TALATERRA

There’s a new event designed with the independent environmental education professional in mind.

What’s it about?

Let’s find out.

LINKS

More about the EE Forward Summit

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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.

During the past month, we’ve been able to learn about biophilic design and how graphic narratives can be used as effective learning tools.

My conversations with biophilic designer Sonja Bochart and illustrator Michi Mathias made me reflect on the conversation I had with Susan Chung in December 2019.

Susan is an illustrator with the Co-Design Group which is an association of architects, designers, and researchers in Canada. The Co-Design Group doesn’t design buildings, they design how life is lived in and around public spaces.

If you appreciate biophilic design and value the power of graphic narratives, you’ll want to listen to this conversation.

I hope you enjoy it.

LINKS

View links and images in the show notes at Talaterra.com.

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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.

Michi Mathias is an illustrator, author, and educator who creates informational illustrations to help people teach complicated concepts. She has written and illustrated short graphic narratives, a booklet about the science moments we experience every day, and a fun interactive comic about a day in the life of a freelance professional who is trying to get kids to school on time while getting work done. It is written in a “choose-your-own-adventure” type of format and is a lot of fun.

How did Michi begin her illustration and graphic novel practice?

How does she find the story in her projects?

How does she illustrate to inspire behavior change?

Let’s find out.

LINKS

MichiMathias.com

Michi on LinkedIn

Go behind-the-scenes of Michi’s book projects

Article about children, gardening, and comics.

Photosynthesis comic book

Scientific illustration hack for wiggly campers

____________________________________________________________________________________

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 reflect on the green spaces where we live.

Beyond parks and gardens, we sometimes find green spaces inside buildings, between buildings, on tops of buildings, in parking lots, and in places, we may not expect to find them.

When we do find them, we may not recognize them as green spaces, yet we experience the restful changes in mood these spaces were designed to create.

Today we get to learn from Sonja Bochart, LEED-accredited independent professional whose expertise is in interior design, health and wellness, and regenerative design.

LINKS

Sonja Bochart Wellbeing+Design

Sonja on LinkedIn

Sonja on Twitter (@sonjabochart)

TEDx - How Buildings Can Make Us Better

Project for Public Spaces

Biophilic Cities

Stephen R, Kellert

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Sally Bensusen is a former astronomer, a graphic designer, and a scientific illustrator. Her illustrations have been used by the National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, and Scientific American magazine.

In 2019 she retired as a graphic designer from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Sally is the founding director of The Leonardo Principle, a new endeavor destined to become a library of STEAM activities focused on developing observation skills blending art and science.

What prompted Sally to create the Leonardo Principle?

How did she launch this initiative?

When did Sally's love of drawing begin?

Let's find out.

LINKS

The Leonardo Principle

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Claudia Diaz-Carrasco discusses how she engages with Latinx youth in Southern California as the 4-H Youth Development Advisor for the University of California Extension. This episode originally aired in 2019. Since then, Claudia's community research has informed the work of many practitioners. At the end of this episode, I introduce a new resource based on Claudia's work.

LINKS

Overview of Guiding Principles for Engaging Latinx Youth

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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.

Dean Waye is a professional copywriter who helps independent professionals, small business owners, and corporations write copy for their respective initiatives. He also produces webinars as Chief Copywriter at WebinarGhostWriter.com. In today's episode, Dean and I talk about writing for LinkedIn, how to hold your audience's attention, and how to create online presentations. Dean shares valuable insight and resources environmental education professionals can use to develop presentations for their programs. As we enter another year in this new era of distance learning, you'll want to hear what Dean has to say about earning your audience's attention.

LINKS

Learn more from Dean at CMOWebinars.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.

If environmental education organizations do not open by the end of 2020, it is estimated that 11 million children will miss out on outdoor learning opportunities. This statement comes from the policy brief created by the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley. This policy brief is titled "A Field at Risk: The Impact of COVID-19 on Environmental and Outdoor Science Education." This policy brief is the result of a survey that the Lawrence Hall of Science and its partners conducted in April of last year.

Nine hundred ninety-five organizations responded to this survey. These organizations included science centers, museums, nature centers, school districts, aquaria parks, government agencies, colleges, universities, and some Botanic gardens too.

The information in this brief is not encouraging. The research group estimated that in addition to the 11 million children who would be missing out on outdoor learning opportunities, the 995 participating organizations may lose $600 million in revenue. The research group also estimated that approximately 30,000 employees would be furloughed or laid off. And that 37% of the organizations surveyed would not reopen.

And if this wasn't bad enough, it was estimated that more than one-third of the field may disappear. The survey conducted by the Lawrence Hall of Science took into consideration the fate of organizations, their employees, and the people they serve. It did not look at how the pandemic was affecting independent professionals in the field.

In early summer, I began to look at this specific aspect myself.

LINKS

Talaterra

The Trailhead

The Freelance Project in "Legacy" magazine

A Field at Risk: The Impact of COVID-19 on Environmental and Outdoor Science Education

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Sara Lynn Cramb is a designer and illustrator who creates illustrations for children’s books, apps, and other educational products. Sara’s clients include Scholastic, Nosy Crow, Silver Dolphin Books, Cambridge University Press, and the Akron Zoo.

Through her work, she introduces young learners to the world outside their doors. She also teaches them about human biology, geography, molecules, and more.

Sara’s Nature Coloring Pages caught my eye and I reached out to her to learn more about them.

Sara has worked as a freelance professional for more than 7 years. In today’s episode, I speak with her about her work and how she built her career.

LINKS

Sara Lynn Creative

Nature Activity Sheets by Sara

Sara's Red Bubble Store (magnets, stickers, children's clothes, and more)

Sara on Instagram (@saralynncreative)

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Welcome to the new year and to part two of our look at some of the themes that have emerged from my conversations with guests of this podcast.

I have had the good fortune to interview more than 40 guests since launching the podcast two years ago this month. Guests have come from many fields. What they share in common is their commitment to nurturing peoples’ relationship with the outdoors and their status as independent professionals.

In the previous episode, we took a look at guests’ earliest memories of enjoying nature.

Today we’ll hear guests talk about the moment nature became important to them.

LINKS

Rayma Peterson

Dr. Marijke Hecht

John Muir Laws

Tina Demirdjian

Dr. Stephanie Dole

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.