What if carbon isn’t the villain—but the key to saving the world?

In this mind-expanding conversation, Darin sits down with renowned environmentalist and visionary Paul Hawken to uncover the misunderstood story of carbon, the intelligence of nature, and how we’ve systematically disconnected from the wisdom that sustains life. This episode dives deep into climate, ancient knowledge, modern science, and what it means to truly regenerate the Earth—and ourselves.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

00:00 – Why this conversation about carbon is different
04:40 – The real reason carbon got villainized—and why it’s wrong
08:25 – Why we must "re-carbonize" the Earth, not decarbonize it
11:00 – The incredible intelligence of carbon and why it is life
13:40 – Indigenous wisdom and Western science—why we need both
17:30 – Why naming and separating things leads us away from truth
20:05 – Climate isn’t a crisis—it’s a mirror of the biosphere
23:00 – The human disconnection that’s destroying the planet
26:00 – We are the only species deregulating the climate
29:00 – Turning nature into an "asset class": the new danger
31:00 – Google, Meta, and the new extractive industry
33:30 – How our data addiction is connected to climate destruction
35:00 – The fungal internet: mycelia, intelligence, and nutrient trade
38:40 – How 14 million roots on a single rye plant feed the Earth
42:00 – Sound of soil: how healthy ecosystems literally speak
45:00 – Dead soil and the silence that follows chemical farming
47:00 – Fire as a regenerative force—not a destroyer
50:10 – Wildflowers, seed banks, and the secrets beneath the ash
53:10 – Purpose and meaning: the missing nutrients in modern life
56:00 – Awe, intelligence, and what soil can teach us about healing
59:10 – Why we’re not just disconnected—we’re spiritually lost
1:02:00 – Fossil fuels, energy addiction, and burning life
1:04:40 – How less can actually give us more
1:06:00 – Why the healthcare system is a symptom of sick soil
1:08:00 – From crisis to community: choosing regeneration
1:10:10 – Why abundance comes from creating life
1:13:00 – Fire ecology and Indigenous land management wisdom
1:16:00 – Final thoughts: we’re not screwed—we’re screwing ourselves

Don’t Forget...

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Find More From Paul Hawken:

Connect with Darin Olien:

Website: darinolien.com
Instagram: @darinolien
Book: Fatal Conveniences

Key Takeaway:

"We don’t need to decarbonize the world—we need to re-carbonize the Earth through life." – Paul Hawken

Ophef over Bob Vylan, verkiezingen Syrië en ode aan Gerard Cox