Our climate is changing and we are witnessing the effects playing out in real time: heatwaves, rising seas, intense hurricanes, wildfires and the melting of glaciers to name just a few.  So when it's your job to track and report the weather, these unnatural occurrences are hard to ignore.  Luckily for us, we have NBC6 Chief Meteorologist John Morales not only preparing us for hurricanes but also the stark reality that is climate change.

John has been fascinated with hurricanes and the weather ever since he was a young boy growing up in Puerto Rico.  After tracking Hurricane David in 1979, which passed just south of the island and ravaged the Dominican Republic, John decided he would pursue a career in meteorology.  Years later as a seasoned and well-respected meteorologist, his beloved island would find itself on a collision course with Hurricane Maria and this time it would not be spared.  Knowing just how serious of a threat this hurricane posed to the people of Puerto Rico, he did a Facebook Live video (now with close to 1 million views) warning them on what they could expect and helping them brace for impact.

John is the longest tenured broadcast meteorologist in South Florida and has been a trusted source for many when it comes to hurricane coverage.  He is also one of the first meteorologists to use his platform to speak about climate change and it’s role in affecting and intensifying our weather.  And considering Miami is ground zero when it comes to climate change, we are lucky to have John championing this cause.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

Think about this for a moment: a child born today can expect oceans to rise one to four feet in their lifetimes; Miami is projected to experience over a foot of sea level rise by the year 2050 and anywhere from 10 to 30 feet by the end of the century.  Add to this that not a single viable solution has been proposed that would keep Miami above water at current sea level rise projections, then the fact that Miami will likely one day be underwater should start to sink in, pun intended.  That is the reality of climate change.  Whether you choose to believe it or not, we're already feeling and seeing its effects and here in Miami where we sit upon porous limestone, the future of our city is at great risk.

That's why filmmakers Jimmy Evans and Jack Edmondson decided to make Urban Paradise, to bring awareness to a topic that effects everyone yet is so misunderstood and downplayed by many.  The film follows Sam Van Leer, the charismatic environmentalist and founder of Urban Paradise Guild (UPG) whose single organizing principle is to fight the causes and effects of climate change in order to protect Miami's future.  Sam has been planting mangroves both at sea level and above it for the past 10 years in order to protect our communities from massive inundations of water and he's very vocal about trying to enact changes and policies that will help mitigate the inevitability of climate change and all its causes.  In Urban Paradise you'll learn more about Sam and why UPG's work is so important and you'll hear from other climate change experts explain sea level rise and how it is and will continue to effect Miami.

For their first feature length film, Jimmy and Jack do not shy away from taking on such a contentious issue that is only now beginning to get more recognition in the public sphere.  We hope Urban Paradise and this conversation will only help in continuing to move this topic to the forefront so we can all be better prepared to face this global crisis.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes show notes, videos, photos and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

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Jeanne Albaugh has spent her life in service to the homeless, but when she fell and broke her back while inside a fast food restaurant, she not only lost her life long dream of becoming a world champion in barrel racing, she became homeless herself.

Once she realized her dream would never materialize, she fell into a deep depression and got addicted to pain killers.  Her husband eventually divorced her and she lost her three children.  Jeanne, who gave so much of herself to the homeless, now found herself living under a bridge.  Even though she attempted suicide several times during this difficult and challenging time, it was a letter from her son that helped her emerge from this darkness and take back control of her life.

Now Jeanne is the founder and CEO of Showering Love which provides mobile showers to the homeless via a converted 42 foot city bus.  Not only do these showers provide a safe and comfortable place for South Florida's homeless to bathe, it also restores dignity and hope to those who are too often forgotten and shunned by society.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

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For behind the scenes show notes, photos, videos and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

"Radical simply means grasping things at the root." - Angela Davis

Meet Ana Samantha, part of the Miami Core-Team of the Dream Defenders.  Founded in 2012 after the murder of Trayvon Martin by a few university students across Florida tired of the systematic over policing and incarceration of poor communities of color, The Dream Defenders was started in order to make powerful change come to Florida.  And change is exactly what Ana was looking for a year and a half ago after working a job in retail that left her unfulfilled.  With a desire to get more involved in her community, Ana volunteered with the Dream Defenders and unlocked her passion for activism.

This year they released the Freedom Papers, a 7 part manifesto outlining their vision for a Florida that is able to serve the everyday needs of its people and that asks our elected representatives to put our safety before corporate profits.

Recently touted as "too radical" by the Republican Governors Association, the Dream Defenders have become a voice for the underserved, marginalized, and disenfranchised and are helping pave the way for a Florida where everyone can have an equal opportunity to live their best life, be who they want to be, and live how they want to live.

#thisistheyear

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

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For behind the scenes show notes, videos and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com 

Owning a home was once the American dream, but for quite some time now it's been out of reach for many Americans.  The housing crisis further deepened that chasm and here in Miami where wages are lower than other big cities, the issue of affordable housing is all too real and leading Miami towards a homeless boom.

So what's considered affordable?  Paying less than 30% of your income towards your rent or mortgage.  We know, you're probably paying more than that and you're not alone.

As the daughter of a Cuban exile, Annie Lord was always sensitive to the plight of those suffering the harshest economic conditions and in her new role as Executive Director of Miami Homes For All, she brings a wealth of experience fostering stability and mobility for those who are economically disadvantaged.

