Podcasts about Mother Nature Network

The award-winning novel Hands of Gold capitalizes on Roni Robbins' nearly four decades as a published writer: a staff reporter for daily and weekly newspapers; a freelancer for national, regional and online publications. She is currently a freelance reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Medscape/WebMD, where she was previously an editor after serving as associate editor of the Atlanta Jewish Times.Robbins' articles have appeared in The Huffington Post, Forbes, the New York Daily News, Adweek, WebMD and Healthline. She was a staff writer for Florida Today/USA Today, The Birmingham News and the Atlanta Business Chronicle/American City Business Journals. She also wrote for Mother Nature Network, Daily Report/American Lawyer Media; The Forward, FromTheGrapevine, and Hadassah magazine, among others.In addition to major CEOs and politicians, she's interviewed such celebrities as Wolf Blitzer, Andy Gibb, Hank Aaron, and Usher.Hands of Gold won the 2023 International Book Awards for multicultural fiction and the 2023 Global Book Awards gold medal for biographical-survival. The novel was a finalist in the 2024 American Legacy Awards for multicultural fiction, earning a 5-star rating in the 2023 Readers' Choice Book Awards, best adult book, and was a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards, family saga. It was also a quarterfinalist for historical fiction in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.https://www.ronirobbins.com/https://www.facebook.com/roni.k.robbinshttps://x.com/ronirobbinshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ronirobbins/https://www.tiktok.com/@handsofgoldnovelhttps://www.instagram.com/roni.robbins/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.

This episode Dr. Amy Sapola and Farmer Lee Jones talk with Chef Matt Jennings. Matt is the founder of Full Heart Hospitality, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, author, and life-long disciple of hospitality. Matt has had a number of his own culinary outposts, including the beloved Farmstead, Inc. group in Rhode Island and most recently, Townsman in Boston. After consulting for some clients in the Boston area and dedicating his life to wellness, Matt made the decision to pursue Full Heart's vision full time. Matt is a five time James Beard Foundation finalist, has been recognized by the White House, Food & Wine Magazine, The New York Times, The Mother Nature Network and is a Certified Workplace Wellness Coach as of 2018. A focused creative, Matt has been cooking since he was 14 and he brings the same passion and zest for the business- that which helped make his own establishments so successful- to every Full Heart partnership. His expertise lies in culture creation, creative concepting, team enrichment and systems analysis.

Shea Gunther, the creative mind behind MJ Today Media and the Marijuana Today podcast is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! In addition to his role as the unfailing Program Director for the Green Rush, Shea is himself a podcaster, writer, activist and entrepreneur who, from behind the scenes, has for decades helped drive the cannabis industry forward. As an activist, Shea had a hand founding the first chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy back in 1998, and is currently leads up MJToday Media, a publishing company focusing on creating content for legal marijuana business nerds. He’s recently concluded his run as the host of “Marijuana Today Daily” but still does produce the weekly show “Marijuana Today“. This week, Anne is away so our host Nick decided to sit down with Shea to chat about the current state of media covering the cannabis industry and what stories they’d like to see garner more attention in this space. They also cover the growth of Shea’s home cannabis market in Maine as well the inherent frustration that comes with slow moving progress for cannabis legislation. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Shea Gunther, Founder, Producer and Host at MJ Today Media Shea Gunther helped kick off the student drug reform movement in 1998 by founding Students for Sensible Drug Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Since then, he’s built his career around media, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. He worked with Kris to start one of the nation’s leading providers of wind power and has been a top featured writer for the Mother Nature Network, the #1 environmental news site on the web, since its launch in 2009. He frequently consults on a wide range of topics in social marketing, editorial design, and media architecture. Shea is a truly multimodal designer and communicator and handles all the technical aspects of the show as well as maintaining the social media accounts and this website. He recently graduated from a back-to-school stint with a degree in computer science. You can find him on Facebook & Twitter and at SheaGunther.org. Links and mentions in the show http://mjtodaypodcast.com/http://mjtodaymedia.com/http://www.weedwonks.com/https://ssdp.org/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts MJ Today Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjtodaypodcast  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter: @The_GreenRush  Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Daniel Parson is in his twenty-third season of organic growing. He started in 1998 at wildflower organics in Dawsonville, GA, where he worked four years. Next, he managed the Clemson University student organic farm for two years, and operated Gaia Gardens in Decatur, GA for five. In 2009, he started a new venture, Parson Produce, supplying a CSA, local restaurants, and farmers markets in Clinton, SC. In 2014, Daniel moved to Oxford, GA to start a campus farm for Oxford College of Emory University, producing food for the dining hall, CSA, and Emory Farmers Market while serving as a resource for student education and research.Daniel has two degrees from Clemson, a BS in Biological Sciences and an MS in Plant and Environmental Science, focusing on cover crops and organic systems. In addition to growing produce, Daniel has presented workshops on various organic topics to many state and regional groups, including the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Southern SAWG and Georgia Organics. Daniel received the 2009 Georgia Organics Land Steward of the Year Award and in 2008 was listed on Mother Nature Network's 40 farmers under 40. Also, he served on the Georgia Organics board from 2006-2008 and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association board from 2012-2014.In this episode Daniel makes an introduction to home gardening that can help people think about planting this season. Daniel talks about site selection (sun, proximity, and water); soil management and testing; mapping/calendar/rotations; crop selection and timing-garden calendar from UGA; weed management: cultivation and mulching; harvest timing -getting the most out of your planting.UGA extension is our best resource in Georgia and every state has a similar service if there are listeners from other parts of the country. https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf To learn more. please visit:https://oxford.emory.edu/academics/organic_farm.html This podcast is brought to you by Emory Lifestyle Medicine & Wellness. To learn more about our work, please visithttps://bit.ly/EmoryLM

