Don't Forget Your Boots

In this episode, I speak with John Perlin, author of the renowned book A Forest Journey which he recently expanded updated for Patagonia Press. He explains how trees changed the world (pretty much started life) including the first one archaeopteryx, how trees and deforestation contribute to emerging and novel diseases like Lyme disease, corona-virus, and Ebola, and how trees are even more important to our past, present, and future than previously known.

In this episode, I interview Steven Hawley, author of author of Cracked: The Future of Dams in a Hot, Chaotic World. Steven talks to me about the real environmental impact of dams, how they actually aren't climate-friendly, and how people can help join the grassroots efforts across the world to get rid of them. 

In this podcast episode, I speak with Chris Yoko President & CEO of Yoko Co, and Founder of Carbon Off, a straightforward and easy way for employers to show their employees they care about the environment by offsetting their employee's personal carbon footprints. We discuss the wild and nuanced world of carbon offsets, and how employers can leverage Carbon Off, and being cautiously positive, but I also take the opportunity to get his thoughts on AI and its potential environmental impact. Quick plug for his agency Yoko Co, they develop digital marketing & creative for organizations who are driven by a purpose beyond profit.     

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been in the news a lot lately, and are a growing concern of water quality around the United States. In this podcast episode, Dr. Larry Cahoon, a professor at UNC Wilmington, speaks about the state of PFAs in the drinking water both locally as well as globally and discusses some of the successes he and the Cape Fear River Watch have seen after litigations with the Chemours facility near Fayetteville, which is responsible for releasing the PFA compounds into the Cape Fear River.

In this episode, I can speak with Justin Winters, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of One Earth, a non-profit working on solving the climate crisis through energy transition, nature conservation, and regenerative agriculture. We talk about the responsibilities of individual nations on the climate crisis, the biggest levers we have, and why we should all feel positive about our climate goals.    We also talk about One.Earth, the first-of-its-kind online database of vetted climate change projects currently seeking funding, an incredible tool to find and support on-going non-profits and initiatives.    Links One.earth Marketplace and GSN COP15 was Dec 7-19th, 2022

In this podcast episode, I speak with fly fisherman and author of the recent book Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman, Dylan Tomine.

In this podcast, I speak with photographer Dave Brosha where we talk about a lot of things personal and professional including almost dying of dehydration in Namibia, the less glamorous side of photography, and other stories in his recent book The Art of Misadventure: The Outtakes and Mistakes of an Adventurous Photographer. 

In this episode, I chat with bestselling author and naturalist Doug Peacock, about his most recent book Was It Worth It? We talk about a range of things, from his storied career in grizzly conservation, to grizzly population trends and their issues with genetic isolation, problems with states managing their bear populations (Montana in particular), as well as his work as the founder of the non-profit Save the Yellowstone Grizzly, not to mention that he also has some incredible Edward Abbey stories!  Thanks for listening, as always, please like, rate, review and subscribe.     

In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Kim Wheeler, the Executive Director of The Red Wolf Coalition. We speak about the last of the Red Wolves in existence, the struggle of getting people to not fear Red Wolves, and the dangers of her job as a wolf defender (she has been run off the road by another car, no kidding). Quick note, I asked Kim a few very specific questions about Red Wolf population trends, releases, and mortality, and she directed me to U.S Fish and Wildlife's great new website on Red Wolves. To see releases over time, scroll halfway down to the Summary of releases section.

Rick Ridgeway could be one of the most incredible people I have spoken with. He's the man The Rolling Stones called "the real Indiana Jones. He's the 2008 recipient of National Geographic's “Lifetime Achievement in Adventure”. He's a lifelong adventurer, filmmaker of over 30 documentaries, has climbed virtually all of the world's highest peaks on all continents—including Everest. He had the third summit of K2, a climb more dangerous than Everest. He's the former VP of Public Engagement at Patagonia and author of six mountaineering classics, including most recently, his recent incredibly emotional, evocative, and incredibly inspiring memoir Life Lived Wild.     

In this interview, I chat with Douglas Chadwick, renowned biologist and author of Four Fifths a Grizzly. We spoke about how all species are connected, incredible environmental success stories, and the simple way we can protect 40% of endangered animals. To read the fascinating stories and see the incredible photos, Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All by Douglas Chadwick today. 

Dr. Paul O'Donoghue returns in this episode to update me on the status of the Scottish wildcat, their population updates, and a new threat that has emerged. 

