Sustainable World Radio- Ecology and Permaculture Podcast

Episode 120: Seaweed is a superfood from the sea! Terry d’Selkie of Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable Company tells us about the many benefits of seaweed. An algae, seaweed is high in vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and fiber. Terry introduces us to many different types of seaweed, including Kombu, Sweet Kombu, Ocean Ribbons, Sea Palm, Pacific Coast Wakame, Wild Nori, Fucus, and Turkish Towel. Terry tells us how to ethically harvest, dry, and cook with seaweed. Seaweed is also medicinal and can be used in compost tea and fertilizer. Many people are concerned about the safety of eating seaweed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. All of the seaweed that Terry harvests is tested by an independent lab for radiation and so far has tested negative for radioactive isotopes. To learn more about seaweed, visit Terry’s website: SeaweedMermaid.com.

Episode 119: Eric Scott Bresselsmith is an herbalist, wildcrafter, and artisan distiller of essential oils. Owner of the House of Aromatics, Eric uses Conifers and Brushes native to the intermountain region of Southern Utah to create medicinal therapeutic grade oils. Believing that "the medicine you need is always just a few steps away," Eric creates oils from local ethically wildcrafted material and trees damaged by humans or weather. In this episode, Eric talks about the medicinal and psychological effects of the essential oils of conifers and brushes, including Great Western Sage (Artemesia tridentata), Pinon Pine (Pinus edulis), Rabbit Brush (Ericameria nauseosa), Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma/utahensis), Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Grindelia (Grindelia squarrosa). He also discusses Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), a great remedy for muscle trauma, which he thinks one day may be called "the Arnica of the desert." To learn about these plants and many others, visit Eric's website: House of Aromatics.com.

Episode 118: Can plants learn? Do they have memory? Can they make decisions? In this episode, Monica Gagliano, Research Associate Professor of Evolutionary Ecology at the University of Western Australia, talks about her research with plants. Monica has pioneered the new field of plant bioacoustics and recently extended the concept of cognition to plants. Monica talks about her research exploring whether plants can learn and if they have memory and decision-making capabilities. Monica also talks about plant time vs. human time, the chemical vocabulary of plants, and why she treated plants as animals and not as objects in her experiments. To learn more about Monica's work, click here.

Episode 117: How can a cook stove change the world? Three billion people burn traditional biomass and coal indoors in cook stoves. These stoves are having a tremendous impact on our environment and on the health of those who use them. Some of the health problems associated with non-improved cook stoves include increased rates of asthma, indoor air pollution, (CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide), and respiratory infections. Cook stove use also contributes to climate change and deforestation. For over thirty years, the Aprovecho Research Center has been designing and implementing improved biomass cooking and heating technologies in more than sixty countries. Aprovecho is the world leader in open source development of all aspects of improved cooking stoves. In this episode, Dean Still, Aprovecho's Executive Director, talks about the benefits of improved stoves, Stove Camp, and why it's important to "find a problem that entrances you".

Episode 116: My guest for this episode is Josh Trought, author of The Community-Scale Permaculture Farm: The D Acres Model of Creating and Managing an Ecologically Designed Education Center. Josh Trought is the co-founder and current director of D Acres, a Community-Scale Permaculture Farm located in New Hampshire. D Acres is a hub of learning, an educational center that researches, applies, and teaches skills in Permaculture, organic farming, and sustainable living. (D Acres stands for “Development Aimed at Creating Rural Ecological Society.”) In this interview Josh talks about the beginning days at D Acres, the challenges and rewards of living in community, working with animals on the land, and his goal of creating a perennialized farm that lasts for centuries. Josh also gives advice to those who want to start a farm or educational center. For over twenty years, Josh and the D Acres staff and farm have been creating positive change on a community-scale. To learn more, visit DAcres.org.

In this episode, we talk about the weeds that surround us with forager, chef, writer, and plant lover Katrina Blair. Author of the book The Wild Wisdom of Weeds, 13 Essential Plants for Human Survival Katrina talks about the wild integrity of weeds, their medicinal and nutritional value, and how to harvest and prepare them. Katrina shares recipes for their cosmetic and culinary use. Some of the plants that we cover include Mallow, Dandelion, Mustard, Clover, Purslane, and Thistle. Katrina Blair also runs the nonprofit Turtle Lake Refuge whose mission is to celebrate the connection between personal health and wild lands.

Episode 113: Melanie and Jeff Carpenter are medicinal herb farmers. The co-owners of Zack Woods Farm, a 30 acre organic farm and botanical sanctuary located in the green mountains of Vermont, Jeff and Melanie grow over 50 species of medicinal plants. In this episode, they share their passion and knowledge about herb growing, how they use Permaculture on the farm, and how they grow healthy plants with high bioactive compounds. The Carpenters talk about the increasing need for medicinal herb farmers and the burgeoning market for medicinal plants. Growing local medicine for your community can be rewarding and profitable. It can also protect wild herb populations. The authors of the new book The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer: The Ultimate Guide to Producing High-Quality Herbs, on a Market Scale, Jeff and Melanie can be found at ZackWoodsHerbs.com.

Have you ever wanted to grow your own grains? In this episode, farmer and author Gene Logsdon tells you what you need to know about small-scale grain growing. Gene talks about the most resilient crop for beginning grain growers and shares his knowledge about corn, wheat, sorghum, and buckwheat. A longtime farmer, Gene explains why you want to alternate growing legumes with grains, how much space is necessary, the tools you need to get started, and planting and harvesting. Gene also shares his wisdom and humor about how to create fertile soil, why he thinks doing what you love is more important than making a million bucks, and how he realized that he wanted to be a farmer while living at a seminary. Gene Logsdon is the author of numerous books including Living At Nature's Pace, All Flesh Is Grass, Holy Sh**, and The Contrary Farmer. To learn more about Gene and his work, visit his blog at The Contrary Farmer.wordpress.com.

Can taking a slow walk in nature improve your health? How can you cultivate a better relationship to the natural world? If forests are therapeutic, what effect does deforestation have on us? In this episode, I talk with wilderness guide and educator Amos Clifford about Forest Therapy or Shinrin-yoku. Also known as Forest Medicine or Forest Bathing, Shinrin-yoku is beneficial for your health and has been shown to increase white blood cell counts, decrease stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and improve people's moods. No forest nearby? Amos also talks about how to connect with Nature no matter where you are and shares tips and techniques for slowing down and improving your relationship with the natural world. Learn more about Amos and his work at his website: Shinrin-yoku.org

My guest for this episode is Zea mays, also known as Corn. In this exclusive interview Corn speaks about its long history, its beginning as a wild grass, and how humans and corn have influenced each other. Corn also talks about hybridization, propagation, and genetic modification. The interview includes a cameo appearance by Bt Corn, Zea Mays' genetically modified brother. Bt who goes by the nickname StarLink (which was a GM product that was recalled) defends genetic modification and gives its side of the story. Both Corn and Bt were voiced by Chris McClellan. Chris is a writer, photographer, and natural builder who is raising free range organic children in Northeast Ohio. Chris teachers natural building and sustainable living, mostly as an excuse to play in the mud! To learn more about Chris, visit his website www.UncleMud.com.

Growing Moringa oleifera is like growing a botanical apothecary. Most parts of the plant are edible, medicinal, and useful. In this Sustainable World Radio Podcast episode, organic farmer and Moringa grower Mariko Gifford talks about the plant that has become her life work. In this interview, we learn about Moringa's many benefits. Morniga leaves are delicious and highly nutritious. The seeds can be pressed into an oil that is used on the skin and in industry. The seed cake can clarify water. Moringa is also an excellent animal fodder and can be made into a nitrogen-rich foliar spray. Tune in to learn how to plant Moringa and why it's such an important plant to grow at this time. Although Moringa is a tropical plant, Mariko speaks about how to grow it in colder climates. For more about Mariko's trainings, farm tours and moringa products, visit her website at: http://moringaforlife.com

Learn how you can optimize plant and soil health with ecological agriculture. John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture- a leading crop nutrition consulting company. An expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John Kempf teaches farmers how to grow healthier, more nutritious food. A lifelong farmer who grew up in and remains part of the Amish community, John Kempf received his Pesticide Applicators License at age 16. In this interview with Jill Cloutier, he talks about his journey from conventional to ecological farmer, the fastest way to rebuild soil and plant health, and how agriculture is the foundation of health care.

