199. Mighty Earth Uncovers the RV Industry's Destructive Secret with Amanda Hurowitz

199. Mighty Earth Uncovers the RV Industry's Destructive Secret with Amanda Hurowitz

When most people think about recreational vehicles– you know, RVs, campers, they picture freedom — the open road, family vacations, maybe even a way of life.

What probably doesn’t come to mind is deforestation in Borneo.

Yet half of all tropical plywood harvested globally ends up in RVs.

In episode 199 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we dig into how the RV industry in the United States has become a major driver of rainforest destruction, threatening orangutan habitat, draining peatlands, and displacing Indigenous Dayak communities.

Our guest, Amanda Hurowitz, Senior Director at Mighty Earth, walks us through her team’s investigation into how one specific type of plywood from Indonesia makes its way into American RVs and why it has been an industry secret for so long.

Amanda Hurowitz leads Mighty Earth’s Forest Commodities team, overseeing campaigns to protect forests and communities across Asia and Africa. She’s helped drive transformative shifts in industries from cocoa to palm oil, and today she’s working to bring the same pressure and solutions to the RV industry.

Mighty Earth is a global advocacy organization working to defend a living planet and secure a climate where life can flourish. You can learn more about their work at mightyearth.org

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist

Buy Me a Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠

Listener Survey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-----------------

Mighty Earth Investigation

Website: https://stories.mightyearth.org/mayawana-persada/

New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/world/asia/indonesia-borneo-deforestation-rv.html

Amanda Email: amanda@mightyearth.org

Episoder(285)

153. How Brands Can Play a More Active Role in the Climate Change Conversation with Ali Wines

153. How Brands Can Play a More Active Role in the Climate Change Conversation with Ali Wines

What is the role that brands should play in our climate change conversations?  We see some brands being consistent champions for the planet in their marketing campaigns, even beyond Earth Day, but is ...

14 Okt 202427min

152. Are You Voting for the Climate in November? with Kate Gaertner

152. Are You Voting for the Climate in November? with Kate Gaertner

During October, we are focusing on climate change and climate change policies. While I am not a single-issue voter, aligning who I vote for, no matter the office, with my values is important. As someo...

7 Okt 202441min

151. You're Never Too Old to Start Camping with Lesa McDermont

151. You're Never Too Old to Start Camping with Lesa McDermont

In episode 151 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore the joy of camping at any age!  Many guests I've had on the show share their experiences from a young age, getting outside and growing up w...

30 Sep 202425min

150. Why More Women are Choosing Wool Underwear with Deanne Buck

150. Why More Women are Choosing Wool Underwear with Deanne Buck

Are there hidden chemicals lurking in our underwear? If you listened to the 10-part Forever Chemicals series we released earlier this year, you'll know that dangerous chemicals like PFAS can enter our...

23 Sep 202435min

149. Sustainable Jungle: Forever Chemicals Interview with Meg

149. Sustainable Jungle: Forever Chemicals Interview with Meg

This episode is provided courtesy of Joy Mack of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast. The Sustainable Jungle Podcast is a mission driven show, focusing on solutions for the world’s sustainability and cons...

16 Sep 202457min

148. The Current State of Animal Conservation and Deforestation with Katie Cleary

148. The Current State of Animal Conservation and Deforestation with Katie Cleary

When we talk about what we eat, we often think of our health, but what about the planet's health? In episode 148 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore our food system through the lens of anima...

9 Sep 202421min

147. Can Recycled Cork Save Footwear from Synthetics? with Mike Baker

147. Can Recycled Cork Save Footwear from Synthetics? with Mike Baker

Footwear is an area of apparel that is extremely difficult to narrow down to find sustainable options. I’ve interviewed a few footwear makers, including Steven Sashen from Xero Shoes, in some earlier ...

2 Sep 202430min

146. How to Apply Minimalism to Ultralight Backpacking with Glen Van Peski

146. How to Apply Minimalism to Ultralight Backpacking with Glen Van Peski

Have you ever been out on the trail during a backpacking trip and wished you’d left that one thing at home? Maybe you’re looking for ways to lighten your load or you simply are struggling to identify ...

26 Aug 202430min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
forklart
aftenpodden-usa
popradet
stopp-verden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
nokon-ma-ga
dine-penger-pengeradet
fotballpodden-2
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
rss-ness
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
bt-dokumentar-2