EcoJustice Radio

In this episode, we welcome back Danielle Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation (CAER), to explore the transformative potential of ecological remediation. We also feature clips of Merlin Sheldrake, the biologist and bestselling author of Entangled Life: How Fungi Make our World. He spoke at the 2024 Bioneers Conference, stressing how critically important fungi are and discussed the visionary work of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) and its efforts to map and protect the mycorrhizal fungal communities of the planet.

Join us as Danielle discusses innovative nature-based techniques for cleaning up contaminated sites, the importance of community involvement, and the vital role of fungi and native plants in restoring our ecosystems. Discover how we can collectively address pollution and promote environmental justice while honoring Indigenous practices and knowledge.

Danielle continues the conversation on phyto & mycoremediation, and post-fire & ecosystem restoration. Danielle’s restoration techniques allow fungi and native plants to break down toxins such as: petroleum, plastics, and pesticides into less toxic chemicals. CAER’s mission is to advance research and application of ecological remediation to equitably address pollution, promote public health, provide education and workforce development, build climate resilience & ensure environmental justice. Regeneration is possible in even the most dire situations if we follow the ways of Nature. Danielle joins us to explain how we can be part of this collective remembrance.

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Danielle Stevenson [https://www.danielle-stevenson.com/] founded and runs the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation (or CAER) [https://caer.earth/] and is the Founder & Director of DIY Fungi. She is an environmental toxicologist, applied mycologist, and bioremediation innovator with expertise in soil, water, and waste remediation. She has led community-academic-government partnerships to develop accessible soil testing programs and implement nature-based cleanup strategies, including plant-fungal remediation models. She provides approaches for post-fire bioremediation projects, and advances scalable bioremediation solutions for polluted sites.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

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Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt

Hosted by Carry Kim

Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 290

The Joshua tree is an icon and ecological keystone of the California deserts. However, climate disruption with hotter, drier summers and more frequent brush fires, threatens that some day soon Joshua Tree National Park will no longer have any Joshua trees. This interview was originally recorded in 2021, and the changing, heating, sweltering climate, with anomalous rainfall, parched, soaked, flooded, massive storms/no storms keeps expanding/lacerating us, burning homes and landscapes, inundating neighborhoods, drying out our reservoirs. We do have, however, some solutions available to us to preserve important ecosystems, like our deserts.

We discuss these systems and investigate what solutions for the Mojave Desert are needed. Are solar farms in the desert an appropriate renewable energy solution, or do they cause more harm than good? What about the consequences of lithium mining in Death Valley for electric vehicles? Did you know it is not a wise idea to grow your own Joshua Tree from imported seeds?

Our guest, James Cornett [https://www.amazon.com/stores/James-W.-Cornett/author/B001K84BWE?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true], is an ecologist, author, and principal biologist at JWC Ecological Consultants. He is one of the West's most prolific writers with more than forty-four books published. As former Director of Natural Sciences at the Palm Springs Desert Museum, he continues to share his love of natural history through writing, teaching, and lecturing. He is the first professional naturalist to have visited all nine of the world's great deserts and is writing a book on his travels and research in each.

James Cornett is the former Director of Natural Sciences at the Palm Springs Desert Museum. He holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in biology and is the author of over three dozen books on aspects of desert environments including his most recent on the Joshua tree. Dozens of his scientific papers have focused on iconic desert plants including the desert fan palm, ocotillo, and Joshua tree. Several of his studies have examined impacts of climate change on plant populations.

Jessica Aldridge, Co-Host and Producer of EcoJustice Radio, is an environmental educator, community organizer, and 16-year recycling industry and Zero Waste leader. She is a co-founder of SoCal 350, organizer for ReusableLA, and founded Adventures in Waste. She is a former professor of Recycling and Resource Management at Santa Monica College, and an award recipient of the international 2021 Women in Sustainability Leadership and the 2016 inaugural Waste360, 40 Under 40. In her day job she is the Sustainability and Zero Waste Programs Director for Athens Services.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

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Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt

Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 111

Photo credit: Stephanie Lemus

Urban beekeeping is forging new paths in Detroit. Nicole Lindsey and Timothy Paule Jackson of Detroit Hives are generating a lot of buzz working to create sustainable communities for people and pollinators by transforming vacant lots in the inner city into urban bee farms, educational apiaries, #greenspaces. Doing so in a way that uplifts long-term residents and doesn't lend to furthering gentrification.

