We feature Indigenous land defenders and water protectors, ethnobotanists, regenerative advocates, and spiritual leaders.

Indigenous Regeneration

As momentum continues to grow around the Land Back movement and Indigenous stewardship worldwide, the value of hearing from Elders who have long studied Indigenous traditions and lifeways, whether adopted or of their heritage, is a growing imperative. Their lived wisdom is essential, a gift and treasure for future generations, and continues the cycle of dynamic, intergenerational learning in the traditional way — the way of direct, felt experience and deep listening. 

This is an encore presentation of our 2022 conversation with Payoomkawish (Juaneño/Luiseño) Elder Richard Bugbee [https://www.indigenousregeneration.org/]. Hear him share insights from his decades of studying the way of plants. He emphasized the importance of reclaiming our ways of seeing, being and understanding the world by reclaiming Native languages and observing the world more closely. Enjoy provocative insights from an elder who has devoted his lifetime to the study of plants and their uses, re-learning of language, and the practice of material culture. 

For an extended version of this interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/posts/ethnobotany-fire-68593058

Richard Bugbee is Payoomkawish (also known as Payómkawichum Juaneño/Luiseño) from northern San Diego County. Richard has ties with multiple Indigenous nations including the Kumeyaay. He is an Instructor of Kumeyaay Ethnobotany and Ethnoecology at Cuyamaca College through Kumeyaay Community College [http://kumeyaaycommunitycollege.com/]. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival (AICLS) [https://aicls.org/]. Richard is on the boards of Indigenous Regeneration (Mata’Yuum), Climate Science Alliance, and Inter-Tribal Fire Stewardship. 

Richard was the Curator of the Kumeyaay Culture Exhibit at the Southern Indian Health Council, the Associate Director/Curator of the San Diego American Indian Culture Center & Museum, and the Indigenous Education Specialist for the San Diego Museum of Man. He was a member of the Native American Council for California State Parks, California Indian Basketweavers Association ((CIBA), the Land ConVersation, and the Elders’ Circle for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Richard has been learning traditional plant uses of southern California and the Kumeyaay language from Jane Dumas, a Kumeyaay Elder from Jamul Indian Village from 1980 to 2014. He was the ethnobotanist for the Traditional Indian Health Program through Riverside-San Bernardino Indian Health providing information on the interactions between traditional plant and pharmaceutical medicines. He teaches indigenous material cultures and traditional plant uses of southern California at many museums, botanical gardens, and reservations, and is an instructor for summer cultural programs for several Kumeyaay tribes. His goal is to use knowledge to serve as a bridge that connects the wisdom of the Elders with today’s youth.

Listen to our related show on Indigenous Regeneration from 2022: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/indigenous-regeneration-remembering-the-past-to-inspire-the-future/

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/ethnobotany-cultural-fire-and-indigenous-stewardship-with-payoomkawish-elder-richard-bugbee/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
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Hosted by Carry Kim
Intro by Jessica Aldridge
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Episode 140

Ethnobotany, Cultural Fire, and Indigenous Stewardship with Payoomkawish Elder Richard Bugbee

Ahupua’a. The ancient Hawaiian system that honors the interconnectedness of the land, waters, clouds and all living things. The system is inherently based in sacred reciprocity, sustainability, collaboration with and responsibility to others: to the lands, waters, and life itself, thriving from the mountains to the sea. 

The destruction of the Lahaina Fire is an example where the connections between people and the land had become broken and out of balance to the detriment of all. Within the Ahupua’a, the people would practice: aloha (respect), laulima (cooperation) and malama (care or stewardship) in order for the whole to be pono or in sacred balance. 

The system encompasses culture, spirituality, hydrology, aquaculture, forestry, land regeneration, and caring for watersheds. Ahupua’a is a living example of ancestral wisdom, innovation and well-being where the people take care of the land and the land in turn, takes care of them. Kumu Mikilani Young [http://mikilaniyoung.com], Co-Founder of the nonprofits, United Pillars of Aloha and Kaiapuni Ho’ola Piha Sanctuary, joins us on this show to share the essence of the Ahupua’a system as a global example of how we can unify, be abundant and fulfill our shared responsibility to Mother Earth.  


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/posts/87744154?pr=true
 
Discussion with Mikilani on youth advocacy in 2021: https://wilderutopia.com/landscape/spiritual/kiai-up-the-rise-of-empowered-youth-with-mikilani-young/ 
Discussion with Mikilani on stopping Mauna Kea in 2018: https://wilderutopia.com/landscape/spiritual/ecojustice-radio-ku-kiai-mauna-the-mauna-kea-movement-to-protect-sacred-sites-ep-25-part-i/ 

Mikilani Young is a Kanaka Maoli (or Hawaiian) traditional kumu hula and cultural practitioner who lives and walks a spiritual path set by her ancestors and guided by ke Akua (which means Creator/God). She has been a teacher for 26 years, where her approach to the practice and teaching of Indigenous Hawaiian ways is suited to the challenging times we live in. Her path is a discerning one to not exploit or diminish the mana of her own knowledge while maintaining and honoring the Creator of the Universe. The work she has done as a co-founder of the nonprofits (United Pillars of Aloha and Kaiapuni Ho’ola Piha Sanctuary) [http://mikilaniyoung.com], is in service of Mother Earth and the unborn generations. 


Carry Kim is Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 186
Photo credit: Mikilani Young

The Ahupua’a System of Hawai’i: Serving the Lands and Waters with Kumu Mikilani Young

In this episode, we wander into the global 15-Minute City conversation that started with an urban planning vision of a world where schools, jobs, parks, and coffee shops are a short train or bike ride away. But amidst the green utopian dream, dystopian concerns have arisen. Voices like Joe Rogan [https://www.joerogan.com/] and Oh the Urbanity YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/c/OhTheUrbanity] weigh in, unpacking the fears of a society locked in by invisible and visible boundaries. 

Moreover, we hear from the practitioners, Professor Carlos Moreno [https://www.moreno-web.net/] who founded the concept for Paris, Data Scientist Angel Hsu [https://sternstrategy.com/speakers/angel-hsu/] who illustrates how urban living and climate harsh realities collide, and Canadian urbanist city planner Brent Toderian [https://toderianurbanworks.com/brent/] lays out the grand design. Will the 15-minute city liberate or incarcerate? Listen as we dissect an urban blueprint for tomorrow.


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 
More Info: 
15-Minute City with Carlos Moreno https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2f4sJVXAI
Angel Hsu https://www.ted.com/speakers/angel_hsu 
Oh The Urbanity - Prison Cities https://youtu.be/DpXqY_j1m1U?si=Id1Rs9ryzvkfb0EO 
An Evening with Brent Toderian https://youtu.be/fVVdmRGZ0hM?si=MwrPVxO-zfrRcP32 



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia  [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 213
Photo credit: Pixabay

Urban Utopia or Dystopia? The 15-Minute City Debate

In this transformative episode, Dr. Zach Bush [http://zachbushmd.com/] shares his insights on the intricate links between the health of our planet and the health of humanity. Learn about the light energy within us that has been dimming since the 1940s and its relation to the rise of chronic diseases. Delve into the ancient stories of human spirituality and their impact on our modern world with Host Carry Kim. This is a conversation that will change the way you see your place in nature.



Ours is a time that requires fortitude, resiliency, introspection, observation, connection and action. We are aware of the multitude of things afflicting humanity and the world, much of which has been human-induced whether we speak of climate change, conflicts, injustice of all kinds, destruction of the ecosystem and our microbiomes, degradation of soil, loss of biodiversity or personal dis-ease and the deterioration of collective health. 


Dr. Zach Bush has devoted his life and research to the exploration of what harms and what heals ourselves, our food systems, waterways, the soil, and the often unseen world of microbiology. His journey has been a deep and collaborative dive into understanding and revealing root cause. How did we get here and how will we change to chart a better course not just for humanity, but for all inhabitants with whom we share this planet? This conversation is more inquiry than "answers." It is a pondering of our times and an asking of questions, without the resolution of "answers." It is an attempt to connect some of the dots between human and planetary health and to awaken our collective memories as intrinsic parts of Nature.


   
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 



Zach Bush, MD [http://zachbushmd.com/]is a renowned, multi-disciplinary physician and internationally recognized educator on the microbiome as it relates to human health, soil health, food systems, and a regenerative future. He founded *Seraphic Group [http://seraphicgroup.com/] and the non-profit Farmer’s Footprint [http://www.farmersfootprint.us/] to develop root-cause solutions for human and ecological health. His education has highlighted the need for a radical departure from chemical farming and pharmacy, and his ongoing efforts are providing a path for consumers, farmers, and mega-industries to work together for a healthy future for people and the planet.


Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 214

The Intelligence of Nature: Science and a Resilient Humanity for Planetary Healing w/ Dr. Zach Bush

On this show, we discuss how we can revolutionize architecture and landscape design by emulating Nature’s genius. From an interview we did in 2023, our guest Ecological Architect Carl Welty [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/], paints a picture of ancient cities oriented to the sun’s movements, capturing its energy without machines. Modern city design often ignores the natural context, the flow of water, sensitive ecological habitats, in favor of geometric patterns – with problematic implications for the complex web of nature’s closed-loop systems. Carl Welty sees solutions to our climate and environmental messes through ecological design.

Employing simple passive solar design strategies like orienting buildings south, using overhangs and thermal mass, makes homes and offices 50% to 80% more efficient while costing the same.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Carl Welty. Ecological Architect and Principal of Carl Welty Architects [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/]. has over 35 years of experience in the field of architecture and is based in Southern California. Carl's experience includes projects with difficult sites and complex structural requirements; a passive solar house that is Certified LEED Platinum; a Water Education campus that embodies important and timely water issues. He designs buildings that are twice as energy-efficient as typical green buildings by incorporating simple, time-tested, climate-appropriate design principles.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 191

Carl Welty: Designing Architecture and Landscapes with Nature’s Ecological Wisdom

For Indigenous peoples, such as the Māori, Water is an Ancestor, a living entity to be communed with, revered and treated with sacred reciprocity. We spoke with Heni Unwin in 2023 as she shared her perspectives as a Maori descendant and marine scientist.
  

Humanity has a primordial connection to water. For Indigenous peoples, such as the Māori, Water is an Ancestor, a living entity to be communed with, revered and treated with sacred reciprocity. We owe our lives to the oceans, rivers, lakes and streams of the world. And although marine ecosystems have often been viewed and studied through the abstract lens of economics or science, today, traditional Indigenous knowledge and cultural relationships with marine life and water in all its forms, are at the forefront of a new weaving that blends the ancestral past with the present. 

There is a growing wish to restore traditional concepts of marine and aquatic cultivation and care, to address climate change, microplastics, health of marine life, contaminants, and aquaculture. If water is an ancestor, what is our obligation to it? How do we restore a harmonious relationship with water, that supports future generations of life, and preserves the lifeways and worldviews of Indigenous peoples? What do  the waters of the world ask of us? What should stewardship of marine ecosystems look like? What might we learn from the Māori, expert navigators of the waters, who have long held that their relationship to the land and waters is sacred. To them: Nature is everything. In this episode, join Heni Unwin, Kairangahau or Research Scientist with the Cawthron Institute [https://www.cawthron.org.nz/], in pondering these questions from her diverse perspectives as a Māori descendant and marine scientist. 
 
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Heni Unwin is a marine scientist in Te Kāhui Āio or Māori Research Team [https://www.cawthron.org.nz/our-people/heni-unwin/]. Her main role is to interweave science and Mātauranga Māori – the Maori world view – into research projects. She is passionate about caring for the taiao - the environment – that cares for her.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 197

The Ancestor of Water & The Maori Way with Heni Unwin

We embark on the first part of a series by Jack Eidt who joined the artistic residency of Osceola Refetoff, a Canadian-American visual artist and photojournalist, in Antofagasta, Chile. Supported by SACO Cultural Corporation, this residency places a spotlight on the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and its rich yet troubled history with mining. We delve into the environmental and social impacts of mining in this region, the historical context of Latin American exploitation, and the legacy of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Featuring poignant quotes from local authors and music that reflects Chile's cultural heritage, this episode is a profound exploration of eco-justice, history, and art.

Spanish Translation: https://wilderutopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Historia-del-Chile-y-el-desierto-Atacama-EcoJustice-Radio.pdf

**Historical Context and Colonial Legacy**

The episode explores the economic motivations and political maneuverings that have led to the region's exploitation, including the devastating impact of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Eduardo Galeano's seminal work, "Open Veins of Latin America," serves as a guiding narrative, revealing the systematic stripping of the continent's resources and the resulting poverty and underdevelopment.

**Interview with Don Victor Loyola**

We interview Don Victor Loyola, a former miner who now works for the municipal museum in Maria Elena. His firsthand account provides invaluable insights into the history of mining in the Atacama and the devastating effects of the industry's boom-and-bust cycles. 

**Indigenous Presence and Geoglyphs**

The Atacama Desert is also home to a rich indigenous history, evidenced by the thousands of geoglyphs that dot the landscape. These ancient works of art, created by the region's early inhabitants, offer a glimpse into the spiritual and practical lives of the people who once thrived in this harsh environment. The episode explores the significance of these geoglyphs and their role in the transportation networks that connected ancient South American civilizations.

**A Call to Action**

As we reflect on the Atacama's past and present, it becomes clear that the region's future depends on a commitment to eco-justice and sustainable development. This episode serves as a call to action, urging listeners to consider the long-term impacts of mining and the importance of protecting both communities and ecosystems.

Music Featured

Violeta Parra “Gracias a la Vida.”
Victor Jara “The Right to Live in Peace.”
Illapu “Raza Brava”


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Victor Loyola has a thirty year history working in the mining industry in the Atacama Desert of Chile and presently works in tourism at the Municipal Museum [https://fundacionmariaelena.com/] in Maria Elena, Chile. 


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 229
Photo credit: Osceola Refetoff

Ghost Towns and Geoglyphs: Exploring Chile's Atacama Desert

In this episode, we delve into the rich mythology of the K’iche’ Maya Kingdom of Highland Guatemala through the Popol Vuh, an ancient text that narrates the creation myth and the epic tales of two hero twins, Hunahpu (Blow-gun Hunter) and Xbalanque (Young Hidden/Jaguar-Sun). Join us as we explore the dawn of life, the trials of the hero twins, and the profound cosmological insights embedded in this sacred book. Discover how these ancient stories continue to resonate in modern-day Guatemala and the enduring legacy of the Popol Vuh.

Popol Vuh, the creation myth of the Maya Kiche, animated in 1988 from paintings on pottery. Conceived, produced, directed, and written by Patricia Amlin. Narrated by Larry George of the Yakima Nation. Voices by Teatro Campesino. Music by Tod Boekilheide, Xochimoki, Mazatl Galindo and Jim Berenholtz. 60 minutes.

The Popol Vuh : Mayan Creation Myth Animated Full Version: https://youtu.be/vOEQNo5m4rg?si=vx_zS2jYqyHaHHH0 


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:
https://wilderutopia.com/traditions/myth/popol-vuh-the-ancient-maya-dawn-of-life-and-overcoming-the-forces-of-awe/ 

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 232

Popol Vuh: The Maya Creation Myth Unveiled

In this episode, we delve into the historical and contemporary implications of the Monroe Doctrine and U.S. intervention in Latin America. Host Jack Eidt mixes excerpts from Rubén Darío’s poetry (Nicaragua) and Gabriel García Márquez’s fiction (Colombia) with an interview of Yale historian Greg Grandin by journalist Michael Fox. They explore how Simon Bolivar's legacy and the Monroe Doctrine have shaped U.S. imperialism in Central and South America. They trace the origins of Bolivar's fight for independence, the creation and evolution of the Monroe Doctrine, and its lasting effects on U.S. foreign policy. The interview originates from Michael Fox's podcast series "Under the Shadow," [https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow] produced in collaboration with the Real News Network and NACLA, the North American Congress on Latin America [https://nacla.org/].
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:
Under the Shadow Podcast Episode: https://therealnews.com/he-legacy-of-monroe-under-the-shadow-bonus-episode-4 

Simon Bolivar History From NBC News https://youtu.be/wxuxFg_8nkI?si=eZAH6W3FmCT6ZGYD 

Chilean folk music group, Inti Illimani doing the song Simon Bolivar from 1973
https://youtu.be/AObTf9yOdoQ?si=7iRpeA3u8BQqQLt- 


Greg Grandin is the author of Fordlandia, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. A Professor of History at Yale University, Grandin has published a number of other award-winning books, including Empire's Workshop, The Last Colonial Massacre, and The Blood of Guatemala [https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IQW9VI].

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/simon-bolivar-the-monroe-doctrine-and-us-intervention-in-latin-america/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 234

Simón Bolívar, the Monroe Doctrine, and US Intervention in Latin America

According to Dr Kristine Nichols, a soil microbiologist and regenerative agriculture expert, of the 900 million arable acres in the U.S., only about 1.5% is being farmed regeneratively. Yet, this continues to change, despite consolidation of farms, the majority of foods on this continent are still grown by small farmers. Regenerative is our future and also our past, as Indigenous peoples have long cared for this Earth, knowing it is our inheritance and responsibility. We owe a debt to how they have cared for the land through their culture, lifeways and connection to Mother Earth. 

Our guest from earlier this year, Gabe Brown, Regenerative Farmer and Rancher out of North Dakota, and a Partner in Understanding Ag [https://understandingag.com] and the Soil Health Academy [https://soilhealthacademy.org/] is a leading voice reminding us to return to tend the land as stewards, relatives, and children born of the land. Regenerative farming promotes soil health, restores the water cycle, increases biodiversity and the holistic health of the ecosystem. Aligning with regenerative farms, and creating beyond sustainable local food systems, requires us to shift to a consciousness of caring for the Earth as Indigenous peoples have done since time immemorial. Understanding and undertaking this personally and collectively is key to the continuance of life. 

