In Our Backyard Podcast

Today we're diving into the work of Root Local, an organization on a mission to cultivate sustainability at the neighborhood level across Metro Atlanta.Joining us are two voices at the heart of this movement — Jamie Lee Perkins Dalton, Executive Director of Root Local, and Butch Whitfield, a Founding Board Member. Together, they're helping communities grow greener, more connected, and more resilient — one project, one pollinator, one partnership at a time.In this conversation, we unpack Root Local's approach to sustainability, the strategy behind their Eco-Map of Metro Atlanta — also known as EMMA — and the growth of their innovative Pollinator Network. We also hear some real-world success stories, explore what's next for the organization, and learn how everyday people can plug in and make a difference.So whether you're a longtime advocate for local sustainability or just curious about what's growing in your backyard, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration. Let's get into it.Contact and connect: lee@rootlocal.org and butch.whitfield@harrynorman.com Root Local: https://rootlocal.org/ EMMA: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c0b04d84d6194a898cfc5ff4c71ac2d0/ 

Today, we're diving into the world of environmental health and clean water with a leader whose work is improving lives—especially the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable.Our guest is Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, the Senior Director of Environmental Health and Water Quality at RTI International—a nonprofit institute committed to delivering the promise of science for global good. Jennifer is also the founding director of RTI's CleanPlus® portfolio, which includes the award-winning Clean Water for Carolina Kids™ program. Under her leadership, this initiative has received national recognition for innovation, impact, and community partnership, including the EBJ Business Achievement Award for Project Merit and the Mutual of America Community Partnership Award.In this conversation, we'll talk with Jennifer about RTI's mission and reach, her work to protect communities from harmful contaminants like PFAS and lead, and why her team is focused on ensuring clean water access—starting with children in schools and childcare centers.We'll also explore what utility companies can do to reduce exposure, how environmental health trends are evolving, and how you can support and connect with this important work.Contact and connect with Jennifer: jredmon@rti.org RTI International: https://www.rti.org/focus-area/RTI-CleanPlus-environmental-testing  Hold My Beer Study: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c11265 

Mairah Clay who is the Southern WV Coordinator and Autumn Crowe who is the Deputy Director of WV Rivers.Many West Virginians are taking a stand against the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Communities across the state are voicing their opposition to a project they say threatens fragile ecosystems, endangers clean water sources, and disregards Indigenous and rural land rights. With the rugged beauty of Appalachia at stake, West Virginians are fighting back—demanding a transition to cleaner energy and a future that protects both people and the land they call home.A report from West Virginia Rivers Coalition and Downstream Strategies highlighted that 88% of the 139 stream crossings and 89% of the 61 wetland crossings by the MVP in West Virginia were negatively impacted, with 14 stream crossings showing severe decreases in channel stability .​In March 2025, a federal court invalidated a key water permit for the MVP, emphasizing the project's detrimental effects on West Virginia's rivers and streams. This decision was celebrated by environmental groups as a significant step in protecting the state's water resources from further harm.Contact and connect with Mariah and Autumn: mclay@wvrivers.org and acrowe@wvrivers.org WV Rivers: https://wvrivers.org/ MVP Story Map & Petition: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/05ae21f465af43509d576338119b29adMVP Audit Report: https://wvrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MVP-November-2024-Audit-Report.pdf

Sara Heilman is Energy Policy Coordinator with NC Warn. We talk about the work that NC Warn does throughout North Carolina and how they are primarily a watchdog organization for what Duke Energy is doing in the state. We focus on how the town of Carrboro is suing Duke Energy. This is the first lawsuit against an electric utility for deceiving the public about the dangers from burning fossil fuels. Duke Energy leaders have known since the 1960s that fossil fuels are warming the planet, and instead of taking action, they've stalled climate action by spewing misinformation about the ties between climate change and fossil fuel use. Duke Energy needs to be held accountable! You can amplifying this historic lawsuit by:Posting on social media. Check out this toolkit for sample posts, graphics, and links to resources, and follow us @SueDukeEnergy on all platforms.Sending an email to Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good demanding she change course.Signing your organization on to a letter demanding Duke Energy ditch fossil fuels.Check out the press release and complaint, and coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, NPR, and more. To stay up to date on the lawsuit go to SueDukeEnergy.org.

Lib Hutchby is a member of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom in the Triangle Branch, Raging Grannies, Frack Free UNC, and NC Environmental Network.In Chapel Hill, NC, local residents are rallying against a coal-fired power plant owned by UNC Chapel Hill, as well as a nearby Duke Energy gas build outs. Several community groups are also actively working to promote environmental sustainability by hosting events like World Water Day and attending public hearings.Recently, UNC submitted a proposal to burn packaging materials and plastics, turning them into pellets to be used as fuel in their coal plant. While this 12-month trial period might reduce some emissions compared to the plant's current fuel, burning these pellets could also increase levels of nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. On top of that, the pellets contain small amounts of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," which are notoriously harmful.However, thanks in part to the efforts of Chapel Hill's local groups, UNC has withdrawn its application. This victory is a testament to the power of community action in protecting the environment.Contact and connect with Lib: libhutchby5@gmail.com   Pellet testing: https://chapelboro.com/news/unc/no-more-coal-chapel-hill-prepares-for-hearing-on-uncs-co-gen-plant-and-potential-new-fuel-source

Dr. Elizabeth Hessami, who is a licensed attorney. She has served as a visiting attorney for the Environmental Law Institute for nearly a decade, researching post-conflict natural resources management and specializing in armed conflict and the environment. As well as my professor at Johns Hopkins. We talked at the end of last year and since then, Trump was sworn in as President of the United States again. On January 20th at his Inauguration Speech, President Trump stated “drill baby drill” expressing his interest to increase the US's exploitation and drilling of fossil fuels. He is also a notorious climate change denier. So it comes to no surprise that nationally and internationally there are policies that the Trump Administration will be implementing or receding, - like withdrawing out of the Paris Climate Agreement, that will have an effect on not only the climate globally, but also on international security and relations With Dr Hessami we specifically talk about the critical minerals deal with Ukraine - to give an overview, The initial deal called for Ukraine to use its mineral resources to repay the United States $500 billion for military aid previously provided. The agreed upon framework does not designate the rights of $500 billion worth of minerals revenues to the United States nor does it include a security guarantee for Ukraine. Rather, the agreement establishes a reconstruction investment fund with joint U.S. and Ukraine ownership. Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of all revenues earned from the future monetization of all Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets into the fund.We also discuss how to stay hopeful and actions we can take ourselves during these changing times.I also want to note that we recorded this on February 21st of this year before any further meetings and talks between Trump and Zelynskyy happened.Contact and connect with Dr. Hessami: ehessam1@jhu.edu Sources:https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/26/europe/ukraine-us-mineral-resources-deal-explained-intl-latam/index.htmlhttps://www.csis.org/analysis/breaking-down-us-ukraine-minerals-deal

