The Decades Long Fight to Save the Boundary Waters Continues | Ecocide Ep1
In the pilot episode of Ecocide, we look at two primary threats to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: mining and climate change.Spanning over 1.1 million acres of boreal forest, glacial lakes, and winding rivers, the Boundary Waters is the largest wilderness East of the Rockies (and North of the Everglades), and one of the most pristine freshwater ecosystems in the world. But sulfide-ore copper mining and a rapidly changing climate now put this place at risk.In this episode, we speak with Pete Marshall of Friends of the Boundary Waters about the region’s ecological importance and the long history of political battles over its protection that continue to this day.Ecocide is an independent, on-location video podcast series that exposes how extractive industries threaten environments and outdoor recreation economies. Because we avoid brand sponsorships, projects like this are entirely funded by listeners and viewers.Support future episodes: https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalistAND share this episode to help us grow the series.Thank you for caring about clean water and wild spaces as much as we do.Website: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/Instagram: instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist----------------Written and Produced by Meg CarneyVideography and Editing by Alex CarneyGuest Interview with Pete Marshall from Friends of the Boundary Waters Special Thanks to Caitlin Vander Wal Creative Support from Ethan Wiese
8 Sep 21min
Congress Moves to Strip Public Lands Protections in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota Using the Congressional Review Act ft. Professor John Ruple - Public Lands News (September 1 - 5)
This week's Public Lands News episode is covering public lands protections, Congressional tools, and new funding announcements, including:USDA Proposal to Rescind the Roadless Rule: 45 million acres of national forest at risk, including Alaska’s Tongass; public comment period closes September 19Congressional Review Act Threats to BLM Resource Management Plans — with John Ruple, University of UtahDepartment of the Interior Secretarial Order 3442 & Record LWCF FundingLink to Federal Register to Comment on the Roadless Rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16581/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation-national-forest-system-landsSubscribe to our newsletter for in-depth coverage and extra stories we don’t have time for on the podcast: theoutdoorminimalist.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel (@theoutdoorminimalist) so you don’t miss the launch of our new Ecocide series on September 8.Have tips, testimonials, or insights on public land changes? Submit them through our Google Form (https://forms.gle/JwC73G8wLvU6kedc9).Sources referenced in this episode:USDA Secretary Rollins Opens Next Step in Roadless Rule Rescission: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/27/secretary-rollins-opens-next-step-roadless-rule-rescissionRoadless Rule Impact Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7308297f88484984a5ee5bcf2d5ae6b4/Letter from John Ruple and colleagues encouraging Congress not to repeal BLM plans: https://www.law.utah.edu/news-articles/wallace-stegner-center-faculty-write-letter-to-congress-urging-lawmakers-not-to-repeal-blm-resource-management-plans/Field and Stream Article on CRA by Travis Hall: https://www.fieldandstream.com/stories/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/congress-to-strip-protections-from-public-lands-using-congressional-review-actSecretarial Order 3442 Document Library: https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3442-land-and-water-conservation-fund-implementation-usDOI Press Release on LWCF Investment: https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/new-secretarys-order-strengthens-outdoor-access-and-recreationColorado Sun: https://coloradosun.com/2025/09/04/colorado-collard-ranch-state-wildlife-area-former-tarryall-creek-ranch-property/
5 Sep 20min
195. Leaving Public Lands for Dead (The First 200 Days of Trump)
We've been tracking the attacks on public lands since January 20, 2025, and while this short episode only covers a few of the main events, hundreds of other things have happened specifically targeting our public lands and waters. This video only features events through August 12, 2025. The 200th day of Trump 2.0 occurred on August 7th. See the full timeline* document here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17DXrNFTQJRAHaU6hgO23ihpvtmSq3G-mo9_X8hzJwKY/edit?usp=sharing*This is a live document and is continuously being updated. If you see any errors or events we've missed, please reach out so we can keep the timeline as up to date and accurate as possible. Interviews and episodes featured in this video (in order of appearance): 1. Louis Geltman, Outdoor Alliance (https://youtu.be/pO_jOiVniIc?si=4e29Ad1xIQ5JFh0o)2. Justin Meuse, The Wilderness Society (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/public-lands-are-open-for-drilling-ft-the-wilderness/id1586174667?i=1000718946587)3. Jocelyn Torres, Conservation Lands Foundation (https://youtu.be/pO_jOiVniIc?si=4e29Ad1xIQ5JFh0o)4. Land Tawney, American Hunters and Anglers (https://youtu.be/T-qHkoWL6Rg?si=Xhv2q93xkLRoLOWJ)5. Ryan Fleetwood, Next Interior (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/usda-forest-service-reorganization-nepa-rollbacks-and/id1586174667?i=1000722046401)6. Jamie Ervin, Outdoor Alliance (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protecting-the-western-arctic-ft-alaska-wilderness/id1586174667?i=1000720180771)7. Ramona McGee, Southern Environmental Law Center (https://youtu.be/eroTtI-WhVk?si=UDvTck0_gV8Jdw_2)8. Andy Moderow, Alaska Wilderness League (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protecting-the-western-arctic-ft-alaska-wilderness/id1586174667?i=1000720180771)Subscribe to our newsletter for in-depth coverage and extra stories we don’t have time for on the podcast: theoutdoorminimalist.comWe release public lands news episodes every Friday on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast to help you stay up to date. Have tips, testimonials, or insights on public land changes? Submit them through our Google Form (https://forms.gle/JwC73G8wLvU6kedc9)
