An Organic Conversation

In this life, in this world, you would think that we might run out of ideas, or stories, or goals - that the human capacity will at one point exhaust itself, that all songs might be written one day. Well, clearly not so. We’ve come across this incredibly wonderful movie, as slow as a wheelchair, and as deep as human inspiration can lead us – in this case up the mountain, into the heart and soul of the viewer. It’s called 4 Wheel Bob: A True Tale of Strength, Courage, and Wisdom. It’s filmed in the San Francisco Bay Area, where this show is produced, and it was nominated as one of the Bay Area’s Most Important Environmental Film Contributions this year at the San Francisco Green Film Festival. We are speaking with the filmmaker today and with the star of the documentary.   Guest:  Tal Skloot, Director, 4 Wheel Bob, SF Bay Area Bob Coomber, Lifelong Outdoorsman, 4 Wheel Bob, SF Bay Area

If you live in a city and spend a significant amount of time on your devices, this show is for you. New research has found that a cellphone is addictive, literally. The best antidote? Nature! The temperatures are warming, a big spring cleaning is around the corner, and with it, we allow the energy of the natural environment to re-enter our lives. What does that really mean and how important is it? Just how much does the world of technology and the world outside really affect us? Today we’ll find out with new research done by Dr. David Strayer, a Professor of Cognition and Neural Science, who will speak with us about just how much our environment becomes us. Guest:  Dr. David Strayer, Professor of Cognition and Neural Science, University of Utah, Park City, UT

Imagine there is a new world out there, a different dimension, right at your fingertips, that you could enter at any time, that can bring you joy, and pleasure, and healing. That world exists, and it is our topic in this episode - Essential Oils. We have had shows on scents and the importance of our ability to smell, and while we appreciate the beauty and comfort a nice scent can give to us, we were stunned when we came across a brand new book on Essential Oils and their therapeutic use. The book is called “Healing Civilizations,” and while that seems like a bold title, the book delivers on it. It’s a tour around the world with your nose, combining ancient wisdom with modern studies of therapeutic essential oils. In this episoe, Helge Hellberg is speaking with the author, Dr. Nadim Shaath.   Guest:  Dr. Nadim Shaath, Author, Healing Civilizations: The Search for Therapeutic Essential Oils & Nutrients

Ever heard of Patience Gray? If you have – good for you! And if you haven’t, you still most likely are affected by her passion and work every day, as this woman has defined our modern way of eating and cooking more than any other woman of her time. We are talking with the author of a new book that is honoring Patience Gray's dedication to food, and her unwillingness to accept societal standards, luckily, as we are all better for it today. She was the Alice Waters of her time, helping to redefine our relationship to eating.  Guest:  Adam Federman, Author, Fasting and Feasting: The Life of Visionary Food Writer Patience Gray, Vermont

We talk a lot about sustainability on our plates on this show - organic food and agriculture as the foundation for social and environmental justice. But of course, the conversation about how to create true sustainability on this planet includes all aspects of human life. Today it’s about sustainable fashion. We are speaking with an expert about the fashion industry in this episode, specifically about the insane amount of fabric waste created every day, around the world, and even in a city near you, here in the U.S. That expert, Angela Chou, has created an alternative, a true solution to what we can do about all this fabric waste - and she will share her model with us today.   -  Host Helge Hellberg in an organic conversation with Angela Chou, Founder of Utterly, San Francisco, CA

In the world of news and politics and social and environmental justice we, as a culture, often focus disproportionately on what is not working. From a deeply human perspective, the film Love Thy Nature brings the balance back in focus by reminding us of the beauty of this planet and the blessing to be alive. Host Helge Hellberg is speaking with the filmmaker of Love Thy Nature today – an incredibly powerful conversation and the essence of why we are doing this show, what it means to be human, our opportunity for one another, and our responsibility for this one planet that we all call home. Guest:  Sylvie Rokab, Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Love Thy Nature, Los Angeles, CA

