Welcome to Inside the Walls Newsletter!

You’re getting access to this audio version of our monthly newsletter because you are an insider. Thank you for your support and contribution. 

In this month’s episode, we feature the following stories:

Meet 3 Local Talented Artists in Baton Rouge

Pay Equity in the Arts Business

New Art Decks The Walls Home Office

Demonstration: Introduction to vermicomposting

CAFE Meeting 03/08/23

Louisiana is the only southern state to have a climate task force. But, Louisiana has also suffered more than financially from natural disasters than any other state in the nation. Hurricane Katrina remains the most expensive natural disaster in US History. The estimated cost is $86.9 billion. Behind it is Hurricane Ida, another storm that devastated Louisiana’s coast to the cost of $36 billion.

Both of our guests on this episode are members of the Climate Initiatives Task Force and offer up incredible insights regarding the systems of poverty that are tied to the climate crisis. 

Camille Manning-Broome, the President and CEO of the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX), connects the dots between poverty and the climate crisis.  She is a Louisiana native whose expertise lies in resilience and adaptation planning. 

According to CPEX’s mission statement, in order for sustainable prosperity and community resilience to be realized, equity and inclusion must be ensured for all Louisiana residents. To achieve this, the non-profit organization coordinates planning efforts at the urban, rural, and regional levels in Louisiana as a whole. They offer communities the opportunity to create and implement master plans that address transportation and infrastructure needs, environmental issues, and quality design for the built environment. They also provide best-practice planning models, innovative policy ideas, and technical assistance to help them create and implement master plans.

Colette Pichon Battle, is a climate justice and human rights lawyer. She is a Louisiana native and a leading voice in climate advocacy. She was named an Echoing Green Climate fellow in 2015 and in 2019 was named an Obama Fellow for her work with Black and Native communities on the frontline of climate change.

Colette’s TED Talk has over 3.6 million views on YouTube. TED is a nonprofit organization that began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans worldwide communities and explores everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues.

WATCH: Climate change will displace millions. Here’s how we prepare   

Along with her work developing advocacy initiatives that intersect race, systems of power and ecology, Colette is a vision and initiatives partner of Taproot Earth, an international organization on a mission to advance global climate solutions rooted in, and accountable to, the frontlines.  

Our featured supporter of this episode is Cluey Consumer, which is a Louisiana-based company focused on conscious consumerism. The company’s founder, Maryclaire Manard, explains how she came up with the idea and what prompted her to take on this challenge. To get clued in on how to support the brands that fall in line with your values, sign up for their newsletter and listen to their new podcast.

Links

The Five Most Expensive Natural Disasters in US History 

Silverleaf community in Gonzales - buyout

Terms

We’re building on this list with every episode. Below are the terms related to this episode. CLICK HERE to see the full glossary of terms.

Managed retreat - involves the purposeful, coordinated movement of people and buildings away from risks. This may involve the movement of a person, infrastructure, or community. Politicians, insurers and residents are increasingly paying attention to managed retreat from low-lying coastal areas because of the threat of sea-level rise due to climate warming. 

Greenwashing - when an organization spends more time and money on marketing itself as environmentally friendly than on actually minimizing its environmental impact. It’s a deceitful marketing gimmick intended to mislead consumers who prefer to buy goods and services from environmentally conscious brands.

Inside the Walls Newsletter: February 2023: Black History

Welcome to Inside the Walls Newsletter!

You’re getting access to this audio version of our monthly newsletter because you are an insider. Thank you for your support and contribution. 

In this month’s episode, we feature the following stories:

There’s No Such Thing as Separate But Equal: Black Farmer Discrimination

More Black Farmers Equals More Generational Wealth

Demonstration: Getting Ready for Spring

Baton Roots Farm and Public Art Program Collide

Staying Committed: Interview with Futures Fund All-Star Chris Isaac

Did you know that Louisiana gets more rain on average than any other state? Sadly, we still have issues with having enough clean drinking water and with keeping our waterways free of pollution. In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive down the well of problems facing our aquifers and natural waterways.

Lieutenant General Russel Honore', a 37-year army veteran and leader of the Green Army. Military and environmentalism probably don’t seem like something that go together, but General Honore’ explains how those two things are more closely related than you might think. 

He is a Louisiana native who first became truly aware of the environmental crisis we are facing during Hurricane Katrina. In this episode he discusses the first time he was asked about climate change by a reporter to what he’s doing today to try and change legislation in Louisiana to prevent industry from being able to pollute our water, land and air. 

Justin Ehrenwerth is the CEO of the Water Institute located in Baton Rouge. Some of the work being done there has already been discussed by a couple of our guests, but now we’re really getting a full understanding of the importance of the research they are doing. 

Much of Ehrenwerth’s career has been impacted by the Deepwater Horizon (BP) Oil Spill, which happened on April 20, 2010. That event is considered to be the largest marine oil spill in history. Much of the money used to construct the Water Institute came from penalties paid from that tragedy.

Our last stop is out at BREC’s Howell Park farm in Baton Rouge to talk to Jacquel Curry, Farm Manager for Baton Roots. Armed with an engineering degree from Southern University (which is General Honore’s alma mater) and a love for agriculture, Jacquel is the perfect person to talk to about water. Seriously! You’ll understand when you listen to his full interview.

Links

Louisiana Coastal Master Plan

Community Drinking Water Accountability Rule

The EPA is tackling pollution in ‘Cancer Alley’

Plaquemine chlorine leak largest in years, but EPA says it wasn’t enough for mild symptoms - 39 people went to the hospital with mostly mild symptoms

Louisiana to begin work plugging more than 250 orphaned wells through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Louisiana Drinking Water Protection Program

Louisiana Rule of Capture 

Terms

We’re building on this list with every episode. Below are the terms related to this episode. CLICK HERE to see the full glossary of terms.

Orphaned Wells - oil and gas wells that have been abandoned by fossil fuel extraction industries. These wells may have been deactivated because of economic viability, failure to transfer ownerships (especially at bankruptcy of companies), or neglect and thus no longer have legal owners responsible for their care. Orphaned wells are an important contributor of greenhouse gas emissions through leakage, through plus, or failure to plug properly. 

Creosote - a compounds obtained by the distillation of tar derived from wood and especially from beech wood. It is classified as a hazardous material and is considered a probable carcinogen in humans. Railroad ties are often treated with creosote to preserve the wood and prevent damage from pests. 

Welcome to Inside the Walls Newsletter!

You’re getting access to this audio version of our monthly newsletter because you are an insider. Thank you for your support and contribution. 

In this month’s episode, we feature the following stories:

Home is Where the Art is: How Public Placemaking Impacts Neighborhoods

Painting Progress: Placemaking Projects for MLK Holiday BR 2023

Spring Semester of Futures Fund Bring Fresh Opportunities

10 Tips on How to Start a Vegetable Garden