Local Advocates Launch Planted in Miami, Conscious Living Podcast

When it comes to spreading the word about plant-based living, Alexander and Jeanette Ruiz are all-stars. The duo runs the Miami arm of No Meat Athlete, Jeanette spearheads a vegan book club and now the husband-and-wife-team have launched the city's first conscious living podcast: Planted in Miami.

Having just released their second episode, the duo has big plans for the podcast, and see it as a way to connect people throughout the community and encourage a new way of living—and eating.

"Whenever we would travel to other big cities like Portland, San Francisco, Austin, we would always come back and complain about Miami because we didn’t see the same social awareness and abundance of people living the plant-based lifestyle like in those major cities," explains Jeanette. So, the duo decided to start the Miami arm of No Meat Athlete, a nationwide group founded by blogger Matt Frazier.

The group, which has ballooned to 150 members, introduced them to a whole new world of inspiring locals doing amazing things.

"We brainstormed about how we could tell their stories and show the world that Miami is a forward thinking city," Jeanette adds. "The answer: start a podcast. It’s free, it’s accessible to everyone and people can listen to it on the go."

As the podcast grows, they'll be working with a lengthy list of local changemakers. "We plan on interviewing athletes, activists, fitness instructors, business owners, farmers, members of our running group and the list goes on and on," says Alex. "We want to introduce our listeners to the very people living in their backyard who are doing incredible things for our city, our environment, our health and who are raising awareness on important social issues."

In the first episode, they spoke to yogi Terri Cooper, founder of 305 Yoga and Yoga Gangsters; and in the second, Trish Sheldon, founder of GMO Free Florida. 

Many guests will be plant-based, but that's not a requirement for the show, Jeanette says. Planted in Miami is all about inclusivity and offers a judgment-free zone.

"We think people are waking up to the fact that we can’t continue treating the environment or our bodies with the same methods we’ve used in the past," says Jeanette. "It’s just not sustainable. Our friends and family are always asking us questions about our diet and lifestyle because they want to feel better. We believe this podcast is going to be an integral part in the plant-based scene in Miami because it will introduce locals to ideas that are not getting enough attention. It’s all about fostering a community to inspire and motivate people. We basically created a podcast that we would want to listen to."

As Miami's vegan scene continues to grow, the future looks bright for Planted in Miami, and for the sustainable, ethical messaging it offers.

"We believe that there’s a major shift beginning to happen and that people are becoming more aware that it is just not sustainable to continue eating the way the majority of the world does," Alex adds. "We hope that Planted in Miami can contribute to that growing awareness by speaking to the very people who on the ground fighting hard everyday to educate the masses on the many benefits of a plant-based lifestyle."

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