The average American consumes about 150 pounds of refined sugar a year. That's almost half a pound of refined sugar each day. Refined sugar is in everything, not just in sugary drinks, but even in our cut meats, in our bread, and in most everything else. It’s there for two reasons – it makes things taste better, and, it gets us hooked, because sugar is addictive. Today we are talking with an expert on sugar, a doctor who has made unhooking from sugar his life’s career. Guest:  Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., Author, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Hawaii

From trends and specialty diets to indecipherable food labels, from expensive equipment in food reality shows on TV to ingredients in processed foods that have nothing to do with nourishment, it is remarkable how complicated food has become. Today we are reversing the clock – a new book is bringing us back, to the future. Guest: Maria Rodale, Author, Scratch: Home Cooking for Everyone Made Simple, Fun, and Totally Delicious, PA

In honor of the San Francisco Green Film Festival, we are covering a handful of outstanding documentaries, new films that are as brilliantly produced as they are critical to know as they are – hopefully – shaping our society and our way of life. We are starting today with Riverblue - a close look at the unbelievable environmental implications of fast and cheap fashion. The destruction is so extreme, overwhelming, and so visible, that even our show title, usually a hopeful note, speaks of the insane conditions in which the world produces garments. Host Helge Hellberg is interviewing both the Director and Producer of Riverblue in this week's episode. Guest: David McIlvride, Writer and Director, Riverblue Roger Williams, Producer and Director, Riverblue

What would our society be without women? Impossible to comprehend, right? And yet, women have been marginalized for hundreds and hundreds of years, fighting long and hard for equal pay, for voting rights, for a true recognition of their value in business, their leadership, and their critical role in society. Tiffany Shlain's film 50/50 explores the 10,000-year history of women + power and asks, what’s it going to take to get to a 50/50 world — not just in politics and boardrooms, but truly shifting the gender balance to be better for everyone? Guest:  Tiffany Shlain, Director, 50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power, Mill Valley, CA  

Can education be fun, safe, safe and affordable - even for low-income families? A new preschool is using outdoor classrooms to provide quality education in reading, math, and science; made affordable for families and designed to give children a joyful, nature-rich childhood – one full of play, exploration, and wonder.   Guest:  Andrew Jay, CEO, Tiny Trees Preschool, Seattle, WA

Many people, especially young folks, are dreaming of their own small piece of land, self-supported, away from the stresses of the city, to live a lifestyle of peace, based on a deep relationship to nature and self. Today, we are learning what it takes to make that dream a reality from people who have done it.   Guests: Shawn & Beth Dougherty, Co-Authors, The Independent Farmstead, The Sow's Ear, Ohio *Originally Aired January 20, 2017  

Governmental agencies are in place to make absolutely sure that we are protected, and that we are able to live lives that are healthy, and safe. The drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, brought forward a picture that one can adopt to many other products and public safety areas, from drugs, to air, and food, just to name a few. So how safe are we, really? Today we’ll talk with an expert who has made public safety his career, and we’ll learn what we can do ourselves to make sure that – in this case – our water is 100% safe to drink. Guest: Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, Founder & Executive Director, Toxin Alert, McLean, VA

  San Francisco, as one of the most progressive cities in the world, has led the nation in countless ways, from equal rights and social equality to environmental protection. However, can a city of 800,000 people become waste free? That was the goal set by San Francisco a few years ago – to be zero waste by 2020. And it is fair to say at this point that the goal will, in fact, be reached! How? We’ll find out today!   Guests: Christopher Beaver, Director, Racing to Zero, San Francisco, CA Diana Fuller, Producer, Racing to Zero, San Francisco, CA  

Food is everything – from the fields to the grocery store, from our plates to our health, from community to personal and professional re-integration. We all need to eat, every day, and because of it, being trained in any aspect of food production, preparation, or nutrition, will provide a foundation for one’s life that a person will be able to stand on forever. That is the idea behind our guest today, an amazing non profit that offers food service training as a way to re-integrate people back into society – and, as we will learn, have society benefit from it in a very tangible way in return. Guest: Tracy Hitchcock, CEO, Create Common Good, Boise, ID

Just as with other large predators, from Grizzly Bears to Wolves, humans have hunted these species and in many regions of the planet have brought them to near or complete extinction. New scientific studies show the critical importance that those animals had and have on the ecosystems that they were or are a part of. As for the oceans, sharks play this critical role. There are over 400 shark species in the world, and in this episode we will hear about their function, their challenges, and what is being done to protect them. Guest:  Dean Fessler, Jr., Education Director, Shark Research Institute, Princeton, N.J.

