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Good Dirt Radio toasts the earth – and itself

It’s true that every day should be Earth Day. My own personal and political beliefs fall on the far left; I’m far to the left of the naysayers of global warming and other causes deemed liberal, even if I do own a couple of Ted Nugent records and I have to cut my hair if it grows longer than a quarter inch.

The people behind a five-minute radio program heard on local public radio and other stations called “Good Dirt Radio” will be celebrating Earth Day on Saturday (the official day was Tuesday), along with celebrating 10 years of their program. “Who’s Your Mama” will be an afternoon affair with food and drinks, and informative displays on gardening the environment. Good Dirt Radio hosts Tom Bartels and Tami Graham will emcee the event.

Good Dirt was founded by Gary Lewin and a dedicated crew that wanted to make an audio program featuring environmental news. They have produced more than 100 programs that can be heard on more than a dozen radio stations in the West as well as by podcast. These five-minute shows provide glimpses into ideas and communities embracing positive environmental change; instead of “gloom-and-doom” stories about melting glaciers and global warming, the program is a discourse of ideas and practices that make sense in the present, while offering an upbeat impact on our environmental future.

“We presented an alternative to show positive examples that can allow people to get involved in their own communities and actually do something to turn this boat around,” said Tom Bartels, a Good Dirt Radio founder and one of the show’s hosts. “Otherwise, when people keep hearing about the scale of issues like climate change, they tend to think there’s nothing they can do as an individual to help out, and that’s not true.”

The event will also feature music from local bands The Cannondolls, Stillwater Jazz and Carute Roma.

The Cannondolls are an alternative country band led by Caitlin Cannon, featuring Cannon on guitar and vocals, Kate Willyard on glockenspiel and cahone, and Katie Dittelberger on vocals.

Stillwater Jazz is a quartet made up of three Stillwater faculty, featuring Evan Suiter, Mike Owens and Jeroen van Tyn and guest musician Marc Simon.

Carute Roma is a local gypsy band made up of Brian Arens on guitar and vocals, Alexii Carey on bass, Nicole Mosher on trumpet and vocals, Hannah Burnett on violin and vocals, David Sachs on drums, Lisa Sumi on accordion and Michael Rendon on violin and vocals.

While this event will be a lesson in your environment, the Carute Roma set can also prove informative because the band dips into a songbook of originals, as well as traditional Eastern European folk songs that date back hundreds of years.

Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.

Bryant’s Best

Saturday: “Who’s Your Mama” Earth Day Celebration with The Cannondolls, Stillwater Jazz, Carute Roma, 3 p.m. Admission is free; food and beverages available for purchase. Durango Discovery Museum, 1333 Camino del Rio, 759-9923.

Sunday: Pianist Adam Swanson senior recital with Jeff Solon and Jonathan Latta, 3 p.m. Free. Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 247-7657.



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