The Sustainable Angler

America's public lands & waters are under attack — and what can you do about it.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, Emerger Strategies founder and host Rick Crawford sits down with Land Tawney, a 25-year conservation veteran and co-leader of American Hunters and Anglers, to break down the most pressing threats facing hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts today.

Land and Rick dive deep into the controversial decis...

What happens when a fly fishing lodge co-founder decides the community needs more than just great water and great guides? You get Soul Fly Co. — and an event that might just change how the fly fishing world thinks about gathering.

In this episode, host and Emerger Strategies founder, Rick Crawford, sits down with Alec "Griz" Griswold, co-founder of Soul Fly Co. and Soul Fly Lodge. Griz, alongside partners Kitri and Kyle Sc...

What does it actually take for a fishing or outdoor brand to become B-Corp certified — and how do you prove your sustainability claims without greenwashing? In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host and Emerger Strategies Founder, Rick Crawford, is joined by Hazel Horvath, Founder and CEO of Ecolytics, a software platform built to solve one of the biggest challenges facing brands today: sustainability data management.

Hazel br...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host and Emerger Strategies Founder, Rick Crawford, sits down with Keith Shattenkirk, Program Officer for Healthy Lands & Waters at Patagonia. Keith shares the fascinating story of how he transitioned from a career in finance to working on the frontlines of conservation for one of the most influential outdoor companies in the world.

They dive into some of the biggest conservation challe...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host and Emerger Strategies Founder, Rick Crawford, sits down with sustainability pioneer, author, and veteran Al Iannuzzi, to discuss what it really takes to build greener products—and why making improvements is only half the battle.

Al, author of Greener Products: The Making & Marketing of Sustainable Brands, shares insights from decades of experience helping companies design, improve...

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, host and Emerger Strategies Founder, Rick Crawford, sits 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 outdo...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host and Emerger Strategies Founder, Rick Crawford, is 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 re...

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 ...

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 hea...

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 rai...

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 Fi...

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 Yv...

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...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with National Geographic photographer, and TED speaker, and Executive Director of Naturaland Trust, Mac Stone to talk about the power of imagery in protecting wild places. Mac and I go back to 2008, when we first met working at the A Bar A Ranch in Wyoming, and we trace his journey from field biologist in the Everglades and Francis Beidler National to globally recognized storyte...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host Rick Crawford welcomes Dr. Susan Johnson, founder of Nature at Work, a statewide initiative in South Carolina dedicated to connecting healthier people with healthier places through nature. Rick and Susan explore the healing power of the outdoors—from kayaking the Lowcountry’s salt marshes to research showing how hospital patient outcomes improve when they have views of nature.

Together...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Dylan Coates and Stephen Vaughan from Hobie Eyewear to talk about one of the most innovative sustainability stories in the fishing industry.

Hobie Eyewear is transforming waste into value by upcycling leftover plastic from Hobie kayak manufacturing into their best-selling Hobie Hull sunglasses. The process is simple but brilliant: grind down kayak manufacturing scraps into p...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with New York Times Best-Selling writer Monte Burke, author of Lords of the Fly and his latest book, Rivers Always Reach the Sea. Monte shares unforgettable stories of fishing with icons like Captain Steve Huff, Lefty Kreh, Andy Mill, and Yvon Chouinard, while reflecting on the deep connection between storytelling, fly fishing, and conservation.

We talk Atlantic Salmon, wild adve...

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host Rick Crawford sits down with Ali Wines, founder of Uncommon Ground Communications and former Executive Director of Protect Our Winters Canada, to explore the critical role of storytelling in sustainability and climate communications.

Ali shares her inspiring journey from practicing law to becoming a leading voice in climate action and communications. We discuss how authentic, transpare...

In this special episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with filmmaker, fisheries biologist, and master storyteller Josh “Bones” Murphy. You might recognize his powerful work in Artifishal, Purple Mountains, and The Scale of Hope—films that challenge the status quo and advocate for a deeper connection between people and planet.

We explore how stories help us make sense of the world, Josh’s evolution as a filmmaker at Liars and...