More Hip Than Hippie #194 - Conservation Conversation

Landowners can protect private property from development long after they're gone, using land trusts and conservation easements.

Did you know that about 2 million acres of land is being developed across the US every year? Listener Susan Armstrong works to conserve our open spaces for future generations. She unearths some great info about tools that landowners and concerned citizens can use to permanently protect private property. Also, Val's birthday draws near, and the Hipsters get a Brazilian!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: We love the beer-sipping bear on the label of Lang Creek Brewery's Huckleberry n' Honey Ale. So fruity and sweet, you could drink a pint with Boo Boo in Jellystone Park.

 

Chocolate: Our new favorite listener Michelle sent a care package of Jacques Torres chocolate bars. First up: Midnight Soul 80%, which asks the question, "Do you have the beans to eat this bar?" To which we reply, "We got yer beans RIGHT HERE!"

 

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Things! Even on a cloudy winter day, you can charge your favorite gadgets with the Solio Solar Charger. It's power on the go directly from the sun. Val never has to be deprived of her iPhone, Kindle or any other gizmo again!
• Pick a Present! We're giving stuff away at Greenfeet.com, where the annual holiday promotion is underway. Spend $75, pick a free gift worth up to $20!

 

Hip News

• Breathing is overrated. The EPA is about to weaken the Clean Air Act, making it easier to pollute the air near national parks and wilderness areas. If an appeal is filed, the incoming Obama administration could reverse the policy. Does this mean Bush is stuck between Barack and a barred place?

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Cleaning really sucks! Sprucing up the house for company? Reach the places in-between with a DIY extension for your vacuum cleaner. Just scrunch up one end of a wrapping paper roll or paper towel tube, insert it into the end of the vacuum's hose, and suck up those dust bunnies! (Recycle the tube when you're finished.)

 

Conservation Conversation

Did you know that about 2 million acres of land is being developed across the US every year? Hipster Susan Armstrong works to conserve our open spaces for future generations. She unearths some great info about tools that landowners and concerned citizens can use to permanently protect private property.

• Law of the land. Susan knows her stuff! She's an environmental attorney with Connemara Conservancy, a non-profit land trust in Texas.
• Wide open spaces. One of the biggest conservation organizations in the world is the Nature Conservancy. Established in 1951, they've protected more than 119 million acres of land.
• Ease into it. Landowners can manage their property into the future with a conservation easement. Many qualify for tax benefits.
• To Protect and Conserve. Who looks after the land when an easement is in place? Land trusts are the stewards of conserved property.
• Buffalo Stance. Billionaire Ted Turner is the largest private-property owner in America, and his goal is conservation. He's also crazy about bison burgers.

 

Green Gossip

• Arnold Schwarznegger helps L.A. terminate carbon dioxide. The Governator was on hand as the Staples Center unveiled its new rooftop solar array.
• Billie Joe Armstrong has a Green Day with (PRODUCT) Red. His custom designed Converse shoes are made with hemp and benefit charity.
• Madonna has a list of divorce demands which includes that the kids keep to a macrobiotic, vegetarian organic diet when they're with Guy Ritchie. OK, fine. But no TV, DVDs, magazines or newspapers? She scares the crap out of us!

Listener E-mails

Don't conserve your comments! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And remember to post articles, links and birthday wishes for Val at our MHTH forum!

• Liz in New York wonders if the bargains at Trader Joe'sare too good to be true. Happy Tofurkey Day to you too!
• Brian in Tennessee lets off some steam about the AirCar, which has been blowing in the wind for a while now.
• Meredyth in Texas finally asks the right people about hybrid car batteries and how they're recycled.
• Kristi in Minneapolis shares an article about the most eco-friendly car in America: the Honda Civic GX, which runs on compressed natural gas.
• Jessica found 2 great resources for the eco-friendly bibliophile: The Green Library and Greening Your Library.
• Rodrigo in San Francisco came here from Brazil, where he used this show to improve his English. Can you translate "teenie weenie greenie" without getting your ass kicked?

Show the world you're More Hip Than Hippie! Grab some merch for holiday gift-giving! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1.530.554.2605. Don't have Skype? Get it - it's free! More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.