TALATERRA

Today, we get to learn from Matthew Paneitz, founder and executive director of Long Way Home. This organization built Hero School, a student-built and community-built campus in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala.

Built from recycled tires and trash, the campus took 16 years to build and serves 178 students enrolled in PreK through High School. The school campus is almost complete.

Matthew is also the recipient of the 2020 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service for his work in Guatemala. This award, presented annually by the National Peace Corps Association, honors Peace Corps volunteers who continue to contribute to humanitarian causes.

Long before this award and the existence of Hero School, Matthew had an idea.

An idea that needed funding, direction, and partners.

How did Matthew obtain funding when he started this project?

How did he develop a strategy sustaining him and the school he built with the residents of Comalapa?

What is the school's curriculum, and how does it change the conversation around poverty?

Let's find out.

LINKS

Long Way Home  - Turn Trash Into Schools

Long Way Home Sustainability Projects (https://www.lwhomegreen.org)

Help School Fight Climate Change with Green Building (Global Giving) - Giving Tuesday is December 2, 2025

Watch timelapse video of recent classroom construction (Fall 2025)

2020 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service

EcoHab.org

Long Way Home on YouTube

Long Way Home on Facebook

Long Way Home on Instagram

Long Way Home on LinkedIn

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UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Today my guest is fundraiser and impact growth leader, Alexandra Dumitrescu. In this episode, we discuss nonprofit funding. Alexandra highlights the potential of technology to enhance fundraising efforts and presents ways nonprofits can diversify income streams. We discuss e-commerce models, leveraging SaaS platforms, improving donor relations, and lost funding opportunities.

We also discuss initiatives Alexandra founded to help nonprofits create sustainable income and integrate social impact features in business products.

How might Alexandra's ideas (or some version of them) be applied to your project, organization, or partnerships?

How does this conversation reframe what you see as being possible in environmental education?

LEARN MORE

Alexandra Dumitrescu on LinkedIn

BiggerPie (LinkedIn)

RWAYS for Nonprofits (LinkedIn)

Shop for Hope (Alexandra on Substack)

Fundraising Platforms Mentioned:

• FundraiseUp
• DonorBox
• iRaiser
• Dataro.io 

Automation Services Mentioned:

• Zapier
• Zendesk

Acronyms Defined:

• Saas - Software as a Service (cloud-based services)
• KPI - Key Performance Indicators
• MVP - Minimum Viable Product
• CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility

Alexandra's Recommended Resources:

• Daniela Papi Thornton - Reclaiming Social Entrepreneurship (TEDx)
• Dan Pallotta - The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong (TED)
• Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)*
• Manifesto for a Moral Revolution (Jacqueline Novogratz)*

Subscribe to the Transferable Solutions newsletter.

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Rob Law  is a musician and composer with decades of experience in the music industry. He has composed music for films and advertising campaigns. Rob is also a podcaster, a storyteller, and an advocate for outdoor learning. In this episode, Rob and I talk about The Creek Kids, his podcast for children inspired by the radio plays from the Golden Age of Radio.

• The Creek Kids on Podbean
• Rob Law (website)

AUDIO SAMPLES (in order of appearance):

• Lux. “Lux Radio Theater - Single Episodes : Old Time Radio Researchers Group : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive.” Internet Archive, 2025. https://archive.org/details/OTRR_Lux_Radio_Theater_Singles. Sample is from "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.' https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• The Mystery of the Flood: The Creek Kids. Produced by Rob Law. Used with permission.
• Campbells Creek Soundtrail. Produced by Rob Law. Used with permission.

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Dinah Awino Kawino is the founder and director of Akadi Eco and Mentorship Ventures.

Akadi Eco is a consulting firm based in Kenya. It focuses on bringing environmental mentorship and sustainability solutions to educational and community spaces.

This year, Akadi Eco is leading an initiative called  Pendo Mazingira. Pendo Mazingira is Swahili for "Love Environment."

Awino describes this program as “an eco-sensitivity mentorship program designed to cultivate a sense of environmental belonging through nature-based sensory experiences.” Pendo Mazingira serves both youth and adults.

How is the program working?

Let’s find out.

SUBSTACK:  Pendo Mazingira Substack - AkadiEco and Mentorship Ventures Kenya

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Empowering Women in Science: Bridging Gaps and Building Futures
Interesting and honest conversation about being a woman in science. Awino's presentation begins at timestamp 57:22. Her presentation is titled, Empowering Women and Girls: Disrupting Fear-based Silence for Thriving Sustainability Science. This is a presentation by LIAISE.

BOOK:
Weaving a Green Future: Opportunities and Barriers in Textile Manufacturing in Kenya (Eliva Press, 2025)

ARTICLES:
Closing the Loop: A framework for tackling single-use plastic waste in the food and beverage industry through circular economy - a review (Journal of Environmental Management)

Challenges and Opportunities for Green Transitions Adoption in Kenya's Textile Manufacturing Industry  (Frontiers in Sustainability)

Assessment of Green Growth Practices in the Textile Industry: A Study of Thika Cloth Mill and Rivatex in Kenya  (East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources)

LEADERSHIP:
The Green Embassy Kenya

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Christina Carter is the author, illustrator, and founder of Gumnut Trails—a unique collection of Outdoor Adventure Guides that help families rediscover the joy of exploring nature together.

In this episode, we dive into how Christina’s own nature-rich childhood inspired her to create the “Lonely Planet of childhood adventures”—starting with four beautifully illustrated Guides across Melbourne.

Each Adventure Guide transforms an ‘ordinary’ walk into an immersive experience using storytelling, creative missions, and joyful illustrations. Designed to be interactive, screen-free, and deeply local, Gumnut Trails helps families connect with the natural spaces around them in fun, meaningful ways.

