Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi O’Brien.
Hi Brandi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from the East Coast but fell in love with Utah after a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Utah wilderness gave a presentation in one of my college classes. After seeing the otherworldly landscapes and hearing about some of the issues they were up against, I switched my focus in college and took the first job in Utah I could find after graduation. It ended up being at the Conservation Corps, I had no real concept of how difficult it would be, but it was the best crash course and introduction to Utah I could’ve had.
From there, I moved to Fishlake and worked for the Forest Service in another one of the most incredible parts of the state. Through the course of my work, I’d made some friends up in Salt Lake City and decided I was ready for a break from the hands-on stuff. I found Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment fairly quickly after moving up here and resonated with their message and the issues they work on. It was a great bridge between the work I’d been doing, things I cared about, and creating actual change.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been struggles along the way. Moving across the country is hard in and of itself. But when I moved here at 21, I took the most intense (or in-tents) job I’ve ever had. We were hiking miles out to the backcountry of Escalante, having to thaw out our boots in the morning and working with tools, all new to me. Strangely enough though, it’s been moving up to Salt Lake City that’s provided the most challenges for me.
It was sort of a reintegration into society, where I had to grapple with all of these industrialization projects and potential new sources of pollution. It’s just a harsh reality to realize how many people there are who care more about money than our beautiful country and the health of their neighbors. But the more I work on the issues with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE), the more I get to connect with people facing similar frustrations and who have fought and won similar battles, so that’s encouraging.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
One of my absolute favorite things about UPHE is that we work on issues that could sometimes fly under the radar, or that the public may feel they don’t have any say over. UPHE works on issues or developments in Utah that have the potential to harm human health. We spread a lot of information about how harmful air pollution is to human health and flag things that are going to increase pollution.
We’ve been able to call out a few proposals, like the one for Utah Lake where they wanted to dredge some islands for real estate development. Living along the Wasatch Front poses major challenges as far as air pollution is concerned due to the inversion. But the geographic makeup of the region isn’t an excuse to endlessly pollute. We can limit our exposure and harm by developing smartly.
One of my favorite things about UPHE is how they aren’t afraid to go after big industry when they see foul play. We have incredible supporters who see that and have helped us in a handful of lawsuits and legislative battles.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t know that I believe in luck as much as divine timing.
I think that even when there are setbacks in our work, it can help to rally more support or gear us up for the next battle. There are always silver linings or next steps to be taken in anything that seems unlucky.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.uphe.org/
- Instagram: @utahphysicians
- Facebook: Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment
