We're celebrating Earth Month throughout April to promote environmental activism and conservation action. Today we dive into Al Gore's follow-up to his Inconvenient Truth with his 2009 book Our Choice.

Learn more about how to make the connections between our conservation efforts and seeing success in our own lives by visiting me on ZooFit.net, and support our work on Patreon.

Other Zoo-notables mentioned and related:

Wangari Maathai

Planet Palm by Jocelyn Zuckerman

The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change by Grady Klein and Yoram Bauman, PhD

Superman's Not Coming by Erin Brockovich

Sandi Schwartz has written the book I dream of writing myself. So naturally, I was super excited to have her on Zoo-notable to talk about her new book coming out May 3, Finding Eco-Happiness. Raise calmer, happier, healthier children with these fun, hands-on nature activities for parents and kids to enjoy together. Even if you don't have children, this book is incredible for helping you deal with anxiety, depression, and burnout in a naturally healthy way. You can pre-order the book anywhere you shop for books (may I recommend IndieBound and support local bookstores). 

Connect with Sandi and learn more about her wonderful passion to connect everyone to the earth in a healthy and positive way at  https://ecohappinessproject.com/

ZooFit also strives to connect us to the earth in a positive way. Sign up for our newsletter and blog, and support us through Patreon. 

This is a special episode, talking to author Bonni Goldberg about her new book, The Write Balance. We discuss how percolating leads to exceptional writing and productivity (this is not JUST for writers), some scary and helpful exercises Bonni encourages us to take to help with revisions and going public, and how to share our creative spirit without breaking your balance.

Connect with Bonni and grab her books (I'm grabbing the 2-minute journals, myself!): https://bonnigoldberg.com/

Reviews are a writer's (and other creators') best friend! Consider leaving a review for Bonni on Amazon, Goodreads, or sharing with friends.

Want to see how I've gone public with my own creative endeavors? Check out my Blog, Books, YouTube, and Patreon. Support my projects by subscribing and sharing with others! 

Jan spent more than 30 years as a teacher, and shares her insights as she started her journey, and ended her journey as a teacher for youth. Jan shares what it means to be a teacher, how to be a good teacher, and her favorite moments as a teacher.

Grab a copy yourself, connect with Mrs. Wright, and share your thoughts with the author: DearMrsWright.com

Give the best gift an author can receive, leave a review and let others know what this book meant to you (we don't care if you liked or disliked it, leave an honest review).

How can you apply the knowledge Mrs. Wright shared in your life? Each day a new learning opportunity, and a new teaching moment!

Sy Montgomery is an award-winning author who lives in New Hampshire with their border collie Thurber and a flock of hens, known as the ladies. You can visit her online at symontgomery.com, on Instagram @sytheauthor, and on Twitter @sytheauthor.

"Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery. To research her books, Sy has traveled the world and encountered some of the planet’s rarest and most beautiful animals. From tarantulas to tigers, Sy’s life continually intersects with and is informed by the creatures she meets.

This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals—Sy’s friends—and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world."

We'll discuss the big ideas of realizing we are all one, opening your heart, conquering fear, healing in nature, and the importance of play.

I'm revisiting an older Zoo-notable with A Year of Living Kindly by Donna Cameron, because, right now, I feel the world could use a little kindness, compassion, and love.

You can view the old interview with Donna on YouTube

Check out her book and grab your own copy: https://ayearoflivingkindly.com/the-book/

And find out more ways we can spread kindness around the world:

- Project Hope

- World Central Kitchen

- Save the Children

- International Committee of the Red Cross

In this special Zoo-notable, I speak with author Seán Dwyer and his remarkable story A Quest for Tears, about surviving and learning to thrive after a traumatic brain injury. We discuss his Seán 2.0, and how, after a traumatic life event, we will never be the same person we were, and how this is OKAY. 

If you are struggling with TBI, medical issues, or life events, know that you aren't alone, and there are those who can support you, encourage you, and help you heal. Seán's book showed that there is hope, and there is life after trauma.

Want a copy for yourself? Seán has books on sale on his website. Support a local author and help spread the word about this very important message.

Celebrating a true conservation hero in every sense of the word, I'm delving into the book Wildlife Warrior about the life and tragic death of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, by Richard Shears. We discuss ideas such as BEING passionate about your work rather than just following your passion, meeting people where they are at, awareness, and your legacy to change the world.

Want more books about Steve? Check out Steve and Me by Terri Irwin and The Crocodile Hunter by Steve Irwin, as well as Wildlife Warrior.

Find your local library: https://www.worldcat.org/libraries

Support Zoo-notable and other projects I am working on to help others be the best version of themselves so we can all make a difference in the world-

Patreon

ZooFit

It's time to upgrade what we think about love, and celebrate positive connections with others to create happiness, hopefulness, and health in our lives and those around us!

Learn more about Love 2.0, and Barbara's amazing research into what she calls our "supreme emotion": https://www.positivityresonance.com/

Find this book and more at your local library: https://www.worldcat.org/libraries

Support Zoo-notable and all our projects (I'm writing my own book!!) : Patreon and ZooFit Website

Celebrating Black History Month with my favorite conservation hero, Wangari Maathai. She is the Nobel Peace Prize winning founder of the Green Belt Movement, and an activist for women's rights as well as environmental protection. Wangari is also where I first heard the remarkable Hummingbird story that shaped a lot of my conservation behavior, including my ideas about conservation fitness (connect to the earth in a healthy and positive way!).

Learn more about Wangari and find her books here: https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai/books

I borrowed all the books from my local library, but I've ordered her memoir Unbowed. So it's entirely possible we will get another Zoo-notable about Wangari in the near future.

The books we discuss today are: Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson

Planting Peace by Gwendolyn Hooks

Wangari’s Trees of Peace—Jeanette Winter

Planting the Trees of Kenya—Claire A. Nivola

Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Trees to Bring Change, by Lisa Crayton

Find your local library to discover secret gems and hidden knowledge.

Support Zoo-notable by sharing this podcast and joining our Pride on Patreon