The Back to Nature Podcast
Science
By going back to nature, we - two recent British graduates with a shared worldview and set of values - mean returning to a state of harmony with our natural selves and the natural world. We discuss the ways humans have become out of touch with nature, the reasons why, and how we might reconnect with it. This reconnection benefits the individual, promoting wellness, as well as serving the webs of interconnectivity we are part of: human communities, ecosystems and the exchange of all types of energy in the world. Topics range from sleep to climate change, from AI to barefoot running.
Location:
United States
Genres:
Science
Description:
By going back to nature, we - two recent British graduates with a shared worldview and set of values - mean returning to a state of harmony with our natural selves and the natural world. We discuss the ways humans have become out of touch with nature, the reasons why, and how we might reconnect with it. This reconnection benefits the individual, promoting wellness, as well as serving the webs of interconnectivity we are part of: human communities, ecosystems and the exchange of all types of energy in the world. Topics range from sleep to climate change, from AI to barefoot running.
Language:
English
Website:
https://anchor.fm/back-to-nature
Episodes
Taoism: What can modern society learn from ancient philosophy?
6/5/2023
In this episode we discuss Taoism - an ancient philosophy founded by the philosopher Lao Tzu over 2,500 years ago. We explore how modern society can learn from the core beliefs of Taoism and highlight the relevancy of this philosophy in all aspects of day-to-day life.
Duration:00:28:24
Climate change: history, ideology, technology, economics, and moving beyond the growth paradigm
3/1/2023
In this rich episode, we discuss the impacts of anthropogenic environmental change, the relationship between humanity and the natural world, life beyond capitalism, bottom-up and top-down approaches to tackling the environmental crisis, the role of governments and the potential of renewable technology. We get to the heart of the debate around how we go about changing people's consumption habits and discuss the meaning of sustainability.
Duration:00:41:12
AI: the end of humanity or our salvation?
12/19/2022
This week Back to Nature is joined by a special guest - Luc McCutcheon - who is an expert in the field of Artificial Intelligence. In this episode Luc answers the all important question: will AI bring the end of humanity or will it be our salvation? During this episode, we also address common misconceptions about AI, discuss recent advancements in the field and identify ways in which AI can help combat climate change.
Duration:00:21:29
Stress: what is it, has it worsened over time and how do we manage it?
11/14/2022
In this episode, we discuss the relationship between stress and modernity, touching on history, technology and overstimulation. We also cover the negative effects of stress on our health and well-being, and different strategies to manage it. We suggest that there is a correlation between stress and our disconnection with nature, arguing that the latter is a powerful antidote to the former.
Duration:00:21:12
Mental Health Part 1: how spending time in nature can help recovery from mental health conditions
6/6/2022
This week Shannon shares insight into a very personal experience of hers. After recovering from a manic episode, Shannon describes how nature helped her cope with the stress of hospitalisation and facilitated her recovery. We further discuss topics such as the flaws in the healthcare system, the treatment of mental health conditions and the additional coping strategies Shannon developed to help her through the experience.
Duration:00:19:37
Natural feet: weird-looking shoes, barefoot running and preventing bunions
4/19/2022
In this episode, we talk about how the design of modern shoes is responsible for long-term problems with our feet which emerge later in life, and the movement promoting more 'natural' shoes and barefoot running which has sprung up to counter this. Dive in to find out how you can free your feet, improve your balance and avoid developing bunions in old age.
Duration:00:21:20
Exercise: why exercise is an increasingly neglected aspect of our lives and how we can become more active to reap its benefits
3/28/2022
Modern lifestyles are resulting in population wide decreases in physical activity. In fact, in the UK 1 in 3 men and 1 in 2 women are not active enough for good health. In this episode we discuss the potential reasons for this decline in activity. To encourage physical activity we cover the benefits gained from regular exercise and how we can tailor our daily routines to fit in enough time for daily exercise.
Duration:00:20:51
Social media: the toxic effects of living in a virtual, unnatural world
3/8/2022
In this episode, we discuss a controversial and almost universally relatable subject - social media. Almost everyone engages with some form of social media; it hardly feels optional now. It is all-pervasive in society, and unfortunately, it is not harmless. We cover social media's negative effects: low self-esteem, poor social skills and inhibited connection with both ourselves and others. We also talk about how social media is designed to be addictive in the interests of maximising profits, which limits its potential benefits.
Duration:00:25:22
Dreams: what they mean and the insight we can gain from them
2/28/2022
How can we use dreams to better understand our sub conscious and what value can this bring to us?
Join us this week for an episode about the significance of dreams - how we can interpret them, what they tell us and why understanding them is so important. We focus on topics such as interpretation of normal dreams, the power of lucid dreaming and the insights we can gain by of keeping a dream diary.
Duration:00:33:21
Sleep: blue light, power naps, chronotypes and the sleep cycle
2/21/2022
We spend one-third of our lives attempting to sleep or doing so. It's absolutely essential for our physical and mental wellbeing - yet in our overstimulated, overstuffed lives, we often neglect it. In this episode, we discuss why sleep is important and how to optimise it, covering topics such as the impact of blue light, napping, chronotypes, the sleep cycle and nighttime routines.
Duration:00:30:24
Being in nature: how spending more time in nature brings us closer to ourselves and our surroundings
1/25/2022
In this episode we discuss the power and benefits of being out in nature. In this context, by 'nature' we mean the natural environment we are a part of, the most typical idea of nature: the fields, mountains, oceans, animals and fresh air. There isn't much true wilderness left that is wholly untouched by human intervention, but there are so many ways to connect with and appreciate nature in your daily life even if you can't escape into pure, unbridled wilds!
Duration:00:17:23
Mindfulness: harmonising with the natural world and our natural selves through presence
1/17/2022
We talk about the importance of mindfulness and being in the present moment, focusing on how this can connect us to the natural world we are a part of and make us feel more in harmony with ourselves and with others. We cover the benefits of presence and touch upon some Buddhist philosophy.
Duration:00:36:17
Diet: eating more naturally to look after our health and the environment
1/10/2022
Join us for an episode discussing the power of diet. Here we cover the impact our diet can have on an individual and planetary level, and how we can make more sustainable choices for the benefit of both.
Duration:00:37:45
Introduction: a warm welcome from Katie and Shannon!
1/2/2022
An introduction to what this podcast is all about, who we are and our rationale. We will explain what exactly we mean by going 'back to nature' and talk about the sorts of topics which we will address in the future.
Duration:00:22:07