A Breath of Fresh Earth

Rick Friedman
  • 5.0 (13)
  • NATURE

A Breath of Fresh Earth explores the great things happening in the fight for a clean planet. During each episode I’ll give a shout-out to Climate heroes making a huge impact with new technologies and ideas. We’ll have our share of climate villains, too. I’ll tell you about new products available to purchase, who to follow on social media, reviews of environmentally themed movies, books, and songs, apps and websites, the air quality index and the current CO2 level. They’ll be exciting news about wind and solar energy, plant-based food, electronic vehicles, the fight against plastic in the ocean and much more. Best of all, I’ll give you easy steps to help in this battle and you won’t have to leave the comfort of your couch to do it!

  1. A Black Box for Civilization

    01/15/2022

    A Black Box for Civilization

    00:40-Mankind is building a Black Box to record our demise! 05:22-Dirty air in London 06:23- Recycling EV batteries is happening 10:08-Tallin, Estonia 11:45- Biden's first year 13:40-Musicians doing their part 16:30-Happy Birthday Greta! You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Check out my new book-Cody's Revenge and Other Stories Please consider supporting this podcast! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    21 min
  2. Top Climate Stories of 2021

    12/30/2021

    Top Climate Stories of 2021

    Top climate stories of 2021. Cop26, Nurdles and turtles, Gyres and fires, and much more! 0038-0120 Rain in Greenland 0122-0205 Flooding 0208-0255 Texas Freeze 0258-0403 Paris Agreement 0404-0450 Cop26 0451-0538 Hurrican Ida 0539-0610 Tornado 0612-0655 Heatwave 0659-0808 Drought 0813-1009 Hero 1014-1035 Turtles 1036-1117 Villain 1122-1211 5 Gyres 1212-1340 Nurdle Hunt 1343-1440 James Dyson Award Winners 1441-1751 Nikolai Vavilov You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    20 min
  3. Halloween Bombs Trains coming to your town!

    10/30/2021

    Halloween Bombs Trains coming to your town!

    LNG travels through Florida, Cop26, dying Manatees, Halley's comet, a French villain to rival Chevron and much more. Bomb Trains 01:20-04:40 Cop 26- 04:40-06:55 Climate Hero #1 06:59-09:01 Earthshot winners Climate Villain #1 09:15-09:50 Total Energy Climate Hero #2 09:53-10:50 Hertz buys EVs Footsteps on the wind 11:00-11:30 Climate Villain #2 11:40-14:05 Chevron Manatees are dying 14:07-15:36 Carbon footprint apps 15:37-16:28 Edmund Halley 16:30-18:50 You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    19 min
  4. The Earthshot Prize

    10/15/2021

    The Earthshot Prize

    15 finalists compete for a one-million pound prize. 5 winners grab the prestige and funding for their projects. Protect and restore nature 03:19-06:23 Clean our air 06:24-09:58 Revive our oceans 09:58-14:47 Build a waste-free world 14:48-18:48 Fix our climate 18:50-24:17 You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And grand-daughter Lily lives to the ripe old age of 93 and looks back with fondness at the strange but redemptive life of her grandfather for the things he later did... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    26 min
  5. There's Microplastic in my Baby's Poop!

    09/30/2021

    There's Microplastic in my Baby's Poop!

    Microplastic poop 00:45-04:43 Polar Bears 04:45-06:00 Potty training cows 06:02-07:50 Hero of the week 07:53-09:23 EV Chargers 09:25-12:50 Pipelines 12:52-14:12 Social Media 14:14-15:03 Bitcoin 15:05-20:24 Walter Monk 20:26-22:28 You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And grand-daughter Lily lives to the ripe old age of 93 and looks back with fondness at the strange but redemptive life of her grandfather for the things he later did to protect the environment, save the... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    24 min
  6. 5 Cities Fighting Back Against Air Pollution

    09/15/2021

    5 Cities Fighting Back Against Air Pollution

    Cities fight back 01:18-07:35 Hero of the week 07:37-08:51 Villain of the week 08:52-09:54 Social Media Minute 09:55-11:12 Loss of Habitat/Dragons11:13-14:17 Lagos, Nigeria 14:18-17:35 Oil Spill from Ida 17:36-19:18 Rain in Greenland 19:21-20:56 Refillery 20:57-22:05 Suki Manabe 22:07-24:30 You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL (https://books2read.com/u/38roQL) Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And grand-daughter Lily lives to the ripe old age of 93 and looks back with fondness at the strange but... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    26 min
  7. The Good News Episode!

    08/30/2021

    The Good News Episode!

