Wild Ideas Worth Living

Melissa Hartwig Urban is the powerhouse founder of the Whole30 program which, in the last decade, has amassed a huge following and helped thousands of people reset their own health, habits, and relationship with food. The mom, author, and health and wellness advocate has also recently started spending more time in the great outdoors. Melissa is also the author the new book Whole30 Friends & Family, which helps Whole30 followers stick to the program in social settings and during the holidays.

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Mick Ebeling believes that nothing is impossible, forever. In 2009 Mick met Tempt One, a graffiti artist who had been paralyzed by ALS. Without any experience in ocular technology, Mick launched himself into a project called the EyeWriter to help Tempt communicate and draw again using his eyes. That project helped launched Not Impossible Labs, an award-winning incubator and content studio that develops creative, technology-driven solutions to real-world problems.

When it comes to recycling, it can be difficult to know what you can toss in that blue bin. Luckily, there are plenty of resources and organizations that can help you recycle properly. Helen Lowman, President & CEO of Keep America Beautiful, is here to help. Helen has had an impressive career (including working for President Obama) and is an expert on the background of the recycling industry, common recycling myths, and some tips and tricks.

Chris McDougall is the author of the bestselling books “Born to Run” and “Natural Born Heroes.” His new book, “Running with Sherman,” documents the adventure of his family's adoption of a donkey named Sherman who had been neglected by an animal hoarder. Their solution to getting Sherman happy and healthy was to give him a purpose and teach him how to burro race. It's a must-read if you like animals or just want to hear an amazing story about running with donkeys, human performance, and so much m

Have you ever felt lost — literally or metaphorically? There’s an event that happens every year, created by former rally and off-road racer Emily Miller, designed to help women have a better sense of direction on the road and in life. The Rebelle Rally is the first women’s off-road navigational rally in the United States. Emily Miller created this unique event as a platform to build skills and confidence for women and they come away wiht much more than driving and navigation skills.

REI's new podcast, Camp Monsters, tells the stories of impossible encounters with impossible creatures in the wildest corners of North America. A wolf man with bat wings thirty feet across. An enormous eel in America’s most popular lake. A frog half the size of a man. Travel the country, sit around campfires and talk about that thing that ran across the trail in the middle of the night, just beyond the beam of your flashlight. Coming to your ears October 1st.

Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer and activist who decided to use her platform as an athlete for good at the top of Mt. Everest early this summer. Her “Climb for Equality” campaign used her 29,029-foot climb as a platform to encourage more women to take on mountains in the outdoors, the boardroom, and daily life. Caroline’s actual journey to the top is an incredible story.

Sarah Herron is a creative, filmmaker, and non-profit founder. Sarah was born without the bottom half of her left arm, a condition known as congenital limb difference. After appearing on season 17 of The Bachelor, she received an outpouring of love from women and girls with their own physical differences. Sarah then found a passion for outdoor adventure and was inspired to found SheLift, a non-profit organization aimed to help women and girls with physical differences embrace outdoor activities.

Bonnie Tsui’s essay “You Are Doing Something Important When You Aren’t Doing Anything,” was one of the most shared stories from the New York Times on the weekend it was published earlier this summer. Bonnie’s theory behind the importance of lying fallow is one everyone can apply to their lives. Down time, or time spent not doing anything we usually think of as “productive,” is valuable. It’s in this time that we can refuel, find inspiration, solve problems, and so much more.

Jerry Holl, Julie Hotz, and Ryan Higginbotham are three ordinary people who decided to drop everything and pursue extraordinary adventures. Each of them wanted to shake themselves free from their routines, push themselves to extremes, and become the best versions of themselves. Setting off on bike, foot, and on paddleboard to travel the length of the west coast of the U.S., these three proved that there is so much we can learn from doing something that pushes our limits in the wild.

Loveis Wise and Lisa Congdon are two visual artists who have turned their passion for art into amazing careers. Loveis is an illustrator who became the second black woman in 91 years to design a cover for the New Yorker. She takes inspiration from the outdoors and her desire to showcase people from underrepresented communities. Lisa Congdon started pursuing art when she was in her 30s. She creates bright works of art with bold and often humorous messages that make anyone want to do something big.

When she was 13, up-and-coming pro surfer Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm in a shark attack. That’s just the beginning of her story. Bethany bounced back a month later and today is one of the best surfers in the world. There’s a new documentary about her story, “Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable,” that hits theaters July 12th. The film’s director, Aaron Lieber, has found a niche making films about female surfers and was committed to telling Bethany's whole story in her own voice.

For many people, figuring out portable meals that are healthy, filling, and tasty is a challenge. For others, the prospect of bringing food on the trail is an afterthought entirely. Bon Appetit’s Brad Leone and Best Served Wild Authors Brendan Leonard and Anna Brones offer advice on how to eat well, cook well and impress friends with your campfire cooking. Don’t let food be an afterthought as you’re hitting the trails, the beach, or the mountain this year!

Can you imagine eating only what you grow or forage for an entire year? Rob Greenfield is doing just that. He’s living in a tiny house on a plot of land where he’s planted an elaborate garden in the backyard of a neighborhood where he’s also teaching others to garden. Rob goes into detail about his 200 plus days living solely off of food he’s grown or foraged himself. He also shares how you can grow your own food and reduce your environmental footprint by how you eat.

On September 2nd 2017, just east of Portland Oregon, 150 hikers were trapped behind a wall of flames created by one very bad decision, one that would lead to immense fear and loss. Wildfire, a podcast from REI Co-op, investigates the causes and repercussions of this devastating wildfire.