Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers

Wellness is a buzzword that gets thrown a lot these days - but at its core, what does wellness really mean? And how do we design homes, towns, and entire cities where the wellness of residents is a top priority? In this special episode of Biophilic Solutions, we’re sharing Dr. Phill Tabb’s author talk from the Biophilic Leadership Summit, focusing on his latest book, Wellness Architecture and Urban Design, co-authored with Lahra Tatriele. In this talk, Phill provides some helpful definitions of wellness and demonstrates how certain design choices lay the groundwork for a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Wellness Architecture and Urban Design will be available for pre-order on August 16, 2024. Show NotesWellness Architecture and Urban Design by Phillip James Tabb and Lahra TatrielePresentation SlideshowGlobal Wellness InstituteMini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Restore the World by Hannah LewisSerenbeTerra School at SerenbeFivelements Retreat BaliKey Words: wellness, urban planning, urban design, biophilic design, biophilia, wellness real estate, real estate, nature, climate change, climate solutions, architecture, green architectureBiophilic 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

Today’s guest, Hannah Lewis, is on a mission to restore biodiversity in our towns and cities by planting native trees, pollinators, and shrubs on abandoned lots, degraded land, and in backyards. In her acclaimed new book, Mini-Forest Revolution, Hannah delves into the science behind the Miyawaki method of reforestation, which prioritizes native plants that grow quickly and create microclimates with incredible benefits like cooling urban heat islands, establishing wildlife corridors, and building soil health. The best part? Their small size means that basically anyone can plant a mini-forest. In this episode, we discuss the origins of the Miyawaki method, explore examples throughout the world, and consider how organizations might come together to truly create a mini-forest revolution.Show NotesRenewing the Countryside Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Restore the WorldBiodiversity for a Livable Climate Hannah Lewis WebsiteMaking a Mini-Forest DocumentaryKeywords: Biodiversity, Biophilia, Climate, Ecosystems, Forest, Hannah Lewis, Mini-Forest, Miyawaki Forest, Paris, Trees, VegetationBiophilic 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

In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we are presenting a Fireside Chat recorded live at the 2024 Biophilic Leadership Summit, a multi-day conference for leaders in the Biohpilic world to come together, share ideas, and learn from one another. This features Serenbe founder, Steve Nygren, moderating a conversation with Ryan Gravel, Atlanta BeltLine creator, and Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown. Ryan discusses the process behind developing the BeltLine and explains how incorporating biophilia in Atlanta’s architecture has and will continue to help change the city for the better. Similarly, Michael shares his perspective as a key player in the development of Ponce City Market and other major real estate found along NYC’s The High Line, specifically highlighting how nature plays a key role in his decision to transform cities all over the world. Listen in to hear about their unique experiences with sustainable urban development and how incorporating biophilic principles into our cities promotes community, connectivity, and wellness. Links: Jamestown PropertiesMichael Phillips BioPonce City MarketThe High LineRyan Gravel BookRyan Gravel WebsiteThe BeltLineBiophilic 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

Join Monica and Jennifer as they share their top book picks for the summer, focusing on mental health, architecture, and the natural environment. Discover how reconnecting with nature can enhance our well-being and lead to a more fulfilling life. From plant intelligence to bird watching, these recommendations will inspire you to embrace the beauty of the natural world this season.

Old Growth Forests, natural forests that have grown undisturbed over a long period of time, offer a wide variety of benefits including storing more carbon and nitrogen than typical forests, providing a unique structure that supports rich ecosystems, and offering an example of what nature looks like when it flourishes on its own. Unfortunately, due in large part to human intervention, these old forests are hard to come by - but our guest today wants to change that. Joan Maloof is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Salisbury University and the Founder of the Old Growth Forest Network, the only national network of protected, old-growth, native forests in the United States. The organization’s goal is to locate and designate at least one protected old forest in every U.S. county that has the right climate to sustain a forested area. In this conversation, Monica and Jennifer chat with Joan about her journey to founding the Old Growth Forest network, the intricate and rich ecosystems that these old forests support, and beauty as a catalyst for positive change.Show NotesThe Old Growth Forest NetworkAbout Joan MaloofFind a ForestNominate a ForestVolunteer with the Old Growth Forest NetworkNature’s Temples: The Complex World of Old Growth Forests by Joan MaloofAmong the Ancients: Adventures in Eastern Old Growth Forests by Joan MaloofTeaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest by Joan Maloof 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

