The Nature Of with Willow Defebaugh - podcast cover

The Nature Of with Willow Defebaugh

Transform your life with nature as your guide. As the editor-in-chief of Atmos Magazine, Willow Defebaugh has dedicated her life to illuminating the wisdom of the natural world. In “The Nature Of,” a new podcast from Atmos, she connects these teachings to the most critical issues of our time, inviting luminaries across climate and culture to share insights as to how we can navigate this moment with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Join guests like Esther Perel, Maggie Rogers, and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson as they offer clarity and guidance on how you can change your life to change the world. Season one of The Nature Of is made possible in part by funding from the Sierra Club Foundation. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Sierra Club Foundation.
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Episodes

Wildlife Photographer Ami Vitale on Why Intimacy Will Save Us

In the season finale of The Nature Of, award-winning photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale joins Willow for a powerful and emotional conversation about witnessing extinction and choosing hope, drawing on her extensive career photographing the most critical conservation stories of our time. Ami takes Willow through her decades-long journey from documenting human conflict to the lives of endangered species—including the final days of Sudan, the last male Northern white rhino—and the people working...

May 27, 202543 minEp. 8

Maggie Baird on the One Thing You Can Do for the Planet Every Day

In this episode, we explore the nature of food as a profound act of care—with the power to transform not only our health and the planet, but the very systems we live within. Maggie Baird, longtime activist, founder of Support + Feed, and mother of artists Billie Eilish and Finneas, joins Willow for a conversation rooted in compassion for humans, animals, and the Earth. From her early awakening to animal welfare to her family’s shared commitment to cultural and climate transformation, Maggie shar...

May 20, 202548 minEp. 8

Bayo Akomolafe: How to Move Through Chaos Without Needing Control

What if the rupture of these tumultuous times is not an ending, but an opening? In this episode, Willow speaks with Bayo Akomolafe, philosopher, poet, and thinker whose work challenges us to step beyond binaries and into the fertile, unpredictable space of emergence. They dig into how transformation doesn’t come from rigid certainty or oppositional thinking, but from the cracks—where new possibilities take root. Nature does not resolve tension; it composts it, making way for something unexpected...

May 13, 202540 minEp. 7

Steph Speirs Will Change How You Think About Money—For Good

Wealth is often defined by accumulation—but what if it was instead measured by what we sustain, regenerate, and share? In this episode, Willow speaks with Steph Speirs, co-founder of Solstice and board member of the Sierra Club Foundation, about how capital—in all its forms—can be stewarded to better support a flourishing planet. Together, they explore the shifting definition of wealth beyond money, the power of community in the clean energy transition, and how movements like the Sierra Club Fou...

May 06, 202541 minEp. 6

“Small Is All”: adrienne maree brown on Unlocking Everyday Magic

Transformation is both a personal and collective spell—one cast through intention, practice, and the courage to embrace change. Here, Willow is joined by adrienne maree brown, writer, activist, and emergent strategist, for a conversation on alchemy, witchcraft as resistance, and the magic of small, everyday acts that create lasting change. Together, they examine adrienne’s philosophy that small is all, the ways we can embody transformative justice in our relationships, and her latest book, Lovin...

Apr 29, 202537 minEp. 5

Janine Benyus on Biomimicry and Designing With Life’s Intelligence

Nature is not just a place—it’s a teacher, a guide, and a blueprint for innovation. Willow is joined by Janine Benyus, biologist, author, and co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, whose groundbreaking work has transformed the way we think about designing with nature rather than against it. Together, they outline the principles of biomimicry—the practice of looking to ecosystems, organisms, and natural patterns for sustainable solutions to human challenges. From the way forests manage resources...

Apr 22, 202541 minEp. 4

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: Stop Doom-Scrolling, Start Building the Future

In nature, solutions are everywhere—coral reefs regenerate, forests heal, and ecosystems self-balance when given the chance. So, how can we apply that same wisdom to the climate crisis? Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert, a Roux Distinguished Scholar at Bowdoin College, and co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab , joins Willow for an illuminating conversation about climate optimism, systemic change, and the power of solutions-driven storytelling. As the creator of the What If ...

Apr 15, 202540 minEp. 3

Maggie Rogers on How to Protect—and Nurture—Your Creativity

Nature is the ultimate artist—shaping landscapes over millennia, sculpting coastlines with waves, and composing symphonies in birdsong. In this episode, Grammy-nominated musician Maggie Rogers joins Willow for a conversation on creative rhythm, artistic sustainability, and the deep inspiration she draws from the natural world. As an artist who has intentionally crafted a career that honors both personal well-being and creative integrity, Maggie shares insights into how slowing down can actually ...

Apr 08, 202539 minEp. 2

Esther Perel on Interconnection and Curing Modern Loneliness

How can the way we cultivate relationships with one another offer insight into healing our fractured relationship with nature? In this episode, Willow is joined by renowned psychotherapist and bestselling author Esther Perel, whose work has reshaped how we understand intimacy, communication, and belonging in the modern world. They explore the intersections between human and ecological connection, and the epidemic of loneliness that so many are experiencing today. From the importance of relationa...

Apr 01, 202552 minEp. 1
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