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Rachel Nuwer author of the incredible book Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking. We talk about the nuances behind elephant tusks, trophy hunting, and how well-intentioned people can negatively—and unwittingly—impact conservation efforts. 

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Sam Sutaria of The WaterBear Network, the first interactive streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet. Sam is great, and really does a great job talking about WaterBear's mission and values, and how users can both watch amazing content and support related initiatives.  Some of my favorite videos on WaterBear:  Camel Finds Water Fate of the Wild  Elephant Refugees Black Mamba Blood Island Yukon Kings Cold Stunned The End of the Line Protecting Kyambura Gorge Ocean Defenders Bahari Yetu Cheetah conservation fund Elemental The End of the Line Beautiful Waste The End of the Line Protecting Kyambura Gorge Ocean Defenders Bahari Yetu        

In this episode of the podcast, I interview Nicole Helgason of Ocean Gardener, who discusses the importance and threats to coral reefs, the state of coral restoration projects, and how she gardens corals to make sure these incredibly bio-diverse locations will be here for decades to come. 

"Part Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson", Sy has traveled around the world researching and writing stories on conservation and the natural world, including the tree kangaroos of Papua New Guinea, tigers in India, and orangutans in Indonesia.   We talk much about her book "The Soul of An Octopus", as well as her other books and her writing process, as well as the current state of the environment.    I would put Sy in the category of someone I never thought I'd interview, a staple in conservation writing for decades, and an inspiration to many aspiring conservationists, but she couldn't have been more gracious during the course of our conversation and was an incredible source of information, inspiration, and passion.   

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Leif Cocks of The Orangutan Project, and we talk about why more often than not highlands are protected for conservation areas and lowlands aren't, how orangutans are driven to extinction and we only have 10 years to protect them, and how people need to have both the heart and compassion as well as the knowledge and intelligence to create real meaningful change.  As always, please like, rate, and subscribe to the podcast, and to help Leif, head on over to Orangutan.org and see how you can become involved in Leif's incredible work.

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Louise de Waal of the documentary Blood Lions, which exposes the sadistic truth behind caged lions bred for the bullet in South Africa.   It's an incredibly compelling conversation about an incredibly compelling documentary, find out more by listening or viewing the links below—    • Blood Lions documentary • 800 voices • Take Action For Big Cats

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Yona Katembo, our tour guide when we went to Uganda a few months back. We touch base on how COVID has impacted the tourism industry, the recent poaching of the silverback gorilla Rafiki, and the punishment of his poachers.   

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Madeleine and Ben of Bracenet, the company that turns destructive ghost nets floating the oceans into fashionable bracelets and apparel.  I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with these two, the world needs more people like Madeleine and Ben, and on top of that, they frankly couldn't be cooler people.    Site: https://bracenet.net/  

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Nina Fascione of the International Rhino Foundation, and we talk about the differences between the 5 species of rhinos, IRF's reforestation efforts to help save the Sumatran rhino in Indonesia (there are less than 70 left), and how COVID has impacted the efforts to help rhinos.    Helpful Links • International Rhino Foundation • International Rhino Foundation YouTube

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Rob Whitehair and Alex Finden of Mammalz, a user-generated content app that allows anyone to create and upload content, while enabling users to follow and tip content creators who interest them.    To help secure app funding, Mammalz is doing a trip giveaway to one of three locations, including a diving liveaboard in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, a tiger safari in Ranthambhore National Park, India, and an 11-day safari in Botswana, to anyone interested in investing as low as $100.    For every $250k they raise, they will do a random drawing for one of each of the trips. The deadline to invest and be entered into the drawing is July 31, 2020 at 11:59pm EST, more information can be found here: https://wefunder.com/mammalz   Finally, there is a lot of great content on the site already, and here are some Mammalz user accounts to take a look at:   Angus Hamilton: @Life_Gone_Wild  https://mammalz.com/profile/391 Kevin O’Briant: @kmobriant  https://mammalz.com/profile/207 Sarah Bell: @SarahsGoneWild https://mammalz.com/profile/1048 Dillon Jones: @DillonTheBiologist https://mammalz.com/profile/91 Mushroom Larry Evans: @fungaljungal https://mammalz.com/profile/2120 George Schnipper: @geolms https://mammalz.com/profile/1818 Natalie Clements: @natalieclements https://mammalz.com/profile/2073 Bethy Driscoll: @BethyScuba https://mammalz.com/profile/174