Aquaponics is a food production system that is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. In this episode, Kevin Childerley, owner of Santa Barbara Aquaponics gives us a tour of his thriving aquaponics system located in a parking lot! Kevin is growing a variety of leafy greens, tomatoes, and the prettiest heirloom lettuce I've ever seen (called Grandpa Admires). His organically produced plants grow in water that is fertilized by Channel Catfish. The promise of Aquaponics is that a lot of food can be grown in urban areas or in places with little or no soil. Since the interview, Kevin has made some changes at Santa Barbara Aquaponics. He's making his own compost tea and is well on the way to making his own fish food. He's capturing rainwater onsite to use in the system and he's expanded his operation by building more grow beds and a much larger pool for his beloved catfish.

Renowned aromatherapist, archaeologist and author John Steele talks with Jill Cloutier about essential oils, plant wisdom and the world of scent. John Steele is an aromatic consultant and owner of Lifetree Aromatix, a select line of botanical essential oils and exotic floral absolutes. In this interview, John speaks in depth about our sense of smell, using oils in self-empowered first aid, how incense was the "aromatic email of early civilization" and floral/plant communication. John talks about the terroir of essential oils, why he calls Lavender the "Swiss Army Knife of Oils" and the important differences between authentic essential oils and "natural" synthetic oils. John Steele also shares his knowledge about the sacred use of fragrance and perfumeros- shamans who heal with scent.

Courtney White is the author of the new book Grass, Soil, Hope- A Journey through Carbon Country. A former activist and archaeologist, Courtney co-founded the Quivira Coaltion, a nonprofit dedicated to building bridges between ranchers, conservationists and environmentalists. In this interview Courtney talks with Jill Cloutier about the soil beneath our feet and how soil, plants and the carbon cycle may be the most viable solution to climate change that we have. Courtney talks about land management strategies that create the conditions for longterm atmospheric CO2 sequestration in our soils. Climate-friendly agriculture and grazing will create a healthier planet for all, with more nutritious food, improved ecosystem services, habitat protection, increased food production, water conservation and a remineralization of our soils and bodies. Learn about how you can become a carbon caretaker. Let's all work together to create healthy soil! After listening to this episode you will gain a new appreciation for wetlands, bogs, grasslands and beavers! If you'd like to see Courtney White in our documentary The Soil Solution To Climate Change click here.

Now in its forth year, the West Coast Women's Permaculture Gathering is a weekend of discovery, skill-building and connection. With a focus on taking Permaculture beyond just an interest or hobby, this year's gathering focuses on finding right livelihood. The event takes place on September 18th-21, at Camp Hamilton near Seattle, Washington. To learn more, I spoke with Delia Carroll, co-organizer of the event along with Jeanine Carlson and Karen Taylor. With a stellar lineup of presenters, including Permaculture teachers, designers, ehtnobotanists, herbalists and farmers, this year's Permaculture Gathering promises to be the best yet! For tickets visit their website: WestCoastWomensPC.weebly.com

Lloyd Kahn is a builder of books and homes. Editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications, Lloyd is the author of many books about handbuilt shelter including Home Work, Tiny Homes, Builders of the Pacific Coast and the classic book Shelter that documented handbuilt housing around the world. Lloyd was the Shelter editor of the early Whole Earth Catalogs and has been writing about building and people who build for much of his life. In this interview with Jill Cloutier, Lloyd talks about why he became interested in in the art and craft of shelter, the benefits of creating your own home, the resurgence of interest in handbuilt homes and his new book Tiny Homes On The Move:Wheels and Water. Read more about Lloyd Kahn at his personal blog. Read more about handmade homes at the Shelter Publication blog.

