One issue among many in America’s heated political discourse that especially affects the music industry is environmentalism. With climate change a hot topic, the Fall 2020 issue of No Depression focuses on how the choices of roots music makers and fans affect the natural world around us. Stories address the historical, academic, and practical ways that the roots music community is working to make a more sustainable world.

Included in this issue:

• The FreshGrass Foundation Manifesto
• Green Goods - Laura Studarus
• Sound Minds: Bringing music and environmentalism though the field of ecomusicology - Katie Moulton
• Where Have All the Green Songs Gone?: Climate change is an existential threat, but few folkies are singing about it - Greg Cahill
• Flying Higher: Birdwatching with Freddy Trujillo - Cara Gibney
• Call and Response: New compilation blends endangered birdcalls, electronica, folk, and activism - Hilary Saunders
• Victory Gardens: Roots musicians get their hands dirty during the pandemic - Joshua M. Miller
• Finder Their Place: Ismay's Avery Hellman finds common ground for music and environmentalism - Jody Amable
• The Agricultural Tragedy of Our Disappearing Grasslands - Corb Lund
• Holistic Movements: Land and water protectors connect Indigenous musicians and eco-justice - Matt Williams
• 'Leave the Trees:' The environmentalism roots of reggae - Hakeem "Uncle" Bryan
• A Purpose to Sing - Ruth Ungar Merenda (The Mammals)
• Rethinking Records: Inside the movement toward sustainable vinyl records - Laura Scholz
• Invisible Costs: Digital music takes an unprecedented environmental toll - Liz Pelly
  
• Original photo essay featuring roots musicians' most inspiring natural spaces
• Screen Door: Original playlist and commentary from youth activist group, The Re-Earth Initiative

• Original design and poetryby Marcus Amaker
• Original cover art by Lauren Denitzio
• Original watercolor by Christina Graham
  
• Original illustration by Mikaela Jane
  
• Historical images from the Library of Congress and National Agricultural Library