The smart cities movement, which seeks to optimize public wellbeing through the use of technology and data, and the biophilic cities movement are happening at the same time - but it rarely feels like these two movements are working together towards a common goal. Our guest today, Dr. Nadina Galle, hopes to change that. Nadina is an ecological engineer who studies emerging technologies that can enhance nature in urban environments, a concept she calls the Internet of Nature (ION). Her forthcoming book, "The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet", offers insight and examples of how nature benefits when we use new technologies the right way. In this episode, we chat with Nadina about her impressive body of work and dive into some examples - from emailing and texting trees to AI robots that can actually perform a controlled burn with less smoke.Show NotesDr. Nadina GallePre-order The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing PlanetThe Internet of Nature (ION)Nature Has The Answers with Monica Olsen and Jennifer Walsh of Biophilic Solutions (Internet of Nature Podcast)How Central Park Keeps New Yorkers Healthy with Jennifer Walsh of Biophilic Solutions (Internet of Nature Podcast)Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv 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

In the lives of many humans, deer occupy a really fascinating middle ground between so many binaries: domestic and wild, familiar and alien, beautiful and pest. They’re also, interestingly, the only large mammal that seems to thrive in human-dominated environments. So, what exactly is going on with deer? On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Age of Deer author Erika Howsare to discuss the role that deer play in human life - from mythology to natural history to science - and what these enigmatic creatures can teach us about our own relationship to wildness.Erika Howsare is a writer and journalist based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her new book, The Age of Deer, has been hailed as a “masterpiece” by the Washington Post. Show NotesThe Age of Deer by Erika HowsareIf You See a Deer PodcastAbout ErikaDeer: friend or foe? Or how about both? - Washington Post book reviewFrom endangered to cuddly to ‘pests’: What the Age of Deer says about the human mind - LA Times book ReviewBiophilic 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

Today’s episode is a great example of using your unique skills to amplify your impact. This week, Monica is chatting with Atlanta-based writer Austin Louis Ray, who has contributed to publications like Rolling Stone, GQ, Creative Loafing, and Eater, just to name a few. He is also the publisher of How I’d Fix Atlanta, a seasonal collection of essays from Atlanta natives about the action steps they would take to improve their city. Topics include Biophilic Solutions favorites like walkability, wildlife in the city, supporting pollinator habitats, clean energy, and more. The conversation today, however, really revolves around how Austin does it: how he finds his writers, how he raises money to pay those writers well, and how he uses the How I’d Fix Atlanta series to build awareness at the city council and beyond.  Show NotesAbout Austin L. RayHow I’d Fix AtlantaSupport How I’d Fix AtlantaPurchase  Season Two How I’d Fix Atlanta Zine Follow Austin on XPhoto Credit: Jason Travis 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

It’s easy to think that business interests are diametrically opposed to environmental progress - and in many cases, you wouldn’t be wrong. However, meaningful evidence suggests that many businesses would actually improve their bottom line if they adopted more sustainable practices. Enter today’s guest, David S. Eady, the director of industry engagement at the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. In this role, David works with companies in the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact, which leverages the collective impact of the Georgia business community to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the state through a just, prosperous, and sustainable transition. In his (limited) spare time, David also serves as the mayor of Oxford, Georgia, where his lifelong career in environmentalism has inspired a number of important sustainability initiatives.In this interview, Monica catches up with David about the power of collective action and partnership, measuring impact over time, and meeting business leaders where they are. Show NotesAbout David EadyDrawdown Georgia Business CompactDrawdown GeorgiaRay C. Anderson Center for Sustainable BusinessOxford GA Official City WebsiteBiophilic Solutions | Shifting to a Green Economy with Edward B. BarbierKey Words: Climate Change, Climate Action, Environmental Issues, Corporate Responsibility, Georgia Tech, GA Tech, David S. Eady, Drawdown, Drawdown GA, Ray C. Anderson, Carbon, Carbon Emissions, Biophilia, 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

What does it really mean when we talk about reconnecting with nature? To actually connect with nature, is it enough to simply get outside? Who speaks for the rights of nature to remain undisturbed? These are just a few of the compelling questions raised by our guest today, Dr. Karen Lloyd. Karen is the author of acclaimed book Abundance: Nature in Recovery and is a lecturer at the University of Lancaster, as well as writer in residence at the university’s Future Places Institute. Her work largely explores themes like abundance, restoration and repair in the natural world.In this episode, we chat with Karen about a wide range of issues including habitat loss in her native Lake District, why the tendency to shift our baseline isn’t helping us in the climate fight, the city that has declared pollinators as citizens, and how we can meaningfully re-entangle ourselves with the natural world. Show NotesAbout Karen Lloyd (University of Lancaster)Karen Lloyd WebsiteAbundance: Nature in Recovery by Karen LloydAre You Suffering From Shifting Baseline Syndrome? (Earth.Org)Sweet City: Defeating the City-Nature Antagonism (Congress for the New Urbanism)Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology After the End of the World by Tim Morton Follow Karen on Facebook and XKey Words: Nature, Nature Based Solutions, University of Lancaster, Lake District, English Lake District, Pollinators, Pollinator Habitats, Hyperobject, Climate, Climate Change, Climate Solutions, Biophilia, 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