Host and American Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com begins with news that The Old Farmer's Almanac, The Farmer's Almanac and The Mother Nature Network all disagree on how severe our winter will be this year. The National Farmer's Union just conducted this year's event on Zoom. Next, we meet Christopher Vane co-founded of Little Bear Sanctuary, a nonprofit farm animal sanctuary in Punta Gorda, FL. www.littlebearsanctuary.org Christopher named the farm in honor of his late mother Ursula (which translates to “little bear” in Latin). They shared a common passion for animals and Ursula often dreamed of providing neglected, once-abused animals a safe haven. Chris and his husband Randy followed through on Ursula’s dream and established the Little Bear Sanctuary in 2017. Now, 160+ rescued farm animals call Little Bear Sanctuary home. They discuss Pigs as a Pet Pandemic and their current GoFundMe project. https://www.gofundme.com/c/heroes/chris-vane Finally, Farmer Doug opines that he's up-in-the-air about choosing a Presidential candidate, because neither has any regard for the small Family Farmer.

Daniel Parson is in his twenty-first season of organic growing. He started in 1998 at wildflower organics in Dawsonville, GA, where he worked four years. Next, he managed the Clemson University student organic farm for two years, and operated Gaia Gardens in Decatur, GA for five. In 2009, he started a new venture, Parson Produce, supplying a CSA, local restaurants, and farmers markets in Clinton, SC. In 2014, Daniel moved to Oxford, GA to start a campus farm for Oxford College of Emory University, producing food for the dining hall, CSA, and Emory Farmers Market while serving as a resource for student education and research. Daniel has two degrees from Clemson, a BS in Biological Sciences and an MS in Plant and Environmental Science, focusing on cover crops and organic systems. In addition to growing produce, Daniel has presented workshops on various organic topics to many state and regional groups, including the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Southern SAWG and Georgia Organics. Daniel received the 2009 Georgia Organics Land Steward of the Year Award and in 2008 was listed on Mother Nature Network's 40 farmers under 40. Also, he served on the Georgia Organics board from 2006-2008 and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association board from 2012-2014. To learn more please visit: http://oxford.emory.edu/offices-and-services/organic-farm.html https://www.facebook.com/oxfordcollegefarm

On today's show, John discusses the lessons to live by in your 30's. Content References: Kiplinger and Mother Nature Network.

Vanessa Vadim is a French-American artist and filmmaker. She co-founded MayDay Media, a non-profit documentary production company, with Rory Kennedy. Her documentary work includes "Fire In Our House" and "The Quilts of Gee's Bend." She was a syndicated environmental columnist for The Mother Nature Network, and small-scale farmer. Her films are are an extension of her passion for civil rights across the social spectrum. VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/xB_fd616uBg

After spending a week in Italy with Vegan Chef Leslie Durso, there was no way I could NOT bring her on the podcast!  Leslie describes herself as a “level 5 Vegan,” meaning that she’s intense about all things vegan - no meat, no dairy, no animal byproducts, plant based...the whole package.   But I would expand her description and tell you that she is a Level 5 Human Being. She shows up in her life and in her business so powerfully and gracefully that I wanted to make sure you got the chance to know a bit more about her and her philosophies.   When Leslie started her blog in 2010, she had no credentials.  She was not a trained chef. She was not a nutritionist. She had not gone to culinary school.  But she did have the desire to establish herself as an expert in her field and an insane drive to bring plant based eating to the world.  A few months later, and with the realization that tens of thousands of people were coming to her site, she got serious and creative and started her career as a Vegan Chef.   Now, Leslie partners with the Four Season Hotel, implementing vegan menus, hosting retreats and running their wellness programs.  She runs Vegan Retreats (like the one I just came back from) in her beloved country of Italy. She has a TV show called Accidentally Vegan on the Fab Fit Fun TV Network.  She’s appeared on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, The Hallmark Channel, Everyday Health and Mother Nature Network and has written for MindBodyGreen, VegNews, CNN.com, Redbook, Glamour and Maxim, just to name a few.   You could say she’s earned a bit of credentials.  ;) But her credentials are not what we talk about.  We talk about how she has stayed true to herself - her ethics, her values and her goals - during her business journey.   We discuss… How she got focused and serious with her blog and how she monetized it through advertising and promotions. How her modeling and acting career lent itself to her current work. Why she decided she didn’t need to go to culinary school and how she instead went on a mission to be mentored by great chefs all around the world. How she leads her life with the belief that she is doing good in the world and showing up to provide value and how she lets that belief system fuel her career. The difference between dreams and goals and how doing the next best thing, just one step at a time has accumulated into a LOT of progress for her! Practices and habits she has to stay grateful for the present moment and her understanding that she is always in the middle of her journey.   In a world where you can literally be anything and do anything, Leslie’s story is a great reminder for each of us to stay true to ourselves on our business journeys, so that we can design the life and business we truly desire! Check out more about Leslie here → http://lesliedurso.com The Great 8 Series is featuring 8 of my favorite conversations from the past few years! These episodes are some of the most referenced, quoted or downloaded and have so much wisdom to help you along your journey! I hope you enjoy and share!

