The Story of Earth's Hidden Wisdom & The Intelligence Beneath Our Feet | Paul Hawken

Rich Roll

May 8, 2025

Episode description

Paul Hawken is a visionary environmentalist, bestselling author, and the mind behind Drawdown and Regeneration. We explore his new book Carbon: The Book of Life, challenging our reductive approach to climate solutions and positing a more symbiotic relationship with the biosphere's intrinsic intelligence. READ MORE👉🏾 http://bit.ly/richroll908
✌🏼🌱 - Rich

This Episode Is Brought To You By…
Eight Sleep: Use code RICHROLL to get $350 off your Pod 5 Ultra👉https://bit.ly/Eightsleep2024
Pique: Get up to 20% OFF plus a FREE rechargeable frother and glass beaker with your first purchase👉https://bit.ly/piquerrp
Momentous: 35% OFF your first subscription👉 https://bit.ly/LiveMomentous2025

Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/rrpsponsors

LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/rrpitunes
Spotify: http://bit.ly/rrpspotify
Google: http://bit.ly/rrpgooglepods

Meal Planner: http://meals.richroll.com
Voicing Change Book: http://richroll.com/vc
Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RichRollPodcastClips
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/rollcallemail

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:31 Understanding the "Apocalypse"
00:03:53 Thesis: Reframing Our Relationship with Nature
00:06:18 Narrative Failures in Climate Movement
00:10:49 Cultivating Awe and Wonder
00:16:30 The Power of Individual Action
00:19:08 Back to the Show
00:20:29 Regeneration vs. Drawdown
00:23:04 Connecting with the Living World
00:25:20 Sponsor Break
00:27:54 The Wrong Long-Term Solutions
00:33:33 Understanding Carbon's Role
00:36:31 The Origins and Mystery of Carbon
00:40:36 The Awe of Carbon's Existence
00:42:27 The Cosmic Perspective
00:44:05 Galactic and Microbial Connections
00:44:53 The Queendom of Fungi
00:47:31 Fungi's Communication and Functionality
00:50:31 The Importance of Soil
00:55:07 Resilience in Agriculture
00:57:04 The Role of Language in Understanding Nature
01:00:25 Sponsor Break
01:01:29 Discovery and Humility in Science
01:02:35 The Sound of Trees
01:03:07 The Wrong Long-Term Solutions
01:03:49 Emerging Understandings and Awareness
01:06:18 The Writing Process and Consciousness
01:08:02 Storytelling and Observational Science
01:09:48 The Elephants' Return
01:12:10 Exploring the Unknown
01:13:32 Sentience in Nature
01:14:40 Cultural Perspectives on Animals
01:15:40 Intelligence Redefined
01:21:14 Self-Interest vs. Community / The Carbon Pulse
01:23:47 Historical Shifts in Thinking
01:26:11 The Wildfire Story
01:28:22 Pathways to Hope
01:34:12 Final Reflections

CONNECT WITH RICH
✩ Website - http://richroll.com
✩ Rich Roll Podcast - https://richroll.com/all-episodes/
✩ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richroll/
✩ Twitter - https://twitter.com/richroll
✩ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/richrollfans
✩ Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/14443?oq=rich
✩ Memoir: Finding Ultra - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/finding-ultra/
✩ Meals - http://meals.richroll.com
✩ Cook - The Plantpower Way - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-signed/
✩ Italian! - The Plantpower Way: Italia - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-italia-signed/
✩ Support - https://www.patreon.com/richroll

FILMED AND EDITED BY DAN DRAKE
https://www.dandrake333.com/

* * * * *

NEW TO RICH?
Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
http://bit.ly/otillonyt
http://bit.ly/vegansglam

I LOVE MAIL! SEND IT HERE:
2630 Conejo Spectrum St.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

#richroll #richrollpodcast

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Optimize sleep with 8 Sleep Pod 4 Ultra's biometric tracking

The 8 Sleep Pod 4 Ultra is a mattress cover that acts as a comprehensive sleep system, tracking biometrics to regulate bed temperature in real-time to promote restfulness.

#device

#sleep

Discover rye seed's 14 million roots and mycelial connections

A single seed of rye grass was found to have 14 million roots, each one connected to mycelial networks for complex nutrient transactions.

#bacteria

#evolution

Shift from fear-based narratives to inspire climate action

The climate movement's narrative, based on fear and threat, has completely failed, as less than 1% of the world's population does anything daily about climate.

#environment

Understand apocalypse as a revealing for rebirth

The Greek root of 'apocalypse' means a revealing of what is hidden, which is a necessary step towards rebirth, not just an end-of-days disaster.

#philosophy

Discover fungi's language through mycelium clicking sounds

Scientists have recorded clicking sounds from mycelium that form patterns similar to words, with a complexity that some researchers compare to Indo-European languages.

#fungus

Recognize life's extraordinary nature through improbable creation

The probability of carbon being created in the universe is so incalculably small that renowned physicists consider it impossible, suggesting life is far more extraordinary than we can comprehend.

#evolution

Reject direct air capture as ineffective solution

The technology for direct air capture is described as 'hopium' because using energy (entropy) to fix a problem caused by energy (entropy) will never work from a physics perspective.

#environment

Try Nandaka for a healthier coffee alternative with adaptogens

Nandaka is a coffee alternative made with fermented puerh tea for slow-release caffeine, plus fruiting body mushrooms like chaga, reishi, cordyceps, and lion's mane.