Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on Creation Care and Spirituality

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On the Earthkeepers podcast, we talk a lot about transforming damaged or neglected spaces into thriving ecologies that benefit both the human and more-than-human members of the community of creation. Way back in episode 2, for example, we talked to Tahmina Martelly about how neighbors turned an unused parking lot into a thriving community garden for refugees. In episode 40, we spoke with Casa Adobe in Costa Rica about how folks worked together to restore a neglected region of jungle and to provide community access to a nearby river. More recently, in episode 78, Nick Rubesh and John Wayne Seitzler told the story of their community’s efforts to re-wild a section of church property that was once just an unused stretch of lawn. In all these cases, it took a whole community of earthkeepers, working together, to accomplish the work of healing and transforming the land. In this episode, we’ll hear how the DeJong family was the catalyst to engage whole neighborhoods in the work of reviving and repairing a 43-acre forest called the Cheasty Green Space in Seattle.

Guests: The Dejong Family 

• Mary Dejong 
• Joel Dejong  

Mentions: 

• Earthkeepers Episodes 2, 40, and 78 
• Cheasty Greenspace 
• Green Seattle Partnership 
• Duwamish Tribe 
• Check out these photo albums of Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View and Cheasty trails! 

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Keywords: restoration, trails, accessibility, recreation, ecosystem, ecology, invasive species, deforestation, settlers, native species, wildlife, nature, spirituality, spiritual ecology, community, cultural restitution, cultural restoration, stewardship, connections, relationships, climate change 

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As you might know, the Earthkeepers podcast is part of a larger organization called Circlewood—and Circlewood has a dream to establish an inspirational, educational eco-village in a place called Camano Island in Washington State. In this podcast conversation, Circlewood’s Executive Director James Amadon and Forrest are joined by David Vandervort, the architect who has held the vision and designed the built spaces that will make up Circlewood Village. Among other things, we talk about green architecture, about listening to the land, and about building in harmony with the nature of place.

Guest: David Vandervort

●      Vandervort Architects
●      LinkedIn

Mentions:

●      Circlewood Village
●      Tom and Christine Sine
●      Living Building Challenge
●      Cross laminated timber
●      Bob Berkebile

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Keywords: architecture, sustainability, sustainable architecture, community, village, design, creativity, environment, energy, resources, local, living buildings, equity, environmental justice, affordability, green building, regenerative architecture, restoration, 

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Changing the climate future of our planet can only happen when we all work together and learn from each other—and that’s why this podcast includes diverse perspectives from around the world. Our guest host in this episode is  Abigail Fehrsen in South Africa. Abby talks to Kehinde Micheal Osatuyi about the Muizenberg Community Kitchen—an inspiring and groundbreaking social enterprise that offers nutritious, affordable, plant-based meals to the community—but also gives special attention to the needs of the poor and vulnerable, and to promoting ecological awareness and environmental justice in all they do. You might remember Abby from episode 57, when she and her friend Liesl told the story of the community food cooperative they founded.

Guest Host: Abigail Fehrsen 

• Guest on Earthkeepers Episode 57  
• Homeschool educator 
• Co-founder of a Food Club in her hometown of Cape Town, South Africa 

Guest: Michael Kehinde Osatuyi 

• Founder of Muizenberg Community Kitchen 
• Read more about Michael here and here 
• Contact Muizenberg Community Kitchen at [email protected]  
• Instagram 
• Facebook 

 Mentions: 

• Cape Town, South Africa 
• Youth for Change  
• Muizenberg Community Garden 

Check out the International Community Development Masters program at NU.

Keywords: food, kitchen, collaboration, community, COVID-19, volunteers, connection, youth, nutrition, garden, giving, receiving, empowerment, environmental justice, zero hunger, compost, zero waste, faith, generosity 

Check out Northwest University’s International Community Development Masters! 

