HEAL Utah Podcast

On our historic 50th episode (thanks for listening!) Matt chats with Pat about the fat cat that sat on the mat.

Actually, they talk about Pat’s long and impressive career fighting for Utah’s environment and citizens: From his tenure as the chief of the BLM under President Clinton to his work as co-counsel for Tim DeChristopher during his 2011 trial for his climate activism. Pat talks about how relations between federal land managers and some Utah citizens have worsened, his opinion on the Utah Legislature’s bid to “take over” federal lands and the factors he thinks will play into the Obama Administration’s fateful Bears Ears monument decision.

The podcast returns after our summer break with a timely interview with Willie, a professional photographer and citizen who has joined other citizens to fight to protect American Fork Canyon. Matt and Willie chat about how he got involved in the Utah County gem and the development pressure the canyon faces, including possible expansion of the Snowbird ski resort. Lastly, they talk about last week’s catastrophic release of heavy metal laden-sludge from the Tibble Fork Reservoir into American Fork River and the resulting fish kills and other health and environment impacts. For more information, check out the Facebook group Preserve and Protect American Fork Canyon and the American Fork Canyon Alliance.

Matt talks to Kathleen, an author, activist and professor about her new book, Great Tide Rising: Finding Clarity and Moral Courage to Confront Climate Change, which makes a case for why a moral and ethical imperative must underlie a commitment to widespread environmental change. They discuss environmental values that could and should appeal to conservatives, the challenges for an increasingly urbanized population to access nature and the contradictions found in bemoaning modern civilization — while also benefiting from it.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

A fascinating talk with the provocative Derrick Jensen, a philosopher and activist and the author of a new book, The Myth of Human Supremacy, about whether people are superior to other life forms. Matt pushes Derrick to explain his attitude that the sustainability movement is inherently and deeply flawed (well articulated in his “Open Letter to Reclaim Environmentalism.”) They also talk about the empathy humans have for each other, whether Jensen is hopeful about the future, and what he appreciates about modernity.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Jean describes her work fighting for the poor and vulnerable as the Government Liason for the Salt Lake diocese. They talk about the issues the Catholic church gets involved in, how they communicate their work to congregations, and their relationship with the LDS church. Jean and Matt discuss how Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment has inspired the faith and how environmentalists can communicate better with religious communities.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Matt and Gloria chat about last week’s Big Victory, when the EPA ordered Rocky Mountain Power to install cutting-edge pollution control technologies on four of its coal power units. Gloria describes her work as Managing Attorney for the Sierra Club’s western US legal work and explains why the little-known Regional Haze provision of the Clean Air Act has turned out to be so important. They then discuss the EPA’s landmark decision — and what’s next for Rocky Mountain Power and Utah’s coal power plant fleet.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Matt has a bittersweet interview with Sophia, who recently left HEAL after eight great years as first Development Director than Associate Director. Sophia talks about how HEAL changed during her time, from a group that focused mostly on nuclear issues to now also working on air and energy issues. They then chat broadly about fundraising and how HEAL has successfully diversified its funding base, before turning to a discussion of nonprofit boards and what makes a good board member. Sophia’s new employer is SLC Green, found here. And her former job is now open, so check out her for our job ad!

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Matt talks to the Salt Lake Tribune environmental journalist about three of his recent stories. First, they chat about the Bears Ears monument controversy, including a recent heated hearing in which some legislators floated claims that environmentalists have manipulated Native leaders. Next, they discussed Utah’s bid to invest $53 million in state money to build a coal export terminal in Oakland and Brian’s excellent story about some of the potential conflicts of interest at play. Lastly, they talked about Terry Tempest Williams’ departure from the University of Utah.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Matt chats with Chip, the central figure in HEAL’s founding, about how our environmental organization was born. Chip describes those early days in the West Desert and then how the group evolved to work on nuclear waste issues and then eventually clean air and clean energy. The two then talk about Chip’s work in Torrey, where he’s retired, including how water supplies limit growth there and the community’s effort to resist a proposed gravel mine in Teasdale. They end by discussing Chip’s friend and HEAL Utah Breakfast speaker Rebecca Solnit (tickets for the 5/24/16 event available here.)

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.

Matt K, a just-graduated student activist, chats with Matt P about the long-running movement which led to last week’s historic vote from university faculty to urge the U to divest their investments of fossil fuel holdings. Matt talks about the movement’s roots in a visit in 2012 from Bill McKibben of 350.org, describes the varied lobbying efforts that helped sway faculty, staff and students to back divestment and the hard work that’s yet to come. For more information, check out the group Fossil Free USA and information from 350.org.

If you’d like to subscribe to the podcast — and get each week’s new episode delivered magically to your phone or other device — here’s the link to the iTunes feed for the HEAL Utah Podcast. If you use an Android app or another non iTunes method, paste this link — https://www.healutah.org/feed/podcast — into whatever app you use. Lastly, you can also subscribe to the podcast via Soundcloud.

Like what you heard? Have a comment or suggestion? Head over to our podcast Facebook page to join the discussion.