Episodes

How do we connect human emotion to the built environment? Is it possible to design spaces that produce serenity and wellbeing? Can we harness technology as a force for good rather than division? We’re diving into all of this and more with renowned architect, artist, and self-professed “serene-ist” Suchi Reddy, founder of Reddymade. Throughout her career, Suchi has strived to put human emotion at the center of everything she creates, from a biophilic, LEED Platinum Google flagship store to an int...

This week we’re exploring the neuroscience behind our relationship to beauty. Are we culturally conditioned to prefer certain landscapes, works of art, and types of buildings or are those preferences universal? Why do some people embrace nature while others are fearful? Is there a way to measure biophilic design’s effect on neurodivergent individuals? We investigate all of those questions and more with our guest Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, a renowned professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsyl...

What if we told you that a global commercial flooring company has achieved carbon neutrality and is well on their way to net negative emissions? This week, we’re joined by Kari Pei, the Vice President of Product Design at Interface, to discuss the inspiration she finds in nature, the sustainable materials and manufacturing techniques that have made Interface a standard-bearer for environmentally friendly corporate practices, and the importance of awe. We also touch on some overlooked aspects of ...

This week, we’re diving into the psychology of biophilic design - why we find it so appealing, the evolutionary basis for preferring certain landscapes to others, and the reasons we fear certain natural elements like snakes and spiders. We also chat about the social experiences we find in nature, like camping with friends and sharing stories around a fire, and the ways in which climate change complicates our relationship with the natural world. Our guest is Dr. Judith Heerwagen, a psychologist ...

This week, we’re chatting with Dr. Elizabeth Trattner, a renowned acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese Integrative Medicine, who works with clients on everything from autoimmune support to holistic beauty. Elizabeth has received widespread acclaim for her work and has been featured in publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Allure. Elizabeth’s journey to holistic medicine began early in life, but her own experience battling chronic illness led to a very personal interest in green, nont...

This week, we’re speaking with Jared Hanely, the CEO and founder of NatureQuant, a company whose mission is to leverage technology to promote a greater connection to nature. The idea for NatureQuant came out of a multi-day ski trip with Jared’s co-founders Christopher Minson and Christopher Bailey, when they realized that the power of metrics and trackable data could encourage people to get outside and reap the benefits of time spent in nature. NatureQuant’s applications include NatureScore, whi...

Have you ever felt instantly calm upon arriving at the ocean or a rural lake? Or even felt the need to dip into a hot bath after a tough day? This week on Biophilic Solutions, we’re chatting with Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, scientist, activist, and author of Blue Mind, about why we are so innately drawn to water and the neuroscience behind water’s healing properties. We’ll dive (pun intended) into the ways we might reconnect with our favorite bodies of water, the innate spiritual properties that wat...

This week, we’re chatting with urban designer and author Hannah S. Palmer about the second longest river in Georgia, the Flint River - a river that few Atlantans have even heard of because it’s headwaters run underneath Hartsfield Jackson, the world’s busiest airport. Hannah is the Project Coordinator for Finding the Flint, a partnership between The Conservation Fund, American Rivers, and the Atlanta Regional Commission, whose mission is to bring this forgotten river to light, opening up spaces ...

“Biophilia is the connection that human beings innately seek with the natural world.” - E.O. Wilson This week on Biophilic Solutions, Monica and Jennifer speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes about his latest work, Scientist: E.O. Wilson: A Life in Nature. Recorded in early December, a few weeks before Wilson passed away at the age of 92, this interview delves into Wilson’s extraordinary life and contributions to the field of biology, Richard’s interest in him as a subject, ...

Biophilic Solutions will be back on January 18th! Here, Monica and Jennifer check in about what they've learned over the past year and give our listeners a sneak peak of what to expect in Season 2.

This week on Biophilic Solutions, we’re talking to Stacy Funderburke, Associate State Director for Georgia and Alabama and Regional Counsel for the Conservation Fund, an organization that strives to integrate environmental and economic outcomes via land conservation. Through his work on projects like the Working Farms Fund, Stacy walks us through the mechanics of how we might shift to a more ethical and environmentally friendly model for working land -- and how we as consumers can be a part of t...

This week on Biophilic Solutions, we’re talking to Alden Blease, the founder and Chief Creative officer of R.E.D.D., a highly successful (not to mention delicious) line of plant-based energy bars and elixirs. When he ran out of money on his college meal plan, Alden began making his own bars using bulk ingredients from his local health food store and the first iteration of R.E.D.D. was born. Since then, R.E.D.D. (which stands for Radiant Energy Deliciously Delivered) has been hailed by publicatio...

This week, Monica and Jennifer sit down with Nina-Marie Lister, Graduate Director and Professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson University, located in Toronto, Canada. Building off of her captivating presentation at last month’s Biophilic Leadership Summit, Nina-Marie lays out the little-known history of the front lawn’s hold on North American households, the barriers for achieving greater biodiversity on private property, and the city bylaws that prioritize conformity ov...

This week on Biophilic Solutions, we speak with John Judge, President and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club, the oldest conservation organization in the United States. The mission of the Appalachian Mountain Club is to foster protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors in order to create a world in which nature is fundamentally valued. AMC achieves this mission through education, outdoor programming, and robust research and conservation efforts to tackle climate change in the Nor...

What do farmland loss and a rapidly changing climate mean for the future of food? How can we harness the power of agriculture, urban farming, and regenerative practices to protect next-generation farmers and the planet? In his presentation at the 2021 Biophilic Leadership Summit, President of American Farmland Trust John Piotti tackles all of these questions and more, illuminating AFT’s history as a changemaking organization and looking towards the future of agriculture. Show Notes About ...

The Biophilic Leadership Summit brings together thought-leaders from fields like agriculture, urban planning, architecture, and climate science to learn about and discuss the most impactful biophilic projects, principles and research happening today. Hear from our Summit Coordinator Katrina Erni Cohen, about the speakers, topics, and themes that you can expect to learn more about at the 2021 Virtual Summit, happening next week on October 11th and 12th. Biophilic Solutions listeners get a specia...

From our good friends over at Serenbe Stories, hear Monica and Steve Nygren’s interview with retired marine Colonel Mark “Puck” Mykleby. In this episode, Mark explains why biophilic communities are an important aspect of national security, how sustainability drives economic growth, and why smart growth at home becomes smart power abroad. You will also learn about the origins of the Biophilic Institute, as well as the work Mark is doing in the private sector to create more walkable communities. T...

This week on Biophilic Solutions, we chat with Indie Lee, founder of the wildly successful skincare line of the same name. Hear how Indie went from a CPA working with major companies, to an advocate for the slow food movement, to the CEO and founder of her own beauty brand, where she puts nature and ethics at the forefront. Indie's story of overcoming major health challenges, starting a business from the ground up, and holding her company to the highest ethical environmental standards will inspi...

This week, Monica and Jennifer sit down with Florence Williams, acclaimed author of "The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative." When it comes to understanding the science behind why time spent in nature is so beneficial for mental health, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who is more knowledgeable than Florence Williams. In this episode, we chat about prosocial emotions like serenity and awe, the benefits of forest bathing, the impact of city noises on our...

This week, Monica and Jennifer sit down with Jasmina Aganovic to talk about all things beauty and biotechnology. After earning a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from MIT, Jasmina worked with well-known beauty brands like Fresh and Living Proof before founding her own line, Mother Dirt, a brand that uses the naturally occurring bacteria found on human skin to treat and cleanse without stripping. Currently, Jasmina is the entrepreneur in residence at Gingko Bioworks, a biotechnology company working to bring nature to the forefront in innovation. We cover a lot of ground in this episode including Gingko’s partnership with Moderna, the weaknesses of the ‘clean’ beauty industry, and why biology is the ultimate technology.

This week, we're speaking with Beth Sauerhaft, the Vice President of Programs at American Farmland Trust. If you've seen the 'No Farms, No Food' bumper stickers, you're familiar with AFT whether you know it or not. In her current role, Beth oversees all of the programming that helps American Farmland Trust achieve its mission of preserving farmland, protecting farmers, and promoting environmentally sound farming practices. Prior to joining AFT, Beth has worked in sustainability roles at EPA, the...

On this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we talk to Jacqui Patterson, the Senior Director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program, about why we cannot separate our fight for planetary health from the fight for racial justice. Why is race, even more so that socioeconomic status, the single biggest indicator for placement of toxic facilities in the United States? Why do we silo issues like public health, race, and climate, when they are so closely related? Why is campaign finance r...

How do we build a biophilic movement? Halfway through our first season, Monica and Jennifer reflect on the lessons they have learned so far and bring it all back to our innate love of and need for nature. They’ll dive deeper into their own backstories and relationships with nature, discuss why biophilia is a useful way to reframe the environmental conversation, and explore the importance of consciousness raising when growing a movement. Show Notes Follow The Biophilic Institute on Instagram, Tw...

We spoke with Dr. Drew Lanham, a distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Clemson University and the author of the Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, to discuss the intersection of nature, humanity, and race. How have the natural sciences progressed since Dr. Lanham first began in his career and what work is there still to do? Why are conservation and activism inextricably linked? And why is it impossible to separate the simple act of birding from systemic raci...