Every guide is built around the history, features, and hidden stories of each location. Months of on-the-ground exploring, researching, writing, and illustrating go into each one—making them more than just ready-made adventures, but true works of art.

What began as one parent’s mission to capture the magic of a childhood spent outdoors is now a growing movement.

So how did it all come together—and what’s next for Gumnut Trails? Let’s find out.

Website: www.gumnuttrails.com.au

Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gumnut_trails/

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

We are all in the attention economy.

Louise Karch (pronounced CARSH) makes sure good people like us break out not blend in.

Louise is delighted to speak us. She has a special fondness for environmental educators having been an Outward Bound Instructor.

For over a decade, she also was a career management professional, She was honoured to study with and support Richard Bolles, the author of the bestselling career/life planning in history, What Color Is Your Parachute.

It was Richard Bolles who inspired Louise to write guidebooks. Louise is the award-winning author of Word Glue, and head cheerleader and one of the co-authors of the global mega-hit The Carbon Almanac, It’s Not Too Late (Penguin Random House),

Louise’s most recent book, First Aid for Fairies: From Rain to Rainbows, is an uplifting steampunk-inspired guide that helps teens shift from stress to strength It’s been nominated for the American Library Association’s MIchael Princz award.

Louise has mentored leaders in 71 countries and edu-tained audiences from Australia to the Arctic. She prefers being warm.

You can find Louise at…

Word Glue

First Aid for Fairies

Interview Database with Addendum for Environmental Educators

RESOURCES MENTIONED

What color is your parachute? (2022)*

Transitions (2019)*

Brag! Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It*

Outward Bound (Canada)

Outward Bound (USA)

ASSESSMENT

Institute on Character

Jackson Vocational Interest Survey

Gallup CliftonStrengths Finder

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Episode description:

Join us as we dive into the world of innovation with Vanessa Thompson, Managing Director of The Sustainability Experts. Vanessa shares bold strategies for sparking disruptive ideas, seizing new opportunities, and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to transform businesses and careers.

A renowned keynote speaker and consultant, Vanessa partners with startups, VCs, and global corporations to deliver powerful solutions that merge innovation with sustainability for lasting impact.

Listen to Vanessa’s Podcast: https://www.the-sustainability-experts.com/the-show
Book Vanessa as a Speaker: https://www.vanessathompson.com
Contact Us:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sustainability-experts/?viewAsMember=true
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: The Sustainability Experts
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PLmkmxJLJQ5BJ2Kgluxku

Don’t miss this insightful episode packed with actionable ideas to drive innovation and sustainable success!

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Last week I launched the new newsletter. It’s called Transferable Solutions and the theme of the newsletter is “Environmental Skills, Reimagined.” When I started The Freelance Project, I wanted to explore what freelancing looked like in environmental education. The people we've had the opportunity to meet through the podcast have shown us there are dozens of ways to approach working as an environmental education professional. 

With this deeper understanding established, it is time to add the next layer to my project.

Subscribe to the newsletter at https://talaterra.com.

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

Today we get to learn from Kalliopi Monoyios, visual science communicator and lead author of "Visuals as a Catalyst for Climate Science Communication," a chapter in the book "Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions" (Springer Nature, 2024).

In this episode, Kalliopi and I discuss the value of visuals in climate change communication. We discuss what effective visuals look like and also talk about creating culturally relevant and sensitive information. Kalliopi shares how someone can become a visual science communicator and what a collaborative project between a visual science communicator and a client might look like.

LINKS

Kalliopi Monoyios website

Guild of Natural Science Illustrators

Visuals as a Catalyst for Climate Communication (Open Access)

Kirsten Carlson | Fathom iT Studios

Taina Litwak 

Fiona Martin | Visualizing Science

Your Inner Fish (book)

Your Inner Fish (PBS video)

Association of Medical Illustrators

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Storytelling and Climate Solutions - A conversation with co-editors Emily Coren and Hua (Helen) Wang

Gretchen Halpert, Scientific Illustration Distance Program

Gary Hoyle discusses museum plant models, exhibit design, and dioramas

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.

A conversation with Emily Coren and Hua (Helen) Wang, editors of Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions (Springer Nature, 2024). They collaborated with 44 authors to create a resource addressing many forms of climate communication.

Each of the book chapters addresses a specific type of storytelling. You’ll find chapters about entertainment education, locally-driven narratives, youth engagement, Hollywood, climate fiction, music, news reporting, geospatial tools, interactive storytelling, mental health, and telling stories through food. There is also a chapter about using visuals as a catalyst for climate science communication. 

Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions is an open-access title. You can download the entire book or individual chapters for free. 

LINKS

Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions (Download)

Publications by Emily Coren

Contact Emily Coren

Helen Wang, University of Buffalo

Entertainment-Education Behind the Scenes - Case Studies for Theory and Practice (Download)

Emily Coren: Science communicator, author, and affiliate in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. (Read Bio)

Hua Wang: Professor of Communication at the University of Buffalo, New York. Communication scientist whose specialties are health promotion, behavior change, and social justice. (Full Bio)

Episode Art: Photo by Naoram Sea on Unsplash

____________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

On September 2, 2026, the TALATERRA website merged with Transferable Solutions. Conversations can be accessed through the interactive map. You can also explore the podcast's catalog of episodes on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

CREDITS:

• Producer: Tania Marien
• Music: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;
• SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Subscribe to Transferable Solutions, a newsletter about reimagining environmental skills
• Contact Us
• Talaterra is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Learn More
• © 2019 - 2026 Talaterra Inc

ABOUT:

TALATERRA combines "tala" (Icelandic for "to speak" and "to talk") with "terra" (Earth)—because speaking for our planet and telling its stories is what environmental educators do.

TALATERRA: to speak Earth.