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As we all know, sometimes it isn’t easy being green. Especially when it comes to sustainable, affordable, earth-friendly architecture. Remember the story of the three little pigs? It didn’t work out so well for the two pigs who built cheap houses out of straw and sticks. But what if it were feasible to build durable, eco-friendly buildings out of straw or sticks—or even corn cobs or woodchips? Our friends at Nomadic Earth Architecture say it’s possible, and they want to tell you how.

As our regular listeners know, a theme that we’ve returned to often in season four of the podcast has to do with how younger generations—Millenials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha—are responding to the climate crisis. Here we talk with Jesse Nathanson and James Sledge—two young changemakers who are passionate about teaching better ways to build. They tell us about their global initiative called Nomadic Earth Architecture—an organization that is all about inspiring people to build their own sustainable, non-toxic buildings out of cheap, easy to find natural materials.

Guests: 
Jesse Nathanson 

• Cofounder and and project manager for Nomadic Earth Architecture 
• International social worker and aide 
• Facebook 

James Sledge 

• Cofounder and and project manager for Nomadic Earth Architecture 
• LinkedIn 
• Facebook 

 Mentions: 

• Magnesium 
• Petrification 
• VOCs 
• International Community Development Masters 

Keywords: architecture, natural building, sustainability, non-toxic, ancient technology, resources, accessibility, education, runoff, magnesium, packaging, organic materials, affordable housing, volatile organic compounds, VOCs, housing crisis, toxicity, health, affordability, environmental justice, social justice, intersectionality, copowerment, stewardship, relationships, indigenous peoples, community 

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Guest: Debra Reinstra 

• Author of Refugia Faith and other books 
• English professor at Calvin University 
• Website 
• Twitter 
• LinkedIn 

Mentions: 

• Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ 
• Festival of Faith and Writing 
• Kathleen Dean Moore 
• Bill McKibben 
• Liturgical year 
• Randy Woodley 
• Lenore Three Stars 
• Steve Bouma-Prediger 

Keywords: faith, climate change, community, literature, books, climate anxiety, Christianity, ecosystems, nature, creation, life, death, refugia, church, theology, scripture, transformations, liturgical year, locality, community, passion, reciprocity, stewardship, citizenship, healing, illusion of control, consequentialism, virtue ethics, redemption, reconciliation, anger, Holy Spirit, climate movement, hope 

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What does an Indian guru--who teaches through meditative art, performance and extreme sport--have to tell us about how we might better love our planet? In this episode Forrest talks with Pragati Pascale about the writings of Indian spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy. Pragati has worked for the United Nations for many years as a senior communications strategist and consultant on sustainability issues. She is also the editor of a new book, Listen to Nature: Living in Harmony with the Earth, which presents some of Sri Chinmoy’s teachings on nature and the environment.

Guest: Pragati Pascale 

• Senior Outreach Coordinator for UN-Energy at United Nations  
• Editor for Listen to Nature: Living in Harmony with the Earth 
• LinkedIn 
• Twitter 

 Mentions: 

• Sri Chinmoy 
• Jane Goodall 
• Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit 
• Maurice Strong 
• IPCC 

Keywords: meditation, spiritual awareness, United Nations, communications, media outreach, earthcare, environmentalism, climate change, climate action, harmony, relationships, poetry, visualization, peace, divine, respect, preservation, inner change, God, love, spiritual oneness, religion, faith, interfaith, collective behavior, hope 

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In this special episode, we depart from the usual interview format and offer you some moments of guided meditation instead. While Forrest is in Ireland interviewing people for future episodes of the podcast, Wes Willison is stepping in to walk you through something called “The Onion Session." Drawn from the book The Supper of the Lamb, by Robert Farrar Capon, this is a guided meditation that is meant to focus our attention on one small and humble object. This soul-and-mind opening exercise helps us to perceive the wonder contained in an onion—and to appreciate it as one part of creation loved by God. 

Just a note: You might want to wait to listen to this episode for when you’ve got some down time. For this meditation exercise you’ll need an onion, a small knife, a cutting board, and about half an hour of uninterrupted time in a quiet space.

