People Places Planet Podcast

 In this week’s episode of People Places Planet Podcast, ELI’s three summer interns (Anna Guzman, Natalie Triana, and Alex Alvarez) sit down with host Sarah Backer to reflect on their experience as summer interns, share who they are, their interests, and what brought them to ELI. They delve into their independent research projects, which cover substantive due process claims in climate litigation, climate migration issues in the Caribbean, and community gardening in California. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week’s 'court watch' episode of the People, Places, and Planet podcast, Host Sarah Backer and guests ELI Staff Attorney Jarryd Page and Science Fellow John Doherty, dive into how the youth-led constitutional climate case of Held v. State of Montana incorporated climate science and the implications that Judge Kathy Seeley’s decision might have for future climate litigation. Jarryd and John both work for ELI’s Climate Judiciary Project (CJP). CJP collaborates with leading national judicial education institutions to provide neutral, objective information to the judiciary about climate science and how it interacts with the law.   You can read the accompanying blog here, which includes more analysis and direct quotes from the Held decision.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Georgia Ray joined ELI as a Research Associate in August 2021 and has been the Host of People, Places, and Planet for the past year. At ELI, Georgia also worked on projects related to best practices for sustainable land-based aquaculture, wetlands for hazard mitigations, green technology, and the digital economy and the environment. In this episode, join our new podcast host, Sarah Backer, as she learns more about Georgia’s environmental interests and her favorite People, Places, Planet podcast episodes, while gaining insight into the behind-the-scenes podcast production process. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, host Georgia Ray dives deep into an incredible transformation journey with her guests Debbie Sims, Suzi Ruhl, David Cash, and Bill Coleman. Together, they discuss the evolution of Bridgeport, Connecticut's once-neglected Mount Trashmore into the thriving Mount Growmore agricultural, wellness, and learning campus. Tune in to explore the significance of community-driven solutions, the power of inter-sectoral government collaboration, the importance of trusted relationships with academia, and the essential steps that other communities can take to replicate such transformative projects. This episode promises a compelling narrative of turning environmental challenges into community triumphs. Referenced materials can be found on our accompanying blog here.  ★ Support this podcast ★

People view and value the land in different ways, and these attitudes have significant implications for the environmental movement. In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, ELI Staff Attorney Jarryd Page interviews award-winning author Tony Hiss, who recently published a book titled Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth. The conversation covers the importance of biodiversity and land conservation for climate regulation, the role that industry plays in the environmental movement, and how people experience public spaces. ★ Support this podcast ★

Environmental laws and the judiciary can play a role in preventing deforestation across Latin America. In this episode, host Georgia Ray speaks with Kristine Perry, a Staff Attorney at ELI, and Juan Corredor-Garcia author of “War on Deforestation” about the ongoing court cases and military action playing a role in environmental protection. Read “Deforestación y Derecho” here and find Juan’s report – “War on Deforestation” – here. ★ Support this podcast ★

Recent wildfire smoke events have highlighted the value of air quality measurement. But how does it really work, anyways? From the latest technologies and regulations to the unique challenges faced by local governments and tribes, this week's guests discuss the transforming landscape of air quality monitoring. Join hosts Georgia Ray and Ella Stack; and guests Chet Wayland from the EPA, Christopher Lee from Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center, and Miles Keogh from the National Association of Clean Air Agencies for the discussion. This episode is part of ELI's Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN).  ★ Support this podcast ★

Fish consumption is on the rise worldwide, and with it, fish farming. Land-based aquaculture and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) offer a lot of environmental promise, but do they live up to the hype? In this episode host Georgia Ray discusses the findings of a new ELI report, Fish Forward. Georgia is joined by Elissa Torres-Soto, Irene Jandoc, and Cynthia R. Harris as they explore the ways to measure the effectiveness of RAS facilities in Maine, the regulatory environment, and how the UAE might be a surprisingly helpful case study for best practice industry standards. ★ Support this podcast ★

Did you know that sediment could be a critical resource for coastal resilience? In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, host Georgia Ray speaks with Derek Brockbank of the Coastal States Organization (CSO) and Dr. Nicole Elko of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) about sediment placement regulations and the beneficial use of dredged material. Brockbank and Dr. Elko recently published a report that provides a comparative analysis of state and federal regulations on sediment in coastal zones. They discuss the role of sediment on coastal protection and restoration, obstacles to beneficial use, and best practices for policy makers. Lastly, Dr. Elko and Brockbank explain the important work that they do at ASBPA and CSO. Interested in reading their report? Find it in full here. ★ Support this podcast ★

At the Environmental Law Institute, interns have the opportunity to develop independent research projects based off their interests. In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, ELI’s spring interns, Jenny Tseng and Abhi Vishwanath, join host Georgia Ray to share more about who they are, their independent research work on The Nagoya Protocol and India's Green Hydrogen Investments, and broader projects that they have worked on at the organization.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Language changes how we perceive the world around us, and Scott Fisher is no stranger to that concept. Conversant in the Hawaiin language, Scott’s work centers community involvement with the intention of cultivating a loving and caring relationship of the land. His work at the Hawaiʻi Land Trust (HILT) combines sustainable indigineous land management techniques and research on natural bioshields.  In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.    ★ Support this podcast ★

From remote sensing to carbon sequestration, Bingqing Liu has the research to back it up. Dr. Liu’s work at The Water Institute is taking a deep look at how coastal restoration projects along Louisiana's coast can mitigate climate events and the carbon capturing potential of local ecosystems.  In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.    ★ Support this podcast ★

New York City might not be the concrete jungle you think it is. Rebecca Swadek has secured over $22 million in city and grant funding to implement wetlands projects across the city and has co-authored a thirty-year plan for the continued protection, restoration, and care of the city wetlands. In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.    ★ Support this podcast ★

Promoting awareness is never easy–especially when you're talking to an uninformed and sometimes resistant public. Despite the difficulty, Matt Hough has been instrumental in galvanizing support for wetlands in Kansas leading to conservation efforts totaling approximately 78,000 wetlands acres in just 11 years. In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Charlotte Michaluk has been a successful, data-driven advocate for wetland conservation and a continuous force in educating the community, notably through her wetland monitoring curriculums—all before the age of 18.   In this miniseries, ELI’s Georgia Ray sits down with each of the 2023 National Wetlands Awardees.  ★ Support this podcast ★