Through the Lens: Environmental Education Efforts from the South Side to San Antonio

June 2025

How can environmental education (EE) serve as a bridge in our increasingly fractured society? Filmmakers James Parker and Juliet Grable are exploring a powerful question through their upcoming documentary, In Our Nature. Drawing on their previous work documenting rural Oregon communities adapting to a changing climate, James and Juliet have discovered that assumptions about populations different from our own often dissolve when people connect over what we share: the planet. In Our Nature investigates how environmental education is one of our most effective tools for building community and finding common ground across perceived divides.

"Being an environmental educator is perhaps being a guide for folks to connect with the nature and the place—wherever they are—the external nature and that it's going to look different. But through that process we connect to our shared nature.

Environmental education is one of the most powerful tools we have at building community and finding common ground. It connects us, connects people with the natural world, with nature. We start to see the systems. We see the change and evolution that happens constantly." —James Parker

In this conversation, James and Juliet reveal how environmental education addresses several interconnected crises of our time: children's increasing screen time, the loneliness epidemic, declining mental health, and widening social-political divisions. They dive into how meaningful connections—to each other, to place, and to the natural world—can be powerful antidotes to social disconnection. Through immersive, on-the-ground storytelling, they show how EE is uniquely positioned to rebuild trust across gaps in varying lived experiences and identities. Both filmmakers argue that in an age of digital isolation, the need for place-based, community-centered environmental education has never been more urgent.

In this context of a divided country politically, and we think about democracy and all this—what an incredible tool to return us to community, an incredible tool at bringing people together on literal shared common ground to mingle, to converse, to heal together, to share." —James Parker

James and Juliet shine a spotlight on educators who are using place—not as a backdrop, but as a central character in the learning journey. Whether in an Appalachian forest school or along the San Antonio Riverwalk, these programs help people of all ages connect to the land in ways that are deeply personal and culturally relevant.

"I feel like one of the important takeaways we've had is that this kind of experience should be happening everywhere. It's just so critical both for children's healthy physical and mental development, but also for communities to be empowered and healthy and resilient." —Juliet Grable

The filmmakers chose documentary as their medium specifically for its ability to capture nuance and complexity that other formats cannot. Through their production company Synchronous Pictures, they explore stories where the lines are blurred and multiple truths can exist simultaneously. They believe film's immersive quality of combining visuals, audio, and human expression creates an experience second only to actually being in nature itself.

In this episode of The World We Want, James and Juliet make a compelling case for reimagining EE as a central, not peripheral, part of how we educate, especially in times of uncertainty. With a blend of emotion, nuance, and hope, they argue that storytelling and education are powerful tools to reconnect people with place and each other. Whether you're a teacher, a student, or someone passionate about community building, this episode invites you to see environmental education in a new, expansive light.

About the Guest Speaker: James Parker

James Parker is a director, producer, and founder of Synchronous Pictures, a boutique production company creating award-winning films that bridge divides and spark conversation. His work has aired on major networks and screened internationally, earning multiple Emmy nominations, Telly Awards, and a presidential medal for his work documenting Botswana’s HIV/AIDS response.

Driven by a deep belief in storytelling’s power to illuminate complexity and foster connection, James has spent the past decade capturing human stories across Singapore, Botswana, India, Sri Lanka, Peru, the UK, and the United States. He’s worked with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to major studios including CBS, ABC, BBC, Amazon Studios, and National Geographic, with a body of work that spans from rural Oregon to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Beyond filmmaking, James is also an entrepreneur. He led the brand launch for an international smart mobility company, securing press in USA Today, TechCrunch, and Forbes, and earned PR Daily’s Best Product Launch Award.

Originally from the UK and now based in Southern California, James is a first-generation college graduate passionate about bridge-building and storytelling that sparks empathy and action. He brings a spirit of adventure to his work and a deep belief in film as a tool for meaningful change.

About the Guest Speaker: Juliet Grable

Juliet Grable is an independent writer based in Southern Oregon who combines a background in the natural sciences with innate curiosity and a passion for language. She has written for many national and regional publications and media outlets, including Audubon, High Country News, Washington Post, Sierra, The Revelator, National Public Radio, Oregon Humanities, and Travel Oregon.

Juliet has authored four books for Ecotone Publishing and co-produced two documentary films with Synchronous Pictures. Juliet’s niches include sustainable design, watershed restoration, wildlife conservation, climate change, and rural communities. She is especially interested in stories that explore the nexus of ecosystem health, community resilience, and human flourishing.

Learn more about Juliet's work at www.julietgrable.com.