Wild Virginia Virtual Coffee Talk

Beyond Plastics and Maintaining the Health of Your Family

Eryn from Eco Inspired joins the podcast to discuss her company, an organization that provides you with products, tools, and resources to help you live a healthier and lower waste lifestyle. They are located in Bon Air outside of Richmond VA, and have products that have been thoroughly vetted to ensure they are ethically and sustainable made and sourced, good for you and the planet and most importantly, practically applicable to sustainable living.
Eryn tells us a little bit about her story, why she started the store, the most common materials used as alternatives to plastic, and the Beyond Plastics movement.
She has also adovacted for local restaurants to join the #SkiptheStuff campaign.
Every year, billions of unused straws, utensils, napkins, condiment packets, and other items are added to take-out and delivery orders only to be discarded. In the United States, 561 billion disposable food service items are utilized annually, leading to 4.9 million tons of waste. Americans go through over 36 billion utensils and up to 142 billion straws each year. Many restaurants include these items in take-out orders, even if the customer doesn't require them.
WHAT PFAS HAS TO DO WITH THE PLASTICS ISSUE
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals", are a class of manmade chemicals that are often used in the plastic molding industry. PFAS are used as a common ingredient in mold release composites and coatings, where they are effective at releasing molded plastic parts from molds. However, PFAS also have properties that make them persistent in the environment.
PFAS are toxic at very low levels and have been linked to a wide range of health risks, including cancer, reproductive problems, and immune system disorders. They have also been found in human blood and breast milk, drinking water, soil, and food packaging. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that food packaging from around the world contains at least 68 PFAS.
To lower your risk of exposure to both the harms of PFAS and plastics, you can try to:
Use glass instead of plastic
Use cast iron or uncoated ceramic instead of nonstick cookware
Cook at home instead of relying on takeout
Learn more about the products you can order through Eco Inspired by visiting their online shop, or join the voices of the Beyond Plastics movement.

Yesah Tribunal, MVP Update, and Rights of Rivers Legal Instrument

The International Rights of Nature Tribunal held its 12th local hearing at the Haw River State Park in North Carolina this month. Led by our partners 7 Directions of Service with Movement Rights and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, it was the first Indigenous-led tribunal of its kind in global history. The Yesah Tribunal: Mountain Valley Pipeline and the Rights of Rivers had More than100 people attended in person, and dozens more tuned into the day-long proceedings via livestream. The Tribunal took place shortly after MVP experienced serious pipe failures during hydrostatic testing, all while developers are demanded FERC grant the project an in-service request. 
They received their grant at the dismay of environmental groups and frontline communities. David Sligh, Conservation Director, joins the podcast to talk about his experience as an expert at the Tribunal, an update on what's next for the fight against the MVP, and context for Rights of Nature / Rights of Rivers as a legal instrument.

What's Going On with the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Virginia?

On May 23, 2024 Wild Virginia and allied groups held an online program to discuss the status of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) and actions groups and individuals may take in the coming months to protect communities and the environment from further damage caused by the project.
 
In early May, the Mountain Valley Pipeline initially aimed for an official in-service date of June 1. This is far ahead of its original in service date of 2018... 6 years ago. However, due to a series of setbacks throughout the last month, the group has postponed this date once more, now targeting an early June launch. In a correspondence addressed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, MVP officials attributed this delay to the extended construction period necessary to finalize welding activities on the project. They reported that fewer than ten welds remain outstanding for the mechanical completion of the pipeline. Concurrently, Mountain Valley is actively engaged in concluding all requisite testing, cleaning, drying procedures, and tie-ins essential for the pipeline's overall completion. We discuss this on the podcast.

Water Filter Company Featured on Shark Tank Shares Information on PFAS

In the spring of 2015, Dr. Eric Roy received word from a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) member regarding elevated lead levels in Flint, Michigan's water. At that time, the residents of Flint were unaware of the water's contents and long before the city faced a public health emergency.
Roy, a chemist specializing in water quality, took it upon himself to address the issue. In July 2015, he established Hydroviv and devised a high-capacity lead filter for Flint. Working from his studio apartment in Washington, D.C., Roy and a friend conducted pressure and leak tests, as well as prototyping for the first Hydroviv filter. With their lab set up in a bathroom sink, he shipped the inaugural filter to a children's organization in Flint just two months later, after locating them through social media.
Roy also shares a lot of content on PFAS, so he joins the podcast to discuss why some states have protections, and others don’t.

Sierra Club Says Don’t Be Mistaken: Taxpayers Are Paying for These Data Centers

Don’t be mistaken: taxpayers are paying for these big data centers.
“What we know historically about fossil fuel plants is they're places in poor communities and black and brown communities.”
Data centers in Virginia have become a focal point of concern due to their environmental impact. These facilities, which house servers and other IT equipment, consume vast amounts of energy to ensure seamless operations. The energy demand of data centers contributes to carbon emissions and strains on local power grids. Additionally, the cooling systems required to maintain optimal temperatures within data centers can lead to water usage issues and thermal pollution.
So today we have Paige Wesselink of the Virginia Sierra Club Chapter on the podcast to discuss the important work that they doing related to the topic.

