42. Eyes in the Sky: Conservation From Above

Today, we’re diving into the health of Charleston’s waterways and the work being done to protect them.I talked with Riley Egger, the Advocacy and Policy Director at Charleston Waterkeeper. Charleston is a community deeply connected to its rivers, creeks, marshes, and harbor, but those waterways face a growing number of challenges,  from pollution and development to flooding, population growth, and the impacts of a changing climate.In this episode, Riley helps us better understand what makes Charleston’s waterways so unique, the threats they face, and the work Charleston Waterkeeper is doing on the ground through water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and advocacy.We’ll also talk about how scientific data can shape policy, how monitoring can lead to real-world change, and what the latest water quality trends are telling us about the future of Charleston’s waterways.Contact and connect: https://charlestonwaterkeeper.org/

Our guest is Laura Early, Communications and Development Director at SouthWings, a nonprofit that connects volunteer pilots with conservation groups and journalists to document environmental issues from the air. We’ll talk about how aerial storytelling can reveal things that aren’t always visible from the ground, who these volunteer pilots are, and what inspires them to take to the skies. We’ll also explore some of the environmental challenges SouthWings is documenting and how those images can influence conservation, journalism, and policy.Email: ⁠ ⁠[email protected]⁠https://skytruth.org/case-studies/the-colossal-oil-spill-big-energy-tried-to-hide-for-14-yearshttps://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/climate/xai-musk-memphis-turbines-pollutionhttps://www.selc.org/news/inside-memphis-fight-against-xai/https://www.southwings.org/passengers/request-a-flight

In this episode, we’re talking about the Gulf of Mexico, its incredible ecosystems, the communities that depend on it, and the environmental challenges it has faced for generations.I talk with Alex Horn, Communications Director for Healthy Gulf, an organization that has been working for decades to protect the Gulf and the communities connected to it. We’ll talk about how Healthy Gulf got started, what exactly we mean when we talk about “the Gulf,” and why this waterbody is so important to wildlife, our climate, our economy, and the people who call the Gulf Coast home.We’ll also look at the history of pollution and environmental threats in the region, the ongoing impacts of offshore oil and gas development, and the work Healthy Gulf is doing today to hold industries accountable and protect these ecosystems. We also talk about the recent proposal involving the potential storage of radioactive nuclear waste beneath the Gulf, and what Healthy Gulf is doing in response.https://healthygulf.org/ ttps://www.nola.com/news/business/louisiana-gulf-nuclear-waste-storage-plan/article_6c2ae372-82a8-4855-b430-c45a3822a30f.html?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Today we're talking about a project that has sparked years of debate over energy, environmental protection, and the future of rural communities. Our guest is Bruce Coffey with BREDL's Preserve Bent Mountain Chapter, an organization working to protect the Bent Mountain community from the Mountain Valley Pipeline.In this episode, Bruce shares what makes Bent Mountain such a special place, explains the route and purpose of the pipeline, and discusses why so many local residents have opposed the project. We explore the environmental and public health impacts, hear about the community's organizing efforts, get an update on where the project stands today, and ask the big question: Is this pipeline even necessary? Finally, we'll talk about how listeners can get involved and support the ongoing work to protect Bent Mountain. Contact and connect with Bruce: [email protected] https://archive.bredl.org/safeguard_americas_resources/200910_BREDL_Motion_to_Intervene_MVP_Extension_Request.html

On today's episode, we're joined by Jennifer Fee, Director of Communications & Marketing at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. Water is at the heart of Western New York, and protecting it is more important than ever. We talk about the organization's mission to protect and restore our local waterways, the health of the Buffalo Niagara watershed, the biggest challenges facing our rivers and lakes, and how the community has gotten involved in preserving these incredible natural resources.https://bnwaterkeeper.org/ 

We're comparing Sweden and the United States.If you've ever traveled to Sweden, you've probably noticed how clean the cities are, how much public transportation is used, and how seriously recycling is taken. On the other hand, the United States is home to some of the world's most important environmental research, groundbreaking clean-energy companies, and national parks that have inspired conservation efforts across the globe.So why do these two countries have such different environmental laws? Is Sweden really as environmentally friendly as its reputation suggests? And does the United States deserve its reputation for having weaker environmental protections?We look at the differences in systems, climate policy, energy production, pollution prevention, recycling and prevention, transportation, forests and nature, and the strengths of each country. As always, the answer is more complicated than it first appears.

Today’s guest is Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman, Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Coosa River Basin Initiative, an organization dedicated to protecting one of the most biologically diverse river systems in North America.Stretching across the southeastern United States, the Coosa River Basin is home to an extraordinary range of freshwater species and ecosystems, many of which exist nowhere else on Earth. But this watershed also faces mounting threats from pollution, climate change, habitat destruction, rapid development, and biodiversity loss.In this conversation, we talk about what it means to protect a watershed, and how Indigenous history, environmental justice, and community action are deeply connected to conservation. We also talk about PFAS contamination, restoration efforts, and the idea that “we all live downstream.”Contact and connect: https://coosa.org/

Today’s guest is Kristina Peterson, a facilitator with the Lowlander Center, an organization supporting lowland and coastal communities facing climate change, land loss, displacement, and environmental injustice. A lowland is an area of land at a relatively low elevation, often located near coastlines, rivers, wetlands, or floodplains. Because these areas sit close to sea level, they are especially vulnerable to flooding, hurricanes, erosion, sea level rise, and other climate-related impacts.In this conversation, we discuss what makes lowland communities especially vulnerable, how climate change impacts culture and identity as much as infrastructure, and how community-led resilience projects are helping shape a more sustainable future.Contact and connect: https://www.lowlandercenter.org/

Welcome back to the show. Today we’re joined by Laura Iyer, founder of the Southern Sustainability Institute.Laura works with communities, businesses, and local leaders across the South to advance practical sustainability solutions through education, renewable energy, and community action. Today we’ll talk about what inspired her to launch the Institute, the future of sustainability in the South, and how local leadership can drive real change.From youth energy camps to leadership initiatives and community partnerships, her work is helping reshape how people think about sustainability, making it less about politics and more about resilience, opportunity, and collaborationContact and connect: https://southernsustainabilityinstitute.org/ 

Today we’re joined by Jackson Voss, Senior Government Affairs & Policy Advisor at the Alliance for Affordable Energy. He breaks down how energy systems are shaped, regulated, and experienced by everyday people.In this episode, we explore what the energy landscape looks like in New Orleans and across Louisiana, where climate vulnerability, aging infrastructure, and rising costs all intersect. We talk about what “affordable energy” really means, and what’s driving up costs for households. He also explains how regulators and policymakers make decisions and why those processes matter for your bills and reliability.We also touch on the future of energy policy, including climate goals, gaps in the current system, and how communities can stay engaged as we transition to cleaner, more equitable energy.