This episode is the second of our podcast special, in a collaboration special with the Center for Humans and Nature. It is series that celebrates the Center’s series ‘Elementals’ as well as a celebration of the many voices that contributed to the series. It is a great honor to finally shares these episodes with you.
In this episode I’m joined by writer and friend Nicholas Triolo. We explore the multifaceted nature of air represented in the volume. We discuss its significance in both personal and societal contexts. We delve into the concept of air bars and the economic implications of commodifying air. The role of air in communication and connection. The discussion also touches on environmental justice, the importance of breath in existence, and the power of language and poetry to convey the essence of air. We speak to the profound perspectives that emerge from the contributions to the Elementals volume.
He reads from his essay as well as Ross Gay’s poem ‘A small needless fact’.
This was a rich conversation.
“Air isn’t just empty space; it is filled with life and communication”
Nicholas Triolo (he/him) is a writer and long-distance mountain runner from Missoula, Montana. With an MS in environment writing from the University of Montana (2016), Triolo was formerly Digital Strategist for Orion and is currently Senior Editor for Outside Run and Trail Runner. His writing, films, and photography have been featured in Orion, Dark Mountain Project, Outside Online, Best American Poetry Blog, Terrain.org, Patagonia’s Dirtbag Diaries, Juxtaprose, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, and others. He’s currently working on a book, The Way Around, about walking in circles, due fall 2025 from Milkweed Editions.
About the series
From the Center for Humans & Nature, Elementals is a new five-volume collection of essays, poetry, and stories that asks: What can the vital forces of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire teach us about being human in a more-than-human world?
Learn more about Elementals at www.humansandnature.org/elementals
Find out where to buy the books here