After spending a week in Italy with Vegan Chef Leslie Durso, there was no way I could NOT bring her on the podcast!  Leslie describes herself as a “level 5 Vegan,” meaning that she’s intense about all things vegan - no meat, no dairy, no animal byproducts, plant based...the whole package.   But I would expand her description and tell you that she is a Level 5 Human Being. She shows up in her life and in her business so powerfully and gracefully that I wanted to make sure you got the chance to know a bit more about her and her philosophies.     When Leslie started her blog in 2010, she had no credentials.  She was not a trained chef. She was not a nutritionist. She had not gone to culinary school.  But she did have the desire to establish herself as an expert in her field and an insane drive to bring plant based eating to the world.  A few months later, and with the realization that tens of thousands of people were coming to her site, she got serious and creative and started her career as a Vegan Chef.     Now, Leslie partners with the Four Season Hotel, implementing vegan menus, hosting retreats and running their wellness programs.  She runs Vegan Retreats (like the one I just came back from) in her beloved country of Italy. She has a TV show called Accidentally Vegan on the Fab Fit Fun TV Network.  She’s appeared on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, The Hallmark Channel, Everyday Health and Mother Nature Network and has written for MindBodyGreen, VegNews, CNN.com, Redbook, Glamour and Maxum, just to name a few.     You could say she’s earned a bit of credentials.  ;)   But her credentials are not what we talk about.  We talk about how she has stayed true to herself - her ethics, her values and her goals - during her business journey.     We discuss…   How she got focused and serious with her blog and how she monetized it through advertising and promotions. How her modeling and acting career lent itself to her current work. Why she decided she didn’t need to go to culinary school and how she instead went on a mission to be mentored by great chefs all around the world. How she leads her life with the belief that she is doing good in the world and showing up to provide value and how she lets that belief system fuel her career. The difference between dreams and goals and how doing the next best thing, just one step at a time has accumulated into a LOT of progress for her! Practices and habits she has to stay grateful for the present moment and her understanding that she is always in the middle of her journey.     In a world where you can literally be anything and do anything, Leslie’s story is a great reminder for each of us to stay true to ourselves on our business journeys, so that we can design the life and business we truly desire!   Check out more about Leslie here → http://lesliedurso.com

No doubt music has the ability to make us feel and empathize, because of this it can actually effect change. Chuck Leavell, Keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, Co-Founder of Mother Nature Network, and Author dives into this more with host, Aaron Strout, plus he discusses his love for the environment and dog training.

The Bell Witch tormented the Bell family for four years starting in 1817, according to a reporter named Martin V.B. Ingram who wrote the definitive, but terrible book in 1894. Beth slogged through the book until she couldn't take it anymore and marvels that the legend sustained itself. Listen as Strange Country attempts to coherently tell this story from a most incoherent book. Beth manages to get in a reference to Tommy Wiseau's The Room and, Kelly only yawns twice!! Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands Cite your sources: Bell, Richard Williams, and M. Todd Cathey. Our family trouble: the story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee. M. Todd Cathey, 2013. “Home of the Bell Witch.” The Bell Witch Cave, www.bellwitchcave.com/ghost_hauntings/bell_witch.htm Ingram, M. V. An authenticated history of the famous Bell witch: the wonder of the 19th century, and unexplained phenomenon of the Christian Era ; the mysterious talking goblin that terrorized the west end of Robertson County, Tennessee, tormenting John Bell to his death ; the story of Betsy Bell, her lover and the haunting sphinx. Lowood Press, 2011. Originally published in 1894. Lew, Josh. “The spooky history of Bell Witch Cave.” MNN - Mother Nature Network, Mother Nature Network, 5 June 2017, www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/spooky-history-of-bell-witch-cave. Nickel, Joe. “The 'Bell Witch' Poltergeist.” CSI, Jan./Feb. 2014, www.csicop.org/si/show/the_bell_witch_poltergeist. Young, Nicole. “Psychic: I know the real Bell Witch story.” USA Today, 27 Oct. 2015, www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2015/10/27/psychic-bell-witch-story/74713998/.

