Daniel Lerch
The Future of Forests
Human communities have benefitted immensely from trees, but tree communities (i.e., forests) haven’t always fared so well in the bargain. What can we do differently to ensure a forested future?
Human Nature Odyssey: Episode 20: Joanna Macy & The Great Turning — with Jess Serrante
Legendary activist Joanna Macy called this moment the Great Unraveling—a time when our ecological, political, economic, and social systems crumble. And yet, she also insisted that we stand on the threshold of a Great Turning: a profound transition toward a more just and sustainable world.
The Hidden Power of Forests: Connection and Cooperation from Roots to Canopy
Learn what forests can teach us about community resilience with National Geographic Explorer at Large, Nalini Nadkarni, and Tsimshian scientist Dr. Teresa Ryan.
Human Nature Odyssey: Episode 19: Modern Myths – Flat Earth, Space Colonization, and the Stories We Tell to Escape Reality
This episode explores two powerful beliefs. One is the belief that humans could, and should, live in space: that we’re destined to leave our planet behind and colonize the stars. The other is the belief that we’re not on a planet at all—that the Earth is actually… flat.
Human Nature Odyssey: Time Machine 2126 (Part 2) – Techno-Utopia or Apocalypse?
What does a realistic and positive future look like? Alex joins the hosts of Crazy Town to imagine life in the 22nd century: walking from our family farms into communal villages, living off the land in a low-energy lifestyle, taming our pet donkeys, and resisting our local warlords.
Crazy Town: Episode 116. Sane Town: A Realistic Vision of Life 100 Years from Now
Picture the future 100 years from now. What do you imagine? Flying cars? Space colonies? AI talking toasters? But if we can’t sustain an endlessly growing economy what does a realistic and positive future look like?
Nourishing a Bioregional Economy
In this live online event, Donna Morton (cofounder of Salmon Returns) and Michael Shuman (community economist) share their knowledge of investing locally and building bioregional institutions.
Human Nature Odyssey: Time Machine 2126 (Part 1) – Has Green Energy Saved Us Yet?
What does a livable future look like 100 years from now? If we unlocked unlimited green energy, what would we actually do with it? And are our dreams of a renewable-energy utopia sometimes just as delusional as the fossil-fueled ‘drill baby drill’ mentality?
Crazy Town: Episode 115. Toasting Bread Is WAY Harder Than You Think: The Challenges of a Renewable Energy Future
If we unlocked unlimited green energy, what would we actually do with it? And are our dreams of a renewable-energy utopia sometimes just as delusional as the old fossil-fueled, drill-baby-drill mentality? Alex Leff of the Human Nature Odyssey podcast hosts this special Crazy Town highlights compilation.
Human Nature Odyssey: Episode 16. How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse
A horrific zombie apocalypse has ravaged the world—but hardly anyone seems to notice. One lone podcaster sets out to document this strange new reality: from mindful zombie retreats, to those fortifying shotgun bunkers, to others disappearing into the woods to build something entirely new.
Beyond the Brink: Imagining the Possible in a World Unraveling
Join us for the free, online event: Beyond the Brink on November 13. Considering the unsettling present we all find ourselves in, we’ll ask Rob Hopkins, and Jacqui Patterson to help us do what feels impossible: imagine a brighter future.


