The Global Grit Experience

Erika Gilsdorf
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Nature

The Global Grit Experience is about caring for nature, wildlife and each other by sharing stories of people making a difference in small and big ways. Real people, doing the work, who we can learn from, find some inspiration, and gather our grit to step up for the protection of our natural world. Erika Gilsdorf is an international, award-winning video producer and uses this podcast to be able to dive a bit deeper into a variety of environmental topics that are relevant, authentic and inspiring in today's challenging times. It's a podcast built on stories of hope, connection and action.

  1. 4d ago

    Sustainable Travel - If the Local People Hate Tourism, There's Something Wrong

    What is sustainable tourism and how can we be better travelers? And, equally important, how can we protect our own natural, cultural and historical places where we live from overtourism? It's a balance but more and more destinations are making it happen. That's good news. Jonathan B. Tourtellot, a National Geographic Explorer, is a journalist, editor, speaker, and consultant specializing in the intersection between tourism and care for places. While at National Geographic, he introduced the concept of destination stewardship and launched the “Places Rated” surveys reported annually as National Geographic Traveler cover stories. He now runs the nonprofit Destination Stewardship Center (DSC), including an online e-magazine, the Destination Stewardship Report. He was a contributing author in the book Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future (Island Press, 2021) and is featured prominently in the just-published book Destination Stewardship by Tonya Fitzpatrick (KoganPage, 2026). In his new Substack, The Fragile Map, he reveals how the taxes travelers pay for lodging can promote overtourism. Look for his story entitled “The Mystery Tax.” Resources: www.DestinationCenter.org Destination Stewardship Report The Fragile Map Follow The Global Grit Experience: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Sustainable Travel - If the Local People Hate Tourism, There's Something Wrong

  2. Oct 6

    Tribal Energy Sovereignty & Being Allies with Indigenous and Rural Communities

    Erika talks with guest, Bridget Guiza from the White Earth Tribal and Community College. Bridget talks about the challenges of our time being at the nexus of food, water, and energy sovereignty and being allies with Indigenous and rural communities. Bridget is the Customized Education Coordinator at the White Earth Tribal and Community College. She has a background in Environmental Systems and Planning and has experience in philanthropy, environmental justice, energy development, food sovereignty, and workforce development. Her current work focuses on building career pathways with and for the people of White Earth and adjacent communities. CLARIFICATION in EPISODE: MTERA stands for the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association. Resources White Earth Tribal and Community College https://www.wetcc.edu/ Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association - Empowering tribes to manage tribal energy resources through collective action. https://www.mtera.org/ https://www.mtera.org/ Follow The Global Grit Experience Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Tribal Energy Sovereignty & Being Allies with Indigenous and Rural Communities

  3. Sep 29

    Social Inclusion - The Ticket Out of This Environmental Mess

    In this episode, Dr. Joel Powell shares his perspective on expanding acceptance of people as an absolute necessity to the preservation of the environment. And, that political organization and cooperation is the ticket out of the mess we're in. Dr. Joel Powell whose been a professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Minnesota State University Moorhead for almost forty years. Resources Book by Douglas Rushkoff about consulting tech billionaires on surviving the apocalypse. https://rushkoff.com/books/survival-of-the-richest.html Follow The Global Grit Experience: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Social Inclusion - The Ticket Out of This Environmental Mess

  4. Sep 22

    Upcycling Fast Fashion

    In this episode, Dr. Judi Roux shares about the environmental impacts of fast fashion and clothing waste and how she's embraced creative upcycling to make a difference. Judi Roux, Ed.D has been an educator for over 30 years. As the founder of tROUXly treasures, she's combining her experience and enthusiasm for environmental sustainability with her passion for yarn crafting. She does this by repurposing clothing memories and sharing those skills with other crafters. She teaches t-shirt yarn cutting and crocheting classes at various educational venues around Duluth and the north shore of Lake Superior. RESOURCES Swagcycle: https://www.swagcycle.net/thinking-about-the-life-of-a-t-shirt/ Clothing Mountain Visible from Space: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/the-clothing-mountain-visible-from-space-how-60000-tonnes-of-discarded-clothes-ended-up-in-chiles-atacama-desert/articleshow/132689467.cms Impacts from Modern Purchases https://northshorejournal.co/editorial/impacts-of-modern-purchases/ Life Cycle of a T-Shirt The life cycle of a t-shirt - Angel Chang Statistics About Fast Fashion Waste https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/ FOLLOW THE GLOBAL GRIT EXPERIENCE Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Upcycling Fast Fashion