Ed Mendoza is a Permaculture designer, teacher and lifelong gardener and farmer. In this podcast episode with Jill Cloutier, Ed talks about his love of gardening, soil and why he sings to plants. Ed also tells us about a few of his favorite plants, including peaches and chiles.

What can you do to ensure agro-biodiversity? How can you participate in creating a more secure food future? In this Sustainable World Radio episode, we speak with Irina Stoenescu food researcher and consultant, whose work focuses on healthy food, trade and nutrition issues. Irina is also a coordinator for the National Heirloom Expo. In this interview, Irina talks about how our food choices affect food security, the importance of heirloom plants and the upcoming Heirloom Expo. Held annually in Santa Rosa, California, the Expo is a cornucopia of pure, non-GMO and heirloom plants and seeds. For more information about the Expo, click here. I've also included an episode from The Plant Report , my new podcast. Recorded at last year's Heirloom Expo, botanical researcher John Glavis of BoTierra Biodiversity Research Gardens talks about Ashitaba, a medicinal and nutritious plant.

Have you ever wanted to turn your lawn into an edible oasis? Learn how in this interview with Michael Judd, author of the new book, Edible Landscaping With A Permaculture Twist. Michael talks with Jill Cloutier about projects that you can do at home to increase your yard's yield of edible treats, including unusual fruit, gourmet mushrooms, culinary herbs and even botanical booze. Michael is the founder of Ecologia, Edible and Ecological Landscape Design and Project Bona Fide, an international nonprofit supporting agro-ecology research.

In this episode, Permaculture Designer Jeff Adams talks about practical ways to design landscapes that conserve water. It doesn't matter if you live in an extremely wet or dry climate, design strategies exist that can save you water, resources and money! Jeff Adams has years of experience in regenerating watershed health and is a lead instructor for the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association's Accredited Professional Training. Owner of Terra Sophia, Ecological Design Consulting and Education Firm, Jeff says that soil is the largest and cheapest water tank that we have. In this podcast Jeff talks about rain gardens, purposeful and purposeless turf, green infrastructure and why it's time for us to pay attention to the water cycle.

The founder of Oak Tree Designs based in Margaret River, Australia, Byron Joel has years of experience in Permaculture, land re-vegetation, horticulture and landscaping. In this conversation with Jill Cloutier, Byron speaks about his experiences working with plants, how plants are used in Permaculture Design to create resilient landscapes and why you should treat your garden like a "charming friend." Byron also discusses the sacred uses of plants, the Vegetable Queendom and how you can begin an experiential relationship with the plants in your life.

Permaculture and Ecological Designer Larry Santoyo talks with Jill Cloutier about why he feels the future is abundant, why everyone is needed, Permaculture crimes, how security is between your ears and why we should seek to be valuable, not rich. Larry Santoyo is a green business consultant and senior planner at EarthFlow Design Works. He has taught environmental design at colleges and universities nationwide. Larry is also on the faculty at the Menlo Lab in Los Angeles. You can find Larry online here and at City of Angels Permaculture.

Roberto Perez Rivero is a Permaculturist, educator and sustainability activist in Cuba. In this interview he speaks with Jill Cloutier about how his country faced "Peak Oil" in the 1990's when its petroleum and food supplies dwindled almost overnight. Perez talks about the resilience of Cuba, its transition to a mostly organic agriculture, Permaculture and the upcoming IPC11 to be held in Cuba in November 2013.

Christopher Shein is a Permaculture teacher, seed saver, gardener and activist. In this interview, Christopher explains the basics of Permaculture gardening. Christopher shares his knowledge about how Permaculture principles and ethics can be used in your garden to increase yields, improve plant and soil health and lessen your work load. Christopher is the author of the Vegetable Gardener's Guide To Permaculture: Creating An Edible Ecosystem.

From the Sustainable World Radio archives, a lecture by the late Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop and human rights activist and educator. Anita was the author of Troubled Water: Saints, Sinners, Truths and Lies About The Global Water Crisis. Ms. Roddick's lecture was part of the Santa Barbara City College Student Sustainability Coalitions Lecture Series and was first aired on Sustainable World on KCSB Radio.

