What if one simple habit after your next camping or fishing trip could dramatically reduce your environmental impact?

In this powerful episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Meg Carney, founder of The Outdoor Minimalist, to explore practical, honest, and hopeful solutions for protecting the places we love. Meg shares how conducting a personal waste audit after your outdoor adventures can uncover hidden waste and help you make smarter, lower-impact choices moving forward.

We also dive into urgent threats facing our public lands—including a proposed copper sulfide mine at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters. This is an action moment. Listeners are encouraged to contact their Senators and oppose HJ Res 140,the bill that would undo the 20-year mining ban near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

ACTION ALERT! Call your Senators TODAY (2/9/26)! Save the Boundary Waters has an excellent call script which takes less than a minute to protect our public lands and waters!

From there, the conversation turns to PFAS in the outdoor industry, highlighting brands working to eliminate these harmful “forever chemicals,” and a candid discussion about greenwashing—how to spot it, avoid it, and build real trust. Rick explains how tools like REI’s Product Impact Standards can guide brands toward transparency and authentic sustainability, and Meg shares the red flags she looks for—like missing sustainability pages or reports.

We close on a hopeful note: what’s giving Meg optimism about the future of outdoor stewardship, responsible brands, and a more sustainable industry.

If you care about clean water, honest sustainability, and protecting wild places for future generations, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to conduct a simple waste audit after your next outdoor trip
• Why the Boundary Waters mining proposal matters—and how to take action
• The truth about PFAS in outdoor gear and who’s leading change
• How to recognize and avoid greenwashing in the outdoor industry
• Practical tools brands can use to build authentic sustainability
• Reasons for hope in the future of conservation and outdoor recreation

Take Action:
Call your U.S. Senators today and urge them to oppose HJ Res 140 to protect the Boundary Waters.

Connect with Meg Carney:
The Outdoor Minimalist

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Sponsors:

This episode is brought you you by: A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, Emerger Strategies, and Ecolytics (don't forget to mention The Sustainable Angler fo

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Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I’m joined by sustainability expert, author, and speaker Bob Willard, one of the world’s leading voices on making the business case for sustainability.

Bob shares his journey from the corporate world into sustainability leadership and unpacks key insights from his book, The Sustainability Advantage. We dive into how sustainability drives real business value—from reducing operating expenses and attracting and retaining top talent to what may be the most overlooked benefit of all: risk avoidance.

We also explore how brands can use cost–benefit analysis to evaluate sustainability projects, and Bob walks through his open-source tools, including the Basic Sustainability Assessment Tool, Advanced Sustainability Assessment Tool, the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, and the role of B Corps, where Bob serves as an advisor.

Along the way, we swap sustainability success stories, discuss the most underestimated advantages of sustainability, why sustainability feels so overwhelming for so many businesses, and—importantly—what gives Bob hope for the future.

If you’re a fishing or outdoor brand trying to cut through the noise, reduce risk, and build a stronger, more resilient business, this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps.

This episode is brought you you by: A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, Emerger Strategies, and Ecolytics (don't forget to mention The Sustainable Angler for a discount on your first year's subscription of Ecolytics!).

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this special crossover episode, we dive into some of the most essential—and urgent—topics facing our coasts and our communities. We kick things off with climate change and ocean acidification before breaking down what nature-based solutions really are, including real-world examples like living shorelines and how businesses can be part of the climate solution by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Elizabeth Fly, Director of Resilience & Ocean Conservation at The Nature Conservancy and host of the podcast Conversing with Nature, shares insights on ecosystem resilience and the climate impacts already reshaping South Carolina’s coast. We discuss sea level rise, stronger hurricanes, heavier rainfall, droughts, urban heat, and what these changes mean for the places we love.

We also explore sustainable business, the Fly Fishing Climate Alliance, and Emerger Strategies’ newest service: Nature Strategy & Science-Based Targets for Nature. Elizabeth and I talk through the growing challenges tied to South Carolina’s rapid population growth and the urgent need for long-term planning. And finally, she takes us inside some of her fascinating climate research and the work happening on the ground to build a more resilient future.

This episode was an absolute blast to record and is packed with valuable takeaways for conservationists, business leaders, anglers, and anyone who cares about the future of our coastal communities.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

This is a special episode of The Sustainable Angler because Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I’ve been reflecting on what I’m most grateful for this year. Nature is right at the top of that list. Over the past year, I’ve been inspired by books like Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Carbon by Paul Hawken, and my wife and I have made a point to get our kids outside—camping, hiking, fishing, and surfing. Experiencing the healing power of nature has made me even more concerned about what’s happening to America’s public lands and even more proud that Emerger Strategies is a member of The Conservation Alliance, which helps protect them.

