Sustainable(ish)

Hello and welcome to episode 184, and as it turns out, the last episode of the Sustainable(ish) podcast! I wanted to try and get to 200, and I’m annoyed not even to be ending on a nice round number like 185, but often in life things aren’t tied up in a nice neat bow. Long term listeners will know that at times the podcast has been very stop start, and the time has come for an intentional stop. For now at at least. I’m not going to say that it will never be back in some form, as I genuinely love having these conversations and will miss the opportunities that the podcast has given me to speak to so many extraordinary and inspiring people. However it’s reached the point where the joy of the conversations is starting to be outweighed by the work involved organising and scheduling everything, editing it all, creating the blog posts and the socials etc etc, so time to put this particular project to bed, for a while at least. I am so delighted to be going out with such a bang and having the amazing opportunity to interview one of my absolute heroes, Clover Hogan. Clover is a 24-year-old climate activist and the founding Executive Director of Force of Nature - the youth non-profit mobilising mindsets for climate action. She has worked alongside the world’s leading authorities on sustainability, consulted within the boardrooms of Fortune 50 companies, and counselled heads of state. Her TED talk, 'What to do when climate change feels unstoppable', has been viewed 2 million times. As we’ll hear in the chat, she started her activist journey at the age of just 11, and attended the instrumental Paris COP in 2015 at the age of just 15. She genuinely is a force of nature, and is the kind of person who you just want to be able to download everything that is in their head. We talk about her own journey, what we can do as parents to support our young people, and what we can do ourselves to move beyond individual action and to be a bit more activist. We discuss what the word activist even means, acknowledging that it’s an uncomfortable word for many, but that it encompasses such a wide range of things, and that an ‘in’ for many people is thinking about their workplace and what they might be able to to do to encourage their workplace on a sustainability journey.I’m pretty sure it’s obvious from the chat, but this was a massive fan-girl moment for me, I loved this chat and totally want Clover to be my new BFF. Ooh and just a quick warning if you tend to listen with kids around, I do drop an F-bomb towards the end – apologies in advance.Enjoy!Clover Hogan LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Clover Hogan- Website- Instagram- Linked In- You Tube- Twitter/XForces of Nature- Website- Instagram- Tiktok- Twitter/X- Linked In- Podcast- Season 1- Season 2 - We need to talk about Eco Anxiety- Season 3 - Confessions of a climate activist- Climate CafesAn Inconvenient Truth by Al GoreExxon Mobil wants you to feel responsible for climate change so it doesn't have toKatharine HayhoeGlobal Action Plan - Bringing the values-perception gap to lifeGlobal Action Plan - United in compassionIt's Not That Radical - Mikaela Loach Carbon Literacy trainingForces of NatureForces of Nature podcast Has this episode sparked a few ideas for you? Or helped you to think a bit differently about what activism looks like for you? Do let me know in the comments, and I'd also love to hear about any of your own 'activism', big or small, do share! […]

In the spirit of London buses, ie nothing for ages and then two come along in close succession, this week’s episode is another foodie one, hot on the heels of Episode 180 - Food and climate change without the hot air with Professor Sarah Bridle. I’m chatting to Frank Holleman who is the co-founder of Fork Ranger, a platform and app that aims to help us to explore how to eat for the climate. I was super aware of the recent food episode, and wanted to avoid simply repeating the same messages from that, so alongside diving into what Fork Ranger does, we also talked about climate communications, story telling and messaging, all of which Fork Ranger does incredibly well, and hopefully there’s a lot in this episode for all of us around how we talk about food and climate with friends, family and colleagues.Enjoy!Frank Holleman LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Fork Ranger- Website- Instagram- Linked In- You Tube- App- Frank on Linked InAn Inconvenient Truth by Al GoreProject Drawdown- Drawdown book- The powerful role of household actions in solving climate change[180] - Food and climate change without the hot airHooked by Nir EyalDon't even think about it by George MarshallDavid Foster-Wallace - This is water (commencement speech)Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe Carbon Literacy trainingThe Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse I’d love to hear how you get on with the Fork Ranger app, any new facts you’ve learned, if you’ve tried out the recipes etc etc - do let me know below! […]

One of the things that frustrates many people, is a lack of action from governments around the world to protect nature and mitigate the worst impacts of the a warming and rapidly changing climate.The UK government was one of the first to come up with a Net Zero target back in 2019, and declared a ‘climate emergency’ that same year. However the problem with both of these commitments is that they often don’t translate into the urgent and radical action that is needed. Apparently half of the world's population is heading the polls for elections in 2024, including the UK, making this a crucial year for climate action.In this week’s episode I’m delighted to be chatting to Amy McDonnell and Oliver Sidorczuk, co-directors of Zero Hour, a campaign that is working to get a new bill, the Climate and Nature Bill, passed into law, which would ensure that UK government policies are in line with the latest science. With an election looming at some point this year, support for this bill in the run up to that, not only shows MPs and prospective MPs that this is an issue that the electorate care about, it will also mean that the campaign will have the momentum it needs to hit the ground running, when a new parliament sits after the election.Studies repeatedly show that most people are concerned about the climate and nature crises, but especially when it comes to politics and elections, it can feel like we can make a difference, due to our electoral system. Supporting the Climate and Nature Bill is a brilliant (and very easy!) way make your voice heard by your local politicians, and we can amplify our own individual support by asking businesses and organisations that we’re involved with to support it to. Dr Amy McDonnellOliver Sidorczuk LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Zero Hour- Website- Instgram- Facebook- Twitter/X- Linked In- Constituency pages- Campaigner pack- Crowdfunding campaignAmy McDonnell on Linked InOliver Sidorczuk on Linked InThe Big Ask campaignUK Climate Change ActUK Environment ActCOP 15 - Paris AgreementBiodiversity COP 15[166] - Climate 101 with Dr Adam LevyClimate Change Committee[144] - Hunger strike for climate with Angus RoseGreen Alliance - Working with MPs on climate changeCitizens AssembliesUK Climate AssemblyThe People V Climate Change - on iPlayerClimate Majority Project[177] - The power of your vote with William Eccles from The CommitmentThe CommitmentGreenpeace's Project Climate Vote[135] - The Local Electricity Bill with Steve ShawPower for People - Local Electricity Bill Carbon Literacy trainingThe Sustainable(ish) ClubhouseZero Hour's 2024 Election CampaignAsk your local politicians to support the Climate and Nature Bill! Have you done it yet, have you done it yet, have you done it yet..?!!Please do head over to the Zero Hour website and show your support, and then have a think about who you could share this with.Do comment below if you've signed and if you've shared it with anyone else! […]