It all begins with the soil, whether we are talking about food security and sovereignty, climate change or the need to heal ourselves and the soil, so that all life from microbes to insects to plants, animals, and humans can thrive together. It is not a hierarchy but a circle and cycle of care that we must urgently attend to for future generations. Gabe Brown joins us now to share his journey and how we can collectively contribute to an abundant future with regenerative farming.

   
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 
Featured Video:
Understanding Ag: 
https://youtu.be/9yPjoh9YJMk?si=aclF95oje6IFq6EY 

Gabe Brown is one of the pioneers of the current soil health movement which focuses on the regeneration of our resources. Gabe and his wife and son operate Brown's Ranch [https://brownsranch.us/], a diversified 5,000 acre farm and ranch near Bismarck, North Dakota. Gabe was named one of the twenty-five most influential agricultural leaders in the United States and is also the author of the book, “Dirt to Soil, One Family’s Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture.” He is a partner in Understanding Ag [https://understandingag.com] and an instructor for Soil Health Academy [https://soilhealthacademy.org/], which focuses on teaching others the power and importance of healthy functioning ecosystems.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 209
Photo credit: Gabe Brown

Regenerating the Future: Gabe Brown's Soil Health Revolution

When Joanna Macy speaks, the world listens. At 95, this eco-philosopher, author, and Buddhist scholar continues to inspire and guide those yearning for a sustainable future. We present an episode of EcoJustice Radio that celebrates Macys life and work, particularly her concept of The Great Turning.

We delve into Joanna's groundbreaking work, "The Great Turning," examining the transformative journey from an industrial growth society to a life-sustaining civilization. With excerpts from a 2002 talk and a 2018 interview, Macy's insights on activism, spirituality, and deep ecology offer a beacon of hope and a call to action for a better world. Tune in to be inspired by Joanna Macy's vision for a sustainable future and her unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and environmentalism.

More Info:
Joanna Macy and the Great Turning Talk in British Columbia 2002 https://youtu.be/ZB6YcL0vy74?si=cJgf_YC_NimYH1Bf


Joanna Macy 2018 interview: https://wilderutopia.com/landscape/spiritual/ecojustice-radio-joanna-macy-and-the-great-turning-episode-10/


Joanna Macy is the Founder of the Work That Reconnects, a groundbreaking framework and methodology for personal and social change. She is an international spokesperson for anti-nuclear causes, peace, justice, and environmentalism, most renowned for her book, Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World and the Great Turning initiative, which deals with the transformation from, as she terms it, an industrial growth society to what she considers to be a more sustainable civilization. She has created a theoretical framework for personal and social change, and a workshop methodology for its application. Her work addresses psychological and spiritual issues, Buddhist thought, and contemporary science, and helps people transform despair and apathy into constructive, collaborative action. Learn more at: https://www.joannamacy.net/main

The Work That Reconnects sees the world reality told in three stories: Business As Usual, the Great Unraveling, and the Great Turning. The third story, the Great Turning is the epochal transition from an industrial growth society to a life-sustaining civilization.

More information: https://workthatreconnects.org/




Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.



Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
2018 Interview by Carry Kim from EcoJustice Radio.
Engineer: JP Morris
Executive Producer: Mark Morris
Interview Music: Javier Kadry


Episode 219
Photo credit: Joanna Macy

Joanna Macy: Embracing the Great Turning in an Upside-Down World

In this episode, we delve into the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, examining the underlying causes and the lessons we can learn. Economics Professor Richard Wolff critiques the blame game often played by political figures and industries, emphasizing instead the systemic issues rooted in profit-driven motives. We explore the impact of climate change and the urgent need for systemic change to prioritize safety over profit. Additionally, we gain insights from Dr. Michael Mann on the scientific community's understanding of climate change's role in exacerbating such disasters. The episode also touches on Lakota spirituality with David Little Elk, offering a unique perspective on humanity's connection to the elements and the importance of respecting nature.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Sources:
Wolff Responds: "The Lesson California's Fires Should Teach Us" Dated January 15, 2025 from Democracy at Work
https://x.com/profwolff/status/1879582067283132509 

Michael Mann on SiriusXM with Zerlina Maxwell Discussing California Wildfires (JAN 13 2025)

https://youtu.be/bH4bWFON--Y?si=u0avZazGFoqFaU2x 

David Little Elk Lakota Spirituality Fire People

https://youtu.be/n6bCO6_g7LM?si=ggho-tLq4Hp0dRhA 


Richard D. Wolff [https://www.rdwolff.com/] is Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is currently a Visiting Professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs of the New School University, New York City. Prof Wolff is the co-founder of Democracy at Work [https://www.democracyatwork.info/] and host of their nationally syndicated show Economic Update.

Dr. Michael E. Mann [https://michaelmann.net/] is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. He also serves as Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media (PCSSM).

David Little Elk, [https://wolakota7.com/] an Itazipco-Sicangu Lakota Sioux, is a Lakota Language and Spirituality Teacher, and a Spiritual Advisor and Consultant.



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 246
Photo credit: Josh Field via Pexels

Climate Crisis Ignites: Why L.A.'s Fires Are a Wake-Up Call

We pay tribute to the late Mike Davis to explore the ongoing ecological crises facing Southern California and the socio-political dynamics that shape our responses to disaster. This is an intellectual tour de force as Davis goes deep in this recording from 1995 at the architectural school SCI-Arc, where he taught at the time. He outlines the history of damage caused by natural disasters in Southern California. Popular culture seems fascinated with the destruction of Los Angeles, and most recent events have breathed life into that narrative. 

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Davis discusses the complexity of California’s Mediterranean climate, arguing for a new “environmental epistemology.” He calls for a rethinking of California’s resource and disaster planning. Noting the extreme hydroclimatic shifts throughout California history, he suggests a disruption of capitalist hydraulic civilization in California is inevitable–and here we are. We are in serious need of an environmental rethink in any rebuilding–or rewilding–plans.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

More Mike Davis: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/tribute-to-the-late-urban-history-provocateur-mike-davis/

Sources:
Full show of Mike Davis 1995 Presentation from SCI-Arc https://youtu.be/evJpgKQ6YWU?si=oPJ_rzpI-45oIHys 

Mike Davis, who passed away in 2022, was a writer and urban theorist who is most known for his work demythologizing the fractured wild-urban landscape of Southern California. Once a meat cutter and a truck driver, he was Professor Emeritus at University of California, Riverside, a Macarthur Fellow, and the author of more than 20 books. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in works such as City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles (1990) and Late Victorian Holocausts (2001). In this show we focus on his book, “The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster.”


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 247
Photo credit: Ecology of Fear cover

Mike Davis On Southern California’s Landscape of Disaster

In this episode, host Carry Kim engages with Maya Khosla, a wildlife biologist, writer, poet, and filmmaker, to discuss the intricate relationship between fire and forest ecosystems. Together, they explore the regeneration of giant sequoias after wildfires and the importance of embracing fire as a catalyst for biodiversity rather than a destructive force. Maya shares her experiences documenting post-fire environments and the vital role they play in supporting wildlife. This episode invites listeners to rethink their perceptions of fire and its impact on nature, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of our interdependence with the environment.


What are the potentials for responding to and relating with fire in a balanced and beneficial versus fearful and apprehensive way? Because fire is feared by many and much misunderstood, post-fire or snag forests are often clear-cut or heavily logged, and then turned into biomass or wood pellets burned for electricity. Living trees that are recovering post-fire can also be cut; trees are sometimes wrongly cut in anticipation of fire. Snag forests are a precious habitat, supporting the intricacies of restoration and biodiversity in the wake of fire; assisting in the thriving of many species, from fungi to black-backed woodpeckers, owls, weasels, bobcats, bears and countless more.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


RESOURCES
Three "Minute notes" about Chad Hanson's work:
Taxpayer dollars: https://vimeo.com/806625688 - taxpayer dollars
Woodpeckers, homemakers: https://vimeo.com/806627213 - woodpeckers, homemakers
Regeneration: https://vimeo.com/806623485 


Maya Khosla [https://www.mayakhosla.com/], a biologist and writer with training as a toxicologist, has spent thousands of hours hiking, backpacking, and documenting forests. Working in collaboration with other scientists, she recently investigated the astonishing post-fire regeneration of giant sequoias in Nelder Grove and Redwood Mountain Grove. As Sonoma County Poet Laureate (2018-2020), she brought Sonoma’s communities together to heal through gatherings, field walks, and shared writing after the wildfires. Her awards include the 2023 Fund for Wild Nature Grassroots Activist Award, the 2020 Environmentalist of the Year Award (Sonoma County Conservation Council, SCCC), and the 2020 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. After surveying forests of the Sierra Nevada, she created a short documentary film, Searching for the Gold Spot [https://www.mayakhosla.com/searching-for-the-gold-spot], about wild places that experience rejuvenation and supporting high biodiversity after wildfire – where they are not logged. Her work has been featured in For the Wild, and in the film Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire.


Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 251
Photo credit: Maya Khosla

The Wild After Wildfire: Evolving our Response to Fire with Maya Khosla

In this episode, we welcome Rebecca John, an investigative climate reporter at the Climate Investigation Center [https://climateinvestigations.org/] and the news outlet DeSmog. She has uncovered a series of alarming revelations about the oil industry's manipulation of public perception and climate science. We delve into the historical context of the oil and gas lobby, exploring how entities like the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) have influenced research and public opinion since the 1950s. From the origins of the Air Pollution Foundation to the ongoing battle against climate change, Rebecca sheds light on the intricate web of misinformation and the urgent need for public action.
 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Archival documents published by The Guardian and DeSmog show that the Air Pollution Foundation  — the front group WSPA created as a means of delaying clean air regulation implementation aimed at curbing deadly smog emissions in Los Angeles and statewide —  led to the discovery of climate change. WSPA was the top funder of the Air Pollution Foundation, whose research concluded that atmospheric carbon could “ultimately prove of considerable significance to civilization.” 


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources:

Revealed: Big Oil Told 70 Years Ago That Fossil Fuel Emissions Could Impact ‘Civilization’ - DeSmog
https://www.desmog.com/2024/11/12/revealed-big-oil-told-70-years-ago-that-fossil-fuel-emissions-could-impact-civilization/ 


Rebecca John is a Research Fellow at the Climate Investigations Center [https://climateinvestigations.org/who_we_are/]. She is also a freelance investigative journalist and award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a Producer and Director of the acclaimed “Extreme Oil” / “Curse of Oil” [https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-curse-of-oil/] series for PBS /BBC. 

The Climate Investigations Center (CIC) was established in 2014 to monitor the individuals, corporations, trade associations, political organizations and front groups who work to delay the implementation of sound energy and environmental policies that are necessary in the face of ongoing climate crisis.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 253
Photo credit: Rebecca John

Seeing Through the Smog: How Big Oil Manipulates Climate Science with Rebecca John

In this episode, we welcome Ben Loescher, founding principal of Loescher Meachem Architects [https://adobeisnotsoftware.com/], to discuss the viability of adobe construction in rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles following devastating wildfires. 


We also share an excerpted discussion between Marysia Miernowska, Director of the School of Sacred Wild and Dastan Khalili, President of the Cal-Earth Foundation, and a short clip from architect and artist Ronald Rael, who teaches architecture at UC Berkeley. His piece, Adobe Oasis, premiered the other day at DesertX Land Art Exhibition in Palm Springs.



We delve into the potential of alternative materials, yes, adobe and other earthen constructions, as sustainable solutions for future building projects. Loescher shares insights on the importance of adaptive reuse, the challenges of current building codes, and the vital relationship between architecture and the environment. Join us for an enlightening conversation about how we can construct a more sustainable future.



 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 



For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources:
Mud Man Short film: https://adobeisnotsoftware.com/mud-man/ 
Marysia Miernoska interview with Dastan Khalili: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DE5zmtuyGqV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 
Ronald Rael short clip: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGGvLobi_Bp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

Ben Loescher is a founding Principal at Loescher Meachem Architects [http://www.lmarchitectsinc.com/] where his work focuses around reuse of existing buildings, high performance workplace design for the film, television and media industries, and innovation in earthen construction. Ben provides education for earthen building through his website AdobeIsNotSoftware.com [https://adobeisnotsoftware.com/], is currently Chair of the Earthbuilders’ Guild, the U.S. trade association for earthen construction and a board member for Adobe in Action, a New Mexico based non-profit focused on assisting individuals in creating affordable earthen housing.

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 255
Photo credit: Loescher Meachem Architects


Building Resilience: The Future of Adobe in Fire-Prone Areas

On this show, in honor of the upcoming Bioneers Conference in Berkeley at the end of the month, we focus on the enduring legacy of 94-year old elder Oren Lyons, Onondaga Chief and a beacon of Indigenous culture and environmental activism. We explore Oren's insights from the 2024 Bioneers conference, his reflections on the Haudenosaunee principles of peace, and his impassioned plea for a value shift towards communal living and environmental harmony. His keynote address was entitled To Survive, We Must Transform our Values. Discover the unwritten history of Turtle Island and the wisdom that could lead humanity to a more just and sustainable world.



Bioneers [https://bioneers.org/] is a nonprofit organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet. Founded in 1990 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by social entrepreneurs Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons, they act as a hub of social and scientific innovators with practical and visionary solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.




For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


More Info: 
Bioneers Conference https://conference.bioneers.org/ 

Oren Lyons, “We Are Part of the Earth” Sacred Lands Film Project: https://youtu.be/bSwmqZ272As?si=crGAyku6eCrFwbaC 

Oren Lyons on The Wizard of Oz, Sacred Lands Film Project: https://youtu.be/t8ttzSwYFa8?si=43nbAQNXGPcz1ZuI 

More on Oren Lyons: https://wilderutopia.com/international/earth/oren-lyons-on-the-unity-of-the-earth/ 

Oren Lyons, a Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan who serves as a Member Chief of the Onondaga Council of Chiefs and the Grand Council of the Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the Haudenosaunee peoples), is an accomplished artist, social and environmental activist, and author; a Professor Emeritus at SUNY Buffalo; a leading voice at the UN Permanent Forum on Human Rights for Indigenous Peoples; and the recipient of many prestigious national and international prizes including The UN NGO World Peace Prize.

Casey Camp-Horinek, a member of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, is a longtime activist, environmentalist, actress, and author. Her work has led to the Ponca Nation being the first tribe in Oklahoma to adopt a Rights of Nature statute and to pass a moratorium on fracking on its territory. Casey, who was instrumental in the drafting of the first International Indigenous Women’s Treaty protecting the Rights of Nature, works with Indigenous and other leaders and organizations globally and sits on the boards of WECAN, Movement Rights, and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature.




Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia  [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 218
Photo credit: Oren Lyons


Voices of the Earth: Oren Lyons on Survival and Change

In the words of Terence McKenna, since the rise of western monotheism the human experience has been marginalized. We have been told that we were unimportant in the cosmic drama when one considers the power of creation of the one God. But we now know as the global temperatures rise and glaciers melt from the burning of fossil fuels and the feedback mechanisms associated with the greenhouse effect: the impact of human culture on the Earth is massive. So how do we reverse the course of destruction created out of the human imagination? Some have postulated plant medicines learned from Indigenous societies of the Americas have a way to reintegrate humans into the processes of the Earth to heal the sickness and warming all around.

In this show from 2024, we explore human symbiotic relationships with plants and chemicals in the sacred peyote medicine used by the Native American Church in the US and in societies in the mountains of Mexico. We look at the work of several ethnobotanists who also studied the plants and the rites associated with ayahuasca or yage in South America. Richard Evans Schultes and Terence McKenna researched the ancient human relationship with chemicals that would open the doorway to the divine, and perhaps a solution for saving our troubled world. This show aims to explore the powerful potential to replace abuse of illegal drugs with a shamanic understanding, insistence on community, reverence for nature, and increased self-awareness that can re-orient people to heal the fractured relationships with our communities and ecosystems.

Resources/Articles:
Sacred Peyote Short documentary
Creed Spencer Film
with Bryce Jarrett 
Appearing: Lisa Aldred PhD
Hartford Stops Crow
Dennis Holds - Crow
Alexandra Witkin-New Holy PhD Montana State Univ

Link: https://youtu.be/9rYdgHx8yrw?si=HWYDh8USmEEezLvC 

----------

Fred Wahpepah - About the Peyote Ceremony from 7 Circles Foundation

https://youtu.be/7qa6N7anaV8?si=bNKuyXo_aTUT1IOp 


----

Benedict Allen
Peyote the last of the medicine men - Huichol People of Mexico
https://www.benedictallen.com/ 

—--

Native Lens: Healing Through Peyote  -- Rocky Mountain PBS

Amber Lahabe Dine/Navajo

Video: https://youtu.be/Q7gR5oXARII?si=XxHb1OrkdAS5vTOu 



Icaros: https://youtu.be/hS21jI7p3hQ?si=QzRvHyvk2jhDRJTi 

Father of Modern Ethnobotany, Richard Evans Schultes Interview from 1990

https://youtu.be/1lxtn7zbQfw?si=Z_5UXi0IOG-ml8Xg 


Terence McKenna Culture is Your Operating System
https://youtu.be/9c8an2XZ3MU?si=kEfa47NLkh8-mZND 

Terence McKenna - Eros and the Eschaton
https://wilderutopia.com/performance/literary/terence-mckenna-on-shamanic-schizophrenia-and-cultural-healing/ 



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 225
Photo credit: Mikhail Nilov on Pexels


The Power of Plants: Ethnobotany and Spiritual Healing

Step into the world of the Kumeyaay Nation as multiple members from the different tribes discuss their ancient wisdom, survival skills, and cultural practices that have weathered the test of time. Learn how this Indigenous community has been living in harmony with the diverse geography of San Diego and Northern Baja California, Mexico, skillfully managing the land to prevent wildfires and survive droughts. This episode not only features an Emmy-nominated documentary from KPBS San Diego (2014) but also brings the Kumeyaay tradition to life through the storytelling of Dr. Stanley Rodriguez, offering a profound lesson on resilience and environmental stewardship.

