Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers

Is it important to understand the cultural context of a place? And how can landscape architects help us feel more connected to the natural world? This week, we’re revisiting our most popular episode ever, a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with Alfie Vick on Native American ethnobotany, environmental ethics, and the delicate balance between wildness and order.
Alfie is the Georgia Power Professor of Environmental Ethics at the University of Georgia and the Director of its Environmental Ethics Certificate Program. A licensed landscape architect and LEED Fellow, his work focuses on preserving and strengthening natural systems while thoughtfully weaving in human use. Alongside his academic role, he continues to practice professionally, contributing to a range of LEED-certified projects,  including the LEED Platinum headquarters of the Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta.
With Alfie as our guide, we explore the intersection of landscape architecture and Native American studies, reflect on how design and biophilia have evolved over time, and even share a memorable tip for naturally managing poison ivy. 
As conversations around land stewardship, belonging, and ecological responsibility continue to grow, it’s no surprise this episode continues to resonate with listeners around the world.
Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

Today, we’re revisiting a favorite from the Biophilic Solutions archive: a thoughtful conversation on beauty, the brain, and our relationship to nature with Anjan Chatterjee. In this episode, we explore whether our aesthetic preferences are culturally shaped or more universal, why nature brings deep calm to some people while evoking unease in others, and how researchers are beginning to measure the real cognitive and emotional impacts of biophilic design.
Dr. Chatterjee is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading voice in the emerging field of neuroaesthetics, the science of how the brain perceives and responds to beauty. His insights help unpack what’s actually happening neurologically when we encounter inspiring spaces, art, and landscapes.
As conversations around mental health, neurodiversity, and the built environment continue to evolve, this episode feels as relevant as ever. Whether you’re listening for the first time or returning with fresh ears, it’s a rich exploration of why beauty matters—and how it shapes the way we feel, think, and live.
Show Notes
Anjan Chatterjee, M.D.
Neuroaesthetics
Biophilia as Evolutionary Adaptation: An Onto- and Phylogenetic Framework for Biophilic Design (Frontiers in Psychology)

Biophilia by Edward O. Wilson
Buildings, Beauty and the Brain: Q&A with Anjan Chatterjee (CNS: Cognitive Neuroscience Society)
What We Like About Built and Natural Spaces (Psychology Today)
How Our Brains Decide What Is Beautiful (TED)

Key Words: Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroaesthetics, Neuroarchitecture, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Brain Health, Beauty, Art History, Architecture, Aesthetics, Nature, Psychology, Science, Research, Research and Development
Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

We’re excited to bring back a favorite conversation from 2021 with the incomparable Florence Williams. Florence is, of course, the acclaimed author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, a book that beautifully explores the science behind nature’s profound effect on our minds, bodies, and sense of connection. It’s biophilia in its purest form.
In this episode, we dive into the experience of awe in nature and how it can make us more open, generous, and connected to one another. We explore the often-overlooked impact of our soundscape on health and well-being, and why spending time outdoors (yes, even right now in the depths of winter) can be one of the most restorative choices we make.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the headlines or simply craving a reset, this conversation is a gentle reminder that nature is always there for us, offering grounding, perspective, and a way back to ourselves.
Shownotes
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, by Florence Williams (2017)
Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv (2006)
To Fight the Winter Blues, Try a Dose of Nature, by Florence Williams (Wall Street Journal)
Is Your Noisy Neighborhood Slowly Killing You? by Florence Williams (Mother Jones)
The 3-Day Effect (Audible)
Florence Williams Podcasts
Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams (2022)
Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

As we gear up to launch another season of incredible guest interviews we’re revisiting a few of our most beloved episodes, starting with the fabulous Doug Tallamy.
Over the course of his career, Doug has become a leading voice helping people understand why native plants matter and how simple and accessible it can be to support biodiversity right in your backyard. In this conversation, we talk about the power of keystone species, the remarkable progress he’s made restoring native plants on his own Pennsylvania property, and the nonprofit he founded to inspire private landowners to be part of this growing movement.
Dr. Tallamy has an incredible gift for breaking down big, complex environmental challenges into ideas that feel approachable rather than overwhelming, offering practical, common-sense ways to make a real and meaningful impact.
Doug Tallamy  is the T.A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, and the author of more than 100 publications, including Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, Nature’s Best Hope, and his most recent book, The Nature of Oaks.
Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers

In a world where many of us feel increasingly disconnected from the Earth and from one another, author Lyanda Lynn Haupt offers us a way back. Through her blend of science, nature, and spiritual insight, she invites us to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover the wildness of everyday life. Her award-winning book Rooted explores what it means to cultivate inner wisdom and a deep sense of belonging with the natural world, no matter where we live or what we believe.
In this episode, Monica sits down with Lyanda to explore how nature can be a source of solace, creativity, and meaning. They talk about why wonder is backed by science, why spirituality doesn’t have to be religious, and why it’s healthy (ahem, necessary) to be a little weird. You’ll hear more about why our cultural norms aren’t serving us, a fresh perspective on hope, responsibility, and grief, and how simple practices like walking barefoot can gently reconnect us to something more reciprocal and real.
If you’re longing for a deeper relationship with the natural world, or you’re searching for a grounded sense of hope heading into a new year, this conversation is a beautiful place to begin.
Shownotes
About Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Encounter the Everyday Wilderness: Lyanda Lynn Haupt at TEDxRainier
Thich Nhat Hanh
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Zadie Smith
Keywords: nature connection, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Rooted book, spiritual ecology, awe and wonder, science and spirituality, biophilic living, environmental mindfulness, reconnection with earth, intentional living, hope and grief, human evolution outdoors, cultural norms, nature-based wisdom, mindful practices, podcast interview
Biophilic Solutions is available wherever you get podcasts. Please listen, follow, and give us a five-star review.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more on our website.

#NatureHasTheAnswers