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Keisha & Casey Ernst have been focusing on soil regeneration and habitat restoration as a team since 2011. They have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham over the past eight years and worked alongside her on many projects. In 2018 Catalyst BioAmendments was founded as an experimental and educational-focused compost lot. The aim was to apply the techniques taught by Dr. Elaine Ingham to compost on a large scale and to improve the processes to ensure the product reliably hosts diverse populations of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes.   Catalyst successfully created a biological-healthy focused product, and since 2019 Keisha & Casey have been using the compost with their consulting. You can see examples of that success. They aim to raise the quality of food grown by helping farmers increase microbial biomass in their agricultural soils and to help microbe farmers worldwide to improve their composting practices.  Their main overarching focus is on fostering a community around microbe farming. They are passionate about helping the unseen lives in the soil come into view through microscopic images. https://www.catalystbioamendments.com/

William DeMille is a lifelong vegetable farmer. William studied for two years of Horticulture and Agronomy at Northwest Missouri University, Maryville. He holds two certificates in aquaponic engineering and production from Cornell University NY, and from GrowHaus Aquaponics, in CO.  He also graduated from Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web School.   William is a farm consultant who helped establish several agricultural startups in Missouri, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.  He is currently the Director of Georgic Development for Monticello College in Utah.  In 2021 he started his own grassroots school at his home in Clover Valley, Nevada teaching soil health and vegetable production, which trains people how to grow food without fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides etc.  Gardening With William DeMille school includes a 3-day Boot Camp class for all ages and for college-aged students; he teaches an advanced 17-week class each summer to train new farmers in vegetable production. William owns and operates a soil testing laboratory and has a YouTube channel about farming. He is growing his Patreon channel, helping people grow food, and holds a weekly free online Q&A on Thursday evenings.   William lives with his wife, Vernie Lynn DeMille, in the snow-capped mountains of Northern Nevada. They homeschooled their 4 children, and have one grandchild.  William can be contacted at: www.georgicrevolution.com  

Marla Esser Cloos is the principal of Green Home Coach with 15+ years working with green certified homes and projects and applying the knowledge gained through her accreditations - NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP, NAR Green Designee and Wellness Within Your Walls Certified Professional. The groundwork was laid with her BS in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University in St. Louis.  Through Green Home Coach programs and partnerships, she helps people and businesses discover and create better homes to live in or work on for healthier, more comfortable lives.  Marla founded and hosts the Everyday Green Home podcast when she saw a need for more outreach about the benefits and value of green homes and living. Her curated collection of healthier and greener products comes from her years of research and experience with green homes. Find them online in her Everyday Green Home shop. In addition to serving on the OREC Board, Marla is a member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Sustainability and Green Building Subcommittee, NAHB Healthier Homes and Communities Subcommittee and the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association, as well as an affiliate member of the Edmond Board of Realtors. As a leader in the Professional Women in Building (PWB) of Central OK and Build My Future OKC she helps produce an interactive, hands-on construction career day and Build My Future Online for high school students.  She is also helping to produce "Construct My Future" – a day camp for middle schoolers.  Although she works anywhere through the wonders of technology, she and her husband live in the Oklahoma City area with their dog, Mika. 

Jared and Selena have been married for 27 years and are the parents of nine children and one grandchild. As 3rd generation ranchers, they are managing the operation that Jared’s grandfather and father built in Secret Pass and Clover Valley, Nevada. Jared is a lifelong learner and has not only been using the principles of holistic management, soil regeneration, and biodynamics but is also teaching them to other farmers and ranchers locally and globally.  In addition, Jared has mentored many young people seeking to get a start in agriculture. The Sorensens teach onsite and virtual classes and offer internships on the ranch. Learn more at Rubymountainfoods.com Webinar series https://www.agsteward.fyi/webinar  Ebook https://www.agsteward.cc/searching-for-home-finding-grace-ebook

