Water

Though born and raised elsewhere, Jerry Becker is now a de facto indigenous member of Oregon's Elk River watershed. The credo he lives by is Respect. He and his family have lived lightly "long before it was cool." An ecoforester, Jerry manages the woods sensitively with an eye to its wholeness. For the past thirty years he has worked with Friends of Elk River to protect wilderness regions in the watershed. In the last decade he formed the Elk River Land Trust, working with private landowners to protect agricultural and forest lands from development. Ripples of his gentle respectfulness permeate an entire watershed. (www.foer.org, www.erlt.org.) Episode 105.

In summer 2006 Judy Alexander embarked on an experiment to see how much food she could grow, and how many neighbors could benefit, from the garden around her house. Check out her homegrown rainwater collection and irrigation system -- watering her 60+ edible crops. Meet the bees, the chickens and the worms. And catch her joy in producing so much food for so little effort. Episode 87. Now with transcript.

Maude Barlow, National Chairperson, Council of Canadians (Ottawa, ON) - The Council of Canadians is Canada’s largest public advocacy organization. Barlow is also the co-founder of the Blue Planet Project, which is working internationally for the right to water. She serves on the boards of the International Forum on Globalization and Food and Water Watch, as well as being a Councillor with the Hamburg-based World Future Council. Maude is the recipient of six honorary doctorates, the 2005/2006 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship Award, and the 2005 Right Livelihood Award (known as the "Alternative Nobel") for her global water justice work. She is also the best-selling author or co-author of sixteen books, including Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop Corporate Theft of the World’s Water and the recently released Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water.

Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians believes water is the greatest ecological and human rights crisis of our time. Deconstructing Dinner recorded her speech in March 2008. We also hear from Farmer Percy Schmeiser and an exclusive interview recorded only moments after Monsanto paid him for the damages their genetically engineered canola inflicted upon his farm.

Els Cooperrider is an energetic lady. She co-founded the Mendocino Organic Network, which began an organic peer-certification service for local growers. Their Mendocino Renegade label means products are "beyond organic" and local. She also led Mendocino to become the first U.S. county to be GMO-free -- genetically-modified organisms cannot be grown there. Her eatery, Ukiah Brewing Co. & Restaurant, is America's first certified organic brew pub, which serves seasonal local ingredients. Episode 93.

If you enjoyed Sally Lovell's over-the-top treatise on her electric bike (episode 40), she's back, telling us other ways one person can make a difference - from fresh water to humanure. Her focus on water includes educating herself on where it comes from, effects of pollution and climate change, and conservation -- pressurized toilets, choice of washing machine, and ways to use that not-so-hot water while it's getting hot. As for humanure, listen in and find out! Episode 90.

Water is a precious resource we can't live without. Pat Pearson educates Olympic Peninsula citizens with a "Water Matters" campaign and "Shore Stewards" program for shoreline residents. New homeowners receive a "Welcome to Your Watershed" packet, while volunteers build rainbarrels to catch roof rainwater for gardens. Episode 80.

Tim Flannery, one of Australia's top scientists and author of The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change talks to Andi Hazelwood of Global Public Media about his suggested mitigations for climate change on the heels of the alarming new report from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Flannery also discusses Australia's drought and food crises, relocalization and Bjorn Lomborg's skeptical new book on global warming.

In this exclusive Global Public Media feature, Australian farmers, business people and drought bus workers tell GPM's Andi Hazelwood their stories of drought.

"The government assistance can get people through just on the bare necessities but how are we going to, as communities and farmers, rebuild once there is some rain? Is there going to hopefully be enough infrastructure to make sure those farms become viable again?" -Megan Gerrish, Mobile Drought Assistance Coordinator, Queensland, Australia

What are the common misconceptions about energy supplies? Nate Hagens is a former Wall Street investments manager and has an MBA from University of Chicago. He is completing his doctoral studies at the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics. Nate is also a contributor for The Oil Drum, an online source for news, analysis and discussions about energy and our future.