Tag Archives: Community Development

Something’s in the Water

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Something's in the Water
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Editor’s note: We faced some technical difficulties with this recording, but the sound will level out after 1:07. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Ann Arbor and its 72 sister municipalities form the Huron River Watershed, meaning that every drop of water that falls in these locations makes its way back to the river one way or another. We share this water not only with our families, friends and neighbors, but also with our governments, businesses, and manufacturers. In sharing a common resource like water—the essence of life—it makes sense to have a rule book that outlines permissible and non-negotiable actions as well as provisions to guide the course of action in the event of foul play. Michigan water quality standards fill this niche. However, as regular hosts Aurora Aparicio, Bella Isaacs, and Heena Singh learned this week from guest expert Laura Rubin, our rule book does not always keep pace with the discoveries of contemporary science.

Continue reading Something’s in the Water →

Mayan Power and Light

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On Friday, hosts Ed, Bella, and Logan interviewed John Barrie and  Monika Goforth in an effort to “shed some light” on the inner machinations of the Mayan Power and Light Program (MPL). The MPL co-founders discuss the origins and motivations for creating the program, which include a desire to contribute to the green economy and create businesses within small communities in Guatemala. Breaks from the show feature Aurora and Tex’s top picks for solar-themed songs.

Want more information? Students who would like to get involved in these projects can volunteer to join them in Detroit or look into opportunities to travel to Guatemala with the team. Check out them out at apptechdesign.org. 

 

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All

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Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All
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Remember that edgy “out there” episode of Its Hot in Here where talented artists sang live tunes from the Tony Award winning musical Urinetown, while talented scientists talked to us about  research  on “peecycling” (or the recovery on nutrients from urine for use in agricultural fertilization?)  Along the way we considered infrastructure (including urinals!) in our greenways and parks, and how more art and science can be showcased in our public spaces.

Well,  they’re back. For the dead of winter spring break in our studios we welcomed the talent behind the  Penny Seats Theatre Company’s recent cabaret style show  Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.  Fresh from their sold out, critically acclaimed performances at the downtown pub Connor O Neill’s, we head from guests including cast members Lauren London and Roy Sexton, show director Laura Sagolla, and musical director Richard Alder.

Jacques Brel is a famous Belgian singer-songwriter who wrote his songs in French during the 1960s. Through his art he became extremely well-known in France, to the degree that the French recognize Brel the way Americans know Bob Dylan or JoniJacques_Brel_Is_Alive_Cast_Recording Mitchell. The show, originally produced in 1968 off broadway, is a revue of Jacques Brel’s music and explores the universal emotions of love, loss, fear, obsession, and hope. Brel’s work is laden with pathos, yet also lighthearted. Continue reading Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All →

Science and Social Conflicts in Climate Planning: The View from Ethiopia

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Science and Social Conflicts in Climate Planning: The View from Ethiopia
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This show brings lively conversation on the challenges of climate change planning, both in Ethiopia and across the diverse governance landscapes of East and North Africa. Tied  with the Gala case study on climate adaptation in Ethiopia  this podcast explores the complexity of crafting effective and equitable adaptation policy. Specifically, we ask how national adaptation plans are made? By and for whom? What are the decision-making criteria? And what could these criteria fail to account for? Bringing together legal, economic, anthropological, and environmental expertise, we take adaptation policy as the starting point for broad-ranging dialogue on climate change impacts, social conflict across ethno-linguistic groups, and national planning as a tool that can either address or worsen marginalization.

Continue reading Science and Social Conflicts in Climate Planning: The View from Ethiopia →

Mackinac Pipeline + Project in Gabon + IHIH Summer Vamping

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Mackinac Pipeline + Project in Gabon + IHIH Summer Vamping
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*Vamping is to repeat a short, simple passage of music until otherwise instructed.

In today’s show, we focus our chat on the Michigan Mackinac pipeline and recent SNRE grad Katie Browne’s experience on capacity-building projects in Gabon. In addition, we vamped about our favorite non-American foods and non-English languages, and shared a letter from Rebecca Hardin in Hyderabad, India about her sustainability-case teaching experience to scholars from around the world. Continue reading Mackinac Pipeline + Project in Gabon + IHIH Summer Vamping →

Growing Authentic Leaders from Communities Most Impacted by Environmental Injustice and Climate Change

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On this week’s show, our hosts Rebecca Hardin, Whitney Smith and Nicholas Bruscato discussed Growing Authentic Leaders from Communities Most Impacted by Environmental Injustice and Climate Change with the distinguished Dr. Robert Bullard – “The Father of Environmental Justice” and current Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. 
What is Environmental Justice?
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies (Environmental Protection Agency, 2015).
The Principles of Environmental Justice can be viewed here

Continue reading Growing Authentic Leaders from Communities Most Impacted by Environmental Injustice and Climate Change →

Ecotourism

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Today’s show features Jimmy Chin, renowned North Face team Climber and Photographer, Will Weber, Founder of Journeys International and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and Benjamin Morse, SNRE MSc. student (2016) and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

Continue reading Ecotourism →

Growing Hope

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Growing Hope, an Ypsilanti-based nonprofit, helps people improve their lives and communities through gardening and healthy food access.  Using a strengths-based approach, the Growing Hope team works to build peoples’ capacity to use community and school gardens as vehicles for positive social, economic, environmental and neighborhood change. They advocate for healthy food, manage an urban farmers’ market, and train youth and adults to make positive investments in their future.

…and they even take the show on the road with Clifford, the big red truck farm! Continue reading Growing Hope →

Urban Ecosystem Health

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Urban Ecosystem Health
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Ever wonder where all this newly melting snow is heading?  Whether it’s kosher to dump your paint down the drain? Or, whether there’s a toxic plumb of Dioxane 1,4 heading into the mighty Huron River?  Then listen in!

This week Evan Pratt, Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner, graces the WCBN studios with his water-related (and musical!) expertise.

And, we chair dance to Washtenaw’s own Hullabaloo!

Ann Arbor Soup + Food Recovery Network = Lunch for Your Ears

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Ann Arbor Soup + Food Recovery Network = Lunch for Your Ears
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On this show we talk about the community building power of crowd-sourcing, as well as the awesome work that students at the University of Michigan are doing to fight food waste.

Miranda Kahn and Izzy Morrison of Ann Arbor SOUP organize micro-granting dinners that bring people from around Ann Arbor together to celebrate and support positive projects in the area. For $5, attendees receive soup, salad, and a vote. The night features presentations by 4 organizations as well as live music. After presenters share their ideas and answer questions, everyone votes on who they believe should win the money gathered from the night. Ann Arbor SOUP was inspired by Detroit SOUP.

One of the organizations that Ann Arbor SOUP supported in 2013 is the University of Michigan chapter of the Food Recovery Network, which recovers surplus perishable food from campus dining halls and donates to Food Gatherers. Taylor Flowers and Hannah Gingerich of FRN talk to us about the impact of food waste, FRN’s accomplishments, and how they hope to grow in the future.