Sweden has figured out recycling. This shows, as they are the highest recyclers in the world. To talk about recycling we also have to mention all streams of waste - not just the products that are eligible to be recycled. In fact,only 1% of Sweden's trash goes into a landfill. Just to reiterate, 99% of Sweden's waste is recycled! 52% is burned and converted into energy and then the remaining 47% is recycled and given another life.Recycling is simply a way of life in Sweden. It is ingrained in the culture and taught to kids at a very young age. Literature says, culture is a huge factor that drives sustainable development - it starts with the mindset of the people. So Sweden is a progressive leader to know this kind of change starts with youth. Sweden has strict laws and regulations that not only aid in recycling and recyclability of products, but make it so that certain products aren't manufactured, packaged, or imported in the first place to end up in the wastestream. They also highly encourage citizens to firstly reduce and reuse before recycling. Recycling is just an initial step to work towards climate goals and sustainability. It's not the end all be all for the climate, but such a foundational place to start. Changing our everyday habits and behavior is where this change will happen and I believe Sweden is leading the way. 4 Main Ways Sweden Accomplishes 1% of Waste in Landfills: Education to CitizensSocial Systems in PlaceExtended Producer Responsibility LawWaste-To-Energy Model  Sources:https://unece.org/sustainable-energy/about-methane-management-0https://www.svenskplastatervinning.se/en/about-plastic-recycling/https://www.worldcleanupday.org/country/sweden#:~:text=Hela%20Sverige%20plockar%20skr%C3%A4p%202024,sustainable%20and%20litter%20free%20world!&text=On%20this%20day%2C%20Keep%20Sweden,all%20the%20litter%20we%20see.

Steph Gans is an EJ Organizer for Clean Water for North Carolina. Clean Water for North Carolina's mission is to promote clean, safe water and environments, and empower communities for all North Carolinians through advocacy, outreach, education, and technical assistance.With Steph we talk about the multiple natural gas build outs and data centers proposed in North Carolina, specifically how it will affect communities, rate payers, and land owners. We also talk about pollution accountability, tools they offer, and motivation for continuing to work towards environmental justice.Contact and connect:steph@cwfnc.org https://cwfnc.org

Sweden is the most sustainable country in the world. For decades they have been paving the way for environmental action. In fact, they were the first country to pass an Environmental Protection Act back in 1967. They are also the highest recyclers in the world - read more about that here.  I was more than ecstatic to hear all of this - first coming from America where it took so much effort to do your best for the environment and secondly with this new US administration cutting back so many environmental regulations. I thought it would be enlightening to hear about somewhere that heavily prioritizes the environment.  So how did this Scandinavian country become the sustainable country in the world? I believe there are two HUGE factors that play a major role: culture and policy. I do also want to point out that Sweden is an incredibly rich country with the world's 14th highest GDP per capita. It is a welfare country that provides many social services to its people including environmental infrastructure. Therefore, the start-up costs for various technologies and infrastructure isn't a hurdle as it might be for other countries. BUT as mentioned before, the richest countries are the ones polluting the most, so it's a matter of priority. 

Lisa Sorg is the North Carolina reporter for InsideClimate News. A journalist for 30 years, Sorg covers energy, climate, environment and agriculture, as well as the social justice impacts of pollution and corporate malfeasance. The past couple of months Lisa has had a 5-story series called “Gaslighting” that breaks down several natural gas projects from gas pipelines, compressor stations, and power plants that are proposed throughout North Carolina. These natural gas projects will emit hundreds of thousands tons of methane into the atmosphere per year. As we know, Methane is a huge driver of climate change and will make matters locally and globally worse. Lisa also talks with the NC communities and people on the ground who will be affected and what it means going forward. Contact and connect: lisa.sorg@insideclimatenews.org Gaslighting Series: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29122024/north-carolinas-climate-activists-brace-for-trumps-return/

Younju Lee is from South Korea and based in Paris, France. She is a Masters student for Environmental Policy as well as an intern with the Stakeholder Engagement team at United Nations Climate Change.  The United Nations is working around the world to cut emissions, pursue nature-based solutions, extend sustainable energy and invest in resilient cities, among many other initiatives. One of the most pressing initiatives is The Paris Agreement, which is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It then, entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” However, in recent years, world leaders have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of this century.  With Younjun we talk about her experience working with the UN, the Paris Agreement, her contributions, challenges of working with an international organization, and COP29. Contact and connect: younju.lee@sciencespo.fr    Paris Agreement: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

Dr. Elizabeth Hessami is a professor at Johns Hopkins University and a licensed attorney. She has served as a visiting attorney for the Environmental Law Institute for nearly a decade, researching post-conflict natural resources management and specializing in armed conflict and the environment. And she was actually my professor for Environmental and Natural Resource Security in my masters program.  Resource security refers to a state in which a country or region has sustainable, stable, timely, adequate and economical access to necessary natural resources and resource products, and the capability to maintain a sustained state of security. The UN states: As climate change accelerates, its impacts exacerbate existing social, economic, and environmental challenges in many contexts, which can contribute to insecurity at local levels and internationally. Security concerns linked to climate change include impacts on food, water and energy supplies, increased competition over natural resources, loss of livelihoods, climate-related disasters, and forced migration and displacement. Despite growing recognition of the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security, few examples of integrated programmatic approaches that address specific risks at the intersection of climate change and insecurity exist.  Conflict and crisis affected contexts are more susceptible to being overwhelmed by climate change, but too often peacebuilding and stabilisation efforts often do not consider climate-related impacts or environmental hazards. At the same time, insecurity hinders climate change adaptation efforts, leaving already vulnerable communities even poorer and less resilient to interlinked climate and security crises, but climate change adaptation initiatives often fail to fully integrate peacebuilding or conflict prevention objectives. With Dr. Hessami, we talk about her background, work in Afghanistan, the phenomenon of the resource curse, some of the biggest threats, challenges, and what the future looks like. Contact and connect: ehessam1@jhu.edu  Dr. Hessami's Work: “Conflict, Crisis, and Peacebuilding: Afghanistan and Regional Water Security,” Elizabeth B. Hessami, New Security Beat, The Wilson Center, June 12, 2023 “New Legal Protections for the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict,” Elizabeth B. Hessami and Karen Hulme, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, July 16, 2022 “The Uncertain Future of Afghanistan's Nascent Environmental Laws,” Elizabeth B. Hessami, Bloomberg Law, September 2, 2021 Environment and Natural Resource Security https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/better-policies-for-development/overview-the-environment-and-natural-resource-security_9789264115958-12-en#page1

