In the final weeks before the creation of Lake Powell, Richard Norgaard led David Brower, Elliot Porter, and others on a series of trips down the Glen Canyon. In this interview, we explore how this experience led Norgaard to a career in economics, where he vowed to change the field from within. Now, 50 years later, Norgaard reflects on this collective effort to found the field of ecological economics and why, more than ever, science and economics need a sense of humility and openness to multiple voices.