We have much to learn from the First Peoples of the Americas, and for that reason we share this documentary First People Kumeyaay, with Nick Nordquist, Director-Editor, and Michael R. Johnson and Bob Sly, Producers. Appearing in the show include: Frank J. Salazar III (Campo Kumeyaay) intro-outro poetry, Angela Elliott Santos (Manzanita Kumeyaay), Johnnie Eagle Spirit Elliott (Manzanita), Mark Becker PhD Archaeologist, Dr. Stanley Rodriguez (Santa Ysabel Kumeyaay), Brian Williams Archaeologist, Daniel Tucker (Sycuan Kumeyaay), Jamie LaBrake (Sycuan), Veronica Santos (Manzanita), Rayleen Elliott (Manzanita), Leroy Elliott (Manzanita), George Prietto (Sycuan), Norma Meza (Juntas de Neji Kumiai), Ana Gloria Rodriguez (San José de la Zorra Kumiai), Dr. Jerry Schaefer PhD Archaeologist, Dr. Susan Hector PhD Anthropologist, Silent Rain Espinoza (Viejas Kumeyaay), Angela Elliott Santos (Manzanita).



For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 
More Info: 
Explore San Diego: First People - Kumeyaay
KPBS San Diego https://www.pbs.org/video/kpbs-presents-first-people/ 

Kumeyaay Songs and Stories, As Told by Stan Rodriguez- Kumeyaay Diegueno Land Conservancy: https://youtu.be/BkqoUIUN438?si=FESsUC66V_vXXe7v 

Kumeyaay Sacred Mountain: https://wilderutopia.com/traditions/kuuchamaa-the-exalted-high-place-of-the-kumeyaay/ 

Kumeyaay Traditions: https://wilderutopia.com/traditions/kumeyaay-people-traditions-survive-in-baja-california/ 

Dr. Stanley Rodriguez has been President of Kumeyaay Community College since 2018. He serves as a Council Member of the Santa Ysabel Band of the Iipay Nation. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Rodriguez to the California Native American Heritage Commission in 2021. Dr. Rodriguez is the developer of the accelerated language immersion program, serving as a Kumeyaay Language Instructor at Kumeyaay Community College since 2005. Dr. Rodriguez served as an E-5 in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 1991. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Human Behavior from National University and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of California, San Diego.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia  [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 215


Wisdom of the Wild: The Kumeyaay's Environmental Mastery - Extended Show

Join us for a conversation with Danielle Stevenson, founder of the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation, and Maya Elson, co-founder of Radical Mycology, as they delve into the transformative potential of ecological remediation. 

 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


Roughly half a million brownfields, or industrially contaminated sites exist in the United States, about 90,000 of them are in California. Also, we must navigate the legacy of urban fires and the toxic aftermath they leave behind. 

Danielle and Maya share their insights on using fungi and native plants to heal contaminated environments. In a world increasingly affected by climate change and environmental degradation, this episode serves as a powerful reminder of our capacity for regeneration and the critical role of Indigenous wisdom in guiding our relationship with the land. Fungi and ecological remediation can transform the ecosystem from toxic inheritance to a legacy of health & vitality for all life.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


RESOURCES
Danielle first appeared on EcoJustice Radio in 2021: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/renewing-the-environment-with-mycoremediation/

Environmental Health News, May 13th, 2024, “How fungi could
help clean up our biggest toxic messes,” https://www.ehn.org/mycoremediation-fungi-2668186479.html

The Guardian, April 12th, 2024, “‘Solar-powered vacuum cleaners’:
the native plants that could clean toxic soil,” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/14/native-plants-fungi-soil-bioremediation


Dr. Danielle Stevenson [https://www.danielle-stevenson.com] is an environmental toxicologist, applied mycologist and bioremediation innovator with expertise in soil, water and waste remediation. She has led community-academic-government partnerships to develop accessible soil testing programs and devise and implement nature-based cleanup strategies, including plant-fungal remediation models. Currently, she leads R&D on fungal-based plastic degradation while advancing scalable bioremediation solutions for polluted sites [https://caer.earth/].

Maya Elson is a guest instructor at UC Santa Cruz and an MS student at San Jose State University who explores the interplay between fire, fungi, and humans. Maya is a co-founder of Radical Mycology, former Executive Director and Board Member of CoRenewal [http://www.corenewal.org], and founder of MycoPsychology Experiences [http://www.mycopsychology.org]. Maya has led efforts and research on post-fire bioremediation, is the lead investigator of Biome Logs, and is a consultant for post-fire bioremediation efforts in Hawaii, Greece, and Lebanon.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 256
Photo credit: Adam


Ecological Remediation, Fungi & The Aftermath of Urban Fires

Humans are the greatest threat to mountain lions. In California, close to 40 million people live within, or adjacent to, cougar habitat.

Mountain lions as a species are not listed as endangered. But generally speaking, vehicle strikes, rat poison, inbreeding, wildfires, poaching, urban encroachment complaints, livestock depredation kill permits, and freeway systems are all contributing to what scientists call an “extinction vortex.”


In this show from 2024 we discuss the efforts to protect predators, particularly the mountain lion, who are still somewhat numerous, but declining fast in the world of sprawling housing developments and freeways.


First, we air parts of a Documentary series called California Mountain Lions, Legends of California, by UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center [https://youtu.be/GLvRuSjSYgo?si=wOMXEOB60EjdUpjd]. 

We include sections from an interview our host Jessica Aldridge did with Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director of National Wildlife Federation, focusing on mountain lion populations, wildlife connectivity, and existing and planned transportation crossings as a solution to protect wildlife. [https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/room-to-roam-the-importance-of-wildlife-connectivity-crossings/]


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director of National Wildlife Federation, joins us to discuss the importance of connectivity and wildlife crossings. She explains why they are an integral strategy in land and habitat conservation and why preserving biodiversity not only protects wildlife, but also all of us humans! Beth’s Website: http://www.bethpratt.com/
Save LA Cougars: https://savelacougars.org/

Jessica Aldridge, Co-Host and Producer of EcoJustice Radio, is an environmental educator, community organizer, and 15-year waste industry leader. She is a co-founder of SoCal 350, organizer for ReusableLA, and founded Adventures in Waste. She is a former professor of Recycling and Resource Management at Santa Monica College, and an award recipient of the international 2021 Women in Sustainability Leadership and the 2016 inaugural Waste360, 40 Under 40.

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Stories read by Jack Eidt from “Old Man Coyote,” Crow/Apsáalooké People, in ‘Myths and Traditions of the Crow Indians’ by Robert Lowie, Univ of Nebraska Press, 1993. And “Origin of the Honey Festival,” Tembé People, in ‘From Honey to Ashes’ by Claude Levi-Strauss, Harper and Row Publishers, 1966.
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Co-Host Jessica Aldridge
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 204
Photo credit: pixabay


Wild Predator Alert: Embracing the Elusive Mountain Lion

Join host Carry Kim as she welcomes Neil Douglas-Klotz, a distinguished writer, researcher, and musician, to explore the untamed landscape of spirituality and its ancient roots from 2024. In this episode, Neil shares insights into how Western society has evolved through the cultural and spiritual extraction from the East, particularly focusing on the indigenous spirituality of the Middle East. Discover the profound impact of mistranslations in religious texts and the importance of reclaiming our spiritual heritage. Neil delves into the rich traditions of Southwest Asia, offering a fresh perspective on the teachings of Jesus, the importance of reconnecting with nature, and the wisdom of ancient nomadic cultures. This episode promises to challenge conventional beliefs and inspire a deeper understanding of spirituality in our modern world.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

LINKS

Neil Douglas-Klotz, Ph.D. [https://abwoon.org] is a renowned writer, researcher, teacher, and musician in the fields of Middle Eastern spirituality and the translation and interpretation of the ancient Semitic languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. Living in Scotland, he was for many years the co-chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books on the Aramaic spirituality of Jesus including Prayers of the Cosmos and Revelations of the Aramaic Jesus, as well as books on Native Middle Eastern spirituality and Sufism. 

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 240
Photo credit: Neil Douglas-Klotz


From Organized Religion to Nomadic Spirituality: On Aramaic Jesus and Ancient Wisdom

Join us for a conversation with Brock Pollock and Christopher Breedlove, both from the Replant the Forest Festival [https://www.replanttheforest.org/] who endeavor to create artistic cultural spaces for environmental action. Their latest festival happens April 25-27 in Santa Paula, California, a vibrant fusion of tree planting, live music, and creativity. They work to transform landscapes affected by wildfires and green low-canopy, underserved communities, while grooving to music and art. 

SIGN UP FOR APRIL 25-27 EVENT: https://secure.givelively.org/event/replant-the-forest-festival/replant-the-forest-festival-2025


 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


Our sustenance and that of all life on this planet depends upon the thriving of forests. We should be alarmed and concerned that despite what we know about the urgent need to protect forests globally, the world’s forests continue to be destroyed by deforestation, conventional agriculture, logging, and wildfires as well as urban fires as recently experienced here on Tongvalands. According to The Forest Declaration Assessment 2024, 15.7 million acres of forest were lost in 2023, which is roughly equivalent to an area the size of Ireland. 

In 2024, 44.2 million acres of Brazil's Amazon rainforest burned and in 2023, the world lost 9.1 million acres of primary tropical forest. Even though certain gains have been made in protecting forests, we are far behind the threshold needed to halt global deforestation. These statistics while abstract serve as urgent reminders that the time to act on behalf of Mother Earth is: now. Great diligence and committed effort is required of all of us. Responsibility for the Earth, preserving and restoring the world’s forests and ecosystems is up to us. It cannot be deferred or passed on to someone else. 

Enter Replant the Forest Festival. It was born of a wish to engage like-hearted communities in the healing of Earth, by combining art, music, and the planting of Trees for ecosystem restoration. By joining in Replant the Forest Festival's efforts to restore degraded lands, plant trees in underserved communities, and educate the public about ecosystems and regenerative practices, we can aspire to leave a legacy of care, thriving and abundance for future generations of all life.
 
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


Brock Pollock is the Founder and Executive Director of Replant the Forest Festival [https://www.replanttheforest.org/], a nonprofit organization dedicated to ecological restoration through the power of community and music. A seasoned professional musician with a strong commitment to environmental healing, Brock merges his dual passions by pioneering a new kind of event: environmental restoration music festivals.

Christopher Breedlove is the Director of Global Activation at Burning Man Project, and a Board Member for the Replant the Forest Festival. He works at the intersection of community, creativity, and regenerative culture and is passionate about helping people design the future they want to live in.


Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 257

Replant the Forest Festival: Merging Art, Music & Restoration

Janine Benyus, the world-renowned “Godmother of Biomimicry,” and her colleagues at Biomimicry 3.8 have been demonstrating what it takes to design human settlements—cities, village, homes, and businesses—that create the same ecological gifts as the wildland next door. 

We also feature excerpted discussions from advocates like Anne LaForti and Dayna Baumeister, both from Biomimicry 3.8. Learn how biomimicry isn't just about emulating nature's aesthetics but understanding its functional mechanisms for survival and thriving. Unpack the principles of biomimicry, its implications for industries, and the ethical considerations of borrowing from nature's playbook.


Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Biomimicry aspires to create a world mentored and inspired by Nature’s 3.8 billion years of infinite creativity and evolutionary ingenuity. Janine Beynus’s seminal book: Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature defines biomimicry as a "new science that studies nature's models and then imitates or draws inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems." Designing, creating, and innovating in a generous and abundant vs extractive way that regenerates and reciprocates life is a fundamental aim of biomimicry. 

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

LINKS

Janine Benyus, from the film Biomimicry https://youtu.be/sf4oW8OtaPY?si=7W26J9cyuTayDTda 

Janine Benyus, from the Bioneers Conference keynote 2025: https://youtu.be/2ioEtnUjzQw?si=oawftg0O_wWGJVeY

Interview with Anne LaForti on EcoJustice Radio: https://soundcloud.com/socal350/biomimicry-innovation-inspired-by-nature 

Dayna Baumeister "Learning From Nature" Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
https://youtu.be/2SvltP8IcTk?si=5cqOAduiyyK2M26O 

Janine Benyus, from a TED Talk
https://youtu.be/k_GFq12w5WU?si=4i1ChxIT7q6xe1FR 


Janine Benyus, a winner of countless prestigious awards, world-renowned biologist, thought leader, innovation consultant and author of six books, including 1997’s foundational text, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, is widely considered the “godmother of Biomimicry.” In 1998, she co-founded the Biomimicry Guild, which morphed into Biomimicry 3.8 [ https://biomimicry.net/], a B-Corp social enterprise providing biomimicry consulting services to a slew of major firms and institutions. In 2006, Janine co-founded The Biomimicry Institute, a non-profit institute to embed biomimicry in formal education, and over 11,000 members are now part of the Biomimicry Global Network. Among various other roles, Janine serves on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council, the advisory board for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, the advisory board for Project Drawdown and as an affiliate faculty member at The Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University.

Anne LaForti has a Master's Degree in Biomimicry from Arizona State University, and is a project manager supporting nature-based innovation in the built environment and beyond at Biomimicry 3.8 [http://biomimicry.net]. She is deeply interested in ITEK (Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge), regenerative agriculture and landscapes, and is constantly curious about how to grow nutrient dense foods. Anne was the 2022 Spring Nature, Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR) Fellow [https://nahr.it/] in Santa Ynez, CA, working on "Soil as Pattern Language: Emulating Healthy Soil Communities" and has been a NAHR Ambassador since 2022.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 258
Photo credit: Janine Benyus


Emulating Nature's Wisdom: The Biomimicry Blueprint

In this episode, we share multiple presentations given by Paul Stamets, a leading mycologist and advocate for the medicinal use of fungi. He delves into the transformative potential of psychedelics, mycology, and their implications for healing and environmental restoration. Paul shares insights from his extensive research and experiences, including his work on the documentary Fantastic Fungi and his passion for uncovering the intelligence of nature through mushrooms. He discusses the remarkable capabilities of various fungi, from their medicinal properties to their role in ecological balance, and highlights the urgent need for a paradigm shift in our understanding and use of these powerful organisms.

 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


And psychedelics have entered the zeitgeist. Although illegal as a Schedule I drug in much of the United States and beyond, two states have approved use of psilocybin mushrooms in therapeutic settings, and many more states are reviewing their policies. Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse or drugs with no recognized medical uses. However, psilocybin mushrooms have had numerous medicinal and religious uses in dozens of cultures throughout history and let's face it, mushrooms are not addictive. Paul Stamets is one of the leading advocates worldwide for opening up the possibility of legalizing.

Paul introduces listeners to several key mushroom species, and beyond psychedelics they have important medical and therapeutic uses in treatment of diseases. He emphasizes the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with modern science, revealing how traditional practices can inform and enhance our approach to health and wellness. With a focus on the potential of psilocybin mushrooms to address mental health challenges and promote community healing, Paul inspires hope for a future where fungi play a crucial role in both personal and planetary health.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Sources:
Fantastic Fungi Trailer 2019 https://youtu.be/IHvjfoWzWOw?si=ncAOxYSxQk8C5ZAN 

Paul Stamets at TEDMED 2011 https://youtu.be/pXHDoROh2hA 

Paul Stamets on the Future of Psychedelics, Mycology & Medicine | NextMed Health: https://youtu.be/Ztan0IYjUd0?si=4s5e5-F8SrRdE1X0 



Paul Stamets [https://paulstamets.com/] is an award-winning mycologist, entrepreneur, and industry leader in fungi production, habitat, and medicinal use. He is an author of seven books and advocates on medicinal fungi and mycormediation for ecological restoration and detoxification of the environment. Stamets played a significant part in the 2019 documentary film Fantastic Fungi, and edited its official companion book, Fantastic Fungi: Expanding Consciousness, Alternative Healing, Environmental Impact.



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 259
Photo credit: HavnLife/Paul Stamets


Psychedelic Frontiers: Paul Stamets on the Healing Power of Mushrooms

The truth about the US Indian boarding school policy has largely been written out of the history books. Started in the 1800s across the US and Canada, Indian Boarding schools were government-funded and often church-run. The goal? Forced assimilation of Native children into white society under the belief of “Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” which still contributes to how we see and treat Indigenous Peoples today.

In this episode recorded in 2021, we delve into the haunting legacy of Indian Boarding Schools in North America through the voices of SunRose IronShell and Manapee LaMere, representatives of the Sioux Nation of Indians. 

About $1.5 million in grants to digitize archival records and collect first-person accounts of Native Americans who attended U.S. government-run boarding schools have been cut as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to drastically reshape cultural programs and transform the federal government.

Sadly, the marked and unmarked graves of children have been found in the residential school systems of both Canada and the US. The total is now over 6,500 indigenous youth, having died amid accusations of abuse and neglect.

Our guests, SunRose IronShell and Manape LaMere, talk about the history of this generational trauma, and how bringing home the remains has become a way to tell the children's stories and hold to account these schools.

Listen to Part 2 of this discussion: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/lost-children-of-turtle-island-part-2/

Check out their 2020 Appearance on EJR: https://www.wilderutopia.com/landscape/culture-landscape/tribal-sovereignty-and-self-determination/

Manape LaMere has relinquished his U.S. citizenship and is a Government Representative of the Sioux Nation of Indians and an U.N. Economic and Social Council committee member to the United Nations. Manape is currently working to rebuild all social and economic development for his nation and provide proactive approach in response to genocide and 150 years of economic sanctions.