Food is thy medicine, again today. Osteoporosis, or loss of bone density, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and many other Western Societies. The common answer to bone loss is usually Calcium. While Calcium has an important role in our overall bone health, there is much more to the story. In this hour, we are speaking with a physician about how to prepare and combine whole foods to prevent and treat Osteoporosis naturally. Guest:  Dr. Laura Kelly, Co-Author, The Healthy Bones Nutrition Plan and Cookbook, Topanga, CA

Today we are putting the plant world front and center again, this never ceasing to amaze interconnected web of life that offers us so much beauty and healing. We are speaking with a Naturopath about a plant that commonly does not get the attention it deserves: Comfrey. How can Comfrey, known as the great mender, provide its amazing properties to you and your body? We’ll find out today!   Guest:  Dr. Holly Lucille, ND, RN, Naturopathic Doctor, Los Angeles, CA

We are what we eat – this old saying about how much our food intake affects our physical health is now being expanded into our mental health as well. In recent years, research has been showing the direct connection between what we eat and what – or how – we think. In other words, our mental capacity and our mood are the direct result of our diet. Today Helge Hellberg is speaking with a Psychiatrist specifically about how to best address Depression through your diet. Guest: Dr. James Greenblatt, Integrative Psychiatrist & Author, Breakthrough Depression Solution: Mastering Your Mood with Nutrition, Diet and Supplementation, Waltham, MA

Food insecurity is defined by not knowing where your next meal is coming from. And yet, while food insecurity is a reality for some 50 million Americans, nearly half of the food we produce in this country is thrown away. How can that be and what can be done about it? We are speaking with an expert on food waste today and will introduce to you to an organization who has not just solved the issue but created a true win-win-win scenario for all parties involved in doing so. Guest:  Komal Ahmed, Founder & CEO, Copia, San Francisco, CA

This country needs progressive programs; ideas that can address multiple challenges that we face at once. Today we are talking about a brilliant organization that does exactly that, by offering training to young adults to become green energy auditors, and with it empowering the next generation to lead this country in its sustainability efforts. Guest:  Jodi Pincus, Executive Director, Rising Sun Energy Center, Berkeley, CA Hope Cupples, Campaign Coordinator, Rising Sun Energy Center, Berkeley, CA

Today we are entering a world that many of us will never witness – the stunningly beautiful world of Coral reefs. Like tropical birds under the water, Corals are strange, incredible, and, as we will learn today, critical in the overall ecology of the oceans. And, they are as threatened as so many other ecosystems and animals today. However, if you are not a diver, there are not many other opportunities to see Corals up close. Perhaps in an aquarium you can get a glimpse of their colors and beauty, but anyone who has had a chance to dive through a Coral reef often speaks of it as if it was a outer-world experience. We now have a chance to see this amazing underwater world up close and personal – thanks to a new documentary Chasing Coral. Guest:  Richard Vevers, Founder & CEO, The Ocean Agency, & Underwater Photographer, Chasing Coral, Sydney, Australia

The summer months are here, with evening outdoor parties, and hopefully some leisurely slow weekends, perhaps with a glass of chilled Chardonnay, or a beautiful glass of Merlot – whatever your preference is. But do you know what’s in your glass, exactly? We are expanding the notion of “Know your farmer” or “Know where your food comes from” to “Know how your food is being made” in this episode. What does it take to make a bottle of organic wine, and what goes into non-organic wine? Most of us who are following an organic diet as much as possible know the differences between organic and non-organic produce, the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in so-called conventional production systems, and many other issues that organic production addresses, when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Today we are walking through every step of organic and non-organic wine production. Guest: Katrina Frey Jonathan Frey Frey Vineyards, Redwood Valley, CA

