Please enjoy a guest blog post by Na’ilah Dawkins, a leader in the Prince George’s County Sierra Club Group, about her podcast “Greener Thoughts” and her involvement in the Sierra Club. Way to go Na’ilah!
What is “Greener Thoughts” and how did it come about?
"Greener Thoughts" is my podcast about environmental news, commentary, fascinating eco-facts, and much more! "Greener Thoughts" has been going strong since late November 2018. There are many segments to the "Greener Thoughts" podcast including but not limited to: the news, my commentary, tips & easy strategies on how to be better to the planet, the formal Call-to-Action, and more.
There are also three annual giveaways that are a mainstay for "Greener Thoughts". They are the Earth Day "Greener Thoughts" Prize Giveaway (during the month of April), the Sierra Club May Anniversary "Greener Thoughts" Prize Giveaway (during the month of May), and lastly the "Greener Thoughts" Podcast Anniversary Celebration Prize Giveaway (during the month of November). "Greener Thoughts" is something that I am extremely proud of. Personally, I admire and love the fact that twice a week my podcast episodes are packed with useful and resourceful tips and fresh news for all my listeners - domestic and international alike.
How I got into podcasting
During I would say early fall in August 2018, I came across a video on Youtube from the infamous Breakfast Club 105.1 FM trio. The interview was from mid-November 2017 and featured guest Gary Vaynerchuk a.k.a. Gary Vee. Vaynerchuk is a master at business and marketing, a podcaster, a Youtuber, a serial entrepreneur, and also the CEO and founder of VaynerMedia, a full-service digital agency. During Vaynerchuk’s interview with the Breakfast Club he talked a bit closer to the 21-minute mark about Anchor. This is a media tool to make your mark in the world and it may seem a bit unconventional, to some, though I was willing to go feet first into it. He made me see the ease of Anchor, the access of technology in my pocket. From Vaynerchuk his words of “no excuses” rang in my ears and I did not want those words to haunt me against doing something that could turn into something really truly special. I have immense passion, love, experience, and knowledge of environmental topics so I organized my ideas into a podcast all my own.
From my earliest recordings in August 2018 I started out on my phone and progressed to using my computer’s microphone and the Notepad feature. Gathering practice and recording every 4 days to 7 days until in late November 2018, I finally felt ready and confident to release my first podcast episode - after producing it essentially all day! It was truly thrilling. I accomplished something I had organized, critiqued relentlessly, worked to the bone, and constantly put faith in. My family loves my progress and what “Greener Thoughts” has become with my hard work, and I am overjoyed.
How I’ve been involved with the Prince George's Sierra Club Group
I became involved with the Prince George's Sierra Club Group - Executive Committee when I became a Sierra Club member in August 2016, and then was voted onto the Executive Committee that December. I still have the voicemail saved from when I got the news! I was on a family Christmas trip in Florida visiting my mom’s side of the family.
So far during my time on the Prince George's Sierra Club Group - Executive Committee I have traveled to different states, been active in coordinating tours (spring 2017), had my first Sierra Club Lobby Night experience (2019). I have been a committee member and volunteer organizer for events like the 2017 Jamboree, and signed up to be on the Nominations Committee for the Prince George’s Sierra Club Environmental Service Award - twice. Having new members over the years and learning from all of the ones we already have - we are such a team. I could not be happier with where we are and all we have accomplished yet we still have more to go.
About my latest podcast on the history of the Sierra Club
The recent podcast episode about the history of the Sierra Club and its accomplishments gives homage to an organization that feels like a home away from home. In many ways it’s like a circle of folks you would not want to part from. The Sierra Club is remarkable not just in its ferocity to protest environmental pollution but it fights to preserve open spaces. It is consistently partnering with elected officials who put the planet first on environmental legislation, and remains committed to being grassroots led. In my special podcast episode about the Sierra Club I tried being as thorough about the many historical events that have happened in the Sierra Club. In the seperate “My Thoughts” portion of the program I went into great detail about my favorite memories since being in the Sierra Club and shouted out fellow members of the Prince George’s Executive Committee (ExComm.) There are other parts towards the end of the podcast that are especially useful too, so please be sure to listen to the podcast to learn more.
Be sure to check out my podcast “Greener Thoughts” currently on Apple Podcasts (and Podcoin, owned by Apple), Breaker, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, and on:
https://anchor.fm/greenerthoughtspodcast/
https://anchor.fm/greenerthoughtspodcast/support