain life. Dr. Echols notes that stalling/delay by the courts and government officials seems to be a tactic used throughout this project to get the facility built under the radar before the city is officially told they legally cannot. Construction of the facility and destruction of many trees has already taken place.

The "Save the forest" image of the sad rabbit painting on the bridge on the South River Trail taken by host Carrie Freeman. See cement barricade there. Note: you never see any "tear down the Atlanta forest" or "build cop city" artwork around the city. There was a lot of helicopter noise that was in the area too at that cop city building site, and noise like that scares away a lot of the wild/free animal residents. Carrie didn't get audio of the copters but she does play an audio clip several times of the frog serenade along the South River trail wetland.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the wetland frogs you hear in this podcast.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG its board, staff, or volunteers....most of us are volunteers.

A Compassionate Conservation Approach to US Wildlife Policy: Dr. Anja Heister author interview

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 12:25:17 -0500

In this double-show we explore problems and solutions for transforming America’s flawed model of wildlife management that is oddly human-centric (hunter-centric), undemocratic, and often cruel, by speaking with wildlife advocate and author Anja Heister, PhD, about her recent book “Beyond the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation: From Lethal to Compassionate Conservation,” published by the academic press Palgrave Macmillan as part of their Animal Ethics Series.

Founder of Footloose Montana, an anti-trapping organization, and decades long advocate for animals, Dr. Heister wrote a book that provides a nuanced analysis of the wildlife management system and its faults in the U.S. and a vision for what could be a compassionate conservation alternative that is nonviolent, and more democratic and representative of the interests of all Americans (not primarily hunters and trappers), including the interests of all of America’s wild animals, not just endangered species or the so-called “game species.” We can’t keep leaving wildlife to be at the mercy of management by a small group of Americans, namely hunters and trappers, sporting and ranching industries, and rural residents, and instead let all of us put wildlife first in wildlife policies.

In this 54-minute episode, hosted by Carrie Freeman, she and Dr. Heister discuss:

misconceptions many Americans have about the way wildlife is managed,
challenging historic myths of hunting and/as conservation,
how our wildlife system is funded by hunting licenses and gun sales providing misguided incentives, and Governors having more control than citizens in policymaking,
examples of cruel policies towards wolves in Montana,
how many laws protect hunters and trappers more than animals, enabling cruelty,
how empathy and emotion should play a larger role with rationality in wildlife management, and
a vision to transform our U.S. wildlife management agencies based on compassionate conservation principles that value individual animal lives and promote all Americans' input in protecting and supporting our wild animal neighbors.

Consider supporting nonprofit conservation groups who advocate for change, like Wildlife For All. https://wildlifeforall.us/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the free-living animals who share our land and waters.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG its board, staff, or volunteers....most of us are volunteers.

The Loveliness of Being Animal: Philosopher Melanie Challenger on her book ”How to be Animal”

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 16:18:05 -0500

Today it's one of my favorite topics -- the benefits of humans starting to embrace our animality and kinship with other animals, instead of falsely repressing our animality and continuing to think of ourselves as exceptional and above all animal life. We’ll talk about how we human animals can productively change our self narrative to be more honest with author and environmental philosopher Melanie Challenger who wrote the fascinating book “How to be animal: A New History of What it Means to be Human .” As she phrases is, “It's an invitation to refresh in our minds the loveliness of being animal.” You can find out more at her website https://www.melaniechallenger.com/

In this half hour "In Tune to Nature" radio podcast, host Carrie Freeman talks with award-winning author Melanie Challenger about:

what drew her to the conclusion that the fundamental issue of humanity is that we don’t want to admit we are an animal, but should;
the false mind/body dualism and the struggle for us humans to accept our vulnerable bodily selves (we are not just our brains);
what we gain and share with other animals in these bodies that is a lovely part of being human; how we can recognize "the world is alive with intelligence" and "if we matter, so does everything else" (p.217); and
ways that we can collectively help create a more truthful and productive narrative on humanity that embeds us within the broader, rich animal community.
and she ends by telling us how her "How to be Animal" book sets up her latest book on the topic of Animal Dignity and the role of respect.

Take care of yourself and others, including human and nonhuman animals.

Creating Song, Story and Film to Support Wildlife Safe Road Passageways: Artists Frances Figart & Ted Grudowski

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:42:39 -0500

We focus on the creative process of several artists in the road ecology movement who have promoted safe passageways for wildlife to cross over and under human highways, via song, children’s literature, and documentary film. Our guests are writer Frances Figart of Asheville, NC and filmmaker Ted Grudowski of Seattle, WA, interviewed in this 30-minute podcast by host Carrie Freeman.

Our discussion explores creative ways these artists have inspired humans to more safely and fairly share land with free-living nonhuman animals, specifically to promote the design and build of wildlife road crossings to enable safe passage for animals across human highways -- like Highway I-40, North of Asheville NC near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where there are lots of bears, elk, deer, and other animals needing to migrate to feed and mate, and that highway is a dangerous barrier to their livelihood, causing vehicle collisions. You can find out more about that ongoing safe passage project and its coalition of conservation supporters at the Smokies Safe Passage website: https://smokiessafepassage.org/

In this podcast, Frances Figart tells us about her children's book (for ages 7 - 13) "A Search for Safe Passage" (illustrated by Emma Dufort) about a council of 19 animal species who work together to find an underpass that allows them to safely get to the other side of a scary and loud human road in their mountain forest. That also inspired her song "Safe Passage: Animals Need a Hand." You can see and share a cool music video of this song by Asheville band The Fates in a celtic/bluegrass style on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLbyQB5mqtU (we play a portion of this song in the podcast).

Filmmaker and photographer Ted Grudowski also tells us about "Cascade Crossroads" the award-winning half-hour documentary he co-produced that chronicles the amazing story of seemingly opposite interests out West joining forces to restore a critical wildlife corridor while improving Washington State’s vital transportation corridor over the Cascade Mountains -- a documentary that is actually encouraging in these polarizing times. You can watch it to inspire similar problem-solving in your own town, at Ted's website https://www.tedgrudowski.com/cascade-crossroads-documentary-film The nonprofit Conservation Northwest also has a lot of resources on reconnecting habitats.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species -- like wildlife who need to get where they are going safely (with road underpasses and overpasses and more roadless areas to live).

Wild Atlanta: Poems and Photographs Celebrating Wildlife, Forests, & Parks

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 11:45:20 -0500

We enjoy the poetry and photography in a new book Wild Atlanta: Greenspaces and Nature Preserves of “The City in the Forest” with the book author and poet Stephen Wing and the book’s photographer Luz Wright. Their 98-page full color poetic photo book is an artistic tribute to several dozen of Atlanta’s gorgeous public forests and parks for humans and wildlife to share.

In this 26-minute interview (airing in December 2023), I have Stephen read a few of his poems that ingeniously weave in the climate crisis, wild animals like hawks, and protecting natural areas like Intrenchment Creek Park from development (from becoming 'Cop City' and/or a movie studio lot). And Luz explains a collection of photos she took of trees, crickets, streams, leaves, and butterflies at Heritage Trail Park. You can see it's a great creative connection between Luz and Stephen to bring each wild space alive through an intriguing and unique visual and written conversation.

The book's website is https://wildatlanta.net/ and it lists the local independent bookstores where you can obtain a copy and where the authors sometimes come do a reading.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species and wild spaces.

EcoFriendly Holiday Gift Giving: Experiences Over Items

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:10:04 -0500

To have a more meaningful holiday season and avoid buying a bunch of stuff, this is a replay of my 28-minute annual green gift giving show -- this time focusing not on eco-friendly products but more on eco-friendly experiences in order to avoid cluttering up our lives with more stuff that lands in our homes permanently. So the emphasis is on gift-giving ideas for vegan food/meals or experiences (travel, parks, spas, etc.) or lending a helping hand (dog-sitting, babysitting/tutoring, lawncare, home organization), and savings/investing. It is an Atlanta focused show. It also highlights the So Kind Registry that allows you to let your friends and family know what is meaningful and fun for you (registering for that as gifts) instead of more "stuff" to buy. https://www.sokindregistry.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds: Interview with Book Author Anders Gyllenhaal

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:46:03 -0400

Did you know one third of North America's birds have vanished over the last 50 years -- on our watch? That's 3 Billion fewer birds in our ecosystems, skies, trees, farms, and backyards! In their book "A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save our Vanishing Birds," journalists and bird lovers Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal went on an adventure to sound the alarm and help us discover why birds aren't thriving anymore (after tens of millions of years on this planet) and to profile the many unique and innovate ways that scientists and outdoor enthusiasts are helping to preserve species and habitats. In this 28-minute podcast, where host Carrie Freeman interviews Anders Gyllenhaal, we also discuss the need for the general public to invest in wildlife conservation (at least $1 billion a year is needed) to prevent bird losses, not just rely on taxing hunters and guns, nor wait and try to save those species who are on the brink of extinction (a much more costly and less effective solution than prevention now). Reinvigorating the U.S. Fish & Wildlife agency and passing the bipartisan 'Restore America's Wildlife Act' are part of what is needed. You can find out more about the book and what birds are teaching us at their website https://flyinglessons.us/ There you will also find suggestions on how you can be part of the solution to save birds and their habitats, which we discuss at the end of the podcast.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station). Hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature Please support indie media like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/ In fact, Anders supplied a signed hardcopy of the book as a fundraising incentive, and I can send it to anyone who donates $50 or more at wrfg.org (just message me at the facebook page to let me know).