With over 17 locations and 47 honeybee hives they proclaim DETROIT as the PLACE TO BEE! Through their conservation and awareness efforts, educational programs, and health based initiatives, Detroit Hives is creating a safe home for bees and the community to live, feed, and thrive. This interview was recorded in 2021.

Nicole Lindsey and Timothy Paule Jackson are Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors of @DetroitHives [https://detroithives.org/] a 501c3 nonprofit organization working to create sustainable communities for people and pollinators by transforming vacant lots into educational apiaries and #GreenSpaces.

Nicole is devoted to altering negative stigmas about bees by educating people of their crucial roles and benefits to the environment. She also loves teaching children about apiology.

Timothy, comes from a background in advertising/photography. He is focused on educating the next generation of leaders on sustainability, while working to address food insecurity in Detroit.

In this episode, we are joined by Indra Shekhar Singh, an independent writer and agricultural policy analyst who has dedicated his life to water conservation and indigenous water rejuvenation systems. Indra shares his experiences working with the renowned water advocate Rajendra Singh, known as the Waterman of India, to revive rivers and promote sustainable water practices. We explore the significance of community-driven water restoration, the spiritual connection to water, and the need for a shift in our understanding of water as a living entity. Join us as we uncover the profound relationship between water, culture, and ecological stewardship.

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Indra Singh, working closely with renowned water restoration advocate Rajendra Singh, also known as the great "Waterman of India," Indra promotes and continues to study traditional water rejuvenation systems across India. He has helped train hundreds of people internationally in indigenous water conservation techniques and participated in the revival and construction of ponds and decentralized water systems in various regions globally.

He has been active with various levels of government in India to draft and advise on policies related to water conservation, agriculture, and ecological restoration and was recently invited by the former President of Colombia as an international expert to advise on water policy and peace reconciliation efforts in the country. He is currently engaged in efforts to revive three rivers in Rajasthan and two rivers in Chhattisgarh, India. His prolific writings and actions reflect his lifelong dedication to agroecology, seed sovereignty, water conservation, and agrarian politics. He continues to actively engage in seed conservation and is an avid, urban food gardener.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

RESOURCES

Rajendra Singh, Waterman of India: https://youtu.be/_N9PIBATSFw?si=CT6LUr56hJmjHHp_

Indra Shekhar Singh [IG: @indra_eye] is an independent writer and agricultural policy analyst with extensive experience in agroecology, seed sovereignty, water conservation, and agrarian politics. He previously served as Director of Policy and Outreach at the National Seed Association of India and currently hosts India’s only bilingual agri-talk show, Krishi Ki Baat / Farm Talks, on The Wire [https://thewire.in/].

For the past five years, Indra has also been working closely with Rajendra Singh, widely known as the “Waterman of India,” [https://tarunbharatsangh.in/] to study and promote traditional water rejuvenation systems across India.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt

Hosted by Carry Kim

Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 289

In this episode, we explore the La Tirana Festival, a vibrant celebration that intertwines primordial narratives and the history of Spanish conquest in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Join host Jack Eidt as he engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Rodolfo Andaur, a visual arts curator, and Osceola Refetoff, a Canadian American visual artist. Together, they delve into the cultural significance of the festival, its origins tied to mining and Indigenous traditions, and the rich tapestry of dance and devotion that captivates over 200,000 visitors each year. Discover how this festival serves as a powerful expression of identity and resistance in the face of colonial history.

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Resources/Articles:

Rodolfo Andaur [https://rodolfoandaur.com/] is a visual arts curator and cultural manager and Director of Actinómetro, based in the Tarapacá region of the Atacama Desert in Chile. He studied journalism and holds an MA in Art History. He has worked in directing, promoting, and diffusing transdisciplinary projects. Furthermore Rodolfo Andaur has taken part in curatorial teams that focus on critical analysis and reflection about anthropocene, climate change, and eco-geopolitics in Latin America. Not only those proposals produce knowledge through the visual arts, but they have also contributed to the dissemination of renewed thoughts to research into unknown territories. With this background his work has been prized both by Tarapacá Regional Government for his contribution to cultural management (2011), and for his participation in the international project called “examples to follow, expedition in aesthetics and sustainability” (2017). Also he has been involved in curatorial residencies in Brazil, Denmark, Germany, México, Morocco, New Zealand, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, and the United States. Rodolfo is currently a columnist in several online art magazines and visiting lecturer in a couple of universities and art institutions.