There are foods that suddenly become super hip, such as Kale, or coconut water, or Spirulina, or Avocados. And for good reasons, as these foods are so-called superfoods – that’s a category of foods with exceptional nutritional value and benefits for our health. One of these foods recently become popular, is a powerful spice, a root of the Ginger family, called Turmeric. It’s component, curcumin, has been hailed in nutritional circles for decades, but only recently has Turmeric gained public notoriety as an incredible anti-inflammatory plant medicine. New research shows, Turmeric even possesses cancer-fighting properties, as we will learn today. Guest: Dr. Ajay Goel, Professor and Director, Center for Translational Genomics and Oncology at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Very few business areas are as close to our skin, literally, and as unregulated, as the bodycare industry. Even though our body is our largest organ, all of our shampoos, lotions, soaps, make-ups and other skin care products have little governmental oversight or production standards when it comes to our health. And right now in June, many of us begin to put vast amounts of sunscreen onto our bodies, and on the bodies of our loved ones. Children, with their tendency to spend much more time outdoors than adults do, are especially at risk to get a sunburn, or to be exposed to unhealthy ingredients in our sunscreen products. What do we need to look out for, what products and ingredients are best, and how to decode the Sun Protection Factor (SPF)? We’ll speak with an expert today, a concerned mother and nurse-turned-entrepreneur. Guest:  Lisa McHugh, Founder, Bare Belly Organics, Burbank, CA

Today we are inviting you to come explore the world south of the border with us – the Mexican border, that is. We are taking it way beyond what is commonly known as Tex-Mex food - Burritos, Enchiladas, Guacamole, and Tacos. Nothing wrong with that, but do you know what real, authentic Mexican cuisine looks like? Well, you’ll know after this hour! We are speaking with the author of a brand new, beautiful cookbook on Real Mexican Food today. Guest:  Gonzalo Gonzalez Guzman, Chef & Owner, Nopalito, San Francisco, CA Allyson Jossel, Owner, Nopa, San Francisco, CA

There are plenty of challenges to food production, including access to land, the availability of clean water, and, the right infrastructure so that the farm can be functional and productive for months and years to come, for example, access to electrical power for irrigation pumps, a cooler for appropriate post harvest handling, and so much more. Today we are exploring the intersection between ecology and technology in the form of a company that has developed a complete off-grid toolkit for operating a farm anywhere there is some land and some water. Guest: Brandi DeCarli, Founding Partner, Farm from a Box, San Francisco, CA

A carrot seed is far less than a millimeter in size, a tiny speck of dirt, dust in the wind. And yet, it contains the DNA to sprout, and to grow big, orange, beta-carotene-rich carrots, given darkness and moisture and the right temperature. Seeds have been the foundation of life for millions of years. Seeds are an incredible invention by Mother Nature – preserving life from generation to generation, often thousands of varieties of the same species, able to withstand and learn from drought, or other weather conditions, incorporate soil quality, and other environmental factors. Seeds are a living database of the growing history, to make sure the next generation of seeds is even better equipped than the generation before. Seeds are food, diversity, and resilience. There is a new film available that is talking about the role Seeds play for society, and for life itself. We are speaking with the directors and producers today in this insightful episode on life itself. Guests:  Jon Betz, Director & Producer Taggart Siegel, Director & Producer SEED: The Untold Story

When we hear about climate change we may think of harsher storms, flooding, or extreme drought. Those are the immediate consequences of weather on land and sea. But few have ever explained to us just how far reaching the ripple effects go from there. Drought means people in hunger, large populations moving, social breakdowns, and possibly war. A new film is focused exactly on that interconnectedness of problems, causes and effects. It’s called The Age of Consequences and it is playing in film festivals all around the country right now. We are speaking with the film maker today, in this not to be missed episode. Guest:  Jared Scott, Writer, Director, Producer, The Age of Consequences, Brooklyn, NY

Most of us live in an urban environment, where we sit at our desks and drive in our cars. Most of us have a fairly sedentary lifestyle, and that may have consequences to our overall physique, our posture, and consequently can lead to subluxations, misalignments in the body in the form of a vertebra out of position, or a joint being overly stressed. But there is a treatment, the beautiful practice of chiropractic care. We are speaking with a Doctor of Chiropractic to learn what the treatment does and how it works, and what we can do to support overall holistic health. Guest:  Dr. Seth Labott, D.C. Chiropractor, Cafe of Life Marin, Mill Valley, CA

