In the fourth episode of the Environmental Justice season, we sit down with Ana Mejia. Mejia is a member of the RELEAF collective which aims to increase racial equity by and for black, indigenous, and people of color. The collective specifically focuses on environmental issues such as land accessibility, environmental agriculture, and foodways. The collective’s goal is to amplify BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) voices in these areas by building communities, amplifying their voices, and sharing opportunities. Sitting down with Ana Mejia, our listeners will get to learn what environmental justice means to the collective, and ways in which individuals can help support and grow the collective’s impact.

The third guest on season 3, Environmental Justice, is former Vermont House of Representative member and current Vermont Senate member Kesha Ram. Kesha Ram is also a former University of Vermont student and student body president. Ram was elected to the Vermont State House of Representatives in 2008 with an endorsement from Obama where she became the first woman of color to serve on the Vermont State Senate. She has gone on to advocate for social justice and environmental justice issues and has publicly endorsed the Green New Deal. Ram offers crucial insight into the ways in which Vermont addresses environmentalism, wage gaps, and racial justice.

Ellen Kahler is our second guest on season 3, Environmental Justice. Ellen Kahler is the Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and board member of the Working Lands Enterprise Fund, Vermont Workforce Development Board, and Energy Action Network. Kahler discusses how her work aims to support and fund Vermonters in finding and sustaining jobs as well as unpack the wage gap present in the state and how that is impacting energy usage and CO2 emissions.

In episode one of season three, Environmental Justice, The University of Vermont anthropology professor and co-director of the Huertas Project, Dr., Teresa Mares joined us to discuss her work related to injustices within the farming and agricultural labor done by Latinx and undocumented farmers in Vermont.

Jack Hanson joins us for Episode Three of Season Two. Jack Hanson is a City Councilor in Burlington, VT, representing the East District. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 2016 and currently works at the advocacy organization Sustainable Transportation Vermont. From his first days at UVM until now, Jack's work, both professional and volunteer, has focused on advancing climate justice at the local, state, national, and global level.

For Season Two's Second Episode, Kestrel Plump joins our team to talk about her work. bKestrel holds the position of Sustainability Magnet Coach for the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, and listen in as she discusses the Sustainability Academy’s curriculum and approach to building the next generation of environmental scholars.

In Episode One of Season Two, Paul Hines joins us to talk about Energy Storage Solutions and his experience in the industry. Paul is currently a Professor and the L. Richard Fisher chair in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Vermont. He has a secondary appointment in Computer Science and is a member of the adjunct research faculty of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center and a member of the external faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. He is also Co-Founder and CEO of Packetized Energy, a clean energy startup company.

In Episode Three, Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Member Gary Hawley walks us through his experiences with the Sustainable Campus Fund and his efforts to reduce carbon emissions at UVM. h

Grace Budd joins Ripple Effect for Episode 2, where we delve into her experience working with the SCF. Grace is a UVM student majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and previous intern with a Sustainable Campus Fund project.

Ripple Effect talks to Jared Alvord, who graduated from UVM with a degree in Environmental Studies, and returned recently for the Sustainable Innovation MBA program. In his undergrad years, Jared was heavily involved with UVM’s Vermont Campus Energy Group, serving as the President for most of his college career, also when the Sustainable Campus Fund was established. Jared is the Co-Founder of Mad River Solar and wants students to get involved with the quickly growing renewable energy industry.