Citizens’ Climate Radio Ep. 54: Football, Justice, And Talking Trash

Citizens’ Climate Radio is a monthly podcast hosted by CCLer Peterson Toscano. Browse all our past episode recaps here, or listen to past episodes here, and check out the latest episode in the post below.

A recent episode of Lew Blaustein’s Green Sports Pod featured a riveting interview with National Football League player Garry Gilliam. Blaustein writes:

Garry Gilliam experienced this hope-squashing system firsthand during his childhood in the opportunity-deprived section of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Now, the ex-NFL offensive lineman is using his resources and his seemingly boundless energy to try to break that system, replacing it with a more equitable, hopeful one.

His system-breaking tool is The Bridge Eco-Village, an innovative start-up that provides opportunities for African-Americans and other marginalized people to “Work, Eat, Live, Learn and Play” in affordable, high quality mixed-use developments. The pilot is being built in — where else — Harrisburg.

Lew Blaustein has graciously allowed us to rebroadcast an edited version of his interview with Garry Gilliam. You will also hear Citizens’ Climate Radio’s host, Peterson Toscano, check in with Gilliam to find out how things stand with the Bridge Eco-Village today in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Garry Gilliam has good news to share about the progress of the project. 

Then, Toscano talks trash with college student Sharona Shnayder. As the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down, Sharona simply could not stay inside any longer. One Tuesday, she joined a friend at neighborhood park near their university in Portland, Oregon. Together, while maintaining a safe physical distance, they picked up trash. People in her community begin to notice and join in; word quickly spread. Now there are Tuesdays for Trash events happening all over the world. 

Sharona, who grew up in Nigeria, shares how picking up trash is bringing people together, lifting spirits, and getting people engaged in climate work. In fact, this may be a project your own climate group wants to take on in order to connect in a new way with your own community. 

Listen Now!

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