Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers

Regenerative agriculture isn’t new. To quote today’s guest, it’s an “exciting old thing.” Yet in the modern world, this ancient, innate wisdom often feels forgotten, and the consequences show up in our food system, in our health, and in the climate. At its core, the challenge isn’t just about farming practices, it’s about how we see ourselves in relation to the land.In this episode, Monica sits down with journalist and author Kelsey Timmerman to explore what it means to belong to a place rather than own it. From Hawaiian teachings about belonging to a river to the idea that each of us carries with us a heart of the world, Kelsey invites us to rethink our connection to the Earth.Together, we dive into the paradox of hope in the face of devastation, why the people most connected to the land often carry the most optimism, and how agency and reverence can help us meet the urgent challenges of climate change.Show NotesAbout Kelsey TimmermanRegenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future by Kelsey TimmermanWhere Am I Eating? By Kelsey TimmermanWhere Am I Giving? By Kelsey TimmermanWhere Am I Wearing? By Kelsey TimmermanHow Regenerative Farming Can Feed the Future (The Packer)Rodale InstituteHealth & Happiness ProjectSoil 4 ClimateKey Words: regenerative agriculture, climate change, biophilic living, connection to land, Hawaiian wisdom, belonging to place, heart of the world, Kelsey Timmerman, hope and agency, indigenous knowledge, environmental stewardship, sustainable farming, community resilience, reconnection with nature, changing hearts and mindsBiophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

When was the last time you really experienced nighttime? In our modern world of glowing screens, bright porch lights, and 24/7 brightness, true darkness has become rare. Yet nighttime holds a mystery and magic all its own, inviting us to slow down, tune into natural rhythms, and rediscover the awe that’s right outside our doors.In this episode, Monica sits down with New York Times bestselling author Leigh Ann Henion, whose latest book Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark dives deep into the wonders that come alive after the sun sets. From glowworms and synchronous fireflies to the hidden beauty of moonlit gardens, Leigh Ann shows us how embracing darkness can transform the way we experience nature.Join us for an illuminating (pun intended!) journey into the world of night, and discover why reclaiming darkness might just be one of the most healing biophilic practices we can embrace.Show NotesNight Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark by Leigh Ann HenionLeigh Ann Henion on InstagramAbout Leigh Ann HenionBurnout by Leigh Ann Henion (Orion Magazine)Key words: Leigh Ann Henion, Night Magic book, Phenomenal book, New York Times bestselling author, night sky, darkness, dark skies, reclaiming the night, glowworms, fireflies, moon gardens, stargazing, nocturnal animals, nature connection, natural rhythms, light pollution, circadian rhythms, awe and wonder, mindful living, ecology, local nature, natural world, biophilia, biophilic, biophilic design Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

This week on Biophilic Solutions, we’re bringing you something a little different (yet very close to home). While Serenbe isn’t the main focus of this podcast, it is where Monica lives and works, and it’s one of the most vibrant examples of biophilic community in action.In anticipation of his forthcoming book, Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where We Live with Radical Common Sense, Serenbe founder Steve Nygren sat down with Vanessa Champion for the Journal of Biophilic Design podcast. Together, they explore how to apply biophilic principles in real and meaningful ways to transform our neighborhoods, towns, and cities.We’re thrilled to share that conversation with you here. Along the way, Steve reflects on Serenbe’s beginnings, why traditional labels never quite fit, and how discovering the idea of “biophilic cities” helped frame his vision. Vanessa brings her own thoughtful perspective as a writer, photographer, and advocate for design that nurtures both people and the planet.And be sure to stay tuned until the very end! We’re giving you a sneak peek of Steve’s brand new podcast, also called Start In Your Own Backyard, featuring stories, expert voices, and practical inspiration from the book.Show NotesPre-Order Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Steve NygrenListen to the Start In Your Own Backyard PodcastSteve Nygren on SubstackThe Journal of Biophilic DesignLearn More about SerenbeBiophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

