Today's episode is one of the more encouraging and hopeful conversations I've had the pleasure of recording. My guest is Sam Baker, co-founder of WriggleBrew, a company on a mission to combat one of the most insidious environmental issues we face today: toxic algal blooms.

These blooms occur globally, devastating everything from our local inland lakes to the vast expanse of the Gulf of Mexico, and even here in the San Francisco Bay, right in my own backyard. They create vast "dead zones" that choke out life, and their leading cause is something you might not expect: synthetic fertilizers.

In this episode, Sam and I get into the details of why synthetic fertilizers leave a trail of destruction, and why they've become so deeply ingrained in large-scale farming. We'll explore how Wriggle Brew has developed a game-changing solution by figuring out how to scale up worm casting production into a stable liquid form—a critical breakthrough for sustainable agriculture.

And we don't stop there. Did you know that some insect larvae can break down plastics? Sam shares how he and his team are working to replicate that process in bioreactors. It's an inspiring look at how nature and innovation can come together to solve some of our biggest problems.

This is a truly fascinating and hopeful discussion, and I can't wait for you to hear it.

You can find WriggleBrew and learn more about their work at wrigglebrew.com, and at wrigglebrew on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

FULL SHOW NOTES (with photos!)

Related Episodes

Gabe Brown: https://naturesarchive.com/2023/06/19/regenerative/

Elaine Ingham: https://naturesarchive.com/2022/02/07/soil/

LINKS

WriggleBrew.com

The Soil Triangle (texture)

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

From the intricate dance of an ecosystem to the ripple effects of a warming planet, nature's stories are rarely simple. But in a world that craves quick, easy answers, how do we get people to lean in and listen to the full story? And how do we do that without glossing over the complexity and nuance of the situation?

Today, we're getting a masterclass in just that with Jocelyn Bosley, a science communicator and Research Impact Coordinator at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She'll walk us through how to move beyond simple explanations and get people excited about the deeper stories in the natural world.

We’ll dig into specific examples, like how a warming Indian Ocean can affect asthma rates in the Caribbean, and we'll even challenge the idea that scientists must be objective and emotionless. This is an episode for anyone who wants to share their passion for nature and science—with anyone.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS

Born On A Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant, by Daniel Tammet

Consilience, by E.O. Wilson

Consilience Journal - science poetry

Entangled: a collaboration across time and space - Jocelyn's poetry appears in this book

Funsize Physics

Galactic Polymath SciJourneys

Rose Bear Don’t Walk, Ethnobotanist

 Strange Days on Planet Earth - Learn more about the Indian Ocean story, or watch on YouTube

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you ever found it tough to talk about big issues, especially when people already have strong ideas? In the world of nature and climate, we often see communication that feels more like telling people what to do, or how to think. It's easy for us all to dig in our heels, even if we're wrong, and shut down new ideas. Today, we're exploring a different path.

--

Griff: I was very radical and  had really bad ecological depression because was from the Bay Area and watched all my favorite places get destroyed.

So I was, you know, really felt like the only thing left to do was to fight. And that's where I was at at 18, 19, 20. Pretty much all the way until 23, I was in a very radical mind state. Mostly angry and depressed.

--

That's Griff Griffith, someone many of you know as a passionate environmental communicator and a key collaborator with Jumpstart Nature. Like many, Griff once felt that fighting and lecturing were the only ways to defend the places he loved. But a surprising encounter on a work site with a farmer named Pops changed everything. Griff realized that truly saving biodiversity needed a different approach.

Today, Griff shares his remarkable personal transformation, revealing the power of nuance in communication and how embracing a different approach can yield incredible results for nature. It's a candid and thought-provoking conversation we can all learn from. We also dive into how even dandelions can have a surprising place in conservation—another vivid example of how our perspectives can evolve.

Because this conversation embodies the spirit of both our shows, I'm excited to release it on both the Nature's Archive and Jumpstart Nature feeds! If you're listening on Nature's Archive, know that Jumpstart Nature usually takes you on an immersive journey into thought-provoking topics that help you save biodiversity. 

And if you're on the Jumpstart Nature feed, Nature's Archive brings you deep-dive interviews with top minds in ecology, biodiversity, and nature more broadly. Get ready, because this summer we're gearing up for many new episodes across both feeds! Our new team of volunteers is hard at work, and we already have several amazing interviews recorded that I can't wait to share with you. 

For now, let’s lean in for Griff's truly inspirational story of personal transformation.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Links

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Bringing Nature Home – by Doug Tallamy

Homegrown National Park

Nature’s Best Hope – by Doug Tallamy, Dr. Tallamy’s 2020 release

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

The Joshua Tree is perhaps only rivaled by the saguaro cactus as the icon of the desert southwest. Featured on U2’s classic album cover, and now the backdrop of countless instagram glamor shots, its unique, almost alien look is unmistakable.

