I am thrilled to share a powerful new episode of The Sustainable Angler podcast featuring acclaimed filmmaker, fisheries biologist, and environmental storyteller, Josh “Bones” Murphy. Josh and I were first introduced in 2016, and our paths have crossed a few times since then and it’s a pretty funny story…In 2016, my wife and I were at 32 Winds Winery in California while on vacation and met Sherry. After telling her about Emerger Strategies, she sent introduced me via email to a guy named Jeff Lee and Josh Murphy who were both involved with shooting a 1% for the Planet commercial with Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews, who co-founded 1% for the Planet, and because of my interest in fly fishing and saving the planet.
Fast forward to 2019, and my wife and I are on vacation in Jackson Hole, WY and there happened to be a film screening and Q&A for the Patagonia film, ARTIFISHAL, with Yvon Chouinard and Josh (pictured below with Yvon), so Jodie and I went and we were thrilled to meet Yvon, and I was able to thank him for being a guest on The Sustainable Angler podcast and let him know that our interview won the Grand Prize of the Outdoor Climate Media Challenge that was put on by Conservation Hawks, and “was facilitated by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. The contest was designed to recognize and reward media members who shared an accurate, compelling climate message with hunters & anglers in the Southeastern U.S.” However, the crazy part about our trip out to Jackson is that on our flight home to Charleston via Denver, Josh sat next to Jodie and I and we ended up chatting about the film and exchanged emails.
Now, fast forward to 2025 and I had heard about Josh’s new nonprofit Land and Sea for All so I reached out to see if he’d be open to an interview for the podcast, and then we make another connection as he is working on a project with Wes Carter who has been a guest on the show talking about the amazing work A New Earth Project and Atlantic Packaging are doing in the sustainable packaging world!
Anyways, long story short, life is funny, and I am thrilled to release my interview with Bones because he is an amazing person, storyteller and filmmaker and I can’t wait to share it with y’all!
If you care about climate, conservation, and the power of storytelling to inspire change, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
About Josh “Bones” Murphy
Josh is the creative force behind some of the most impactful environmental documentaries of our time, including:
- Artifishal (Patagonia) – A hard-hitting look at the environmental cost of fish hatcheries and farms.
- Purple Mountains – A film that follows snowboarder Jeremy Jones as he seeks common ground on climate with rural voters.
- The Scale of Hope – Featuring former White House climate advisor Molly Kawahata, this film explores the intersection of mental health, advocacy, and climate resilience.
Each film confronts difficult truths and invites viewers to see our environmental crises—and our role in them—with fresh eyes.
Why Storytelling Matters
In this episode, we dive into:
- Josh’s transition from fisheries biologist to award-winning filmmaker at Liars & Thieves.
- How storytelling helps us make sense of the world and galvanize action
- The emotional and psychological power of documentaries in the climate movement
- The founding of his new nonprofit, Land & Sea for All, whose mission is to champion impact storytelling and amplify individual and community voices for real change
- And, how to stay hopeful while tackling tough environmental truths
As Josh shares in the episode, “Storytelling is how we build empathy, connection, and momentum for the things that matter most.”
Dedicated to Jeff Lee
This episode is lovingly dedicated to Jeff Lee, who I only met via an email introduction in 2016, but from what I have learned, Jeff is a beloved connector of people and ideas in the fly fishing and conservation community. Jeff believed in the power of storytelling and community to protect what we love, and is still “the great connector.”
Listen Now
This is more than a conversation—it’s a masterclass in storytelling, hope, and what it means to fight for a better world.
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Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever wondered how you can make a difference in the climate crisis, this episode offers one clear path: start with your story. Whether you’re an angler, artist, scientist, citizen or brand—you have a voice, and it matters.
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This episode is brought to you by Emerger Strategies, and A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging.