What if the trash polluting our environment could be transformed into schools, homes, and opportunities? In San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala, that's exactly what's happening thanks to the vision of Matt Panaitz and Long Way Home. Twenty years ago, Matt was a Peace Corps volunteer stationed in this predominantly Mayan community nestled in Guatemala's Western Highlands. Rather than returning to ordinary life in the United States after his service, Matt sold his car, moved back to Guatemala, and embarked on a remarkable journey. What began as building the town's first grass soccer field evolved into a revolutionary approach to education and sustainability. The Hero School campus now stands as a testament to possibility—20 buildings constructed from over 35,000 discarded tires and 100,000 plastic bottles filled with trash. This approach has earned recognition from UNESCO- aligning Education with Sustainable Development and ripples far beyond the school itself—in one village, students mapped every household, identified needs, and implemented 57 stove projects, with grateful residents throwing rose petals at their feet as they departed. By treating waste as a resource rather than a problem, they've created sustainable infrastructure while addressing poverty through education that empowers students to become heroes in their own communities. Learn more about volunteering, donating, or bringing these concepts to your community at LWHomeGreen.org. 


Turning Trash into Treasure: How Long Way Home & Hero School are Transforming Guatemalan Communities

Welcome to RESILIENT EARTH RADIO where we host speakers from the United States and around the world to talk about critical issues facing our planet and the positive actions people are taking. We also let our listeners learn how they can get involved and make a difference. Hosts are Leigh Anne Lindsey, Producer @ Sea Storm Studios and Founder of Planet Centric Media, along with Scott & Tree Mercer, Founders of Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study which gathers scientific data that is distributed to other organizations like NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration). A focus of this podcast series are Nature-Based Economies that help rebalance the Earth and raise awareness about the value of whales, elephants, mangroves, seagrass, the deep seas, waterways and forests - our natural world - towards that rebalancing. This addresses the effects of our own human-caused climate change, and what we can do about it - from simple steps to grand gestures! Global experts, citizen scientists, activists, fisher folk, and educators examine and explain ciritical issues facing our planet and actions people are taking to mitigate and rebalance climate. We discuss the critical role of carbon storage, and how it is essential for all life forms on earth.  This awareness could lead to new laws, policies and procedures to help protect these valuable resources, and encourage economies around them to replace the existing exploitation of oceans, forests, and animals.

Taking positive action, and getting people involved, that's our goal.

Production companies / Planet Centric Media Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, and Sea Storm Studios, Inc. (a media production company). Planet Centric Media is Media for a Healthier Planet. Resilient Earth is a project of this 501 (c) (3) non-profit that is developing & producing media to elevate awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things. Co-produced with Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study.

New tracks tagged #mattpaneitz