“Geo sapiens: the Earth-wise Human is a wonderful integrative effort. Martin’s work is needed and important, especially with the challenges we face today.”
— Paul C. Pritchard, President (1980 -1997) of National Parks and Conservation Association; Founder of National Park Trust.
““Martin Ogle has been an incredible partner to Flatirons Elementary, helping us deepen our
connection to both the natural world and the unique history of our school. I highly recommend
Martin’s work to any school community. ”
— Jessica Seevers, Principal, Flatirons Elemntary School., Boulder, CO
“Martin helped make science feel real and relevant. This presentation made me think differently about the importance of energy systems around me. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from someone with such passion
and knowledge.”
— Taylor Hatch, Rising Sophomore (2025), Centaurus H.S., Lafayette, CO

Geo sapiens

The Earth-wise Human

My name is Martin Ogle, and I’ve created Geo sapiens to help address the big and noble challenge of creating sustainable – A.K.A. interesting, healthy, and meaningful – human life on Earth.  I provide programs, activities, information, and outreach/consulting to integrate environmental and energy education and apply this knowledge to how we conduct our human world – our daily lives and careers.  

Geo sapiens means “Earth wise.” It recognizes that we humans are, scientifically and culturally, a seamless continuum of Earth’s life.     By understanding our human relationship to Earth in a genuine way, we can take positive action. My work:

  • Provides integrated environmental and energy education to all ages, including through a strategy of outreach through Audubon Society chapters throughout the U.S.

  • Inspires and empowers youth in Boulder County and beyond through the ALL Careers initiative, which connects environmental literacy to ALL careers, not just those few that are usually thought of as environmental or “green” careers.

  • Helps bring the Geo sapiens metaphor to the fore, as a healthy, new way of thinking about ourselves.

I hope you’ll generously support this effort!  

For many years, I’ve been asking and working to address questions like these:  How do Earth’s living systems work, and how do human systems fit in?  How do we apply understanding of these systems to make the world a better place through envisioning and creating an economy in balance with life?   And, how do we do all of this in fun, engaging, and meaningful ways?  

Through Geo sapiens, I am continuing to address these questions by building upon decades of experience integrating environmental education, energy education, and job readiness for all ages, but especially youth.  I was Chief Naturalist for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (1985-2012), Education Coordinator for Lafayette Open Space (2014-24), and have worked with dozens of other organizations and clients.   

Please see more details about my work with Geo sapiens below, and also at Recent Projects.  Programs/activities shown at this site are largely through my business, Entrepreneurial Earth LLC, but most of the entries (especially the most recent dozen) will give you a sense of the kinds of work that I am doing through Geo sapiens.

I hope you will support Geo sapiens with a generous donation. Two grants are enabling me to launch Geo sapiens, and now I am reaching out to individuals, businesses, and other organizations to monetarily support this work.  Whatever you can give will be greatly appreciated. 

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Details of my work through Geo sapiens.

  • The Geo sapiens concept itself – we humans are scientifically and culturally a seamless continuum of Earth’s life, and this perspective and body of knowledge are worth sharing.  As I have done for decades, I will continue to present talks and workshops on the Geo sapiens concept.  The Geo sapiens theme will guide and will occasionally be integrated explicitly into the educational programs, activities, and materials below.

  • Environmental education – knowing our place in the world.  Although we move a lot more than we used to, people still live, usually for some extended time, in one place.   The special nature of these places – their human and natural history, the landforms and climate, flora and fauna, and ecology – is of great importance.

    • During my career, I have delivered and/or organized thousands of environmental education programs that cover topics like those above.

    • The guiding principle that our Potomac Overlook Regional Park staff in Virginia has used since 1987 was “Promoting the understanding of interrelationships between Human Beings and the rest of the living system.”  This integrative approach has always been my “modus operandi,” and it will play an even greater role in Geo sapiens.  See Recent Projects for examples of this over the past 15 years.

  • Energy and Life – Energy is the most important nexus between human life and the rest of the living system.  Thus, understanding human energy systems as part of living systems will be crucial to sustainable energy solutions.  

  • ALL Careers approach to education – this approach makes explicit connections between environmental understanding (including energy) and ALL careers, not just the small segment of the economy made up of “environmental careers” as usually understood.   If we are to have a “green economy” that enables healthy and happy human life well into the future, then ALL jobs and careers will need to be green!

Geo sapiens programs and activities will focus mostly on Boulder County, Colorado, but their implementation and understanding will be spread far and wide through online avenues and occasional travel.

Geo sapiens is a mindset that brings our heads and hearts together, as well as the information and insights we’ll need to create joyful, healthy, and meaningful lives.