Karin and Kristyn wind down the year with a look back at some of the shows that made the biggest impact on them and on you, our listeners! During the show, we play some of our favorite clips and talk about the impact they have made on us and how they influenced our work as KonMari consultants. Creating a podcast that focused on the KonMari Method has been our shared vision since the very end of 2016. We spent the first half of 2017 researching, preparing and putting all the pieces together and finally launched on August 31st. We are so grateful to all of our guests for their talents, wonderful stories and the amazing tips and tools they shared with us. Our listeners have been amazing. We have learned so much via your questions, comments and feedback. Thank you for being a part of Spark Joy! Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast. Before we get to our highlights, we ask, “What have sparked the most joy this year?” We would love to hear what sparked the most joy for you! Email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com and share your most joyful moments of 2017. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: We share big news: Spark Joy Podcast has been downloaded over 40,000 times! Two listeners sent us great questions: Sara asked about how to apply KonMari principles to the ongoing struggle of paper management in a busy family. Ep 9 | Tidying by Location is a Fatal Mistake Spark Joy Episode 9 Kimberly’s question was about how to determine what sparks joy when it comes to seasonal items, in this case, Halloween costumes. Ep 13 | Does It Spark Joy? Spark Joy Episode 13 And now, on to our favorite clips! Ep 2 | Meet Marie Kondo’s First Employee Jenny Ning Jenny Ning, Marie Kondo’s first employee in the US, shares what it’s like to work for the Queen of Tidy and her journey from KonMari super fan to Bay area home organizer. To connect with Jenny Ning, you can visit her at www.jennyning.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@jennyorganizes). Spark Joy Episode 2 Ep 3 | Face Your Stuff with Dorothy The Organizer Dorothy Breininger, author and veteran professional organizer as seen on A&E’s hit show “Hoarders” sorts out the mind-body-home clutter connection and related addictions. To connect with Dorothy Breininger, you can visit her website, www.dorothytheorganizer.com for free tips, videos, newsletters, organizing resources for your life, home, office, and relationships. Be sure to check out her book “Stuff Your Face or Face Your Stuff” via her website or Amazon. Also, check her out on the hit show “Hoarders” on A&E. Spark Joy Episode 3 Ep 6 | Declutter Your Path to Wealth with Tess Wicks Tess Wicks, personal finance coach and educator, breaks down the journey to financial independence into key actions and makes the connection between our priorities, the things we acquire, and our life vision. To connect with Tess Wicks visit www.wanderwealthy.com and join the Wander Wealthy community on Facebook and YouTube. Also, check out Tess’ podcast Words and Money. Spark Joy Episode 6 Ep 7 | Design and the Future of Minimalism with Lloyd Alter Lloyd Alter, architect and design editor of Tree Hugger magazine, helps us understand our changing relationship with our possessions and how the upcoming generation will view design and functionality. To connect with Lloyd, you can visit Treehugger, https://www.treehugger.com, Mother Nature Network, https://www.mnn.com, or follow him Twitter @lloydalter and Lloyd Alter on Facebook. Spark Joy Episode 7 The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Ep 8 | Make Bold Moves with The Traveling Organizer Holly Southerland Our guest, Holly Southerland is a professional organizer who has been traveling nationwide since 2008 helping families and entrepreneurs get unstuck and find peace in their homes. To connect with Holly Southerland, visit Waco Home Organizers (www.wacohomeorganizers.com) or email info@wacohomeorganizers.com. You can also follow her on Facebook or Instagram at @hollysoutherland Spark Joy Episode 8 Ep 11 | [Tidy] Like a Mind Reader with Jonathan Pritchard Jonathan Pritchard, professional mind reader and author, opens his psychological toolkit to help us apply the predictive art of mind reading to reach personal goals across all areas of our life. To connect with or hire Jonathan, you can visit www.likeamindreader.com. His book Think Like a Mind Reader is available on Amazon (http://amzn.to/2yb9WwC). Spark Joy Episode 11 Gems - “We are proud to announce since we launched Spark Joy on August 31st of this year we’ve received over 40,000 downloads!” “It starts as just a means to get the house in order, but I don’t think most of us really expect the snowball effect!” “The clutter never lies and the truth is often in the clutter.” “I remembered resistance I receive from clients around trying something a new way because obviously my way isn’t working.” “This idea that we honor the item by showing appreciation for what it meant to us, and making sure the item goes on to it’s next useful life.” “I believe that organizing is really just lots and lots of small steps and lots and lots of small decisions.” “It’s ok if every rule in the book is not a perfect fit for your life! If you even apply 50% of the method you’ll notice an improvement in your lifestyle, so it’s not an all or nothing deal.” “We’ve got an amazing line-up for 2018, more guests who exude joy and embody the KonMari lifestyle that we’ll share them with you each-and-every Tuesday.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Lloyd Alter, architect and design editor of Tree Hugger magazine, helps us understand our changing relationship with our possessions and how the upcoming generation will view design and functionality. Lloyd Alter is design editor of TreeHugger, a prominent media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability to the mainstream. Living in Toronto, Canada; He has been an architect, developer, inventor and prefab promoter. He contributes to Mother Nature Network at MNN.com, The Guardian, and Azure magazines, and is Adjunct Professor teaching sustainable design at Ryerson University School of Interior Design. In the course of his work developing small residential units and prefabs, Lloyd became convinced that we just use too much of everything- too much space, too much land, too much food, too much fuel, too much money, and that the key to sustainability is to simply use less. And, the key to happily using less is to design things better. Recently, Lloyd has been writing on family heirlooms and the changing culture. I found his work while researching solutions for clients who are confronted with managing the possessions of generations while downsizing. His direct approach to working with our elder parents along with his prolific writing on a lifestyle focused on less stuff and better design, was a great fit for us! To connect with Lloyd, you can visit Treehugger, https://www.treehugger.com, Mother Nature Network, https://www.mnn.com, or follow him Twitter @lloydalter and Lloyd Alter on  Facebook.   Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - Learning about the relationship between medicine, science and minimalism. How the fear of germs led to the minimalist movement. Hearing about how Lloyd confronted the generational shift in thinking about “things” within his own family. Discussing how our mobile lifestyles have changed the quantity and quality of things we acquire. Looking at the reality of emotional value vs. financial value. Suggestions on how to decide “who gets what” when a previous generation downsizes. How Lloyd used Marie Kondo’s concept of Spark Joy when deciding what to keep when downsizing. How Lloyd and his family held an Open House, allowing young adults to come in and take things they needed to start their own households as a means of thoughtfully discarding things. Discussing how to find the “right new home” for things that you are letting go. Learning how Lloyd defines a minimalist lifestyle. Read Lloyd's article, "On Decluttering, Downsizing and Surviving a Green Renovation", Tree Hugger Magazine, here: https://goo.gl/cnbFvr What sparks joy for Lloyd: Lloyd shares his joy at looking out over the lake in his Canadian cabin, sitting at his amazing dining room table and the significant back story the table holds. Gems: "Big Brown furniture: Nobody has room anymore!” "That furniture had absorbed the memories of our entire family." "You don’t know if you are an architect or a marriage counsellor." "Start talking to your older family when they are willing to share the history of things." "Do not keep anything that you don’t know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”-William Morris. "We are moving to multi-family and walkable communities and less stuff.” "You just have what you need.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Lloyd Atler.

