10. Mapping Change in Metro Atlanta: Inside Root Local’s Eco-Mission

10. Mapping Change in Metro Atlanta: Inside Root Local’s Eco-Mission

Author: Jenn Galler May 23, 2025 Duration: 27:25

Today we’re diving into the work of Root Local, an organization on a mission to cultivate sustainability at the neighborhood level across Metro Atlanta.

Joining us are two voices at the heart of this movement — Jamie Lee Perkins Dalton, Executive Director of Root Local, and Butch Whitfield, a Founding Board Member. Together, they’re helping communities grow greener, more connected, and more resilient — one project, one pollinator, one partnership at a time.

In this conversation, we unpack Root Local’s approach to sustainability, the strategy behind their Eco-Map of Metro Atlanta — also known as EMMA — and the growth of their innovative Pollinator Network. We also hear some real-world success stories, explore what’s next for the organization, and learn how everyday people can plug in and make a difference.

So whether you're a longtime advocate for local sustainability or just curious about what's growing in your backyard, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration. Let’s get into it.

Contact and connect: lee@rootlocal.org and butch.whitfield@harrynorman.com 

Root Local: https://rootlocal.org/ 

EMMA: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c0b04d84d6194a898cfc5ff4c71ac2d0/ 



Hosted by Jenn Galler, In Our Backyard Podcast is the voice of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, bringing urgent local stories to the forefront. This isn't about abstract global debates; it's a grounded conversation focused on the very real industrial pressures facing specific towns and neighborhoods. Each episode examines a particular threat, from active coal plants and fracking operations to the routing of new pipelines, unpacking the complex realities behind the headlines. You'll hear directly from the residents and organizers who are living these fights, sharing their personal struggles and strategies for safeguarding both community health and the local environment. The discussions are detailed and thoughtful, prioritizing the experiences of those on the ground. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with the persistent, often overlooked work of environmental justice, understanding that the most critical battles for planetary protection frequently begin just outside our own doors.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

In Our Backyard Podcast
Podcast Episodes
23. Fish On: Protecting Fisheries, Communities, and Coastlines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:34
My guest is Anupa Asokan, executive director of Fish On, an organization working to ensure that coastal communities and the ecosystems they rely on can thrive for generations to come. Fish On is all about empowering the…
21. Seeds of Change: Empowering the Next Wave of Climate Leaders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:15
Today, we’re joined by Mona Shomali, Director of the New Leaders Initiative at the Earth Island Institute, the organization behind the annual Brower Youth Awards, which recognize some of the most inspiring young environm…
20. Sowing Justice and the Fight for Energy Equity in Memphis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
Today, we’re joined by Marquita Bradshaw who is an environmental justice organizer, community advocate, and Executive Director of Sowing Justice.Marquita made history as the first African American woman to win a major pa…
18. Storm Damage: How Insurance Companies Fuel the Climate Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:17
Today, we’re diving into a crisis that’s hitting close to home for many North Carolinians, one that sits at the intersection of climate change, corporate accountability, and financial survival: the insurance crisis unfol…
17. Climate Realities in the Arctic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:34
Today we’re talking with Romain Chuffart is with the Arctic Institute. We’re turning our attention to one of the most fragile and rapidly changing regions on Earth — the Arctic.This vast, icy expanse at the top of the wo…
16. The First Legal Challenge Against a U.S. Small Nuclear Reactor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
Today, we’re talking with Diane Wilson, the Executive Director of the San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper, about a nuclear proposal that’s raising red flags across the Gulf Coast of Texas.A company called Dow/Union Carbide wants…
15. Frontline Voices: Environmental Justice in North Carolina [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:30
Today we’re diving deep into the fight for environmental justice right here in North Carolina.Our guest is Dr. Rania Masri, Co-Director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, or NCEJN. It's a powerful grass…