Afleveringen
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The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is one of the most pristine natural landscapes in the United States—but its future is at risk. Becky Rom, national chair of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, joins The Young IKE to discuss the fight against mining near the Boundary Waters, the legal and political battles over Minnesota’s mineral resources, and why conservation is more urgent now than ever.
Rom shares insights on how conservation efforts have evolved, the push-and-pull between economic development and environmental protection, and how everyday citizens can take action to preserve and protect the nature we love.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Becky Rom
Bio: Becky Rom is a lifelong conservationist and the national chair of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, leading efforts to protect the BWCAW from sulfide-ore mining and environmental degradation. With decades of advocacy experience, she has been instrumental in shaping policy and legal strategies to safeguard public lands.
Links:🔹 Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters – https://www.savetheboundarywaters.orgEpisode Outline:
🔹 Why the Boundary Waters Matter – The ecological, cultural, and recreational significance of the BWCA.
🔹 Mining Threats & Environmental Risks – How proposed sulfide-ore mining projects could devastate the region’s fragile ecosystem.
🔹 The Legal & Political Fight – The state and federal policies shaping the future of the Boundary Waters.
🔹 Balancing Conservation & Economic Interests – Impact of mining on local economies and tourism.
🔹 How You Can Help – The role of grassroots advocacy and public engagement in protecting public lands.
Episode Sponsor:
🎙️ The Young Ike is bringing these conversations into the real world with live, quarterly community dialogues. Thank you to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA for making this possible.
Learn more at iwlamnvalley.org
Host & Show Info:Host Name: Griffith Pugh
Podcast Website: www.theyoungike.org
Community & Calls to Action:
📩 Contact the host: griffith@theyoungike.org
Help Us Grow:
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
⭐ Rate & Review on Apple or Spotify
📢 Share this episode with a friend!
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As demand for lithium, cobalt, and other rare earth minerals skyrockets, the question isn’t if we mine—it’s how. Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), joins The Young IKE to explore the challenges of responsible mining, the global supply chain, and why communities must be involved in decision-making.
We discuss the feasibility of ethical mining, how standards like IRMA’s certification system can create accountability, and whether true sustainability is possible in an industry built on extraction.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Aimee Boulanger
Bio: Aimee Boulanger is the Executive Director of IRMA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to setting global standards for responsible mining.
Links:
🔹 IRMA (Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance) – https://responsiblemining.net
Episode Outline:
🔹 What is ‘Responsible Mining’? – Defining ethical mineral extraction and its real-world challenges.
🔹 Holding Corporations Accountable – How IRMA works with companies like BMW, Microsoft, and Ford to promote responsible sourcing.
🔹 The Future of Ethical Mineral Extraction – The role of transparency, policy, and consumer awareness in shaping the mining industry
Episode Sponsor:
🎙️ The Young Ike is bringing these conversations into the real world with live, quarterly community dialogues. Thank you to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA for making this possible.
Learn more at iwlamnvalley.org
Host & Show Info:
Host: Griffith Pugh
Podcast Website: www.theyoungike.org
Community & Calls to Action:
📩 Contact the host: griffith@theyoungike.org
Help Us Grow:
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
⭐ Rate & Review on Apple or Spotify
📢 Share this episode with a friend!
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In order to transition to green energy, we need to build infrastructure—but to build that infrastructure, we must mine for critical minerals. Journalist and author Ernest Scheyder, a senior correspondent for Reuters, joins The Young IKE to discuss his National Book Award-longlisted book, The War Below, and the hidden costs of the modern mining boom.
We explore the economic, political, and environmental trade-offs behind mining, why rare earths are the oil of the 21st century, and how we can transition to clean energy without repeating the mistakes of the past.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Ernest Scheyder
Bio: Ernest Scheyder is a senior correspondent at Reuters, covering the green energy transition and the critical minerals industry. His book, The War Below, was longlisted for the National Book Award and explores the untold stories behind mineral extraction.
Links:
🔹 Order The War Below – HERE
🔹 Ernest Scheyder, Reuters– HERE
Episode Outline:
🔹 The New Oil? – Why rare earth minerals are the driving force behind 21st-century geopolitics.
🔹 Too Special to Mine? – The debate over mining in protected lands like the Boundary Waters and Indigenous territories.
🔹 Supply Chains & The Global Economy – How the pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in the mineral supply chain.
🔹 Responsible Mining & Transparency – The rise of certification programs, ethical sourcing, and corporate accountability.
🔹 What Comes Next? – How government policy, industry standards, and public awareness can shape a more sustainable future.
Episode Sponsor:
🎙️ The Young Ike is bringing these conversations into the real world with live, quarterly community dialogues. Thank you to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA for making this possible. Learn more at iwlamnvalley.org
Host & Show Info:
Host Name: Griffith Pugh
Podcast Website: www.theyoungike.org
Community & Calls to Action:
📩 Contact the host: griffith@theyoungike.org
Help Us Grow:
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
⭐ Rate & Review on Apple or Spotify
📢 Share this episode with a friend!
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The push for green energy requires a massive increase in rare earth minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel—but sourcing these materials comes with environmental and ethical challenges. Dr. Roopali Phadke, a political scientist and climate policy expert at Macalester College, joins The Young IKE to discuss the ‘green metals dilemma’—a framework for balancing resource needs, energy justice, and sustainability.
We explore whether responsible mining is possible, the role of policy and public engagement, and what it will take to build a circular economy that reduces reliance on mining.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Dr. Roopali Phadke
Bio: Dr. Roopali Phadke is a professor of environmental policy at Macalester College, specializing in climate solutions, energy transitions, and sustainable mining policies.
Links:
🔹Macalester College Faculty Page – HERE
Episode Outline:
🔹 The ‘Green Metals Dilemma’ – Why green energy depends on mineral extraction and the tough choices we face.
🔹 E-Waste & Urban Mining – The future of electronic waste recycling and circular economies.
🔹 Can Mining Be Sustainable? – The debate over ethical extraction and energy justice.
Episode Sponsor:
🎙️ The Young Ike is bringing these conversations into the real world with live, quarterly community dialogues. Thank you to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA for making this possible.
Learn more at iwlamnvalley.org
Host & Show Info:
Host Name: Griffith Pugh
Podcast Website: www.theyoungike.org
Community & Calls to Action:
📩 Contact the host: griffith@theyoungike.org
Help Us Grow:
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
⭐ Rate & Review on Apple or Spotify
📢 Share this episode with a friend!
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🎤 TYI Live Event in March 2025! The Young IKE is bringing these conversations into the real world with live quarterly community dialogues.
Stay tuned…
Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
Visit our website: www.theyoungike.orgThank You to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of IWLA. Learn more at: iwlamnvalley.org
