In this two-part episode of Harvesting Wisdom, host Mike McMahon dives deep into the intersection of regenerative agriculture, forest restoration, and urban sustainability. He is joined by two inspiring guests who are transforming waste into solutions for both rural and urban environments:
Tyson from SW Biochar
Tyson shares how his family’s wood product business evolved into a climate-smart biochar production company. Based in northeastern Arizona, SW Biochar uses excess wood from forest thinning projects to create biochar—a powerful carbon-based soil amendment that improves water retention, boosts microbial life, and sequesters carbon for hundreds to thousands of years.
Tyson breaks down the pyrolysis process, the versatility of feedstocks, and how this ancient technique is now being leveraged for clean energy, soil health, and even cookstove fuel in energy-scarce regions like Africa.
Alexa Dargis from Greenworks
Later in the episode, Mike welcomes Alexa Dargis, who shares exciting updates on Greenworks' Earth Month initiatives. Alexa, who comes from a background in tech and PR, discusses their “Green Takeover” events happening nationwide—including one at Grand Canyon University. These activations feature electric landscaping equipment and sustainable construction demonstrations that showcase what a zero-waste city could look like in action.
Alexa gives us a behind-the-scenes preview of Earth Day plans, including simultaneous podcasting across locations and sustainability collaborations with schools, municipalities, and change-makers like Chip Wade.