Hi everyone! Sarinah here! Coming to you live from my childhood bedroom visiting my mom following a beautiful trip down California along highway 395. This is my first ever Earth to Humans newsletter, so enjoy this maiden voyage as I try to re-connect with my early 2000’s Wordpress days writing to the ether.
My guest for this episode is an expert in natural resources management, a woman who's been on the front lines of one of the most crucial environmental issues facing us today. She's a problem-solver and policymaker, but above all, an advocate for our planet's most precious resource: water.
Can Great Salt Lake survive us?
Laura Briefer, the Director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities, has been working tirelessly to address the water crisis in Utah. She's been an integral figure in water policy for over two decades and has seen first-hand how the environment is shifting right in front of us. She is one of many stakeholders involved in preventing the disappearance of Great Salt Lake. A natural wonder that once stretched across nearly a quarter of the State of Utah (about 22,400 square miles), has been shrinking at an alarming rate.
As of 2021, Great Salt Lake now spans a mere 950 square miles, revealing more of the lake bed with each major drought. Lake beds contain a variety of heavy metals in the sediment that, when lake levels recede, dry out and form toxic dust.
These airborne dust particles not only affect human health, but also have devastating ecological implications. They can contaminate local ecosystems and have effects on air and water quality. Therefore, the issue of lake shrinkage is not only about the loss of water but also concerns the potential mobilization of hazardous substances that can impact both human health and the environment.
Through Laura's eyes, we'll explore what's happening to the Great Salt Lake, why it matters, and most importantly, what is being done about it. Laura Briefer brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for sustainability to this issue. We're thrilled to have her this episode of the Earth to Humans Podcast. We love to hear your feedback, so have a listen and let us know what you think about the show!
An update from me
As I mentioned, I’m Sarinah, one of the producers and hosts behind the show and I’m super excited to be building this community with all of you and connecting on a deeper level. I work in a variety of creative and environmental spaces, from nature videography, photography and artwork, to wildlife surveying and field captures.
Lately though, I’ve been getting SUPER into block printing and linocutting. I started small, carving out tiny scenes into pink Pearl erasers, but am now moving onto larger rubber blocks so I can work in more detail. Something about the carving blade smoothly gliding over the stiffness of the rubber unlocked something in my brain launching me into a simultaneously soothing and instantly addicting new venture.
Earlier this year I represented two films that I produced and directed at the 2023 Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Nevada City, CA, where I got to connect with some truly inspirational fellow filmmakers and re-ignite my passion for good storytelling. I also got to represent Earth to Humans in the March issue of Diversity in Action Magazine where I was interviewed about what makes our podcast so unique and how the show has evolved and grown alongside our growing decolonized mindset around conservation and the environment.
After a long winter in the Sierra Nevada, I’m excited to finally get outside and go hiking and fishing and disappear into the woods for a while. I’m so grateful for Hannah and Matt and this amazing team and community that we’ve built together. Especially with the weight of all of the world’s current issues, its so healing to be able to fight alongside these two as well as you, our listeners, and do what we can to enjoy this beautiful planet and try to make it a better place for all of its inhabitants.
Let's keep fighting and do our part to make sure the Earth’s voice is heard,
Sarinah
The Disappearance of Great Salt Lake w/ Laura Briefer