Nature Junkie Radio

Microdosing nature doesn’t take a lot of time to feel present and restored, but you might need a bike. In this solo episode, I share a simple, but transformative practice I call microdosing nature, or the practice of engaging with nature in small, frequent moments to help replenish your stoke. 

This time around, I share one of my go-to vehicles for microdosing nature, a casual evening bike ride along my local lagoon to help make this practice, which is hidden by being so internal, visible in hopes that you can make it your own. 

On my ride, I found myself snapped out of autopilot by the sight of seasonally full waterways, snowy egrets stalking the shoreline, a patient great blue heron, and peach-colored clouds reflecting across the glassy water. It was a beautiful experience that I weaved together with inspiration from Richard Louv’s new book, Noticing, lessons from the research of Miles Richardson, as well as a fitting quote from Josh Jackson on the power of place attachment.

Episode Links

San Dieguito Lagoon

Noticing: Intimate Encounters with the Natural World by Richard Louv

The Enduring Wild by Josh Jackson

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

In this episode I sit down with writer, educator, and author Blake Boles to explore an unconventional question. What if wealth had less to do with money, and more to do with freedom, purpose, and plenty of stoke-filled play time in nature?

Drawing from his book Dirtbag Rich: High Freedom, Low Income, Deep Purpose, Blake shares the ethos and practical realities behind designing a life centered around nature, flexibility, doing meaningful work, and knowing what it means to have “enough.” We dive into the often hidden economic enterprise of alternative lifestyles, the social pressures that keep people trapped in the rat race, the tradeoffs required to prioritize freedom, and the role nature plays in the lives of the Dirtbag Rich. 

We traverse a bunch of fun topics from trail running, backpacking in the Sierra, van-life mythology, retirement culture, community living, stoke, purpose, and the emotional tension between security and aliveness. Rather than romanticizing the dirtbag lifestyle, Blake offers a sober, nuanced, and deeply human examination of what it actually takes to build a life around freedom and connection.

This episode is for anyone who has ever taken a pause from the grind and quietly pondered Blake’s juicy, and often catalytic, question: How am I spending the time of my life?

Episode Links

Dirtbag Rich: High Freedom, Low Income, Deep Purpose

Blake’s Instagram @blaketotheboles

Unschool Adventures Instagram @unschooladventures

Blake’s Website

Blake’s Podcast -Dirtbag Rich

Blake’s Substack The Adventures of Blake

Unschool Adventures Website

Brendan Leonard’s Instagram@semi_rad

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

Back in the 1990s, Carolina Morgado was working for a river kayaking company in Chile when her first customer happened to be Doug Tompkins, the co-founder of Esprit and The North Face. At the time, Tompkins was quietly acquiring huge tracts of land across South America with a bold vision to create national parks and protect wild ecosystems at scale.

That encounter changed the trajectory of Carolina’s life. She went on to work alongside Doug and Kris Tompkins for over two decades at Tompkins Conservation. After Doug’s tragic death in 2015, Kris restructured the organization to ensure its long-term impact, leading to the creation of Rewilding Chile, where Carolina now serves as Executive Director.

In this episode of Nature Junkie Radio, Carolina shares what it takes to lead one of the most ambitious rewilding and conservation efforts on the planet. She breaks down what rewilding really means, how it differs from passive conservation, and about overcoming the most insane obstacles to making this work happen for the greater good.

We explore the three core pillars of Rewilding Chile’s work: National parks as a large-scale, long-term conservation strategy, wildlife rehab and reintroduction to rebuild complete ecosystems, and community engagement as the first line of both love and protection for wild places.

Carolina brings these ideas to life with powerful stories from Patagonia, from pumas roaming freely again (sometimes in unexpected places), to condors being reintroduced, to former sheep ranches transforming back into thriving ecosystems.

This conversation touches on biodiversity, climate resilience, wildlife conservation, and the future of national parks. Carolina paints a vivid picture of what’s possible when vision, scale, and long-term commitment come together.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

Rewilding Chile website

@Rewildingchile Instagram

Route of Parks of Patagonia

Tompkins Conservation

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

You’ve heard me ask guests how they “microdose nature,” but what does that actually mean?

In this solo episode, I finally break down one of the key principles of being a Nature Junkie.

I share the origin story, from early morning surf sessions to noticing small, powerful moments of connection in everyday life, and how those experiences led me to the concept of microdosing nature.

