Miist is a Billboard-charting artist and author whose life reads like it shouldn't be possible — abandoned at five, a terminal cancer survivor, and a self-taught songwriter who didn't pick up a pen until her 30s. That unlikely path produced over 100 compositions, a historic chart debut as the first native Chinese artist on Billboard's Pop/AC chart, and now a debut book, Make Me Smile with Miist — part memoir, part mental health guide, part philosophy — built around the simple idea that small moments of connection can change everything.

Find Miist and Make Me Smile with Miist online:

• Miist - Homepage
• Make Me Smile with Miist - Book
• Miist - Facebook
• Miist - Instagram
• Miist - X

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Meera Subramanian is an award-winning environmental journalist with over two decades of experience writing about the natural world and climate crisis. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Nature, and Orion, where she's a contributing editor. Her first book, A River Runs Again, about India's environmental collapse, was shortlisted for the 2016 Orion Book Award. She's also a National Geographic Explorer. Her latest project is A Better World Is Possible, a graphic nonfiction book co-created with illustrator Danica Novgorodoff that follows four youth climate activists through the 2019 global climate strike — weaving personal stories with rigorously fact-checked climate science for a young adult audience.

Find Meera Subramanian and A Better World Is Possible online:

• Meera Subramanian - Homepage
• A Better World Is Possible - Book
• Meera Subramanian - Facebook
• Meera Subramanian - Instagram
• Meera Subramanian - LinkedIn

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Scott Weidensaul is a writer and researcher specializing in birds and bird migration, and the author of nearly thirty books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind and the New York Times bestseller A World on the Wing. He joins us today to talk about his latest, The Return of the Oystercatcher — exploring where conservation has actually worked, from Indigenous-led efforts on the shores of Great Slave Lake to bison reintroduction in the Carpathian Mountains, and what those wins tell us about the future of life on this planet.

Find Scott Weidensaul and The Return of the Oystercatcher online:

• Scott Weidensaul's Homepage
• The Return of the Oystercatcher

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Hillary Rosner is an award-winning science journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Atlantic. Her new book, ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World, explores how roads, fences, and cities have fragmented the planet—and how reconnecting habitats could help heal both wildlife and humanity.

Find Hillary Rosner and ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World online:

• Hillary Rosner - Homepage
• Hillary Rosner - Instagram
• ROAM: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World - Patagonia

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Jack Ratliff — retired Navy SEAL, lawyer, and law professor — and the author of Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL. Rather than focusing on the battlefield, Jack's memoir traces the formative years that shaped his character long before elite service began — from a West Texas upbringing to fighting forest fires, to the grueling world of the UDT, the direct precursor to today's SEALs. It's a book about how discipline, identity, and leadership are forged under pressure — written with clarity, reflection, and a dry sense of humor.

Find Jack Ratliff and Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL online:

• Jack Ratliff - Homepage
• Riding the White Bull: The Making of a Navy SEAL - Book

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Holly Latteman is an environmental scientist and conservation leader serving as Director of Science and Research at The Dawes Arboretum, where she oversees native seed collection, living collections, and the Advanced Training Program for emerging conservationists. With a background spanning zoology, anthropology, and environmental studies — and research ranging from black vulture behavior to avian ecology and habitat restoration — Holly brings both scientific depth and a passion for making conservation accessible to the public.

Find Holly Latteman and The Dawes Arboretum online:

• Holly Latteman - LinkedIn
• The Dawes Arboretum - Homepage
• The Dawes Arboretum - Facebook

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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What if the story we’ve been told about plastic is incomplete—or even backward?

In this episode, I sit down with Chris DeArmitt, an independent polymer and environmental scientist, keynote speaker, and founder of the Plastics Research Council. After reading thousands of peer-reviewed studies without funding, Chris has made it his mission to translate complex science into clear, practical guidance. Author of The Plastics Paradox and Shattering the Plastic Illusion, he challenges popular narratives around microplastics, ocean garbage patches, and eco-labels—inviting us to look at the data first and focus on actions that truly reduce environmental harm.

Find Chris DeArmitt and The Plastics Paradox online:

• Chris DeArmitt - LinkedIn
• Plastic Paradox - Homepage
• The Plastics Paradox: Facts for a Brighter Future - Book

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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Pat Maher is the CEO of Atkins Ranch, the New Zealand-based collective of over 100 family farms producing 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised lamb for premium markets in the U.S. and Canada. Under his leadership, the company champions regenerative agriculture with third-party verification that promotes soil and ecosystem health while strengthening animal welfare and farm viability. Maher focuses on building high standards in regenerative practices and collaborative, respectful relationships with farmers that honor land stewardship and animal care.

Find Pat Maher and Atkins Ranch online:

• Patrick Maher - LinkedIn
• Atkins Ranch - Homepage
• Atkins Ranch - Facebook
• Atkins Ranch - Instagram

Find me online:

• This Sustainable Life: Solve For Nature Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shows.acast.com/solvefornature
• Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://verdantgrowth.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/verdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/verdantgrowth.bsky.social
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/realverdantgrowth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdant.growth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/verdantgrowthofficial

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