Jack Eidt is an environmental journalist, urban theorist and designer, and advocate for the wild, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes for a PBS SoCal Artbound project called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. He also publishes articles and podcasts on Substack [https://jackeidt.substack.com/].

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

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Featured Guest: Rodolfo Andaur

With Osceola Refetoff

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt

Engineer: Blake Quake Beats

Show music: Jack Eidt and Blake Quake Beats

Episode 288

Photo credit: Jack Eidt

Devil's urine. That's what Dupont employees called PFAS. These toxic, human made forever chemicals are now in the blood of almost every human on the planet. They are found in drinking water around the world, even Antarctica. And they are used in a broad range of consumer products, like non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, waterproof items, dental floss, and even medical masks. These are only a few examples of many.

This group of toxic chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), permanently concentrates in your body and the environment. You can't get rid of them. In fact, they bioaccumulate, meaning they get worse and worse. The public awareness from uncovering of the truth behind Dupont’s misdeeds now contaminating much of the planet is tantamount to this generation’s Silent Spring.

Our guest Rob Bilott, is very much a Rachel Carson sort of figure who has stood up to the chemical industry as the lead attorney to bring light to the dangers of PFAS and its many variations. He fought and won a 20+ year battle against Dupont for the poisoning of over 70,000 people in West Virginia and Ohio. His work was even captured in the 2019 feature film, Dark Waters where he was portrayed by Mark Ruffalo.

Rob has continued his groundbreaking work and is looking at the potential of a nationwide class action lawsuit as newer versions of PFAS emerge, unregulated and as dangerous as ever.

In this interview from Summer 2022, we explore the history of PFAS, what exposure means, where it can be found, and what we can do. We also give an update from the actions of Trump's EPA to nbroaden use and exposure of these chemicals.

More Info on the PFAS Presidency from Common Dreams: https://www.commondreams.org/news/pfas-pesticides-approval-epa

Rob Bilott is a partner in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky offices of the law firm, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP [https://www.taftlaw.com/people/robert-a-bilott], where he has practiced in the Environmental and Litigation Groups for over 31 years. During that time, Rob has handled and led some of the most novel and complex cases in the country involving damage from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), including the first individual, class action, mass tort, and multi-district litigation proceedings concerning the toxic chemical, recovering over $1 billion for impacted clients.

Jessica Aldridge, Co-Host and Producer of EcoJustice Radio, is an environmental educator, community organizer, and 15-year waste industry leader. She is a co-founder of SoCal 350, organizer for ReusableLA, and founded Adventures in Waste. She is a former professor of Recycling and Resource Management at Santa Monica College, and an award recipient of the international 2021 Women in Sustainability Leadership and the 2016 inaugural Waste360, 40 Under 40.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Guest: Rob Bilott

Host and Producer: Jessica Aldridge

Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Executive Producer: Jack Eidt

Created by: Mark and JP Morris

LISTEN to our discussion with the lead architectural designer for the firm Biotonomy [https://biotonomy.com/] using a holistic and Nature-based approach for buildings and cities to address the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Rather than abandon crowded urban areas for sustainable living, great potential remains in re-envisioning buildings and cities in ways that work with, rather than against, Nature. Preferable to continuing the crash course of suburban sprawl that takes more than it gives, we can opt to embrace design and lifestyle principles that recycle and innovate with Nature-based solutions that address the climate, biodiversity and social justice crises.

In this episode, learn how to respond to the turbulence of our times creatively, collaboratively and harmonize with Nature in how we choose to live and build. Carry Kim talks with Moein Nodehi, the founder, CEO, and Lead Architect for Biotonomy. With an international team of designers, their mission is to make buildings and cities become a force for restoring the natural world.

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

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Guest: Moein Nodehi

Host: Carry Kim

Engineer: Blake Lampkin

Producer: Jack Eidt

Producer: Jessica Aldridge

EcoJustice Radio Created by: Socal350

Episode 94

Photo credit: Biotonomy

In this episode, we are joined by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Rebecca Harrell Tickell, who shares her journey in environmental activism through her impactful films. We discuss her latest project, "Groundswell," which focuses on regenerative agriculture and the importance of healing our planet. Rebecca dives into her personal experiences with environmental challenges and her theory of change, emphasizing the need for collective action and storytelling to inspire hope and drive change. Join us as we explore the intersection of filmmaking, activism, and the urgent need for sustainable practices.

