Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers – Détails, épisodes et analyse

We think a lot about how people make us feel, but what about the places we spend our time in? In this episode, we explore how architecture and design influence our physical and mental well-being, from hospitals and workplaces to the spaces we move through every day.

Our guest, Tye Farrow, is a world-renowned architect and pioneer at the intersection of neuroscience and design. His new book, Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind’s Health, reveals how buildings can either harm or heal us.

We talk with Tye about salutogenic design, the importance of coherence, and why there’s no such thing as a neutral space. Plus we explore how nature and biophilic design play a key role in creating environments that give health rather than take it away. If you’ve ever wondered why some spaces make you feel alive while others drain you, this conversation will change the way you see the built environment.

Show Notes

• Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind’s Health
• Farrow Partners
• Farrow Partners Knowledge Hub | Enriched Environments
• Farrow Partners Knowledge Hub | Embreathment 
• The 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design 

Image Credit:  Farrow Partners Architects, Photographer Tom Arban

Keywords: architecture, neuroscience, biophilic design, salutogenic design, coherence, built environment, health and wellness, environmental psychology, design for healing, nature and design, sustainable architecture, mental health, spatial design, human-centered design, Tye Farrow, Constructing Health, healthy buildings, urban design, Serenbe, podcast, wellbeing, placemaking

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

In a time of deep political division and environmental crisis, what would it look like to design a democracy that’s truly in harmony with the natural world?

In this episode, we revisit a powerful 2022 conversation with David Orr, Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, editor of Democracy in a Hotter Time, and one of the leading voices at the intersection of ecology, education, and politics.

Orr challenges us to think beyond short-term fixes and consider how a “biophilic democracy” rooted in care for each other and the planet could transform the way we live and govern. We explore why democracies fail, how our brains are wired for both division and connection, and how education might help us build a more resilient and compassionate society.

Show Notes:

• Democracy in a Hotter Time: Climate Change and Democratic Transformation, edited by David W. Orr
• Democracy Unchained: How To Rebuild Government For The People, edited by David W. Orr, Andrew Gumbel, Bakari Kitwana, and William S. Becker
• Dangerous Years: Climate Change, the Long Emergency, and the Way Forward by David Orr
• Democracy in a Hotter Time, presentation at Elon University (YouTube)
• Design with Nature by Ian L. McHarg
• The Biophilia Hypothesis, edited by E.O. Wilson and Stephen R. Kellert
• Dr. David Orr and Dr. Miranda Yaver on the Stand Up! With Pete Dominick Podcast
• Children & Nature Network
• Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
• Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist by Kate Raworth

Keywords:  David Orr, biophilic democracy, nature and politics, ecological design, climate crisis, democracy reform, environmental education, sustainability, biophilia, civic engagement, ecological literacy, long-term thinking, political polarization, community resilience, democratic transformation, environmental ethics, nature connection, systems thinking, education and ecology, hope and renewal, doughnut economics, circular economy

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

Time and again, we've examined how the challenges we face – poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and more – are deeply intertwined. Understandably, it can start to feel pretty overwhelming. But here’s the encouraging part: the solutions are just as interconnected. 

In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we speak with Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder and director of Local Futures, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring ecological and social well-being by revitalizing local communities and economies. Helena envisions a world where food is grown by nearby farmers, money circulates within communities, local businesses thrive, and meaningful work is accessible to all.

She argues that many of today’s crises stem from an overly globalized economic system and that the path forward lies in a broad shift toward localization. Helena advocates for a more informed and intentional public that values local economies and deeper connections with nature. In our conversation, we explore the power of local food systems, the importance of community and ecological bonds, and the role vulnerability plays in healing. Drawing on lessons from indigenous cultures, Helena makes a compelling case for localization as a path toward greater social cohesion and environmental resilience.

Show Notes

• About Helena
• Planet Local Summit | September 3-7 | Ladakh
• Local Futures
• Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh by Helena Norberg Hodge
• Local Is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness by Helena Norberg Hodge
• To Heal the Planet We Must First Heal Ourselves (Urth Magazine)

Key Words: local, localism, economy, economics, local economy, community, indigenous community, indigenous wisdom, Local Futures, farmers market, global economy, globalism, capitalism, nature, nature based solutions, biophilia, biophilic design, Helena Norberg-Hodge

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

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.

Show Notes

• Gingko Bioworks: The Organism Company
• Grow by Gingko
• No Soap, No Shampoo, Bacteria-Rich Hygiene Experiment, by Julia Scott (The New York Times)
• Laboratory of Longings by Ani Liu

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

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 Department of Agriculture, and even Pepsico. We'll talk about corporate responsibility, the importance of farmland for combating climate change, and the practices that can help farmers (and the planet) thrive. 

