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PODCAST

In Our Backyard Podcast

This is Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League"s (BREDL) Podcast where we discuss environmental issues that are right in our backyards. Topics include coal plants, fracking, pipelines, and much more. This podcast takes a deep dive into these topics and talks with people who are on the ground fighting for the health and safety of their communities as well as protection the planet.

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All Episodes

00:33:22

32. The Data Center Capital: Growth, Land, and Local...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/04/17

Today, we’re joined by Julie Bolthouse, Director of Land Use at the Piedmont Environmental Council. With Julie, we talk about the rapid expansion of data centers on the ground and how communities are responding.Virginia is often called the “data center capital of the world”. Data centers are reshaping landscapes, straining resources, and raising tough questions about growth and sustainability. In the episode we talk about the environmental concerns for energy, water, and air. As well as how to

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00:31:49

31. Sustaining East Tennessee: Farms, Food, and the...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/04/03

Today we’re diving into the work happening on the ground in East Tennessee to support farmers, strengthen local food systems, and build healthier, more resilient communities.I’m joined by Andy Brown and Jillian Gorell from the Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council, an organization that’s been doing incredible work across the region, from farmland conservation and farmer training to expanding food access and supporting local infrastructure.They’re tackling some big challenges

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00:30:09

30. Ecology Beyond Data: Emotion, Storytelling, and...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/03/20

I’m joined by Bill Powers from Living Well Collaborative with Earth Island Institute, an organization based in Bolivia. Bill is an author, ecologist, and storyteller whose work bridges the personal and the environment in a way that feels hopeful.We’re here to talk about his book Ripple: An Intimate Exchange of Urgency and Hope Between An Ecologist Dad and His Daughter. Through a series of heartfelt letters, Bill weaves together reflections on the environmental crises we face with a deeply personal

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00:28:04

29. Building Environmental Literacy for a Changing World

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/03/06

Today’s guest is Judy Braus, Executive Director of the North American Association for Environmental Education or NAAEE for short.NAAEE’s mission is to use the power of education to advance environmental literacy and civic engagement so that people and communities can make informed decisions and take action toward a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable future. They equip educators, leaders, and learners with evidence-based tools and knowledge, to help people across ages and backgrounds

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00:19:22

28. Critical Minerals, Critical Choices: Trade,...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/02/20

As the world transitions toward a clean energy future, there is more demand for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements. These minerals are essential for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and even our everyday electronics.But where do these minerals come from? Who controls their extraction? Who bears the environmental and human costs? How can we ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy doesn’t repeat the

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00:31:47

27. Why Oysters Matter More Than You Think

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/02/06

I’m joined by Giulio Salerno from the Wild Oyster Project, an organization working to bring native oyster reefs back to San Francisco Bay and other West Coast estuaries. It’s about repairing ecosystems, building climate resilience, and bringing back something that once quietly held entire coastlines together.The Wild Oyster Project started with a simple but eye-opening realization: oysters used to be everywhere in San Francisco Bay. Huge native reefs filtered the water, stabilized shorelines,

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00:29:39

26. From Conflict to Coexistence: Protecting North...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/01/23

Today we’re joined by Nadia Steinzor, Carnivore Conservation Director with Project Coyote, a national nonprofit working to promote coexistence between people and North America’s native carnivores. Nadia’s work sits at the intersection of science, policy, and community engagement, addressing a complex conservation challenge of how to live alongside predators in a rapidly changing landscape.When we talk about wild carnivores, we’re referring to species like coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bobcats,

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00:35:57

25. The Cost of Wasted Food: Climate, Justice, and...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2026/01/09

In this episode, I speak with Yuka Nagashima, the Executive Director of Food Shift, she has spent her career working at the intersection of food, equity, and environmental impact. Food Shift is an organization dedicated to transforming our food system by addressing wasted food, redistributing surplus, and building more just, regenerative local food economies. Food touches every part of our lives. It shapes our health, our culture, our economy and our planet. Yet in the United States, we throw away

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00:57:05

24. Under Threat: Sharks, Seas, and the Laws That...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/12/19

Today, we’re joined by David McGuire, Executive Director of Shark Stewards, an organization dedicated to protecting endangered marine species and the critical ocean habitats they depend on.For more than fifty years, foundational laws such as the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act have served as our nation’s safety net for wildlife and wild places. First enacted under President Nixon, these landmark protections have saved countless

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00:18:34

23. Fish On: Protecting Fisheries, Communities, and...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/12/05

My guest is Anupa Asokan, executive director of Fish On, an organization working to ensure that coastal communities and the ecosystems they rely on can thrive for generations to come. Fish On is all about empowering the people who know the water best: the anglers, families, and coastal residents whose lives are tied to healthy oceans. Through community-driven advocacy, science-based policy, and a commitment to fairness and access, they’re helping shape the future of our fisheries from the ground

