Judith D. Schwartz is a journalist and author living in the mountains of Vermont. In her earlier career, she wrote articles for women’s magazines, about women’s health, and personal development. During the 2008 economic downturn, Judith started to ask herself questions about the origins of wealth creation. How can GDP be a measure of prosperity while not accounting for the wellbeing of nature? The questions led her on a journey of discovery of how soils are the source of true wealth creation in a healthy society. In her two books, titled “Cows Save the Planet” and “Water in Plain Sight”, Judith writes about the role of animal-land dynamics in restoring soils and the availability of clean water. In this conversation, we talk about how everything in nature is connected and how Judith’s insights on grazing animals led her to connect with Sami reindeer herders and other grassroots movements that promote soil restoration to address problems related to human and ecological health.

Judith Schwartz is the author of several books, most recently "Water in Plain Sight." She is a leading advocate of what is coming to be known as "rain for climate" -- a shift in emphasis toward water as the most important substance in understanding and addressing climate change. We talk about water, soil, and plants, trees and cows, dogmatism, veganism and meat, and other topics.