But for decades the Joshua Tree was looked at with disdain - even loathing and hatred.

Today, our guest is Barret Baumgart, author of the new book, “Yuck: The Birth & Death of the Weird & Wondrous Joshua Tree”. Barret explores the history of the Joshua Tree, in a book that can be considered part history, part natural history, part cultural criticism, and part ecology.

Today, we delve into the strange and winding tail of the Joshua Tree and its history of evading human preconceptions and assumptions.

Living on the edge, it faces a potentially bleak future, but perhaps it will thwart us once again, against all odds.

Be sure to check out Barret on instagram, and on his Substack called Dumpster Fires.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS

Barret's Website, including speaking engagements

Buy YUCK - The Birth & Death of the Weird & Wondrous Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia from bookshop.org

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

We love native plants and habit-friendly yards at Nature's Archive, and I have a few exciting updates from my yard: spoiler: native plants are working! 

And stay tuned for a re-air of a classic episode with Leslie Inman from Pollinator Friendly Yards. There are plenty of useful insights for both habitat-friendly yard practices, and community building. Afterall, we need everyone to not only take action, but spread the word.

And we have new episodes around the corner, too. It's been incredibly busy these last couple of months, so thanks for your patience as we work to keep all of the proverbial plates spinning!

On to the episode...

I started Nature’s Archive podcast in an effort to understand the stories of people making a difference for the environment. I needed to be inspired, wanted to learn how they did it, and share that inspiration and knowledge with anyone willing to listen.

While we haven’t strayed too far from those initial aspirations, I do have many more topic-centric episodes than I did at the start.

Today’s episode is a “back to my roots” episode. My guest is Leslie Inman, the founder of the wildly popular Pollinator Friendly Yards group on Facebook. With 184,000 members, it is perhaps the top spot for people to discuss sustainable personal landscaping. And even if you are not on Facebook, it’s pretty likely you’ve seen her images and infographics. 

Leslie’s story is an amazing example of how a little curiosity can be converted into a hugely impactful movement. Today, we discuss not only how the group formed, but the lessons that she has learned along the way. This includes how to “reach” people who may be skeptical about inviting insects to their yards, how to make it easy to get started, and more.

Leslie also has two books - Your Yard is Nature and The Butterfly Egg and the Little Tree.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Links

• Pollinator Friendly Yards
• Dave Goulson
• Doug Tallamy & Homegrown National Park (TikTok)
• Doug Tallamy appeared on Nature's Archive Podcast Episode #26
• Leslie’s Books - Your Yard is Nature and The Butterfly Egg and the Little Tree
• Mary Reynolds, We Are The Ark
• Nancy Lawson, The Humane Gardener [Book]
• Travis Longcore (light pollution ecologist)
• Wild Ones 

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Today’s episode is about one of the coolest plants that I can think of - both figuratively and literally! 

Stick with me for a moment. When you think of a parasite, what comes to mind? Maybe mosquitoes, ticks, tapeworms. Probably nothing you want to invite into your house or property.

But there are parasites that are super beneficial to ecosystems.

The parasite I’m speaking of is also the cool plant I alluded to. Well, it’s actually a large category of parasitic plants. In fact, they’ve separately evolved on five different occasions. What are they?

Well, mistletoes, of course! 

Dr. David Watson joins us all the way from Australia to talk about these spectacular plants. Today you’ll learn why mistletoes are beloved by birds, provide food for many other animals, are key to nutrient cycling, and why they are literally cool plants.

There are even mistletoes that grow on, get this, other mistletoes!

Find Dr. David Watson on Bluesky. 

FULL SHOW NOTES including photos!

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you ever wondered why some rainshowers turn into thunderstorms? Just what happens in the atmosphere to create these dynamic, exciting, and sometimes damaging storms?

I find it fascinating, because so many interesting principles are at play - things we often overlook. Like, did you know that the sun doesn’t actually directly warm the air? Yes, you heard that right.

Today we take a look at how thunderstorms develop, how they can turn tornadic, and of course, I tie this back to ecology. We discuss the three ingredients needed for thunderstorms - moisture, lift, and instability - and how sometimes even that is not enough. And then there is the fourth ingredient needed to create tornadic thunderstorms.

You may know that I’ve been a weather nut since I was a kid. Back in grade school, I was so obsessed with tornadoes that I decided I’d write a book about them. My mom would take me to the library so I could check out every weather book I could find. Then I’d head home, pull out my dad’s old typewriter, and create my own newsletter — Weather Extra. My subscriber list? Just me. But I was hooked.

So I hope you enjoy this topic, a bit different than our typical episodes!

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS

Example Forecast Discussion available on your National Weather Service website.