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00:43:53

22. Beyond the Reference Man: Generational Risks of...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/11/21

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Mary Olson, Executive Director of the Generational Radiation Impact Project, or GRIP, an organization dedicated to understanding and addressing how radiation exposure affects people differently across age, sex, and generation.Mary has been a longtime advocate for more equitable and science-based radiation protection standards. Her work highlights something too often overlooked in nuclear policy: the fact that our current regulations are based on a so-called

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00:17:15

21. Seeds of Change: Empowering the Next Wave of...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/11/07

Today, we’re joined by Mona Shomali, Director of the New Leaders Initiative at the Earth Island Institute, the organization behind the annual Brower Youth Awards, which recognize some of the most inspiring young environmental leaders in North America.Earth Island Institute is a hub for grassroots environmental projects around the world, and the New Leaders Initiative focuses specifically on elevating youth leadership in the fight for climate justice.In this episode, Mona walks us through the legacy

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00:24:27

20. Sowing Justice and the Fight for Energy Equity in...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/10/24

Today, we’re joined by Marquita Bradshaw who is an environmental justice organizer, community advocate, and Executive Director of Sowing Justice.Marquita made history as the first African American woman to win a major party nomination for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee, all while using a traditional grassroots organizing model.After that groundbreaking campaign, she founded Sowing Justice, a nonprofit focused on building power in communities long ignored or harmed by environmental injustice,

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00:21:29

19. Faith, Food, and the Future: Sustainability with...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/10/10

Today, we're joined by Michael Brown, Executive Director of Sustaining Way, a nonprofit based in Greenville, South Carolina, that’s redefining sustainability through equity, education, and faith. Through powerful community programs like Annie’s House, youth leadership initiatives, and resilient home interventions, Sustaining Way brings together environmental justice, interfaith values, and hands-on action. I’m excited to dive into how they’re creating a more sustainable and just

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00:27:17

18. Storm Damage: How Insurance Companies Fuel the...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/09/26

Today, we’re diving into a crisis that’s hitting close to home for many North Carolinians, one that sits at the intersection of climate change, corporate accountability, and financial survival: the insurance crisis unfolding in the wake of Hurricane Helene.I talk with Charles Slidders, Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, or CIEL. Charles is a legal expert working on the front lines of climate justice and he’s co-author of a powerful new analysis that reveals a

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00:22:34

17. Climate Realities in the Arctic

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/09/05

Today we’re talking with Romain Chuffart is with the Arctic Institute. We’re turning our attention to one of the most fragile and rapidly changing regions on Earth — the Arctic.This vast, icy expanse at the top of the world plays a crucial role in regulating our global climate and is home to unique ecosystems and Indigenous communities whose lives are intertwined with the land and sea. But the Arctic is warming at more than twice the global rate, triggering dramatic changes that ripple far beyond

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00:24:27

16. The First Legal Challenge Against a U.S. Small...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/08/22

Today, we’re talking with Diane Wilson, the Executive Director of the San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper, about a nuclear proposal that’s raising red flags across the Gulf Coast of Texas.A company called Dow/Union Carbide wants to build a Small Modular Reactor, the Xe-100 near Long Mott, Texas, just miles from the Guadalupe River and San Antonio Bay. It’s a region already grappling with historic flooding, that just inundated communities along the Guadalupe months ago.Now, the San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper

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00:28:30

15. Frontline Voices: Environmental Justice in North...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/08/08

Today we’re diving deep into the fight for environmental justice right here in North Carolina.Our guest is Dr. Rania Masri, Co-Director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, or NCEJN. It's a powerful grassroots organization committed to supporting communities on the frontlines of environmental harm. NCEJN has been a force in holding polluters and policymakers accountable, while centering the voices of those most impacted.In this episode, we’ll talk about the origins and mission of

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00:31:04

14. Safeguarding the Chattahoochee: Inside the Work...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/07/25

Today, we’re exploring one of the most vital waterways in the Southeast, the Chattahoochee River.Our guest is Henry Jacobs, Deputy Director at Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, an organization that has been on the front lines of river protection since 1994. From drinking water for millions to habitat for countless species, the Chattahoochee is a lifeline, but it also faces serious challenges, from pollution to the impacts of climate change.In this episode, we’ll talk with Henry about the river’s geography

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00:21:11

13. Solar at a Cost: Community Voices from...

In Our Backyard Podcast ·

2025/07/11

Today’s episode we're back to Northampton County, North Carolina, where a quiet but critical debate is heating up over the future of farmland and solar energy.On April 7, 2025, community advocates Sylvia Vincent, Debbie Davis, and Alfred Kwasikpui presented a powerful case to the Northampton County Commissioners. Their message? That insufficient limits on solar farm expansion are threatening the county’s agricultural heritage, local economy, and environmental health, contradicting the very goals

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48 results

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