In this quick episode of the podcast, I speak with Mike Leahy, the Director of Wildlife, Hunting & Fishing Policy at National Wildlife Federation, just in time for the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works’ July 22 hearing on zoonotic diseases.   This critically important, not only given the fact that COVID-19 originated as a wildlife disease, but also given the wide range of other wildlife diseases that could make the leap to humans.   Show support and reach out to the senators on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, visit here: https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_membership/committee_memberships_SSEV.htm   Help with Recovering America’s Wildlife Act: https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Wildlife-Conservation/Policy/Recovering-Americas-Wildlife-Act

In this episode, I speak with Thai Nguyen, the Executive Director of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, a non-profit based in Vietnam that focuses on wildlife rescue, veterinary care, and rehabilitation of pangolins and other critically endangered species, and by helping Save Vietnam's Wildlife (https://www.svw.vn/) you can directly protect critically endangered species such as pangolins, otters, leopard cats, and binturong.

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Andy Wink of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, which helps protect the incredible Bristol Bay fishery in southern Alaska.  Andy and I speak about a lot of things, but most of the conversation revolves around the proposed mine in Bristol Bay that is jeopardizing the natural beauty and sustainable salmon runs the area currently has to offer. With the current administration sprinting to get this over the goal line, time is running out.  Even if you don't listen to the podcast, please take a minute out of your day to review some of the facts/inconsistencies of the plan and tell your representatives what you think about Pebble Mine. You can help preserve this incredible part of the Last Frontier.  Pebble Mine resource:  Tell your representatives to stop Pebble Mine https://choicevoicevote.org/home   Bristol Bay resources: Find Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon near you: https://find.bristolbaysockeye.org/ Salmon recipes: https://bristolbaysockeye.org/

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Maggie Howell of the Wolf Conservation Center, where we talk about the need for wolves in America, the harsh benefits of looking at wolves through an economic lens, and their chances of survival.  By the way, let's pretend to not notice that Maggie has the absolute best last name for someone who works with wolves...  If you like this episode of the podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe, it helps a lot. 

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Paul Wheaton, the Duke of Permaculture, owner of Permies.com and RichSoil.com, and author of the recent book “Building A Better World In Your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys”, which teaches readers how to save money, conserve energy (and even create your own), and save the environment—all while living a more luxuriant life.  Paul and I have an engaging conversation about moving beyond sustainability, his now-famous Wheaton Eco Scale, and how to lower your 30 tons of carbon footprint impact to -400 tons! Paul is giving away free copies of his book for the first 72 hours that the podcast is up, so if you'd like to get a copy of Building A Better World In Your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys, email paul@richsoil.com and tell him I sent you!  Copies of Building A Better World In Your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys can be found at: permies.com/bwb

In this episode of the podcast, I have Monte Montepare. Monte is the co-owner of Kennicott Wilderness Guides in Alaska, and he works as a wilderness guide during the summer and a standup comedian in LA during the winter. He first moved to Alaska when on a whim he was 19, and has been there for the last 15 years. We go deep, and talk about anxiety and second-guessing choices we make in our youth, how Alaska has changed over the years, and doing intense things that require presence to trick yourself into quieting an overactive brain.   Also, make sure to check out his videos on his YouTube page and Instagram (links below), he gets in tons of jokes and an emotional crescendo, all in just a few minutes. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montemontepare/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQbrzanMn2duh6wDKIBpVCQ

In this episode of the pod, I speak with Carl Safina about his expansive career, positives in conservation, and his new book, Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Family, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace. Carl is an ecologist and conservationist for over 40 years, he’s won the Pew and Guggenheim Fellowships, book awards from Lannan, Orion, and the National Academies, and the John Burroughs, James Beard, and George Rabb medals. He named one of the “100 Notable Conservationists of the 20th Century by Audubon magazine. He won the MacArthur Genius Award in 2000...the man has credentials.  If you enjoy this episode please like, rate, and subscribe in Apple Podcasts or where ever you kids get them these days!  

In the recent episode of the podcast, I speak with Brian Pope of Lubee Bat Conservancy. Brian has been working with animals his entire life, and but joined Lubee and started working with bats full time in 2007.  I learned a lot speaking with Brian, mainly that bats love playing with toys and taking things apart, that they can eat nearly 5,000-7,000 insects a night, that they are the only things that can pollinate agave plants (which are crucial in the production of tequila), and that they are being used by the Center for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Army Medical Research of Infectious Diseases to find cures for some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Brian puts a lot of myths about bats to rest, including that they are blind, that they are all nocturnal, and that they don’t all echolocate.