1 Sep 29min
USDA Sets Roadless Rule Repeal in Motion ft. Trout Unlimited and National Park Staff Unionize - Public Lands News (August 25 - 29)
This week on Public Lands News, we’re covering staffing crises, forest protections, and union victories, including:National Park Service Staffing Crisis continues — closures, delayed responses, and what it means for visitorsUSDA Move to Rescind the Roadless Rule (21-day comment period) — with Corey Fisher, Trout UnlimitedYosemite & Sequoia-Kings Canyon Park Workers UnionizeCourt Orders Closure of “Alligator Alcatraz” ICE Detention Center in the EvergladesLink to Federal Register to Comment on the Roadless Rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16581/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation-national-forest-system-landsSubscribe to our newsletter for in-depth coverage and extra stories we don’t have time for on the podcast: theoutdoorminimalist.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel (@theoutdoorminimalist) so you don’t miss the launch of our new Ecocide series on September 8.Have tips, testimonials, or insights on public land changes? Submit them through our Google Form (https://forms.gle/JwC73G8wLvU6kedc9).Sources referenced in this episode:National Parks Conservation Association: https://www.npca.org/articles/10343-shuttered-visitor-centers-closed-campgrounds-slower-emergency-response USDA / Roadless Rule:USDA Secretary Rollins Opens Next Step in Roadless Rule Rescission: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/27/secretary-rollins-opens-next-step-roadless-rule-rescissionRoadless Rule Impact Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7308297f88484984a5ee5bcf2d5ae6b4/NFFE / National Park Unionization: https://nffe.org/press-release/workers-at-yosemite-sequoia-kings-canyon-national-parks-organize-a-union-under-nffe/‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Must Close, But the Fight Isn’t Over: https://grist.org/indigenous/alligator-alcatraz-must-close-but-the-fight-isnt-over/
29 Aug 16min
194. Is Your Morning Coffee Funding Deforestation? with Etelle Higonnet
While everyone starts their morning a little differently, one thing many people have in common is pouring a cup of coffee. But what if I told you that your daily ritual of coffee is more than likely funding mass deforestation, biodiversity loss, and slavery? One thing you know is that on this podcast, we vote with our dollar, and what we buy every single day, where we buy it, and who we buy it from, all make a difference in the impact we have not only on the environment, but on workers across the globe. That’s why in episode 194 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I sit down to chat with Etelle Higonnet.Etelle is the Founder & Director of Coffee Watch. A graduate of Yale Law School, she's an attorney and environmental and human rights activist. She previously worked at Mighty Earth, National Wildlife Federation, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, as well as two war crimes courts. She was knighted in her home country of France for her pioneering efforts to curb deforestation in high-risk commodities with an emphasis on cocoa, rubber, palm oil, cattle, and soy industries. She has worked in over 30 countries, is widely published, speaks 9 languages, and is now dedicated to ending deforestation and slavery in the global coffee industry.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/Website: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalistBuy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalistListener Survey: https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976-----------------Coffee WatchWebsite: https://coffeewatch.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffeewatch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coffeewatchorg/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeewatchorgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CoffeeWatchOrg
25 Aug 42min
Trump's AI Action Plan + WOTUS ft. Barbra Calantas and a Small Victory for Oak Flat, Arizona ft. Access Fund - Public Lands News (August 18 - 22)