This week’s episode feels a little bit liking coming full circle on an episode from nearly 5 years ago! If you’re a long-time listener, and have an excellent memory, you might remember, way back in 2019, I interviewed the wonderful Tillie Mabbutt who runs Frome Eco Party Kit, renting out a party kit of reusable plates, cups and bowls to avoid the waste associated with disposable partyware. At the time, Tillie was one of the first people in the UK to be running a reusable party kit and we dived into the idea, how it works, and how she got started. Well… today’s guest Isabel was listenting to that episode, and not only started her own Party Kit off the back of it, but went on to create the Party Kit Network, which now has 360 kits listed in the UK, over 100 in Australia and is starting to branch out into North America too.I Could. Not. Love. This. More!In this episode we dive into party kits, what they are, how they work, how to find one, as well as how to start one if you’d love to have near you and there isn’t one. We also talk more broadly about the sharing economy – so this is the idea of an economy based on renting and sharing things rather than the linear buy, use, dispose model we currently have. We explore some of the difficulties around trying to do business in a different and lets face it, conter cultural way and Isabel’s ambitions for the Party Kit Network.I hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as I enjoyed recording it!Isabel MackCheck out Isabel's Party Kits stacked up behind her!A party kit complete with decorations and Pass the Parcel bags! Image: Party Kit NetworkRe-usable Pass the Parcel bags (these are genius!) Image: Party Kit NetworkRe-usable paper pompoms Image: Party Kit Network LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Party Kit Network- Website- Find a Party Kit- Facebook- Party Kit Network Owner Facebook group- Instagram- Twitter/X- Pinterest- Annual Impact Report 2023- Getting started guide- How to ask for no gifts when hosting a kid's birthday party (Isabel's blog post)[037]- How and why to set up a reusable party kit for kids birthday parties with Tillie from Frome Eco Party PackagesWho Gives a Crap toilet rollBrothers Make - plastic recyclingCitizens by Jon AlexanderErin Rhoads aka The Rogue GingerPeople Planet PintPlastic-free(ish) party bags Carbon Literacy trainingThe Sustainable(ish) ClubhouseThe Party Kit Global Map! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one Had you heard of Party Kits before? Have you got one near you? Are you now going to rent one for your next party? Or are you tempted to start one if there isn’t one available locally? I would love the ripples to carry on and more party kits to pop up on the map after this episode.Let me know in the comments! […]

In this week's episode I'm chatting to Sarah Bridle, who is possibly our first Professor on the podcast! Professor Sarah Bridle is Chair in Food, Climate and Society at the University of York, researching environmental impacts of the food system and potential impacts of the environment on food availability. She is also the author of Food and Climate Change - Without the Hot Air, an accessible guide to how different foods contribute to climate change, a brilliant book which I would highly recommend!Food is a big part of all of our lives. And it's a big part of the climate crisis too - around a third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from food. When it comes to 'sustainable food' it very quickly gets very complicated - there are so many different things to think about, and often it feels very difficult to make the 'right' decision.I loved hearing Sarah's personal story around her career pivot from Astrophysics to food and climate change, and how she has also had to navigate the difficulties of trying to change family diets and habits in her own household, so understands that what can sound like straightforward swaps on paper, are often more challenging!We cover a LOT in the episode, and I'm very aware that we might have simply opened a whole can of worms and raised even more questions - do let me know if there's bits that you would love to hear more about and dive into a little more detail!Sarah Bridle LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Sarah Bridle- Linked In- Twitter/X- Food and climate change without the Hot Air- Sarah at University of York- TEDx talk - Eating our way out of climate change- Take a Bit out of Climate Change- Fix our Food- UKRI Agri-Food for Net Zero Network+- Climate Food Flashcards- Planet Pizza - free downloadable activity for kidsDavid MacKay - Sustainable Energy without the Hot AirRiver Wye chicken farm pollutionRegenesis - George MonbiotHow Bad are Bananas? - Mike Berners-Lee[134] - How eating seasonally can lower your carbon footprint - with Veg Power[095] - How to make veggie meals our kids might actually eat - with Rachel Boyett[077] - How your freezer can help fight food waste - with Kate Hall[074] - Sustainable Eating[047] - Fighting Food Waste - with Olio[041] - Use your phone to fight food waste - with CozZoNational Food StrategyWWF Live Well Carbon Literacy trainingThe Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse Any clearer about food and climate impacts? Or have we left you with even more questions?!Let me know in the comments! […]