Dr. Elisabeth Ormandy, Executive Director of Canadian Society for Humane Science, UBC professor, lecturer and zero waste enthusiast joins The Switch to share her insights on ecofriendly menstrual products, including silicone cups, washable pads and underwear and more. 

More reading:

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/2019/10/31/organic-eco-friendly-menstrual-products/

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/best-eco-friendly-sustainable-sanitary-brands-products

https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/the-coaches-who-want-to-guide-you-through-your-period.html

https://theconversation.com/menstrual-cups-are-a-cheaper-more-sustainable-way-for-women-to-cope-with-periods-than-tampons-or-pads-165513

Menstrual Coach and Educator followed by Defender Radio in preparation for this interview: https://www.theelephantinthewomb.net/period-coaching

Did we miss something? Have more to add to the conversation? Send us an email at info@TheFurBearers.com or tag Defender Radio on social and we may include your suggestions and insights in a review episode in the future!

Find Dr. Elisabeth Ormandy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethormandy/

Want to suggest topics for The Switch? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio). 

The Switch is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 

I have watched a LOT of content in the last year and a half. But little of it has hit me in the heart and mind as thoughtfully and powerfully as the Oscar-nominated animated feature WolfWalkers.

I’ll rewind, briefly. Earlier this year, friends of mine Christopher and Cynthia of the Not About Lumberjacks podcast, suggested that I try connecting with a filmmaker they knew – Tomm Moore. He’s an environmentalist, has made these incredible films and is an all-around interesting fellow, they said – a great interview for Defender Radio.

While connecting with Tomm and his team at Cartoon Saloon to arrange a chat, I immersed myself in his work, namely the trio of Irish folklore-based films he’d helped create. All the films are outstanding and I strongly recommend them, but WolfWalkers leapt off the screen for me. By the way – spoilers ahead!

WolfWalkers is described by IMDb.com as the tale of a young apprentice hunter and her father journeying to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumoured to transform into wolves by night.

The depth of characters, themes and the sheer beauty and vision in the artwork of Wolfwalkers is astounding. It was an amazing opportunity to sit and chat with Tomm about the environment, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, how storytelling brings together generations of people who can all see themselves in characters, and ways of moving forward in the world, together. Rather than tell you more about it – let’s just have a listen!

Follow Tomm Moore on Instagram @tomm9769 and Twitter @tommmoore; You can find more about Cartoon Saloon and WolfWalkers at CartoonSaloon.ie. WolfWalkers is currently streaming on Apple+ in Canada.

Episode art provided by Cartoon Saloon. 

Want to suggest topics for the show? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio). 

Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 

Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff is encouraging his community to switch off gas leaf blowers. According to Teale, gas leaf blowers contribute to noise pollution, produce excessive and dangerous exhaust emissions, and re-suspend dust, all contributing to negative health and environmental impacts.

You can learn more about Teale’s campaign against gas-powered leaf blowers in his community of Saanich, BC, at https://www.teale.ca/ban-leaf-blowers. Teale’s site contains numerous citations and links, which we won’t reproduce here, so please, check it out!

You can follow Teale on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@tealepb), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Teale.Phelps.Bondaroff/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/TealePB), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tealephelpsbondaroff/).

Want to suggest topics for The Switch? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio). 

The Switch is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNROD) announced last week they would be killing up to 35 coyotes in Vancouver’s Stanley Park in response to more than 45 bites and negative encounters in the preceding 10 months. The Fur-Bearers were active on this issue when it became public in December 2020 and have remained involved, advocating for long-term coexistence solutions.

This podcast features two interviews. The first is with The Fur-Bearers’ Executive Director Lesley Fox, in which we discuss the actions taken by The Fur-Bearers, the opportunities missed by governing agencies, and where our focus will be moving forward regarding wildlife in Stanley Park, as well as our need to grieve for the coyotes, affected people and how we can show who coyotes truly are. The second interview is with psychotherapist (qualifying) and certified wildlife rehabilitator Stephanie McMahon, who speaks to the grief many of us feel following this situation, the importance of allowing that grief and its many forms to play out, and a look at tools and experiences that may help the grieving process for animal advocates.

The Fur-Bearers initial statement on the killing of Stanley Park coyotes: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/the-fur-bearers-statement-on-stanley-park-coyotes/

Science: Culls aren’t effective long-term solutions: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/science-culls-arent-effective-long-term-solutions/

Stanley Park: What you can do to help the coyotes: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/stanley-park-what-you-can-do-to-help-the-coyotes/

The Fur-Bearers’ Coexisting with Coyotes: https://thefurbearers.com/our-work/living-with-wildlife/solutions/coyotes/

Coyote Watch Canada: https://www.coyotewatchcanada.com/site/home

Kids Help Phone: https://kidshelpphone.ca/

Crisis Services Canada: https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Crisis Resources page: https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/crisis-resources

The Fur-Bearers on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/furfree), Twitter (https://www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/furbearers).

Defender Radio host Michael Howie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/defenderradio/.

The idea of walking into a flat earth convention makes my tummy hurt. For Dr. Lee McIntyre, it was an exercise in curiosity explored in the introduction of his new book, How To Talk To A Science Denier.

Dr. McIntyre is an author, a research fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and an instructor in Ethics at Harvard Extension School. An award-winning teacher, McIntyre has penned several popular titles on the philosophy of science and anti-science sentiments and strategies. His latest, published by MIT Press this year, is a dive into science denial in the modern era.

How to Talk to A Science Denier combines Dr. McIntyre’s own experiences and thoughts with a well-executed explanation of what, somewhat ironically, science and history can tell us about the current state of science denial. The book itself covers subjects ranging from climate denial to conspiracy theory, flat Earth to anti-vaccine and more. However, as I learned by reading the book and through my conversation with Dr. McIntyre, curiosity, compassion and disconfirming inquiries will play a far greater role in bringing science to those who deny it than I initially thought.

Learn more about Dr. Lee McIntyre and How To Talk To A Science Denier at https://leemcintyrebooks.com.

Want to suggest topics for the show? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio). 

Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree).