Paul Hawken: The War Against Carbon Is a War Against Life

What if carbon isn't the villain—but the key to saving the world?

In this mind-expanding conversation, Darin sits down with renowned environmentalist and visionary Paul Hawken to uncover the misunderstood story of carbon, the intelligence of nature, and how we've systematically disconnected from the wisdom that sustains life. This episode dives deep into climate, ancient knowledge, modern science, and what it means to truly regenerate the Earth—and ourselves.

 

 

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

00:00 – Why this conversation about carbon is different

04:40 – The real reason carbon got villainized—and why it's wrong

08:25 – Why we must "re-carbonize" the Earth, not decarbonize it

11:00 – The incredible intelligence of carbon and why it is life

13:40 – Indigenous wisdom and Western science—why we need both

17:30 – Why naming and separating things leads us away from truth

20:05 – Climate isn't a crisis—it's a mirror of the biosphere

23:00 – The human disconnection that's destroying the planet

26:00 – We are the only species deregulating the climate

29:00 – Turning nature into an "asset class": the new danger

31:00 – Google, Meta, and the new extractive industry

33:30 – How our data addiction is connected to climate destruction

35:00 – The fungal internet: mycelia, intelligence, and nutrient trade

38:40 – How 14 million roots on a single rye plant feed the Earth

42:00 – Sound of soil: how healthy ecosystems literally speak

45:00 – Dead soil and the silence that follows chemical farming

47:00 – Fire as a regenerative force—not a destroyer

50:10 – Wildflowers, seed banks, and the secrets beneath the ash

53:10 – Purpose and meaning: the missing nutrients in modern life

56:00 – Awe, intelligence, and what soil can teach us about healing

59:10 – Why we're not just disconnected—we're spiritually lost

1:02:00 – Fossil fuels, energy addiction, and burning life

1:04:40 – How less can actually give us more

1:06:00 – Why the healthcare system is a symptom of sick soil

1:08:00 – From crisis to community: choosing regeneration

1:10:10 – Why abundance comes from creating life

1:13:00 – Fire ecology and Indigenous land management wisdom

1:16:00 – Final thoughts: we're not screwed—we're screwing ourselves

 

Don't Forget...

I just launched my brand new program Superlife Supermind. Visit my website https://superlife.com/ to learn more about how you can get rid of stress, improve sleep and overall health today.

 

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Find More From Paul Hawken:

Website: paulhawken.com

Instagram: @paul.hawken

Book: Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation

Organization: regeneration.org

 

 

Connect with Darin Olien:

Website: darinolien.com

Instagram: @darinolien

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 

 

Key Takeaway:

"We don't need to decarbonize the world—we need to re-carbonize the Earth through life." – Paul Hawken