Court Lewis is the BREDL chapter President of Unicoi Clear in Unicoi County, TN and currently living in Upstate, South Carolina.  In late September of this year, category 4 Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction and death across the Southeast United States including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. More than 230 people have been killed and it has caused more than $2 billion in damages.  Court witnessed the effects and aftermath of Hurricane Helene first hand. He tells about how unprecedented this disaster was, stories from neighbors and community members, the aftermath and clean up process, and what local organizations you can donate to. From talking with people from Western NC who were affected - here are 4 steps you can take to help with Hurricane Helene efforts: 1. Donate to Hood Huggers International. They are a resiliency organization in Asheville, NC that are providing immediate and direct support for those hit hardest in the area. 2. Refuse to shrug this off as a natural disaster. Talk to everyone about how unprecedented this was and how the destruction was due to human induced climate change. This can't be the new normal. 3. Learn - learn how to bring more balance and justice to the world by educating yourself and others. 4. Vote - vote for people who support policies rebuilding impacted communities better before the storm. Donate: Hood Huggers International: https://hoodhuggers.com/ Helene was NOT a natural disaster: https://www.yahoo.com/news/helene-shows-that-hurricanes-in-the-age-of-climate-change-dont-wreck-just-coastlines-210015013.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJiD87rnbHmYtfOtq6X3HBm-xG6D7RzwZawgYkJwNxh8vbY3jfi_9J1Hns47GF-yMLr5jkYvVoe6MR50wY00NjY8-TlUekQWxaq8g1-Y0Lq32VV-AksvSDQ8QWC4iZzISFEpecHvNRmKS8fCOqku7s7UCI4lempBtfHuwiagYSX1&emci=4e0a2ebe-1780-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=d02158fd-4380-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=1121357&guccounter=2  Contact and connect with Court: cslewis1@mindspring.com  

Karen Hill is the President of the Tennessee Native Plant Society. The Tennessee Native Plant Society mission is to conserve and celebrate native plant communities and their habitats through education. From the Appalachian Mountains to the floodplains of the Mississippi, Tennessee's native plant communities make one of the most botanically diverse and interesting states in the nation.  With Karen we talk about what plants are native to the TN region, which are endangered, how insects play a vital role, and efforts they make to help bring native plants back. Connect: TNPS@myripples.org https://www.tnps.org/

Abigail Franks who is the Membership and Policy Manager and Alexander Easdale who is the Executive Director at Southeast Climate and Energy Network.  The Southeast Climate and Energy Network has a mission to confront the climate crisis by creating strategic alignment, growing capacity, and building power among member organizations and their communities in the Southeast. They have a huge focus on grassroots work that prioritizes and uses the knowledge that southerners already have. They know that there are challenges in the South, but there are people on the ground who have the solutions. Contact: abigail@scen-us.org and alex@scen-us.org  All the information we talked about can be found: https://www.scen-us.org/

Carlton Turner is the Co-Director / Co-Founder at Sipp Culture. Based in the rural South, “Sipp Culture” is honoring the history and building the future of their community in Utica, MS.  Sipp Culture supports community development from the ground up through cultural production focused on self-determination and agency designed by them and for them. They believe that history, culture, and food affirm their individual and collective humanity. So, they are strengthening our local food system, advancing health equity, and supporting rural artistic voices – while activating the power of story – all to promote the legacy and vision of our hometown. With Carlton we talk about SIPPs mission, current projects and the significance of land, stories, and local food.

Erica Hall is Executive Director and Board Chair at Florida Food Policy Council. Executive Committee Member of the Sierra Club, Florida Chapter. As well as a National Board of Director Member of the National Sierra Club.  The Florida Food Policy Council (FLFPC) works to address gaps and affect policy within the food system through integrity and collaboration for the benefit of all Floridians and the environment.  Food Policy Councils (FPCs) provide a unique forum for diverse stakeholders to come together and address common concerns regarding food policy including food systems, food security, farm policy, food regulations, health, and nutrition. Stakeholders include people such as farmers, city and state officials, non-profit organizations, chefs, food distributors, food justice advocates, educators, health professionals, and concerned citizens.  With Erica, we talk about the intersections of her work, challenges in the food systems today, the importance of land, urban agriculture, and their impact in the community. Erica also mentions the Farm Bill, which urgently needs support.  Contact: https://flfpc.wildapricot.org/  Farm Bill: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-bill/index

Hi everyone, we're back with Debbie Clemens who is with the Outreach Coordinator for Orangutan Outreach. In this episode we talk all about palm oil and its effects. The sourcing of palm oil causes conflict because it has been produced illegally or under conditions associated with labor or human rights violations, ongoing destruction of rainforests, or expansion on carbon-rich peatlands.   One of the most pressing concerns associated with Palm Oil is its environmental impact. The expansion of palm oil plantations has been linked to deforestation, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss. In many cases, pristine rainforests are cleared to make way for these plantations, leading to the loss of critical habitat for endangered species like orangutans, tigers, and rhinoceroses. Deforestation also contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. With Debbie we talk about what palm oil is, where you can commonly find it, the ethics around it, and more. Contact and connect with Debbie: deb@redapes.org  https://redapes.org/   https://palmdoneright.com/what-is-conflict-palm-oil/ 

In this episode I continue my conversation with Debbie Clemens who is the Outreach Coordinator for Orangutan Outreach. We talk about the behind the scenes work that goes into making field work possible for these creatures. Tune in for the last episode of the series in two weeks. Contact and connect with Debbie: deb@redapes.org  https://redapes.org/   https://palmdoneright.com/what-is-conflict-palm-oil/ 

