In Tobago

02/06/2026

Which is your favorite nature or environmental documentary film? Who are your favorite environmental documentary film producers?

Join us this coming Friday, June 5, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 22 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. This is the last episode of Season X. The topic is Documentary Films and the Environment. Feel free to share this post.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's guest presenter is Ayşehan Jülide Etem. Our episode co-hosts are Charlene 'Charli' Griffith and Elissa Gabrielle.

Season XI Preview
Season XI begins on Friday, September 11, 2026. If you are interested in being a guest speaker of co-host in Seasons XI and XII, please let me know as soon as possible.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Ayşehan Jülide Etem is Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia, where she directs the Film Studies Concentration and chairs the Film Studies Curriculum Committee. Her research explores film as an institutional infrastructure shaping public opinion, governance, and diplomacy. Her 2026 book, Film Diplomacy: A Media History of Turkey–US Relations (Columbia, Amazon), examines educational films as geopolitical tools. Etem’s current projects investigate film’s role in gun violence narratives, Cold War science education, and population control campaigns, highlighting cinema’s power to mediate policy, health, and knowledge across political, scientific, and cultural domains.

CO-HOSTS BIO BRIEFS:
Charlene “Charli” Griffith is a multi-faceted entertainer, singer/songwriter, actress, emcee/host, and award-winning voice talent.

Dr. Elissa Gabrielle is a literary powerhouse, visionary publisher, and transformational leader whose impact spans publishing, film, coaching, and holistic wellness. A National Best-Selling Author, Screenwriter, Producer, Certified Master Life Coach, and Doctor of Naturopathy, she has published more than 200 books and helped launch over 25 literary careers.

EPISODE READINGS - FAMOUS NATURE/ENVIRONMENT DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS

1. Sir David Attenborough
2. Jacques-Yves Cousteau
3. Steve Irwin
4. Jane Goodall
5. Louie Psihoyos
6. James Cameron

MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS
You can read more about Environmental Fridays at our website https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/ and in this published article https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039

More information can also be found at our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalfridays Everyone is welcome to join our Facebook group.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Search 'Environmental Fridays' on YouTube to find all our past episodes (168).

YOUR FEEDBACK
If you are interested or know others (individual, group, class, school, etc.) interested in supporting Environmental Fridays as a viewer, presenter, co-host or donor, please contact me, dr. desmond Hartwell Murray. Send me your comments and feedback to [email protected]

27/04/2026

Did you know that the clothes we wear contribute to one of the major pollution sources on earth? What can we do personally to reduce fashion pollution?

Join us this coming Friday, May 1, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 17 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. See attached poster and feel free to share this announcement.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1
Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry. Our guest presenter is Andrew Burnstine. Our episode co-hosts are Armani Peterson and Lina Loi.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Andrew Burnstine is an Associate Professor in the College of Business and Management at Lynn University, where he has taught and chaired Fashion Marketing and Design programs for almost 30 years. He has also taught at various other universities and colleges, including New York University, Kent State University, and Berkeley College. Before his academic career, Burnstine spent 20 years as Executive Vice President of Martha Inc., an exclusive women's specialty store chain in New York City and Florida, where he served as a buyer and merchandiser. Notably, he also has a unique background as a professional circus clown with Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and his Ph.D. dissertation from New York University was on the "History of Costume Design of the Big Apple Circus." Burnstine holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Education and Retail from New York University. He is actively involved in discussions about the fashion industry, including trends like AI-powered fashion and sustainability.

CO-HOSTS
Armani Peterson is an award-winning author, poet, humanitarian, and advocate whose voice is emerging as one of depth, courage, and emotional truth. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she has been writing since the age of eight, cultivating a literary voice rooted in empathy, resilience, and transformation. Her forthcoming debut collection, Diary of an Empath: The Burden and the Bloom (2026), is a powerful meditation on healing, heartbreak, faith, and the beauty that rises from pain. Armani first garnered literary recognition through her contribution to The Breakthrough: Beauty for Ashes, recipient of the 2025 African American Literary Award for Short Stories and Anthologies, solidifying her place as an award-winning author and rising voice in contemporary literature. Beyond the page, she is deeply committed to advocacy, supporting underserved communities and women affected by domestic violence. Currently pursuing her MBA, Armani seamlessly blends artistry, leadership, and service, embodying a new generation of impactful literary voices.

