Review: Future Ecologies

Podcast cover art is something I love, but not in the "I'm constantly thinking about it" way. It's more when I see great cover art, it triggers warm, fuzzy feelings in my brain. Great art done with great purpose is one of my favorite things to experience. Does it get me to listen to a podcast? Sometimes. It might get me to add an episode to my queue, but getting to listening might be a long game. Let's be real, it usually is a long game.

Sometimes a podcast comes with cover art that I find so striking and perfect - not just for my taste but for the podcast. Scrolling through Earbuds Podcast Collective some weeks ago, I saw the cover art for Future Ecologies and its neon jelly* wonder - I was hooked. I have been listening to episodes in between longer commitments, and every moment has been a joy and rejuvenation of my love for this medium.

What's striking about the cover art - this simple yet detailed neon jelly with the title's subtle wave-like undulations - is that it's so much like the podcast itself. It is elements put together to support the story to its fullest. Future Ecologies is a Canadian-based podcast hosted by Adam Huggins and Mendel Skulski. It is an independent, listener-supported podcast that, in their own words, covers "relationships - between, within, amongst, and all around us".

While many nature-focused podcasts are phenomenal works, and full of amazing information like this one, very few of them are also sonic masterpieces. I have rarely listened to a podcast that is so beautifully produced, that also brings the listener this type of information. While I have not listened to every episode, the ones I have listened to are not so much of a balancing act between the communication of science and the art, but more like a ballet. There is never a moment where the sonic tapestry doesn't fully support the moment it is inhabiting.

Listening to this podcast and learning about how people from all over the world and from so many backgrounds are coming together to focus on their environments, and the environment, is an amazing experience. The information in Future Ecologies isn't just thought-provoking but also empowering and reassuring. There are episodes about land management, artistic endeavors, and more. All of this important information is cradled in this near-perfect sonic landscape that makes listening not just enjoyable, but an experience.

Episodes are on the longer side, with many topping out at over an hour. They also drop approximately monthly because this team does work in their real lives, and seem to have a rotating cast of producers. Formats change per episode, but the tone and style stay approximately the same. There is so much heart in this podcast that listening isn't just informational and deeply enjoyable, it is also rejuvenating. The episodes that have moments of despair and darkness come through with deeper thought and more perspectives to consider. The podcast reassures us that any answer to what we are facing regarding the environment doesn't have one answer or even the best answer. The important part is that people aren't stopping the search for solutions. Sometimes the solution is a message rather than an action.

This podcast has brought me so much as a listener, and I hope it does for you too.

Check out Future Ecologies below. Consider supporting them on Patreon to keep this fantastic podcast going.

*Jellies aren't fish and the best way to describe them is as jellies. Even if we want to say jellyfish. I'm still getting used to it, but here's to more of us knowing!

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