  5. Sep 15

    Saying No to Plastics - Why & How

    Guest Cedar Walters talks about the harms of plastics in our bodies and the environment in this episode and shares tactics to reduce plastic use. Cedar Walters is Senior Director of Community Programs at West Central Initiative (WCI), where she leads community initiatives and connects people and communities with resources that support sustainability and resilience. In 2025 and 2026 she organized and supported eight community screenings of the Plastic People documentary, which led to the formation of a Beyond Plastics local chapter in west central Minnesota. Prior to joining WCI, Cedar worked at a county recycling facility for six years and became obsessed with waste reduction – specifically for plastics and food waste. Cedar holds an MS in Biology and Environmental Education from North Dakota State University and has experience in distributed solar development, composting and recycling program development, sustainable food systems, and native prairie restoration projects. In her free time she can be found in her pollinator garden, spending time with family, reading, camping, knitting, and organizing for more inclusive and equitable communities. RESOURCES Beyond Plastics: trainings, resources, studies, fact sheets, map of local groups, speaker bureau, and more! https://www.beyondplastics.org/ Reasons to Say No to Plastics: https://files.captivate.fm/library/d7963bca-c38f-4d72-ae91-8cdf07543597/Reasons-to-Say-No-to-Plastics-Beyond-Plastics.pdf Sustainable Closet Basics: https://files.captivate.fm/library/c83f24bf-6b68-4ec2-8d0a-0f95f0cd47fc/Sustainable-Closet-Basics.pdf Thrift Tips and Gifts: https://files.captivate.fm/library/891f05db-1ed3-4c39-91e4-8e59fa005d3a/Thrift-Tips-and-Gifts.pdf Compostable Products Purchasing Guid: https://files.captivate.fm/library/c0e48e78-f7dc-4692-aecc-8dacec5406d6/Compostable-Products-Purchasing-Guide.pdf Reducing health impacts from plastics - Blog: https://www.beyondplastics.org/ask-a-scientist/avoid-plastic-toxic-chemicals For West Central MN Specifically: Quarterly Advocacy Trainings coming up in November – free on Zoom, pick a date that works for you: Saturday, 11/7 at 1:00 PM ET USTuesday, 11/10 at 7:00 PM ET US Thursday, 11/12 at 7:00 PM ET US Screening of Plastic People -coming up on September 26th at 6:30 pm at the Becker Co Museum in Detroit Lakes, MN https://www.facebook.com/share/1LUpEdwQFH/ FOLLOW the GLOBAL GRIT EXPERIENCE Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you! Erika

    Saying No to Plastics - Why & How

  6. Sep 8

    Tactics to be an Effective Voter for the Environment

    What does voting for the environment mean? How can we find our way through political hype? How do we listen to candidates more critically? My guest today is Dave Homans. Dave is a retired physician who serves as Citizen Climate Lobby’s Co-Coordinator for the state of Minnesota. He is active in lobbying our elected representatives to promote policies that will mitigate climate warming. Resources Open Secrets https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=elizabeth+manson&order=desc&sort=DGovtrack.com https://www.govtrack.us/Billtrack50 https://www.billtrack50.com/info/The Cook Political Report https://www.cookpolitical.com/League of Women voters https://www.lwvmn.org/2026-candidate-forumsEnvironmental Voter Project https://www.environmentalvoter.org/ Citizens Climate Lobby https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ Follow The Global Grit Experience: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Mn5MZyZeMgdgKROVEK1b1 Instagram @thegloabgritexperience Facebook @theglobalgritexperience TikTok @the.global.grit.ex Website www.theglobalgritexperience.com Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Tactics to be an Effective Voter for the Environment

  7. Sep 1

    Meet Erika - Host of The Global Grit Experience Podcast

    In this episode I give a little background of how I got into video, capturing stories around the world, and eventually, here, as a podcaster and host of The Global Grit Experience. Examples of videos mentioned in the podcast Volkswagen ID.4 Road Trip - What Fuels You- Ep.1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ85tn5HDJ0 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - Soul Pursuits Ep.1 - https://youtu.be/mlRZ-lckRWs?si=_CAeZTq5fLGZhxHd Soul of of the Western Balkans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahpRDIo87n0&list=PLbXm1PcDvCSe_PjQUF6v1F51amDjI4cq7&index=24&t=2s Woodland League - Ireland: https://youtu.be/MUT6miz2Kys

    Meet Erika - Host of The Global Grit Experience Podcast

  8. Aug 25

    Self-Interest vs Environmental Sustainability. Can we Find the Balance?

    How do we as humans balance our self-interest drive with environmental sustainability. There’s no easy answer but it’s definitely worth pondering, talking about, and hopefully acting on for the future of our natural world (and us). My guest today is Dr. Dennis Jacobs, retired physics professor, pilot, aeronautical engineer, sustainability educator, and author of multiple books. Subscribe and Follow The Global Grit Experience: Spotify Instagram Facebook Website Thanks for listening and being a part of The Global Grit Experience. I SO appreciate you!

    Self-Interest vs Environmental Sustainability. Can we Find the Balance?
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About

The Global Grit Experience is about caring for nature, wildlife and each other by sharing stories of people making a difference in small and big ways. Real people, doing the work, who we can learn from, find some inspiration, and gather our grit to step up for the protection of our natural world. Erika Gilsdorf is an international, award-winning video producer and uses this podcast to be able to dive a bit deeper into a variety of environmental topics that are relevant, authentic and inspiring in today's challenging times. It's a podcast built on stories of hope, connection and action.

Information

  • Creator
    Erika Gilsdorf
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Erika Gilsdorf
  • Show Website
    The Global Grit Experience