Welcome to an informative, inspiring series for those of us in our forties, fifties and beyond. In this episode, you will meet the host and then look at insights regarding the choices and challenges we are met with at this age. The two points discussed are: “The only guarantee in life is change, how you respond to it is your choice.” and “Find unusual ways to stay positive – like going OUTSIDE your comfort zone.”   Quotes:   Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln   “have a purpose — your family, your work, your community. There may be no better longevity booster than simply wanting to be here. You have one life; it makes sense to love living it.” Dr. Mehmet Oz   Links mentioned in the show:   Changing Course: Navigating Life After Fifty      book by William A. Sadler, Ph.D. and James H. Krefft, Ph.D.   MSNBC anchor Dylan Ratigan gives up fame and fortune to become a farmer     Mother Nature Network article on Dylan Ratigan   Living Long and Living Well         Dr.   Mehmet Oz's Article

Joel Babbit is the CEO of NARRATIVE CONTENT GROUP -- one of the nation’s leading content marketing companies. It creates, distributes, and publishes content for its own websites and in partnership with many of the world’s leading brands, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Mercedes, Georgia-Pacific, Newman’s Own, SC Johnson, Delta Air Lines, and Bacardi. Websites owned by NARRATIVE include Mother Nature Network (mnn.com) – its flagship property, and the most visited for-profit site in the world for news and information related to sustainability. The company was founded in 2009 by Babbit and Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, and its equity partners include CNN and Discovery Communications. Prior to launching NARRATIVE, Joel spent over 25 years in the advertising and public relations industry. He began his career at McCann-Erickson, where he worked on The Coca-Cola Company account, and was a co-founder of Babbit & Reiman Advertising (acquired by Gold Greenlees Trott) and 360 (acquired by WPP's Grey Global Group). He also previously served as President of WPP’s GCI Group and Executive Vice President of Chiat/Day. Following Atlanta’s selection as host for the 1996 Olympic Games, Joel took a leave of absence from the private sector and was appointed as the City’s first Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. He has been active in numerous civic and non-profit organizations including Young Presidents Organization, The CDC Foundation Board of Visitors, Management Executive Society, GCAPP, The Atlanta History Center, and The Anti-Defamation League. He is a Director of Primerica (NYSE: PRI), GreenSky Credit, and The National Health Museum. In 1992, Joel received the John Drewry Award for Distinguished Achievement in Journalism and was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 1997. In 2015, he was awarded The John Holliman Lifetime Achievement Award by his alma mater – The University of Georgia’s Henry Grady School Of Journalism.

A vegan chef and healthy living educator, Leslie Durso is the glowing face of a fresher plant-based movement that refuses to compromise style for sustainability. Walking the plant-based talk since the age of eight, this Southern California native has always been well ahead of the times with her meatless mindset, but the greater populace is now embracing her teachings more than ever. She currently broadcasts her farm fresh recipes and warmhearted sensibilities to an extensive audience spanning more than 130 countries via LeslieDurso.com. After establishing herself as a private chef for the NYC and Hollywood elite, Leslie emerged as a public persona, hosting cooking segments on television and healthy living content online. Determined to inspire beneficial life-long eating habits for everyone, she has appeared on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, The Hallmark Channel, Everyday Health and Mother Nature Network and written for MindBodyGreen, VegNews, CNN.com, Redbook, Glamour, Maxim, and dozens more, evangelizing the benefits of a mindful lifestyle, delivered with her trademark blend of sunshiney sophistication and girl next door relatability. Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU! The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!

