In the nearly five years since The Daily Memphian launched, we’ve expanded coverage into a number of areas. But one of the most important has been coverage of environmental issues.

It was exactly a year ago that we were able to hire a full-time reporter, Keely Brewer, to cover environmental issues. The definition is, intentionally, a very broad one, including everything from the aquifer to park spaces to management of the Mississippi River to the question of who will provide electricity to Memphis.

MoSH executive director Kevin Thompson joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar

We’ve also been able to offer coverage of issues impacting the entire Mississippi River through the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. (Both Keely’s work and the Water Desk partnership are made possible in part through the support of Report for America.)

Take a listen.

The Sidebar, which airs every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. on WYXR 91.7 FM, is also available as a podcast here on the site or wherever you get your podcasts.

Note: WYXR is a partnership between Crosstown Concourse, the University of Memphis and The Daily Memphian. As part of that partnership, I serve on the board of Crosstown Radio Partnership, which owns and oversees WYXR.