SunRose IronShell, Is an Artistic Visionary Dreamer. Hailing from the Missouri River valley area in Sioux City Iowa. SunRose is Sicangu and Oglala Lakota of the Titowan band of the Oceti Sakowyn - the Seven Council fires, Internationally known as the Sioux Nation of Indians. She is a cultural bearer and High School teacher. She was featured in the documentary, Women of the White Buffalo [https://womenofthewhitebuffalo.com/cast/6/] soon to be released. You can catch her every Friday for Native News in 10 on Woman of the White Buffalo Facebook page.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/
Support the Podcast: https://socal350.org/contribute-to-socal-350-climate-action/

Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Host/Producer: Jessica Aldridge
Engineer: Blake Lampkin
Show Created by Mark and JP Morris
Music: Javier Kadry
Episode 116
Image: Courtesy Manape and SunRose



Lost Children of Turtle Island - Uncovering the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools

In this episode, we are honored to host Dastan Khalili, president of Cal-Earth [http://calearth.org] and son of the visionary architect Nader Khalili, who pioneered the SuperAdobe building technique. Dastan shares his father's timeless vision of creating sustainable shelters using natural materials and principles inspired by the elements of earth, water, air, and fire. 

The global housing shortage currently includes some 20-40 million refugees and displaced persons, and hundreds of millions more who live in substandard housing. Amidst the urgency of human-induced climate events, urban conflagrations and “natural” disasters, we are being compelled by Cal-Earth founder Nader Khalili’s vision to create sustainable human shelters, using timeless materials and principles including arches, vaults and domes. 

Inspired by the mystic Persian poet Rumi — Nader Khalili envisioned uniting the natural elements to serve humanity and the environment, provide shelter for the world’s homeless and displaced persons, and empower people to participate in the creation of their own homes and communities. By doing so, we can touch the Earth, preserve the planet, and gently walk into our shared, Ancient Future. 

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


RESOURCES
https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2025-02-20/superadobe-calearth-hesperia-fire-resistant-los-angeles?_gl=1*2g0ikj*_gcl_au*MTgyNzk2NDAwMy4xNzQwMDYwNDI3 

Dastan Khalili has been President of Cal-Earth since 2008. He is son of the late founder, visionary architect and author Nader Khalili.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 260
Photo credit: Cal-Earth



CalEarth: The Radical Simplicity of Earth Architecture

In a world increasingly affected by climate change and environmental disasters, the need for innovative and sustainable solutions has never been more urgent. In this episode, we welcome back John Allen, co-founder of the Birdhouse [https://atthebirdhouse.org/], a community garden and regenerative community organization located just below the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. 


Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


We discuss the pressing need for regenerative development in every aspect of our collaboration with nature and community in this massive city and beyond, especially in the wake of recent climate disasters in Los Angeles. Jonny shares his journey from filmmaking to community engagement and the importance of building connections with the land and each other. Discover how local actions can lead to global change, and explore innovative ideas for rebuilding communities in a more sustainable and harmonious way.

Resources:
Jonny Allen Manifesto: Holistic Rebuilding Post-Fire in LA | Shared Grok Conversation [https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5_1beecb1c-764c-445e-98e2-8934351965cc]


The BirdHouse on EcoJustice Radio in 2020: https://wilderutopia.com/sustainability/the-birdhouse-reconnecting-people-place-through-arts-ecology/ 


Replant the Forest Festival: https://soundcloud.com/socal350/replant-the-forest-festival-merging-art-music-restoration 



John Allen, with his wife Bella LeNestour Co-Founded the BirdHouse, a community generating organization [https://atthebirdhouse.org/]. He has a 10 year history of community building, educational programs, and ecosystem restoration. They are the first urban Ecosystem Restoration Community (ERC) [https://www.ecosystemrestorationcommunities.org/], a global network, and have incubated projects such as the Hollywood Orchard [https://www.hollywoodorchard.org/], the Soil Sponge Collective [https://www.soilspongecollective.org/], the Band of Singers, Water Stories [https://www.waterstories.com/] and Replant the Forest Festival. They have nurtured relationships with Tongva-Gabrielino providing cultural bridges and learning opportunities. They’ve hosted the LA Permaculture Academy and offer hands-on opportunities on the ‘mosaic’ of parcels they’ve stewarded throughout various communities. Their latest project is a planned regenerative farm and intentional community along the Santa Clara River north of Los Angeles.




Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  


Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 261
Photo credit: Bella Le Nestour



Fire, Soil, and Community: Rethinking Our Relationship with Nature

In this episode, host Carry Kim welcomes author and community organizer Hilary Giovale to discuss her book, Becoming a Good Relative: Calling White Settlers to Truth, Healing, and Repair. Hilary shares her journey of truth, reconciliation, and the importance of acknowledging the histories of Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island. Together, they explore the concept of ancestral amnesia, the impact of white privilege, and the ways in which we can begin to heal and reconnect with ancestral roots, whatever they may be. This episode is a call to action for all settlers to engage in meaningful actions to honor the land and its original peoples.


 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


Many listeners are already aware of the genocide committed against Indigenous peoples, Buffalo and living beings of Turtle Island. Sordid histories of stolen land and dire consequences wrought by the Doctrine of Discovery, Manifest Destiny, and enslavement continue to haunt the present. Ongoing attempts to erase sacred peoples and their cultures in favor of an extractive economy and mindset comes at the expense of wonderment, awe, heart connection and care for all life. What is ours to do now? What is ours to heal, repair and reclaim in the historical aftermath? How to restore and renew this world so that all living beings thrive? 

Hilary Giovale joins us to share how we might embark upon the journey of truth, healing and repair, particularly for white settlers on Turtle Island. Are we honoring and giving back to the Indigenous Ancestors of the lands where we now live? Are we living in entitlement or sacred reciprocity? Do we know where we come from and where we are headed? How might we consciously choose to live on behalf of all life as a true relative?

 
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


RESOURCES
Guide to Making a Personal Reparations Plan [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G-ufl_8ixdquMGrDziiBUBAANYKXrN7eHtjiE5aKTfw/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.1kvofvfw6wns]
Webpage with links to indie booksellers [https://www.goodrelative.com/book]
Reclaiming our Indigenous European Roots, by Lyla June Johnston [https://moonmagazineeditor.medium.com/lyla-june-reclaiming-our-indigenous-european-roots-64685c7fc960]
100% of book proceeds are going to Decolonizing Wealth Project [https://decolonizingwealth.com/] and Jubilee Justice [https://www.jubileejustice.com/]

Hilary Giovale is a mother, author, and community organizer who holds a Master’s Degree in Good and Sustainable Communities. She has taught improvisational dance and has served on the boards of philanthropic, human rights, and environmental organizations. She is the author of Becoming a Good Relative: Calling White Settlers toward Truth, Healing, and Repair from Green Writers Press [https://www.brightsidebookshop.com/book/9798987663172]. 

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 262
Photo credit: Hilary Giovale


Becoming a Good Relative: A Journey of Truth and Healing

Devil's urine. That's what Dupont employees called PFAS. These toxic, human made forever chemicals are now in the blood of almost every human on the planet. They are found in drinking water around the world, even Antarctica. And they are used in a broad range of consumer products, like non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, waterproof items, dental floss, and even medical masks. These are only a few examples of many.

This group of toxic chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), permanently concentrates in your body and the environment. You can't get rid of them. In fact, they bioaccumulate, meaning they get worse and worse. The public awareness from uncovering of the truth behind Dupont’s misdeeds now contaminating much of the planet is tantamount to this generation’s Silent Spring.

Our guest Rob Bilott is very much a Rachel Carson sort of figure who has stood up to the chemical industry as the lead attorney to bring light to the dangers of PFAS and its many variations. He fought and won a 20+ year battle against Dupont for the poisoning of over 70,000 people in West Virginia and Ohio. His work was even captured in the 2019 feature film, Dark Waters where he was portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. 

Rob has continued his groundbreaking work and is looking at the potential of a nationwide class action lawsuit as newer versions of PFAS emerge, unregulated and as dangerous as ever. 

In this interview from Summer 2022, we explore the history of PFAS, what exposure means, where it can be found, and what we can do.

Rob Bilott is a partner in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky offices of the law firm, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP [https://www.taftlaw.com/people/robert-a-bilott], where he has practiced in the Environmental and Litigation Groups for over 31 years. During that time, Rob has handled and led some of the most novel and complex cases in the country involving damage from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), including the first individual, class action, mass tort, and multi-district litigation proceedings concerning the toxic chemical, recovering over $1 billion for impacted clients. 

In 2017, Rob received the Right Livelihood Award, known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” for his decades of work on behalf of those injured by PFAS chemical contamination.  Rob is the author of the book, “Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle Against DuPont,” [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Exposure/Robert-Bilott/9781501172823]
and his story is the inspiration for the 2019 motion picture, “Dark Waters,” starring Mark Ruffalo. Rob’s story and work is also featured in the documentary, “The Devil We Know.”  