Through a number of initiatives focusing on affordable housing, youth homelessness and chronic homelessness, Miami Homes For All is advocating for everyone in Miami-Dade County to be able to afford a safe and stable home.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

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For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

Traditionally, decisions about the future of communities are made behind closed doors by a select few in positions of political power, but with more and more local organizations getting involved and demanding a seat at the table, the times are a changing.  Sarah Emmons, and her team at Radical Partners work tirelessly to educate and connect change-makers to accelerate the big ideas that will lead Miami forward and to tackle the issues that are stifling its progress.  

With programs such as their Leadership Lab and Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp which gives community leaders the tools and resources they need to accomplish their goals, they've also crafted the 100 Great Ideas Campaign which crowdsources big ideas for the cities most pressing problems.  In the past, they've focused on issues such as housing affordability and transit and mobility and in November they will gather ideas for climate resilience and sustainability.  Starting November 12th, everyone in Miami is invited to a 5-day, online conversation to brainstorm solutions on how to build a more resilient and sustainable community.

We invite you to take part in the conversation and learn more about Radical Partner's incredible contributions.

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

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Considering it's been predicted that there'll be more plastic in our oceans than fish by 2050, wouldn't it be nice if there was a store that offered solutions to our dependence on plastic and that could help us reduce our waste?  Well, now there is.

Verde, located in Wynwood, is Miami's first and only sustainable store. Now, instead of buying another plastic container when you run out of a product, you can take that same container to Verde and refill it with an earth-friendly (and in many instances animal-friendly) alternative.  With several refilling stations from detergent to soaps, shampoos, and conditioners to choose from, you are sure to find one of the many household items you use all the time.

Thanks to founders Pam and Marta, Verde is providing a solution to help us all combat plastic and live more consciously. Besides their soap refill stations, you can expect to find spices, oils, food in bulk, local nut milks, kombucha, dog treats, bamboo toothbrushes, and so much more.  With over 250 items and more being added constantly, Verde is challenging the status quo and asking us to rethink the way we shop and interact with our world.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

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When Nzingah Oniwosan was just 12 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor on her pituitary gland called Prolcatinoma. Unbeknownst to her, this was just the beginning of a series of illnesses that would eventually lead her to see five different physicians on a regular basis over the course of nine years. After being sick and tired of being sick and tired, Nzingah decided to make radical changes in her diet and lifestyle to heal herself.

Today, Nzingah is a holistic health consultant, plant-based chef, interdisciplinary artist and the creator of Yes Baby I Like It Raw, a platform where she uses her skills, knowledge and talents to educate people on how to manage stress levels and take control of their health.  She's also a trailblazer entrepreneur who recently co-founded a co-working space in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti called Impact Hub which works at the "intersection of innovation and society to collaboratively create impact with an entrepreneurial mindset."

Nzingah's life story is one of challenge and triumph and we know you'll be inspired by it.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com

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5.25 trillion pieces of plastic reside in our oceans compared to the 400 billion stars in the Milky Way. That means we have 13 times more pieces of plastic in our oceans than stars in our galaxy. This startling fact is the first thing you see when you visit the Debris Free Oceans webpage, a not-for-profit organization established by locals, Caiti and Jeremy Waks. Their long-time love of the water and the growing trash problem inspired them in 2014 to get more involved as well as find a fun and engaging way to educate Miami about the damaging effects of plastic pollution.

Debris Free Oceans focuses on the reductionist approach to motivate people to rethink disposable and single-use consumption by embracing lifestyles with more action and less clutter. To date, they have picked up over 23,000 pounds of plastics and have educated over 4,700 students in Miami-Dade County about plastic pollution and how to live zero-waste lifestyles. 

Through fun events like Keg and Clean where you're rewarded with complimentary beer after cleaning up a neighborhood (as long as you bring your own cup), Debris Free Oceans has inspired a new way of thinking of sustainability.  And to get you started, they've created a zero-waste kit which consists of a reusable aluminum water bottle, reusable bamboo cutlery, and a compact reusable bag which can be purchased on their website.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• When and why plastics were invented
• Why plastics never really go away
• What you can do to reduce your waste/single use plastics
• How they created Debris Free Oceans
• What they do to bring awareness to zero waste and plastic pollution in Miami
• What you need to know about recycling
• What the city of Miami Beach is doing about single-use plastics and recycling
• The Florida plastic bag pre-emption law

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com.

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There are a lot changes occurring in Little Haiti and Abraham Metellus of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex is helping to bridge the gap between community and culture by showcasing programs and events that highlight the Haitian and Afro-Carribean culture. The state of the art facility houses a 300 seat theatre, 2,150 square foot art gallery, outdoor courtyard and a Caribbean Marketplace with local vendors, music, miniature golf, vegan food and more.

When we sat down with Abraham we talked about his rediscovery of his Haitian culture upon moving back from Chicago and how he's been able to use his formal education and experience in his role at the LHCC to facilitate programming.  In addition to spearheading free classes and wellness offerings, Abraham has also organized free tours in traditional Haitian Tap Tap buses to enjoy the sights and sounds of Little Haiti. The Marketplace is a definite must visit on Saturdays with a little something for everyone.

We hope you enjoy the conversation,

Alex and Jeanette

For behind the scenes photos, videos, show notes and more www.plantedinmiami.com

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