This week, we’re joined by Amy Martin, host of the Peabody Award-winning podcast Threshold, for a conversation that spans everything from the hidden harms of noise pollution and ecological grief to imagining a future free from the looming threat of climate change. Amy brings a thoughtful, poetic lens to the climate conversation, reminding us of the urgency of the moment, the profound beauty of the world we’re trying to protect, and the importance of storytelling.Each season of Threshold dives deep into a single, complex environmental story, whether it’s the return of the American bison, oil drilling in the Arctic, or what it truly means to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Now in its fifth season, Hark, Amy explores the fascinating and often overlooked world of non-human sound.Under Amy’s leadership, Threshold has earned numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award, a national Edward R. Murrow Award, and recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Overseas Press Club, and the Montana Broadcasters Association. Beyond Threshold, Amy has produced stories for NPR’s All Things Considered, PRI’s The World, Reveal, Here & Now, and other national outlets.Show NotesThresholdAbout AmyNature’s secret soundscape: Listen with me to the world’s quietest creatures by Amy Martin (Guardian)What Is Ecological Thinking? (Letters to Earthlings)Dear Earthlings of 3025 (Letters to Earthlings)Halfway Through the Decisive Decade (Letters to Earthlings)Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

What if we told you that simple, meaningful action starting today can help protect the world’s oceans?In this hopeful and eye-opening episode, Monica sits down with Katie Day, Senior Manager of Science and Policy at the Surfrider Foundation, to talk about the practical steps we can all take to safeguard our oceans and coral reefs. Katie breaks down how interconnected threats—like plastic pollution and harmful sunscreen ingredients—are affecting marine ecosystems, and why our individual choices matter more than we think.Together, they explore how to stay engaged in the face of setbacks, and how small actions, multiplied by many, can lead to real change. Whether you live near the coast or thousands of miles from it, the ocean impacts you—and your choices can help make it more resilient for generations to come.Show NotesAction Alert: Protect Our Coasts From Offshore Oil DrillingAbout Katie DaySurfrider FoundationReef Friendly Sunscreen GuideHaereticus LabsKey Words: ocean, climate change, pollution, plastic, coral reefs, sustainability, marine life, environmental advocacy, Surfrider, awareness, policy, sunscreen, sunscreen chemicals, plastic, plastic pollution, microplastics, nature, nature based solutions, biophilia, biophilic design, coastal, coastal communities Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

Over the past few years, we've had the privilege of sitting down with visionaries, scientists, designers, farmers, poets, and policymakers. Each conversation has expanded our perspective, encouraging us to see the world through a broader, greener lens.For our 100th episode, we’re hitting pause to reflect on this amazing journey so far. We’ve sifted through the highlights to spotlight the themes and ideas that continue to rise to the surface – insights that feel less like podcast takeaways and more like a blueprint for a saner, more biophilic future.Tune in to learn more and hear from some familiar voices along the way.Show NotesSister Seasons | Regenerate Yourself and the Planet at the Same TimePlanetary Health: Protecting Nature to Protect Ourselves edited by Samuel Myers and Howard FrumkinLocal FuturesPositive Tipping Points (University of Exeter)The Climate Optimist Handbook: How to Shift the Narrative on Climate Change and Find the Courage to Change by Anne Therese Gennari Prioritizing Human Wellness in Architectural Design (Living Architecture Monitor)Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America One Step at a Time by Jeff SpeckNina-Marie ListerTeam Human by Douglas RushkoffThe Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence WilliamsKeywords: nature, nature based solutions, biophilia, biophilic design, seasons, seasonality, natural cycles, wellness, climate, climate change, climate solutions, architecture, built environment, habitat, human habitat, walkability, walkable, biodiversity, pollinator, pollinator garden, community Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

Dr. Tracey Osborne, a professor at UC Merced and director of the UC Center for Climate Justice, shares her insights on climate change mitigation in the Amazon rainforest. She emphasizes the crucial role of Indigenous communities in restoring ecosystems and discusses the complexities of carbon markets. Tracey highlights her transformative experiences in Brazil, showcasing innovative collaborations with local Kichwa peoples. The conversation calls for community-led initiatives and outlines the need for ethical climate solutions that prioritize social equity and environmental integrity.