African forests need elephants. Elephants are vital forest gardeners, spreading seeds, clearing trails and keeping forests healthy. We talk with Dr. Samantha Strindberg, a conservation scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society and co-author of a new study about the devastating decline of African Forest Elephants. Suffering from a population decrease of 62%, these elephants are being poached for their tusks. To learn more read Dr. Strindberg's article in the New York Times here.

Imagine completing your Permaculture Design Certification Course, planting a food forest and building a cob oven- at your high school. Sounds like a dream come true? Thanks to teacher Kevin Gleason students at Dos Pueblos High School (DP) in Goleta, CA have the opportunity to learn Permaculture and get high school credit. In this episode, Jill Cloutier talks with some of the students inspired by the course, Avery Hardy, a senior at DP and a budding Permaculture designer and advocate and Kevin Gleason, an artist, teacher and Permaculture Designer. Kevin is the instructor of the new Permaculture course at DP. For more information contact Kevin Gleason at [email protected]

Justin Huhn is an organic farmer and an impassioned seed grower and plant lover. Certified in Permaculture Design, Justin cares deeply about organic farming, sustainability and subsistence. Co-creator of Mano Farm and All Good Things Organic Seeds Justin provides organic food and seeds locally and abroad. In this conversation with Jill Cloutier, Justin shares his knowledge about plants, medicinal herbs, and seed saving.

Julious Piti is a Permaculture designer and teacher, organic farmer, and conflict facilitator based in Zimbabwe. Julious has been using Permaculture in Africa to restore the health of both land and community. A founding member of the Chikukwa Ecological Land Trust (CELUCT) and now the Director of PORET (Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training), Julious' work shows that degraded land can be transformed. PORET supports farmers in dry-land areas and works to address hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. In 2007, PORET won the Zimbabwe National Environmental Award.

A discussion with author, Permaculture Designer, and psychotherapist Rachel Kaplan about her book Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living. Kaplan, with co-author K. Ruby Blume, has written a book that is a veritable treasure trove of information about everything sustainable and regenerative. Lavishly illustrated, detailed instructions are given for dozens of projects: including constructing a solar cooker, starting an urban seed bank, butchering a chicken, and greywater for renters.

In this interview, fiber and dye expert Rebecca R. Burgess shares her techniques for growing and harvesting color. Burgess talks about her favorite dye plants and the impact that chemical dyes have on the environment. Plants, minerals, and insects can yield brilliant, vibrant hues. These natural dyes produce little waste, are nontoxic, and are easy to make at home.

Chicken expert and admirer Pat Foreman shares why she believes that chickens are an integral part of the local food movement. Foreman, author of the books City Chicks and Chicken Tractor- The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil, talks about how chickens are talented composters, soil builders, living fertilizer machines, and bio-recyclers. Listeners beware! According to Foreman, chickens are also the gateway to other livestock.

Author of Edible Forest Gardens- Volumes 1 and 2, Dave Jacke is a longtime permaculture teacher and designer. In this interview, he talks about the history of forest gardening, its many benefits, and how gardening like a forest can enrich your life.

Every two years, permaculturists from around the globe gather together at the International Permaculture Conference and Convergence (IPC). This year, the IPC takes place in Jordan and its theme is "Plan Jordan- Water For Life. Water For Nature." Margie Bushman and Wes Roe, volunteer coordinators for the IPC Support Group, clue us in on what happens at the Conference, why they believe that travel is the best teacher, and how, for the first time ever, you can watch the IPC10 Conference live-streamed through the internet.

Warren Brush, Permaculture Designer and educator talks with us about his work in Africa, the power of storytelling, and why children need us to be part of the solution. Brush, co-founder of Quail Springs Learning Oasis and Permaculture Farm, has mentored youth and educated adults around the world teaching them Permaculture and other practical life skills.

