Mind Over Masculinity
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Mind Over Masculinity
Sustainable Landscapes Require Less Work Than You Think - Matthew Mehus
When Matthew Mehus was just three years old, he stood mesmerized by the magical transformation of seeds into plants on his family farm in Belgium. That childlike wonder evolved into a powerful mission to revolutionize how we design outdoor spaces. Now an award-winning landscape architect, Matthew reveals how working with nature rather than against it creates gardens that are not only beautiful but also resilient, biodiverse, and surprisingly low-maintenance.
This conversation challenges common misconceptions about ecological gardening. Far from being messy or labor-intensive, Matthew explains how understanding natural processes allows us to create outdoor spaces that practically take care of themselves. The key begins underground – with soil health forming the foundation for everything above, much like our gut microbiome affects overall human health. By avoiding common mistakes like randomly selecting pretty plants without considering soil conditions or design principles, anyone can create a thriving garden ecosystem.
Perhaps most surprising is the collective impact of individual gardens. Scientific research shows that suburban neighborhoods with diverse private gardens can match national parks for biodiversity levels. This "butterfly effect" means your backyard decisions ripple outward, influencing neighbors and ultimately contributing to climate resilience. Matthew shares compelling evidence that gardening delivers profound personal benefits too – from improved mental health to potential longevity, as seen in Blue Zones where centenarians commonly maintain gardens well into their later years.
Looking toward the future, Matthew envisions landscape architecture evolving beyond aesthetics into environmental problem-solving. With AI handling more repetitive tasks across industries, he anticipates growing demand for nature-based solutions that add property value while sequestering carbon. Ready to transform your outdoor space into something that benefits both you and the planet? Connect with Matthew t
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Welcome to the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the YouTube channel of the. Thank you, so Welcome back, listeners, to Mind Over Masculinity, and today we are diving into a topic that merges sustainability, design and also deeper connection with nature. Well, I'm your host, sana, and let me ask you a question. Have you wondered, ever wondered, if your backyard could do more than just look good, or could it actually help restore biodiversity, combat climate change and even require less maintenance? Well, to help me answer these questions, we have our guest who believes it.
Speaker 1:Can Listeners meet Matthew Mehus. He's an award-winning author and landscape architect whose journey from a family farm in Belgium to regenerative farming has reshaped the way he sees landscapes. His mission To empower people to transform their gardens, farms and urban spaces into thriving ecosystems that benefit both humans and the planet. So, everyone, get ready for a conversation on how we can work with nature, not against it, to create spaces that are beautiful, resilient and also low maintenance. Bases that are beautiful, resilient and also low maintenance.
Speaker 2:So, matthew, welcome to the show and it's an absolute pleasure having you with us. Wow, Sana, what a beautiful introduction. Thank you so much. I think you've said everything already. Maybe we can already conclude the interview here. No, I'm just joking. Thank you for having me on your amazing show. I'm just joking. Thank you for having me on your amazing show.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Absolutely, Matthew. Okay so, Matthew, before we talk about the topic, for me it's always a ritual, to you know have my guests share their personal story in their own words. I think it definitely helps having that connection with the listeners, so why don't you share it with all of us?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think that's a great way to kick off sana. So how everything started for me? I think oftentimes there's a lot of knowledge in how you grew up and what you went through as a child, and you can find a lot of nuggets of what you actually like to do in life and what you maybe should be focusing on. So for me, I grew up on a family farm. My brother and my father are farmers and around the age of three years old actually, one of my first memories is that I was so extremely fascinated by plants and how crazy it is that if you have a tiny little seed and you put it in the soil, that it can grow into a crop that you can eat, or even into a huge tree. I think in India you have these beautiful old trees that are in the middle of a community. Well, all these huge trees you have to imagine they all started from a tiny little seed and you have to help me out with the name of that tree. I think it's a.
Speaker 1:Banyan tree banyan.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's it. It's a super important spiritual element in india, as far as I know. So just imagine a three-year-old being extremely fascinated about how, how on earth does plants even grow? How does this work? And then, by the time I was five or six years old I think I was actually six I think I had an amazing teacher in school that was teaching us everything about how to grow plants, how to propagate, how to seed, and our classroom was actually full of plants, and that was so cool for me too, and that's strike my imagination and my passion for gardening.