Max Stadnyk is a multifaceted individual with a wealth of diverse experiences and skills. As a Planetary Steward, Leader in Natural Regenerative Building Design, Project Manager, and Master Rammed Earth Builder and Instructor, he has dedicated his career to finding sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for building homes. His upcoming book, "33 Natural Regenerative Design Principles," reflects his passion for promoting the use of natural materials in construction. After serving in the military and working as a home builder, Max became disillusioned with the widespread use of inferior modern products like OSB, MDF, and laminate flooring, which often failed to meet his standards of quality and durability. This led him to explore alternative building methods, including Rammed Earth, Adobe, Strawbale, Post and Beam Infill, Cob, Stack wall, and Stone. After years of experimentation, he ultimately chose to focus on Rammed Earth due to its widespread acceptance by professionals, code enforcers, and national laws as a mainstream solution that is easy to obtain permission for. In addition to his work in the building industry, Max has also pursued a variety of other interests and careers, including serving as a sous chef, TV producer, radio host, soldier, hockey referee, Youth Program Director, market gardener, Construction Safety Officer, sword fighter, entrepreneur, and Specialist Branch Opening Consultant. He is a lifelong learner with a passion for constantly expanding his knowledge and skillset. www.thewarriorrising.com

The Food Group Minnesota is not your typical food pantry.  Yet that is where they started originally over 40 years ago.  They provide excellent examples of ways that community organizations can take a much larger role in addition to meeting immediate hunger-fighting needs.  The Food Group Minnesota grows, harvests, buys and distributes healthy foods with multiple programs. Laura Mirafuentes is the perfect spokesperson for The Food Group. She has worked there for over eight years using her skills in fundraising, program management, and her 10 years of experience working in the food and agriculture sector to make a difference for local food systems and local food justice in the greater Minneapolis, MN area. She has worked with The Food Group since 2014, where she currently oversees fundraising for the organization and spent several years managing Big River Farms, a 150-acre certified organic incubator farm for beginning farmers of color.   Laura has served as Project Director with multiple USDA awards and has helped various other organizations successfully attain their own federal grants as an independent consultant. Laura Mirafuentes currently serves as Vice President on the Board of Directors at Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2009 with a B.A. in English and is bilingual in Spanish. https://thefoodgroupmn.org   Podcast sponsored by: GOGREENLOCALLY ORG, 501c3 NV nonprofit Hosted by: Jenny Nichols, Executive Director Edited by: Avery Sigarroa, Communications Coordinator

Bainy Suri is the CEO and Founder of Eco Community Solutions. She is a grassroots activist, an attorney, and a mother to her son Kai. For the past eleven years, she has worked on social and environmental justice issues in Princeton, across Mercer County, and the State of New Jersey. As a first-generation, Indian-American, female and the single parent of a special needs child, the environment, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are relevant, important issues in her professional and personal life.  Bainy served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Environmental Lobby until June 2022. Prior to working there, she volunteered with a number of community programs: combating a lack of diversity, holding social justice student exhibitions, co-chairing committees, sitting on nonprofit boards, starting new social and environmental justice industries, and serving soup in soup kitchens. Bainy has been invited to speak across the State on her work to stop plastic pollution and authored the first plastic pollution draft ordinance in New Jersey in 2011. She has lectured at Pratt Institute in Manhattan and at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.  http://eco.inforest.com/

Healthy Eating Education & Farming - Kerin Gould – Author of “Produce With A Purpose” Kerin Gould has a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Health and a PhD in Native American Studies. She has worked with food-related non-profits, but eventually focused on developing her own sustainable, non-toxic, wildlife-friendly farm and exploring a new way to connect vibrant fruit and veggies with those who strive to enhance their health with delicious recipes using farm-fresh produce. She is the author of “Produce With a Purpose” which has delicious recipes specifically geared to people recovering from cancer.  By honing in on the nutritional value of various types of produce while taking inspiration from recipes from some of the best gourmet food cultures in the world, Kerin gives hope and knowledge on how attainable it is to produce more abundant health and a greater quality of life, while enjoying delicious easy to prepare foods.  All this knowledge helps support the health of her community while supporting local farms farming with nature. B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/produce-with-a-purpose-kerin-leigh-gould/1140626686?ean=9780578327075 Amazon (Kindle and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KR8H1WB/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_0ZF9FZJK8EAG2546ZVS9 Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780578327075?fbclid=IwAR3wifQOAlLuNuDtpP-b7zEM1TrJuK_fMn3cojwg-g0MgAI_WwHhVSp9ke0 Bookshop.org (supports local brick and mortar stores) https://bookshop.org/books/produce-with-a-purpose-so-your-doctor-told-you-to-eat-more-fruit-and-vegetables-now-what/9780578327075%20/ Press kit:  https://bykerinleighgould.wordpress.com/media-press-kit/ Web site: http://producewithapurpose.net Podcasts: https://producewithapurpose.podbean.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCraJWtD7VEwI-zS1mez4Ong/videos Substack: https://kerin.substack.com/ Sacramento residents can find her column in their neighborhood ValCom newspapers and her articles for ValCom is online at https://www.valcomnews.com/?s=kerin+gould