Guest: Wes Willison 

• Real estate salesperson at Keller Williams Philadelphia 
• LinkedIn 
• Instagram 

Mentions: 

• Robert Farrar Capon 
• The Supper of the Lamb 
• On the Onion 
• Russian Parable of the Onion 

Keywords: guided meditation, onion, focus, attention, place, meeting, heaven, location, prejudice, perspective, life, death, being, glory, structure, pressure, water, soul, reflection, nature, revelation, memory, power, echo, God, creation, uniqueness, creativity, love, joy, wonder, time, idolatry 

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In this episode, Forrest talks with Tori Goebel, National Organizer and Spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. YECA works to mobilize youth to act against climate change, to advocate for creation care, and to promote the hope among young people that a better climate future is possible.

Guest: Tori Goebel, National organizer and spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action 

• LinkedIn 
• Twitter 

Mentions 

• Atlantic Coast Pipeline 
• Mountain Valley Pipeline 
• Evangelical Environmental Network 
• Katharine Hayhoe 
• Genesis 2:15, Psalm 19, Romans 1:20 
• Mercury and Air Toxics Standard 
• Yale’s Six Americas 
• The Supper of the Lamb 
• YECA Leadership Programs 
• YECA Take Action 
• National Prayer Breakfast 
• YECA Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube 
• YECA Blog 
• IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) 

Keywords: climate crisis, climate change, nature, creation, faith, evangelism, Christian, values, climate action, sanctity of life, politics, partisan identity, generational divide, mercury, air quality, communication, creation care, eco anxiety, eco grief, accountability, support, community, fear, hope, love 

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In this episode, Forrest talks with Kelly Deutsch, founder of Spiritual Wanderlust, an organization that supports people on their path to wholeness and intimacy with the divine. This includes encouraging people to engage spirit in nature—a connection that Earthkeepers care very much about. In our conversation, we discuss how Celtic spiritual practices in particular can inspire us to sense God in all of creation.

Guest: Kelly Deutsch 

• Founder of Spiritual Wanderlust 
• Podcast host 
• Growth coach 
• LinkedIn 

 Mentions 

• Spiritual Wanderlust podcast 
• Contemplative Monk, founded by Bob Holmes 
• Richard Rohr 
• Cynthia Bourgeault 
• Song of the Lark painting 
• Spiritual Offroading class 
• Celtic Spirituality School 
• John Phillip Newell 
• Ilia Delio 
• Esther de Waal 
• ​​Sharon Blackie 
• St. Brigid 
• Alexander Carmichael 

Keywords: thin spaces, Celtic spiritual practices, deconstruction, reconstruction, convent, religion, Christianity, spirituality, inner work, mystic, creation, nature, hope, media 

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In this episode Forrest talks with Dr. Annah Amani, the Africa Programs Director for Plant with Purpose. From past episodes you might know that Plant with Purpose is a global environmental nonprofit organization working to address the interconnected challenges of global poverty and environmental damage. Their aim is to restore the regenerativerelationship between people and the natural environment so that all beings in the community of creation, human and nonhuman, might thrive together.

Guest: Dr. Annah Amani 

• Africa Programs Officer, Plant With Purpose 
• Adjunct Faculty Instructor, Clemson University 
• LinkedIn 

Mentions: 

• HOPE International 
• Agroforestry 
• Plant With Purpose—Dominican Republic 
• Ethiopian sacred forests—article from nature.com 
• COP27 “loss and damage” agreement 

Keywords: Plant with Purpose, Africa, ecology, environment, community, development, environmental restoration, economic development, spiritual renewal, creation, trees, farming, caretakers, indigenous, Uganda, gardens, food, refugee, poverty, nature, Ethiopia, empowerment, copowerment, climate crisis, environmental justice, agroforestry, sacred forest, reparations

Free Webinar—REFUGIA FAITH: Adapting Christian Spirituality and Practice for Life on an Altered Planet 

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