Speaker 2:So one day I came home from school and I told my parents hey, I want to, I'll start my own vegetable garden. It's like I just had made that decision. And they were like no, we have a busy farm, we don't have time for that. Like, the farm was mostly like working with animals and also mostly like big crops, so not much small vegetables. So they didn't have time for that. So they said, no, we can't do that.
Speaker 2:And I but I persisted, and that's maybe a good list. Lesson as well is, when you have an idea, you should persist. So I kept on asking. Eventually they said okay, you know what, you can use this small part of the garden that we're not really looking at. So go ahead and and and do some stuff there. So, and then I started out, and the first thing as what I did was I I prepared the garden by finding some stones that were laying around on the farm and I arranged them in like a way that you have a beautiful um pathway in your garden, and that's where I got really excited about creating things, about design, about making something look beautiful. And then what I did was I started out with growing radishes. So, for the people that are listening, if you want to start gardening, the easiest thing ever to grow is radishes.
Speaker 2:So start with that and I had my first success. After a couple of weeks I had my first harvest of radishes and I was so proud I showed it to my mother. We had our first dinner or lunch, I don't even remember with my, with the radishes that I had grown. That was like that's so powerful and it's such a joy to grow your own food. That's also what I experienced at a very young age. And then I thought like, wow, this is so easy growing my own food. So I went on and I got my father, we went to the shop and we bought more seeds and I just bought, like everything carrots. I was so excited to grow more different fruits, different vegetables. And then I came home, I prepared my soil, I was doing everything right At least that's what I was thinking. I had no clue and I put all my seeds in my garden, I spread them out everywhere and I thought I'm just going to come back a couple of weeks later and it's going to be full of lush vegetables. And I think, sana, you can already imagine what happened next. I came back a couple weeks later looking in a garden that was completely overgrown by nasty weeds that were taller than myself, because we had probably put a little bit too much compost in the garden and for various other reasons, and then I was so devastated by it and it's only later in my life that I realized why this was happening. And actually I started to realize it when I did a permaculture design course in india, in goa, at the time of volunteering in a project uh in in goa that were actually helping children that are physically disabled to do rehabilitation in a, in a public pool, and also we wanted to create or the owner wanted to create a whole beautiful garden around it. So I was working there and I learned about permaculture and that changed everything for me. So it's only when you look back and then, and then I realized like what did I do wrong when I was a child? So yeah, and then I went on. I studied a bachelor degree and a master degree in landscape and garden architecture, so I got that.
Speaker 2:I started my nine to five job in Germany, like thinking this is it. It's like this is everything that I worked for Before I really realized it. One and a half years in the job, I find myself completely burnt out, depressed and thinking like what am I doing? It's such a bureaucratic system Even though I'm very grateful that I worked in Germany, because I really learned to work very structured and and very like. They're one of the best engineers in the world, so it's really good to learn from them. But I got stuck in this nine to five and and I was just done with it so I said, okay, I'm gonna quit my job.
Speaker 2:I hit the road and I traveled for one and a half years and I visited all the eco well, a lot of eco resorts around the world and farms that were doing it in a good way. That is good for the planet. Because I was so interested about how can we actually grow food enough food for the whole planet but also not destroy our environment, because that's happening too much today. So I studied a lot, I learned more, and from that experience I then actually just to um make it a little bit worse even I then I would and when I was traveling I got really sick. I got a dengue fever which might be familiar to you as well in india and I got really sick and from that experience which you could say it's a bit of a dark night of the soul I really reimagined my whole life and I said, okay, now that I'm like also, I had lost all my money.
Speaker 2:I was. I was like I was at the bottom and I said, okay, this is the well, and I only can say it after. But then I said, okay, now I'm going to dedicate my life to helping people how to grow their own food, to how to create gardens, how to farm better and how to do it in harmony with nature. And, as it turns out, I then started my business. I have one-on-one clients designing gardens all over the world and I also teach and coach people online how they can do it themselves. So if people are are wanting to experience it themselves, what it is to create their own garden, I'm I'm teaching them online, also with the help ai. And yeah, that's where I am. And today and I currently currently am living in the Azores because it's such a beautiful climate here. It's a subtropical environment, so many flowers, so many plants all year round. So that's what I'm doing in a nutshell.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow. It's like childlike curiosity which gave birth to your passion. And, of course, uh, um, I I could relate to that moment when you said that you know, after two weeks, when you saw all the plants, they were destroyed by weed. I think that was your um kind of calling, uh, that you need to, um, dedicate yourself, um, and, you know, prepare yourself as well for this. And one word you mentioned is about eco resorts. And uh, just for my curiosity, um, what exactly are eco resorts?