Basil Camu is the co-owner of a local tree care company called Leaf & Limb located in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Basil is also the founder of a nonprofit volunteer-driven tree nursery that grows native trees sustainably to give away to the public at no cost.  The project is seeking to support restoration projects both in urban, suburban, and wild areas.   Basil loves all of the aspects of natural ecosystems from the trees, to soil, wildflowers, insects, bats, and fungi. He is a Treecologist, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, a Duke graduate, and is committed to taking action that helps care for and restore the planet. Though trees are his passion and profession, he also loves cultivating flowers in his garden, restoring native meadows, and propagating plants from seed.   Project Pando website:  https://www.leaflimb.com/project-pando/   Leaf & Limb YouTube channel   Welcome to Project Pando:  A Volunteer-Driven Tree Farm that Grows Native Trees to Give Away for Free https://youtu.be/wgKffg5b3B0   Project Pando in 8 Minutes – a Plan to Help Heal the Planet – TLC Wild Ideas https://youtu.be/Jq37-ThXuyY  

Don Pierce has spent nearly his whole life working to protect the environment. After decades of work as a professional environmentalist, Don concluded that a new approach––one focused on the environmentalist and not just the environment––was needed.       When famed conservationist David Brower asked him to write “a piece” to show environmentalists how to persevere, the result was a series of online courses that is good for both environmentalists and anyone seeking happiness and the preservation of nature. This series––the Heartwood Path––helps people to develop spiritually, helps people discover the benefits of communing with nature, and helps people find the abundant, abiding, and authentic happiness that comes from helping others, including natural beings.   Don formed his first environmental group––a tree planting club––when he was nine. After that, he was president of both his high school and college environmental organizations. After a few years as a professional river conservationist, he was hired by Brower to be the Midwest Representative of Friends of the Earth. Pierce has led numerous conservation groups, including the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club. He was a governor-appointed member of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission.   He has a Bachelor’s Degree in environmental science, a Master’s Degree in political science, and Master’s Degree in social work. When he was not working to protect the environment or guiding people down the Heartwood Path, Pierce––a qualified life coach and mental health practitioner––served those who needed his care––including those who are young, aged, mentally ill, or mentally disabled.   Don Pierce has been a professional environmentalist, drummer, printing executive, team-builder, and social worker.  He is an avid canoeist and a photographer. He has authored a lengthy guide to attractions along the Missouri River, numerous conservation articles, and his auto-biography (available at Amazon).  He loves to walk in nature with his dog. He divides his time between California and Missouri. He has two grown daughters: one, the mother of his two grand-daughters, in St. Louis;  and the other somewhere with her husband on a sailboat that is often moored in Santa Barbara.    https://www.heartwoodpath.com/ https://www.instagram.com/heartwoodpath/ https://www.facebook.com/heartwoodpath

Winona Bateman is the director of Families for a Livable Climate in Missoula, Montana.  They are seeking to connect people for shared action through local family-friendly events that help take action that ensures a livable future for all.   Their vision includes a healthy home planet, connected communities, and a resilient, and equitable economy. Winona has a background in communications and sees one-on-one conversations as part of the solution to build a community, to create more meaning in our lives, and to work on solutions that are a part of a more equitable and livable future.   8 ways MT families can engage on climate in 2022: https://livableclimate.org/new-and-inspiration/2021/12/30/top-x-ways-mt-families-can-join-the-climate-movement-in-2022   A guide to getting involved: https://livableclimate.org/new-and-inspiration/2021/7/12/friend-our-climate-needs-you-now   https://www.facebook.com/familiesforalivableclimate https://www.instagram.com/livableclimate/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtmynboHz5ZaPZ0GHvpZvA https://twitter.com/livableclimate      