Debbie Clemens is the Outreach Coordinator for Orangutan Outreach. They are a US based charity that focuses on raising awareness and raising funds for their partners in Indonesia. They are personally not doing the orangutan rescue and rehabilitation work themselves, but are supporting those who are.  Mankind may be one of the orangutans' closest relatives but humans are also the greatest threat to the orangutans' survival. Clear cutting, forest fires and hunting are reducing orangutan numbers to alarmingly low levels. Never before has their very existence been threatened so severely. Orangutans used to live in many different parts of Southeast Asia, but the places where they can thrive and find food are quickly vanishing. In Borneo and Sumatra, their last remaining homes, large parts of the old growth rainforest are gone, ripped up for farmland, palm oil plantations and urban development. And the precious little forest that is left is disappearing rapidly as palm oil companies continue to illegally clearcut enormous areas of forest. With Debbie we talk about the behind the scenes work that goes into making field work possible for these creatures. Although we ultimately talk about how saving  orangutans is actually saving ourselves. This is a three part series so - look out for the next episodes in the coming weeks. Contact and connect with Debbie: deb@redapes.org  https://redapes.org/   https://palmdoneright.com/what-is-conflict-palm-oil/

Leif Cocks is the Founder of The Orangutan Project. They are a passionate group of people based in Australia and are dedicated to saving the orangutan. They are led by an experienced set of wildlife experts that have been working for over 20 years to protect this species and their environment. And together they are working to protect orangutans from extinction.  Orangutans are the most intelligent beings on the planet after human beings, and they adapt to the environment by passing on culture through each generation. They are a self-aware being and as intelligent as a six year old child. Also being the slowest reproducing species in the world, they are highly prone to extinction, so if we do not act now we could lose them in our lifetime. Contact and connect with Leif: leif.cocks@orangutan.org.au  The Orangutan Project: https://www.theorangutanproject.org/

Ben Frition is the Founder of The REED Center which is a Maryland-based nonprofit that seeks to repair the holistic connection of humans and their environment through research, engaging communities in farm programming, developing self-perpetuating ecosystems, and designing natural landscapes on residential and commercial scales. They strive to inspire and empower humanity to reconnect with Nature and co-create a more resilient, equitable, and abundant future for all communities on the planet. They also have a Food Forest, that seeks to develop scalable diversified agro-ecosystems to produce both the maximized productively of land in both volume of food, as well as the more important bionutrient density of said food. Ben's work spawned from seeing the failures of reforestation projects that get cut down as the needs of people are unmet. He's been developing agricultural models that meet both the environmental imperative of biodiversity & resilience AND the acute needs of humans.Transitioning from almost three centuries of conventional agriculture into a diverse nature mimicking polyculture, the food forest offers a unique opportunity to study, document, and record the rejuvenation of this land over time. They intend to use this relatively standard agricultural canvas to collect key data, iterate on best practices, and pioneer novel methodologies for regenerative land management. Contact and connect with Ben: ben@thereedcenter.org  REED Center: https://thereedcenter.org/

Elizabeth Gillispie is Soil Scientist and Soil Health Vineyard Manager at Washington State University as well as a member of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA).  Soil is the loose surface material that covers most land. It consists of inorganic particles and organic matter. Soils are not only the resource for food production, but they are the support for our structures, the medium for waste disposal, they maintain our playgrounds, distribute and store water and nutrients, and support our environment. They support more life beneath their surface than what exists above. With Elizabeth, we talk about the many different ways soil supports our life and is key in functioning our society.  Contact and connect: elizabeth.gillispie@wsu.edu  Soil Science of America: https://www.soils.org/

Lisa Sorg is the Assistant Editor and Environmental Reporter at NC Newsline. She helps manage newsroom operations while covering the environment, climate change, agriculture and energy. She talks with me in two other so listen to episodes 8 and 11 to hear more from her. Within the episode we mostly reference NC drinking water suppliers, although you can apply this same information to your own area. According to the EPA, there are approximately 150,000 public water systems that provide drinking water to most Americans. Customers that are served by a public water system are able to contact their local water supplier and ask for information on contaminants in their drinking water, and are encouraged to request a copy of their Consumer Confidence Report. This report lists the levels of contaminants that have been detected in the water, including those by EPA, and whether the system meets state and EPA drinking water standards. Then about 10 percent of people in the United States rely on water from private wells. Private wells are not regulated and people who use private wells need to take precautions to ensure their drinking water is safe.  Contact or connect with Lisa: lsorg@ncnewsline.com  Consumer Confidence Report: https://www.epa.gov/ccr/ccr-information-consumers Drinking water info: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-your-drinking-water

Ben Tettlebaum is the Director & Senior Staff Attorney at The Wilderness Society. Across the U.S. there are 618 million acres of federal public lands, including national parks and forests, wildlife refuges and federally managed desert and prairie lands. Many of these special places are threatened by climate change and poor management decisions that favor development over conservation. And they are important to protect as they are a key piece of our natural heritage.  Within the episode we talk about the Western Arctic, in regards to federal land laws and to give some more background, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic Refuge) is a place of spectacular beauty as well as ecological and cultural significance, but right now it's vulnerable to oil and gas development. These industries threaten to pollute our air and water, degrade public lands, and ruin an Indigenous way of life. So we talk about what the Wilderness Society is doing to help there. BREDL has had a past working relationship with The Wilderness Society. In 1992, the Virginia Dept. of Transportation (VDOT) wanted to relocate U.S. 58 and make it a four-lane highway, bisecting the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area in S.W. Virginia. Citizens formed a BREDL chapter Mountain Heritage Alliance (MHA) and worked with another BREDL chapter Graysonites for Progressive Change to fight the VDOT proposal. The Wilderness Society (TWS) was instrumental in this fight and continues to do great work for public lands to stay public.  Contact or connect with Ben: Ben_Tettlebaum@tws.org   How to protect the Arctic: https://www.wilderness.org/articles/blog/5-questions-how-protect-arctic-oil-drilling  Here's a brief press release for the victory: https://archive.bredl.org/MHA/may96pr.html

Serenella Linares is a naturalist at Mt Rainier Nature Center and also on the board of The Mycological Association of Washington, DC. (MAWDC for short)  This episode we talk about mushrooms. When we think of mushrooms, most of us think of the edible ones we can buy at the grocery store, but really they are everywhere and are vital to our ecosystems. First to give some mushroom terminology , mycelium is the root-like structure of a fungus that has networks underground, then fungi is ​​any of a group of spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter which includes mushrooms, mushrooms are then what we normally think of as a growth with a domed cap. They are all critically important in most earthbound ecosystems as they provide life-sustaining mineral nutrients to plants while decomposing their remains, and recycling both organic and inorganic byproducts throughout the biome as they grow and reproduce. Through mycelium, mushrooms help other plants share nutrients and communicate through chemical signals. Fungi make nutrients available to plants either through decomposition and nutrient cycling, or by directly transporting nutrients to the plants, or in some cases, both processes occur. With Serenella we speak about the history of mushrooms, myco-remediation, fungal DNA sequencing, identification and more. MAWDC: https://www.mawdc.org/  Mushroom articles: https://phys.org/news/2022-08-mushrooms-main-character-ecosystems.html#:~:text=Fungi%2C%20which%20produce%20mushrooms%2C%20are,as%20they%20grow%20and%20reproduce.