Speaker 2:That's a great question, sana. So it might be a broad term because oftentimes people might use it whereas they're not really eco. But in my understanding and in my vision, an eco-resort is a place where you would go on a holiday and, instead of doing normal tourism, where it's actually bad for the local community, it's bad for the local environment, it's it's not like something that is benefiting the place where you travel to, you completely change it around and you make it into a resort where you can also learn about nature. You're surrounded by all natural environments. There's lots of gardens. You usually the kitchen will have their own vegetable gardens. There will be a lot of employment by local, by the local community.
Speaker 2:As a guest, you'll be able to engage with the local community. You'll learn about the culture. So you'll learn about ecosystems. Maybe you could even take a course on permaculture when you're there or about how to create a sustainable garden.
Speaker 2:So it's all about creating something that is actually good for the environment, because often times we are facing this huge Problem Climate change Across the globe. If you don't believe it's real, then you have A window and then you see that it's real and but there's what the current paradigm is. Okay. We should stop doing it like, let's do it a little bit less harmful for the environment. So we have all these things that like carbon taxes or other initiatives to reduce um emissions. But actually we can turn it around and we can be in with or with, for example, an eco resort. We can be, for example, an eco-resort. We can sequester more carbon dioxide than we are emitting. So even when you're flying out to these eco-resorts, you could actually compensate your flight by visiting those places, because the way those resorts will be managed, it can have a negative carbon footprint.
Speaker 1:Right. I don't know about others, but I totally believe climate change is there and we are seeing the after effects. It's like I know it's going to sound harsh, but it's like a growing cancer. It's eating inside and we are seeing the symptoms. We are seeing what's happening around. We are seeing abnormal temperatures, we are seeing erratic weather patterns, we are seeing wildfires, we are seeing cyclones at a frequency which is unimaginable, especially if I talk from the perspective of india. Oh yes, we are also seeing cyclones in the arabian sea, which is very unlikely.
Speaker 1:So it's real and it's going to, not to spread fear, but practically speaking, it's going to cause a lot of displacement and, especially for all of us normal people, we're going to get affected not only at an individual level but, I think, from a political viewpoint as well, as, especially the companies or the enterprises, you know, because I mean, there are all kinds of agreements and everything done, but is it actually, uh, being followed religiously? Are the practices or are the sops being followed for reducing carbon footprints, especially because we have AI into the picture and it does take huge data centers and systems and it definitely generates and increases the carbon footprint. So I think everyone has to have that collective consciousness towards climate change yes, I just want to jump in.
Speaker 2:I don't think that the biggest problem is the carbon emissions, the fact that we are not creating ecosystems that can capture that carbon dioxide, because in an ecosystem just like ourselves we are breeding. We are also emitting carbon dioxide every day.
Speaker 2:So you could argue that we should breed less and then there will be less carbon emissions yeah but that doesn't make any sense, and that's sometimes where I also find it difficult to that we focus so much on the problem rather than looking what is the solutions?
Speaker 2:So, because the energy is going to get cleaner no matter what, because it's going to get more efficient, hydrogen is taking off, like that I think we got that covered like how to get out of the, the carbon. Um, let's say, even if it might still take a bit longer, and that's okay, but at the same time, even if we just cut all the carbon dioxide that we've emitted, let's say that from tomorrow, from today to tomorrow, we can stop all carbon dioxide emissions, still we'll have a huge problem. That's not going to solve it. So we need to focus on how can we sequester more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and the way to do that is through photosynthesis. So we need to grow more plants all across the world. Is it trees, is it pasture, land? Is it whatever it is, and what is best fitting for that local environment. We have to focus on doing that and stop using all the chemicals that destroy the ecosystems, because that's that's the next challenge that's.
Speaker 1:That's really a fair point, very fair, but I think, definitely, I think we'll, we'll all will agree with that, okay, so also the beauty of that when we create those ecosystems, our lives get so much better.
Speaker 2:We have cleaner air, cleaner water. There's a lot of costs that will go down. The climate change will be mitigated. We probably won't be able to stop it anymore, but it it will stabilize, let's say, and that I think there's some calculations that say what, what insurance companies can save if they would invest in uh, sequestering more carbon dioxide.
