08 Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? (Solo)
Episode description
Can the West Coast outgrow America? Greg explores Ecotopia, sovereignty, and the future of freedom—solo.
In this episode of Pacific Time, host Greg Amrofell trades guests for green tea, a dog-eared novel, and a mic, inviting listeners on a hike through political despair, ecological design, and West Coast sovereignty. The guidebook? A 1975 cult classic: Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach.
This isn’t just a book review. It’s a reframing of what independence really means. Greg weaves personal reflection with insights from past guests—exploring the paradox of building a region that’s both more self-directed and more interconnected.
Is Ecotopia just a retro fantasy? Or a prophetic prototype for a West Coast that’s already halfway out the door?
🔍 Episode Highlights
✅ Why Ecotopia still resonates 50 years later
✅ The difference between freedom and isolation
✅ A fictional interview between Greg and William Weston
✅ Callbacks to insights from recent guests
✅ What West Coast sovereignty might actually look like
✅ Independence and interdependence: Why we need both
✅ What we can learn from fiction—and how to turn it into policy
✅ A closing invitation: What if we stopped asking permission from DC?
📚 Related Resources
Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach
“What Is Bioregionalism?” – Cascadia Dept. of Bioregion
🎧 Related Episodes
- 02: What If the West Coast Designed Itself? (with Mickey McManus)
- 03: What If We Took Back the Budget? (with Julie Dingley)
- 04: What If California Was Already a Nation? (with Marcus Ruiz Evans)
- 05: What If We Drew the Map Differently? (with Yogi Uriah)
- 06 If American Healthcare is Broken, What Can the West Coast Do? (with Mike Hanlon)
- 07: What If the World Doesn’t Need Us Anymore? (with John Zysman)
👤 About the Host
Greg Amrofell is the host of Pacific Time, a podcast exploring the big 'what if' questions about the future of the West Coast. Greg is also an entrepreneur, writer and untrained thespian who believes we can challenge the broken systems around us without losing our curiosity, community, or sense of humor. Based in Seattle, Greg's work explores the intersection between personal and political sovereignty in the best places on Earth. Listener feedback and ideas welcome: greg@pacifictimepodcast.com
Join the movement:
💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’ Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.
Follow:
📲 Pacific Time is making good trouble asking questions about the future of the West Coast on BlueSky, Instagram, and Facebook
Listen:
🎧 Pacific Time Podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many other platforms. Please follow, share, and leave a review.