People Places Planet

What is CERCLA, and why does it matter for environmental law and justice? In this episode of People, Places, Planet , host Dara Albrecht sits down with environmental law veterans Mike McLaughlin, Sam Boxerman, and Jack Raffetto to unpack the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act—better known as Superfund. From the law’s dramatic origins in the wake of toxic disaster...

If you're interested in purchasing Adapting to High Level Warming: Law, Governance, and Equity , please visit ELI's website for more information. What happens when climate projections exceed our current legal frameworks and planning models? In this episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht explores the provocative premise behind Adapting to High Level Warming , the fifth volume in the E...

Wetlands play a critical role in protecting communities from climate change, but restoring and sustaining them in a shifting climate is no easy task. In this episode of People, Places, Planet , host Dara Albrecht examines the impact of climate change on wetland sites through the lens of compensatory mitigation, a process through which developers offset permitted impacts to wetlands and streams by...

In this special ELPAR edition of People, Places, Planet , host Dara Albrecht is joined by guest co-hosts Linda Breggin and Mara Pusic to explore one of this year’s top Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review (ELPAR) articles: “A Contractual Relationship with Environmental Justice,” authored by Professor Seema Kakade. Joined by guests Maia Hutt of the Southern Environmental Law Center and Shanik...

In this episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht is joined by Jeffrey Peterson, environmental policy expert and author of A New Coast: Strategies for Responding to Devastating Storms and Rising Seas . Together, they unpack the science behind sea level rise, its regional impacts, and the urgent challenges it poses for coastal communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.   The conversati...

In this installment of the People Places Planet Explained Series, host Dara Albrecht is joined by Robin Rotman, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, and Camille Pannu, Associate Professor at Columbia Law School and Director of the Environmental and Climate Justice Clinic, to break down the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)—the cornerstone law protecting America's drinking water.   The c...

In this special episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht and ELI Senior Attorney Linda Breggin take us to Nashville for Food Waste Prevention Week, where local leaders across sectors are driving innovative efforts to reduce food waste. With nearly one-third of U.S. food going uneaten each year—impacting the environment, economy, and communities—this conversation showcases how one city...

Nutritious food in schools is essential for student health, academic success, and a more sustainable future. In this episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht is joined by Linda Breggin, Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law Institute, along with Nancy Weiss, a chef and former Director of Food Services at Santa Barbara Unified School District, and Audrey Sanchez, Executive Director o...

Each year, around one billion birds die from collisions with buildings in the United States—an alarming but preventable crisis driven by modern glass architecture. In this episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht is joined by Viveca Morris of Yale Law School, Dan Piselli of FXCollaborative Architects, and Christine Sheppard of the American Bird Conservancy to explore the scope of the p...

Environmental defenders play a critical role in safeguarding natural resources and advocating for human rights, yet they face severe threats—including harassment, violence, and even murder. In this episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht is joined by ELI staff attorney, Kristine Perry, to discuss the challenges environmental defenders encounter worldwide. They explore the staggering r...

Bees and other pollinators are vital to ecosystems and agriculture, yet their populations face mounting threats from climate change, habitat loss, and pesticide use. In this episode of People Places Planet, Rebecca Riley, Managing Director of Food and Agriculture at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Saff Killingsworth, an Endangered Species Conservation Biologist at the Xerces Society, jo...

In this special update episode of People Places Planet , host Dara Albrecht revisits the landmark youth-led climate case, Held v. State of Montana, after the Montana Supreme Court's ruling in December 2024. Building on the original September 2023 episode, ELI Senior Attorney and Director of the Climate Judiciary Project Helene Krasnoff joins returning ELI Staff Attorney Jarryd Page in conversation...

The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) plays a crucial role in managing U.S.-Mexico border water resources, overseeing treaties that impact millions of people. In this episode of People Places Planet, Commissioner Maria Elena Giner, a civil engineer and veteran in border environmental issues, joins host Dara Albrecht to discuss the IBWC's efforts to address challenges like water sc...