Speaker 2:That we could actually, with all the money they have from insurances, we could also use that to reverse the climate change very fast wow and it would actually make sense for them because they'll make way more money, because there will be less planes yeah, exactly that's their end goal, so I don't do it in a different way.
Speaker 1:Lovely. That's really really interesting, Matthew, Really interesting. And since now we are talking about creating that ecosystem, why do you think people should care about designing landscapes which work with nature? Because many people think that entire processes are high maintenance or messy and we don't have that time to devote. So how do you address this perception?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's another really good question that there is a confusion or a misconception that when you create a garden that is higher in biodiversity or ecosystem or which is better for nature, let's put it that way, that it's either going to be a lot more work or that it's going to look very messy. That's like the current way we look at it and that doesn't have to be true at all. It is true if you just like let your garden go and you neglect it, then of course it's going to be messy. Or if you create a garden that is like you need to you need to do so much maintenance and constantly change, like constantly be working on it then yes, but if we can make, or when we make, smart designs, we we focus on how nature works, like even in nature look at it, there's hardly any maintenance in nature. Like an ecosystem works. Even in india, there's so many beautiful places they work without maintenance.
Speaker 2:So why can't we use that system of how nature works? Because nature works in a specific way. It's been evolving over millions and millions of years and it works in a specific way. And that's actually what I explain in my book, the 12 universal laws of nature, so that when you understand how nature works, you can use that knowledge to your own advantage to create something that is super low in maintenance in your own garden. And you, you look in nature and say, like, okay, these trees and that shrubs and these plants are like, combined in such and such a way. Let's take that idea and apply that in my own garden so that we don't have any maintenance, or at least a very, very low maintenance garden, and that still looks beautiful.
Speaker 2:And that's where, when you want to create something that is beautiful, you have to have a good design. So you can't just say, okay, now I'm going to create a natural garden and just let everything grow, okay, it will become natural on its own, but it might look very messy. So we need to find that balance between creating a beautiful design that's unique, that nobody has seen before, like even in india. There's so many beautiful gardens, like using those skills that we already have to create something beautiful, and then, instead of using landscapes that need so much maintenance because that's how it was done in the 1800s, that was like even in India and the English, let's say, in the English style of maintaining landscapes, it's a very like, for example, if we look at lawns, everybody. There was no machinery or very few machineries. It was a status symbol to show like, oh, I can have a huge lawn and I have a team of people that's taking care of it. That was like to show off to people that I have like a lot of money.
Speaker 2:Money yeah, and that continued through history and it's a little bit still the same today. But there's no value in a normal lawn, like you can have a little bit of grass or or whatever you need for, like to play with your family or to play to play cricket, right, all those things. You need that space, but then the rest you should let it grow, uh, naturally, and, and but you need to knowledge how to do that that's quite cool and you know, if I um, I would like to share, you know, from my childhood.
Speaker 1:So we had this, so these were kind of you know um kind of quarters or houses which were, like, mostly found in, uh, northern europe, um, you know, like switzerland and that side. So, uh, we had three bedrooms and fireplace and there was a huge lawn, huge lawn, a huge garden. And you know, literally I remember that my mother used to grow tomatoes and, I think, a lot, many drumsticks. There was a drumstick tree in there and I mean, those were really really so good days. We used to have tomatoes, then so many other vegetables also, I don't even remember and then flowers, and we literally had two people who used to take care of it. Um, and, and you know it was, it was really really great. You know it was a huge, like a garden yeah, that's nice, that's you know, right now we don't have even a single plant.
Speaker 1:I at least don't have that. You know we don't. We just only take help of parks for, yeah, only parks, just for that, just for a quick walk or a run. But right now, I see, I rarely see any house with some kind of vegetation or lawn or garden. It's more about how many cars are there and how big is the house, how many rooms are there and the interiors, of course, anyway. So let's talk about the mistakes as well, matthew. So if, let's say, I am planning to landscape my yard, what mistakes should I avoid?
Speaker 2:Great question. So where it all begins is we always look above ground? Is we always look above ground?
