
35. Building a Sustainable South
From In Our Backyard Podcast by Jenn Galler
May 29, 2026 · 24 min · Season 8 · Episode 35
About this episode
Laura Iyer discusses her work with the Southern Sustainability Institute and the future of sustainability in the South.
Welcome back to the show. Today we’re joined by Laura Iyer, founder of the Southern Sustainability Institute. Laura works with communities, businesses, and local leaders across the South to advance practical sustainability solutions through education, renewable energy, and community action. Today we’ll talk about what inspired her to launch the Institute, the future of sustainability in the South, and how local leadership can drive real change. From youth energy camps to leadership initiatives and community partnerships, her work is helping reshape how people think about sustainability, making it less about politics and more about resilience, opportunity, and collaboration Contact and connect: https://southernsustainabilityinstitute.org/
People in this episode
Host: Jenn Galler
Guest: Laura Iyer
Topics covered
- sustainability
- community action
- renewable energy
- local leadership
- education
Keywords
- sustainability
- community partnerships
- renewable energy
- leadership initiatives
- youth energy camps
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Southern Sustainability Institute
More episodes of In Our Backyard Podcast
- 36. Holding Ground: Climate Resilience in Lowland Communities · June 12, 2026 · 30 min
- 34. Understanding Energy Policy and Power Costs in Louisiana · May 15, 2026 · 23 min
- 33. Rising Roots: Voices of Southwest Georgia · May 1, 2026 · 29 min
- 32. The Data Center Capital: Growth, Land, and Local Consequences · April 17, 2026 · 33 min
- 31. Sustaining East Tennessee: Farms, Food, and the Future · April 3, 2026 · 32 min
- 30. Ecology Beyond Data: Emotion, Storytelling, and Systems Change · March 20, 2026 · 30 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the In Our Backyard Podcast podcast page.