In Our Backyard Podcast

Hosted by Jenn Galler

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Episodes

203

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

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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60 recent

October 30, 2026Episode 4652 min

46. Data Centers in Northampton County: The Real Consequences

In this episode, I’m joined by Al Kwasikpui, Sylvia Vincent, and Belinda Joyner - all residents of North Hampton County, for an in-depth conversation about the county’s approach to data center development, the proposed pauses on new projects, questions about transparency, and the future of their community. Data centers are often presented as engines of economic growth, bringing investment, jobs, and new opportunities. But they can also raise serious questions about electricity and water consumption, noise, traffic, environmental impacts, and the long-term consequences for the communities that live alongside them. In Northampton County, the debate has taken another turn. From questions surrounding a proposed 12-month pause in February and March, to the eventual approval of a 32-month pause in May, and the presentation of a proposed data center ordinance in August, residents have been trying to understand not just what the county is planning, but how those decisions are being made. Today, we’re digging into the timeline, the public records, the Planning Board’s role, and the questions surrounding public participation. We’ll also discuss the county’s meeting with officials from Mecklenburg County, and whether Northampton County is doing the research necessary to understand the potential costs and consequences before making a permanent decision. Contact and connect: joynerjb60@yahoo.com, aw6kwas@gmail.com & sylviavincent124@gmail.com

October 16, 2026Episode 4510 min

45. A Guided Mediation for Community Resilience

Knellee Bisram who is the founder of AHAM, the Art of Happiness and Mindfulness and the Academy of the Heart and Mind, an organization connecting mindfulness, education, nature, youth, and community resilience. Building on our last episode, this 10-minute guided meditation invites you to deepen your connection with mindfulness, the natural world, and the work of fostering resilient communities. For the best experience, find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be still and fully present. Please listen only when it is safe to do so, and avoid listening while driving or doing chores that require your attention. Take this time to pause, reconnect, and nurture the sense of calm and connection that can help us build stronger, more mindful, and resilient communities. Contact or connect: https://www.ahameducation.org/

October 2, 2026Episode 4434 min

44. Mindfulness in Action: Caring for Ourselves, Our Communities, and the Planet

Today, we’re talking about mindfulness, but not just meditation or sitting quietly. Our guest is Knellee Bisram who is the founder of AHAM, the Art of Happiness and Mindfulness and the Academy of the Heart and Mind, an organization connecting mindfulness, education, nature, youth, and community resilience. We’ll explore how mindfulness can help us care for ourselves, our communities, and even the planet and what we can learn when we step outside the classroom and into nature and community. Contact or connect: https://www.ahameducation.org/

September 18, 2026Episode 4321 min

43. Charleston’s Waterways: Threats, Trends & Solutions

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/

September 4, 2026Episode 4234 min

42. Eyes in the Sky: Conservation From Above

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: ⁠ ⁠info@southwings.org⁠ https://skytruth.org/case-studies/the-colossal-oil-spill-big-energy-tried-to-hide-for-14-years https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/climate/xai-musk-memphis-turbines-pollution https://www.selc.org/news/inside-memphis-fight-against-xai/ https://www.southwings.org/passengers/request-a-flight

August 21, 202622 min

41. Keeping the Gulf of Mexico Healthy

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

August 7, 2026Episode 4031 min

40. The Continued Fight Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline

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: chefbruce2002@yahoo.com https://archive.bredl.org/safeguard_americas_resources/200910_BREDL_Motion_to_Intervene_MVP_Extension_Request.html

July 24, 2026Episode 3924 min

39. Restoring the Buffalo Niagara Watershed

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/

July 10, 2026Episode 399 min

38. Beyond Borders: What U.S. and Swedish Environmental Policies Teach Us

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.

June 26, 2026Episode 3721 min

37. Protecting One of North America’s Most Biodiverse River Systems

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/