Speaker 2:but actually the most important thing, before you even consider planting well, is to understand your current situation. So you need to do a deep analysis. So if you already, if you don't look at your soil, what soil type you have, or if you don't look at how is the structure of the soil, then that's going to be a huge mistake, because when you don't improve the quality of your soil, then it's like the soil is like our gut system, like even we know now today that most of the modern diseases are linked to an unhealthy gut Because we are eating food that is full of chemicals that destroys the microbiome. That's exactly the same in the soil. So when you, one of the first things that I would say is like you have to fix your soil, and even if you, if you think like, oh, the soil is not in a bad condition, it's still gonna be very likely that it needs to be taken care of because of climate change, because of chemicals that might have come before, uh, before you even moved there. So it's really important to focus on that and then you know, so you make a deep analysis then you have to start designing your garden.
Speaker 2:So if you just another huge mistake that I keep seeing is that people just drive to a garden center and there's all these beautiful plants and they'll just pick, like, oh, it's like a candy shop. They'll pick whatever looks beautiful and then they come home and they put that in the garden and then they pray to the gods that that it's gonna grow. But it's maybe the wrong plant or the wrong soil or the wrong. So that system doesn't work. And it's actually quite interesting to see that the garden center, or even that whole industry of garden plants they don't want you to be successful at gardening, because if you're successful at gardening you won't be coming back. So they're. I don't think they're doing it deliberately, as far as I know. Maybe I have no knowledge of that, but they have no interest in in you being successful at gardening. They want to sell you as much stuff as possible.
Speaker 2:So then also, if you go to a garden center, it's full of all these fancy tools and things that look so promising and that's going to help you garden better, but most of the things don't work either. Um, so you need to know what, where you have to plant what plant. So you need to study a bit, you have to make a design or hire someone, hire a specialist, because otherwise you're just wasting your time. If you're just like, without much conception, without thinking, without making an idea, then it's already doomed to fail, and not only maybe some of the plants might grow, but then you'll be breaking your back on maintaining your garden because you don't have that system like an ecosystem that works, like it works in nature. So you need to consider all those elements. I would say biggest mistake can be not considering your soil and just going blindly and buying plants and sticking them in the ground. That's probably the top, top mistakes that you can make I agree.
Speaker 1:I agree. Thanks for sharing that, matthew. Thanks for sharing that. Oh also, um many many believe, you know we we talked in the initial part of the conversation that large scale sustainability efforts need government or corporate backing. But you know, I love that you are working towards an individual action which you know collectively helps in restoring the ecosystem and building an ecosystem to restore the balance. So how can individuals like us, how can they make a real impact through their own gardens?
Speaker 2:Yes, I love that question because have you heard of this saying that the wimp of a butterfly can start a tornado? Have you heard of this saying that the wimp of a butterfly can start a tornado? Have you heard about this?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's what it's about. Oftentimes we get so overwhelmed by looking at the news or all the bad things that are happening in the world and we think like, oh, it doesn't even matter if I make a nice garden or not, it's not going to change the world. But you might be wrong, actually, because I even teach people online how to design their own garden and now, since I've started that program, they're now teaching it to other people or they have own clients Because they do exactly what I tell them to do. And people start doing that. And then they have friends or neighbors coming over and like this looks like a different kind of garden or it seems quite interesting what you're doing. Can you do it for me or can you teach it to me?
Speaker 2:So when you step into that role of already creating a beautiful environment for yourself, for your family also, because the health it's so important for your personal health as well so you've got to see that your productivity is going to increase when you start gardening. It's scientifically proven that the soil has microorganisms and when you touch the soil and it's a good, healthy soil then it's going to improve your personal health because your skin can absorb the microorganisms and that improves your gut health. So with that knowledge, it's going to be like, okay, I might want to start gardening, but think about all the other benefits that you'll get and also think there's also signs that shows like we have these blue zones in the world. Blue zones, yes. Are you familiar with blue zones?
Speaker 1:Yes, I have heard. I've heard in some of the NatGeo documentaries and articles.
Speaker 2:Yes, so blue zones are areas where you have a higher, like the highest amount of people that live well over 100 years old. So they started to investigate, like how is it possible? There's a few things like community there's, there's a few reasons, but one key element which kind of brings everything together is that they also all garden they will garden and they keep doing it, even like just for exercise purposes, to have your own healthy food, to live in a beautiful environment.