This week on Public Lands News, we’re tracking urgent comment deadlines and court victories, including:- Forest Service Reorganization (comment period closes August 26)- Artificial Intelligence & Environmental Permitting — with Barbra Calantas, Environmental Science Associates- Oak Flat Legal Battle — with Dr. Erik Murdock, Access Fund- Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing ScheduleSubscribe to our newsletter for in-depth coverage and extra stories we don’t have time for on the podcast: theoutdoorminimalist.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel (@theoutdoorminimalist) so you don’t miss the Ecocide pilot episode release this SeptemberHave tips, testimonials, or insights on public land changes? Submit them through our Google Form (https://forms.gle/JwC73G8wLvU6kedc9)USDA reorganization info & public comment: Email: reorganization@usda.govSources referenced in this episode:1. Environmental Science Associates:President Trump Targets Accelerating Artificial Intelligence Deployment (https://esassoc.com/news-and-ideas/2025/08/president-trump-targets-accelerating-artificial-intelligence-deployment-in-recent-executive-actions/)WOTUS, POTUS, and SCOTUS (https://esassoc.com/news-and-ideas/2025/04/wotus-potus-and-scotus-where-waters-of-the-u-s-stands-under-the-new-administration/)ESA Federal Policy Tracker (https://policytracker.esassoc.com/)2. Access Fund: Latest News on Oak Flat (https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/tag/Oak+Flat)3. U.S. Department of the Interior:Interior Department Sets Offshore Energy Leasing Schedule Under One Big Beautiful Bill Act (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-sets-offshore-energy-leasing-schedule-under-one-big-beautiful)
22 Aug 27min
193. Yes, Your Sunscreen Could Be Killing Coral Reefs with Katie Day
Coral reefs are often called the “rainforests of the sea.” They provide habitat for an incredible diversity of marine life, protect shorelines from storms, and support the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. But reefs are also among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth. Rising ocean temperatures, pollution, and coastal development all play a role in their decline—and now, research shows that something as ordinary as the sunscreen we put on at the beach could be part of the problem.Certain chemical ingredients found commonly in sunscreens have been linked to coral bleaching, genetic damage in marine species, and even harm to the tiny phytoplankton that form the base of the ocean’s food chain. Some places, including Hawai‘i, have already banned these types of sunscreens in an effort to protect fragile reef ecosystems. But with labels like “reef-safe” popping up everywhere, it’s not always clear what’s marketing spin and what’s truly safe for our oceans.To help us untangle the science and policy behind sunscreen and reef health, we’re joined by Katie Day, Surfrider Foundation’s Senior Manager of Science and Policy. Katie grew up on a small island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where her love for the ocean first began. With a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management, she brings expertise in climate policy, water quality, and habitat management. At Surfrider, she helps guide national campaigns with the latest science, leads federal advocacy efforts, and heads up the organization’s annual Coastal Recreation Hill Day in Washington, D.C. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/Website: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalistBuy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalistListener Survey: https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976-----------------Surfrider FoundationWebsite: https://www.surfrider.org/Reef-Safe Sunscreen Guide: https://www.surfrider.org/news/surfrider-foundations-2025-reef-friendly-sunscreen-guideInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/SurfriderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/surfrider/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/surfrider-foundation/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SurfriderFoundation
18 Aug 34min
USDA Forest Service Reorganization, NEPA Rollbacks, and New Mexico’s Oil & Gas Battles - Public Lands News (August 4 - 15)
We’re back after a short break with an urgent update on threats to U.S. public lands, major environmental policy rollbacks, and ongoing oil and gas fights in New Mexico.Main Topics Covered:USDA’s plan to reorganize and consolidate Forest Service operations.The SPEED Act and its potential to roll back NEPA protections.Oil and gas accountability battles in New Mexico: abandoned wells and fracking wastewater.Sneak peek of the Ecocide pilot episode on the Boundary Waters mining threat.Subscribe to our newsletter for in-depth coverage and extra stories we don’t have time for on the podcast: theoutdoorminimalist.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel (@theoutdoorminimalist) so you don’t miss the Ecocide pilot episode release this SeptemberHave tips, testimonials, or insights on public land changes? Submit them through our Google Form (https://forms.gle/JwC73G8wLvU6kedc9)Resources & Links:USDA reorganization info & public comment: Email reorganization@usda.govOutdoor Alliance Action Alert: https://www.outdooralliance.org/blog/2025/8/7/the-forest-service-wants-to-hear-from-you-about-its-staffing-and-reorganization-plan NEPA Rollbacks & the SPEED Act: https://westernlaw.org/nepa-rollback-bill-speed-act-would-threaten-environment-communities-provide-legal-immunity-to-polluters/Abandoned wells in New Mexico: https://westernlaw.org/coalition-of-environmental-groups-tribal-leaders-experts-public-health-and-environmental-safety-public-funds-protection-central-to-preventing-abandoned-wells-in-nm/Fracking wastewater ban challenge: https://westernlaw.org/the-fix-is-in-clean-water-advocates-file-objection-in-big-oil-bid-to-reverse-state-ban-on-fracking-wastewater-discharge/Save the Boundary Waters update: https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/did-twin-metals-just-get-leases-mine-watershed-boundary-waters-nope
15 Aug 40min