Time and again, we've examined how the challenges we face – poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and more – are deeply intertwined. Understandably, it can start to feel pretty overwhelming. But here’s the encouraging part: the solutions are just as interconnected. In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we speak with Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder and director of Local Futures, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring ecological and social well-being by revitalizing local communities and economies. Helena envisions a world where food is grown by nearby farmers, money circulates within communities, local businesses thrive, and meaningful work is accessible to all.She argues that many of today’s crises stem from an overly globalized economic system and that the path forward lies in a broad shift toward localization. Helena advocates for a more informed and intentional public that values local economies and deeper connections with nature. In our conversation, we explore the power of local food systems, the importance of community and ecological bonds, and the role vulnerability plays in healing. Drawing on lessons from indigenous cultures, Helena makes a compelling case for localization as a path toward greater social cohesion and environmental resilience.Show NotesAbout HelenaPlanet Local Summit | September 3-7 | LadakhLocal FuturesAncient Futures: Learning From Ladakh by Helena Norberg HodgeLocal Is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness by Helena Norberg HodgeTo Heal the Planet We Must First Heal Ourselves (Urth Magazine)Key Words: local, localism, economy, economics, local economy, community, indigenous community, indigenous wisdom, Local Futures, farmers market, global economy, globalism, capitalism, nature, nature based solutions, biophilia, biophilic design, Helena Norberg-HodgeBiophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

Let’s face it. Our waste habits are, well, pretty wasteful. Every single day, more than 27,000 trees are cut down just to make toilet paper. Meanwhile, the average disposable diaper takes over 500 years to decompose in a landfill, all while leaching harmful plastics and chemicals into the environment. And that’s not even counting other single-use sanitary products like tampons, pads, and wipes. Put simply, our throwaway culture is a serious environmental problem.Enter today’s guest: Miki Agrawal. A bold entrepreneur and creative disruptor, Miki has built a career out of challenging the status quo. She’s the founder of groundbreaking companies like Thinx (revolutionary period underwear), TUSHY (modern bidets), and her latest venture, Hiro Diapers, a game-changing product designed to break down in landfills using fungi-powered decomposition technology. Hiro represents a major step forward in the battle against plastic waste, starting with a natural end-of-life solution for one of the most essential (and wasteful) products in parenting.In this conversation, we explore the hidden environmental costs of traditional diapers, the importance of slowing down to meet the moment, and why nature (hello, mushrooms!) holds the key to designing smarter, bolder everyday essentials.Show NotesHiro DiapersTUSHY BidetsAbout Miki AgrawalFour SigmaticPacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written By NatureDo Cool Shit: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After by Miki AgrawalDisrupt-Her: A Manifesto for the Modern Woman by Miki AgrawalBiophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers

On today’s episode, we’re delving into the growing epidemic of loneliness, examining its root causes, far-reaching impacts, and what it will take to rebuild our social fabric. For this important and timely conversation, we were thrilled to be joined by Radha Agrawal, author of the bestselling book Belong: Find Your People, Create Community & Live a More Connected Life. Radha is also the Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, a global wellness movement that brings nearly half a million people together globally through early-morning, sober dance parties. In addition, Radha leads the Belong Institute and the Belong Center, two groundbreaking initiatives dedicated to addressing loneliness through community-building and laying the foundation for a wider culture of belonging.Throughout this conversation, we explore the essential human need for connection, the dangers of hyper-individualism, and how modern life, including our increasing disconnection from nature, has contributed to widespread feelings of alienation. Radha shares powerful insights on how rebuilding community and reestablishing our relationship with the natural world can help us reclaim joy, purpose, and a true sense of belonging. This is a conversation filled with practical tools and deep inspiration for anyone seeking to reconnect: with others, with nature, and with themselves.ShownotesBelong: Find Your People, Create Community & Live a More Connected Life by Radha AgrawalRadha Agrawal WebsiteDaybreaker | Wake Up & DanceBelong CenterBelong InstituteDr. Julianne Holt-LunstadThe Power of Belonging: How Ending Loneliness Will Save Our Planet (SXSW)Biophilic Solutions WebsiteBiophilic Solutions on InstagramKeywords: loneliness, loneliness epidemic, community, connection, community building, Radha Agrawal, nature, biophilia, biophilic, disconnection, climate, climate change, Daybreaker, belongingBiophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website. #NatureHasTheAnswers