In Nature, everything supports and feeds off of one another. There is no waste, only relationships. It’s a system, an endless web of life and connections. Organic farms know the strength of this system and actively cultivate it, by inviting Nature onto the farm and seeing the farm as a part of the overall ecology of the place. This episode is about connections between animals, soil, and trees, and what one expert has discovered. The system is called Silvopasture. What's that? Tune in to find out. Guest:  Steve Gabriel, Author, Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem, Mecklenburg, NY  

Since the #metoo movement began last year, the topic of sexual violence has finally become a part of our public focus. Today we want to dive deeper into this much-needed conversation. We are speaking with a leader in this movement, a woman that will help us understand the forms of sexual violence, what the individual path of healing from such trauma often looks like, the importance of identifying as a survivor rather than a victim, and what support is available for survivors. And we won’t stop there. Host Helge Hellberg feels strongly that this conversation is not a topic shared just amongst women, but the conversation must include men, as well. How can we expand the current conversation and make sure it is not simply a media focus for a few months, but will stay as an ongoing theme about the healing that needs to happen in our society? Tune in and be a part of this conversation. Guest:  Stephanie Burns, Founder & Director, Healing Courage, Port Townsend, WA

From metabolizing environmental pollutants to absolutely critical roles in the process of decay and renewal in Nature to the absolutely stunning medicinal benefits for human health, mushrooms are mystical powerhouses with abilities far beyond most other plants or organisms. It’s the foundation of and for life. Today, we are focusing on the human health benefits of medicinal mushrooms, and explore just how amazing they really are, with one of the top experts in the field. Guest:  Jeff Chilton, President, Nammex Organic Mushroom Extracts, Tofino, B.C. Canada

Newest research is showing us that the life around us defines the life inside of us – or, in other words, that we are mostly put together by bacteria and cells that are not human, but other life forms and that the strength and health of those bacteria very much defines how we going to live – healthfully, or not. We are speaking about a documentary series that is Unraveling the Secrets to a Healthy Life. After years of research and newest scientific findings in regard to gene expression, aging, and chronic diseases, we may have just found the key to unlock this mystery.   Guest:  Jason Prall, Director, Writer & Producer, The Human Longevity Project, Seattle, WA

The entire conversation about sustainable agriculture, food, and plant-based medicines is huge, convoluted, and full of – may we say – intentional errors? There are trillion dollar interests at stake between the agricultural and the pharmaceutical industry, and yet, medicinal marijuana is also not the cure-all easy fix. It’s a powerful and important plant and medicine that for millions of people offer incredible benefits. Still a controversial topic, but such a needed conversation. We will be discussing the health benefits, safe usage, and advice, from a doctor who is an expert on medicinal marijuana. Guest:  Dr. Rachna Patel, Medical Marijuana Doctor, The Medical Marijuana Expert, Walnut Creek, CA  

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” This beautiful quote by Mahatma Gandhi is the framework for this episode. We have come a long way in the protection of animals, as some of them do enjoy relative safety in the wild, as well as at home as domestic pets. Unfortunately, when it comes to animal welfare in commercially raised animals for consumption, such as chickens, pigs, lambs, and of course cows, there is little to no governmental protection. To make a difference, a woman in California decided to change her career and provide a safe haven for exactly those animals. Guest:  Deborah Blum, Founder, Goatlandia, Santa Rosa, CA

We all live in cycles, moon cycles, sun cycles, menstrual cycles, seasons, birth, youth, maturity, old age, and ultimately death again. Destruction and creation. We are in conversation today about cycles and the wisdom Nature holds for us with no one better than Earl Herrick. Earl lives Nature every single day in his work at Earl’s Organic, the premier organic produce wholesale business out of San Francisco, in a life dedicated to organic agriculture. Guest:  Earl Herrick, Founder & Owner, Earl's Organic Produce, San Francisco, CA

