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Between the Lines
"Between the Lines" is a national, half-hour program that provides a platform for individuals and spokespersons from progressive organizations generally ignored or marginalized by the mainstream media.
“Pope Francis has issued this clarion call to action that’s about ‘We stand at a really crucial moment on this planet and we can either act and take the shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy and in a way that actually builds healthier community.’ Or we can stay stuck in the pattern that we’re in with very known consequences.”
– May Boeve, executive director of the climate action group 350.org, on Pope Francis’ statements on climate action as a real wakeup call for people globally to see not only the growing threat of climate change, but how it’s connected to many other important issues such as income inequality and social justice.
Listen to the entire program using these links, or to individual interviews via the links appearing prior to each segment description below.
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Activists Hoping the Pope’s Climate Change Message Will Spur Action at UN Paris Summit
Interview with May Boeve, executive director of the climate action group 350.org, conducted by Scott Harris
Pope Francis began his recent visit to the United States with an address at the White House in which he directly called for action on climate change. The pontiff said, “It seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history.” The pope’s focus on the need for government action on global warming was a recurring theme during his trip, along with the issues of combating poverty and inequality. Story continues
Concern Grows Over Health Hazards Linked with Recycled Tires Used in Playgrounds and Athletic Fields
Interview with Gaboury Benoit, chemist and professor at the Yale School of Forestry, conducted by Melinda Tuhus
In June, a Connecticut-based group called Environment and Human Health received a grant to fund a study of the chemical compounds in ground-up rubber tires, called crumb rubber. The material is increasingly used in place of wood chips or other protective coverings in playgrounds, and as the backing for artificial turf, which is now widely used on high school, college and professional athletic fields. Story continues
New Tort Museum Celebrates Victories of Law Over Corporate Power
Citizen activist, author and independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader
Aspiring public interest lawyer Ralph Nader published his first book titled, “Unsafe at Any Speed,” in 1965. The book accused America’s giant automobile manufacturers of producing dangerous vehicles that could be made more safe if the company’s executives hadn’t resisted the installation of safety equipment, such as seat belts and padded dashboards. The book is best known for a chapter on the Chevrolet Corvair’s flawed design – known to the manufacturer – which made it prone to rear wheel tuck-under crashes. Nader’s testimony on unsafe cars before a Senate committee ushered in new safety laws in 1966. General Motors was later forced to apologize to Nader after it was revealed that the company had hired private investigators to tap his phone and attempted to entrap him in illicit relationships in order to discredit him as a public figure. Story continues
This week’s summary of under-reported news
Compiled by Bob Nixon
- According to the American Prospect, over 2,000 factories in Bangladesh have been inspected since the disasstrous Rana Plaza collapse — which uncovered over 54,000 building code violations. Yet thirty members, about 10 percent of the Bangladesh Parliament own garment factories, which explains why the government has for so long tolerated abusive conditions and resists reforms. (“Bringing labor rights to Bangladesh,”American Prospect, Summer 2015)
- A year ago, the Los Angeles City Council considered a proposal to renegotiate its agreements with financial services firms. A report by the advocacy campaign Fix LA found the city paid twice as much in banking fees as for street services. At the same time, LA has been under intense pressure to cut city jobs and delay infrastructure spending. (“A New Plan for American Cities To Free Themselves of Wall Street’s Control,” In These Times, August 31, 2015)
- The state of Georgia is now a hotbed of prison reform with expanded education program for inmates to reduce prison recidivism. Under Georgia’s Republican Governor Nathan Deal, the Peach State has halted prison expansion and reduced the prisoner population by 5,000 inmates. Instead of mass incarceration, the state is now focusing on diversion, treatment and prisoner education. (“Southern Justice Now Comes With Diplomas,” Christian Science Monitor, August 29, 2015)
