On Thursday, February 29th, Port Productions, a water efficiency podcast made by local teens, released its first episode in collaboration with the Laguna Beach Water District. Since August, the members of Port Productions have been meeting weekly, cultivating a podcast studio, and gaining a partnership with the Laguna Beach County Water District. The project started with the members speaking with water district officials,
“I had prepared a brief speech where I stressed the importance of making the podcast because most teens don’t have a developed interest in environmental issues, and I would like to take part in helping teens be more involved in their communities,” states Piper Johnson, the co-host of the first episode. The speech helped the club gain a $10,000 grant from the water district, which went towards the microphones and materials to build a podcast studio.
After receiving the sponsorship, the group got to work, transforming an old storage room at the Laguna Beach Boys and Girls Club Port into a studio for recording podcasts. Members of the podcast team worked together to put soundproof foam on the walls, construct furniture, and set up recording technology.
Selena Hsu, another member, recounts the difficulties that the group faced while constructing the studio,
“One of the big challenges about putting the studio together was putting the soundproof foam on the walls and the ceiling because they kept falling off continuously. We needed to figure out what adhesives worked and stuck to the walls. But now, I think it’s a miracle how everything started from zero and how far we have gone. Putting together everything was enjoyable in the end.”
After five months of hard work, the podcast studio was officially ready to record episodes. Hosts Miwako Miki and Piper Johnson had the opportunity to interview Jose Gallardo, the Water Use Efficiency Specialist II at the Laguna Beach County Water District. Gallardo discusses Laguna Beach’s status as “The Most Waterwise City of the Nation,” the difference between water conservation and efficiency, and his daily routine at the water district.
Port Productions is a podcast and a space of collaboration for local high school students to understand each other while learning about cultivating a production. The Port continuously seeks members to join the team. Whether you are interested in hosting or mixing audio, there are opportunities to try out all that the Port offers.