Soil Moisture and Convection: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/49/4/2009jamc2146.1.xml

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

When we think about habitats, it’s easy to picture the rich diversity on land—vast prairies, scorching deserts, lush forests, and intricate wetlands. But what if I told you the ocean is just as diverse, filled with ecosystems as unique and vital as any on land? The only difference? We can’t see them as easily—but that doesn’t make them any less important.

Today’s guest is Dr. Judith Gobin, joining us all the way from Trinidad and Tobago. Judith is a recently retired professor of Marine Biology from the University of the West Indies. 

And she’s here to tell us about tropical marine habitats, such as mangroves, sea grass, and coral reefs. She has a particular interest in deep sea habitats, such as cold methane seeps and even whale falls. It’s a bit morbid, but weighing up to 300,000 pounds, in the case of a blue whale, a dead whale literally creates its own habitat.

To my surprise, I learned that the ocean floor more than 200 kilometers away from national coast lines is basically a free-for-all for exploration and resource extraction. Judi tells us about a new treaty that aims to better control these operations, which can disproportionately harm island nations such as Trinidad and Tobago.

It’s a deep dive into ocean science, conservation, and awe-inspiring ecosystems.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Links

Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty

Deep Sea Videos mentioned by Dr. Gobin

Dr. Diva Amon

Dr. Robert Ballard

The E/V Nautilus

Lamellibrachia judigobini

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr. Wendy Bohon, an earthquake geologist who has a passion for making the complexities of our planet accessible and engaging. Dr. Bohon is known for her dynamic science communication - in fact, you may have seen her viral videos through her Dr Wendy Rocks channels on YouTube and other social media.

Today, Dr. Bohon delves into the fascinating world of geology and earthquakes, exploring their impact on our environment and society.

In this episode, you'll discover how earthquakes occur, how earthquake geologists figure out how often faults rupture through fascinating paleoseismology, and what terms like magnitude and epicenter really mean, and how they can mislead us, too!

And did you know that the Richter Scale is actually no longer used? In fact, it began phasing out of use in the 1980s! What’s replaced it? Check in around 49 minutes to hear the story. In fact, it turns out that earthquake magnitude is a pretty poor way of understanding earthquake impacts. Dr. Bohon has some excellent metaphors to help us visualize what really happens to a fault during an earthquake rupture.

Dr. Bohon also tackles common myths about earthquakes, from breaking down the misconception of earthquake weather to clarifying the real risks of seismic events. For example, did you know that in some respects, people in the eastern United States face greater potential impacts from earthquakes? We discuss how you can prepare.

And can people cause earthquakes? The answer is a resounding yes. But can we use that power to release pressures in fault systems and avoid “the big one?” - well, you’ll have to listen to find out.

 Today's episode was one of the most fun ones that I've done in a long time.

You can find Dr. Wendy Bohon at wendybohon.com, and DrWendyRocks on YouTube, Instagram, and BlueSky, and DrWendyRocksIt on TikTok. I promise you - her content is great, so check her out.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS

Earthquakes in All The States - Dr. Bohon's YouTube series

LESSONS FROM COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS WITH RASPBERRY SHAKES

Lisa Wald

My Shake App - free earthquake warning app

Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country - a great FREE resource for anyone with earthquake hazards (i.e. nearly everyone)

Raspberry Shake - make your own at-home seismometer

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Dr. Jonny Hanson is an environmental social scientist, conservationist, and former community farmer. He's also the author of Living with Lynx, Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves, and Bears.

He spent months traveling Europe and the United States learning about the real-life challenges of reintroducing apex predators to landscapes, and how to make coexistence successful for everyone involved.

Today, we discuss Jonny’s travels, stories, and lessons learned. And of course, we begin with “why reintroduce apex predators in the first place”. 

As an environmental social scientist, Jonny spends much of his time learning how to bridge the gaps in how different communities consider living with predators, and by the time we were done, I felt more confident than ever that we can and should allow these magnificent animals back into our landscapes. 

This episode is full of amazing insights, and Jonny seems to be a quote machine. There were so many well stated tidbits throughout that I know I’m going to use in the future.

Not only that, but you’ll get to hear how Jonny actually bred mosquitos for money, and how that influenced him. And if you stick around to the end, you’ll also get to hear about his experience with concentrated bobcat urine.

If you can’t tell, this is a nutrient dense episode, but with plenty of fun stories, too.

Be sure to check out Jonny at jonnyhanson.com, and on facebook, instagram, youtube, and tiktok.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Links:

Dr. Hanson's New Book - Living With Lynx

Coexisting with Carnivores - Dr. Hanson's TEDx Talk

Joanna Lambert

Trailer for Dr. Hanson's Snow Leopard documentary

Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network

Support Us On Patreon!
Buy our Merch!

Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!