Will Falk is a writer, attorney and environmental activist. In 2017 Falk was one of several lawyers to file the first-ever federal lawsuit in the U.S. seeking legal rights for the Colorado River as a "living entity." He is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, "How Dams Fall: Stories the Colorado River Told Me" — which recounts his experience getting to know his "client" prior to going to court.

Kirstie Pike is a former nurse turned outdoor industry entrepreneur. She is the founder and owner of Prois — a high-end hunting apparel and gear manufacturer and retailer catering exclusively to women. Pike also leads female-only hunting trips several time a year to locations worldwide. In this episode she talks with host Alan Wartes about how her business evolved and why she believes so strongly in responsible hunting — and that hunters make good conservationists.

Jay MacLeod is a sociologist, author, and Episcopal priest. In 1987, he wrote a book called "Ain't no makin' it" - an up-close look at the lives of two groups of teenage boys living in housing project in a city in the American northeast. It's a myth-busting treatment of structural inequality in the U.S. economy and MacLeod talks with host Alan Wartes about how the story has changed over the years since he first published the book and why the subject is more relevant than ever today.

Biologist and ecologist Dr. David Inouye is professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, where he specialized in pollination biology and insect ecology for decades. Since 1971, he has spent summers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in the alpine meadows of central Colorado. In particular, Inouye has focused on the effect of climate change on high altitude ecosystems.

For nearly 20 years, Pete Jantz has worked — as bike mechanic and manager — at All Sports Replay in central Colorado. The company specializes in previously owned sports equipment, bridging the gap between people with a surplus of outdated or unused stuff and those looking for great deals for themselves or their kids. At a time when chaos in the recycling industry is in the news every day, it's a business model that does a lot more than just make money.

Kevin Anderson is the bestselling author of more than 160 science fiction and fantasy novels. He also heads the publishing track of the Graduate Program for Creative Writing at Western Colorado University. Many of his titles are original works, but he's also had great success writing in other worlds as well: Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan AE, and X-Files, among others. In this episode, Anderson talks with host Alan Wartes about his creative process and the advice he gives aspiring writers.

Sean Prentiss is a professor of creative writing at Norwich University in Vermont. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book "Finding Abbey: A search for Edward Abbey and his hidden dessert grave." Prentiss and host Alan Wartes talk about the quest — and the unexpected treasures he found along the way.

Ian Glas is the founder and owner of ID Sculpture — a manufacturer of visionary playground equipment. An avid climber, Glas set out to give kids of all ages access to inspirational climbing structures in public parks. In this episode, Ian and Alan discuss the joy of making functional public art — and the rewards and challenges of operating a manufacturing business in rural Colorado.

The dynamic duo of theatre and storytelling, Heather Hughes and Steven Cole Hughes, are currently working on a staged reading of both parts of Tony Kushner's groundbreaking play Angels in America. They joined Alan in the studio to talk about the ways that this play is still relevant today and how the craft of theatre in general can help us to work through complex human issues.

Sean Prentiss is a professor of creative writing at Norwich University in Vermont. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book "Finding Abbey: A search for Edward Abbey and his hidden dessert grave." Prentiss and host Alan Wartes talk about the quest — and the unexpected treasures he found along the way.