Environmentally Speaking

This week we are talking about Wetlands, but specifically Wetlands reestablishment. If you’ve been with us for a while we did a basic overview of wetlands in episode 9 (click here to listen). Today however we want to focus more on Wetlands reestablishment, which is rebuilding something that was formerly a wetland but has been impacted to such an extent that it’s lost its functions and values. So w...

This weeks topic we are talking about the drought out in California. (insert eye roll we know). But why?  It started around the time Marisa was a freshman in college when her college professor stated "the root of all issues on this planet stem from overpopulation".  When we put pressure on resources that are shared by everyone, those resources start to become scarce.  So what does this have to do...

We have a very special episode for you this week! We have a very special guest, Zak Mertz, (a.k.a. Superfund Zak) who is the Executive Director of Bird's Eye Cape Wildlife Center, a part of the New England Wildlife Center. We are going to hear Zak's personal story, and cover a full range of wildlife topics. We cover squirrel season, climate change, weather patterns, the harrowing tale of an angry...

We start this week’s show off with a friendly Public Service Announcement…. Don’t put your recycling in plastic bags… Thank you.  O.K.!  Now the topic we are covering this week is Cross Examination.  Reason for this is, something that has happened recently at an administrative hearing and the decision the Providence superior court has made about it. But first, what it an Administrative hearing? An...

We start the show off recapping the last episode on Earth Day. Did you know Earth Day is our Second favorite day, next to our birthdays!  We get back on track and discuss a very interesting article about how big cats in California were being killed on the ten-line highways out there.  Sad story, however there is a twist! There has been talk of building overpass for Animal crossing over these big h...

This week we celebrate Earth Day.  Earth Day started on April 22nd, 1970, and created by Senator Gaylord Nelson. So in this episode we are going to discuss how Earth Day came into what it is today, what it is and it’s focus. We are also going to talk about how they spread the word back then when there wasn’t social media. Can you name some government organizations that might have been created from...

The month of April has been designated as Earth Month and we start the show off buy sharing an article we recently have seen about an activity that people are taking part in called… Plogging.  Plogging started in Sweden in 2016. plogging is a combination of jogging while picking up trash.  So next time you are out on your daily jog, pick up some trash and join the “plogging” movement. Now besides...

This week we start the show of on something positive, and share in the news of a company buying back old used furniture that you may have bought from them in the past.  This bit of news is short lived as we get into a serious topic this week the “Tragedy of Commons”.  Ever hear of it? Tragedy of the Commons is an old theory where the resources of the planet are shared by everyone and once you reco...

What is the Federal Endangered Species Act?  We are going to talk about how this Act works and what it protects.  Have you ever been seen signage or other infostructure that states humans cannot go into a particular area like a sand dune?  Well, that’s because that area is trying to protect something called a critical habitat for a particular species.  We get into more detail what that means and w...

This week we sit down with Narragansett Bay River Keeper, Kate McPherson.  We discuss the keeper program and Save the Bay, which is the organization that houses Narragansett Bay, Riverkeeper and it actually has three keepers.  So what does a River Keeper do?  Take a listen as Kate shares her background and how she got into the position of a River Keeper. Tune in and find out!

This week we are talking about Smart Growth. Sounds like something you add to your plants at home. No, not what we’re talking about.  Recently Clarice went to Ohio, and a few month ago Marisa took a trip to Montana. Both states are pretty wide open compared to what we see around Rhode Island.  What happens when all the land is gone?  You can grow outward any more, you have to grow up.  So the idea...

Little different kind of show this episode.  We got an interesting article from a listener and we put Marisa on the spot. There is a crane-topped vessel that sunk in the Providence River and has been there about four years.  So, some questions arise from this, who’s crane is it? Can it be removed? Who is now responsible for it and will it hurt the surrounding environment? State environmental offic...

This week's topic might just shock you a little bit, we are going to discuss renewable energy not necessarily being environmentally friendly.  WHAT!? This topic was sparked by the Super Bowl commercials that were played this year.  There was a clear overarching theme in all of the commercials.  Renewable energy for cars.  American Capitalism is making a huge push in the market for things like elec...

Attorney-Client Communication is crucial between parties.  What does that relationship look like?  What are you both getting yourselves into?  On this episode, hosts Marisa and Clarice dive into the context of attorney-client privilege, and the concept that communication between an attorney and their client is so sacrosanct that it requires an extra level of protection. Learn more about Desautel L...

So what is a carbon footprint? Almost every living thing on the planet creates emissions. In case you don’t know, methane and carbon emissions are a big issue for everyone on the planet because they result in greenhouse gas increases which then contribute to warming of the planet.  We are going to learn more about carbon footprints, where they come from and what you can do to reduce it.  Take a li...

This week is all about Discovery.  No, not the discovery of new land or things on the beach or in your woods, we are talking about things you can bring as evidence into court.

In this episode we are going to discuss, Land Use.  Marissa talks about a recent trip to Montana and how it got her thinking about how unfortunate it is that in this country, our development and land use policies don't seem to have a lot of forward thinking contained in them.  There is a battle between progress and conservation.  Take a listen to find out what we mean.

In this episode we are going to discuss the Seekonk River oil spill.  There has been two spills in this area over the past few months and we are going to discuss what happens is you have contaminated soil on a property, we will explain what a C-A-P is, (the environment remediation industry will put into place as an engineer to control for a contaminated site) and a little history about the site of...

This week we are going to discuss due process in the context of a municipal setting, but the concept of due process can apply, as well, to any government body, state, municipal, federal.  Without getting too much into the weeds here, there are two different types of due process considerations.  One is called procedural due process and the other is substantive due process.

Woolly Mammoth!  That got your attention didn’t it.  We start the show off by putting Marissa in the hot seat and after a few laughs, we dive in to this week’s topic of, questions you should ask when you're looking to hire an environmental or land use attorney.  Take a listen to the things you should be ask and were you should look when hiring an Environmental Attorney.

Aquaculture is a water-based farm in the sense of it’s like salmon farms or oysters or clams or, different types of fish.  It even extends out to types of seaweeds.  So it’s farming but it’s in the sea. The aquaculture industry is composed of folks that are looking to create farms that are water dependent to grow and then eventually harvest and sell on the open market.  Take a listen as we discuss...

This episode we are talking about witness testimony.  Tune in as we have some laughs with this one.  We discuss the different types of witness’s, who considered an expert, and we share a funny story that’s sure to make you smile.

On this episode, we are talking about stormwater Dischargers.  We are going to discuss some of the regulations, what is considered stormwater, where and how storm water is collected and the difference between a pervious and impervious surface.

The Rhode Island Open Meetings Act is aimed at making sure that government is operating appropriately. It dictates how public entities can meet, how they cannot meet, what they can talk about, how the agendas need to be noticed and certain deadlines and time frames.  Take a listen as we dive into more detail and give examples go the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act.

This week we are talking about how to become an Environmental Attorney.  We discuss some classes we have taken, things that helped get us through law school and some of the pros and cons to being an Environmental Attorney.