Programs for the week of Mar 28

I am about to take off for Syria and Lebanon, a vacation with family and friends that’s been in the works for a number of weeks and obviously pre-dates the protest movements in the Middle East which have now spread to the south of Syria. We’re monitoring websites closely and keeping our fingers crossed that we will not have to change our itinerary. Inshallah. For the first week, we’ll be airing some of my favorite programs which made the pick of the week, and Lori will be hosting Food Friday. For week two, Veronica Rueckert will be sitting in for me. Thanks to both of them, to the wonderful Here on Earth staff, and to you, our dedicated listeners.

Jean’s Pick of the Week (watch video): The Green Path: A slam dunk, since I’ve been at a conference on Islam until today! (I’m not in the habit of using sports metaphors, but I spent an intolerable amount of time stuck in a sports bar waiting for a connecting flight in the Indianapolis airport yesterday). But I really liked today’s interaction with Black Muslim environmental leader Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, the author of GreenDeen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Planet, and so did listeners, based on the number and variety of calls we received. Being the environmental policy advisor for the City of New York, Mr. Abdul-Matin has a refreshingly practical approach to the environmental crisis we’ll all struggling with, and the involvement of Muslims obviously enhances our chances of success.

Monday: The Future of Recycling (Encore): Tom Szaky, the 28-year-old founder of TerraCycle, one of the fastest growing green companies in the world, is making a business out of recycling and a name for himself as "#1 CEO in America Under 30." Rebroadcast from January 20, 2011.

Tuesday: Freelance Diplomacy (Encore): After 15 years in the British diplomatic corps, Carne Ross found himself disagreeing with UK policies that led to the Iraq War. Disenchanted with conventional diplomacy, he re-invented himself as a "freelance diplomat," and founded Independent Diplomats, a bold nonprofit organization advising populations that would otherwise not have a voice in international relations. How far would you go for what you believe in? Rebroadcast from November 4, 2010.

Wednesday: The Lion's Eye: Seeing in the Wild (Encore): All her life, Joanna Greenfield dreamed of traveling to Africa to study wild animals. She got a once in a lifetime chance to follow wild chimpanzees in East Africa while she was still in college, an adventure strangely enhanced by her impaired vision. Rebroadcast from November 18, 2009.

Thursday: Talking to the Enemy (Encore): Anthropologist Scott Atran spent years talking to terrorists. In his new book he argues that terrorists don't die for a cause, but for each other. We'll explore the social lives of terrorists, and how things are changing in Afghanistan with a new generation of fighters. Rebroadcast from November 22, 2010.

Friday: The Wild Table: Spring is here, and delicacies such as morels, ramps, and elderflowers will soon make their way into the forager’s kitchen. Connie Green has spent the last three decades not only championing wild food, but also inspiring the finest chefs across the country to add foraged foods to their menus. She’ll join us to talk about her gorgeous new cookbook, The Wild Table.

Jean