    More trees for Korea 00:47-01:18 Alaska 01:23-3:26 Montreal/pesticides 03:29-4:13 Shell pays Nigeria 04:14-05:25 Electric Planes 05:30-06:31 Sunscreen in Thailand 06:33-7:41 Water out of thin air 07:43-08:46 Hair Force? 08:47-14:15 Doomsday game 14:16-16:21 Homes in Wales 16:23-17:11 The Keeling Curve Prize 17:12-18:43 David Schindler 18:46-20:27 You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And grand-daughter Lily lives to the ripe old age of 93 and looks back with fondness at the strange but Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    23 min
  8. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report

    08/15/2021

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report

    It's getting hotter and wetter, you won't need a sweater! You can reach me at rf@richardfriedman.net You can find my books here with the links to find your favorite retailer. Climate Fiction novels: Escape to Canamith https://books2read.com/u/bWP9y1 The Two Worlds of Billy Callahan https://books2read.com/u/mvnvLX Cli/Fi short stories- A Climate Carol and Other Cli-Fi Short Stories. Available in print or audiobook. https://books2read.com/u/38roQL Danny Bloom created the phrase “cli-fi” and founder of cli-fi.net. Here’s his review. Climate-themed anti-Trump short story 'A Climate Carol' will be read 100 years from now ''We must build arks,'' the Notre Dame University philosopher Roy Scranton urges, ''not just biological arks, to carry forward endangered genetic data, but also cultural arks, to carry forward endangered wisdom.'' One such cultural ark has already been built and it's a 14-page Christmas story from the pen of Richard Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio. In the title story, "A Climate Carol," based very closely on U.S. President Donald Trump's stubborn and selfish personality and his public denial of climate change, a narcissistic East Coast businessman and billionaire receives a visit on Christmas Eve from three Charles Dickens-like ghosts in a contemporary spin of that timeless classic from the 1840s "A Christmas Carol." Charles Dickens first published his now famous novella “A Christmas Carol” more than 170 years ago -- in 1843 — and that story has reverberated and resonated worldwide ever since. With the annual holiday season upon us all every November and December worldwide (Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas), a new kind of holiday story titled “A Climate Carol” has been published in 2019 and stands to remain in print for the next 100 years, if not longer. It's that good, and that important. In fact, I would say that this short story is the best and most important climate-themed short story to appear so far in the 21st century and is likely to remain popular over the next 100 Christmases for sure. When I read it online a few days ago, I was blown away by both the author’s storytelling skills and the environmental eco-theme of the 14-page piece. Let me tell you a few things about this modern Dickensian-style story and how it fits into the world we live in today, where runaway global warming threatens to push human civilization into a dark corner we may never get out from. However, before I go on, please know that “A Climate Carol” ends on an optimistic note, where ecumenical goodness triumphs over ''Trumpian greed'' and all ends well. In the story you will meet characters with names like Wilson Drummond (the proverbial '' Trumpian bad guy'' who later turns over a new leaf and becomes a champion of human kindness), his mother Gurtie Drummond, his limousine driver Sammie Johnson, and his employee Jericho Reese. And the star of the show, his grand-daughter Lily. You will also meet several important ghost-like characters, one who calls himself the Ghost of Climate Past, another who says they are the Ghost of the Current Climate in the world, and a third ghost who speaks in a chilling voice reminiscent of the horror movie actor Vincent Price and declares that he is the Ghost of Climate Future. In the end, we learn that the Scrooge-like Trump-like Drummond has mended his insensitive ways and become a better human being. He even later becomes President of the United States and turns out to represent all that is good about America. And grand-daughter Lily lives to the ripe old age of 93 and looks back with fondness at the strange but redemptive life of her grandfather for the things he later did to protect the environment, save the planet and give back to his workers what he earlier had taken from them: their self-worth. This little short story will have an annual impact during a special time of the calendar year, the long holiday season of family gatherings and children’s dreams. Read the... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    13 min
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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

A Breath of Fresh Earth explores the great things happening in the fight for a clean planet. During each episode I’ll give a shout-out to Climate heroes making a huge impact with new technologies and ideas. We’ll have our share of climate villains, too. I’ll tell you about new products available to purchase, who to follow on social media, reviews of environmentally themed movies, books, and songs, apps and websites, the air quality index and the current CO2 level. They’ll be exciting news about wind and solar energy, plant-based food, electronic vehicles, the fight against plastic in the ocean and much more. Best of all, I’ll give you easy steps to help in this battle and you won’t have to leave the comfort of your couch to do it!

Information

  • Creator
    Rick Friedman
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2022
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Rick Friedman
  • Show Website
    A Breath of Fresh Earth