Ten years ago—on Earth Day 2015—I launched a media series that almost nobody saw.
Not because it wasn’t good. Because it was too early.
Today, I’m reviving those conversations. Not just because they’ve aged like fine wine (they have), but because they carry the visionary spirit of someone who taught me to see beyond horizons: my uncle, Richard Evanson.
Let me tell you a story about timing, legacy, and why the best ideas often wait a decade to be understood.
The Eco-Pioneer’s Niece
Richard Evanson was putting sustainability into practice before we had PowerPoints about it.
At Turtle Island Fiji, he planted thousands of trees, protected coral reefs, and preserved Fijian culture—not for tourism awards (though he won plenty), but because he believed paradise came with responsibility.
His vision rubbed off on me. So in 2013, when I proposed using Turtle Island as a platform to imagine a world powered by 100% clean energy, he didn’t hesitate.
“Do it,” he said. And Turtle Island funded it.
The Day I Became an Accidental Host
Here’s a behind-the-scenes secret: I wasn’t supposed to be on camera.
Day one of filming. Five brilliant minds had flown to Fiji:
- Dawn Lippert (Energy Excelerator)
- Dan Morrell (Carbon credit pioneer)
- Rick Thompson (Greentech Media)
- Emilee Pierce (American Efficient)
- Leilani Münter (Race car driver turned eco-activist)
The plan? Film expert interviews. Create authoritative content. Change the world.
The reality? BORING. Talking heads spouting jargon that would make your eyes glaze over.
Jonathan Olinger, our director, pulled me aside. “Monica, this isn’t working. Get in front of the camera. Make it a conversation.”
And that’s how Turtle Talks was born—not from a script, but from the realization that transformation happens through authentic dialogue, not lectures.
Too Early, Too Avant-Garde, Too… Right
By 2015, we had 12 powerful episodes. Daryl Hannah joined us on Turtle Island for the Earth Day launch. The content was visionary. The production was beautiful.
The response from Turtle Island’s marketing team? “Too avant-garde.”
They weren’t wrong. In 2015:
- Tesla was still “risky”
- Greta Thunberg was 12 years old
- “Sustainability” was a nice-to-have
- Climate change was “political”
So Turtle Talks whispered into the void while the hospitality industry focused on thread counts, white tablecloths, and air conditioning—the formal, sterile markers of “luxury.”
The 10-Year Plot Twist
Fast forward to 2025:
- Clean energy is the fastest-growing sector globally
- Every major corporation has a sustainability officer
- Climate tech is the hottest investment category
- Those “radical” ideas? They’re government policy
And me? I’m writing a book on elevated consciousness (because apparently I’m addicted to being early). And I own my own resort, Tavola Fiji, where no topic is “too avant-garde.”
Which brings me to why I’m reviving Turtle Talks now.
Why This Moment Matters
We’re at another inflection point. The conversations we need to have today—about health, consciousness, human potential—are probably “too avant-garde” for someone.
But not for us. Not for mavericks.
Because here’s what Richard taught me: Visionaries don’t wait for permission. They plant seeds knowing that someday, someone will sit in the shade.
This revival is my tribute to him—and an invitation to you.
The Turtle Talks Revival Begins
Over the next months, while I’m deep in book-writing mode, I’m sharing:
- Time capsule conversations that predicted our present
- Behind-the-scenes stories (like filming only at night)
- “Then vs Now” reality checks on every wild prediction
- Maverick lessons on being early and staying true
Plus, I’m planting seeds for the next “too early” conversation: imagining a world without disease. (Been sitting on that one for 10 years. Maybe it’s time.)
Your Turn
In honor of this 10-year anniversary, I want to know:
What vision have you been told is “too early”? What future do you see that others don’t—yet?
Reply and tell me. Because if Turtle Talks taught me anything, it’s that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time? Right now.
P.S. Watch the original episodes at turtletalks.tv. Fair warning: It’s like finding a time capsule that proves you were right all along.