Ryan Kudish, meterorologist, reports on local sustainability efforts.

“I never touched a camera in my life before this segment,” admitted Ryan Kudish, meteorologist reporter for Local 5 news in Green Bay. But a year later, he’s getting pretty good at it.

The segment in question, Sustainably Speaking, started in November 2023 when WFRV partnered with some local organizations to provide more information about environmental issues in their viewing area. It was a good fit for Ryan.

In college he realized that weather is about more than the forecast. His teachers wanted students to experience weather out and about, not just in the classroom, so they used to go hiking.

“I learned to appreciate the weather we have,” Ryan said. “Look at the beautiful fall colors; listen to the birds.”

But Ryan has had a special concern for water since he was young. “I grew up in The Ocean State, where water is big,” he said. “I wanted to preserve the water for the next generation of Rhode Islanders.”

Now that he lives here, he’s focused on water quality issues that matter in Wisconsin. “Around here, people use water every day for recreation, drinking water, and washing our dishes,” Ryan said. “It’s so important to have access to clean, refreshing water. Not just for yourself, but for the whole community. It’s helpful for mind, body, and soul.”

In addition to telling stories from Fox-Wolf, Ryan worked with UW-Oshkosh and Door County to tell stories about PFAS, E. coli, phosphorus, and blue-green algae.

“I’m not an expert in any of these topics that I’m going out and filming,” Ryan said. “I’m actively learning about each topic that I get to film.”

While Ryan was putting in the hard work of learning how to tell a story, get the right angle, and set audio levels, he was inspired by what he heard. “It’s awesome to hear that people really care about these stories and topics. That’s why I enjoy this – weather has an impact, but these stories tell a different perspective.”

Ryan hopes that by telling these stories, other people in this area will learn about these challenges, and will take away the fact that they can be involved.

“So many organizations are doing cool things,” Ryan said. “If you want to make an impact, you don’t need to be an expert. Have a passion to clean up the water. They will teach you how to be involved, and you can be a supporter for life.”

There’s More to the Story!

In October, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance held an event to celebrate all the things that are going right for our local waters and to honor individuals and organizations that are making a difference. This issue of Watershed Moments highlights three of the individuals honored with a 2024 Impact Award. You can see the short videos for these and other honorees at our YouTube channel.

Watershed Moments is a publication of Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, sharing the stories of how your donations have impacted lives in our community. Read our latest project updates, make a secure online donation, or become a member at www.fwwa.org