Speaker 2:That is going to change your mood, because that's also shown, like when you're around nature it's improving your mood. So even the mental health huge, huge impact on that. So the benefits are like endless. So you have to start gardening. In that sense it becomes like inevitable, because also we are, we came from nature and we kind of got maybe we could say we got kicked out of the Garden of Eden. But it's time for us to return and to be part of nature and help nature and because it needs our help. Be part of nature and help nature and because it needs our help.
Speaker 2:And with a small garden that's the best you can do. Because what also they found that scientifically proven that the most biodiverse areas on the planet so areas that have a lot of birds and and and butterflies and all the good stuff are either the national parks. So also in india you have beautiful national parks. There's a lot of great conserve, conservation um parks, which is amazing. That's like the, the highest. But then what we also see it's the suburbs of cities. So in the suburbs of cities, people have a little bit more space and they all start growing their own garden, their own plants, different plants even from all over the world, and that is actually has as much biodiversity as a national park. So isn't it amazing how you could actually be giving nature a hand by creating a beautiful and ecological garden?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And you mentioned about blue zones and you know some of the characteristics. You know they more. They are more into plant-based diet. They have a different, you know, a kind of faith and a spiritual based connection with their ecosystem. You, it's like the community itself, is a part of the ecosystem. It's all thriving together and that's why they have, you know, they live longer than most of the average.
Speaker 1:You know people like us who are mostly city dwellers and there are a lot of issues, sorry, a lot of factors affecting that. So that's a great point you made and I think it's really, really a high time we do a bit of self-introspection and try to understand let's have that collective consciousness that in order to thrive individually, I think we have to thrive individually. I think we have to take the initiatives together as a community. So you definitely gave the right, you know proverb to it the butterfly pod. So great, great. Also, matthew, before we wrap up, of course, what's your vision for the future of landscape architecture? I mean, how do you see it evolving? Let's not talk about the decade, but the next five years, because right now things are changing, evolving rapidly. Maybe in the next two, three years, five years we'll see a lot of repercussions happening because of that. So where do you see this future?
Speaker 2:I think, with the AI revolution that is currently happening as we speak, we're in the. I think we're in. We're probably just only scratching the surface of how much AI is going to change our world, our lives, is that a lot of jobs are going to get lost, a lot of jobs that are repetitive, that can be done by a machine or by an ai. It's all going to get. So there's going to be a huge amount of workforce and it's actually going to improve the. In my opinion. I think it's going to to improve the standards of living across the world. With the help of AI, we don't have to do all these repetitive jobs anymore. So then a lot of there will be so much time for us to be like okay, so now, what should we do? What should we focus on? And then we might be like okay, now that AI has done all the job, let's clean up the environment, let's clean up our world and let's invest in that because we need it.
Speaker 2:It's part of our life. If we don't fix nature, it's going to make our future very difficult. So when you invest in nature, you're actually investing in your children and the next generation. That's what it's really about. So I see that when that awareness comes and it's already happening, because we get a lot of interest for eco resorts, gardens, projects people want to get their hands dirty there. They're done with the nine to five well, not all, but some people are done with nine to five jobs. They want to build beautiful places and that adds, by the way, it adds a lot of value to your property.
Speaker 2:So if you decide to create a beautiful garden that's also low in maintenance, then that your property will will be worth a lot more. So there's huge benefits to it also. That's proven. So I think my job with the AI revolution is going to become. There's going to be more demand for the job that I do because we can use AI, even as a landscape architect, but end of the day, we still have to make the design. We have to follow up with the clients. There's a lot of human aspects to do in in landscape architecture that there's going to be a lot more jobs in in my industry, I think, and also that we will get out of the paradigm that a landscape architect or a garden designer is just creating something beautiful or planting some trees to make things nice. That is going to shift to like landscape architects can actually change the world and make sure that we can still live on this planet for many generations to come absolutely, I think.
Speaker 1:I think what you mentioned is really, really a practical overview of the future you are seeing here and I think, if I could resonate with that, I think our listeners will also do the same.
Speaker 1:And I think this is especially more of an importance to all the current generation.
Speaker 1:More of an importance to all the current generation uh, I think you know I was uh reading not I was actually watching a youtube video about a report that many of the millennial parents uh, they are not parents exactly, but they are they refuse to have kids because they know they don't want their future generations to thrive on a planet where, you know, there is uncertainty in terms of whether it will be a conducive environment to thrive or survive, uh, or not. Right now, if we talk about india, then we are facing a huge crisis in terms of the air quality, drinking water quality. A population isn't enough to have access to good air, breathable air. Children are breathing an air which has aQI of more than 300. And you know, 100, 139,. We are trying to survive in that air quality. So I think it's really, really I think this conversation should be rather eye-opening for all of us to take this as a serious calling for the future as well. So thank you so much, matthew, thank you.
