ABOUT

 

 

Mike Stokes is a life long Builder, Designer and Teacher. His first construction project was a compete tear down remodel. In 1979, He took a professionally built 128 sqr ft. playhouse, carefully deconstructed it and rebuilt it 15 feet up in a tree at the age of 11. He has spent the better part of three decades designing, building, studying and teaching. In the evenings and weekends he writes and teaches about sustainable living systems, personal and business success. Michael is also an avid surfer and world traveler. He has created over 20 workshops over the years, written over a hundred published articles. He has a loving wife and daughter and always experimenting and learning new ways to live in harmony with nature.

He has two youtube channels.

A Regenerative Living Homesteading Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRegenerativeHomestead

A Eco Personal Development Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@MikeDavidStokes

…and a podcast.

EarthBody MindSpirit Podcast

on Apple

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/earthbody-mindspirit-with-mike-d-stokes/id1447275402

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/5dVcjbl3TtSxLK6iQ93831

Mike has personally overseen the remodeling and new construction of sustainable projects in Sonoma County for most of the last 25 years. Prior to that Mike Spent 10 years studying human potential and working in the fields of construction, customer service and education.

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Mike currently lives with his wife Kristin and daughter Lada in Cazadero, CA on their homestead where they continually work to enhance life by designing and building systems and a family culture that grow as much of good humans, food, produce as much energy and utilize as much regional sustainable materials as they can.

Please call. text or email with any questions. 707-922-4790 or lushplanets@gmail.com

 

LICENSES

  • Electrical Contractors License #934358

  • California General Contractors License

  • Certified Green Building Professional (Sonoma State University)

EXPERIENCE

Lush Planet Design Build and Electric, Owner Operator, 2005-2007; 2008-present

Created and managing operator of residential and commercial remodeling and new construction company in West Sonoma County.

Codding Enterprises Sustainability Program Manager 2007

Reporting directly to the Chief Sustainability Officer. Duties: maintain ongoing relationships with environmental and community groups, manage various sustainable elements of project with consultants and staff, work on initial design proposals, prepare LEED documentation, create Sustainable Specifications Manual, manage interns and administer many other day to day tasks. Contact Geof Syphers CSO Codding Enterprises (Currently CEO of Sonoma Clean Power)

Stokes Sustainable Builders Owner Operator 2004-2005

Created and ran an Environmentally Friendly wood flooring company. Established and ran a company installing FSC certified floors and refinishing existing wood floors using low VOC wood finishes.

Yoga Instructor 1999-2005. Yoga Works and various Los Angeles Studios.

Taught 10 classes per week along with 10 private clients per week. Wrote over 20 articles for Yogi Times. Created, marketed and executed apprx. 10 workshops on various yoga practices and principles.

Sutton Design. Operations Manager, Assistant Builder. 1998. 2000-2004 (part time)

Manage all aspects of custom interiors business 1 year. Assistant to head builder designer, 2000-2004 work on a wide range of projects, from remodels to specialty fabrication. Primarily high end fabrications for Santa Monica Film Production companies. Contact Ray Sutton 310-710-7589

Paul Ford Construction. Carpenter 2005-2006

Remodels, windows and doors. Contact. Paul Ford 310-452-3673

Luminous Landscaping Project Manager 1997-1998

Mange large residential landscaping projects managing large Spanish speaking crews. Contact John Macy. Deceased

Merle Norman Cosmetics, Software Support Tech. 1996-1997

Work with franchise companies to install, upgrade and operate software changes to the internal POS system.

Coastal Tune Up. 1992-1995

Created and Operated Mobile automotive repair service in Bodega Bay, CA.

Confab Construction Carpenter 1990

Assist the lead carpenter in building pre-cast concrete forms for large scale parking structure.

education

  • Building Performance Institute (BPI) Energy Efficiency Training. Primarily HVAC systems training. 2008-2009

  • Sonoma State University Green Building Program 2006-2007

  • Pacific Energy Center. Ongoing Seminar Series. 2005- 2009 Energy Efficient Building and Design. Building Performance Certified Professional Program.

  • The Solar Living Institute: Grid tied solar energy system design for residential applications.

  • Santa Rosa Junior College Architecture and Construction Tech program, Alternative Fuels Program, Sustainable Agriculture 2005- 2007

  • UC Berkeley Degree Political Science with highest honors with an emphasis on the economic development of newly industrializing countries. 1989-91

  • Landmark Education 1996-2005 biweekly studies in Personnel Management, Communication, Business Development and Business Consulting

  • Santa Rosa Junior College Automotive Technology program Electrical emphasis 1992-93

  • Santa Monica College. Transfer to UC, Emphasis on Economics and Politics. Completed highest level of applied mathematics.1985-89

  • Santa Monica High School California Proficiency Exam 1983-85

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publications

Sonoma County Green Building Resources Web Page.. view at http://sonomagreenbuildresources.typepad.com

20 articles in Yogi Times Contact www.yogitimes.com for details.

The Sustainable Economic Development of newly Industrializing Nations: A case Study” Thesis from UC Berkeley. A study of Economic Activity in emmerging countries. This initial interest has transformed into sustainable economic activity. Available upon request

academic positions

UCLA and many Los Angeles Yoga Studios. 2000- 2005. Yoga instructor and seminar leader

Landmark Education: 1997-2005 Lead introductions to the Landmark Forum; manage seminar productions, and manage volunteers

Alternative Research and Training

Boulder Outdoor Survival School, 1995. 27 day wilderness survival training, team leadership, primitive structure design and building, wilderness navigation, primitive living skills, wild edibles,

Tom Brown Jr. Wilderness Survival School 1995, Basic wilderness training, native edibles, wildlife awareness and survival skills.

Omega Institute 1995. Intern 1 summer, various workshop duties and studies including, meditation, yoga, qi gong, natural foods, alternative healing

Vippassana Meditation 1995-2004 1000 hours of meditation training

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PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

United States Green Building Council, Redwood Chapter. Member

Descends of the Earth. A non-profit dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture and made accessible to all. Community Member.

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. Supporting Community Member.

Ocean Song. Community Member

interests

  • Green Building

  • Renewable energy

  • Ecology

  • Sustainability

  • Self-sufficiency

  • Sustainable agriculture

  • Sustainable transportation

  • Global politics

  • Economics

  • Indigenous culture

  • Nature

  • Wilderness survival

  • Science

  • Technology

  • Cultural anthropology

  • Entrepreneurialism

  • Comparative religion

  • Surfing

  • Teaching

  • Maps and travel

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