Heal Utah Podcast

Matt chats with Shawn about the work he does as the Research Director for the Utah Foundation, a local think-tank. Shawn talked about his journey to work at the foundation, which included a stint in Kazakhstan. He described the Utah Priorities Project which asked voters this year what their top policy priorities are, such as healthcare and air quality. Matt and Shawn then drill down deeper on how Utahns think about a few environmental issues, including air quality and water. Lastly, they talked about the nonpartisan research seeks to influence the political process. For more information about the Utah Foundation, you can visit their website, their Facebook page and Twitter feed. 

Matt has an informative chat with Peter, founder and CEO emeritus of Black Diamond, focusing on the relationship between outdoor recreation companies and environmental activism. Peter talks about the company’s history, why Black Diamond moved to Utah, and how he has fought to leverage the outdoor industry’s influence to help protect Utah’s natural environment. They conclude by talking about Bears Ears, and Peter’s work to urge President Obama to declare the region a National Monument. To learn more about Black Diamond’s environmental efforts, visit the sustainability section of their website.

Our first ever business guest joins Matt on the podcast to discuss the growing sandwich chain’s unique social mission. Sam, the Director of Community Engagement at Even Stevens, talks about the origins of the company’s idea to help local nonprofits that are fighting food insecurity. He and Matt chat about other companies moving in this direction, such as Tom’s Shoes, and Sam describes exactly how Even Stevens so far has donated more than half a million sandwiches to people in need in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. Lastly, they talk about the nonprofits Even Stevens partners with, the company’s ambitions and their tasty menu! For more information about the company, their locations and mission, visit their Website and their Facebook page.

Matt has a lively chat with Vicki, who has led Salt Lake’s impressive sustainability efforts for the past eight years. They talk about Vicki’s path to her job and the city’s recent announcement that it had reached an agreement with Rocky Mountain Power to generate 100 percent of Salt Lake City’s electricity needs from renewable sources by 2032. They also discuss what Salt Lake can do to reduce air pollution, focusing on buildings emissions and local transit. To learn more about all the city’s great efforts, check out SLCgreen’s website and Facebook and Twitter feeds.

In a very special edition of the podcast, Matt chats with Dr. Mann–HEAL’s Spring Breakfast speaker in 2014 and one of the nation’s most respected climate change scientists. They discuss his new book, The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial Is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy, and his unique collaboration with celebrated political cartoonist Tom Toles. They also chat about how climate change denialism has shifted, about the Paris Agreement and the role that climate change has played (or rather not played) in this year’s Presidential race. For more about Dr. Mann and his work, check out his website, his excellent Twitter feed and, of course, the website for his compelling new book, the Madhouse Effect.

Michael, HEAL’s Policy Associate, who manages our coal and renewables work, joins the podcast to talk about a very important issue that has played out the past few weeks: How Provo is making rooftop solar policy! He chats with Matt about the growth of solar and about how Provo Energy and the Provo Council only heard one side of the story. They also discuss the council’s recent vote, how it will harm solar and finally speculate (rightfully, it turns out) that Provo might be reconsidering its decision! Lastly, they talk about the BIG fight yet to come, when Rocky Mountain will soon seek to slap various fees on solar power. To help HEAL defend solar, sign up for our Citizen Activist Program. And if you own rooftop solar, let us know! We’ll send you special updates.

Derek, a SLC councilmember and a prominent local business owner, chats with Matt about a range of critical issues: They discuss how Laziz, a local Mideastern food producer and soon-to-be deli which Derek owns with his husband, tries to be sustainable. They talked about how city policies can drive clean air improvements, particularly via encouraging dense, walkable neighborhoods such as the Granary, where Laziz (and HEAL) are located. And they talked about the recent announcements about how Salt Lake City is trying to deal with its homelessness crisis. For more information, check out the SLC Council’s Web site and Derek’s Facebook page.

Matt flies solo and dives deep on three recent HEAL Utah victories, offering some context and detail to explain the significance of each. First, he talks about Navitus, a proposed waste-to-energy facility that Sandy City officials are now backing away from. Second, he describes the collapse of the Oakland coal terminal proposal. (Those two victories described more here.) Lastly, he explains the importance of a recent federal court ruling that will allow HEAL’s lawsuit against Rocky Mountain Power for its coal ash handling practices at its Huntington plant to move forward. Hey, folks, if you like what you’re hearing and you listen to the podcast via iTunes, please take a moment and “rate” and “comment” on the podcast here. That’ll help more people discover us!

On this week’s episode, Zach from Utah Rivers Council and Matt chat about a few relevant issues effecting Utah’s waterways. First they chat about the recent algae blooms that have shut down rivers and lakes and raised concerns about how climate change is affecting our state. Secondly, they talk about Cache County and their upcoming vote on whether to form a regional water district, as documented in a recent City Weekly cover story. For more information about Utah Rivers, visit their website.

Matt chats with Miller, an engineer with the Utah Division of Water Resources, and Ault, the Sovereign Lands Program Manager for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, about the health of the Great Salt Lake and the challenges this critical body of water faces. They discuss the factors that are drying up the lake and what the lake would look like without human intervention. Matt also asks these two experts about the brine shrimp industry, how the Great Salt Lake’s diminishment might effect local air quality and the recent Antelope Island fire. For more information about the Great Salt Lake, check out a key state management plan, the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, the many resources on the website of Friends of the Great Salt Lake, a state geological website, and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands site.

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

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 th

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 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? H

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 suggest

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

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 Facebo

Sernovitz talks to Matt about his new book, The Green and the Black: The Complete Story of the Shale Revolution, the Fight over Fracking, and the Future of Energy. A self-proclaimed “liberal oilman,” Sernovitz mounts a strong defense of fracking (see a NY Times op-ed he wrote here), arguing that replacing coal power with natural gas is positive, and mounting a case that groundwater contamination and methane leaks associated with the shale gas boom have been exaggerated. The book and the podcast interview may ruffle some environmentalists’ feathers, but are provocative and worth checking out. 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? H