Speaker 2:I agree, and I also want to reach out to your listeners and say when, when you're ready to make a change for your country, india, or any country in the world we're talking about India here then please reach out to me. I can help you.
Speaker 2:there's I have so many contacts also and that transcend what I'm doing as a landscape architect, for example, even in in I'm working with a someone, um, that is actually helping uh to clean the air in in delhi. I interviewed him for my podcast and we're looking to collaborate further. So there's tons of solutions. Like, we know what the problems are and we get stuck up in that, but with the right knowledge and the right nature-based technologies, we can solve these problems way faster than we can actually imagine. So when whoever is listening and feels like I really want to start doing it this and actually also make it into a profitable business, because we need to focus on profit when we make that change, otherwise it's not going to be sustainable. So there's huge opportunities when you could say to it like, for example, if you can go to the mayor of Delhi and say I'm going to make your air clean by doing this, this and this, well, they will start listening to you because it's a huge problem. Like, delhi is the capital People. That's the first.
Speaker 2:India is still dependent on a lot of tourism as well. So foreigners come into the country there and today they get overwhelmed by the, by the bad quality of air. So imagine that what an impact that has on tourism. So when we fix the quality of the air, india will become way better off as well, both economically. So yeah, there's. I see huge opportunities also when people are like oh, you talked about these eco resorts and that's actually a huge trend in tourism, that people no longer just want to travel to a place and sit in a hotel, they want to experience nature, they want to experience something unique. So if you're thinking of how to start a hotel or a resort, you have to and you want to make sure that people come to your place. You have to change the way it is done currently to make sure that all those visitors coming to india will come to your hotel or to your resort absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think this vertical itself has so much relevance in every industry, whether we talk about hotel, real estate, home decor, anything, food. I think it has relevance in all of the industries. So, money wise speaking, I think this, this definitely will give motivation. But from the point of conscience, or as a human being who is a part of this entire ecosystem of this planet, the blue planet, I think every individual should have this as a responsibility, that at least you know one activity I should do every day, or I should help spread the awareness to my family, to my friends, my colleagues or anyone I interact with about this, the government also not emphasizing on this fact. Then, at least as an individual, as a being on this planet, we should have this collective consciousness. So, thank you, thank you once again, matthew.
Speaker 2:The pleasure. And then I think, sana, when that's okay, you can put my Calendly link in the show notes. So when people I appreciate people that are fast action takers, that people that are like, okay, let's go, let's do things, so I want to offer a free 30 minute meeting with me, so I'll give you my calendly link, um, and that that link fills up quickly because I only do it for for two weeks, so when people feel like they want to take action, they can immediately book a meeting with me there and then we can get to work and and make india even more incredible great, great, lovely, lovely.
Speaker 1:Uh, so matthew will anyway have the details in the show notes, and I also wanted to ask if, if people wish to connect with you personally, how they can do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they can always send me an email. We can put that in the show notes. They can go to my website. They can go on social media under my name or under my company name. So if they Google me, they will always find a way to connect with me. And we can also, like I said, I can put the calendly link directly here. And, yeah, linkedin is also a great place to connect. So on most of the social media platforms I'm quite active. So please reach out. Lovely, lovely man.
Speaker 1:I think we'll have all the details in the show notes in there and thank, I'm quite active, so please reach out. Lovely, lovely. I think we'll have all the details in the show notes in there and thank you so much. Thank you so much for inspiring me, for inspiring all of us, you know, with your journey, with your purpose, and it's a proof that when we align our work with nature, we can create something truly, truly transformative. And I hope that this episode has sparked ideas for all of our listeners about how they can make a difference, whether they have a sprawling garden or just a teeny, tiny patio. And to learn more about Matthew and connect with him, please refer to the show notes along with this episode. And until next time, um, and share this episode with a friend or a colleague or your family who's ready to rethink their outer space and contribute in saving this planet, saving this ecosystem. And until next time, stay curious, stay connected and keep redefining what masculinity is and sustainability. What exactly do they need to do?