A vegan chef and healthy living educator, Leslie Durso is the glowing face of a fresher plant-based movement that refuses to compromise style for sustainability. Walking the plant-based talk since the age of eight, this Southern California native has always been well ahead of the times with her meatless mindset, but the greater populace is now embracing her teachings more than ever. She currently broadcasts her farm fresh recipes and warmhearted sensibilities to an extensive audience spanning more than 130 countries via LeslieDurso.com. After establishing herself as a private chef for the NYC and Hollywood elite, Leslie emerged as a public persona, hosting cooking segments on television and healthy living content online. Determined to inspire beneficial life-long eating habits for everyone, she has appeared on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, The Hallmark Channel, Everyday Health and Mother Nature Network and written for MindBodyGreen, VegNews, CNN.com, Redbook, Glamour, Maxim, and dozens more, evangelizing the benefits of a mindful lifestyle, delivered with her trademark blend of sunshiney sophistication and girl next door relatability. Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU! The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!

From the Mother Nature Network web site www.MNN.com  The confusing world of service dogsmnn.com The term "service dog" is used a lot in public these days. What was once an assistance animal for blind or deaf individuals, highly trained service dogs are now helping people with a wide range of disabilities, acting as seizure alert dogs, PTSD service dogs, alerting a handler with diabetes to when his blood sugar dips, and so much more.However, as an understanding of the broadened range of what a trained service animal can do reaches the general public, and with the important work the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has done to increase public accessibility and privacy for people with service animals, it has become common for people to call their pets service animals even when they don't meet the legal definition.Related reading: 11 things that humans do that dogs hateA lot of people are interested in calling their pet dogs service animals for reasons that have little to do with mitigating the effects of a disability. Maybe it's so they can bring their pet along on shopping trips, bring them on the plane with them during vacation, or get around housing restrictions for pets. Whatever the reason, claiming your dog is a service animal is no small thing. Those who want to have a dog as a constant companion or a working animal need to be aware of everything that claim entails legally — not to mention how it can effect the reputation of trained service animals everywhere.Service dog versus therapy dog versus emotional support animalThere can be a lot of confusion about the different titles for dogs, particularly when it comes to public access. However, as Please Don't Pet Me points out, "Differentiating between service dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support animals is not a matter of splitting hairs or political correctness. Each of these dogs has a very different job from the others and the terms are not interchangeable."Service dogs have been trained to perform specific tasks that help mitigate a handler's disability.A therapy dog provides comfort to people, particularly in hospitals, nursing homes and schools. While therapy dogs receive training on how to handle themselves in public and around the people they're comforting, they are not trained to do specific tasks to help with a disability.Emotional support animals (ESAs) are pets that provide a high level of comfort to the owner and do not have to have any training.The only animal that legally can go to any public place the handler goes is a service dog.ESAs have some additional legal protection under the Fair Housing Act; a person whose doctor has recommended they have an ESA can have their pet living with them, even in housing that has pet restrictions. They also have some protection under the Air Carrier Access Act, which allows a person with documentation to have their pet travel with them. However, an ESA is still a pet, not a service animal, and does not have the same public access as a service animal. In other words, while you can have your ESA living with you in a no-pet apartment, you can't bring your ESA to the grocery store or coffee shop.The American with Disabilities Act has an excellent FAQ that helps clarify the differences among service dogs, therapy dogs and ESAs. It can be a bit confusing even for those familiar with the territory, so it's easy to imagine the confusion and frustration of business owners or other service providers who have to deal with people who claim a therapy dog or ESA is a service animal.A working dog helps a vision-impaired handler. (Photo: Cylonphoto/Shutterstock)So how do you know if a dog is legally considered a service animal? Ultimately, it's quite simple: A dog is considered a service dog under the law when that dog trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate the handler's disability. It doesn't matter the type of disability the handler has, or whether that disability is physical or psychological.To be allowed to go everywhere with a handler, not only must a dog be able to do a job, but the dog must also stay under the handler's control at all times. In other words, the dog needs to be leashed or harnessed and has to be able to mind his manners. A significant amount of training goes into a service dog's ability to be polite in public. The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners has a standard for the minimum training requirements for public access.There's no overarching organization that deems a dog a service dog and provides certification as such. If you have a physical or psychological disability, your dog consistently and reliably performs tasks that help you with a disability, and your dog has the obedience training to behave in public, then your dog is legally considered a service dog — no paperwork, special certifications or listing in a registry required.But as with any system, there are those who play by the rules and those who don't. Many people willingly "certify" their dogs to get the official-looking paperwork that might wave off a questioning business owner. And that's where things can get hairy.Fake service dogs are a big problemThere has been a public backlash against people who take fake service dogs into public places, and rightfully so. It isn't just about the issue of lying for your own benefit; it's also about the danger the owner is creating for the animal, for other people, and for legitimate service dogs that may find themselves next to an unruly pet."Fake service dogs present a problem for legitimate service dog teams in a number of ways," says Erin Kramer, a professional dog trainer and owner of Tug Dogs. "The first and most widespread is that by taking untrained dogs into public spaces and masking them as service dogs, when they do act inappropriately, it makes it more challenging for legitimate service dogs to be welcomed."For instance, many people put their dogs in shopping carts or allow them to sit on chairs in restaurants. Neither of these activities are allowed for service dogs. Or the owner may allow the dog to go sniff other people, or to seek out attention from strangers or to bark excessively — also behaviors considered unacceptable in trained service dogs. People claiming to have a service animal but who really have an untrained pet with them harm the reputation of legitimate service dogs and make it harder for people with working dogs to gain the respect of business owners, people who grant access to public places, and the public in general.Service dogs don't sit at the table, unless it's for a very specific task that requires contact with their handler. When you see people let their dogs sit at the table with them, that's a good indication the dog is probably a pet. (Photo: Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock)"Illegitimate service dogs often end up unknowingly teaching poor habits to the general public by allowing people to pet or interact with their (so called) service dog." Kramer states, "If your dog is not performing a task for you, it's no big deal to have them busy trying to greet strangers. However, when you have an actual service dog who is there to assist you in some way, you need them focused on their job. Service dog handlers already have to deal with the general public attempting to interact with and otherwise distract their dog. When someone has been able to pet and interact with what they believe to be a legitimate service dog, it can be confusing or disturbing when you have to tell them your dog cannot be petted."Fake service dogs can also cause problems for legitimate service dog-and-handler teams by being reactive or approaching other days to play."Fake service dogs can create problems while out and about for actual service dogs by reacting negatively, such as lunging, barking, growling, and other inappropriate behavior in confined spaces such as at restaurants and in shops," says Kramer. "If a service dog is having to worry about another dog acting aggressively towards them, they cannot focus on their handler's needs, and that can be downright dangerous."As a result, service dogs that have undergone years of training may have to be rehabilitated or retired after being attacked by fake service dogs — and such a loss is a significant one to the handler who needs a working dog to navigate the world.The problems of fake service dogs go way beyond the perception issue. There's also the impact on the well-being of fake service dogs.Colt Rosensweig writes, "Service dogs are specially trained to deal with things like children racing up to them and invading their space, adults randomly reaching for their heads, shopping carts rattling by inches from their face, and crowds pressing in on them from every direction. These things can stress pet dogs out beyond their threshold. Some pet dogs will shut down in the face of such stress — this is very unpleasant for the dog. But some dogs will be so stressed out that they lash out. This is not only unpleasant for the dog, but dangerous to the dog, owner, and members of the public."The problem isn't limited to people who propagate the fake service dog myth, but also to websites that claim to register dogs as service animals or ESAs. Not only does this confuse pet owners, who might think they're playing by the rules by registering their animal, but the certificates or identification cards mailed out to pet owners who flash them in public can cause even more confusion.Are online service animal registries legitimate?Unfortunately, the reality is most websites that offer registration or certification for service animals or emotional support animals are in it to make money and aren't giving you anything of legal value. Not only is there no official certifying organization for service dogs, you don't even need to carry certification for your service dog. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not require service animals to be certified or registered with any company or organization.Service Dog Central writes, "There is no legitimate service dog certification or registration in the United States. Some programs will certify the dogs they train and test, and some do not. Those certificates are the only ones that actually mean anything, and they only mean anything if you have to go to court and prove your dog is trained. They are not required; they are merely useful documentation for the dog's training, which could be substantiated by other means. You don't need them for public access, or housing, or flying, or anything else."Some websites offer a doctor's letter for a fee to those who want to be able to have their pet considered an emotional support animal or service animal for various reasons. Others will register the animal in their database and send out identification cards and a certificate so that everything feels official, even if it isn't. Some services will even charge an annual renewal fee to keep the animal registered, or to renew the doctor's letter each year. Ultimately, while it might help you feel more official, registering your animal with one of these registration services doesn't give you any additional legal protection or status for your pet. Still, some owners want that card.Service Dog Central has a list of scam registration websites, and notes, "Not a single service listed above tests the dogs they certify, register, or ID. They do nothing to verify the dog's training or the owner's disability. All that is required is that the purchaser fill out a form with the information for the certificate and where to mail it, and include payment ranging from $35 to over $200 depending on the package being purchased.""Quite honestly, the registration of the dog on a website is the lowest of our priorities when we train or provide a service dog," says Kramer. "Putting that goal first is a big mix-up in proprieties. I think focusing too much on how and where to buy a vest or register a dog misses the most important element of the service dog experience: having a dog who can do their job."Sometimes, having a card as identification to clip on to your dog's vest makes it easier for those training a service dog to navigate public spaces without being hassled by store owners. But sometimes, whipping out that identification at the slightest questioning does more harm than good.Legally, a business owner can ask only two things: Is your dog a service animal? And what tasks is the dog trained to perform? That's it. Those people presenting the identification to business owners when questioned about their dog unwittingly train the business owner that documentation is available and should be presented. When a legitimate service dog team refuses to show documentation — because legally, they don't have to — the business owner may think that this legitimate team is actually a fake.Can you train your pet to be a service dog?Legally, someone can train a dog to be a service animal, but there's a big caveat here: Most pets are not cut out to be service animals. Beyond being trained to perform specific tasks to help mitigate a handler's disability, a service dog needs to have excellent behavior while in public and be calm despite anything happening around them. The world can be a stressful, scary place for a dog — from loud cars to construction noise, to the chaos of a busy store, to children running up, to people trying to get their attention to give them affection or food, to having to experience something new such as riding on a new form of transportation.A service dog needs to have the mental tools to navigate that loud, hectic world for themselves while also paying attention to the needs of the handler and being able to do the tasks they've been trained to do. It's not a job for any pet. Even dogs bred specifically for the temperament of a service dog "fail" service dog training school for various reasons.So while there may be the option for you to train your dog as a service animal, it's important to realize that your dog likely may not have what it takes to be an effective helper. You also have to realize it takes upward of a year of intense daily training of your dog, and continued training throughout the dog's lifetime to maintain those skills, so it also might be something you as a dog owner don't wish to take on — especially if your only goal is to legally be able to take your pet with you everywhere you go.Training your dog to be a service dog needs to come from the right place and to happen for the right reasons because it's a serious long-term commitment — and it also affects the reputation of legitimate service dogs everywhere.How to train your dog to be a (legal) service dog"There is a lot of confusion out there about what it takes to have a service dog who meets legal requirements and can perform the tasks required of them, or to turn your own dog into a service dog," says Kramer. "With different regional regulations, conflicting internet information, and even many trainers not knowing some of the details, it can be challenging just to figure out how to get started."If you and a medical professional feel a service dog would benefit you, and you think your pet dog is an ideal candidate, the best place to start is to find a reliable trainer who has experience in training both service dogs and handlers. Not only is it important that the trainer have excellent skills with dogs but because you will be doing practically all of the hands-on training, they need to be good at teaching people as well. The trainer will guide you on thedaily training and how to build up to advanced skills for your dog.Do your research in finding the right trainer for you. Then set up an evaluation so the trainer can let you know if she thinks your dog will be able to handle the responsibility. Be prepared to hear that your pet should remain a pet. However, if both of you have what it takes to tackle training, then you'll be able to move forward in what will likely be many months, if not a year or two, of daily work.Kramer gives an overview of what to expect with her program: "We first ensure our clients meet legal requirements by having a doctor's note indicating that in fact they would benefit from the use of a service animal. We then look at the team (handler and dog) to see how they interact, what weaknesses are present, and what tasks need to be trained."A service dog in training is not yet legally recognized as a service dog. However, some states are more lenient about providing public access to service dogs in training to help teach them how to behave in public. For instance, California allows a person with a disability who is training a service dog, or a licensed trainer to have the dog with him in a public place for training purposes. Check with your city and state to know the laws about public access.Building your dog's service skills is a long process. "We work toward the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test in the early stages of training, and then public access standards as set by Assistance Dogs International," says Kramer "If, at the end of this rigorous process a client chooses to register with an online resource, they can do so knowing that their dog has met all the requirements and can actually do the job they need to do."Ultimately the final exam for a service dog is this: Can a service dog perform tasks that help a handler cope with a disability and be with that handler at all times, remaining calm in any public situation? Federal law allows businesses and organizations to remove a service dog that is out of control or that isn't housebroken. Your service dog's training and your abilities as a handler are the real access pass to public places, not some certificate bought online."Certifications and ID cards can be faked," Rosensweig writes. "Impeccable behavior can’t be purchased for $50 from an Internet scam site. It can’t be obtained in a day. It takes an incredible amount of time and dedication. People who want to 'take Fluffykins with me everywhere!' are not the kind of people who will put in two years of training to make sure Fluffykins can handle it."However, if you and your dog can put years into training, then you certainly have the potential to become a legitimate team that can add respect to the reputation of service dogs and handlers everywhere.