Lina Loi (https://www.instagram.com/linaloi/) is a celebrated R&B and soul artist whose distinctive voice and genre-blending style have earned critical acclaim across music, film, and television. Her debut album, Stranger on Earth (Atlantic Records, 2001), introduced her as a bold new voice, praised for its fusion of swing, jazz, and soul and named one of Billboard’s Top 10 R&B Albums of the Year. Her 2005 release, The Inner Beauty Movement, featured the Billboard hit “Smooth,” a beloved steppers anthem. Lina has also appeared in Sony Pictures’ This Christmas and contributed music to major studios including Disney/Fox, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and Columbia Pictures. She now returns with Still Got It, a Southern Soul project that pairs gospel warmth, blues grit, and heartfelt storytelling with her unmistakable artistry. For more on Lina Loi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_(American_singer)

22/04/2026

Today, Wednesday, April 22, 2026, is Earth Day.

Environmental Fridays (www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/) endorses Earth Day and Earth Month (April) and encourages everyone to participate in honoring our blue planet, our home.

Key Aspects of Earth Day 2026 (taken from Google):
Theme: "Our Power, Our Planet" emphasizes individual and collective action for environmental protection, tackling climate change through personal action, such as reducing waste and supporting sustainable energy, say proponents like The Nature Conservancy.

Significance: It marks 56 years since the first Earth Day in 1970.

Activities: Events include community cleanups, teach-ins, tree plantings, and local protests focused on environmental justice, say organizers at EarthDay.org.

Global Focus: The movement urges worldwide participation to combat climate tipping points.

How to Participate:
Join Events: Use the EARTHDAY.ORG Event Map to find local activities or register your own.

Individual Action: Participate in local,, small-scale actions like planting trees, reducing plastic use, or participating in educational, "teach-ins".

Digital Engagement: Use social media to share actions with hashtags like and .

The Old Farmer's Almanac offers additional tips on how to celebrate, including gardening and conservation efforts.

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2026/

The theme for Earth Day 2026 is Our Power, Our Planet. Find out how to get involved now and on Earth Day, April 22, 2026.

10/04/2026

REMINDER
Do you or someone you know suffer from asthma and or allergies? Have you developed an Action Plan with your doctor? Do you know that the incidence rate of asthma and allergies manifests differently depending on age, gender, race, and income?

Join us this morning Friday, April 10, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 14 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. Feel free to share this announcement.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1
Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Addressing Disparities in Asthma & Allergies. Our guest presenter is De De Gardner. Our episode co-hosts are Huda Shareef and LaShunn Harper. This week's presentation is brought to you in close partnership with A 4 Asthma. Also, see the Benton Spirit April 3 issue for its two-page center spread on Asthma. Over 60 million Americans deal with asthma, allergies, and related conditions every day. This is a great opportunity to access a wide diversity of free resources on these health challenges.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Dr. De De Gardner is the Chief Research Officer at the Allergy and Asthma Network. She holds a doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Leadership, Policy, Advocacy, and Community Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston. She has been a respiratory therapist for over 30 years. She oversees the research mission of the Allergy and Asthma Network, and partners with other non-profit organizations, academicians and community organizations to conduct research using qualitative methods with a focus on health equity in the asthma and allergy space. Dr. Gardner is responsible for ensuring that patients' and caregivers' voices are incorporated into all aspects of research and programs, from clinical trials and surveys to patient testimonials and co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications.

29/03/2026

WAYS TO COLLABORATE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS

Thank you for your interest in connecting and collaborating with Environmental Fridays (EF) (https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/).

EF is a global learning community that meets on Zoom every Friday at 9:30am EST. Our classroom is the world. We are very grateful to all our guest speakers, cohosts and attendees that come from around the world. For over five years we have educated and engaged, brought awareness, and encouraged action on a diversity of environmental topics, issues, and concerns. EF is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

Learn more about EF from this published article at https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039.

27/03/2026

REMINDER
Do you want to know more about natural things (e.g. extreme heat, wildfire smoke, hurricanes, toxic sites, floods) in the environment that can cause cancer? Do you want to know how to minimize your exposure to these cancer-causing natural hazards?

