
Sierra Bainbridge and James Kitchin, "Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet" (Axio, 2026)
From New Books in Environmental Studies by Marshall Poe
May 31, 2026 · 1h 3m
About this episode
The episode discusses regenerative design and its impact on biodiversity, climate change, and social equity through the work of the nonprofit design practice MASS.
Regenerative design is a way of building that heals our planet and our communities by halting biodiversity loss, reversing climate change, and improving social equity. Over the last decade, the nonprofit design practice MASS has proven that we can yield positive social, environmental, and economic results through a series of projects in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seeking Abundance : Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet (Axio, 2026) argues for reducing the harm our building activities wage in our environments and that we can—and must—help people and the planet thrive together. The proof? MASS's projects represent a coherent and replicable philosophy that responds to local ecologies and transforms lives. This groundbreaking new book, co-edited by Sierra Bainbridge and Alan Ricks, examines how the power of multidisciplinary collaboration, regenerative practices, and community engagement can actively contribute to a healthier, more harmonious world. The evidence of these works can be found in three case studies, focusing on The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and The Ilima Primary…
People in this episode
Host: Marshall Poe
Guests: Sierra Bainbridge, James Kitchin
Topics covered
- regenerative design
- biodiversity
- climate change
- social equity
- community engagement
- multidisciplinary collaboration
Keywords
- regenerative design
- biodiversity loss
- climate change
- social equity
- community engagement
- MASS
- case studies
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: MASS, The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, The Ilima Primary School, Axio
Books & works: Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet
More episodes of New Books in Environmental Studies
- Javier Arbona-Homar, "Explosivity: Following What Remains" (U Minnesota Press, 2025) · June 8, 2026 · 1h 6m
- Robert B. Marks, "Deep Time in the Mono Lake Basin: Nature and History Over the Last 10,000 Years" (U California Press, 2026) · June 7, 2026 · 55 min
- Ashok Malhotra, "Imperial Science, the Organic Movement and the Path to Shangri La, 1900-1969" (UCL Press, 2026) · June 6, 2026 · 36 min
- Ann Carlson, "Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air" (U California Press, 2026) · June 6, 2026 · 33 min
- Andrew Demshuk, "The Filthiest Village in Europe: Grassroots Ecology and the Collapse of East Germany" (Cornell UP, 2026) · May 30, 2026 · 1h 25m
- Gregory Kenicer, "Scottish Plant Names: An A–Z" (Birlinn, 2026) · May 29, 2026 · 24 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the New Books in Environmental Studies podcast page.