Last fall, Southern and Northern California experienced the worst fires in its recorded history. Fires are part of the ecological cycle, even necessary in the cycle of life. And yet, the devastation last year’s California fires left behind was unprecedented. How do we reconcile that, what can we learn from such an event, and how can we still help in the effort to restore what was lost? So while the fires have ended, the aftermath and efforts to rebuild continue. One of the areas hit hard in Northern California was the Redwood Valley, a couple of hours north of San Francisco, and the home of Frey Vineyards. We are speaking with Katrina Frey today about her experience in the middle of the chaos, as Executive Director of Frey Vineyards. Guest:  Katrina Frey, Executive Director, Frey Vineyards, Redwood Valley, CA

One of the most powerful transformations in the world of diets has occurred for the term Vegan. In its early days in the 1980’s when I learned about it, Vegan often meant overcooked carrots with a cold tofu salad. Today we know that a plant-based diet, which is exactly what a Vegan diet comprises of – plants, is the healthiest way to eat. Newest biome research – biome being the bacteria in our bodies and particularly in our gut, shows that a fiber-rich diet of fruits and vegetables – ideally organic – is the most important piece for optimal microbial health in our bodies, and with it, the foundation for our own health. And today, the plant-based dishes some chefs are coming up with are simply out of this world - and actually easy to create, even for us, at home. Guest:  Ilene Godofsky Moreno, Author, The Colorful Kitchen, Brooklyn, NY

We know that environmental health and human health are inextricably linked. So, when we talk about sustainable agriculture and organic food as the foundation for social and environmental justice – we also mean human health. This episode is about human health, for the most vulnerable of us, our children. Two doctors have made an assessment of the environmental impacts of pesticides and other chemicals in our food part of their practice in their work of healing children. And with it, they have become experts in just how much the food we eat – or rather the food we feed our children - can make them sick. Guests:  Dr. Michelle Perro, Co-Author Dr. Vincanne Adams, Co-Author What's Making Our Children Sick? How Industrial Food Is Causing an Epidemic of Chronic Illness, and What Parents (and Doctors) Can Do About It Bay Area, California

It is the blending of knowledge that makes us better, stronger, and hopefully wiser, as people, and as a species. In this episode, we are speaking with an expert about how to work with the mind and body in the most holistic way possible. For decades, he has been marrying the best practices from around the world for astonishing results, particularly Western Psychotherapy and Eastern philosophies and practices such as meditation. He has written numerous books and is one of the most renowned scholars on the topic of how to live well and cultivate happiness as a state of being. Let's take a look at what he has to say... Guest:  Dr. Jeffrey Rubin, Author, The Art of Flourishing: A Guide to Mindfulness, Love and Self-Care in a Chaotic World, Westchester, NY

Agriculture and food are our most direct and daily connection to the natural world. And the health of our environment directly impacts our own health and well-being, it is imperative that we continue to explore and push the boundaries of overall sustainable production. How can we produce food in a way that is fair, socially just, beneficial for communities, and also environmentally sound, all at the same time? We are speaking with an expert today on the equitable production of produce – in this case, about Avocados. Guest:  Nicole Vitello, President, Equal Exchange Produce, West Bridgewater, MA

As we are heading into September, the late summer sun gently touching our agricultural lands, we are once again in a transition. From summer bounty to fall, as the seasonal preparation for winter, a last push of life before the months of darkness and hibernation and recovery. Time for us get An Update from the Fields! What produce is leaving us and what is coming in, how does it need to be handled and stored, what are the prices we need to expect, and why? An entire episode to expand our understanding of agriculture, organic agriculture that is, and the reality of a farmer’s life. Host Helge Hellberg in an organic conversation with some of his dear friends in this work of advocating for and creating a more sustainable, healthier world, a more conscientious way of living this life in our attempt to be better, more responsible stewards of this beautiful planet that surely can use a bit more love these days, and always. Guest:  Earl Herrick, Founder & Owner, Earl's Organic Produce, San Francisco, CA

Today’s episode is all about the human potential. How can we expand from our childhood, what is possible for us as an adult? How can we create a happy and truly fulfilling life for ourselves? How can we become the fully realized authority of all of our decisions – the best version of ourselves? Today’s show is all about cultivating awareness and changing our reaction and behavior for a more aligned, successful, and happy life. Guest:  Mark diTargiani, Executive Coach, Better Leaders