Join us this morning Friday, March 27, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 12 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. Feel free to share this announcement.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Natural Hazards and Cancer. Our guest presenter is Bian Liu. Our episode co-hosts are Rachel Williams and Grace C. Ndobu.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Bian Liu is a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. She is a chronic disease epidemiologist. Her research explores how neighborhood environments, personal health habits, and healthcare access combine to affect the health at the population level. Examples of Dr. Liu’s research can be found in her PubMed profile: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/bian.liu.1/bibliography/public/

MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS
You can learn more about Environmental Fridays at our website https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/ and in this published article https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039

Everyone is welcome to join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalfridays

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS YOUTUBE VIDEOS
All Environmental Fridays episodes (159) are uploaded on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLApQC7VKzBW1W9exatlV2VAWvG6IwBWPl

YOUR FEEDBACK
Send all inquiries, comments and feedback to me, dr. desmond Hartwell Murray at [email protected]

23/03/2026

Do you want to know more about natural things in the environment that can cause cancer? Do you want to know how to minimize your exposure to these cancer-causing natural hazards?

Join us this coming Friday, March 27, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 12 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. See attached poster and feel free to share this announcement.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Natural Hazards and Cancer. Our guest presenter is Bian Liu. Our episode co-hosts are Rachel Williams and Grace C. Ndobu.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Bian Liu is a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. She is a chronic disease epidemiologist. Her research explores how neighborhood environments, personal health habits, and healthcare access combine to affect the health at the population level. Examples of Dr. Liu’s research can be found in her PubMed profile: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/bian.liu.1/bibliography/public/.

EPISODE READINGS
Climate changes and cancer risk: Key factors and emerging health threats

Cancer-Causing Substances in the Environment

Cancer and the Environment

PARTNERSHIPS
Environmental Fridays is brought to you in partnership with Michigan EGLE (https://www.michigan.gov/egle), the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA), Benton Spirit Community Newspaper, Caribbean Compass, A 4 Asthma, and GCSCORED.

MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS
You can read more about Environmental Fridays at our website https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/ and in this published article https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039

Everyone is welcome to join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalfridays.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS YOUTUBE VIDEOS
All Environmental Fridays episodes (158) are uploaded on YouTube to allow for viewing and use outside of the live streamed episodes. We encourage everyone to view and use our videos and to share this email.

YOUR FEEDBACK
If you are interested or know others (individual, group, class, school, etc.) interested in supporting Environmental Fridays as a viewer, presenter, co-host or donor, please contact me, dr. desmond Hartwell Murray. Send your comments and feedback to [email protected]

20/03/2026

REMINDER
Join us this morning Friday, March 20, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 11 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. Feel free to share this announcement.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

Today's topic is A Black Mother's Garden and African American Environmental Writing. Our guest presenter is Camille T. Dungy. Our episode co-hosts are Tzynya Pinchback and Nandi Comer.

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

09/03/2026

Join us this coming Friday, March 13, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 10 of Season X, at 9:30am EST & Caribbean. See attached posters and feel free to share this post.

ZOOM MEETING LINK
The Zoom Meeting link for Environmental Fridays Season X is: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Heritage Preservation, Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation. Our guest presenter is Aleeyah Amanda Ali. Our episode co-hosts are Karen Bacula and Salene Griffith.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Aleeyah Amanda Ali is an Indigenous Warao-Kalina/Karina woman from Trinidad and Tobago, a Climate Consultant, Educator, Multidisciplinary Artist, Indigenous Author, Illustrator, International Speaker, and Arts Education Facilitator. She is an Animal & Wildlife Rehabilitator & Conservationist and Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Foundation for Heritage Preservation & Legacy Creation and leads Our Heritage Learning Resource Centre, Nature Park, and Animal Sanctuary. Through her books, including Little Tales from the Warao World and Clowning Around with Climate Change, and her character Redzi the Trini Clown*, Aleeyah merges storytelling, art, and Indigenous knowledge with conservation, empowering communities and inspiring climate action rooted in heritage and compassion. Aleeyah is UNESCO-IOC Blue Thread Network Accredited and is the Global Ambassador of the Warao Nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Aleeyah recently founded Caribbean Indigenous Climate Systems Institute.

Co-Hosts:
Karen Bacula is a retired science educator having spent her career teaching middle and high school students. As a middle school teacher, she also was co-director for the school’s weeklong residential science/outdoor education program for all 7th grade students. As a high school teacher, she taught biology and environmental biology. She capped off the last 7 years of her teaching by bringing students to Isle Royale National Park for 4-day backpacking trips. Karen also spent one year as a participant in the Decolonizing Diet Project as a part of a study hosted by the Center for Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University.

