A conversation with Eduard Müller, founder of University for International Cooperation (UCI) and leading Costa Rica Regenerativa, about regenerative education: what does it mean, and why is it so powerful to focus on educating people who want to learn more about regeneration? Eduard makes a very strong case against trying to convince the people in power, in industry, in chemical companies, in fertile companies, in large ultra-processed food companies, at the UN, etc. He has tried and failed, and he truly believes in on education and unlearning. That is why he started his own university 15 years ago. He started with online education in 1998, focusing on scaling regeneration in Costa Rica and showing the numbers and data behind it to reach the tipping point.
Eduard and Koen also discuss how the combination of on-the-ground, large-scale regenerative projects with science and data and the global reach of over 4500 alumni can replicate in their context what is being learned in Costa Rica.
LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION ON:
THE KEY IS EDUCATION AND UNLEARNING
Eduard discusses launching a global platform for regenerative entrepreneurship education with 57 speakers.
”The way to export this is by education. And that’s where my university backs this up. I’ve heard people ask me what’s the secret. The secret is teamwork. Beautiful team.” Eduard Müller
”We’re 50 people. But I transitioned to online in 1998. So, we’ve had students now in over 60 countries. All our programmes have been innovative. And we launched the first certificate in regenerative entrepreneurship six years ago. And every single student who has gone through that has changed their life. Every single one from 22-year-olds to 60-year-olds. The sixty year old was a businessman; he had tourism companies; he sold everything off; he sold his hotels; and he put up a foundation to work with regenerative tourism at the community level.” Eduard Müller
”I would say that is the best way to move people forward. The most difficult part, as I said at the beginning, is unlearning. So, a lot will reject the information, just because it will make them uncomfortable coming out of their comfort zone, which they learned from a blessed expert, a PhD from the university. But, again, if we move into the future and start analysing and using nature’s wisdom, we need to learn how to learn from nature.” Eduard Müller
WHY EDUARD STARTED A UNIVERSITY
Eduard proposes a toroidal framework for regeneration, integrating governance, conservation, spirituality, and culture.
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‘When I was 35 years old, at a national university working with or for the German government, with a very good salary, a month of vacation every year, and all these benefits, I decided to resign and start my own university. I knew I needed a university to change the world. I knew we couldn’t stay with pilot projects. Okay. So, when I decided that sustainability was gone and that opportunity was gone, the train left the station, and we were not on that train. We needed something else. And I’ve been working with biosphere reserves; UNESCO amends the biosphere program. We’re now 30+ years old, which is a bioregional approach where you have governance, local governments, conservation developments, living together, and science and education. So based on that, I developed my own framework for regeneration, which is a toroid. We’re at the base of the toroid, which is Mother Nature. On the other side of the toroid is spirituality…” – Eduard Müller
DON’T WASTE TIME CONVINCING PEOPLE; SHOW THEM AND FOCUS ON EDUCATION
Eduard advocates for conscious consumerism by educating people to read labels and avoid harmful ingredients.
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‘Do we need a company that produces yoghurt to put 30 ingredients in it for money? No, we don’t. A yoghurt has to be bacteria and milk. So, we don’t need the pink and red colourings, which are producing cancer in kids. We don’t need the starch or the corn syrup. We don’t need all that crap. So, if we educate the people and this is another way to convince corporations, by educating the people. My wife and I read all the labels, and I hardly ever go with my wife to the supermarket; we should take two hours. We should read every single label and not buy the stuff that’s going to poison my kid. If we get that level of consciousness, companies will not produce food with titanium dioxide in it, as all the M&M’s have.” Eduard Müller
”I have not been able to convince investors to help train thousands of people who can actually save their kids’ lives and save their companies in the future. We need to reverse the process of planetary collapse. So, money in return in the short term is not that easy to get. Yes, we found mechanisms like the cattle producers; we can double their income so they can pay, but for the biological quarters, who’s going to pay for that? And it’s the only insurance for life in the future, bringing biodiversity back to its levels. But that last phase of recognising the importance of life and their own lives because they feel protected in their world, but that’s not the case even in Costa Rica…” Eduard Müller
EDUARD IS HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE
Climate change, hope, and the importance of starting with positive messages.
”This is hope for these kids. Let’s turn our village, which is dry, has no water, has no shade, and is hot, into a food forest where you can feed everybody, bring down the temperatures, harvest water, and create livelihoods. For all the kids involved. This person would probably do well with $15,000 to accelerate the process; we need to support this type of investment. And it will bring back so much in terms of planetary change. If we get these startups all over the world, imagine the example they set for their neighbouring villages. It’s just going to go wild. So that’s how I have faith. I’m not working on small pilot projects. I’m actually educating people that regeneration is possible. It is financially viable. And so, it’s good business. And it’s good for our health. It’s good for the planet itself. It’s putting life at the centre, and that’s my definition of regeneration: putting life at the centre. We need to bring humanity into the service of life—all life, not only ours.” Eduard Müller
”Over the last few years, the space has changed. People are interested, people are wanting to, and youth are already recognising that the way it’s going, they’re not happy. And they don’t have hope. I did learn, and actually, my wife helped me a lot in this. I worked for some time with Al Gore, one of those climate change speakers. And she said, Start with hope. Start by giving the good news; nobody wants to hear any more bad news.” Eduard Müller
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED
Koen and Eduard also talked about
- There is a role for science, but very different from today
- Reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods to combat climate change
- Investing in sustainability to protect life and prevent planetary collapse
- Regenerative agriculture and its potential to reverse environmental damage
LINKS:
- University for International Cooperation (UCI)
- Dying Earth | Video – Al Jazeera
- Istituto Ramazzini – Italian independent research institute on cancer
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- Fernando Russo – From selling Playboy’s to growing coffee, cacao, credit and lots of cows
- Michele Manelli, regenerating Italy’s wine industry
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.