Kristina Haddad is our Wonder Guide for episode six. If you’re looking for some motivation, passion and commitment when it comes to the preservation and celebration of wild places look no further! If you’re looking for someone thoroughly versed in environmental activism and justice, you’ve come to the right place!
Kristina is currently the program director at the environmental non-profit organization, 7th Generation Advisors. And while this job alone would be enough she also is an actor, teacher and life-long lover of nature.
Our conversation ranges from the big redwood trees of Northern California to her work to protect the Santa Monica Bay from pollution. We talk about her one person show, Save Sheldon, which follows the journey of an environmental activist and her attempt to save an ancient tree. http://www.kristinahaddad.net/about.html
We also take a deeper look at how environmental racism continues to harm and perpetuate disadvantaged communities, specifically people of color.
Kristina reminds us that we’re out of balance as a society in terms of our relationship to the environment (or her preferred term “nature”) but also shares specific actions we can take right now to preserve, protect and defend our planet.
In the Where Art Meets Nature segment, DJ Shark and I discuss the great Talking Heads song, Nothing But Flowers. Again, DJ Shark points out the magnificent subtleties of another song that has nature at its center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2twY8YQYDBE
DJ Shark's radio show can be found at http://www.alltimeisnow.com/All_Time_is_Now.html
In the There’s No Planet B segment Kristina and I look at two important non-profits doing magnificent work to empower communities and preserve forests. They are The Fund for Wild Nature and Sequoia Forest Keeper. http://fundwildnature.org/
http://www.sequoiaforestkeeper.org/home0.aspx
In the 3x3 Main Street Challenge we go to the glorious city of Juneau, Alaska. We start at the iconic restaurant The Hanger on the Wharf. https://www.hangaronthewharf.com/
3 minutes from there is the Mount Roberts Nature Center. https://www.stepintoalaska.com/about-us/mt-roberts-nature-center/
Less than 30 minutes away is the Mendenhall Glacier, https://www.alaska.org/detail/mendenhall-glacier-visitor-center
And if you get on the ferry in Juneau also known as the Alaska Marine Highway you can be in the great city of Haines and observe the thousands of American Bald Eagles there.
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/southeast/chilkatbep.htm