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Rebecca Harrell Tickell is a documentary filmmaker (director, producer, writer) whose award winning short and feature films have made a critical impact in environmental activism domestically and globally. With her partner Josh Tickell, they have collaborated with actors, politicians and environmental leaders over the past several decades to create films that have been seen by millions of people and have raised significant money for environmental and social change. Groundswell [https://groundswellfilm.org/] is the final chapter of a groundbreaking documentary trilogy following Kiss the Ground and Common Ground, a sweeping cinematic journey across five continents narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.

Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes for a PBS SoCal Artbound project called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. He also publishes articles and podcasts on Substack [https://jackeidt.substack.com/].

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt

Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 287

Photo credit: Rebecca Harrell Tickell

In this episode, we journey into the rich musical and cultural tapestry of Highland Peru with self-taught musician Rafo Nunjar Tovar. From the traditional sounds of the Andes to the vibrant celebrations that connect communities with their land, Rafo shares his insights on the significance of music, instruments, and rituals in Andean culture. Join us as we explore the interplay between sound, memory, and social justice, highlighting the voices that resonate through the mountains and valleys of Peru.

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Resources/Articles:

Rupestre - by Rafo Nunjar: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lUG8s77dfRZ6p-HlWjh2brGCboate2rUM&si=HbRwEJftxLMSiROj

Rafo Nunjar Tovar [https://rafonunjar.bandcamp.com/album/rupestre] is a self-taught musician, composer, sound researcher and instrument builder. Born on the Peruvian coast and raised by Andean grandparents, his artistic work explores the traditional music of Peru, the soundscape and the relationship between sound, territory and memory.

He began his journey in music and instrument construction in 2011, developing since then a search focused on the expressive and contemporary possibilities of traditional and pre-Hispanic sounds. His work understands music as a living practice, linked to natural cycles, community life and the forms of perception present in Andean and Amazonian cultures.

He has participated in performances, sound installations and audiovisual projects, collaborating in the music of the documentaries Tulpud (2014), El arte de Parir (2023-2024) and Willka Aya Yakuwasi (2024). He also participated as a collector of traditional songs in the communities of Accha Alta and Huilloc within the Yuyaq project and the pilot program Todos Cantamos de Kukuy!, also editing the collected audios.

In 2024 he released Rupestre, his first studio album, entirely composed and performed by himself, focused on acoustic exploration, traditional instruments and the creation of sound landscapes of Andean root.

He is the founder and owner of the Museum of Traditional Instruments Paccha, in Urubamba; a managing member of the festival Cordas y Sirenas, dedicated to research and visible rituals associated with stringed instruments and sirens in the Peruvian Andean south; and a founding member of Kukuy, an association focused on the collection and preservation of traditional songs from Cusco.

In parallel, since 2012 he has been directing spaces and workshops linked to sound, listening and collective exploration.

Jack Eidt is an environmental journalist, urban theorist and designer, and advocate for the wild, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes for a PBS SoCal Artbound project called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. He also publishes articles and podcasts on Substack [https://jackeidt.substack.com/].

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/

Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/

Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Featured Music Rafo Nunjar - Rupestre

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt

Engineer: Blake Quake Beats

Show music: Jack Eidt and Blake Quake Beats

Episode 286

Photo credit: Rafo Nunjar

Capitalism in its current form is failing, here and globally. Rooted in inequity, exploitation, profiteering, and social injustice, capitalism exacerbates inequality, disempowerment, and poverty by benefiting only the few.

In this show recorded in 2022, we interviewed Della Z. Duncan, Renegade Economist, who invited all to ponder what is the purpose of the economy? What is capital? What is value? How is wealth created & sustained? Are we engaged in meaningful work that promotes planetary health? How might we use our gifts, contribute to society, meet our basic human needs & thrive individually and collectively? Hear Della Duncan share provocative insights from the growing movement to revolutionize our perceptions, understanding and practice of renegade economics in our lives.

Della Z Duncan [www.dellazduncan.com and www.upstreampodcast.org] hosts the Upstream Podcast, uplifting stories of regenerative economics. She supports individuals working to align their values with their work as a Right Livelihood Coach. She also works with organizations as a cooperatives economic consultant, and facilitates courses and retreats around the world.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.

Guest: Della Z Duncan @delladuncan @rightlivelihoodcoach @upstreampodcast

Host: Carry Kim

Intro/Producer: Jessica Aldridge @AdventuresInWaste

Exec. Producer: Jack Eidt @WilderUtopia

Engineer and Original Music: @BlakeQuakeBeats

Created by: @EcoJusticeRadio @SoCal350