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like our vanishing birds.

Designing Health-Promoting Landscapes Inspired by Nature: David Kamp, Biophilic Landscape Architect

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:01:28 -0400

Discussing his book "Nature, Design, and Health: Explorations of a Landscape Architect," David Kamp describes his nature-inspired design philosophy, and we specifically concentrate on garden project elements designed to enhance the wellbeing of older adults and people with special needs. We also discuss how wildlife can be encouraged and supported in our yards and landscapes. You can see his lovely designs at the book website https://www.naturedesignhealth.com/.

This 24-minute podcast is hosted by Carrie Freeman, who recorded it for "In Tune to Nature," a weekly radio show airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station). Hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. The show's website and action items can be found at https://www.facebook.com/InTunetoNature Please support indie media like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who wander through and feed in our backyards.

Advice on Effective Environmental Advocacy: Interview with Author & Lobbyist Sue Inches

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 21:44:08 -0400

This double-length show explains tips from the book "Advocating for the Environment: How to Gather Your Power and Take Action" by environmental lobbyist, public servant, teacher, and author Sue Inches from Maine. https://sueinches.com/ After meeting at the 2023 Conference on Communication & Environment and hearing about her book and vast experience, I invited Sue to be interviewed on In Tune to Nature for a longer format show (52 minutes). This gave us more time to discuss advice from the book, such as:

the power of being visionary in environmental action (and the 80-10-10 rule),
the importance of reframing our earth stories and values to focus on interconnection,
bridging partisan politics in the U.S.,
effectively lobbying of decision-makers,
reasons to be hopeful for environmental change, and
key steps you can take to get active.

In Tune to Nature is a long-time weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at https://wrfg.org/

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Sustainable Marine Policy Viewing Fishes as Ecological Beings not Food/Resources: Interview with Dr. Jennifer Jacquet

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:09:32 -0400

We discuss the need for marine eco policies and "sustainable fishing" policies to move toward a non-industrial discourse that treats fish as subjects and as ecological beings rather than primarily objectifying them as human food/stock/seafood – basically sustainable fisheries rhetoric should stop reducing fish and other aquatic animal species to mere economic resources to be 'sustainably managed'. Dr. Jennifer Jacquet, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Univ of Miami, explains her rationales for why a change in our discussion of fish (and relationship with fish) is warranted and ecologically beneficial, in this 25-minute podcast with host Carrie Freeman.

This is based on an provocative perspective piece that Dr. Jennifer Jacquet recently co-authored with Dr. Daniel Pauly, published in the journal PLOS Biology, titled "Reimagining Sustainable Fisheries" that challenges the bias toward industrial fishing and economic commodities in our fisheries and marine environmental policies. She also unpacks the excuse that we need managed industrial fishing with quotas to "feed people" or for "food security" when so much caught fish just goes to feed farmed animals (including farmed fish) and to feed wealthier consumer market demands when these consumers often have more sustainable food options (like plant-based). She explains why sustainable fisheries policies need to focus on subsistence fishing (not industrial) and especially protecting marine habitats to help aquatic animals begin to thrive free of harassment/harm. The move to reimagine whales as beings not commodities can be a model for cultural and political change toward other marine animals. See https://ali.fish/blog/reimagining-sustainable-fisheries

The photo of free/wild fish in the Maldives is by Sebastian Pena Lambarri on Unsplash.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species, like those who live underwater.

Protecting Yellowstone’s Wild Bison Herds from Slaughter: The Buffalo Field Campaign

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:35:32 -0400

The Buffalo Field Campaign has worked for decades restoring rights to the wild Bison of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming to live and freely migrate in and outside of Yellowstone National Park in their rightful territory. Carrie Freeman's radio guests Mike Mease and Dallas Gudgell are from the nonprofit Buffalo Field Campaign and we discuss their achievements since the 1990s. In this 25-minute podcast recorded late July 2023, they explain why the bison are at risk of being killed by hunters and ranchers when they leave Yellowstone National Park and how Montana's wildlife policies have been hostile to this threatened and recovering species (treating the species as 'livestock' instead of wildlife). Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers work annually to document and protect the bison in the field (they invite you to join them). Dallas explains the bison's key role in local First Nations' cultural identity and how a coalition of dozens of tribes are meeting in November 2023 to discuss a path to more unified Tribal stewardship over the Yellowstone bison as part of reparations and a path for true protection and recovery of the wild bison herds.

The Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working both in the field and in the policy arenas to stop the harassment and slaughter of America’s last wild buffalo. Formalized as a nonprofit in 1997, they also protect the natural habitat of wild free-roaming bison and other native wildlife, and stand with First Nations to honor the sacredness of wild buffalo. The primary goal of the Buffalo Field Campaign is to create permanent year-round protection for bison and the ecosystem they depend on—including respect for the migratory needs of this long-exploited and clearly endangered species. Their website full of info, photos, and action items is BuffaloFieldCampaign.org.

Photo taken by host Carrie Freeman of the bison herd in Yellowstone (during her visit in 2017).

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the bison, with whom we share the planet.

Climate News Coverage of Animal Agriculture: What’s Missing and How to Improve Journalism

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:03:16 -0400

We discuss findings from a 2023 report “Animal Agriculture is the Missing Piece in Climate Change Media Coverage”. Given the policy agenda-setting role of the news media, this report details what coverage improvements are warranted to facilitate needed farming and dietary changes in the U.S. to help mitigate the climate crisis, given the large role that animal ag plays in greenhouse gas emissions (especially via methane and deforestation). In this 25-minute podcast, In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews two of the report's co-authors, Coni Arevalo (Research Associate at Faunalytics) and Jenny Splitter (Managing Editor at Sentient Media).

The report and its recommendations can be found, with an easy-to-read executive summary and infographics, at https://faunalytics.org/animal-ag-in-climate-media/

Faunalytics is a nonprofit research organization that conducts studies and shares knowledge to help advocates support animals effectively. Their website is https://faunalytics.org/. And Sentient Media is a nonprofit journalism organization and news outlet dedicated to changing the conversation around animal agriculture. Their website is https://sentientmedia.org/

Photo of cow used in the dairy industry, by Jo-Anne McArthur of We Animals Media. The breeding, raising, and feeding of cows is the main contributor in ag to the climate crisis.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species, like all the free/wild animals we share the planet with.

Ecoflix wildlife advocacy nonprofit entertainment streaming service: Interview with founder David Casselman

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:43:03 -0400

Ecoflix.com is the first not-for-profit streaming channel of entertainment and educational shows and podcasts dedicated to saving animals and the planet. We talk with founder and CEO David Casselman about why he founded Ecoflix, how the non-commercial global programming is different from other animal channels (more advocacy oriented and family friendly, non-graphic), some of the most popular shows (saving bears, elephants, wolves, leopards, whales, rainforests, and more) including kids shows, as well as what wildlife and animal protection NGOs Ecoflix works with and supports with 100% of the subscriber fees. Share with educators that all fees are waived for teachers so that educational content is free in classrooms.

In this 25-minute "In Tune to Nature" podcast hosted by Carrie Freeman, David also explains the various wildlife and climate protection projects Ecoflix supports and documents for original programming (like drones that can prevent whale strikes with ships). Ecoflix content is varied and also has music videos, podcasts, and poetry. David recommends this fascinating poem about the value of whale poo toward phytoplankton and all life. https://watch.ecoflix.com/videos/hot-poets-matt-harvey-praise-the-whale

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species, like all the free/wild animals we share the planet with.