Three women who have made organic food their career show us that sustainable food production and healthy agricultural practices have a tremendous impact on everything that food touches. Starting on the land with the farmer, these practices positively affect just about everything along the journey, ultimately reaching the end consumer. Us. In this episode, we celebrate the notion that life creates life, with Helge Hellberg.  Guests: Christie Biddle, Fruit Buyer Susan Simitz, Social Media & Marketing Manager Jessica Cole, Quality Assurance & Inventory Control Specialist Earls Organic Produce, San Francisco, CA

American children spend four to seven minutes a day playing outdoors—that is 90 percent less time than their parents did. There is a significant physical, emotional, and mental price to pay for having such little exposure to Nature and unstructured playtime. What is at stake, how to bring Nature back into all of our lives, and specifically, How to Raise a Wild Child – that’s our topic in this hour of An Organic Conversation. Guest: Scott D. Sampson, Author, How to Raise a Wild Child, Vancouver, B.C.

There is a deep reverence and respect for the Elements of Water, Sky, and Earth, Sun and Moon that we’ll find when we engage with cultures that have developed in the middle of the ocean, away from the speed of mainland societies. Hawaiian philosophy does not consider the physical and non-physical aspects of the world to be separate, therefore, to heal one aspect, all must be healed. Hear from an Hawaiian elder about key lessons in life - how to be of service, honor your family, and always practice kindness. Guest: Kevin Hoke, CEO & President, Hawaiian Outrigger Experience, Wailuku, HI

It’s April, which means Earth Day month, happy temperatures, spring blossoms, and fresh veggies. The bunnies are out, and so should we! This is a time to get a healthy dose of Nature back into our lives, get moving, and help your body transition from Winter to spring and summer. The best way to do that is to detoxify from the sluggish, dark, inward months behind us! So today, we are creating that sense of health and abundance and vibrancy, for all of us, by learning about all the things to consider when we do a mental and physical inner spring cleaning! Happy Earth Day everyone!! Guest: Amie Valpone, Author, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation and Reset Your Body, New York, NY

Luckily we have a solid foundation when we want to choose healthier food, grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and produced without thousands of potentially harmful ingredients and additives such as colorings, preservatives, flavor enhancers, or gmo’s, that are allowed in non-organic foods. The "organic" label is a federally regulated standard, focused on the healthy production of food. What organic does not address, however, are social equality, farm worker pay, or fair trade. For these aspects of food production, we are reliant on additional third-party certification agencies and organizations that have made social and environmental justice in food production their main focus. Today we have one of the leading associations with exactly this focus as a guest on our show – Equal Exchange.   Guest:  Nicole Vitello, President Oke USA/Equal Exchange Bananas, Equal Exchange, West Bridgewater, MA

The weather is on everyone’s mind. Record rainfall ending a 7-year drought in most places throughout California has had a significant impact on our food production. California feeds this country, or much of it, at least, and produce is in high demand, short supply, possibly water-logged, or otherwise affected by the rain. What does this all mean to us, the end consumer. How do we navigate this time of transition into spring, from knowing how to choose the right organic fruits and vegetables, to home storage, and how to best manage possibly high prices - it's time to bring in the expert!   Guest: Earl Herrick, Founder & Owner, Earl's Organic Produce, San Francisco, CA 

It’s a heart-wrenching topic, and nevertheless a beautiful and absolutely critical documentary – A Plastic Ocean. This new film follows researchers across all oceans to examine just how much plastic pollution has been accumulated in the sea, how it behaves in the water, and what it does to the biology of ocean life, from fish, to mammals, turtles and sea birds – and directly to humans as well. Life on this planet depends on the health of our oceans. A Plastic Ocean captures this connection we all share with the sea, and brings us a serious - and very visual - warning of the plastic pollution problem that we are facing. It's staggering, and yet some early solutions to this problem are being developed already, as we will hear from one of the chief scientists of the film.   Guest: Bonnie Monteleone, Executive Director​, Director of Science, Research and Academic Partnerships, Plastic Oceans Project, Wilmington, NC