That’s why I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Paul Hendricks, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. In this episode, we discuss:

• Paul’s sustainability journey through Patagonia and Rivian
• The history and mission of The Conservation Alliance
• How the Brands for Public Lands coalition has grown to 150+ companies
• Why the Roadless Rule is essential for protecting wild places
• The ecological importance of removing the Snake River Dams
• How 1% for the Planet and The Conservation Alliance act as force multipliers for conservation
• Why brands need a nature strategy in today’s changing world
• What gives Paul hope for the future of public lands and biodiversity

And before we get started, I just want to say thank you. I’m truly grateful that you take the time to listen to this podcast. I hope these conversations inspire you to take action for nature. If you’re enjoying the show, a quick, free way to support it is by leaving a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you care about conservation, sustainability, public lands, or building a brighter future for nature, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Belvin Olasov, Director of the Charleston Climate Coalition, a grassroots organization of passionate Lowcountry citizens working to accelerate local climate solutions through creativity, compassion, and community action.

We dive deep into the Coalition’s incredible work — from developing Climate Action Plans for the Town of James Island and Charleston County, to building rain gardens, planting native species, and advocating for better transportation infrastructure like safer bike lanes downtown.

But the heart of this conversation focuses on a critical environmental fight: stopping Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper’s proposed methane gas plant on the Edisto River, and the dangerous pipeline route planned through the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge — one of the largest undeveloped wetland ecosystems left on the Atlantic coast.

Belvin explains how this outdated, $2 billion fossil fuel project threatens wildlife like the red-cockaded woodpecker, bald eagle, wood stork, loggerhead turtle, and shortnose sturgeon, while locking South Carolina into decades of greenhouse gas emissions — all paid for by you, the ratepayer.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who loves South Carolina’s wild places, believes in clean energy, and wants to make a difference.

Take action: Visit www.charlestonclimatecoalition.org/dominion-energy
to sign the petition and help protect the ACE Basin from this destructive project.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this inspiring episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Charlotte Ward, Communications and Media Manager at Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) — the “best lobbyists money can’t buy.”

Charlotte shares how CCL empowers everyday citizens to meet with members of Congress, build bipartisan support for climate solutions, and advance policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — including clean energy permitting reform and the Fix Our Forests Act.

We dive into the power of storytelling in driving climate action, why “action is the antidote to despair,” and how spending time in nature can help us recharge and stay hopeful in the fight against climate change. Charlotte also shares how switching to an electric vehicle (EV) and installing solar panels has helped her family save money and lower their carbon footprint, plus practical tips for writing a powerful letter to the editor that can influence local and national conversations.

Charlotte also highlights an exciting opportunity to get involved: CCL’s Fall Virtual Conference taking place November 14–15, 2025, followed by Virtual Lobby Week (Nov. 17–21) — a chance for anyone to take meaningful climate action from anywhere in the country.

If you care about climate solutions, sustainability, and protecting the places you love, this episode will remind you that your story — and your voice — matter.

🎧 Tune in and learn how ordinary people are creating extraordinary impact at www.emergerstrategies.com/podcast

Special thanks to Charlotte for all she does and to CCL for providing the resources to train citizens to take climate action! Thanks for listening!

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with legendary angler, author, conservation advocate, and 1% for the Planet co-founder Craig Mathews. Craig recently co-authored a new book with Mauro Mazzo and Yvon Chouinard called Pheasant Tail Simplicity — a reflection on the lessons learned from a lifetime of fly fishing, fly tying, and protecting the wild places we love.

Craig shares the inspiring story behind how he and Yvon started 1% for the Planet, and how giving back isn’t just good for the planet — it’s good for business. We also discuss how climate change is impacting Montana, what hunters and anglers can do to advocate for public lands and climate action, and hear some of Craig’s favorite conservation success stories from the field.

If you care about fly fishing, conservation, and building a purpose-driven business, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Special thanks to Craig for leading by example and for all he continues to do to protect what he loves, and thanks for listening!

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Scotty Davis from the American Saltwater Guides Association to discuss critical changes looming over our redfish fishery. South Carolina and Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources is considering lowering the Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) for redfish from 40% to 30%—a move that would forever compromise the health and recovery of this iconic species.

Scotty explains what’s at stake, why keeping the 40% SPR is essential, and how outdated regulations—unchanged for more than 30 years—must finally be addressed to protect redfish for future generations. We also break down what anglers, guides, and conservationists can do to make their voices heard through public comments and direct outreach to legislators.

🚨 Action Alert: Learn more at: The American Saltwater Guides Association website. Make your public comment before 11:59 PM EST on October 1st at Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Get Involved. Don’t let redfish management go backward.

This is more than policy—it’s about protecting the future of our fishery.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.