Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration

Mark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises, founder of Restoration Agriculture Development, and award-winning author of the book, Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers. He is most widely known as the founder of New Forest Farm, the 106-acre perennial agricultural savanna considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the United States.

On this podcast episode, Mark sheds light on why we need to stop trying so hard to realize a world based on our persistent concepts and ideals that we made up and instead, get out more to observe and learn from how natural ecosystems really function; what is problematic about how we've developed a food system based mostly off of annual crops versus perennials; how he's been able to utilize a hands-off approach to growing food regeneratively, which he calls the 'STUN method', or Sheer Total Utter Neglect; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/166

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Helena Norberg-Hodge is a pioneer of the new economy movement and a leading proponent of “localization”, or decentralization. She is the author of the book, Ancient Futures, as well as her latest book, Local is Our Future. She also founded The International Alliance for Localization, and Local Futures, which works to renew ecological, social and spiritual well being by guiding communities towards a sustainable future of interconnected, localized economies. 

On this podcast episode, Helena sheds light on why we need to question our view of economic wealth being the sole indicator of a community's welfare; what it means that we're not only facing social, economic, and ecological crises, but also a spiritual crisis that underlies it all; how the globalization of our economy has led to the degradation of our public and environmental wellbeing; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/165

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Known as the guru of distributed energy, John Farrell is the co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its work on energy democracy. John is best known for his vivid illustrations of the economic and environmental benefits of local ownership of decentralized renewable energy.

On this podcast episode, John sheds light on how we came to develop and rely on our current centralized, top-down power grids today that are mostly driven by utility monopolies; why we need to not only shift towards renewable energy but also work towards energy democracy and the decentralization of power sources; why some utility companies may at the same time be supporting solar energy while lobbying against it; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/164

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Matt Daigle is the CEO and Founder of Rise, the leading online authority in sustainable home improvement. He started Rise as a way to solve his own problem: after having renovated a few homes and having his first child, he couldn't seem to easily figure out how he could build and/or renovate in ways that would save him money and lower his environmental footprint… and so Rise was born. As a certified B Corp, Rise has helped over one million homeowners with their home improvement projects to date.

On this podcast episode, Matt sheds light on why we need to be concerned and critical of the safety and sustainability of our home environments; how climate change is shifting the decisions people make in regards to their homes; some easy home improvement tips for homeowners and non-homeowners; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/163

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This is PART 2 of our conversation with Mitch Anderson, the Founder and Executive Director of Amazon Frontlines, which is an international group of human rights lawyers, environmental activists, forestry specialists, environmental health scientists, filmmakers, journalists, anthropologists, and farmers working to support the struggles of indigenous peoples and defend their rights to land, life, and cultural survival in the Amazon Rainforest.

On this episode, Mitch sheds light on some key wins that we've had lately in safeguarding our Amazonian indigenous lands and what it took for that to happen; how we can stand in solidarity with the Amazon's indigenous peoples to support the conservation of their ancestral lands; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/162

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Mitch Anderson is the Founder and Executive Director of Amazon Frontlines, an international group of human rights lawyers, environmental activists, forestry specialists, environmental health scientists, filmmakers, journalists, anthropologists, and farmers working to support the struggles of indigenous peoples and defend their rights to land, life, and cultural survival in the Amazon Rainforest.

In 2011, Mitch moved to Ecuador’s northern Amazon to begin a clean water project with the indigenous communities living downriver from contaminating oil operations. Through building nearly 1,000 water systems in over 50 indigenous villages, Mitch supported the creation of the Ceibo Alliance, an indigenous movement for land, life, and cultural survival in the western Amazon.

On this podcast episode, Mitch sheds light on his journey dismantling his privileged worldview in order to truly understand and meaningfully support the struggles of indigenous peoples across the Americas; how to help the indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest and beyond to achieve their goals of conservation without perpetuating white saviorism or further marginalizing them with our senses of morality and idealism; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/161

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Sky Blue has spent the last 20 years living in, working for, and networking intentional communities, cooperatives, and community organizations. He currently serves as Executive Director for the Foundation for Intentional Community. 

On this podcast episode, Sky sheds light on what has led to our hyper-individualistic culture and how has that impacted our collective wellbeing; what intentional communities are all about and how they can root our society in the things that matter most; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/160

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Greg Peterson is a green living and sustainability innovator and the Creator of the Urban Farm, a real-world environmental showcase home in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. Open periodically throughout the year to offer classes, lectures, and tours, The Urban Farm features an entirely edible landscape and the extensive use of recycled and reclaimed materials. 

On this podcast episode, Greg sheds light on how urban farming may be the answer to addressing the affordability and accessibility of healthy grown foods; why we should get inspired to grow some of our own foods even if we have the convenience of being close to supermarkets; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/159

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Jennifer Grayson is a Los Angeles-based environmental journalist and the award-winning author of Unlatched: The Evolution of Breastfeeding and the Making of a Controversy.

Illuminating how human civilization may be going overboard and down a path of self-destruction, she's currently exploring the human rewilding movement through her Uncivilize podcast.

On this podcast episode, Jennifer sheds light on what it means that we've entered a state of overcivilization; how automation has and may continue to impact our humanity and collective wellbeing; how to strike a balance between consuming technology and being consumed; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/158

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As the President of the Society of Wetland Scientists and an advisor to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, wetland ecologist Max Finlayson has participated in global environmental assessments and site-based appraisals and written extensively on wetland management. Notably, he has expertise on the relationship and interconnectedness of water pollution, agricultural impacts, invasive species, climate change, human well-being, and our wetlands.

On this podcast episode, Max sheds light on how cities were often built on flood plains and wetlands where the flooding was essential to supporting their biodiversity of life; why the preservation and restoration of our wetlands are key to stabilizing our climate; how wetlands impact people's livelihoods and our public health; and more.

Episode notes: www.greendreamer.com/157

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