“We won actually the first lawsuit, successful lawsuit in Ecuador and in the world defending the rights of nature.”

Regeneration begins when humanity stops positioning itself above nature and instead recognizes itself as part of a living system. True regenerative design restores balance by aligning law, economics, and human values with the intelligence of the natural world. When nature is granted agency, ecosystems are no longer resources to be managed, but partners to be respected.

Norie Huddle, author, lifelong activist, and pioneer of the global Rights of Nature movement, shares how rivers, forests, and land can hold legal standing—and how indigenous wisdom informed one of the world’s first successful court cases defending the rights of nature. The conversation weaves together regeneration, law, and activism, framing humanity’s current moment as a necessary transformation rather than collapse. The butterfly metaphor becomes a lens for understanding how small, aligned groups can catalyze systemic change.

Norie has worked in environmental and peace movements since the 1960s and played a central role in the landmark Ecuadorian court case that legally recognized a river as a rights-bearing entity. Her work bridges spirituality, legal innovation, and regenerative systems thinking, offering a long-view perspective on how humanity can realign with the living world.

Learn more & connect:

Website: https://noriehuddle.earth/

Book: Butterfly [https://a.co/d/evvmCId]

https://a.co/d/evvmCId

Book: How to Live a Life You Love

Organization: Pachamama Alliance [https://pachamama.org/]

TEDx Talk: Search Nori Huddle TEDx – The Best Game on Earth

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP38: Norie Huddle - The Butterfly Effect 

“Today people are driven away from farming, gardening, and moving towards technology side, which is pretty much decreasing our earth.”

A healthier future starts with choosing better inputs—better soil, better materials, and better habits. The episode explores how real regeneration comes from everyday decisions: rejecting cheap chemicals, composting what we consume, understanding where pollutants travel, and recognizing that the Earth is something we borrow, not something we own. It highlights the idea that restoring land begins with restoring our relationship to it, and practical steps like composting, planting, and avoiding glyphosates can dramatically improve soil, water, and long-term health.

Leo Rivera shares how his generation views the planet and why the smallest actions matter most. Leo explains how harmful chemicals move through soil into waterways, why composting is one of the simplest regenerative tools we have, and how grounding, gardening, and time in nature help counter a world increasingly dominated by screens. He brings clarity to how better choices ripple outward into healthier ecosystems.

Leo is a 10-year-old creator with a passion for gardening, soil health, regenerative thinking, and digital awareness. His curiosity, early environmental understanding, and desire to help others learn make him a powerful representative of the generation inheriting the planet.

Learn more & connect:

You can reach Leo at georgerivera@georgerivera.com

https://buybacktimeformula.com/ [https://buybacktimeformula.com/transformation]

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP37: Leo Rivera - The Next Generation Perspective On Regenerative Design & The Future Of The Planet 

“Phones are designed like slot machines… It’s called variable rewards… and that’s the same exact way the scroll works on our phone… our brains become obsessed with the next dopamine hit.”

Modern life trains the brain for instant rewards and endless scroll, eroding patience, attention, and real-world engagement. Replacing frictionless feeds with natural stopping cues—journaling on waking, moving the phone out of sight, stepping outside—rewires neural pathways toward delayed gratification, focus, and grounded wellbeing. Nature isn’t a luxury; it’s the antidote to stimulus overload and a gateway to more resilient habits.

Shannon Coulter explains how our devices hijack dopamine through variable rewards and infinite scroll, keeping us chasing the next hit. Her antidote is simple and practical: small daily rituals that re-anchor attention in the real world. She calls it the “Swiss Army phone” approach—use one tool, close it, and move on. Shannon’s ideas invite parents to create a culture of curiosity and play, teaching kids that joy doesn’t come from pixels but from dirt, laughter, and connection.

Shannon is a published author and creator of Planet FASSA—an ecosystem of stories, points-based offline activities, and parent tools that gamify real-world play. Her classes unpack dopamine science and practical steps families can use today.

Learn more & connect:

Find the following plus many more resources at Shannon’s website, https://sscoulter.com/.

 * The Fassa Tails Children Book series by Author S.S. Coulter
 * God's Dad Jokes: Hilarious Dad Jokes and Family-Friendly Bible Puns – Perfect Gift for Dads, Friends, and Church Family https://a.co/d/dCoqxc5

Also in this episode:

 * Baby Einstein
 * Nailed It!