Show Notes:

• Beth Sauerhaft, Vice President of Programs, PhD, American Farmland Trust
• Regenerative Agriculture is a System, Not a Single Practice, American Farmland Trust
• Farmland for a New Generation in New York, by Erica Goodman (American Farmland Trust)
• Farms Under Threat: Biodiversity and Agriculture, American Farmland Trust
• Cover Crops Create Resilient Farms and Landscapes, by April Ann Opatik Murray (American Farmland Trust)
• Women for the Land Initiative, American Farmland Trust
• Donate to American Farmland Trust and Help Save the Land that Sustains Us
• Get Your FREE ‘No Farms No Food’ Bumper Sticker
• Vote in the 13th Annual Farmers’ Market Celebration 

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

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 reform essential as we move toward a greener and more equitable planet? We’ll address all of these questions and more. 

Show Notes

• Environmental and Climate Justice (NAACP)
• At the Intersections by Jacqueline Patterson in All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, ed. by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson, 2020
• Just Energy: Reducing Pollution, Creating Jobs Toolkit (NAACP)
• 20 Things We Can Do to Advance a Just and Sustainable Planet by Jacqueline Patterson
• The Necessity of Harmony for a Sustainable Planet by Jacqueline Patterson (Humans & Nature), 2013
• Q&A with Jacqueline Patterson, director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program by Holly Bowers (Arcadia), 2021
• Move to Amend
• Democracy Initiative
• Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): A home for white people working for justice

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

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, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook
• Prescribing Nature by Jennifer Walsh with Beth McGroarty (for the Global Wellness Summit
• I Lived in a Tent for 3 Months. It Changed Everything … In a Good Way by Jennifer Walsh (Medium)
• Serenbe

Follow Monica and Jennifer on Twitter

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

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 racism? We’ll grapple with all of these questions (and so much more) on our seventh episode of Biophilic Solutions.

Show Notes

• Dr. Drew Lanham, Distinguished Alumni Professor of Wildlife Ecology in the College of Agriculture, Clemson University 
• The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature (Milkweed Editions, 2017)
• 9 Rules for the Black Bird Watcher by J. Drew Lanham (Orion Magazine, 2013)
• Nine New Revelations for the Black American Bird-Watcher by J. Drew Lanham (Vanity Fair, 2020)
• What Do We Do About John James Audubon? by J. Drew Lanham (Audubon Magazine, 2021)

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

Fast fashion’s impact on the environment is well-known, but do you have to sacrifice style in order to protect the environment? Marci Zaroff, the founder and CEO of EcofashionCORP and a sustainable fashion pioneer, says absolutely not. Learn about the hidden impacts of the fashion industry, from the massive environmental and human toll to the microfibers that make their way into our food supply. We also talk to Marci about where the industry is headed, the shift in consumer expectations, and why she is optimistic about the future of fashion.

Follow Marci  on Instagram and check out her brands: Metawear Organic, Farm to Home, Seed to Style, and YES AND.

Show Notes

• Ecorenaissance: A Lifestyle Guide for Co-creating a Stylish, Sexy, and Sustainable World, by Marci Zaroff (2018).
• The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Verywell Mind)
• The environment and economy are paying the price for fast fashion -- but there’s hope (Vox).
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• Farm to Home launches second collection with TENCEL™ Lyocell available exclusively at QVC (Textile World).
• The Outside View: Looking Back at 2020’s Balancing Act by Marci Zaroff (Women’s Wear Daily).
• The Outside View: The Cool Factor of Sustainability by Marci Zaroff (Women’s Wear Daily).
• The Textile Exchange | Creating Material Change

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers

Through cutting-edge research, consumer education, and farmer training, Rodale Institute has been at the forefront of the organic movement for over 70 years, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with their Chief Impact Officer, Jeff Tkach, to discuss all things agriculture. In this episode, we’ll dive into regenerative farming, the scalability of organic production, fostering a greater connection to the food we consume, and why human & planetary health starts with soil. Without giving anything away, there were multiple jaw-dropping moments during this interview; trust us, you don’t want to miss it!

Follow Rodale Institute on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Follow your hosts Monica Olsen and Jennifer Walsh on Twitter.

Biophilic Solutions is brought to you by the Biophilic Institute and the Biophilic Leadership Summit. 

Show Notes

• Rodale Institute Southeast Organic Research Center in Chattahoochee Hills, GA
• Regenerative Organic Certified™ led by the Regenerative Organic Alliance
• Shop Regenerative Organic Certified™ products at Patagonia Provisions
• Vegetable Systems Trial (VST), a side by side comparison of organically and conventionally grown vegetables.
• Help solve nutrition insecurity by checking out Wholesome Wave
• Bell & Evans U.S. Organic Grain Initiative - partnership between Rodale, Cargill, and Bell & Evans
• Regenerative Ag Could Sequester 100 Percent of Annual Carbon Emissions (Rodale Institute)
• Regenerative Organic Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution (Jeff Moyer, Andrew Smith, PhD, Yichao Rui, PhD, Jennifer Hayden, PhD).

Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

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#NatureHasTheAnswers