Have you ever wondered why we poop in fresh water? In Part 2 of an interview author Carol Steinfeld, we talk more in-depth about human waste as a resource. Carol, co-author of The Composting Toilet System Book and Reusing the Resource: Adventures in Ecological Wastewater Recycling, shares her extensive knowledge about human waste management practices around the globe, how to clear human waste of possible pathogens, and different waste-composting systems for the home.

Have you ever wondered why we poop in fresh water? In this interview author Carol Steinfeld, of Ecowater Projects, talks about human waste as a resource. Carol, co-author of The Composting Toilet System Book and Reusing the Resource: Adventures in Ecological Wastewater Recycling, shares her extensive knowledge about human waste management practices around the globe, innovative ways of re-using this neglected and often taboo material, and discusses why peeing outside might be a good idea.

Dr. Scott Fisher, Director of Conservation for the Hawaiian Islands Trust, speaks to us about his work at the Waihe'e Refuge, a 277 acre protected site on the island of Maui. Dr. Fisher talks about traditional Hawaiian land stewardship, sensitive island ecosystems, biodiversity on Maui, and the importance of malama 'aina (care for the land).

Botanist, seedsman, and landscape architect Gabriel Howearth talks about his life with plants. Howearth, co-founder of Seeds of Change, and Buena Fortuna Botanical Garden, spoke with Jill Cloutier at the 2008 Southern California Permaculture Convergence at Quail Springs Learning Oasis and Permaculture Farm. (This was the last interview that I conducted with my once-trusty, but now defunct, mini disc recorder; so please forgive the audio quality.)

Part 2 of an interview with the Soil Doctor, Doug Weatherbee. In this interview, Doug talks about soil organic matter, carbon sequestration, how to tend your soil to support either fungal or bacterial populations, and how home gardeners can minimize soil disturbance and increase soil fertility.

Doug Weatherbee, a Soil Foodweb Advisor and owner of SoilDoctor.org, talks about the biodiversity that lies beneath our feet. Soil is alive!

Rebecca Burgess is an ecological restoration educator, author, and textile artist. Burgess is the founder of the Fibershed Project; a year-long challenge to live in clothes made from fibers sourced within 150 miles from her home. In this interview, Burgess explains what a fibershed is, talks about the hidden environmental costs of the textile industry, and shares with listeners some of her favorite natural fabrics.

Interview with Clive Neeson, director of the documentary Last Paradise. Last Paradise contains 45 years of footage from beautiful places all around the globe and chronicles the adventure of extreme sports pioneers. As kids, they played in nature. As adults, they protect it.

Interview with Lyn Hebenstreit and Tara Maria Blasco of the all-volunteer non profit organization Global Resource Alliance (GRA) about their work in Tanzania. Promoting a "natural, holistic, and sustainable approach" to the challenges facing the region, GRA works on many issues including malaria control, primary water resource development, solar cooking, and permaculture.

Interview with permaculturist, peace, environmental, and global justice activist Starhawk. Award winning author and educator, Starhawk talks about her global work, classes and trainings, her love for the Earth, and why the police arrested her seedballs.

Visionary architect Mark Lakeman talks about the inception of the City Repair movement, and his mission of creating villages within cities. By reclaiming urban spaces, we can transform cities into places of beauty, art, creativity, and connection.

Tahara Ezrahti, intuitive energy healer and environmental educator, leads us on a guided meditation, and talks about the importance of grounding, and how healing ourselves can help heal the Earth. For more on Tahara's work, visit appliedintuition.org.

Declan Kennedy, architect, permaculturist, mediator, spiritual healer, and founding chairman of the International Advisory Board of Gaia University, speaks with us about his excitement for life, nature, and lifelong learning.

Foodsheds or neighborhood food exchanges are popping up all over the US. In this interview, sustainable landscape architect Owen Dell, nutritional chef Carrie Clough, and Permaculturist and Beekeeper Jacob Rodrigue share with listeners how to start a neighborhood foodshed. Foodsheds provide hours of fun, pounds of fresh, local produce, and lots of community. Note- the Mesa Exchange has a new website address- www.sbfoodnotlawns.org.