19. Faith, Food, and the Future: Sustainability with Purpose at Sustaining Way

19. Faith, Food, and the Future: Sustainability with Purpose at Sustaining Way

Author: Jenn Galler October 10, 2025 Duration: 21:29

Today, we're joined by Michael Brown, Executive Director of Sustaining Way, a nonprofit based in Greenville, South Carolina, that’s redefining sustainability through equity, education, and faith. 


Through powerful community programs like Annie’s House, youth leadership initiatives, and resilient home interventions, Sustaining Way brings together environmental justice, interfaith values, and hands-on action. I’m excited to dive into how they’re creating a more sustainable and just future.


hello@sustainingway.com

https://sustainingway.org/


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
12. Solar at a Cost: Community Voices from Northampton County PT. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:45
Today’s episode takes us to Northampton County, North Carolina, where a quiet but critical debate is heating up over the future of farmland and solar energy.On April 7, 2025, community advocates Sylvia Vincent, Debbie Da…
11. From Source to Solution: Safeguarding Alabama’s Waters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:16
Today, I’m talking with Cindy Lowry, who is the Executive Director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance.For over 25 years, the Alabama Rivers Alliance has been a powerful voice for the protection and restoration of Alabama’s i…
9. Science for Good: Tackling Lead, PFAS, and Clean Water Access [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:28
Today, we’re diving into the world of environmental health and clean water with a leader whose work is improving lives—especially the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable.Our guest is Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, the S…
8. West Virginia Communities Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:19
Mairah Clay who is the Southern WV Coordinator and Autumn Crowe who is the Deputy Director of WV Rivers.Many West Virginians are taking a stand against the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Communities across the state are voici…
7. A Historic Lawsuit: The Town of Carrboro, NC Sues Duke Energy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:57
Sara Heilman is Energy Policy Coordinator with NC Warn. We talk about the work that NC Warn does throughout North Carolina and how they are primarily a watchdog organization for what Duke Energy is doing in the state. We…
4. How Sweden has Recycling Figured Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:29
Sweden has figured out recycling. This shows, as they are the highest recyclers in the world. To talk about recycling we also have to mention all streams of waste - not just the products that are eligible to be recycled.…
3. Natural Gas Build Outs and Data Centers in North Carolina [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:17
Steph Gans is an EJ Organizer for Clean Water for North Carolina. Clean Water for North Carolina’s mission is to promote clean, safe water and environments, and empower communities for all North Carolinians through advoc…