Protecting the Okefenokee Swamp Refuge from Mining: Ecologist Rena Ann Peck of GA River Network

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:25:48 -0400

Due to the threat of titanium mining, the biologically rich and unique Okefenokee Swamp habitat at the GA/FL border has unfortunately been named one of America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2023 (by the organization America Rivers). But there's a wide alliance of bipartisan wilderness and water protectors at https://protectokefenokee.org/ defending this National Wildlife Refuge, including The Georgia River Network. Their Executive Director, ecologist Rena Ann Peck talks to host Carrie Freeman in this 25-minute podcast about why and how so many groups are protecting this delicate and one-of-a-kind ecosystem from damaging mining efforts on the trail ridge (bordering the swamp ecosystem). It's a sacred space to the Muskogee Creek Nation and home to hundreds of plants and unique animals, such as alligators, salamanders, birds, and fish, some endangered.

Rena also explains what is being done in the GA Legislature to try to establish permanent protection against future mining (HB 71 Okefenokee Protection Act) and actions to urge the Georgia EPD (Env Protection Division) and Governor Kemp not to issue a mining permit to Twin Pine Minerals company. With overwhelming bipartisan support in favor of park protection, we hope that government listens and acts. Interested citizens can text 52886 with the word SWAMP and it takes you to action items. You can also see the action items and many gorgeous videos at this GA River Network site https://garivers.org/protectokefenokee/

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species, like the thousands who live in rivers and wetlands.

Coexistence with Coyote Family Neighbors: With Dr. Chris Mowry, Atlanta Coyote Project

Mon, 15 May 2023 12:42:49 -0400

To help us understand how coyote families live among us in urban/suburban areas as productive members of ecosystems, Berry College Professor of Biology, Dr. Chris Mowry (and co-founder of the Atlanta Coyote Project) tells us about the natural history of wild canine species in the North America, specifically the Southeast region, where settler colonists drove out the native Red Wolf, and over the centuries the coyote has migrated to take the place of their wolf cousins.

Also in this 26-minute In Tune to Nature radio show, recorded in May 2023, host Carrie Freeman expresses concern over the GA Dept of Natural Resources' unfair designation of the coyote as an "invasive species," allowing open-season unlimited killing of coyotes by humans with hunting/trapping licenses. Dr. Mowry explains his and other scientific research findings that coyotes, like most predator species, end up productively enriching the biodiversity of our local ecosystems and therefore do not deserve the title of "invasive" (especially given the natural presence of wild canines in the Southeast historically).

We also discuss the family lives of coyotes and their daily routines, eating some plant foods and some small rodents. We end by discussing how to coexist with coyotes in our neighborhoods so that we don't attract them to our yards with petfood or seeds or fruits, and we avoid poisoning their food sources with rat poison, which could cause them to become diseased. Dr. Mowry explains why hiring a trapper to get rid of some local coyote isn't ultimately going to keep coyotes out of your communities, as other coyotes will eventually fill that open territory, so the smartest and most humane action is to coexist peacefully with this often elusive and reclusive species. Find info about how to coexist and other fun facts about local coyotes (plus photos and videos) on the Atlanta Coyote Project website. https://www.atlantacoyoteproject.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like our urban wildlife.

PHOTO CREDIT: Biologist Dr. Larry Wilson (photo of a male coyote spotted in Atlanta's Piedmont Park in 2016. Since coyote's mate for life, he's also someone's partner and dad)

Removing Harmful Wild Animal Social Media Posts: Nicola O’Brien of Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:16:11 -0400

From taking selfies with wild animal individuals, to promoting them as pets, to faking animal rescues for clicks, content harmful to animals abounds on social media platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To help us identify what is inappropriate, harmful, or cruel content and what to do about it, in this 28-minute radio show, host Carrie Freeman interviews Nicola O'Brien, leader of the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition. Nicola explains why we should NOT engage with a harmful post or click/comment on it and why we should instead flag and report it to the platform, and then report it also via the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition reporting form here https://www.smaccoalition.com/report-a-concern as they act on and collect data on each social media platform and work to get policies that will recognize psychological animal harm and bad behavior promoting wildlife-human interactions as inappropriate content that should not be seen as meeting the platform's policies and thus gets taken down.

Act on these petitions https://www.smaccoalition.com/petitions because a lot of work is yet to be done to get these platforms to have truly animal-friendly policies that go beyond just removing obvious physical abuse torture videos (and helps ensure that people who use animals can't make money on social media content). We all need to get involved in pressuring our favorite social media platforms to have much stricter policies regarding nonhuman animal content so we don't promote harmful human practices and also cause animal suffering for those animals in the posts. Here's another resource to help you identify cruel content: https://www.smaccoalition.com/ask-yourself

See other guidelines for holding media accountable (journalism, filmmakers, advertisers and PR folks) at https://animalsandmedia.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species (whether online or in your neighborhood)

Stop Cop City to Save the Atlanta Forest for Eco and Racial Justice: Interview with Dr. Echols of the South River Watershed Alliance

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 18:51:40 -0400

On behalf of Atlanta's biggest in-town forest, its resident wildlife, and nearby human neighbors, we discuss the 'Save The Atlanta Forest' movement also known as the 'Stop Cop City' movement, in Southeast Atlanta, comprised of many allied groups of citizens, especially Black residents, who over the last several years are working to stop the installation and building of a multi-million dollar, noisy and explosive, mega law enforcement training center in a greenspace and forested area (a former prison farm), where it is vehemently unwanted by the adjacent community and was already promised by a former mayor to be a preserved park. To tell us about that ongoing effort from an ecological and an environmental justice/racial justice perspective, host Carrie Freeman speaks with Dr. Jacqueline Echols, Board President of the South River Watershed Alliance and 2017 winner of GreenLaw's Environmental Hero award, who has worked in clean water and tree protection for a quarter century. This website provides action items and more info on the river and forest protection https://www.southriverforest.org/ FYI: The email for the CEO of Dekalb County is CEOMichaelThurmond@dekalbcountyga.gov and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens can be reached at adickens@atlantaga.gov

In this 26-minute podcast, originally aired in April 2023, Dr. Echols explains how this police training facility could be decentralized and placed in other communities -- ones who want it or who have not been disproportionately impacted by police violence and legal system discrimination for decades, as has this majority Black Southwest Atlanta community. Let's respect these residents' wishes and give them the park, the peace, and the clean water they want and deserve and that the local wildlife need.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at https://wrfg.org/

PHOTO: Dr. Jackie Echols kayaking on the South River

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

The Industrial Ag Accountability Act’s Needed Improvements for Farmed Animals & Workers: Explained by Farming Activist Leah Garces

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:43:03 -0400

In this double-show, Leah Garces, President of Mercy for Animals, discusses initiatives to protect taxpayers, farm workers, chickens, and pigs in an unprecedented and long-overdue marker to the 2023 Farm Bill -- the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act -- to be considered in the U.S. Congress in Fall 2023. After learning about these issues, U.S. citizens can contact their Congresspeople to express opinions on this critical bill, as Senators and Representatives in the House would need to sign on to it this spring and summer. This link helps you easily make contact: https://mercyforanimals.org/iaa/

The Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act was put forward by Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, who worked with Mercy for Animals and other farming groups to propose this groundbreaking legislation to start to hold accountable a corporate-dominated animal agribusiness industry, especially to get companies to better prepare for (and pay for) inevitable natural disasters and pandemics. So I devoted a double-long show to this topic, especially since the myriad problems with industrial animal agribusiness rarely get addressed in Congress (due to a powerful agribusiness lobby), despite how much the public disapproves of factory farming and how much taxpayer money goes to subsidize it (millions of taxpayer dollars annually are bailing out profitable factory farming corporations, especially during disasters, but also routinely in subsidizing their feed crops rather than subsidizing fruits and vegetables humans need to be eating more of). This radio show and this bill shine a light on many problems with factory farming that most of us don’t know.

In this this 49-minute show recorded in March 2023, In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews Leah Garces, long-time farmed animal advocate and current President of the nonprofit group Mercy for Animals at https://mercyforanimals.org/ With her on-the-farm experience, she helps us understand all the various exciting initiatives of the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act and what it proposes to do to help humans (agricultural workers, incarcerated workers, and also taxpayers and some smaller ‘growers’ in debt to larger animal ag corporations) as well as helping other animal species in terms of reducing some of their immense suffering. From slowing down the kill-line speeds, to including chickens and turkeys in the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, to prohibiting the killing of pigs too lame to walk, to reducing the time that hungry and thirsty animals are kept in transit to slaughterhouses, to offering severance pay and healthcare to vulnerable farmworkers in disasters, to prohibiting the continued exploitation of incarcerated workers made to work in factory farming disasters – this Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act is long overdue and needs everyone’s attention, as the Farm Bill only gets amended every 5 years.