Multi-media Stories – T. Addison Brown, Emerging World Co-Founder T. Addison Brown creates multi-media stories as a fundamental and immersive form of communication that intends to engage on an intuitive and sensory level. Guided by Buddhist teachings her activities have emphasize on safeguarding all forms of life. During her tenure as Director of Philanthropy for Levity Foundation she created the See Me Project, South Africa. A Kodak sponsored photography event that partnered with South African Organizations NOAH, LoveLife and the KwaMashu township. By giving cameras to children, this project allowed the children to become the storytellers. This project brought global awareness to the lives of orphaned children living with the impact of HIV/AIDS.   She directed and produced the documentary film “See Me” with Los Angeles based production company, Intuitive Entertainment. The film “See Me” was narrated by Academy Award-winning actress, Susan Sarandon. While enjoying the collaboration with Intuitive Entertainment, Addison created and served as consulting producer on the LifeTime Television series “Top this Party Los Angeles” and “Top This Party Las Vegas”.   Currently, Addison is directing her focus on the Emerging World Project, where she serves as co-founder and creative director. EWP is a transmedia storytelling project in response to the multitude of system changes we are seeing in the world today. Through immersive storytelling and conversations with some of the most incandescent minds, EWP is creating advocacy campaigns, documentary films & graphic novels that promote personal and collective transformation aimed at asking the hard questions about humanity; its past, present and future.   https://emergingworldproject.org/   Their first audio media project is the podcast “what are you doing here?” where Addison serves as its host and is joined by co-host 12yr environmental activist, Marley.   https://anchor.fm/whatareyoudoinghere

Lara Tomov has always been drawn to sharing experiences with others to connect people and place. She has worked in the film and television world for over a decade, primarily as a cinematographer. This work has taken her around the world, from peaks to ocean depths, for documentaries and television networks such as Discovery and Travel Channel. She has also worked with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and Environment America. Last year she started up her own media brand, “Stories for Action”, with a mission to use visual and audio storytelling to create connections for healthy environments and communities to thrive.  She has since moved home to the mountains of Montana, where she is focusing her work for the next year. Lara has a BA in Film from Emerson College and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Systems from UCLA.

Maggie Bailey is the founder and President of We Plant it Forward in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Mission of We Plant it Forward is to preserve and restore the natural environment for the benefit of future generations by providing trees, tools, and help as well as hands-on activities, community engagement, and environmental education. Maggie Bailey holds a master of science degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  Since 2009 she has led many tree planting volunteer efforts in the Raleigh/Durham area, working with both adults and children in cooperation with a large number of organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the Eno River Association, and many more.  In 2012 she launched We Plant it Forward.  This organization is teaching about: the benefits of trees, how our ecosystems work, and proper tree planting.  Most importantly they are turning knowledge and education into action.  We Plant it Forward has brought over 4,000 trees to the community of Raleigh and Durham.  http://www.WePlantitForward.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/WePlantIt4ward/ https://www.facebook.com/WePlantitForward https://twitter.com/WePlantit4ward https://www.instagram.com/WePLantit4ward hello@WePlantitForward.org

Today on our podcast we speak with two people from a nonprofit organization that facilitates the stewardship of urban trees in a large city, including a program that facilitates the use of the wood from trees that have to be removed from around the city because of disease, end-of-it’s lifecycle or proximity to structures, etc.   Jennifer Szeliga and Jonathan Gibbs from the Sacramento Tree Foundation work for the Urban Wood Rescue program in Sacramento, CA.  Sacramento Tree Foundation works on educating Sacramentans on how to plant and care for trees and tell the story of how trees make our communities livable and lovable.   Jennifer is the Director of Urban Wood Rescue program and has worked there for 5 years and while helping to write a new chapter in the story of urban trees to make sure they continue benefitting the community even after they’re removed.   Jonathan Gibbs, a native Sacramentan is an Urban Wood Technician working directly for the Urban Wood Rescue program as well. He oversees yard handling of intakes, inventory, milling, drying wood, and essential support for numerous aspects of the operation.  When he’s not working with the Urban Wood Rescue program, he and his wife enjoy the local food scene, music, renovating their new house, fixing cars and going to car events.   This nonprofit is an awesome resource for Sacramento and excellent example of what other cities might want to consider as well.

