Jonathan Smales is the founder and CEO of Human + Nature, a campaigning development company working to create “a far, far better future” through sustainable building and design. As a former MD of Greenpeace (UK), a sustainability advisor to the government, and developer of some of the UK’s first major sustainability projects, such as the Landmark Millennium project, Jonathan’s expertise is now focused on The Phoenix: a sustainable neighborhood in Lewes, East Sussex. Human + Nature, along with a team of some of the UK’s leading architects, designers, and engineers, seeks to transform a neglected former industrial site into a regenerative, restorative, and community-centered living space.

Principled and passionate, Jonathan shares with us his vision for a better world: one that recognizes the need for creating living spaces and communities with families and social connection in mind, rather than just adults with cars; the potential of sustainable developments like The Phoenix to create more vibrant, livable spaces in the face of climate change; and where we can collectively strive, despite the obstacles, to stay true to a better, more sustainable way of living for all.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published"Let us gather in a flourishing way" by Juan Felipe Herrera

Let us gather in a flourishing way

with sunluz grains abriendo los cantos

que cargamos cada día

en el young pasto nuestro cuerpo

para regalar y dar feliz perlas pearls

of corn flowing árboles de vida en las cuatro esquinas

let us gather in a flourishing way

contentos llenos de fuerza to vida

giving nacimientos to fragrant ríos

dulces frescos verdes turquoise strong

carne de nuestros hijos rainbows

let us gather in a flourishing way

en la luz y en la carne of our heart to toil

tranquilos in fields of blossoms

juntos to stretch los brazos

tranquilos with the rain en la mañana

temprana estrella on our forehead

cielo de calor and wisdom to meet us

where we toil siempre

in the garden of our struggle and joy

let us offer our hearts a saludar our águila rising

freedom

a celebrar woven brazos branches ramas

piedras nopales plumas piercing bursting

figs and aguacates

ripe mariposa fields and mares claros

of our face

to breathe todos en el camino blessing

seeds to give to grow maiztlán

en las manos de nuestro amor

Show Notes:

• https://www.humannature-places.com/

• https://www.phoenixlewes.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/humannatureplaces/

• “The Phoenix, Lewes: a new riverside neighborhood that sounds almost too good to be true” by Rowan Moore, The Guardian

• Sign up for The Phoenix Project Newsletter

Connect with Andy:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjcahill/

• Instagram: instagram.com/wonderdomepodcast​

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