Also, in Dec 2022, Vox wrote a great overview of Sen. Booker’s act titled “Sen. Cory Booker has a plan to stop taxpayer bailouts of Big Meat.”

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at https://wrfg.org/

PHOTO: Leah Garces and rescued chicken

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Bird flu outbreak’s impact on factory farmed birds and wild/free animal species: Mercy for Animals interview

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 20:10:14 -0400

Mercy for Animals' Managing Director AJ Albrecht updates us on the state of the Avian Influenza crisis and the tens of millions of factory farmed birds who have been inhumanely killed/suffocated in an attempt to stop the spread (largely at U.S. taxpayer expense); she outlines a joint lawsuit Mercy for Animals filed against the USDA for their inadequate response to this massive outbreak, and she discusses the legal settlement. Additionally, bird flu isn't limited to birds, and it is spreading globally across wild and domesticated animal species, including mammals, but is especially problematic in spreading among the intensive confinement of egg laying hens in battery cages or chickens crammed in warehouses, making industrial animal agriculture a recurring problem for spreading zoonotic diseases. In this 25-minute radio podcast, host Carrie Freeman interviews AJ Albrecht, licensed attorney and Managing Director at the nonprofit Mercy for Animals, as she outlines the problems and the solutions. Find out more about this advocacy organization's plans to create an ecologically sustainable and compassionate food system at www.mercyforanimals.org

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Photo: AJ Albrecht shown holding a chicken friend (neither of them has bird flu).

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, especially birds like chickens.

Evolving together toward an animal-free food system: Pax Fauna study of appealing to American meat-eaters

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 14:17:49 -0500

Guest Eva Hamer discusses a recent study of American attitudes toward using animals for food that suggests how best to strategically frame campaign messages promoting a path to evolving together toward animal freedom and plant-based food systems. We discuss what those new policies might be that Americans can support through collective action to get past this feeling of futility that we as individual consumers experience -- that we can't stop factory farming through individual food choices and thus need to work collectively. Host of In Tune to Nature, Carrie Freeman, interviews Eva Hamer, Operations Lead at the nonprofit think tank Pax Fauna in this 26 minute podcast. Details of the Pax Fauna study, strategy recommendations, and some video presentation summaries are found on their website: narrative.PaxFauna.org.

In their name, Pax stands for Peace and Fauna stands for Animal. Pax Fauna is a nonprofit that exists to design a more effective social movement for animal freedom in the U.S., using original research as well as careful study of social movement literature and the recent history of the animal movement, in order to reverse the cultural norm of eating animals.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species...other fauna.

The Smell of Money documentary: Pig Factory Farming & Environmental Racism in North Caroliina

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 12:13:17 -0500

The stench and pollution of pig factory farms is devastating Black rural neighborhoods, but, despite intimidation, NC residents are fighting back in court against the world's largest pork corporation, as documented in "The Smell of Money" a full-length documentary film winning awards at festivals. Radio host Carrie Freeman interviews the film's writer and producer, Jamie Berger, a native of North Carolina, in this 25 minute podcast recorded in February of 2023. We know these warehoused pigs are suffering, but you'll also learn what is wrong with pig CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) and their manure cesspools, and how unhealthy it is for the local community's wellbeing, dignity, quality of life, and property values in Eastern NC, such as Sampson and Duplin counties. You can find out where to view or financially support the film and see a trailer and photos of the characters at https://www.smellofmoneydoc.com/

In the podcast, filmmaker Jamie Berger discusses ways we can help by being conscientious consumers, getting politically active, and joining NGO advocacy groups for environmental justice and clean water (like Riverkeeper groups or Food & Water Watch). Carrie adds that Senator Corey Booker, on the Senate Agriculture committee, put forward an unprecedented bill called the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act that really asks for some needed reforms to factory farming. So that could be a bill that folks may choose to ask their congress people to cosponsor or support, as the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act, would really need widespread public support to be able to go up against the agribusiness and Big Meat lobby that wants business as usual, despite how environmentally unsustainable, polluting, and cruel it is.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent, non-commercial, progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Wild Souls: Eco Writer Emma Marris on Animal Ethics for Introduced Species in Nature

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:29:53 -0500

We take on some tricky ethical dilemmas in how we should treat animals in nature, especially “non-native” species (more respectfully called 'Introduced species'), and when and how we should interfere in the lives of animals in a 'post wild' world, based on her thoughtful and nuanced book “Wild Souls: Freedom & Flourishing in the Non-Human World, by environmental writer Emma Marris https://www.emmamarris.com/. Carrie Freeman, host of "In Tune to Nature," interviews Emma in this 26-minute podcast where we discuss: the idea of abandoning "species purity" and static or colonial notions of who should be in a given ecosystem; how to value sentient beings (animals) in relation to other (plant) living beings, systems, or whole species; and ethical, fair, and compassionate ways to resolve conflicts that arise between animal species (especially "non-native" vs "native" or "endangered/rare" species). While we don't have definitive answers to these ethical dilemmas, we take a perspective that includes the interests of all animal individuals in decision-making (not just what is presumed best for the ecosystem as a whole). This is part of the classic dilemma of how to fairly balance individual rights with societal/group rights.

Other resources on this topic include: The nonprofit science group working on welfare called Wild Animal Initiative. Or The Centre for Compassionate Conservation at UT-Sydney. Additionally, Catia Faria has a new book “Animal Ethics in the Wild”; and Kyle Johannsen has the new book "Wild Animal Ethics."

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including all the unique beings we share our planet with.

The Creative Lives of Animals: Dr. Carol Gigliotti on the Culture and Ethics of Fellow Animal Species

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 20:00:20 -0500

We should begin to see multiculturalism as including the creativity and morality found in the cultures of fellow animal species (besides just us humans). In this 27 minute interview, host Carrie Freeman talks with Dr. Carol Gigliotti who shares insights and examples from her book “The Creative Lives of Animals” by NYU Press (2022), from whales to dogs to chimps to birds, mice, and ants. There is a lot to discover if we are willing to recognize the creative ways that other animal species choose to live their lives and solve problems (as whole cultures but also as unique individuals).

Carol Gigliotti, PhD is an author, artist, animal activist, and scholar whose work focuses on the reality of animals’ lives as important contributors to the biodiversity of this planet. She is Professor Emerita of Design & Dynamic Media and Critical & Cultural Studies at the Emily Carr University of Design, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Her website is www.carolgigliotti.com

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including all the unique beings we share our planet with.

A Fish’s Perspective on Fishing: With Biologist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 20:28:31 -0500

How are individual fish (as sentient beings) affected by industrial and recreational fishing practices? We find out by talking with the best selling author of “What a Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of our Underwater Cousins.” biologist, Dr. Jonathan Balcombe, who also recently authored a children's book about a boy and a fish "Jake & Ava". In this interview, we discuss crowded fish farms, death by nets and suffocation, pain from barbed hooks, catch (harass) and release, and ways to avoid all of this by respecting fishes and considering their interests (including eating vegan/plant-based fish or avocado and cucumber sushi). This 28-minute radio show was recorded with Jonathan in the Atlanta studio with host Carrie Freeman in 2018. Check out Dr. Balcombe's books at https://jonathan-balcombe.com/ To advocate for fish species, check out the nonprofit Fish Feel https://fishfeel.org/

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie radio station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like fishes.

Clean Energy Future in Georgia: What would it look like and how to get there? Sierra Club GA Chapter

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 12:52:00 -0500

What would a clean, renewable energy future look like in Georgia? Neil Sardana, Beyond Coal rep from the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club provides a hopeful yet feasible vision. For energy independence and less pollution and less greenhouse gas emissions, we know we need to move away from dependence on fossil fuels like coal and gas, but could we be 100% renewable, and what would the new energy mix be in Georgia? How feasible is that clean energy transition and how can we get the political will in a rather conservative state to make these massive infrastructure changes happen? Neil Sardana explains how in this 25-minute interview hosted by Carrie Freeman. The Public Service Commissioner seats are the key to redirecting the for-profit Georgia Power mega-utility to clean energy, and solar is the affordable available solution in our sunny state (as Georgia Power Company is considering raising consumer rates again for mostly dirty energy). We should demand the clean energy future we need.

