The Captains For Clean Water Podcast

Ep 6: John Lai

John Lai is the president and CEO of the Sanibel-Captiva chamber of Commerce. John is at the forefront of leading the business community to be involved with the fight for clean water. In this episode, we hear from John on just how important the business community's voice is in this effort to save the Everglades. Own a business in Florida? This issue impacts you. Want to learn more? This episode is for you.

Ep. 5: Captain Cody Rubner

In this episode, we sit down with Captain Cody Rubner, a fishing guide based in Stuart, Florida, who represents the very best of what it means to be an advocate for our waters. Cody has stood up time and again for conservation, inspiring countless others to join the fight for cleaner, healthier ecosystems. Not only is Cody a full-time fisherman, but he also runs his own marketing agency, plays an active role with the American Saltwater Guides Association, and is always the first to answer the call when we at Captains for Clean Water need support. This conversation dives into what being an advocate really means, why it matters, and how anyone—angler or not—can make a difference.

Ep 4: Florida Takes the Wheel: What State Control Means for the Everglades

In recent news, Governor Ron Desantis announced an agreement between the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army that gives Florida the lead role in constructing federally funded Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Projects. This episode aims to unpack the news and discuss what this means for the future of our Everglades. 

Ep 3: Ask us anything

In this episode, we unpack some of the pressing questions that general public wants answers for. It is vitally important to be transparent with our audience - we would't be anywhere without our supporters. This format allows us to see what our supporters are curious about and where their focus is at. 

Ep 2: Born In Chaos

The fight for Florida’s waters didn’t start in a boardroom. It started on the bow of a skiff. We didn’t ask for this fight. We were just fishing guides in South Florida—spending more waking hours on the water than on dry land. We made a living chasing tarpon and snook, sharing the magic of wild Florida with anyone willing to step aboard. It was the best job in the world.Then, our waters started dying.Billions of gallons of toxic water from Lake Okeechobee were flushed into our estuaries. We watched in horror as seagrass meadows withered away, oyster beds vanished, and massive algae blooms suffocated life itself—fish, dolphins, turtles, manatees.Our beaches stank of death. The charter calls stopped coming. Our way of life crumbled before our eyes. This wasn’t some natural cycle. It was a man-made crisis, engineered and maintained by one of the most powerful, politically connected, and corrupt special interests in the world: Big Sugar. They’ve controlled Florida’s water for decades, rigging the system to protect their bottom line while communities and ecosystems pay the price. They bankroll politicians, bury science, and poison public trust—all to keep the status quo.We were supposed to stay quiet. To look the other way.But we didn’t. We stood up. A ragtag group of fishing guides—no money, no platform, just a fire in our bellies and an unshakable love for our waters. We started Captains For Clean Water to fight back.Because this isn’t just about fishing. It’s about clean drinking water for 9 million people. It’s about reviving ecosystems and rebuilding fisheries. It’s about protecting the beating heart of Florida’s tourism economy and preserving one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth.This episode of our podcast is the heart of our story.It’s our origin, our fight, and the truth that powerful interests don’t want you to hear. It’s the story of the largest ecosystem restoration project ever attempted in human history, and the everyday people who refuse to give up.

Ep 1: The Rock Mine No One Asked For

This episode is a deep dive into one of the most urgent and threatening environmental battles in Florida: the Southland rock mine proposal in the Everglades Agricultural Area.
We unpack the corruption, the fast-tracked approvals, the strategic language, and the political theater surrounding this project—and reveal how Big Sugar, private contractors, and local government worked behind closed doors to move it forward.
From backdoor deals to Christmas Eve filings, from public confusion to deliberate misinformation, this is the full story you haven’t heard—but need to.
If you care about clean water, public process, or the future of the Everglades, don’t miss this.