Solve For Nature

Chris Lee co-hosts the Parks and Restoration podcast and runs a county conservation department in Iowa, with 20 years in parks and natural resource management. His whole thing is 'leadership through the lens of ecology' — he's built a framework called Organizational Ecology that takes lessons from how healthy natural systems function and applies them to building healthy teams and workplace cultures. He speaks and consults on this outside his day job too. Basically: instead of asking how nature can change how we live as individuals, he asks how nature can change how we lead people.

Healthy ecosystems don't run on hustle — they run on balance, interdependence, and long-term thinking. Chris Lee, a county conservation director and co-host of the Parks and Restoration podcast, has spent two decades studying that balance in the field — and built a framework called Organizational Ecology to bring those same principles into how we lead teams and build workplace culture. In this episode, we talk about the tension between short-term productivity and long-term stewardship, what leadership without ego actually looks like, and how thinking like an ecologist might be exactly what burned-out organizations need.

Find Chris Lee and Parks and Restoration Podcast online:

• ChrisLeeVentures - Homepage
• Parks and Restoration Podcast
• Chris Lee - LinkedIn

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Peter Solomon is back — physicist, five-time entrepreneur, and author of the Survival & Singularity Chronicles, who's spent his career sounding the alarm on the technologies he believes could end us. His new novel, 12 Years to AI Singularity, imagines a near future where AI surpasses human control, robots develop something like emotions, and the dead return as avatars — and where the line between warning and prophecy gets uncomfortably thin. Peter's back on the show to talk about what he thinks is actually coming, and what — if anything — we can still do about it. (100 years to extinction was previous)

Find Peter Solomon, Ph.D and 12 Years to AI Singularity online:

• Peter Solomon, Ph.D - About Page
• Peter Solomon - Instagram
• Peter Solomon, Ph.D Book - 12 Years to AI Singularity
• “Turn the Tide” — Watch on YouTube
• 100 Years to Extinction - Facebook
• 100YearsToExtinction - X
• 100yearstoextinction - LinkedIn
• 100YearsToExtinction - Youtube
• 100YearsToExtinction - Reddit
• 100yearstoextiction - Tiktok

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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George Schaller may be the reason mountain gorillas, Bengal tigers, and giant pandas still exist in the wild. Considered the father of modern field biology, he trained Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, worked in 32 countries, and sounded the alarm on the "great dying" of the natural world decades before anyone was listening. Yet almost no one knows his name.

Miriam Horn, author of Homesick for a World Unknown, has written the first-ever biography of Schaller. This episode explores what set him apart — not just as a scientist, but as someone who saw conservation as inseparable from the lives of the people living alongside the animals he studied. We dig into what Schaller's roadmap can teach us now, and why a man who may have saved more nature than anyone in history remains so unknown.

Find Miriam Horn and Homesick for a World Unknown online:

• Miriam Horn - Homepage
• Homesick for a World Unknown - Book
• Miriam Horn - LinkedIn
• Miriam Horn (@miriamehorn) - Instagram

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Danica Novgorodoff has spent her career turning complex ideas into visually stunning stories — and A Better World Is Possible may be her most personal yet. The New York Times bestselling illustrator and 2022 Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal recipient, whose work includes the graphic novel adaptation of Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down, spent nearly a decade developing this book after attending the 2019 Youth Climate Strike with her one-month-old baby in tow. That moment — standing in a crowd of hundreds of thousands, infant in arms, thinking about 2050 — is what transformed a vague creative impulse into an urgent one. 

Find Danica Novgorodoff and A Better World Is Possible online:

• Danica Novgorodoff - Homepage
• A Better World Is Possible - Book
• Danica Novgorodoff (@novgorodoff) - Instagram

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Miist is a Billboard-charting artist and author whose life reads like it shouldn't be possible — abandoned at five, a terminal cancer survivor, and a self-taught songwriter who didn't pick up a pen until her 30s. That unlikely path produced over 100 compositions, a historic chart debut as the first native Chinese artist on Billboard's Pop/AC chart, and now a debut book, Make Me Smile with Miist — part memoir, part mental health guide, part philosophy — built around the simple idea that small moments of connection can change everything.

Find Miist and Make Me Smile with Miist online:

• Miist - Homepage
• Make Me Smile with Miist - Book
• Miist - Facebook
• Miist - Instagram
• Miist - X

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Meera Subramanian is an award-winning environmental journalist with over two decades of experience writing about the natural world and climate crisis. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Nature, and Orion, where she's a contributing editor. Her first book, A River Runs Again, about India's environmental collapse, was shortlisted for the 2016 Orion Book Award. She's also a National Geographic Explorer. Her latest project is A Better World Is Possible, a graphic nonfiction book co-created with illustrator Danica Novgorodoff that follows four youth climate activists through the 2019 global climate strike — weaving personal stories with rigorously fact-checked climate science for a young adult audience.

Find Meera Subramanian and A Better World Is Possible online:

• Meera Subramanian - Homepage
• A Better World Is Possible - Book
• Meera Subramanian - Facebook
• Meera Subramanian - Instagram
• Meera Subramanian - LinkedIn

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Weidensaul is a writer and researcher specializing in birds and bird migration, and the author of nearly thirty books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind and the New York Times bestseller A World on the Wing. He joins us today to talk about his latest, The Return of the Oystercatcher — exploring where conservation has actually worked, from Indigenous-led efforts on the shores of Great Slave Lake to bison reintroduction in the Carpathian Mountains, and what those wins tell us about the future of life on this planet.

Find Scott Weidensaul and The Return of the Oystercatcher online:

• Scott Weidensaul's Homepage
• The Return of the Oystercatcher

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hillary Rosner is an award-winning science journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Atlantic. Her new book, ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World, explores how roads, fences, and cities have fragmented the planet—and how reconnecting habitats could help heal both wildlife and humanity.

Find Hillary Rosner and ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World online:

• Hillary Rosner - Homepage
• Hillary Rosner - Instagram
• ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World - Patagonia

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Ratliff — retired Navy SEAL, lawyer, and law professor — and the author of Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL. Rather than focusing on the battlefield, Jack's memoir traces the formative years that shaped his character long before elite service began — from a West Texas upbringing to fighting forest fires, to the grueling world of the UDT, the direct precursor to today's SEALs. It's a book about how discipline, identity, and leadership are forged under pressure — written with clarity, reflection, and a dry sense of humor.

Find Jack Ratliff and Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL online:

• Jack Ratliff - Homepage
• Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL - Book

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Holly Latteman is an environmental scientist and conservation leader serving as Director of Science and Research at The Dawes Arboretum, where she oversees native seed collection, living collections, and the Advanced Training Program for emerging conservationists. With a background spanning zoology, anthropology, and environmental studies — and research ranging from black vulture behavior to avian ecology and habitat restoration — Holly brings both scientific depth and a passion for making conservation accessible to the public.

Find Holly Latteman and The Dawes Arboretum online:

• Holly Latteman - LinkedIn
• The Dawes Arboretum - Homepage
• The Dawes Arboretum - Facebook

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.