You can find out more at https://www.sierraclub.org/georgia/BeyondCoal or follow @GABeyondCoal Look for ways to send public comments about the Georgia Power energy rate hikes and encourage them to replace coal and gas with home-grown solar.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

What’s Wrong with Wool? And What Materials are More EcoFriendly? The Shear Destruction report by the Center for Biological Diversity

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 16:17:20 -0400

In time for winter wardrobe & gift-giving, we review the many eco problems with the wool industry and what materials fashion-makers and consumers can support instead (like organic cotton and bamboo). The role of raising, killing, and processing farmed animals, like sheep, for fiber/clothing is often overlooked in environmental discourse (as we tend to just focus on the meat industry). So in this 27-minute podcast for In Tune to Nature, host Carrie Freeman talked with Stephanie Feldstein of The Center for Biological Diversity about their recent report (with the Collective Fashion Justice group) called "Shear Destruction: Wool, Fashion & the Biodiversity Crisis," https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/shear-destruction where Feldstein notes that “From habitat degradation caused by grazing sheep to the chemicals used in scouring, the entire process of rearing sheep and turning shorn wool into usable fiber is riddled with threats to wildlife.” The extensive report has creative and beautiful artwork by Ari Liloan (as seen in the cover illustration I'm using).

You can find out more about the Center for Biological Diversity at https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like wild and domesticated sheep, and other animals we share the planet with.

GA Voter Rights & Access for November Election: Georgia Conservation Voters’ Director Brionte McCorkle

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 20:55:56 -0400

In support of eco-friendly candidates who are climate champions, Georgia Conservation Voters advocates for all citizens in GA to exercise their right to vote, with their "Democracy for All" initiative. In this 28-minute podcast, host Carrie Freeman interviews Brionte McCorkle, Executive Director or Georgia Conservation Voters about issues with voting in Georgia, how to make a plan to vote in this November 2022 election, and how her organization vets Georgia political candidates to decide on whom to endorse each election cycle. You can see their endorsed candidate list along with who is on your own ballot at https://www.gcvoters.org/endorsements/ This helps you make a plan to vote by November 8th and get informed on who has environmental platforms and eco-friendly voting records.

Voters in GA can also see their ballot and check on polling locations in their county by going to the GA Secretary of State's election website https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/ (early voting ends Nov. 4th)

Take care of yourself and others, including other species (and keep them in mind when you vote).

State of the World’s Birds and How to Prevent Further Species Declines: A Birdlife International Report

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 11:36:06 -0400

Lead report author Lucy Haskell explains BirdLife International’s State of the World’s Birds 2022 report (it comes out every 4 years), finding that nearly half of the world’s bird species are in decline, painting the most concerning picture yet for the natural world, But it also identifies all the many human-caused drivers of species loss and the critical solutions we desperately need to save nature if we can urgently garner the political will and financial commitment from decision-makers to implement these solutions at scale and pace. This depends on which politicians we elect into office in the next decade and if they make environmental protection, including climate change, a priority. We particularly discuss agricultural and fishing solutions and logging and deforestation solutions to protect bird species and their habitats and note how conservation efforts over the decades have helped reduce the number of birds that have gone extinct, so we know what works. We just need to make these solutions a political priority.

This comprehensive report can be found at the website https://www.birdlife.org/ It’s got such beautiful images and so many charts and maps and infographics to make it easy to stay engaged and recognize core findings and see how everything fits together. I think Kids can engage with the report too as they must be part of the solution.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50-year old independent progressive Atlanta radio station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species -- like birds!

AgroEcological & Veganic Farming as a Path to Regenerative Food Systems with Eugene Cooke

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 20:00:58 -0400

Food justice activist and veganic farmer Eugene Cooke shares an aspirational vision for why he practices agro-ecology in urban ag at Grow Where You Are farms around Atlanta and how this can be scaled up for widespread regenerative agricultural practices that the U.S. needs to stay viable and sustainable to feed our human population and nurture our soil naturally not chemically. In this 25-minute podcast (from Sept 2022), Eugene shares his unconventional roots from artist to farmer and what it's like to share his biodiverse Atlanta veganic crop farms with wildlife (not domesticating or farming any animals) and how they use composted food and yard scraps to generate compost fertilizers without all the slaughterhouse or antibiotic and chemical remnants in animal-based fertilizers. He and his farming partner Nicole then share their organic bounty with local folks (like at the Freedom Farmer's Market at the Carter Center each Saturday morning). Host Carrie Freeman is one of those nourished market customers enjoying their produce weekly (then composting the food scraps to make fertilizer to grow more food, via CompostNow). Eugene Cooke encourages us consumers to be part of this sustainable food transition by starting to eat more fresh foods/produce from regenerative agriculture producers, more so than eating processed commercial foods from big commodity monocrops. Check out his videos at https://www.growwhereyouare.farm/ or https://www.patreon.com/growwhereyouare

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Working in Cooperation (rather than Competition) with Nature: Interview with ”Sweet in Tooth & Claw” award-winning author

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 16:13:03 -0400

An interview with Kristin Ohlson, author of "Sweet in Tooth & Claw," showcasing examples of how nature (including we human animals) thrive on cooperation and mutual aid between species, rather than focusing on the competitive or violent elements in nature that prompt us to try to tame and control species (and douse them with chemicals). The book “Sweet in Tooth and Claw: Stories of Generosity and Cooperation in the Natural World” shows how when we look deeper and embrace the complex interdependent communities all over our planet, we can all reap mutual rewards, much more so than when we see ourselves as needing to simplify, contain, and control species (in isolation).

In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews award-winning author and journalist Kristin Ohlson in this 24-minute uplifting podcast, talking trees, bees, birds, fungi, and coffee beans.

The 400-page coffee-table book by Patagonia is printed on 100% recycled, chlorine-free paper and is filled with gorgeous color photos.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species. (that's my motto and the theme of the book)

Coyote Killing Contests: Transcending urban rural differences in debates over bans, with Dr. Debra Merskin

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 18:13:47 -0400

Communication Professor Dr. Debra Merskin discusses her study of arguments for and against a ban on Oregon's coyote killing contests, including her recommendations for animal advocates to use approaches that are more likely to resonate with the rural residents arguing to keep the killing contests (although, other rural residents and some hunters also believe these killing contests should be banned). This 27-minute interview, hosted by Carrie Freeman for "In Tune to Nature," from August 2022, is broad enough to be applicable to any state's efforts to ban wildlife killing contests in considering various people's worldviews on animals, government, and independence. You can read Dr. Merskin's full study in the international open-access scholarly journal Journalism & Media at https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/3/2/22/htm

Project Coyote is a good resource for those looking for wildlife advocacy strategies that have worked. Their website is https://projectcoyote.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Photo credit of coyote killing contest: Humane Society of the U.S.

Saving the Georgia Coast: Paul Bolster Tells a Political Success Story for Wilderness Protection

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 23:00:08 -0400

From Cumberland Island up through Tybee Island, the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act of 1970 is the reason the Georgia coast is largely a protected natural marshland and not a polluted, exploited, and/or commercialized tourist trap. Historian & former GA congressperson Dr. Paul Bolster discusses the political lessons of getting this marshland protection act passed, as explored in his award-winning new book: “Saving the Georgia Coast: A political history of the coastal marshlands protection act" (UGA Press). In this 26-minute interview with host Carrie Freeman, Dr. Bolster also discusses issues affecting the Georgia coast today and how the political lessons of the 1970s could create bipartisan support for environmental protection today. https://www.paulbolster.com/

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Misuse of Land for Cattle Grazing: Transitioning to Sustainable Ag to Feed a Growing Population

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 22:05:22 -0400

The large proportion of agricultural land (the majority) allocated for grazing of farmed animals doesn't equate to a large amount of nutrients/calories produced and is thus a misuse of land that could be re-wilded or used to grow nutrient dense crops. Host Carrie Freeman interviews Dr. Jennifer Molidor, Senior Food Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity to discuss how we can move toward more sustainable agriculture that allows for less grazing and feed crops, and more precious space designated to wildlife thriving and forests regenerating. This more efficient and smart use of land for organic plant based ag can increase food production necessary to nutritiously feed a growing human population. She discusses the https://grazingfacts.com/ website and its section on land use issues https://grazingfacts.com/land-use (see land map there) as well as how governments can help us make this sustainable agriculture transition that is needed.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

”Eating animals is biting us back”: News Coverage of Pandemic Prevention to Reduce Future Zoonotic Diseases

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 18:17:59 -0400

Is the news helping us prevent future zoonotic disease pandemics by facilitating needed policy changes in animal and eco protection (namely the wildlife trade/hunting and agribusiness)? In Tune to Nature radio host and researcher Dr. Carrie Freeman, a professor of communication, shares her recent study in this 31-minute podcast analyzing the pandemic prevention solutions covered in the last 2.5 years of global news coverage of zoonotic disease and its relationship to meat (from wild animals hunted or domesticated animals farmed). She discusses findings and interesting quotes from the news stories and her recommendations of how the news media could cover this topic further (it dropped off the radar since spring of 2020) and help urge societies to curb risks they know are catalysts for pandemics (deforestation, hunting, farming, and trading in animal bodies), and cover solutions such as fostering plant-based foods as replacements and new livelihood practices for those affected by needed changes to business as usual with animals.