Jessica Aldridge, Co-Host and Producer of EcoJustice Radio, is an environmental educator, community organizer, and 15-year waste industry leader. She is a co-founder of SoCal 350, organizer for ReusableLA, and founded Adventures in Waste. She is a former professor of Recycling and Resource Management at Santa Monica College, and an award recipient of the international 2021 Women in Sustainability Leadership and the 2016 inaugural Waste360, 40 Under 40.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/
Support the Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Guest: Rob Bilott
Host and Producer: Jessica Aldridge
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Created by: Mark and JP Morris

Exposing PFAS: Global Contamination & One Lawyer’s Battle For Justice

We embark on the first part of a series begun in 2024 by Jack Eidt who joined the artistic residency of Osceola Refetoff, a Canadian-American visual artist and photojournalist, in Antofagasta, Chile. Supported by SACO Cultural Corporation, this residency places a spotlight on the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and its rich yet troubled history with mining. We delve into the environmental and social impacts of mining in this region, the historical context of Latin American exploitation, and the legacy of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Featuring poignant quotes from local authors and music that reflects Chile's cultural heritage, this episode is a profound exploration of eco-justice, history, and art.


This episode sheds light on the difficult working conditions, pollution, and migratory phenomena that have shaped the Atacama's legacy.

**Historical Context and Colonial Legacy**

We journey through the historical context of mining in the Atacama, from the nitrate boom of the 19th century to the present-day lithium rush. The episode explores the economic motivations and political maneuverings that have led to the region's exploitation, including the devastating impact of colonialism and neoliberal policies. 



**Interview with Don Victor Loyola**

One of the highlights of the episode is an interview with Don Victor Loyola, a former miner who has worked at the municipal museum in Maria Elena. 

**Indigenous Presence and Geoglyphs**

The Atacama Desert is also home to a rich indigenous history, evidenced by the thousands of geoglyphs that dot the landscape. These ancient works of art, created by the region's early inhabitants, offer a glimpse into the spiritual and practical lives of the people who once thrived in this harsh environment. The episode explores the significance of these geoglyphs and their role in the transportation networks that connected ancient South American civilizations.


Music Featured

Violeta Parra “Gracias a la Vida.”
Victor Jara “The Right to Live in Peace.”
Illapu “Raza Brava”




For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:

Victor Loyola has a thirty year history working in the mining industry in the Atacama Desert of Chile and recently worked in tourism at the Municipal Museum in Maria Elena, Chile. 


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 229

In this episode, we delve into the historical and contemporary implications of the Monroe Doctrine and U.S. intervention in Latin America. Host Jack Eidt mixes excerpts from Rubén Darío’s poetry (Nicaragua) and Gabriel García Márquez’s fiction (Colombia) with an interview of Yale historian Greg Grandin by journalist Michael Fox. They explore how Simon Bolivar's legacy and the Monroe Doctrine have shaped U.S. imperialism in Central and South America. They trace the origins of Bolivar's fight for independence, the creation and evolution of the Monroe Doctrine, and its lasting effects on U.S. foreign policy. The interview originates from Michael Fox's podcast series "Under the Shadow," [https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow] produced in collaboration with the Real News Network and NACLA, the North American Congress on Latin America [https://nacla.org/].

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:
Under the Shadow Podcast Episode: https://therealnews.com/he-legacy-of-monroe-under-the-shadow-bonus-episode-4 

Simon Bolivar History From NBC News https://youtu.be/wxuxFg_8nkI?si=eZAH6W3FmCT6ZGYD 

Chilean folk music group, Inti Illimani doing the song Simon Bolivar from 1973
https://youtu.be/AObTf9yOdoQ?si=7iRpeA3u8BQqQLt- 


Greg Grandin is the author of his latest, America, América, A New History of the New World [https://greggrandin.com/book/america-america/]. Also Fordlandia, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. A Professor of History at Yale University, Grandin has published a number of other award-winning books, including Empire's Workshop, The Last Colonial Massacre, and The Blood of Guatemala [https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IQW9VI]. 
The Blood of Guatemala: A History of Race and Nation (2000, Duke University Press Books)
Empire’s Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Making of an Imperial Republic (Holt, 2006)
The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America in the Cold War (2011, The University of Chicago)
Kissinger’s Shadow: The Long Reach of America’s Most Controversial Statesman (2016, MacMillan)
You can find more of Greg’s books, here.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He has a project on PBS SoCal Artbound called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 234


How do we confront the swirling gyres of plastic pollution dumped into our oceans? In this show, we examine the social and environmental implications of wasted resources, and follow two interrelated approaches to solving the problem from an indigenous woman doing exemplary work in New Zealand and an LA-based plastics pollution fighter.

Our guests include Tina Ngata, a Ngati Porou wāhine and mother of two from The Non-Plastic Māori, and Marcus Eriksen, co-founder of the 5 Gyres Institute and author of 'Junk Raft: An Ocean Voyage and a Rising Tide of Activism to Fight Plastic Pollution.' Interview moderated by Jessica Aldridge, from Adventures in Waste and SoCal 350 co-founder. 

Engineered by JP Morris
Produced by Mark Morris
Episode 19

This originally aired August 22, 2018 on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles.

Links:
https://thenonplasticmaori.wordpress.com/author/tinangata/
https://www.5gyres.org/
https://www.marcuseriksen.com/
https://www.junkraft.org/
https://www.amazon.com/Junk-Raft-Activism-Plastic-Pollution/dp/0807056405
https://www.wilderutopia.com/international/oceans/waste-colonization-plastic-pollution-and-the-pacific-gyre/

Waste Colonization and Plastic Pollution with Tina Ngata and Marcus Eriksen - Ep. 19

We speak with Chief Caleen Sisk, the Spiritual Leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, whose ancestral territory includes what is now known as the McCloud River watershed below “Buliyum Puyuk” aka. Mt. Shasta in Northern California. 

Since 2000, Chief Caleen has helped maintain the cultural and religious traditions of the Tribe and continually advocates for salmon restoration, the Human Right to Water and protection of Indigenous sacred sites. She and her tribe are currently working with Maori of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and federal fish biologists to return the now nearly extinct California Chinook salmon to the McCloud River.

Run4Salmon Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/run4salmon/

Interview originally recorded in 2017.

Interview by Carry Kim
Intro by Jessica Aldridge from SoCal 350 and Adventures in Waste
Engineer: JP Morris and Blake Lampkin
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Show Created by Mark and JP Morris
Music: Javier Kadry
Episode 51

The Winnemem Wintu: Bringing the Salmon Home with Chief Caleen Sisk - Ep. 51

Native peoples have used the tool of fire as medicine. Fire was understood to be a spirit, a healer and sacred in its own right. Traditional Native controlled burning, called cultural fire, utilizes ancient agro-forestry practices, technology developed through time by the Karuk tribe and Indigenous Peoples around the world. 

Tune in to hear Elizabeth Azzuz, Secretary of Cultural Fire Management Council, discuss her work using Traditional Native Karuk methods of prescribed burning to protect forests, heal degraded ecosystems, and reestablish forest-grown food, medicine, and products.

With global climate heating turning the West Coast of the US into an arid tinderbox, 2020 has been another year of the megafire. Thus, the cultural fire practice of Elizabeth Azzuz on the North Coast of California sets an important example on how to protect and regenerate forests for the people and wildlife who call them home using traditional ecological knowledge. 

Elizabeth Azzuz is a cultural fire practitioner. She gathers and propagates traditional food and medicinal plants. Of Yurok and Karuk descent, she comes from and lives in her traditional territory where the Trinity River flows into the Klamath on the North Coast of California. Elizabeth is a mother and grandmother; at the age of 4 she learned about burning from her grandfather. 


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulturalFire 
Website: http://culturalfire.org/ 


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/
Support the Podcast: https://socal350.org/contribute-to-socal-350-climate-action/

Interview by Carry Kim
Intro by Jessica Aldridge
Engineer: Blake Lampkin
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Show Created by Mark and JP Morris
Music: Javier Kadry
Episode 83
Photo courtesy Kiliii Yuyan

Fire as Medicine: The Indigenous Way of Cultural Burning with Elizabeth Azzuz - Ep. 83

EcoJustice Radio presents environmental and climate stories from a social justice frame, featuring voices not necessarily heard on mainstream media.

Our purpose is to amplify community voices, broaden the reach of grassroots-based movements, and inspire action. We investigate solutions for social, environmental, and climate issues with an eye to advance human health, steward wild landscapes, and solve the climate crisis across the USA and the world.

Featured weekly on KPFK Los Angeles and KPFT Houston, and found on all major podcast apps. We are nationally syndicated through the Pacifica Network and PRX and heard on public radio stations across the US and downloaded in over 25 countries.

Co-hosts Jack Eidt, Carry Kim, and Jessica Aldridge present a broad range of perspectives: land defenders and water protectors; Indigenous leaders, front/fenceline community spokespeople; youth organizers; ecosystem and land stewards; regenerative farmers and permaculture specialists; spiritual and faith leaders; environmental health advocates and practitioners; documentary filmmakers; climate scientists; and political decision makers.

EcoJustice Radio [http://EcoJusticeRadio.org] is produced by SoCal350.org since 2017. 

Tune in live to KPFK Radio Thursdays from 4 to 5 PM (PT) at 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM Santa Barbara, 93.7 FM North San Diego, 99.5 FM Ridgecrest-China Lake, or KPFK.org. 

We also are featured on KPFT Houston from 4 to 5 PM (CT) at 90.1 FM or KPFT.org and other public radio stations on the Pacifica Network.

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