Data centers supporting artificial intelligence consume staggering amounts of electricity, with their energy demands projected to potentially account for up to 10% of total U.S. electricity consumption by 2030—posing both challenges and opportunities for clean energy goals. In this episode of People Places Planet, Jed Anderson, CEO and founder of EnviroAI, and Bob Sussman, a seasoned environmental...

More than 35 states have introduced or drafted environmental justice laws as of 2023, and 14 of those states have implemented at least 21 new laws focused on environmental justice. In this episode of People Places Planet, ELI's Environmental Justice Law Clerk, Juliette Stanley, joins host Dara Albrecht to discuss environmental justice policies on the state level, and how they might be impacting ch...

At the Environmental Law Institute, interns have the opportunity to develop independent research projects based off their interests. In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, ELI’s summer interns, Sarah Cheung and Aneeza Ahmad, join host Dara Albrecht to share more about who they are, their independent research on the 30x30 Initiative in California and on Environmental Justice in the Fa...

In this week’s episode of People Places Planet Podcast, three of ELI's four outgoing Research Associates (Sarah Backer, Ella Stack, and Tori Rickman) sit down with host Dara Albrecht to reflect on their experiences as Research Associates. The three share who they are, what brought them to ELI, the research projects they worked on, and the lessons they will take with them moving forward.  ★ Support...

Many municipal buildings, schools, hospitals, restaurants, and workplace cafeterias do not offer plant-based entrees. Making plant-based meals the default or even simply offering a plant-based option can help to reduce food-related emissions. In this episode, hosts Sarah Backer and Linda Breggin explore the rang of actions in municipal climate action plans aimed at increasing the availability of p...

There are myriad ways to engage the public on the climate, health, and other benefits of plant-based proteins—from launching awareness campaigns to providing food sampling opportunities at municipal events. In this podcast, Sarah Backer and Linda Breggin learn about the efforts of a local government and nonprofit as well as get advice from a social psychology expert about how research findings can...

Very few municipal sustainability initiatives to date have focused on food-related emissions and specifically the relatively low carbon footprint of plant-based proteins , despite the fact that food accounts for over 25% of the average American household’s carbon footprint. And research indicates that without lowering the emissions associated with food consumption, we will be unable to meet global...

Over 90% of US primary environmental laws are implemented and enforced at the state level. The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) plays a critical role in empowering state environmental agencies and program leaders to improve human health and protect the environment. Elizabeth Biser, ECOS President and Secretary of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, joins the podcast with...

Have you seen the images of urban smog from the 1960s? Although there is still progress to be made, U.S. air quality has dramatically improved over the past 50 years. We have the Clean Air Act to thank. Passed in 1970, the Act gave the newly formed EPA the legal authority to regulate air pollution. In this episode, ELI Staff Attorney Jarryd Page breaks down how the Clean Air Act works and why it m...

From producing food deserts and food swamps to negatively impacting biodiversity and ecosystem health, land use laws have shaped America’s food system for decades. Unfortunately, the shape the food system has taken perpetuates serious inequities. In this episode, Jonathan Rosenbloom , law professor and author of Remarkable Cities and the Security and Sovereignty of Food and Nutrition , explains ho...

Good environmental governance has long relied on sound, science-based agency decisionmaking. That fundamental premise may be eroding as a landscape that was stable for decades continues to shift—with more perhaps yet to come. Host Sarah Backer and Jarryd Page, co-author of a new ELI research report , discuss the findings of the report which includes landmark SCOTUS cases and what the future of env...

While often overlooked, wetlands in New Mexico are integral to ecological balance, water filtration, and the local flora and fauna. Maryann McGraw, Wetlands Program Coordinator for the New Mexico Environmental Department, has played a pivotal role in developing wetlands monitoring, mapping, assessment, and restoration strategies for the state. In this episode, the 2018 State, Tribal, and Local Pro...