Experts predict it's not a matter of if but when we get hit with another pandemic that likely could be deadlier than covid (such as avian influenza/ bird flu). What have we changed in our interactions with other animal species and nature to prevent this? For more information, check out an interesting documentary on this topic: End of Medicine.

In Tune to Nature is a weekly show airing on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta indie station WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) 89.3FM hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please consider donating to support this 50 year old independent progressive media station at www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Image of factory farmed birds is from Getty Images in a recent story on the first American to contract Avian Influenza this spring in this latest bird flu outbreak. https://www.everydayhealth.com/bird-flu/us-reports-its-first-human-case-of-bird-flu/

Animal Farming Whistleblower Vet Dr. Alice Brough on Pandemic Prevention and ”The End of Medicine” as we know it

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 12:16:03 -0400

This 25-minute interview features the whistleblower from The End of Medicine documentary (on Apple TV and itunes), former pig farm industry veterinarian Dr. Alice Brough in the UK who shares why she quit trying to reform animal ag from within, given its immense systemic problems with animal welfare, public health and antibiotic resistance, environmental racism, and environmental pollution and destruction. As a vegan, she now advocates for animal rights, human rights and public health, and environmentalism, and is pressuring the UK government to make policy changes to prevent future pandemics and continued antimicrobial resistance caused by animal agribusiness practices. https://www.scrapfactoryfarming.org/

Dr. Brough's story is featured prominently in the new documentary The End of Medicine @theEndofMedicine, along with other experts on health and environmental and human rights issues caused by the raising and eating of animals for food. In the podcast and in the film, it discusses systemic solutions that can save lives and medicine as we know it. https://lockwoodfilm.com/unbound

This podcast is an episode of a weekly radio program on Radio Free Georgia (wrfg.org) (airing Wednesdays at 6:30pm EST-Atlanta) called In Tune to Nature, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and/or Melody Paris. If you appreciate the publication of these important topics, please support independent, non-commercial progressive media like Radio Free Georgia www.wrfg.org

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Preventing Pandemics & Mistreatment of Animals via the Convention on Animal Protection, a global treaty (interview with Dr. Raj Reddy)

Mon, 09 May 2022 18:06:42 -0400

Law professor Dr. Raj Reddy explains an important new global treaty for animal welfare and pandemic prevention called “Convention on Animal Protection” found at https://www.conventiononanimalprotection.org/ This is a first draft of a treaty prepared by Lawyers for the Convention on Animal Protection, following the passage of a resolution on animal protection by the American Bar Association House of Delegates in February 2021 which “urges all nations to negotiate an international convention for the protection of animals that establishes standards for the proper care and treatment of all animals to protect public health, the environment, and animal well-being.”

In this 26-minute podcast, host of In Tune to Nature, Carrie Freeman, speaks with Raj Reddy, JD, PhD who directs the Global Animal Law and Animal Law Advanced Degree Programs at the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School in Oregon, USA. He discusses the purpose and need for the Convention on Animal Protection global treaty that nations and international bodies could ratify that guides animal welfare policies to better protect the interests of nonhuman animals, as well as humans (via public health) and our mutual life-preserving interests in environmental sustainability. We especially concentrate on the One Health concept and how the treaty addresses the holistic approach to preventing future pandemics (and zoonotic disease transmission) by dramatically improving our interactions with fellow animals in wild and domesticated settings. If we go back to business as usual in trading in and confining and eating nonhuman animals, we will continue to see more frequent and probably more virulent pandemics in human society. Now is the time to leverage the political will to act to set standards for how we relate to the nonhuman animal world. This Convention on Animal Protection is one way to get started, so please do promote it with your political leaders. Check it out at www.conventiononanimalprotection.org

In Tune to Nature is an eco and animal protection radio program hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and Melody Paris as part of Radio Free Georgia’s progressive indie media programming. It streams weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on www.wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and can also be subscribed to on streaming sites via podcasts and shared at https://cpfreeman.podbean.com/.

Please consider making a financial donation to support non-commercial, indie media with a mission at www.wrfg.org (40+ years strong).

Take care of yourself and others, including other species!

Bird Flu outbreak mass killing methods in industrial farms: An interview with Farm Sanctuary’s animal welfare expert

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:53:32 -0400

A highly pathogenic bird flu is causing the premature deaths of millions of birds in 2022, including wild birds but especially domesticated birds on industrial egg farms, since U.S. factory farms are conducting horrific mass killings of tens of millions of birds exposed to the virus. Unlike most news stories that focus on avian influenza from a human economic or agricultural perspective, we are going to talk about it from the perspective of those who are most affected and are suffering painful deaths – the birds themselves – and we will talk about the three main ways these grotesque mass killings are being conducted in the sheds, proving there is no way for large farms to protect individual animal welfare, especially not in crisis situations.

In this 27-minute podcast, "In Tune to Nature" Host Carrie Freeman interviews Lauri Torgerson-White, an animal welfare scientist and research director at the nonprofit Farm Sanctuary. https://www.farmsanctuary.org/ For over 35 years, Farm Sanctuary has fought the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through farmed animal rescue, education, and advocacy.

In Tune to Nature is a radio show on WRFG (Radio Free Georgia), an indie station in Atlanta for progressive issues, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, and Melody Paris, airing Wednesdays from 6:30-7pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta. Please support independent, noncommercial progressive radio like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/

Take care of yourself and others, including other species (like hens).

Photo Credit: Animal Outlook photo of egg laying hens in standard cages in U.S. egg farms.

Wild Animal Trapping Investigation by Born Free USA: Dr. Liz Tyson Exposes Cruel Reality and Calls for a Ban

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 13:54:13 -0400

We discuss an undercover investigation (in Iowa) of the wild animal trapping industry in the U.S., conducted by Born Free USA and the Humane Society of the U.S., where the investigator witnessed how animals are beaten to death, if not dead already, when found suffering in leghold traps or snares (with callous disregard and even joking), along with the role that government agencies like the DNR play in protecting (poorly regulating) this cruel and unnecessary practice (much of which is to steal and sell their fur). In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews Dr. Liz Tyson, Program Director of Born Free USA, about the investigation report and video, the legal issues, and how and why we can work to ban trapping, such as banning it in on public lands or in federal wildlife refuges (yes, despite being called a "refuge," animals are often hunted or trapped in these refuges). (23 minute podcast, free of adverts)

See the trapping report and video at https://www.bornfreeusa.org/campaigns/trapping/trappingexposed/

Action: Support the "Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act" https://www.bornfreeusa.org/action-center/rfcta2021/

https://www.bornfreeusa.org/trapfreetrails/ (wildlife refuge page).

Action: Tell the Dept of Interior to ban trapping on public lands https://bornfree.salsalabs.org/notrapping/index.html

This Born Free page on trapping has resources like the 2017 report that grades each state on their trapping policies, so you can work locally to protect animals. https://www.bornfreeusa.org/campaigns/trapping/resources/

The photo is a still shot from the Born Free investigation of a trapper about to club to death a raccoon who got stuck in his leg hold trap. There is no humane or quick death for anyone crushed in these traps and snares.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Women’s Earth & Climate Action Network: An interview with founder Osprey Orielle Lake

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 18:45:00 -0400

Women, especially women of color, are highly impacted by the climate crisis and the fossil fuel industry and also are leaders (and increasingly should be) in promoting a clean energy transition and healthy communities. Osprey Orielle Lake discusses the nonprofit she founded and directs -- WECAN -- Women's Earth & Climate Action Network International in this 25-minute podcast recorded in March 2022 (for Women's Herstory Month) for "In Tune to Nature" radio show, with host Carrie Freeman. https://www.wecaninternational.org/

In addition to answering questions about 'why focus on women?' and 'what is your vision for climate solutions?' Osprey also shared some results of WECAN's latest report Gendered and Racial Impacts of the Fossil Fuel Industry in North America and Complicit Financial Institutions: A Call to Action for the Health of our Communities and Nature in the Climate Crisis. The report can be found here;

https://www.wecaninternational.org/2021-divestment-report

“In Tune to Nature" broadcasts every Wednesday at 6:30pm Eastern Time online at www.wrfg.org and on Atlanta radio station 89.3FM. It is hosted by either Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. The views and opinions expressed on this show do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers. We hosts are volunteers.

Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Photo credit: WECAN

Cattle Grazing on Public Lands: We all Pay as Ecosystems & Wildlife Suffer

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 23:40:44 -0500

Chris Bugbee, SW Conservation Advocate of the Center for Biological Diversity, discusses the ecological problems with cheap permits allowing cattle grazing across so many millions of acres of public lands in the U.S. West -- the largest commercial use of public lands. This is especially damaging in riparian zones along rivers, reducing biodiversity and threatening the other animals and plants who live there. We discuss how government land management agencies are not fulfilling a responsibility to serve public and conservation interests as long as they continue catering to ranchers' economic interests (equating to a long-time taxpayer subsidy of the beef industry). We end by discussing some recent victories of The Center for Biological Diversity in its efforts to fight this destructive ranching practice. Host Carrie Freeman interviewed Chris Bugbee in February of 2022 (24 minutes). https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Photo credit: Greg Shine/BLM

”Like an Animal” Dehumanization & Speciesism in Immigration Discourse: Interview with Dr. Natalie Khazaal

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:32:41 -0500

This provocative discussion on Dr. Khazaal's book "Like an Animal" explores the intersection of immigration, discrimination, the problematic human/animal divide, and speciesism, within the context of advancing a mutual concern for human rights and nonhuman animal rights. In this 27-minute podcast, "In Tune to Nature" host Carrie Freeman interviews Dr. Natalie Khazaal, Assistant Professor in the School of Modern Languages at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), discussing the book she co-edited with Spanish scholar Nuria Almiron, called “Like an Animal: Critical Animal Studies Perspectives on Borders, Displacement, and Othering” (Brill 2021).

Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia.

Remember to take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Humanity‘s Quest for Immortality Triggering Denial of Animality: An Interview with Dr. Lori Marino

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 19:45:53 -0500

Based on humanity's subconscious anxiety at admitting we are mortal animals, we seek immortality through a denial of death and our animality. Dr. Lori Marino discusses this topic in her research paper with Michael Mountain on terror management theory explaining studies showing that human recognition of our animality and our mortality (as fellow vulnerable creatures) makes us prone to creating out-groups and discriminating against them, particularly nonhuman animals (as a survival mechanism of sorts). Host Carrie Freeman discusses with Dr. Marino the implications these research findings have for how we should proceed in protecting animals from this discriminatory bias caused by humanity's psychological self-protective need to exalt ourselves above other animal species, leading to exploitation.

Neuroscientist and former Emory Professor Lori Marino, PhD is the Founder and Executive Director of the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. https://www.kimmela.org/ A link to her co-authored study can be found here: https://www.kimmela.org/2021/11/26/i-am-not-an-animal-kimmela-white-paper/

This 26-minute interview was recorded in December of 2021 for Radio Free Georgia’s “In Tune to Nature” program. The show airs every Wednesday from 6:30-7pm EST on Atlanta radio station 89.3FM and https://wrfg.org/ (please go to that website to support this indie progressive radio station with a donation. Thanks)

Take care of yourself and others, including other species.

Forecasting nightly bird migrations to go Lights Out to save lives: Julia Wang of Birdcast

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 22:08:27 -0500

Did you know that birds tend to migrate at night, and light pollution from our homes and buildings can mess up their navigation and cause deadly collisions? Birdcast.info is a website and a research/outreach project that has maps that forecast bird migrations across North America, which are especially prevalent in spring and fall. In this 25-minute interview, host Carrie Freeman talks with Project Leader Julia Wang of Birdcast as she explains how we can reduce light pollution across our cities to save the lives of birds, reducing their needless suffering and species loss. Let's go lights out after 11pm in homes and commercial buildings and put our outdoor lights on timers.

In Tune to Nature airs every Wednesday from 6:30-7pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta on Radio Free Georgia. It is hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please support non-commercial indie media like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/ Subscribe to In Tune to Nature on major streaming sites.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species -- like birds!

Wildlife Corridors Connecting Yellowstone USA to Yukon Canada: Y2Y with Hannah Rasker

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 13:08:16 -0400

North America’s animals can’t be restricted to living within park boundaries and must migrate freely. The vision of Y2Y is an interconnected system of wild lands and waters stretching 2,000 miles from Yellowstone National Park in Montana to the Yukon region near Alaska in Northern British Columbia, Canada. The nonprofit’s U.S. Program and Adaptive Management Coordinator, Hannah Rasker, explains how the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) works with a network of partners, collaboratively, to knit this landscape together from one jurisdiction to the next. Their website is https://y2y.net/

In this 23-minute this interview in October 2021 with “In Tune to Nature” host Carrie Freeman, Hannah explains how wildlife corridors out west benefit species like grizzlies and wolves and elk, especially the highway overpasses and underpasses that are being built to funnel wildlife into safe crossing zones to traverse highways without deadly vehicle collisions. We discuss ways we can make these wildlife crossing bridges a priority across all regions.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species!

An ecofeminist take on interspecies justice and animal law with rhetoric scholar Dr. Marek Muller

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 22:05:17 -0400

We talk about interspecies justice, animal rights, personhood, and earth jurisprudence from a legal and ecofeminist perspective, putting animal rights in context of intersectional social justice activism, with guest Dr. S. Marek Muller, Associate Professor of Rhetoric at Florida Atlantic Univ and author of the book “Impersonating Animals: Rhetoric, Ecofeminism, and Animal Rights Law” (Michigan State Univ Press). She ends by describing how a critical vegan rhetoric can be a transformative and inclusive communicative perspective to advance interspecies justice (for all of us).

This 33-minute podcast was recorded in Sept 2021 and is hosted by Carrie Freeman, for the In Tune to Nature eco radio program airing Wednesday nights from 6:30-7pm EST on Radio Free Georgia (wrfg.org 89.3FM-Atlanta, an indie, non-commercial, progressive radio station). Hosted by Carrie, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris.

We are Human and So Much More: An Interview with ”Four Fifths a Grizzly” Author Doug Chadwick

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 19:01:40 -0400

Wildlife biologist and journalist Doug Chadwick talks with host Carrie Freeman about his latest conservation book “Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just might Save us All" promoting the genealogical kinship we have with fellow animals and even plants and microbes. This beautiful book (part photo book, part nonfiction natural science book, part biographical storytelling book) helps us gain a perspective as part of the animal kingdom and natural world in the hopes we might work harder to save animals and their habitats from extinction. "Four Fifths a Grizzly" shares positive examples such as the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative that connects many wilderness regions to allow needed migrations for many species, including grizzly bears (the book's inspiration).

This 26 minute podcast is hosted by Carrie Freeman for Radio Free Georgia's In Tune to Nature program, which is broadcast each Wednesday from 6:30-7pm EST on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streams live on wrfg.org (hosted by Carrie, Sonia Swartz or Melody Paris). Please consider supporting this indie, noncommercial progressive radio station at www.wrfg.org Many of the "In Tune to Nature" podcasts hosted by Carrie can be found at https://cpfreeman.podbean.com/

For more information on Doug Chadwick's book and his interesting bio, see the Patagonia book publisher website.

Animal Photojournalism -- Telling Stories of Captive Animals: Jo-Anne McArthur of We Animals Media

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 23:56:33 -0400

Award-winning animal photojournalism pioneer Jo-Anne McArthur of We Animals Media tells us about the growing field of courageous animal photojournalists worldwide who visually tell the stories of nonhuman animals, by specializing in animal protection issues and undercover investigations of captive animals -- like in farms, zoos, aquariums, markets, and labs. You can see and use some of these compelling images on the We Animals stock photo archive https://stock.weanimalsmedia.org/

We Animals Media is a nonprofit open to donations. https://weanimalsmedia.org/ They have books and a master class for those interested in the field of animal photojournalism.

This 26-minute "In Tune to Nature" podcast features host Carrie Freeman, and was originally broadcast on Sept 8th, 2021 on Radio Free Georgia. In Tune to Nature airs every Wed at 6:30-7pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta. Hosted by volunteers Sonia Swartz, Melody Paris, or Carrie Freeman.