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Sandra Shaw Homer, an environmentalist and author, with a recent book called Evelio’s Garden: Memoir of a Naturalist in Costa Rica. We spoke about writing, travel, conservation, and her life as an ex-pat for 29 years in Costa Rica. Sandra is incredibly inspirational and has an amazing story to tell, filled equally with beauty and sorrow. Below are links to where you can pick up a copy of Evelio's Garden as well as her previous books.  Evelio’s Garden on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Evelios-Garden-Sandra-Shaw-Homer/dp/1646693248/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1576966182&sr=1-1 Sandra Shaw Homer on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Shaw-Homer/e/B00LLWLGOA/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 Sandra Shaw Homer on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7884051.Sandra_Shaw_Homer?from_search=true

In this episode, I speak with John Platt (there is no relation between us, he just has the best last name ever) but he is a renowned environmental journalist covering endangered species, climate, and pollution-related issues. There was a bit of an audio issue at minute 23, and again at 29:00, as my recorder crapped out halfway through the podcast, however, John, the quintessential professional was recording the whole time and sounds great throughout. We cover a lot, and talk about what is causing the species to become more endangered at a faster rate, why some environmental issues need to reach beyond economic solutions, the importance of emotion in storytelling, and staying positive in the era of Trump. Thanks, and again, if you can, please rate, review, and subscribe, it helps a lot! 

In this podcast, I spoke with our tour guide, Jona, as my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Uganda.  A lot of people don’t know much about Uganda, myself included, so I made sure to take the opportunity to ask Jona just about all the questions I had amassed since the trip began. We talked about a lot- rhinos, Uganda being safe, Kimberly Endicott, Ebola, economic drivers, the depiction of Uganda and Africa in general in the media, and conservation efforts.

In this podcast, I speak with Julie Vanassche of the Libassa Wildlife Sanctuary, the only wildlife sanctuary in Liberia. While we talk other animals, much of our conversation is about pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world. Pangolins are desired locally for bushmeat (which is embedded in the culture) and internationally in many Asian countries, which tend to believe their scales have medicinal value. Overall, quality isn't great since her internet on location is spotty. We tried recording it a few different ways, but this is the best we were to get. My hope is we can do another one in the future but, since Julie is so busy, I wanted to upload this one sooner rather than later.

In this episode, Will explains the difference between National Parks and National Forests, why environmental conservation shouldn't be a partisan issue, and some surprising conservation wins in the Trump administration. We also talk about the state of Red Wolves, one of the most endangered animals in the world, trail running, and his bestseller Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and The Fight For Cumberland Island. 

This week I speak with Enrique Ortiz of the Andes Amazon Fund. Enrique talks about the forest fires, the current state of the Amazon and addresses some common misconceptions about the Amazon.   I met Enrique because the digital agency I work with, Yoko Co, redid his website, AndesAmazondfund.org. If you are or an association, non-profit, or any organization with a passion beyond pure profit, and need a new site or ongoing marketing efforts, drop us a line, we’d be happy to help!  

In this episode, I speak with Nancy Fahey of the Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project. We talk the life span, gestational period, and migratory patterns of Loggerhead sea turtles, why North Carolina and Virginia, in particular, are imperative for the preservation of sea turtles, and why we might be seeing some really good trends for the populations of these majestic creatures.   In our conversation, Nancy mentions a few resources for people local to the North Carolina area to call if they come across a sea turtle or a sea turtle nest, which I have dropped in below. Hope you enjoy the podcast!   Local to Wrightsville beach:      1 833 4 Turtle North Carolina Hotline:              252 241 7367

In this episode, I talk with David Stein of the Prairie Rivers of Iowa. While some of his work is specific to Iowa, there are a lot of national takeaways and we talk about overall watershed health and what plants farmers and local landowners can grow that will actually benefit the soil and pollinators. 