How Mushrooms Show Us Our Environment Isn't Binary

If we’re critically thinking about it - mushrooms have incredible properties and life saving attributes (umm, hello penicillin). Penicillin G was first made from a penicillium fungus that occurs in nature.
Mushrooms show us that our environment is far from binary. Enter queer ecology: an emerging field that seeks to explore the connections between ecological issues and queer identities. At its core, queer ecology recognizes that the struggles for environmental justice and LGBTQ+ rights are not separate, but rather interconnected. By examining the relationships between nature, culture, and identity, queer ecology offers a new perspective on environmental issues and the ways in which they impact marginalized communities. 
In this episode of Wild Virginia Virtual Coffee Talk, we discuss lawns, indigenous sciences, urban spaces overgrown nature taking over, The Last of Us, Abney Park in London, environmental racism, and how a lot of what we think looks good is actually really bad (for natural ecosystems and sustainability at large).

PFAS Bills at Governor's Desk and Getting Involved in Public Comments

Wild Virginia is encouraging the public to let the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) know that we want it to prevent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from being released to the James River in Scottsville.
Tune in to this podcast on what the status is on PFAS bills from this legislative session, and how you can get more involved in the process.

Chloroform, Chromium 6 and How to Remove PFAS from Your Drinking Water

Pollutants in drinking water can pose serious health risks if consumed in high concentrations. Common pollutants found in drinking water include heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic, as well as chemicals like pesticides and industrial solvents. These contaminants can enter water sources through various means such as agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, and improper waste disposal.
PFAS, a now realized issue in Virginia's water, is finally gaining media attention. Justin Shoemaker, founder of Clearwave Water Solutions, joins the podcast to discuss the topic.
Shoemaker says the status quo regulations really put all the responsibility on the homeowner to ensure their drinking water is safe. "Water quality is one of the most underreported and underregulated things we use everyday... PFAS is not a new thing - it’s in our waterways, it will be in our waterways for a long time, [and] it affects everybody."

Virginia Conservation Network is Giving Citizens the Tools to Help Shape Policy

Founded as the Conservation Council of Virginia in 1969, Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) began as a roundtable of major conservation groups and has grown to include over 150 Network Partners across the Commonwealth (including wild virginia). Their annual Conservation Lobby Day is coming up and it’s your chance to lobby with fellow advocates in your district for environmental action that matters most to you.
Wild Virginia is joined by Andreana Lin on the podcast to tell us more of what we can expect this year, and why you should join if you have never participated.
Virginia Conservation Lobby Day is an annual event that brings together citizens, activists, and policymakers to advocate for environmental conservation in the state of Virginia. The event provides an opportunity for participants to learn about current environmental issues facing the state and to meet with their elected representatives to discuss policy solutions.
This year, they are already at record registrations (close to 250) and are extending the event from one to two days. VCN is built on partnerships. That’s why they partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and their many dedicated Network Partners to host two exciting, full days of advocacy in the Capitol instead of just one!
During the Water and Conservation Lobby Days, participants attend workshops, rallies and meetings with legislators in order to discuss important environmental issues such as climate change, clean energy, and wildlife conservation. The goal of the event is to promote policies that will protect Virginia’s natural resources and ensure a healthy environment for future generations.
The event has grown in popularity over the years, with increasing numbers of citizens attending each year. Water and Conservation Lobby Days are a great opportunity for individuals to get involved in environmental advocacy and make a positive impact on their community.
We encourage you to register for both days, but if you're passionate about Clean Water & Flood Resilience, you won't want to miss Water Lobby Day on January 30th. You can still talk about water issues at Conservation Lobby Day on January 31st, too, including all the other policy suggestions in Our 2024 Common Agenda and more!
Register and reserve your spot here.

New Connectivity Hub Will Help Virginians See Wildlife Crash Hotspots

Jessica Roberts, Habitat Connectivity Director at Wild Virginia, joins the Wild Virginia Coffee Talk Podcast to discuss a new resource for Virginians to advocate for a more connected environment to help both wildlife and Virginia drivers avoid crashes.
 
Wild Virginia, along with our partners from the Virginia Safe Wildlife Corridor Collaborative, is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Habitat Connectivity Hub – a captivating StoryMap journey into the heart of our mission to safeguard both people and wildlife in Virginia. As one of the top ten U.S. states for wildlife-vehicle conflict, Virginia is in dire need of mitigation tactics, like the installation of wildlife over- and underpasses, allowing for safe passage of both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Our goal with this Hub is to make connectivity data more accessible and transparent, so you can advocate for the connectivity needs in your area!