Earthgauge Radio

On Earthgauge Radio this week, we continue our discussion on the limitations of technology in solving environmental problems and we learn about Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. I have two interviews on the program today:

• Novelist and critic James Howard Kunstler talks about his latest book ‘Too Much Magic’ in which he argues that our faith in technology to solve our environmental problems is delusional and is preventing us from finding real solutions.
• Panel discussion on The Climate Reality Project with Candace Labelle, VP of Climate Reality Canada; Muni Ahlawat, the Program Officer with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on their Partners for Climate Protection program; and Charles Hodgson of Ecology Ottawa who produces the excellent blog climateottawa.ca.

Click the audio player above to stream the show or right click here to download.

I played the first part of an exclusive Earthgauge interview with James Kunstler on our last show and today I’ve got the second half of our discussion for you. Kunstler is well-known author and critic who has made his name in books such as The Geography of Nowhere and The Long Emergency, in which he has ranted against strip malls, fast food, and argued persuasively that the decline of cheap oil will bring an end to civilized life as we know it. In his latest book,  Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation, Kunstler takes aim at the idea that our technologically sophisticated civilization will come up with a solution to all the problems we face, from the end of cheap oil to the arrival of extreme climate change. We have part 2 of our discussion to kick off today’s show.

Full James Kunstler interview (right click here to download):

Later in the program, we have a live, in-studio panel discussion about climate change policy in Canada and The Climate Reality Project, which is the new name of Al Gore’s climate change training initiative. I speak with Candace Labelle, VP of Climate Reality Canada; Muni Ahlawat, the Program Officer with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on their Partners for Climate Protection program; and Charles Hodgson of Ecology Ottawa who produces the excellent blog climateottawa.ca.

As usual we catch up with with Ecology Ottawa about local environmental events and campaigns going on around town. You can find more information about these events on their website www.ecologyottawa.ca.

Earthgauge Radio is broadcast every Thursday at 7:00 AM on CKCU FM. Our Facebook address is facebook.com/EarthgaugeRadio and you can contact me at earthgaugeradio ‘at’ gmail.com if you have comments or suggestions for a future show. Podcasts on iTunes and the twitter handle is @earthgaugeCA so get in touch and let me know what you think about what you’re hearing!

Remember that the CKCU annual funding drive kicks off tomorrow but you can make your pre-pledge now by going to our website www.ckcufm.com and looking for the pre-pledge link. We’ve set an ambitious goal this year of $120,000 so we will really need your support this year. Remember CKCU is a listener supported campus-community radio station. One third of our lean operating budget depends on the generosity of listeners like you. And be sure to tune in to Earthgauge Radio next week as we’ll be broadcasting our special funding drive program. I’ve set a target of fundraising target of $1000 for this show so be sure to indicate Earthgauge as the show you want to support on your pre-pledge forms.