For What It's Earth

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I am joined by Michell Follett (AKA MischeviousRedFox), and we talk about how important it is to learn through the visual art of nature journaling! We discuss the challenges and excitement about creating Instagram Art challenges, favorite birds, biodiversity, journaling as a meditative practice and more. 

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I am joined by Annie Cadden of Fisher Cat Fiber Co., and we talk about the wonders of botanical dye! There are so many incredible plants that give a dye, such as Black Walnut (which we both love), Hay Scented Ferns, Goldenrod and others, and we can utilize them to create more eco-friendly textiles. We also discuss sustainability, water conservation, and the importance of buying/making local.

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Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I give my guests a break and just talk about the art and science of Kokedama! What is a kokedama, what is its history, and how do we make one while keeping a plant's native habitat in mind? 

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I am joined by Caylin Jayde, a talented natural history artist in Iowa, United States. We chat about invasive species, the role of documenting biodiversity through art as an educational tool, the role that public art can have on sparking conservation action as well as for raising awareness, and the beautiful prairie ecosystems of her home compared to the hilly forests of mine!

oin myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I am joined by Brandi Bundles, aka @SciArtBro on Instagram, for a conversation about chemistry, and how her art highlights the roles that toxins and other complex chemicals are used in wild plants and animals as defense mechanisms and as secondary metabolites. 

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I talk about using photography as a storytelling tool to communicate about the natural world, some properties of nature photography, ways to use them to educate, as well as some conservation photography tips.

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I chat with Kat Dale, about her work studying eels and other marine fishes, how she has utilized art as a form of science communication and data visualization, as well as how the public can engage with art to learn more about the dry data that science tells us.

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I chat with Katie Pustizzi of Liquid Spine (and 2023 Mini-Grant for Conservation recipient), about the role of dance and being a movement artist as a way to spark conversations and change to better our marine ecosystems.

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and several guests for a series focusing on the intersection of art and the natural world! In each episode, we'll discuss the role that art can play to enhance understanding of environmental science topics, as well as connect people to the natural world!

In this episode, I talk about various educational concepts (learning methods/multiple intelligences) and why incorporating art into education, or using art to solidify understanding of environmental phenomenon can be so helpful.

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Zack Jacobs for a light-hearted nature-adventure mini series! In each episode, Zack and I will go through an old-fashioned, nature-themed choose your own adventure book and see if we can survive or make it through! After we find if we can survive (or not), we will discuss the adventure's realism, how it relates to the natural world, and our thoughts as environmentalists into the book. We are both huge sci-fi/fantasy/anime nerds as well, so you will get a unique combination of our backgrounds as nerdy adventure-lovers and natural life scientists!

In this episode, Zack and I go through the "Search for the Mountain Gorillas" book by Jim Wallace. Throughout it, we try to track down the elusive Mountain Gorilla species to photograph for conservation photojournalism, while discussing the importance of biodiversity, a behind-the-scenes look at creating conservation research proposals and following through with funders, and what wildlife we would wish to document!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Zack Jacobs for a light-hearted nature-adventure mini series! In each episode, Zack and I will go through an old-fashioned, nature-themed choose your own adventure book and see if we can survive or make it through! After we find if we can survive (or not), we will discuss the adventure's realism, how it relates to the natural world, and our thoughts as environmentalists into the book.   We are both huge sci-fi/fantasy/anime nerds as well, so you will get a unique combination of our backgrounds as nerdy adventure-lovers and natural life scientists!

In this episode, Zack and I go through the "Trouble on Planet Earth" book by R. A. Montgomery. Throughout it, we try to solve the mystery of where Earth's fossil fuel is disappearing to, while discussing the importance of renewable energy, electric & hybrid vehicles, and the importance of starting your environmentally-friendly journal where YOU are at, and not trying to jump to do something outside of your means. Do not worry if you have to start small and grow from there! It's the growth that matters, not the starting point.

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Zack Jacobs for a light-hearted nature-adventure mini series! In each episode, Zack and I will go through an old-fashioned, nature-themed choose your own adventure book and see if we can survive or make it through! After we find if we can survive (or not), we will discuss the adventure's realism, how it relates to the natural world, and our thoughts as environmentalists into the book.

We are both huge sci-fi/fantasy/anime nerds as well, so you will get a unique combination of our backgrounds as nerdy adventure-lovers and natural life scientists!

