Benji Backer is the Executive Chairman and Founder of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), the largest right-of-center environmental organization in the country, and the author of The Conservative Environmentalist: Common Sense Solutions for a Sustainable Future. A proud graduate of the University of Washington, Benji has been awarded the Fortune 40 Under 40, Forbes 30 Under 30, GreenBiz 30 Under 30, and Grist 50. He serves as a board member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Climate Change Commission, the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum, and BridgeUSA. A frequent contributor to national media outlets, Benji is one of the leading youth environmental voices in the country.
This week, Barrett talks with Benji about his early start in political activism inspired by John McCain, the intense bullying he faced in high school, and his efforts to bridge bipartisan divides in environmental advocacy. Benji shares his experiences with burnout and the difficult decision to step down from his leadership role at the ACC while continuing his mission toward nonpartisan environmental solutions. They discuss the dangers of perceived expertise without real experience, the necessity of adapting policies over time, and the importance of building bipartisan coalitions.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (04:17) - Burnout and stepping down as CEO
- (12:35) - Reflecting on leadership and personal growth
- (29:22) - The importance of bipartisan climate solutions
- (33:17) - Benji's brand of conservatism
- (40:24) - Bullying and opposition in school
- (56:55) - Bridging the political divide and finding solace in nature
- (01:04:38) - Building coalitions in politics
- (01:16:48) - Political sensationalism
- (01:21:35) - Understanding different perspectives
- (01:30:07) - Republicans and environmentalism
- (01:33:40) - Start local
- (01:40:28) - How to create change
- (01:46:51) - Making the environment nonpartisan
- (01:47:57) - Who Benji is becoming
Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.