Andres Chang is the Senior Research Specialist at Greenpeace. Just last year in 2023, Greenpeace came out with a report that Andres was the lead writer on, called Dollars VS. Democracy. The report talks about how Americans overwhelmingly support government action on the climate crisis. As a result, the fossil fuel industry has expanded its playbook to delay the transition to clean energy and protect its profits through efforts that undermine our right to free speech. Since the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock in 2016, oil and gas companies have played a key role in the creation and spread of anti-protest laws with provisions specifically intended to stifle protest near fossil fuel facilities. 18 states accounting for roughly 60% of oil and gas production have enacted sweeping versions of such legislation. Another four states have enacted narrower versions of the same legislation, which could be exploited by prosecutors seeking to issue trumped-up charges against peaceful protesters.  Within the episode we talk about all this report, from the creation of it, key points, its significance, and what their plans for it are. BREDL sent documents to Greenpeace to use in this report, so we discuss that as well. The Anti-Slap petition that Andres mentions in the episode will be linked in the show notes below, so please sign on to that as well as a link to the full report. FULL REPORT: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/reports/dollars-vs-dissent/   SIGN THE ANTI-SLAP PETITION: https://engage.us.greenpeace.org/kuCKizua206SG48Bs-kTFg2

Jesse Howe is the Assistant Director of the Coastal Conservation Association, Maryland (CCA) whose purpose is to advise and educate the public on the conservation of our marine resources. They seek to conserve, promote and enhance the present and future availability of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. One of the main projects CCA does are living reefs, which are reef balls that they create in the Chesapeake Bay to provide important habitat for oysters and other estuarine critters and they are valued in both fresh and Bay waters. And since the 1700's oyster populations have seen dramatic decline due to over-harvesting, disease, habitat loss and more and the Bay has really seen the effects of that as oysters are natural filters. Therefore the reef balls offer a place for oysters to come back to the Bay and help maintain healthy waters and the ecosystem.  With Jesse we talk about why Maryland's coastline is ecologically significant, the goals of the Living Reefs, how they get the community involved, citizen science, and how to support their work. Contact and connect with Jesse: jhowe@ccamd.org CCA Maryland: https://www.ccamd.org/  https://www.ccamd.org/product/cca-membership/ https://www.ccamd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Vision_Chesapeake_Final.pdf https://www.instagram.com/cca_md/ https://www.facebook.com/CCAMARYLAND

Ann Rodgers is BREDL's Grant Writer. In 2021 BREDL received a grant from the EPA, which Ann wrote to fund an air monitoring program, called CARE-4-Air, for our chapters who are experiencing air quality issues in their community.  I misspoke in my intro as there will be 10 air monitoring sites in TN,NC, SC, GA, and VA. These sites are all currently subject to significant sources of air pollution, including: coal-burning power generation, wood-burning biomass gasification, industrial landfill, biochar production, wood pellet manufacturing, railroad operation, biomass plant operation, coal ash deposition, natural gas compressor stations, prescribed forest burning, and asphalt plants. Many of the affected communities are experiencing documented health impacts associated with air pollution generated by these industrial operations. And then among the 10 sites at which monitoring will be conducted, 6 of them have documented health risks for African American communities.  BREDL staff and chapters are scheduled to start monitoring this spring to collect further data.

Matt Rutherford is one of the CO-Directors & Expedition Leaders of Ocean Research Project, which is a nonprofit whose mission is to observe the unknown and monitor humanity's impact on the Ocean through dedicated interdisciplinary field expeditions. Two of the main projects they focus on is research on the melting glaciers in Greenland as well as marine plastic pollution.  Greenland has a vast coastline and the surrounding waters are largely uncharted and under-monitored due to the harsh conditions and remote location. Therefore, the Ocean Research Project goes out and pursues the observations necessary for scientists to define the conditions for monitoring the effects of climate change on the Arctic marine environment. Then the other project we talk about is marine debris, ORP has conducted multiple research expeditions in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. ORP completed its first marine debris research expedition in 2013. During this trip, its crew spent 70 days sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, collecting samples of plastic trash in the water and mapping out the eastern side of the North Atlantic garbage patch. They are now doing local work in the Chesapeake Bay and have helped increase the scientific community's understanding of plastic pollution's pervasive distribution across oceans from the sea ice to the seabed.  Ocean Research Project: https://www.oceanresearchproject.org/  Articles: Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea  PCBs and PBDEs in microplastic particles and zooplankton in open water in the Pacific Ocean and around the coast of Japan Mitigation strategies to reverse the rising trend of plastics in Polar Regions Support ORP's work: https://www.oceanresearchproject.org/support-ocean-research/ 

Elissa Huffstetler and Theresa Ahrens are Residents of southeastern Person County, NC where Dominion Energy is wanting to put a facility that would include a 25 million gallon liquified natural gas storage tank, and plans submitted by Dominion suggest that a second tank could be built there in the future. The facility could emit 65,579 tons of greenhouse gasses, specifically methane, each year and not to mention, the what is produced there will not be used in the area, but other counties.  There are many concerns about this facility including air pollution, fire explosion risk, endangered species in the streams and creeks nearby, and loss of local wetland, forestland, and farms.  On November 9th residents went to a meeting about rezoning the land from rural to industrial for the plant to be placed there and more than 100 people came to speak out about their concerns. Many neighbors at the community meeting said they are concerned about the potential for fires or explosions. Vapor clouds are composed not only of methane, but of flammable refrigerants that can ignite. And they will be continuing the fight at future meetings. Contact and connect: tahrens50@gmail.com and elfhuff@gmail.com More info: https://ncnewsline.com/2023/11/03/dominion-plans-large-liquified-natural-gas-facility-in-person-county-near-rougemont/  https://bredl.org/resources/person-county-planning-board-recommends-rezoning-for-lng-facility-amid-public-outrage/