Jesse and Johanna Boudreau have been operating Zia Energetics Permaculture as a family business for over 20 years.  They create their livelihood as homesteaders, foragers, market growers, mushroom cultivators, beekeepers, cob builders, urban forestry and as herbalists.  They share their wide range of experiences with local and virtual classes and community events teaching permaculture, hosting foraging walks, teaching home herbalism, and fermentation workshops.   Websites: https://www.ziapermaculture.com/ https://ziaenergetics.wordpress.com/   Local landscape design and maintenance, nutrition and natural living courses https://www.ziapermaculture.com/book-services-online   Etsy herbal products https://www.ziapermaculture.com/herbalism-plant-based-medicine   Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ziapermaculture/

Kaitie Schneider is a wildlife conservation biologist and educator for Boulder County Parks and Open Space, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Blue Turtle Sustainable. In her free time, she runs her own business as a digital artist and photographer for environmental organizations and earth-conscious businesses.    Below are her recommends to learn more about conservation, wildlife biology, as well as the many ways we can get more involved using our own varied skills and interests.   Podcasts: Impact the Conservation Photography Podcast  How to Save a Planet Ologies  In Defense of Plants  TED Climate A Sustainable Mind   Books: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Animal Kind by Ingrid Newkirk and Gene Stone  Tom Browns guide to healing the Earth  Are We Smart Enough to Know how Smart Animals Are? By Frans de Waal   Ways to get involved, no degree required: Citizen science with https://www.inaturalist.org https://www.wlrv.org Volunteer with local wildlife agencies  Volunteer at animal rescues and sanctuaries   Apply for my Conservation Career Scholarship!  https://www.theunderstorystudio.com/scholarship

In this episode we have the honor of meeting two young women that are holding a unique local South Dakota event.  “Threads of Green” is a thrifted fashion show being held in a unique venue, to raise money for good causes and roll out a new thrifted clothing sustainable fashion website and app that simplifies thrifting for clothes. Annie Lien is the lead fashion icon and style curator with FOMENO and Wynter Childers is a Wedding and Event Planner with her business, Created by Wyn (CBWYN). Together Annie and Wynter are working on raising money and supporting the development of FOMENO - an app and website that offers the simplest thrifting experience, striving to solve the problem of consumption and waste from the fashion industry.    Ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/threads-of-green-thrifted-fashion-show-tickets-169199286621  FOMENO website: https://thriftfomeno.com FOMENO instagram: @thriftfomeno Created by Wyn website: https://createdbywyn.com  Created by Wyn instagram: @_cbwyn_

Casey Shiver has been a member of the Buy Nothing Project’s Central Reno group for a couple of years now and started volunteering as an admin in February of 2021. She works full time for UNR, is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Higher Education Administration and spends much of her free time volunteering with local area nonprofits. Her favorite parts of the Buy Nothing Project are getting to know her neighbors and seeing the large number of items being reused rather than entering the landfills. Liz McFarland has been a member of the Buy Nothing Project’s Central group for a few years. She spent most of her time for the past 8 years as the Lead Volunteer for Project 150 Reno and helping 3,500 homeless, disadvantaged and displaced high school students with basic needs. She is also on the board for the giving group “Thank You Ma’am”, on the board for Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra and for Altrusa of Reno/Sparks. Her favorite part of the project is being able to gift items that others will love, consuming less new products, and keeping items out of the landfill. The easiest way to join is to go onto the Buy Nothing projects website at: https://buynothingproject.org/ or if you’re in the Reno/Sparks/Carson/ Tahoe area, you can find a link to the group for your area at https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?fbclid=IwAR1j7xrdHAFzrliiP3UqgqjyiaZOc0l4eBUhbq-mc_FEQc_cUV_PwSsBI4Y&mid=1P-wF7OPrJh2GLgiy-pXnmBKTsjs&ll=39.62177576560294%2C-119.58638278378768&z=10  

Ragan Sutterfield is a priest and associate at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. His writings have appeared in a variety of places including The Christian Century, Sojourners, The Oxford American, Plough Online, and The Englewood Review of Books. Ragan's writing and interests are focused at the intersection of faith and ecology where he brings his background in birding, permaculture, and soil ecology into conversation with philosophy, theology, and the Christian spiritual tradition.  Ragan is the author of Wendell Berry and the Given Life (Franciscan Media), This is My Body (Convergent/Random House), Cultivating Reality  (Cascade),  and the small collection of essays Farming as a Spiritual Discipline.  Ragan is now at work on a book exploring humus and humility, soil science and Christian spirituality.   The upcoming community class they are hosting is called “Compost and Creatureliness: The Science and Soul of Soil being held at Dunbar Garden in Little Rock, Arkansas. Upcoming Class: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compost-and-creatureliness-the-science-and-soul-of-soil-tickets-163113168879   Christ Episcopal Church https://christchurchlr.org/   Dunbar Garden http://dunbargarden.org/