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP36: Shannon Coulter - Conscious Technology: Tools for a Regenerative Future 

“You don’t require perfection to make a difference in the world. You just require passion.”

Sustainability begins with the self, extends to relationships, and finally scales into business. When we approach design from this layered perspective, every choice becomes an opportunity to align with nature. Homes and communities are not just shelters—they can be built as living systems that protect health, conserve resources, and serve as legacies for generations to come.

Armando and Anita Ortega share their vision of Zero Energy Developments, a company committed to creating net zero, healthy smart communities. From filtered water and regenerative gardens to resilient energy systems, their work challenges the status quo of housing. They explain how shifting focus from profit to purpose opens the door to innovation that heals both people and the planet.

Armando and Anita have worked together for over three decades across ministry, business, and family life. Now, as co-founders of Zero Energy Developments, they are channeling their shared values into building America’s first net zero communities.

Zero Energy Developments: www.zendevhomes.com [https://zendevhomes.com/]

Emails: anita@zeroenergydev.com | armando@zeroenergydev.com

Green Box Homes: https://www.greenboxus.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SEGADORESDEVIDA

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP35: Armando & Anita Ortega - The Future Of Regenerative Living 

“It’s very important that you be not only the change that you want to see in the world, but also finance that change that you want to see in the world.”

Regenerative design requires more than short-term fixes—it calls for long visions that outlast any single generation. At the core of this episode is the principle that farming is not ownership but stewardship, where land, biodiversity, and community are passed forward in healthier, richer conditions.

Peter Michel Heilmann shares his global journey through Africa, Europe, and beyond, where he witnessed both the harsh realities of inequality and the resilience of communities close to nature. He shares insights into creating a 1000 year vision for farms and land stewards to develop financing models like Earth Certificates showing how regenerative farming can move beyond debt and bureaucracy.

Peter Michel Heilmann is one of the pioneers in sustainability, founder of WholistiQ, a former Managing Partner of Nordic Circular Hotspot, and co-founder of Global Compact Networks in Finland and Greece. He has authored seven books and today dedicates his work to helping farmers and land stewards craft thriving, future-proof farms, estates and communities.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmheilmann/

Follow Peter Michel's regenerative journey:

https://followthesigns.earth/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmheilmann/]

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:
Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. 

  [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]https://www.paulownia-la.com/.
Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.
Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.
Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP34: Peter Michel - Follow the Signs: How to Build a 1000 Year Legacy

“If we remove the building… nature should be able to take over… instantly and thrive there.”

Housing is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions—responsible for around 40% worldwide—and one of the most wasteful industries, generating 30% of global waste annually. In Canada, outdated zoning, urban sprawl, and material inefficiencies push costs sky-high while making homes less resilient to climate change.

Stéphane Doise, founder of CORE (Climate Oriented Real Estate), is tackling these problems head-on. His approach: dismantlable, small-scale multi-unit buildings made from natural, low-toxicity materials; optimized for energy efficiency; and designed to relocate if land becomes unviable. By combining low-tech reliability with high performance, he reduces embodied carbon, operational costs, and waste—while improving community connection and climate resilience.

Stéphane Doise is an architect, former firefighter, and urban infrastructure expert who has worked in Munich and Canada. With decades of hands-on experience in both public works and sustainable design, he now leads CORE to rethink housing for a finite world.

https://www.core-we-care.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/st%C3%A9phane-schneider/

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]. https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP33: Stéphane Doise - From Soil to Structure - Housing in Harmony with Nature

“Creating community is so rewarding and beautiful. And those are the two reasons why I do it.”

Community transformation begins with the way we build—and sell. From regenerative soil care to designing spaces that nurture human connection, this episode explores how real estate can foster healing environments. The conversation blends principles of sustainability, densification, and wellness in business, asking: what if development meant community regeneration, not just construction?

Jennifer Dechaine shares how her childhood on an organic acreage and her two-decade journey in sales shaped a vision of real estate that’s as heart-centered as it is profitable. She talks about leading with values, rejecting burnout culture, and embedding education, nature, and multigenerational gardening into new builds. Her heart-forward framework reframes sales as a noble, creative act.