Adam Ratner is the Associate Director of Conservation Education at Marine Mammal Center.  The Marine Mammal Center advances global ocean conservation through rescue and rehabilitation, scientific research, and education. They are the world's largest marine mammal hospital and rescues more marine mammals than any other organization in the world, covering a rescue range that spans 600 miles of California coastline and Hawai‘i. Within the episode we talk about overfishing. Overfishing simply refers to the process of taking more fish out of the sea than can reproduce and replenish naturally. With the use of massive industrial fishing practices and nets that can stretch for miles, it isn't only the targeted animals that are at risk, but also other animals that are caught by accident and killed. With billions of people around the world relying on seafood, the pressure on fish stocks has never been greater. Currently, one-third of all fisheries around the world are overfished, and the rate is increasing drastically so we must take action now to support healthy fish stocks for people and animals. Contact and connect: Marine Mammal Center: media@tmmc.org https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/science-conservation/conservation/sustainable-seafood/wild-caught-seafood

Sarah Ludington is a Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the First Amendment Clinicare and Kyle Compton is a Local News Fellow of the Clinic.  The First Amendment Clinic at Duke University provides students the opportunity to work directly with clients facing free expression concerns, including defamation, content-discrimination, and reporter's privilege. Their services are pro bono and open to the public's use.  BREDL has used their services as we were waiting for PFAS records from the NC Department of Environmental Quality for 8 months and when we reached out to the Clinic and they sent a demand letter on our behalf, we got the records immediately.  To contact and connect with the Duke First Amendment Clinic is in the show notes below. Thanks for listening and enjoy the episode.  Contact and connect: firstamendmentclinic@law.duke.edu  First Amendment Clinic: https://law.duke.edu/firstamendment/

We're back to continue our conversation with Jay Feldmen who is Executive Director with Beyond Pesticides. Go back to the previous episode to learn the background of Beyond Pesticides and what they are doing. And now here is the rest of our conversation. Beyond Pesticides are science and research based. They seek to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, they reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. They believe that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly and that decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. With Jay, we discuss what pesticides are, common places they are found, effects they give to humans, research they've done and are continually doing, alternatives, and how it is all interconnected. Jay has a wealth of knowledge, so to contact and connect with him will be in the show notes below. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the episode. 

Jay Feldman is the Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides.  Beyond Pesticides are science and research based. They seek to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, they reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. They believe that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly and that decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. With Jay, we discuss what pesticides are, common places they are found, effects they give to humans, research they've done and are continually doing, alternatives, and how it is all interconnected. Jay has a wealth of knowledge, so to contact and connect with him will be in the show notes below. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the episode.  This episode will be broken into two episodes since it's longer, so be on the lookout for it in two weeks.

Emily Scarr is with the Maryland Public Interest Research Group.  Maryland PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. They speak out for the public and stand up to special interests on problems that affect the public's health, safety and wellbeing. For every issue they work on, they have a bold vision of how to transform our country. Although, they understand that change comes one step at a time, and often powerful interests are standing in the way. The  focus is on making a difference for the public, not just making a statement. With Emily we speak about the campaigns she is working on from energy issues to PFAS contamination in Maryland. She ends the conversation with saying Maryland can be a great state to be leading the change and then for other states to follow.  Contact and connect with Emily: emily@marylandpirg.org  Maryland PIRG: https://pirg.org/maryland/

This is the continuation of last week's episode of interviews from my week at the International Peace Camp in the Netherlands. Go back to the last episode to get the background of why we were there and actions we did, and those stories. And without further ado, here are the rest of the conversations. 45 of us from around Europe and the U.S. gathered together for a week of actions in protest against the U.S. Nuclear bombs stored at the Volkel Air Base. The Netherlands is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Dutch air force is assigned approximately 15 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at the Air Base. And The F-35 and F-16 fighter-bombers emit over 10 tons of CO2 per flight hour practicing to bomb the world with new, even ‘better' nuclear bombs in the next war. And during the week, we heard those fighter-bombers practicing numerous times a day. First is Marion Kuper from Germany who is speaking at our gathering on Hiroshima Day about the nuclear free work in Germany and reads some of the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), then we talk with Judith from Germany, Hubert from Germany, Vera from the U.S., Brian from the U.S., Onnau from Germany, Ria from Germany, Theo from the U.S. and then Susan from the U.S.  These are just a few stories and testimonies from the week there. You can check out the links below to learn about why we were there and nuclear sharing in general. There is also some background noise, since I record this in person with people, so I apologize for that. News coverage: https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/10/nuclear_protests_netherlands

This week's episode is a compilation of short interviews from my week at the International Peace Camp in the Netherlands. 45 of us from around Europe and the U.S. gathered together for a week of actions in protest against the U.S. Nuclear bombs stored at the Volkel Air Base. The Netherlands is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Dutch air force is assigned approximately 15 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at the Air Base. And The F-35 and F-16 fighter-bombers emit over 10 tons of CO2 per flight hour practicing to bomb the world with new, even ‘better' nuclear bombs in the next war. And during the week, we heard those fighter-bombers practicing numerous times a day. First is Marion Kuper from Germany who is speaking at our gathering on Hiroshima Day about the nuclear free work in Germany and reads some of the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), then we talk with Judith from Germany, Hubert from Germany, Vera from the U.S., Brian from the U.S., Onnau from Germany, Ria from Germany, Theo from the U.S. and then Susan from the U.S.  These are just a few stories and testimonies from the week there. You can check out the links below to learn about why we were there and nuclear sharing in general. There is also some background noise, since I record this in person with people, so I apologize for that. Since this episode ended up being about an hour long I cut it into two episodes so look out for part 2 in two weeks. More on the international camp: https://noelhuis.nl/peace-camp-volkel-2023/  https://www.icanw.org/netherlands News Coverage: https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/10/nuclear_protests_netherlands

Steve Preston is the Director of Parks with Parks and People. Parks and People have a single goal in mind: to improve the quality of life for residents of Baltimore by ensuring that everyone is connected to nature through vibrant parks and green spaces.  According to the Parks and People, the act of reclaiming a vacant lot or beautifying a neglected open space, by even a few residents on a single block, can serve as a catalyst for positive change and growth throughout a community. They have seen this transformation take place time and again. In neighborhoods where someone establishes and maintains open public green spaces: people experience a stronger sense of community, develop closer relationships with their neighbors, and  report feeling safer. With Steve we talk about the importance of parks in a city, how many parks Balitmorians have access to, what makes a well-designed park, park maintenance, and the possibility of getting Biden Administration funding for public spaces in Baltimore.  Contact and connect with Steve: steven.preston@parksandpeople.org Parks and People: https://www.parksandpeople.org/ 