Then I connect the dots between my experiences and science, including research showing that it’s not time in nature that matters most, but how we pay attention to it. As nature connection researcher Miles Richardson puts it, “Wellbeing is about moments, not minutes.”

Here’s what we’re tapping into:

What “microdosing nature” means (and my working definition)

The science behind how small moments in nature reduce stress, improve mood, and restore focus

Why tiny, repeatable behaviors are the key to lasting habit change

Simple ways to microdose nature in the morning, during the workday, and at night

Inspiring and helpful examples of microdosing nature from past guests who have trained their attention to see nature everywhere, daily 

If you need ways to connect with nature that are actually doable during busy days or chapters of life, this one’s for you. You don’t need hours. You don’t need a big plan or fancy gear. You just need a moment, the willingness to notice it, and the openness to let it land.

Episode Links

Nature Junkie Radio - Chris Burkard

Nature Junkie Radio - Christian Beamish

Nature Junkie Radio - Josh Jackson

Nature Junkie Radio - Kate Williams

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

What if the buildings in your home town could reconnect you to nature? In this episode of Nature Junkie Radio, we explore the transformative power of public art with muralist Skye Walker, whose surreal, psychedelic depictions of Mother Earth and wildlife have become visual landmarks across North County San Diego and beyond.

Named after Scotland’s Isle of Skye, Skye Walker grew up touring the country in his parents’ bluegrass band, The EarthWalkers, spreading a message of environmental stewardship way before it was even a thing. He later worked as a designer and art director for iconic action-sports and lifestyle brands like Rip Curl and prAna before throwing himself more fully into creating large-scale mural installations. In 2018, Skye embarked on a “Sea to Sea” tour in a Sprinter van, painting 30 murals in 29 states, bringing his vision of the interconnectedness of nature to walls across America. Flash forward and Skye’s painted hundreds of murals, brightening the walls of companies like Whole Foods Market and Kelly Slater’s Outerknown headquarters. 

We sat down at Skye’s home in Encinitas to talk about why murals give towns identity and emotional resonance, how public art can reconnect us to nature in small, daily ways, the role of nature, symbolism, and wildlife in his creative process, the tension between art, technology, screens, and the coming AI wave, and of course we get into Skye’s favorite ways to microdose nature to breathe inspiration into his art. 

This conversation reframed public art for me as community connection and as transforming the built environment into nature experiences. If you care about nature connection, art, creativity, or the future of human expression in a digital world, this episode will expand your lens.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

Skye’s Website

Skye’s Instagram @skyewalker_art

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

In this solo episode of Nature Junkie Radio, I share one of my favorite research-backed practices for increasing nature connection: Noticing 3 Good Things in Nature. This simple exercise has been shown to increase nature connectedness and improve mental health without requiring more time, gear, or access to wilderness.

The episode opens with a recent run-in I had with a great white shark. From there I give an overview of the research that shows why actively noticing nature (instead of more time in nature) is an effective protocol for your mental wellbeing. 

I close by offering a few practical ways to apply this technique in your daily life, anytime and any place you can pause for a moment to pay attention.

Episode Links

Actively Noticing Nature (Not Just Time in Nature) Helps Promote Nature Connectedness by Miles Richardson, Iain Hamlin, Carly W. Butler, Rory Thomas, and Alex Hunt. 2022.

One thousand good things in nature: Aspects of nearby nature associated with improved connection to nature. Miles Richardson, Jenny Hallam, Ryan Lumber. 2015.

Three good things in nature: a nature-based positive psychological intervention to improve mood and well-being for depression and anxiety. Rosaline Keenan, Ryan Lumber, Miles Richardson, David Sheffield. 2021

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

Nick Triolo is a runner and writer, both of which shape him and his beautifully deep musings on this thing we call life. He’s the managing editor at Magic Canoe, he teaches at the University of Montana, he’s been an adventure guide, he’s made films, and his writing has been featured in Orion, Outside Magazine, and many others. He recently published his first book called The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere. The great nature writer Robert Macfarlane described Nick’s book as “Smart, funny, wise of mind, and vast of heart.” I couldn’t agree more, Nick’s book stirred deep thoughts in me about the current state of things on this planet, made me laugh, and serves as a solid reminder to stay open and curious as we travel through life.