Jennifer Dechaine is the founder of Urban Bricks, a regenerative development company focused on community creation through infill densification. She’s also the founder of Congruent Projects, where she teaches transformational sales leadership with a focus on wellness, alignment, and soft skills.

Learn more & connect:

https://www.urbanbrix.ca [https://www.urbanbricks.ca/]

https://www.congruentprojects.com [https://www.congruentprojects.com/]

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP32: Jennifer Dechaine - Heart-Centered Selling, Nature-Focused Building

“The only way to help people get out of poverty is to help them make money.”

The episode unpacks how long-term poverty alleviation must go beyond charity and shift toward systems that generate wealth locally. Using the lens of real estate development, the conversation reveals that when people are empowered with knowledge, infrastructure, and access, they gain both dignity and sustainability. The key lies in designing environments where communities can thrive economically, socially, and ecologically—not as recipients of aid, but as creators of value.

Sam Sells shares deep lessons from his years in military global health, working with NGOs and governments in underserved countries. He explains how Impact Growth Capital is rethinking affordable housing by integrating solar-powered infrastructure, on-site education, childcare, and an AI platform to guide residents from $0 to $50K income in two years. He critiques the inefficiencies of top-down aid and lays out how economic incentives can drive transformative regeneration.

Sam Sells is the CEO of Impact Growth Capital and the host of The Disruptive Capitalist. A U.S. military veteran, he spent over a decade in global health and now builds purpose-driven communities that uplift the poor while delivering returns for investors.

 * Website: https://impactgrowthcap.com [https://impactgrowthcap.com/]
 * Email: Sam@impactgrowthcap.com
 * LinkedIn: Samuel Sells [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-sells/]
 * Podcast: The Disruptive Capitalist

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP31: Sam Sells - Redesigning Poverty Through Real Estate

“We’re losing the ability to think. Every waking moment is now consuming information… but we’re not thinking. We’ve stopped becoming creative. And my biggest fear for the new generation coming through is that they’re not thinkers, they’re not innovators.”

Real estate can be a tool for regeneration—not just profit. In this episode, we explore how land and buildings can be transformed to restore ecosystems, unlock creativity, and generate lasting value. Whether it’s converting sheep farms into vineyards or office buildings into AI data centers, this conversation reveals how design and innovation can turn real estate into an engine for ecological and economic resilience.

Dolf De Roos shares how he’s used real estate to regenerate deserts, spark local economies, and increase property value without heavy spending. From coffee shop installs to methane-powered dairy farms, his examples reveal how vision paired with practicality can create major impact.

Dolf De Roos is a world-renowned real estate educator, author of 23 books, and one of the top 20 real estate teachers globally. With a background in electrical engineering, he blends science, finance, and creativity to change how we see land and possibility.

Learn more & connect:

https://www.dolfderoos.com/homepage-a

101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of Your Real Estate without Spending Much Money

https://a.co/d/bHhmniD

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP30: Dolf De Roos - Building Wealth by Healing Land

“Making sure that we’re really blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, you know, and figuring out how to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor programming so it seems really seamless.”

Creating spaces that truly work means thinking beyond aesthetics. In this episode, we explore how thoughtful design can blend indoor and outdoor environments, support multiple uses, and foster genuine human connection. From health and wellness amenities to vibrant hospitality experiences, it’s about designing places that adapt to the way people actually live, work, and gather—today and in the future.

Paige Byrd shares her approach to creating multifunctional hospitality spaces by collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, integrating nature into built environments, and helping clients phase developments through feasibility studies. She explains how to build “vibes,” not just buildings, and why thoughtful planning leads to more resilient and vibrant communities. Her advice? Listen deeply, adapt smartly, and lead with heart.

Paige Byrd is the Co-President of Thiel & Thiem, a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design firm specializing in hospitality, wellness, and community-centric projects. She’s a passionate leader who blends business savvy with soulful design.

Learn more & connect:

https://thielandteam.com/

Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:

Discover more about Regenerative design at Paulownia Landscape Architects. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/] https://www.paulownia-la.com/. [https://www.paulownia-la.com/]

Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.

Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.

Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.

EP29: How Thoughtful Design Shapes Community | Paige Byrd

This is the Regenerative Design Podcast with your host Matthieu Mehuys. 

In this show we interview the leading authorities in the world of regenerative practices, people who do well and do good. 



Matthieu Mehuys

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