My life began in the big, industrial city of Birmingham, UK. I went to an inner city school and had little connection with nature in my younger years. All that changed when we moved into an old farmhouse on the brink of suburbia, next to rolling midlands countryside. From this point, city life felt claustrophobic and unappealing. Any opportunity saw me disappearing across fields with a fishing rod and sandwiches until sunset. I was so fortunate to have had this escape but I still feel that nature is there for all of us in some context or another.
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I spread my wings as soon as I could leave home and travelled extensively in Europe, crewed a yacht in the Middle East, worked on farms in Australia and even worked on a commercial trawler in the Pacific (I wouldn't recommend it). My love for the natural world deepened and, for lack of a better idea I returned to the UK to do something 'proper' and studied Geography at the University of Exeter. My BSc focused on ecology and paleoclimatology (past climate change).
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After brief forays into the construction industry and other nondescript jobs, I was eventually talked into giving teaching a go. Ten years later and I'm still going. The appeal of exploring geographical and environmental issues still gets me out of bed in the morning. Daily I see environmental catastrophe pedalled on the news, and our young people suffering with 'environmental anxiety' - but this isn't the world I know. I have always focused on the inspiring, the creative and the uplifting within my teaching. This has pulled back the curtain on some of the most inspiring projects and changes you could ever imagine. It has revealed to me that humans have the potential to radically change our planet in the most inspiring way. From new national parks, to reducing desertification and resurrecting species on the brink of extinction - we can do amazing things!
My exploration led me to permaculture, which is a set of design principles based on earth care, people care and future care. Any project can be viewed through this lens, and it inspired me to train as a permaculture designer through the world's most respected course at Oregon State University. I keep permaculture principles in mind but am in no way tied to them - they're a tool rather than an ideology.
I'm now in a place where I can bring my knowledge and experience to others. I hope that through my Garden Footprint courses and projects I can help create pockets of sustainability and positivity far and wide. I won't tell you that this is purely altruistic though - I intend to create an interesting and fulfilling life for myself and my family, and have a lot of fun along the way!
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I hope to meet you soon.
Mike
Founder of Garden Footprint
