When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

So you want to change the world. We know the political and social structures that helped make that possible in the past are deaf and/or broken. So how can you begin to create effective change from where you are... with the resources you have available? Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how not to feel helpless and hopeless in a world that often feels overwhelming and dysfunctional.

After WWII the US Department of Defense decided it would be a good idea to refine Uranium for nuclear bombs in the small southern Ohio town of Piketon. Over the decades the released vast amounts of radioactive material into the region, elevating death rates to twice the national average, causing schools to be closed due to high radioactive measurements and resulting in more than $1 billion in worker's comp claims. Yet few people have heard of this... and they are planning to reopen and expand operations. Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Pat Marida of the Ohio Nuclear Free Network to discuss the history of this plant and an upcoming forum to be held in Piketon to address the past and future issues this plant is imposing upon the region.

Appalachia is a region that seems perpetually stuck in recession, followed by depression, followed by recession. What are some of the causes of this chronic cycle of poverty and how can the region emerge economically. Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Natalia Rudiak of Reimagine Appalachia and Ted Boettner of the Ohio River Valley Institute for a discussion of these and other issues that face the region.

According to a United Nation's study, the planet has only about 60 years of soil left. The nutrients in our soil have been so depleted that today you must eat 8 oranges to get the same vitamins that your grandparents got by eating just one. So what are the issues and what can we do about them? Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Heather Kabler and Chitra Iyer of the Isha Foundation to discuss the Save Soil Movement and what is being done to raise awareness of this critical issue.

Cooking with the sun. Not only is it a practical solution to deforestation in third-world nations, keeping smoke and ash out of poorly ventilated buildings and causing women to risk their health and safety by walking miles for fire wood – but is also a great alternative here at home as well. Join perhaps the nation's leading expert on solar cookers, Luther Krueger, as he discusses the art and science behind solar cookers with Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station.

As the song goes... "we all want to change the world..." but how to go about it? The old tropes, call your congressman, write a letter, protest... it just seems that absolutely no one in power is listening. So how can we, each of us, change our little part of the world. Join Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how to make "good trouble."

In case you hadn't noticed, the climate is changing and plants are dying. How can homesteaders cope with extreme weather events and a changing ecology. Well, one way is to create an environment for their garden that they can control to a certain extent. This is where high tunnels come in. A high tunnel, or hoop house is a greenhouse like structure where plants can be cultivated and raised under more controlled conditions. Join Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion on their experience with high tunnels, building it, the grant process with the government, and plans for how they intend to use it in the future.

The world is teetering on the edge of disaster. The Great Depression – the Cold War – 9-11 – Katrina – the 2008 Economic Meltdown – Covid... Doesn't it make sense to build yourself a bunker, stock it with beans and ammunition, and wait out the Zombie Apocalypse? Is that what it means to be a “prepper.” Or is it just a common sense approach to have the skills and supplies on hand to deal with whatever emergency may come your way? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they discuss the realities of living a sustainable life.

Huge amounts of money have been allocated by the government under the Infrastructure Law as well as the Inflation Reduction Act. So how do local recipients ensure that the funds actually benefit the local community – and not just provide wages for out-of-town workers who swoop in to build a project and then move on to follow the money? Community Benefit Agreements are one tool to make sure these funds are equitably distributed. Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Natalia Rudiak of ReImagine Appalachia in a discussion of how the region can “win the win” when these funds are allocated.

s amazing as it might seem, there is a move by some corporations (and of course the government is enacting laws to support them) to prohibit customers from repairing the products they buy – forcing them to buy new things when the old may only need a bit of upkeep. And some groups are fighting back. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station in a discussion of the issues and implications of corporations trying to take away your right to repair.

Solar is already the cheapest form of energy available – bar none. And the government, through a number of recent incentive programs, has just put it on sale. You almost cannot afford NOT to put solar on your home or business. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station in a discussion of the various tax credits and grants that are now available to make solar even more affordable and will lead to an amazing energy transition.

It seems that the Appalachian region is always in a state of recession. When times are good nationwide – nothing seems to change in Appalachia. When the nation is struggling, Appalachia feels it first and longest. Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Natalia Rudiak, special projects director at Reimagine Appalachia in a discussion of the challenges facing the Appalachian region of the Ohio River Valley and what can be done to create a vibrant and sustainable economy.

We are living through transformative times. Not since the Industrial Revolution has the energy system that powers our society changed in such profound ways. But we are too close to it to see it clearly. Over the next three years, wind and solar will make up 90% of all new energy sources. Coal is dead. Nuclear is dead. Natural gas is dying. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station in a discussion of the enormous changes that are going on around us and how it is the end of the world as we know it... and thank God!

Many of us dream of carving out a little homestead in the country – living off the land. But actually making a living this way can be quite difficult. Fortunately there are a lot of funding sources out there designed to help small farmers and homesteaders. But how can you tap into these funds? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station in a discussion of what funds are out there and how best to successfully compete for this money.

Nearly 30 years ago Annie and Jay Warmke quit their high-paying corporate jobs, sold their suburban home, and moved to the hills of Appalachia to build a home out of tires and mud. The goal was to live a carbon neutral – or even a negative carbon lifestyle. Many of the over 35,000 people who have visited Blue Rock Station over the years have asked - “What made you do such a crazy thing? And how did you manage it?” Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of their experience moving towards a sustainable lifestyle and the lessons learned over 30 years of living in a house made of trash.

Agriculture is rediscovering the ancient practice of managing forests as a source of food and other revenue crops (other than just harvesting trees for lumber). But there are a dizzying number of terms thrown about that each mean something to someone – each a bit different in process and intent. Terms such as food forests, forest farming, agroforestry, alley cropping, and more. Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Katherine Favor, a sustainable agriculture specialist, based in the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s Western Regional Office to try to make sense of it all.

Electric vehicles are changing the way we fuel our transportation system. They are cleaner, faster, more efficient and cheaper than the internal combustion engine. Every major car company (and many you have never heard of) are planning to convert their fleet of vehicles to all electric by 2040. But there are a number of fundamental changes that will be required to how we wire our homes, how we manage the grid, and pricing policies used by utilities that must change if we are going to make this happen. Can your home handle the requirements of an EV... can your city... can your state? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of many of the challenges we face as we electrify the transportation industry.

We are used to energy becoming more and more expensive over time. The cost of electricity has increased 7 fold since 1970. That same year a gallon of gasoline cost 36 cents. But solar energy has changed that assumption. The cost of a solar panel has dropped from over $100 per watt in 1975 to only around 25 cents today. If these trends continue - energy will soon be free. But that doesn't mean you won't pay for it. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station to discuss how energy will change over the coming decades and what that means to you and me.

Every dollar you spend is a vote. And you should only vote for those companies that support a world vision that you support. But how can you know what their world vision might be? And when you vote - how can you tell those companies you did not buy from that you voted for someone else. In other words - how can you become an annoying consumer. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for an optimistic discussion of sustainable living and living your values.

For the past decade or so, Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station have observed a three month period of non consumption - their Thanks for Nothing season. It is a break from our consumer society, where they do not buy anything - and even turn off the electricity. Find out what motivated this bizarre behavior and what lessons are learned - and how it has enriched their lives.