Podcast Junkies - Conversations with Fascinating Podcasters

365: From Beauty Queen to Environmental Crusader: Jordan Gass-Pooré’s Inspiring Journey

Apr 3, 2025

58:57

Ever wondered how environmental journalism can uncover hidden hazards in your community?

Jordan Gass-Pooré, host of "Hazard NJ" and an accomplished environmental journalist, shares her journey from small-town Texas to becoming a leading voice in investigative reporting on hazardous sites and environmental issues.

In this episode, Jordan discusses her latest project, "Hazard NJ," which explores the origins and impacts of PFAS (forever chemicals) in New Jersey. She delves into the challenges of reporting on environmental issues, the importance of long-term follow-ups on hazardous site cleanups, and the fascinating characters she encounters in her work.

Jordan also touches on her early days in journalism, her passion for horror movies, and how she balances freelance work with her dedication to environmental reporting. She offers insights into the changing landscape of journalism in the face of AI advancements and shares her thoughts on the future of hazardous site reporting.

Ready to dive into the world of environmental journalism and discover the hidden stories beneath our feet? Listen now to gain a new perspective on the environmental challenges we face and the dedicated reporters working to bring them to light.

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5 Key Takeaways

1. Pursue your passions early: Jordan's early interest in environmental issues and journalism led to a successful career. Start exploring your interests and gaining experience in your chosen field as soon as possible.

2. Embrace diverse experiences: Jordan's varied work history across different media outlets and projects has enriched her skills and perspective. Don't be afraid to try different roles and organizations in your industry.

3. Find your niche: Jordan's focus on hazardous sites reporting demonstrates the value of specializing in a specific area. Identify a unique angle or topic within your field that you can become an expert in.

4. Be open to changing perceptions: Jordan's experience with New Jersey changed her preconceived notions about the state. Stay open-minded when approaching new subjects or locations in your work.

5. Use storytelling to make complex topics engaging: Jordan incorporates horror references and personal stories to make environmental reporting more accessible. Find creative ways to present difficult or technical information to your audience.

Tweetable Quotes

"I remember I approached him and I was like, 'Hey, first off, my college town, it's like, you know, there's an endangered species. It's an environmentally sensitive area. I said, no one's covering the environment. Can I cover the environment as a reporter for one of the radio shows?' He was like, 'Sure, as long as you don't cuss.'"

"I'm hoping that this is a way for whatever writing passion that they had or passion they had that now they could be able to pursue that, that maybe there will be some new openings. I've told people in the past too, especially like mentees that are in college that one, you know, you don't have to go into investigative journalism. But I'm bringing that up as an example that I think that's one of the genres of journalism that will be really hard for an AI to replicate."

"My whole obsession for the past couple of years has been around hazardous sites. I've just become super obsessed with hazardous sites. And not just Superfund sites, but just the idea for me of how we got to this place. At one point in time, we were definitely okay with just dumping every kind of chemical into a body of water. The psyche of it just is interesting to me about why people do the things that they do and what the ramifications and the lasting impact is."