In our interview, Stefanie and I speak about her up-close experiences of diving with sharks, the unfair depiction of sharks in the media, and shark finning trends and potential solutions. You can follow Stefanie and SharkAllies on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the links are below—    • https://www.facebook.com/SharkAllies/ • https://www.instagram.com/sharkallies/  • https://twitter.com/SharkAllies

In this podcast, I speak with Chris Duke of the Phoenix Conservancy Project, who is heading up the newly formed Madagascar Project.    We speak about Madagascar, a country that a lot of people, including conservation groups kinda write off as a lost cause. In particular, Chris is working to protect something called the Lost Forest of Ivohboro that wasn’t discovered until 2016.    Chris also explains that while Madagascar is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, it is still one of the most undervalued ecosystems, even to other conservation groups.    Below are the links for the spices that would directly help the rainforest:       Voatsiperifery   • https://spicetrekkers.com/products/spices/wild-voatsiperifery-pepper-madagascar   • https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Wild+Voatsiperifery+Pepper+-+Madagascar&ref=nb_sb_noss   Vanilla    • https://www.kerry.com/about/sustainability/sustainable-vanilla      Also, here is the link for the Crystal Jewelry Fundraiser which proceeds goe directly to the local Madagascar people.     • https://www.gofundme.com/f/crystal-jewelry-fundraiser?fbclid=IwAR3hwrW4MiQYvMPuRJ9r3oHwJN9db3Fk3Zj4O4vtDMmlilhnF_X6BghMwTM            

In this podcast, I speak with Sara Marriott, a research assistant and Ph.D. student in Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University. Sara blows my mind about the state worldwide fisheries, why most fish sold in America is imported (even if caught in US waters) and once and for all explains how to know if your seafood is fresh, safe, and sustainable. 

In this podcast, I chat with Amelia Mason, the founder of Skywatch Bird Rescue, about her organization, what to do when you think you see an injured bird, and how she saved thousands of birds from Hurricane Florence. Fair warning, this is a bit of a louder episode, with Mille and other birds chiming in periodically throughout the recording. With that in mind, I tried to edit as best as I could.

In this podcast, I sit down with Dr. Paul O'Donoghue, a wildlife biologist and the Chief Scientific Advisor of the Scottish Wildcat Haven. The Scottish Wildcat is the most endangered mammal in Britain and one of the rarest animals in the world. These Wildcats, which used to inhabit all of Great Britain, now can only be found in the Scottish Highlands, and are facing genetic extinction largely due to inbreeding with domestic cats. Paul explains how Wildcats went from being deeply embedded and revered in Scottish culture, even appearing on clans emblems, to now going virtually extinct.

In this podcast, I sit down with Mike Flynn, the Coastal Advocate for the northeast regional office of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Mike is a wealth of knowledge about environmental policy and action, particularly in the North Carolina area. During the discussion, we chat about offshore drilling, advancing oyster restoration, and implementation of a new plan called "living shoreline". 

In this episode, I sit down with Neagha Leonard of the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project, home to the second most endangered primate in the world, the Cat Ba Langur. We talk about how it is so difficult to analyze and protect the Cat Ba Langur, what makes an animal part of a species, and why eco-tourism might not be the answer for protecting all wildlife in all parts of the world. 

In this podcast, I chat with Ben Stone of The Phoenix Conservancy, who talks about how he connects with people disinterested in conservation, how he balances consideration of the amount of the ecosystem remaining, direct threats, and opportunities before engaging in any projects, and how the Trump administration has had a particularly interesting effect on his non-profit.

In this podcast episode, Craig and I speak about his storied career as a conservationist, his work with Dian Fossey, the successful trend of African mountain gorillas, the role of eco-tourism in the mountain gorillas population rise, and how the African Wildlife Foundation helps both African wildlife as well as the local inhabitants on a daily basis. 

Today I'm joined by Tim Holbrook of Masonboro Reserve Oyster Co, who, among other things, chats about why North Carolina—which could be the Napa Valley of oysters—is lagging behind Virginia in oyster production, how his farm was impacted by Hurricane Florence, and why you actually can eat oysters in months that don't have an "R".

In this episode, I talk with critically acclaimed author Sonia Faruqi, where we chat about ocean conservation, her writing process, and her newest book The Oyster Thief. 

I sit down with Sam Blount, of Front Line Freediving, one of the best dive shops in Wilmington, North Carolina. Sam is a freediving rockstar, and blows my mind on multiple occasions throughout the interview with his extensive knowledge, skills and experience.

In this episode, I sit down with UNCW professor Larry Cahoon to discuss the impact of hurricane Florence and potential threats to the southeast North Carolina water supply, including coal ash, pig farms, and GenX.