Hi friends and welcome back to the Balanced Pursuits Podcast. This week’s episode is with Charles Post & it’s one of our favorite episodes to date!

Charles is an Ecologist. He spent nearly a decade earning his master’s degree from UC Berkeley. Charles cares a great deal about the environment, animals, food webs, and the conservation & balance of all of these. Early in his career, he realized that one of the biggest challenges he’d face was not the science itself, but finding a way to use the science to make a difference. With that in mind, Charles set upon writing stories for publications like national geographic, producing films, and building a social media presence that both educates and invites interaction.

Charles believes in being consistent, admitting when you don’t know everything, and offering transparency in the sharing process. More than anything, he understands that it takes a combination of all of these to cultivate trust. Charles explains that “so often today, people want simplified stories, but science operates in context, complexity, and nuance… If we want more people to advocate for the causes we believe in, we’re going to need more people to understand them.”

Wise well beyond his years.

Today Charles is going to tell us all about the moments that he believes punctuate life and what he’s learned about humanity by studying animals. We’re going to ask him about his studies, his passions, and the causes he believes in. And he’ll share what he’s doing to make a difference in the world and what we can do as well.

In This Episode We Discuss:

Why we want to believe simplified narratives when it comes to complicated issues.

The importance of understanding different perspectives and preconceived notions.

How customizing stories can help change minds.

Why we care more about charismatic species and the importance of those we often overlook.

The daily anxieties of environmental education.

Google scholar and the importance of sourcing highly cited information.

How thinking of each of your purchases as a vote can help make the world a better place.

How to cultivate trust.

What it takes to become an authority in your field.

Why people are so much more complicated than animals.

Resources:

Follow Charles on Instagram

Check out Charles’ work with youth through The Nature Project on Instagram or the web

Research something you’re curious about with Google Scholar