Carrie Jennings has spent her career piecing together how our landscapes came to be—and what’s happening to them now. A geologist by training and now Research and Policy Director at Freshwater, she’s spent decades mapping Minnesota’s glacial past, teaching at the University of Minnesota, and turning science into action to protect our rivers and groundwater.
In this episode, Carrie takes us deep into the story of the Minnesota River Basin. We start with the glaciers that carved it out thousands of years ago and then fast forward to today, where farming practices, drained wetlands, and tiled fields have transformed it into what she calls “an agricultural drainage ditch.” The result? Rivers running brown, biodiversity wiped out, sediment loads ten times higher than historical levels, and small towns struggling to keep up as floodwaters rise and infrastructure strains.
Carrie helps us connect these dots—how the choices we’ve made on the land ripple through everything from water quality and fish habitat to the cost of raising highways and dredging navigation channels. And she shares how her work has pushed past research into real change: new state programs to hold more water on the land, restore wetlands, and rebuild soil health; support for perennial crops that keep living roots in the ground year-round; and a growing recognition that this is a “Dust Bowl moment” for Minnesota, one that demands systemic change.
This isn’t just a conversation about rivers—it’s about how we live on the land, how federal farm policy shapes our choices, and what it will take for Minnesota to chart a different path. Carrie’s perspective brings both deep time (glaciers and plate tectonics) and an urgency grounded in the present: if we don’t act, we risk doubling down on the very patterns—corn, soy, and now biofuels—that are driving the problem.
Join the conversation:
Live Event (Aug 28): Sign up here
Website: theyoungike.org
Instagram: @theyoungike
Contact us: info@theyoungike.org
Support our partner: Minnesota Valley IWLA
Call to Action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please add the show to your library, download it, share it with a friend, and leave a review. It’s a small step that helps us grow and keep these conversations going.
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Carrie Jennings has spent her career piecing together how our landscapes came to be—and what’s happening to them now. A geologist by training and now Research and Policy Director at Freshwater, she’s spent decades mapping Minnesota’s glacial past, teaching at the University of Minnesota, and turning science into action to protect our rivers and groundwater.
In this episode, Carrie takes us deep into the story of the Minnesota River Basin. We start with the glaciers that carved it out thousands of years ago and then fast forward to today, where farming practices, drained wetlands, and tiled fields have transformed it into what she calls “an agricultural drainage ditch.” The result? Rivers running brown, biodiversity wiped out, sediment loads ten times higher than historical levels, and small towns struggling to keep up as floodwaters rise and infrastructure strains.
Carrie helps us connect these dots—how the choices we’ve made on the land ripple through everything from water quality and fish habitat to the cost of raising highways and dredging navigation channels. And she shares how her work has pushed past research into real change: new state programs to hold more water on the land, restore wetlands, and rebuild soil health; support for perennial crops that keep living roots in the ground year-round; and a growing recognition that this is a “Dust Bowl moment” for Minnesota, one that demands systemic change.
This isn’t just a conversation about rivers—it’s about how we live on the land, how federal farm policy shapes our choices, and what it will take for Minnesota to chart a different path. Carrie’s perspective brings both deep time (glaciers and plate tectonics) and an urgency grounded in the present: if we don’t act, we risk doubling down on the very patterns—corn, soy, and now biofuels—that are driving the problem.
Join the conversation:
Live Event (Aug 28): Sign up here
Website: theyoungike.org
Instagram: @theyoungike
Contact us: info@theyoungike.org
Support our partner: Minnesota Valley IWLA
Call to Action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please add the show to your library, download it, share it with a friend, and leave a review. It’s a small step that helps us grow and keep these conversations going.
Ernest Scheyder: The War Below & the Global Battle Over Critical Minerals
The Young IKE
27 minutes 24 seconds
8 months ago
Ernest Scheyder: The War Below & the Global Battle Over Critical Minerals
In order to transition to green energy, we need to build infrastructure—but to build that infrastructure, we must mine for critical minerals. Journalist and author Ernest Scheyder, a senior correspondent for Reuters, joins The Young IKE to discuss his National Book Award-longlisted book, The War Below, and the hidden costs of the modern mining boom.
We explore the economic, political, and environmental trade-offs behind mining, why rare earths are the oil of the 21st century, and how we can transition to clean energy without repeating the mistakes of the past.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Ernest Scheyder
Bio: Ernest Scheyder is a senior correspondent at Reuters, covering the green energy transition and the critical minerals industry. His book, The War Below, was longlisted for the National Book Award and explores the untold stories behind mineral extraction.
Links:
Order The War Below – HERE
Ernest Scheyder, Reuters– HERE
Episode Outline:
The New Oil? – Why rare earth minerals are the driving force behind 21st-century geopolitics.
Too Special to Mine? – The debate over mining in protected lands like the Boundary Waters and Indigenous territories.
Supply Chains & The Global Economy – How the pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in the mineral supply chain.
Responsible Mining & Transparency – The rise of certification programs, ethical sourcing, and corporate accountability.
What Comes Next? – How government policy, industry standards, and public awareness can shape a more sustainable future.
Episode Sponsor:
️ The Young Ike is bringing these conversations into the real world with live, quarterly community dialogues. Thank you to the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the IWLA for making this possible. Learn more at iwlamnvalley.org
Host & Show Info:
Host Name: Griffith Pugh
Podcast Website: www.theyoungike.org
Community & Calls to Action:
Contact the host: griffith@theyoungike.org
Help Us Grow:
Follow us on Instagram: @theyoungike
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The Young IKE
Carrie Jennings has spent her career piecing together how our landscapes came to be—and what’s happening to them now. A geologist by training and now Research and Policy Director at Freshwater, she’s spent decades mapping Minnesota’s glacial past, teaching at the University of Minnesota, and turning science into action to protect our rivers and groundwater.
In this episode, Carrie takes us deep into the story of the Minnesota River Basin. We start with the glaciers that carved it out thousands of years ago and then fast forward to today, where farming practices, drained wetlands, and tiled fields have transformed it into what she calls “an agricultural drainage ditch.” The result? Rivers running brown, biodiversity wiped out, sediment loads ten times higher than historical levels, and small towns struggling to keep up as floodwaters rise and infrastructure strains.
Carrie helps us connect these dots—how the choices we’ve made on the land ripple through everything from water quality and fish habitat to the cost of raising highways and dredging navigation channels. And she shares how her work has pushed past research into real change: new state programs to hold more water on the land, restore wetlands, and rebuild soil health; support for perennial crops that keep living roots in the ground year-round; and a growing recognition that this is a “Dust Bowl moment” for Minnesota, one that demands systemic change.
This isn’t just a conversation about rivers—it’s about how we live on the land, how federal farm policy shapes our choices, and what it will take for Minnesota to chart a different path. Carrie’s perspective brings both deep time (glaciers and plate tectonics) and an urgency grounded in the present: if we don’t act, we risk doubling down on the very patterns—corn, soy, and now biofuels—that are driving the problem.
Join the conversation:
Live Event (Aug 28): Sign up here
Website: theyoungike.org
Instagram: @theyoungike
Contact us: info@theyoungike.org
Support our partner: Minnesota Valley IWLA
Call to Action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please add the show to your library, download it, share it with a friend, and leave a review. It’s a small step that helps us grow and keep these conversations going.