We're back with the second part of Dr. Claudia Miller's talk on Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT). Go back to part 1 to listen to more of an explanation, but TILT seeks to explain the mystifying range of symptoms suffered by people with chemical intolerances. To listen to the full talk with presentation slides, I have linked the youtube video by Beyond Pesticides below as well as anything that is mentioned in this talk.  Contact and connect with Dr. Claudia Miller: millercs@uthscsa.edu  Watch the full presentation from Beyond Pesticides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8sjxyOZ-Ew  TILT Website: https://tiltresearch.org/ Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes, 2nd edition 1998: https://tiltresearch.org/provider-resources/publications/ Microbiome video: https://tiltresearch.org/2022/06/20/toxicant-induced-loss-of-tolerance-for-chemicals-foods-and-drugs-a-global-phenomenon/ Full Papers attached: Mast cells article: https://tiltresearch.org/2021/12/02/overlooked-for-decades-mast-cells-may-explain-chemical-intolerance/ TILT Connection article: https://tiltresearch.org/2021/06/28/new-study-provides-a-link-between-common-chemicals-and-unexplained-chronic-illnesses/

I'm airing Dr. Claudia Miller's presentation on her theory of TILT. Dr. Miller is a Professor, Allergy/Immunology and Environmental Health at the University of Texas. For decades Dr. Miller has championed a new theory of disease to join the germ theory and the immune theory: Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT). TILT explains the mystifying range of symptoms suffered by people with chemical intolerances. It is a two-step process. First, initiation involves acute or chronic exposure to environmental agents such as pesticides, solvents, or indoor air contaminants, followed by triggering of multi-system symptoms by exposure to small quantities of previously tolerated substances such as traffic exhaust, cleaning products, fragrances, foods, drugs, or food-drug combinations. Dr. Miller gave me permission to air her presentation where she further explains it along with her research and findings. To listen to the full talk with presentation slides, I have linked the youtube video by Beyond Pesticides below. Contact and connect with Dr. Claudia Miller: millercs@uthscsa.edu  Watch the full presentation from Beyond Pesticides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8sjxyOZ-Ew  TILT Website: https://tiltresearch.org/ Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes, 2nd edition 1998: https://tiltresearch.org/provider-resources/publications/ Microbiome video: https://tiltresearch.org/2022/06/20/toxicant-induced-loss-of-tolerance-for-chemicals-foods-and-drugs-a-global-phenomenon/ Full Papers attached: Mast cells article: https://tiltresearch.org/2021/12/02/overlooked-for-decades-mast-cells-may-explain-chemical-intolerance/ TILT Connection article: https://tiltresearch.org/2021/06/28/new-study-provides-a-link-between-common-chemicals-and-unexplained-chronic-illnesses/

Susan Crane is a Peace Activist.  Susan and I met last year at the 2022 International Peace Delegation in Germany. This year that same peace delegation will be held again in the Netherlands at the Volkel Air Base. The 2023 Volkel Peace Delegation will focus on the climate and a nuclear free world. Activists from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the United States and possibly other countries get together for these days of action. The Netherlands is one of five NATO members to host US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a nuclear-sharing agreement. The Dutch air force is assigned approximately 15 B61 nuclear bombs, which are deployed at Volkel Air Base. And The F-35 and F-16 fighter-bombers emit over 10 tons of CO2 per flight hour practicing to bomb the world with new, even ‘better' nuclear bombs in the next war. And when those nuclear bombs are used, it is very harmful to the climate and to all life on earth. With Susan we talk about the delegation, actions that will take place, the main objectives, why nonviolence, and more.  Contact and connect with Susan: susan.s.crane@gmail.com  More on the international camp: https://noelhuis.nl/peace-camp-volkel-2023/  https://www.icanw.org/netherlands

Todd Thiele is the president of the Norris Lake Protection Alliance (NLPA).  Norris Lake, also known as Norris Reservoir, is a reservoir that is located in East Tennessee. The lake was created by the Norris Dam on the Clinch River in 1936 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for flood control, water storage, and hydroelectric power. And today, Norris Lake is a recreation hub with 809 miles of shoreline and 33,840 acres of water surface and is the largest reservoir on a tributary of the Tennessee River. NLPA has a mission to provide a unifying voice to people who regard environmental preservation of Norris Lake as a top priority, enabling current and future generations to enjoy its responsible use. NLPA is currently working to monitor and prevent water contamination from a chicken farm under construction in Sharps Chapel TN.  With Todd we talked about the history of Norris Lake, why he does this work, the projects they are currently involved in, water monitoring and more. Contact and connect with Todd: tthiele@harriscompany.com  NLPA website:  https://hoppyhiker.wixsite.com/nlpa  More on Norris Lake: https://www.tnvacation.com/local/norris-norris-lake  https://www.visitknoxville.com/listing/norris-lake/1033/ 

Trey Sherard is a Riverkeeper with Anacostia Riverkeeper. As an organization they aim to create meaningful encounters with the river for all people in order to open opportunities for enjoyment of the Anacostia River. Their primary programmatic goals are centered on trash mitigation, advocacy, water quality, stormwater reduction, and river access.  The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel and ultimately empties into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. And the river itself is about 8.7 miles long.  Within the episode we talk about what makes the river unique, the different jurisdictions it's under, what makes a healthy river, trash mitigation, and green infrastructure.  Contact and connect with Trey: trey@anacostiariverkeeper.org  Anacostia Riverkeeper: https://www.anacostiariverkeeper.org/programs/

Mike Ross is an assistant professor in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences' Sustainable Landscape Design concentration and in the School of Landscape Architecture. Originally he was trained as an organismal biologist and evolutionary ecologist. And now, he translates ecological systems and relationships into design and management strategies. In the episode we talk about city design in an environmental context. According to the United Nations, more than half the world's population live in cities. By 2050, an estimated 7 out of 10 people will likely live in urban areas. Cities are drivers of economic growth and contribute more than 80 per cent of global GDP. In our conversation we talked about a lot of different aspects of city planning and design from elements that make a city well designed, public transportation, and green infrastructure but ultimately we couldn't talk about city planning without mentioning equity, poverty, homelessness, redlining, privilege, and more. It is all interconnected and complex so we mention some of those aspects as well. We also discuss suburbs vs cities in an environmental context, and know both have their pros and cons. There is no right answer because again, it's a complex system, we were just having a conversation about them. And we end it by discussing how we should change some of our languaging from sustainable cities to regenerative cities. Contact and connect with Mike: mross28@utk.edu or https://archdesign.utk.edu/people/michael-ross/  More on sustainable cities: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/sustainable-communities  https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/