In this episode, Zack and I go through the "Can You Survive the Ice Age" book by Blake Hoena. Throughout it, we talk about predatory hunting techniques, some incredible animals that used to be a part of our world, and we both learn about the Clovis people - a group of people that lived in North America during the ice age (all while having fun pretending to live out my own parallel reality where I'm an anime voice actress, getting to relate a choose your own adventure book to D&D, and make predictions about a certain character in this book being an antagonistic robot).

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series! Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

In this mini-series finale episode, Sam and I talk about where our hope comes from as scientists, as well as people who live on this planet. We talk about faith, encouragement from an empowered & innovative next generation, and technological & scientific advancements.

Stay tuned for season 3, mini-series 2 starting up soon!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series! Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

This episode, we go in depth, deep, deep down into the earth's crust! Join Sam and I as we chat about how climate impacts soil systems, plate tectonics, and learn alongside us as we discover more about the importance of the permafrost layer and some current issues regarding the permafrost melting.

Of course, we end the episode on a high note with ways that people can make a positive impact on soil systems & conservation including protection of the incredibly important permafrost layer!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series! Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

This episode, we go in depth with my personal area of expertise - Terrestrial Ecosystems! Join Sam and I as we chat about how climate is impacting population movement, both of plants and wildlife, and how our wildlife encounters have changed throughout our lives.

Of course, we end the episode on a high note with ways that people can make a positive impact on our habitats with native plants and backyard sanctuaries, no matter what size of area you have to work with!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series! Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

This episode, Sam carries the team as she educates me in the basics of weather patterns, what caused to hole in the ozone layer (and a conservation success story!), some of the implications of climate change impacting weather events, and how severe weather events are becoming more and more frequent as human-cased climate change continues.

Of course, we end the episode on a high note with ways that renewable energy can help to mitigate climate change!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series! Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

This episode, Sam carries the team as she educates me in the basics of weather patterns, what caused to hole in the ozone layer (and a conservation success story!), some of the implications of climate change impacting weather events, and how severe weather events are becoming more and more frequent as human-cased climate change continues.

Of course, we end the episode on a high note with ways that renewable energy can help to mitigate climate change!

Join myself, Marissa of The Art of Ecology, and permanent guest, Samantha Rebuck for a climate change mini series!

Each episode we shall be chatting about climate change, our thoughts on it as scientists as well as just regular people living on this planet, and teaching each other about earth science concepts in an effort to make human-caused climate change less terrifying, more understandable, and to inspire people to make some positive changes to help mitigate climate change impacts.

This episode, we go over general climate change information, introduce some key words, and talk about how we've been able to see climate change throughout our own lives.

To end Season 2 of For What it's Earth with a bang, I am joined by 3 previous season 2 guests for a bizarre nature trivia gameshow! Join Marissa Jacobs, Alexandra Schmidt (Soil Science), Zack Jacobs (Arborist), and Lucy McGinty (Environmental Microbiology student) as we learn more about what animals make some super terrifying noises, how flowers live their lives, where humans rank in the category of "how well animals hear", and more!

For What it's Earth Season 3 is scheduled to start in Fall 2022 with a lineup of guests as well as a potential for a "Climate Change from Dirt to Sky Mini Series"! Interested in learning about something in particular? Email your suggestions to me (Marissa) at mjacobs@theartofecology.com

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This week, I am joined by fellow educator and nature lover, Willy Villalpando, as we discuss the importance of getting outside, exploring the natural world, and to continue learning throughout the summer vacation!

We talk about child development and the importance of play, having some tough conversations with kids, and how adults AND kids can learn and explore together for quality bonding time and to show kids that learning NEVER stops!

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Right now, after all of the leaves have budded out and the flowers are starting to bloom more and more every day, we have another sign of spring - animal babies! As these babies are coming out and exploring their world, they may fall from their nest or get lost and we can play an important role in getting these wildlife babies back where they need to go.

Learn how to identify baby squirrels by age to determine if you can help them by getting their mom to come and find them, or by placing them in their nest yourself, or if you need to take them to a rehabilitation center.

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This week I am joined by Arborist climber and nature-enthusiast Zack Jacobs as we chat about the observations we've made about the changes in our moods and mental well-being now that spring is officially here and the sun it out!

