35. Building a Sustainable South

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

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