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A lot of enviro-info dis-credits our human species for the impacts of our "footprints" on Earth's systems, and on beings other than ourselves.

Scientist and public health advocate Greg Norris was inspired, while working with Life Cycle Analyses, to look up from Footprints and focus on the human part that can collaborate, create and restore. "Handprinting" has become a vehicle to encourage and measure our capacity to be a benefit on Earth.

Beneficial actions - and the ripples of influence they create - can now be measured through a key piece of Norris' work-in-progress, the app Handprinter.org.

This tool and idea aim to ensure that Earth is better off because of human beings, than without us.

Gregory Norris will presents "Handprints and Footprints" in St. Louis on Tuesday evening, March 12 for the U.S. Green Building Council-Missouri Gateway Chapter

THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms net-positive impact engineer

Music: Trambone, performed at KDHX by Brian Curran

Related Earthworms Conversations: Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Dr. Daniel Wildcat (October 2018)

The Patterning Instinct in Human Nature with Jeremy Lent (June 2017)

Sen. Denny Hoskins is the latest guest on the Politically Speaking podcast, where the Warrensburg Republican talked about some of the legislation he’s sponsoring during the 2019 session.

Hoskins was elected to the 21st Senatorial District in 2016. That seat includes Caldwell, Carroll, Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ray and Saline counties.

Before running for the Senate, Hoskins served for eight years in the Missouri House. The certified public accountant was elected as House Speaker Pro Tem, which is the second highest ranking position in the General Assembly’s lower chamber.

State Rep. Nick Schroer joins Politically Speaking to talk about his legislation that would substantially restriction abortion in Missouri.

The St. Charles County Republican's bill ended up passing the Missouri House earlier this week. It's expected to face a Democratic filibuster when it hits the Senate floor.

Among other things, Schroer’s bill would ban abortion if a doctor can detect a heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as six weeks. It would also ban almost all abortions if Roe versus Wade is overturned.

The legislation does have exceptions for medical emergencies, but if a woman becomes pregnant because of rape or incest. Doctors could face criminal penalties if they run afoul of the legislation's provisions.

Taulby Roach, who started as CEO and president of Bi-State Development about two months ago, discusses the state of public transit in the St. Louis region.

St. Louis on the Air’s latest Sound Bites segment with Sauce Magazine explores how local chocolatiers create confections ranging from truffles and sauces to classic chocolate bars – and what makes them different from mass-produced chocolates from companies such as Mars and Hershey’s.

You too can BEE one! Or Taconite Fly or Opossum or Golden Ragwort one, gardening on an eco-logical team with critters and plants you've overlooked, or maybe even maligned. 

Nancy Lawson invites us to understand more of the habits and roles of species around us, to bust the dualistic myth of Pest vs Beneficial. Her book The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife is a long love note to relationships we can all enjoy. Such as with Tachinid Flies.

Coming to St. Louis Friday March 8: Nurturing Backyard Habitat, a talk-and-mingle with Nancy Lawson and local native plant professionals, 5-8 p.m. at Powder Valley Nature Center. Click here to learn more and register. Thanks to STL Audubon, Greenscape Gardens, Missouri Department of Conservation and Grow Native! for bringing Nancy Lawson to us.

THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms engineer and listening buddy.
Music: Divertimento k131, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Related Earthworms Conversations: Relatives, Responsibility, Mindfulness with Dr. Daniel Wildcat (Oct 2018)

Bears! (July 2018)

The Owl Man of Forest Park (July 2015)

A new volume co-edited by Harris-Stowe State University's Mark Abbott and Washington University's Catalina Freixas features a variety of locally based conversations, as well as essays by current and former St. Louisans in response to those conversations, reflecting on the experience of segregation in America and ways to address it.

Locally based musicians Ms Hy-C and the Fresh Start band caught international attention when they won first place in the 2019 International Blues Challenge held in Memphis last month. Host Don Marsh talks with several of the band members: lead singer Jacinta Branch-Griffin – also known as Ms Hy-C – as well as guitar player Thomas “Tommie” Johnson and drummer Tyrone McCain.

State Rep. Phil Cristofanelli joins Politically Speaking for the first to talk about some of his key priorities for the 2019 legislative session.

The second term Republican lawmaker represents Missouri’s 105th House District, which takes in portions of St. Charles County.

A graduate of Washington University, Cristofanelli was elected as a Republican committeeman when he was 21. He later served on the Missouri Republican Party state executive committee. Before getting elected to the House in 2016, Christofanelli was press secretary for U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek, R-Michigan.

Since entering the legislature, Christofanelli has zeroed in an array of fiscal issues. He sponsored legislation requiring the Missouri Department of Revenue to map out the state’s special taxing districts, which was signed into law last year.

Joining host Don Marsh for in-depth analysis in this segment are Mark Smith, J.D., associate vice chancellor of students at Washington University; William Freivogel, J.D., journalism professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale; and Donna Harper, J.D., partner at Sedey Harper Westhoff P.C.