We talk a little bit about how important it was for him to get out of the office life and enter a career outdoors, but also about some ways that everyone can make sure they get their 20 minutes (at least!) of nature-time into their busy lives, regardless of your job setting.

As the flowers in our communities start to bloom and the first of the honeybees and bumblebees start to emerge and visit those wildflowers, let's start thinking about how we can make our own gardens and yards pollinator-friendly!

Dive into the murky and wonderous wetland habitats with Wetland & Waterfowl biologist, Jess Schmit, as we take a look at the birds and animals of wetland environments, as well as how she is studying habitats of rails!

We'll discuss her research project, what she hopes it accomplishes, and how people can actively conserve wetland habitats and the wildlife in them in a simple way.

(Podcast episode photo courtesy of Jess Schmit)

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This past week was Earth Hour around the world and we celebrated by turning off the lights at 8:30pm for at least one hour. During this episode, we'll talk a bit about the purpose of Earth Hour, as well as how turning off lights can reduce light pollution. We'll also take a look at how light pollution impacts animals, specifically birds, who are busy in their spring migration right now.

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Explore the wonderful world of orchids and how they have developed some unique adaptations to lure in pollinators. We'll also discuss some threats to local orchid species as well as some ways to support orchid conservation.

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This week I am joined by Lucy McGinty for a discussion about the unseen of the biosphere - microorganisms! Lucy, my Spring 2022 intern, is currently on her way to becoming an environmental microbiologist and she sheds a little light on what that entails, and about some of her favorite bacterium, along with how they can be incredibly useful for bioremediation work!

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For Groundwater Awareness week, let's take a look at what groundwater is, how it impacts wildlife such as amphibians like salamanders, toads, and especially frogs, as well as how we can improve groundwater quality at home.

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This week, on For What it's Earth, I am joined by soil scientist, Alexandra Schmidt, as we discuss soil health, what's so cool about it, and why gardeners should care about not just maintaining their plants, but their soil beds as well!

Learn more about local extension offices, how to get your soil tested so that you can treat your gardens the way they need to be, and explore how to plant the right plants in the right soil conditions!

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NOTE: This episode talks about death and injured animals. Listener's discretion advised.

As spring approaches, we may see more and more wildlife out and about. As we have more opportunities to observe them, we may notice animals that are injured, hurt, or alone. In this episode, I talk about when and why to rescue wildlife, as well as some tips for commonly found wildlife species.

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Mid- late February is a great time to start planning your spring garden. What is missing from your garden? Where do you have some extra space? What would you like to add? How can you incorporate more wildlife-friendly plants/features into the garden space?

This episode, discover the importance of wild & garden edibles in our diet, and the medicinal benefits we can gain from more than just the standard garden pepper or cucumber. We'll look at edible flower gardens and what they can do for us and wildlife!

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Do you love animals, nature, and all things science? Then get ready to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a community science effort put on by Cornell Lab of Ornithology! During this episode, you'll learn how to participate in the count, how to upload your bird count data, and what scientists might do with the data.

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This week I'm joined by Horticultural Therapist in training and gardening enthusiast, Kaitlyn Whalen, as we talk about the winter blues, how to prevent it, and the importance of using horticulture and the natural world in a therapeutic way. We talk about Alzheimer's and dementia patients, elder care, seasonal affective disorder, and more.

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As winter comes upon us, we start to think of how plants might adapt to the cold weather and think of the waning days. Learn about plants that also get their nutrients from something other than the sun - through eating meat! Carnivorous plants are amazing creatures and while they still need to get a majority of their energy from sunshine, they have some other crazy adaptations too.

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Join Marissa of The Art of Ecology and Molly Bell-Higgins for a discussion about how herps (reptiles and amphibians) adapt to the coming cold weather! We'll learn about brumation vs. hibernation, how reptiles store fat deposits, and some really unique adaptations that these animals have, like butt breathing, cryogenics and more!

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Explore ocean ecosystems and take a deep dive into some incredible adventures with guest, Sean Francis! We'll discuss a wide variety of reasons why anyone, regardless of location, should love the ocean, along with ways to protect it!

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As autumn continues, the fall raptor migration starts up again along the Atlantic Flyway! We'll take a look at some of the other flyways located around the world, discuss some helpful tips for identifying the raptors we see flying above, as well as how to care for and protect these amazing birds as they continue on their migration south.

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