Salene Griffith is a Media Professional in Trinidad who decided to take on this career path a few years ago, following over 20 years in the financial sector. She took a leap of faith to pursue her passion for communications and people. Her first step in this venture was to establish a brand that is congruent with her personality and quest as a human being, The Salene Solution. She is the Communications & Marketing Executive of the Ayana S Dyette Foundation for Cervical Cancer which was founded in 2019. She is also (a) Broadcaster - On-Air personality with Heartbeat Radio for Women, where I host and produce the morning drive show, Heartbeat Sunrise w/Salene, (b) International voice over talent, (c) Producer and Host of NAKED the Podcast, (d) Event and Webinar Host, and (e) Speaker. She is also the mother of a twin boy and girl.

EPISODE READINGS
The Warao People
The Kalina People
First Peoples of the Caribbean

SEASON X
Season X has 21 episodes with 25 guest speakers. The upcoming topics will be:
Life in Extreme Environments; Guyana’s Forest Solutions to the Climate Crisis; Environmental Injustice in Prisons; Greedy for Greenland: Rare Earths & You; My Environmental Journey; Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution; Importance of Marine Protected Areas; Break the Cycle - Africa; Urban Farming Enterprises; Heritage Preservation, Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation; A Black Mother's Garden and African American Environmental Writing; Natural Hazards and Cancer; Eve and the Environment; Addressing Disparities in Asthma & Allergies; Greening the Church; Seas and Scenes: Love the Caribbean; Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry; PFAS in Drinking Water: Making the Invisible Visible; Asa Wright Nature Center; Creating an Indigenous Medicine Garden; and Documentary Films and the Environment.

PARTNERSHIPS
Environmental Fridays is brought to you in partnership with Michigan EGLE (https://www.michigan.gov/egle), the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA), Benton Spirit Community Newspaper, Caribbean Compass, A 4 Asthma, and GCSCORED.

MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS
You can read more about Environmental Fridays at our website https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/ and in this published article https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039

More information can also be found at our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalfridays

Everyone is welcome to join our Facebook group.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS YOUTUBE VIDEOS
All Environmental Fridays episodes (157) are uploaded on YouTube to allow for viewing and use outside of the live streamed episodes. We encourage everyone to view and use our videos and to share this email.

YOUR FEEDBACK
If you are interested or know others (individual, group, class, school, etc.) interested in supporting Environmental Fridays as a viewer, presenter, co-host or donor, please contact me, dr. desmond Hartwell Murray. Send me your comments and feedback to [email protected]

02/03/2026

Join us this coming Friday, March 6, 2026, for Environmental Fridays (EF) Episode 9 of Season X, at 9:30am EST (10:30am Caribbean).

ZOOM MEETING LINK
The Zoom Meeting link for Season X is: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83688660774?pwd=Fp4ZmRCQkRO0gD2aBKyPjbhbCcjd2A.1

Meeting ID: 836 8866 0774; Passcode: 957246

Everyone is welcome. Environmental Fridays is a labor of love and free to all. Students, professionals, and community. Our tagline is: "It is personal."

This week's topic is Urban Farming Enterprises. Our guest presenter is Oren J Falkowitz. Our episode co-host is Odijie Precious Ekihalo.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO
Oren J. Falkowitz is a farmer and the CEO of Area 2 Farms. Previously, he was the founder and CEO of Area 1 Security (acquired by Cloudflare) and the founder and CEO of sqrrl (acquired by Amazon). Previously he held senior roles at the National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command. Mr. Falkowitz holds numerous patents and is originally from Florida.

PARTNERSHIPS
Environmental Fridays is brought to you in partnership with Michigan EGLE (https://www.michigan.gov/egle), the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA), Benton Spirit Community Newspaper, Caribbean Compass, A 4 Asthma, and GCSCORED.

MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS
You can read more about Environmental Fridays at our website https://www.theenvironmentalfridays.com/ and in this published article https://doi.org/10.55668/jae0039

More information can also be found at our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/environmentalfridays Everyone is welcome to join our Facebook group.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIDAYS YOUTUBE VIDEOS
All Environmental Fridays episodes (156) are uploaded on YouTube to allow for viewing and use outside of the live streamed episodes. We encourage everyone to view and use our videos and to share this email.