PULSE of the Great Lakes with Tamara Graham

Rights of the Lakes

Society EN ↓ 4 episodes

What if the Great Lakes could talk? What would they say about us? Would they say we're protecting them or destroying them? Rights of Nature is a growing legal movement that challenges a foundational assumption of American law: that ecosystems are property. That rivers, lakes, wetlands, and forests exist to be owned, extracted, and controlled by whoever holds the deed. Rights of Nature says otherwise. It recognizes that the living systems we depend on for survival—including the Great Lakes—have the right to exist, to flourish, to regenerate, and to evolve. This isn't nature versus humans. We ar...

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PULSE of the Great Lakes with Tamara Graham

Episodes

Environmental Regulation Has Failed Us | The Case for Rights of Nature 30.06.2026 1:07:20

In this episode, Tamara is joined by Tish O'Dell and Ben Price of CELDF. The conversation explores the evolving concept of Rights of Nature, highlighting its origins, challenges, and the global movement advocating for nature's rights. The speakers discuss the importance of community engagement, cultural shifts, and the role of indigenous wisdom in shaping environmental laws. They emphasize the nee...

The Right Not To Be Poisoned 30.06.2026 53:11

In this episode, the conversation revolves around the New York and Great Lakes Bill of Rights, its evolution, challenges, and the importance of community empowerment in environmental decision-making. Tamara is joined by Tish O'Dell and Ben Price of CELDF (Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund). They discuss the opposition faced from major environmental groups, the role of corporate personhood...

Corporate Personhood is Killing Us | The Lake Erie Bill of Rights 30.06.2026 52:09

Episode 2 in our ongoing Rights of the Lakes series. Tamara is joined by Tish O'Dell and Ben Price from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF). This conversation explores the concept of Rights of Nature, focusing on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR). The discussion covers the origins of LEBOR. Its significance, the reactions it garnered, and the implications of its eventual over...

The Great Lakes Want Their Rights Back - And So Do We 30.06.2026 38:25

In this first episode of Rights of the Lakes, host Tamara Graham speaks with Tish O'Dell, and Ben Price of CELDF (Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund). They delve into the concept of Rights of Nature, particularly in the context of the Great Lakes Basin region. They discuss the legal implications of granting rights to ecosystems, common misconceptions surrounding the movement, and the inter...