Living Green in the Lehigh Valley

The category of green living  radio programs is among the most rare. There are fewer than a dozen in the whole US. Mother Earth News Launched "Mother Earth News" back in 2009. It airs on 1190 KFXR-AM in Dallas. The "Farm to Family Connection" show runs on 93.1 KKYA up in Yankton, SD. There is also 98.9 KSOF just outside Fresno, CA as the sole affiliate airing "Green is Good" a syndicated program from Clear Channel. We also have a local niche program at 88.1 WDIY "Living Green in the Lehigh Valley" which has been running since 2011. WDIY also broadcasts on two repeaters, W229AO 93.7 Fogelsville and W230AG 93.9 FM Easton. More here.

The 4-minute segment is produced and hosted by Annie Prince and Bruce Wilson. It may be short, but MSA #70 is no podunk burg, and it follows top tier NPR programming. It airs on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM during NPR’s On the Media and Wednesdays at 5:45 PM during NPR’s All Things Considered. The show publicizes green-friendly events in the valley, and has how-to segments focused on local resources. I recently asked Bruce about the genesis of the program.

"We had started the Lehigh Valley Green Builders, www.lvgreenbuilders.org and after we left that board we suggested a show to WDIY about green building.The station manager suggested that we broaden the focus to all things green happening in the Lehigh Valley. A time slot was just about to open up so we jumped on it."

His co-host and wife Annie actually has a background in broadcasting; having started out at 91.7 WMUH at Muhlenberg College. She was also a member of the Lehigh Valley Community Broadcasters Association which founded WDIY back in 1995. If you live outside the metro, you can hear their program here. Personally I'd like  to see a call-in program developed around green building. If Car Talk and You Bet Your Garden can remain popular for decades this could work.

Wind Powered Radio

This is rad. Sometimes the Hippies out west think up something pretty cool.

Just kidding. they're not hippies. Boise State Radio 91.3 KBSJ runs three 7.5 kW wind turbines at over 8600 feet above sea level. [HAAT 752 meters] Propane fuel tanks and generator provide backup to keep them on the air when the wind dies down. Due to the transmitter site's exceptionally high elevation, the station also has an exceptional coverage area, for a 3700 water. It includes the distant Twin Falls, ID and Wells, NV. http://radio.boisestate.edu/

KBSJ's use of alternative power came from cost considerations, not granola. The wind-generating system, with its 13,000-pound storage battery and voltage inverter, cost less than $300,000. This is much cheaper than an eight-mile spur from the nearest utility line.

The station is run by Boise State University and mostly runs programming from NPR. KSBJ provides a huge public service to The Nuclear Waste facility near Jackpot Nevada. Prior to their arrival in the community Jackpot had no local radio outlet for emergency information. Nuclear waste facilities sometimes have "incidents." When they do things like local radio can become suddenly very critical.