Nick joined me over the interwebs from the Western Sierra foothills where he was enjoying a break from his home in Missoula, Montana. We talked about the ancient practice of kora, or circumambulation - in essence walking around the base of mountains (or other sacred sites) instead of summiting them - as a way to examine both inner and outer landscapes from different perspectives. We also talked about how is relationship with trail running joined him up with Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard, the raw natural beauty he experienced practicing kora in Tibet, how life might be different if we didn’t need to summit, the social nature of kora, and we try to figure out the new skillset needed to deftly move between grief and joy in this complex modern era.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere by Nicholas Triolo

Nick’s Website

Nick’s Instagram (@nicholas.triolo)

Nick’s Substack (The Jasmine Dialogues)

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

Guner Tautrim is a 6th generation land steward of Orella Ranch. He’s a surfer, boat captain, skater, snowboarder, master reclaimed wood worker, permaculturist, husband, and father. He’s the founder and operator of Gaviota Givings, Seaborn Designs, and sits on the board of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy.

Guner and I recorded this episode from the living room of the house he built with his own hands using heaps of natural building techniques to collaborate with nature. He shared the history, land, and happenings of Orella ranch, his nature-immersed upbringing (with a cameo from his mom), his hugely impactful sailing trip aboard Ishi (which includes hand to hand combat with sharks), his definition of permaculture and its ethics, tales of gathering “free” wood, and navigating succession to the seventh generation.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

Guner on Instagram (@gaviota_guner)

Gaviota Givings on Instagram (@gaviota_givings)

Permaculture. A Designers Manual by Bill Mollison

Sailing the Farm by Ken Neumeyer

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

Jeff Johnson is not only my doppelganger, but he’s a lifestyle and adventure photographer who made his name as a staff photog for Patagonia, and then as a freelancer for brands like Yeti, Roark, and Rivian with his images and stories filling pages of The Surfer’s Journal, Outside Magazine and many others. He’s a surfer, a former North Shore lifeguard, and a climber that goes after big walls in places like Yosemite. Jeff featured as the lead character in one of my favorite adventure films,180 South. He’s published three books including Bend to Baja, 180 South: Conquerors of the Useless, and more recently Way High Kick Turn, which is an insider's look into East Bay skateboarding culture from the mid-70’s to late 80’s. Jeff is a brand ambassador for Leica cameras, has his own shoe model with SeaVees and recently launched an apparel and gear brand called SPC/LST. 

Jeff and I enjoyed our conversation from the lanai of his house on the North Shore of Oahu where we laughed about the crazy cases of mistaken identity we’ve dealt with over the years of sharing the same name and a mutual group of friends. I learned about his photography inspirations, the overlap between climbing and surfing, his insights from years of documenting Nature Junkies, managing the double-edge sword of social media, his most influential mentors (including Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard), making sense of his role in the film 180 South, his new apparel brand, and we finish with a lightning round of doppelganger questions to truly understand the common ground of being a Jeff Johnson.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

Jeff’s Instagram

Jeff’s Website

SPC/LST

Bend to Baja: A Biofuel Powered Surfing and Climbing Roadtrip

180 South: Conquerors of the Useless

Way High Kick Turn

Jeff’s Signature Shoe Model with SeaVees

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M. 

To slap a single label on Jon Rose would be inaccurate. But several might help, so here goes. Jon was a pro surfer during an era when being a Freesurfer was a good way to make a living. He’s been a model in partnership with brands like Dockers, Tumi, Kenneth Cole, and others. In 2009, he was called into action by the massive earthquake in Sumatra, which led to founding a non-profit called Waves for Water. To date, his organization has positively impacted nearly 4 million people with access to clean water, activated programs in over 40 countries, and responded to over 30 disasters globally. He’s also a photographer, storyteller, and in recent years has been doing high altitude mountaineering in the Himalayas. Yep, he’s a first rate Nature Junkie.

Jon joined me from his home in Lake Tahoe and we talked about him completing a ten year project in Nepal to build a house for a widow, his Mount Shasta upbringing that led to an early father and son dirtbag surf mission deep into Baja and mainland Mexico, his globetrotting pro surfing career, the founding of Waves for Water, the wisdom he’s learned from indigenous communities around the world, prioritizing nature over tech, and nature’s role in psychedelic integration work.

If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!

Episode Links

Jon Rose on Instagram

Jon Rose’s Website

Waves for Water

Waves for Water on on Instagram

IG Reel from Jon/W4W of Anjali’s House Unveiling (have some tissues handy, it’s emotional)

Connect with Nature Junkie

Substack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/

Instagram: @naturejunkieradio

Website: www.naturejunkielife.com

Production Credits

Hosted by Jeff Johnson

Podcast cover art by Ahab Nimry

Outro music by Tyler Johnson

Editing by Aashish M.