Jim Motavalli joins us by phone from his home in Fairfield, Connecticut.  Jim is the author of a new book titled "High Voltage: The Fast Track to Plug In the Auto Industry" and helped us sort out some of the issues around EVs.  Mr. Motavalli is an auto journalist who writes for the New York Times, Car Talk, the Mother Nature Network and PlugInCars.com.  Jim has been covering the emerging electric vehicle industry for the last decade.   He reported that if he finds some extra money in his sofa cushions he'll be buying a Tesla Roadster.   Rodale Press has donated some copies of "High Voltage" as premiums for new and renewing members.  Give us a call at 303-449-4885 and you'll be reading Jim's book faster than you can charge up your Nissan Leaf. (Motavalli interview starts at 4:39). Shelley Schlender visited with Colorado State University Scientist and Paleolithic Lifestyle expert Loren Cordain to talk about acne prevention.    Cordain asserts that the best “prescription” for preventing acne is to eat the foods that have always helped traditional cultures be acne-free.  That means lots and lots of vegetables, along with some fruit.  Meanwhile, kick out modern foods--especially high glycemic foods . . . that means avoid sugary and starchy modern stuff  -- you know, sodas, candy, bread and pasta.  Cordain also says to eliminate dairy.  (Cordain interview starts at 16:05). Producer: Tom McKinnon Co-Hosts: Breanna Draxler and Tom McKinnon Engineer: Ted Burnham Executive Producer: Tom McKinnon