Julie Griffin and Julie Owen, are residents in Ringgold, VA where they have an industrial, open air landfill in their backyards. The landfill is owned by First Piedmont where they created the landfill after the community had already existed there for 50+ years. The residents have to look at that mess every time they come out of their houses' and deal with the odor from it 24 hours a day. There is no fence around it so there is high risk with children and pets in this residential area, not to mention what is in the air and water from it.  They are a chapter of BREDL called, Coalition for a Clean Dan River Region, where they are taking a stand to protect their family, homes and the air and water that we all depend on! Industrial landfills have industrial waste in them which can contain metals, glass, asphalt, and more. Landfills produced gasses such as methane, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and non methane organic compounds. Not to mention, they produce leachate which is a liquid produced by landfill sites, contaminating nearby water sources, which further damages the ecosystems. I would highly suggest going to their facebook page “Save our rural community” to see pictures of the  landfill and what they have to deal with daily.  Contact and connect with Julie Owens and Julie Griffin: julieo495.33@gmail.com  Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/971369563328746/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1599197337212629  Information about damage of landfills: https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2021/04/15/hidden-damage-landfills  https://www.epa.gov/landfills/industrial-and-construction-and-demolition-cd-landfills

We're back with Jason Burns who is Executive Director at Last Call Foundation and he's been a Firefighter since 2006. He has spent much of his career advocating for better and safer working conditions for his firefighters. I talked with Jason at the end of last year in episode 24, about how there is PFAS in firefighters PPE. We ended the conversation on how when they wash their PPE, the PFAS ends up in their waterways. Now we're picking the conversation back there. In 2022, there was a test of 114 waterways from across the country, in which 83% were found to contain at least one type of PFAS—dangerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are widely linked to serious public health and environmental impacts.  These findings are an important step toward filling in a major data gap and validate the call to EPA for increased and widespread monitoring to gain a complete picture of PFAS contamination in all watersheds across the country. In spite of the serious health risks, there are currently no universal, science-based limits on the various PFAS chemicals in the United States. For many PFAS chemicals, the EPA has not even set a health advisory limit that would give the public a baseline to determine what amount of PFAS is unhealthy in drinking water. In most cases, the EPA is not doing adequate monitoring for these chemicals, which is why these findings are so unique and important. Contact and connect with Jason: jasonjburns@comcast.net Study/survery mentioned: https://waterkeeper.org/news/unprecedented-analysis-reveals-pfas-contamination-in-u-s-waterways-shows-shocking-levels-of-contamination/ 

Dr. Michael McKinney is the Director of Environmental Studies at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I personally did microplastic research with him on invertebrates in local creeks and the Tennessee River. And now, he is teaching a course on microplastics at UTK along with his research.  Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from both commercial product development and the breakdown of larger plastics.  They are classified as less than 5 millimeters in diameter. The problem with microplastics is that—like plastic items of any size—they do not readily break down into harmless molecules. Plastics can take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose—and in the meantime, wreak havoc on the environment. They can be from sources such as synthetic clothing, fishing nets, food packaging, cosmetics, PPE, and so much more. There is still so much research being done about them and what dangers they impose. With Dr. McKinney, we talk about his research on them, how washing clothes put microplastics into our waterways, how they affect wildlife and humans alike, bioaccumulation, and policy solutions. Contact and connect with Dr. McKinney: mmckinne@utk.edu Microplastic articles: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/microplastics/ 

Steven Lester is a Toxicologist and the Science Director at the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, CHEJ. We speak about the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment where 38 of its 150 cars derailed while carrying a variety of hazardous chemicals on February 3rd. A few days after the train cars derailed the company, Norfolk Southern, was afraid of a bigger explosion and decided to dump and burn the 5 cars carrying vinyl chloride.  The burning of this leads to dioxins in the air, soil, water, and farm animals there. “Dioxin” is the name given to a group of persistent, very toxic chemicals that share similar chemical structures. Dioxin is not deliberately manufactured. It is the unintended byproduct of industrial processes that use or burn chlorine. Dioxin exposure can have serious environmental and human health effects such as cancer, reproductive damage, developmental problems, type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, infertility in adults, impairment of the immune system and skin lesions. The high exposure to this particular chemical puts the community at high risk, but also has the potential to travel through the air and water and have an effect on the produce and animals we consume as it's in the soils. Norfolk Southern and the EPA have been denying and delaying testing for this. Steven along with the community has been putting pressure on them to do accurate and timely testing. Steven also got invited by the community to attend public meetings and is in contact with residents on the ground there. We speak about their concerns and if the area will ever be safe again.  Contact and connect with Steven: slester@chej.org  News: https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/east-palestine-train-derailment/epa-not-testing-for-dioxins-scientist-calls-reason-lame/  https://www.nytimes.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-timeline.html  Guardian article with Steven: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/02/epa-toxins-test-east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-dioxins

Sabrina Webster is a resident of Piney Grove, NC - which is in the 1 mile radius of where the Winston-Salem Weaver Fertilizer Plant Fire that happened in January of last year. I did four other episodes about the fire itself and stricter regulations that need to be in place, especially for Ammonium Nitrate that the community was exposed to, so listen to episodes 5,6,7, and 8 for that. There is now a report out about the fire from the Analysis of Publicly Disseminated Air Quality Information During Facility Fire Incident highlights instances when local officials told the public that the air quality was okay and pollutants were just “irritants” when, in fact, levels of Particulate Matter 2.5 were in the EPA's hazardous and very unhealthy categories. Yet, they told residents it was safe to go back to their homes four days after the fire. With Sabrina, we talk about the day the fire happened, the process coming back, the rich history of the Piney Grove community, how the media portrays the community, the lack of compensation they got, and now the current situation. Contact and connect with Sabrina: www.bredl.org Report: https://archive.bredl.org/air/220803_Weaver_Fire_Air_Analysis.html

Emily Franc is the Vice President of Development & Philanthropy at Potomac Riverkeeper Network. Freshwater mussels like Eastern Lampmussel, and Alewife floaters are among 16 species native to the Potomac River and its Maryland tributaries, and they once existed in the millions, similar to the oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay. Like oysters, mussels are effective at removing nutrients and toxins, filtering out sediments and improving water quality. The mussels population in the Potomac has suffered due to climate change, increased urbanization, and stormwater erosion. Scientific opinion is unanimous that mussel recovery is an important part of improving the water quality in the Chesapeake Bay; both Maryland and Virginia's departments of environment have expanded their commitment to the recovery of mussel populations. With Emily we talk about the history and significance of the Potomac River, why mussels are a vital part of our ecosystem, why we've seen a decrease in them, their mussel restoration work, and how we can support this work. Contact and connect with Emily: emily@prknetwork.org Potomac Riverkeeper Network: https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/ https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/50-million-mussel-project/