In 2009, green building pioneers Tom Elliott and Barbara Scott had purchased land in the hopes of building a home that would take sustainable building to the next level. On their way to a backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon, they were listening to a public radio station when they happened upon an episode of Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature on a local public radio station featuring Jason McLennon, the founder of the Living Building Challenge. 

The Living Building Challenge is a dynamic program that pushes the boundaries of sustainable building practices, requiring projects to achieve self-sufficiency in water, energy, and waste processing while being culturally relevant and respectful. Pushing the envelope of green building, the Challenge is designed to force innovation in order to catalyze a transformative shift in how the built environment interacts with the natural world. 

When Tom and Barbara learned about the Living Building Challenge from this episode of Bioneers Radio, they knew instantly that they wanted to get involved – and the result was a world-changing building they call Desert Rain. 

In Eastern Oregon’s arid high-desert region, Desert Rain, the world’s first certified residential living building, set a new standard for the built environment. This pioneering residential complex defies the challenges of scarce rainfall with innovative solutions, including rainwater harvesting, onsite water treatment, and efficient waste management. It boasts a powerful solar array and a solar thermal system, ensuring net-zero energy consumption.

But Desert Rain is not just a private oasis; it’s a symbol of community engagement and harmonious design. Thousands have visited the home over the years, as part of its mission to serve as an educational beacon, showcasing how regenerative living can thrive.

Bioneers Radio, which was instrumental in connecting Tom Elliott and the Living Building Challenge, is supported by the Bioneers community — people like you. We create our shows specifically to inform and inspire listeners to take action in the world. Our award-winning, international radio and podcast series is free to everyone, providing listeners access to in-depth interviews with leading social and scientific innovators. It highlights diverse voices of grassroots leaders and voices that are often marginalized or excluded by corporate media.

Producing Bioneers Radio requires significant resources and a world-class team of audio professionals. Your support today helps hundreds of radio stations around the country air this valuable show for free every week, along with thousands and thousands of podcast listeners. 

Help us land on airwaves near you!   

• $100 allows us to provide Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature to a community radio station to broadcast for free. 
• $1,000 supports our purchases of independent music to provide the immersive soundscapes that make the Bioneers Radio show so compelling. $5,000 supports the filming, recording and editing of one day of keynote talks, to be transformed into Radio shows, such as the opening day of our 35th Annual Conference in March 2024, which featured Corrina Gould, Nina Simons, Dolores Huerta, Cindy Cohn, Sammy Gensaw, III, Colette Pichon Battle, Taylor Brorby, and more.