Please support nonprofit independent radio like Radio Free Georgia at https://wrfg.org/

Meat Industry PR Climate Greenwashing: An Investigative Report by Caroline Christen

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:37:56 -0400

An investigation by the DeSmog Blog team & journalist Caroline Christen explains how giant meat companies "climate-wash" -- misinform the public and politicians to avoid being held accountable for their large contributions to the climate crisis. Caroline outlines misleading tactics from the meat industry playbook meant to delay a needed shift away from animal-based foods. In this 25-minute interview, Carrie Freeman (host of "In Tune to Nature") interviews journalist Caroline Christen, author of "Investigation: How the Meat Industry is Climate-Washing its Polluting Business Model"

Photo credit: Cows outside of a JBS slaughterhouse in Texas. By Jonathan Tilove / American-Statesman

You can find Caroline's full article at the DeSmog Blog: https://www.desmog.com/2021/07/18/investigation-meat-industry-greenwash-climatewash/ Along with more data on the investigation, including a database of profiles on individual ag companies https://www.desmog.com/agribusiness-database-/ and a factsheet of criticisms and concerns about meat / beef industry climate claims https://www.desmog.com/2021/07/18/meat-industry-climate-claims-criticisms-and-concerns/

In Tune to Nature is a radio program on WRFG.org (Radio Free Georgia), airing each Wednesday from 6:30-7pm EST in Atlanta on 89.3FM, hosted by either Sonia Swartz, Melody Paris, or Carrie Freeman. Like us at www.facebook.com/intunetonature

Please consider donating to support this independent nonprofit radio station at www.wrfg.org Thank you.

A Boy's Fight to Free Two Bears from Zoo Captivity: Justin Barker Describes his Teen Activism in Bear Boy

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 17:13:53 -0400

Author and animal activist Justin Barker shares his inspiring, true, coming-of-age, queer teen heroism story in "Bear Boy" (www.bearboy.org) of liberating Ursula and Brutus, two black bears languishing in a cage at a zoo in California in the 1990s. Through commitment and perseverance, he investigated and documented their conditions, garnered media attention, raised rescue funds across the nation, and held public officials accountable, to ultimately get this brother and sister bear pair moved to a sanctuary to spend their remaining years getting the help and care they needed and deserved.

In this 24-minute "In Tune to Nature" podcast, host Carrie Freeman interviews Justin Barker to tell us his teen activism success story and give us tips on how we can stand up for animals in our communities too. https://cpfreeman.podbean.com/

In Tune to Nature is an eco and animal protection radio show that airs every Wednesday at 6:30pm on Atlanta indie station Radio Free Georgia wrg.org on 89.3FM-Atlanta. Please financially support and listen to independent noncommercial media like Radio Free Georgia. https://wrfg.org/

Natural History & Conservation of Rabbit Species: Interview with author Mark Hawthorne "The Way of the Rabbit"

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 17:00:53 -0400

Bunnies span the globe and may be in our yards or on our laps (and hopefully not on our plates). Author Mark Hawthorne explores the natural and cultural history of rabbits (a favorite animal companion of his) and ways to support them. In Tune to Nature host Carrie Freeman interviews Mark, a long time animal advocate and author, in this 25 minute podcast about his new book "The Way of the Rabbit" (2021, Changemakers Books). His website is www.markhawthorne.com

The "In Tune to Nature" radio show airs each Wednesday at 6:30pm EST on wrfg.org and 89.3FM-Atlanta radio, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris. Please support independent, non-commercial media like Radio Free Georgia at www.wrfg.org Find and subscribe to the "In Tune to Nature" podcast on all major streaming sites. 2 to 3 new episodes posted monthly.

Super Fly: Flies as Pollinators & Recyclers with author & biologist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:02:43 -0400

In this interview, biologist and animal advocate Dr. Balcombe helps us appreciate an ecologically beneficial group of animals who are buzzing all around us but whom we mostly ignore, malign, or swat away -- flies -- the topic of his new book “Superfly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects" (Penguin Press, 2021). For this "In Tune to Nature" show, host Carrie Freeman asks Dr. Balcombe to focus on the vital role of flies as pollinators of flowers and food crops (including chocolate!), and as waste disposers, composters, and recyclers (they literally clean up everyone's sh*t) so that we better appreciate them and don't just view them as "pests" (from fruit flies, to house flies, to blow flies, even to mosquitos and midges). We end with ways to protect the important insect population in decline by avoiding insecticide poisons.

Learn more about award winning author Dr. Balcombe and his efforts to protect animals and help us understand animal sentience at www.jonathan-balcombe.com

The In Tune to Nature show airs each Wednesday 6:30-7pm EST, hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris, on 89.3FM WRFG (Radio Free Georgia). Please support independent, noncommercial, progressive media like Radio Free Georgia www.wrfg.org

Wildlife as Property Owners: Legal Scholar Karen Bradshaw Proposes a New Conception of Animal Rights

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:53:51 -0400

Law Professor Karen Bradshaw (Arizona State U) discusses the innovative biodiversity solution from her book "Wildlife as Property Owners: A New Conception of Animal Rights" (Univ of Chicago Press, 2020). www.wildlifeaspropertyowners.com This challenges the current system where only certain humans or nations are owners of the entire world. As part of the In Tune to Nature radio show, host Carrie Freeman questions Professor Bradshaw about why animals in nature need to (deserve to) be owners of the property they inhabit, how that would work within our legal system, how this is influenced by postcolonial scholarship, and some examples on land and in the sea. If wildlife were granted some legal standing as owners of their territories, their interests would be more heavily considered by human owners, land trust guardians, and the courts, having benefits for nonhuman animals as individuals and as a species group (and likely for biodiversity as a whole, including human life). These solutions are especially important in an era of mass extinction.

This 25 minute interview was recorded in June 2021 for "In Tune to Nature" on Radio Free Georgia in Atlanta is hosted by Carrie Freeman and aired on 89.3FM-Atlanta on Wed. June 9, 2021 6:30pm EST (In Tune to Nature airs every Wednesday evening). You can donate to support this progressive, independent, non-commercial radio station at www.wrfg.org

How Biden Declaring Extinction a National Emergency Could Save Life on Earth: A Campaign of the Ctr for Biological Diversity

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:24:50 -0400

In this interview, scientist and Saving Life on Earth campaign director Tierra Curry explains plans that the Ctr for Biological Diversity outlined for U.S. governmental protection of lands and waters (30% by 2030 and 50% by 2050) if Pres. Biden declares global extinction a National Emergency and dedicates $100 billion toward protection efforts (including establishing new parks/reserves, combatting introduced species and illegal wildlife trading, strengthening the Endangered Species Act and who is protected, establishing wildlife corridors, protecting corals and tropical bird habitats worldwide, and avoiding routine practices that disturb and destroy plant and animal species on public lands). See the report and petition to Biden at SaveLifeonEarth.org

This 25 minute interview was recorded in April 2021 for "In Tune to Nature" on Radio Free Georgia in Atlanta is hosted by Carrie Freeman and aired on 89.3FM-Atlanta on Wed. April 28th, 2021 6:30pm EST (In Tune to Nature airs every Wednesday evening). You can donate to support this progressive, independent, non-commercial radio station at www.wrfg.org

No animal should be called "it": AP journalism guidelines discussion with media experts Deb Merskin & Ana Bradley

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 18:35:57 -0400

Media Professor Dr. Debra Merskin and Sentient Media Executive Director Ana Bradley discuss a campaign (started by In Defense of Animals and supported by Jane Goodall and others) to encourage the Associated Press to update its journalism style guidelines to use pronouns like "they," "she," "he," or "he or she" to describe an individual animal, rather than calling him or her "it" (a word only fitting for an inanimate object). In this 26-minute podcast, we discuss the impact of media messages about fellow animals on our treatment of them and ways we can encourage the media to do better. Debra Merskin and radio/podcast host Carrie Freeman are the co-founders of the www.animalsandmedia.org style guidelines for respectful animal representations in news, advertising, PR, TV, and film. It's a useful site to share with media professionals when you are giving them constructive feedback. To read news that takes fellow animals' into consideration as sentient beings, see Sentient Media -- an online news site that promotes respectful journalism stories about fellow animals and the role we play in each others' lives.

This In Tune to Nature episode originally aired on April 14th, 2021. In Tune to Nature is an eco-and-animal-friendly radio show that airs each Wednesday from 6:30-7pm on Radio Free Georgia at wrfg.org or in Atlanta on 89.3FM (hosted by Carrie Freeman, Sonia Swartz, or Melody Paris). Please consider making a financial contribution to support this indie, non-commercial radio station at wrfg.org.

Photo credit: Amy Jones / We Animals. From the Photo Essay Next in Line