Culture and Coexistence into the Great Unknown
Joshua Tree is an ecological keystone of California deserts. Climate disruption threatens Joshua Tree National Park will no longer have Joshua trees. EcoJustice Radio talks with desert ecologist James Cornett about the future of our deserts in a warming world.
David Lamfrom, Director of the California Desert and Wildlife Programs from the National Parks Conservation Association, speaks on preserving the Mojave Desert and opposing the Cadiz Water Project aiming to mine and ship water through a pipeline and sell it to Southern California communities for more development.
“Severe grazing is absolutely essential to maintain biodiversity,” argues Allan Savory in a recent TED Talk. Of course, this is the opposite of scientific truth for the sensitive desert ecosystem. Advocating “holistic grazing,” Mr. Savory pieces together false assumptions to produce ineffective but popular recommendations on climate change.
Composer, dishwasher, hobo, fruit picker, sailor, microtonal theorist, instrument builder, writer, visual artist, philosopher, musicologist, iconoclast teacher Harry Partch was one of the first 20th Century composers to work with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit (43-tone) just intonation.
Cadiz Inc.’s potentially lucrative groundwater mining proposal for the Mojave Desert intends to water lawns and pools for suburban Southern California at the expense of taxpayers and ultimately the desert ecosystem. The company could realize $1 billion to $2 billion in revenue over the plan’s 50-year life. Opponents say public resources are being used for private profit.