Sustainable(ish)

The idea of 'activism' can be off putting and perhaps a little daunting for many of us. If that's you, then do listen in to my chat with Charlotte Howell, one of the co-Directors of Parents for Future, a growing group of parents navigating the climate crisis together, campaigning on national and local issues to secure a safer, fairer world for children everywhere.
I’ve been following Charlotte for ages on social media, and I wanted to get her on the podcast to share more about Parents for Future and the work that they’re doing, because I think it’s such a brilliant way for us all (because despite the name, it’s not just for parents) to engage in ‘activism’ in a way that works for us. It’s a really inclusive way to dip your toes in and join together with other people, all working towards the same goal of a safe future for our kids and kids all around the world.

USEFUL LINKS:
Parents For Future
-              Website
-              Instagram
-              Facebook
-              You Tube – you can find the comedy sketches on here (and on socials)
-              Join the community
Charlotte Howell on Linked In
UN 2018 report on climate – Global Warming of 1.5C
Reading Uni/Met Office/Parents for Future event – forecast for 2056
 
Related episodes:
Money money money with Lisa Stanley-Mann
Everyday influencers with Sam Hampton
Hosting a People’s Emergency Briefing
7 acts to save the world with Hugh Montgomery

Do let me know if you’re already a member, or if you’re now going to give them a follow, or join up! I love to hear from you. Drop me an email on jen@sustainableish.co.uk, or leave a comment wherever you get your socials.

This episode we’re doing a deep dive into Poo bags!
If you’re one of the 41% of households in the UK who own a pet dog, you will (hopefully) be familiar with poo bags, and may be getting through a fair few of them. (If you’re not a dog owner, please do keep listening – we have lots of chat about biodegradable and compostable plastic and what that means – honestly, I’ve made that sound super dull, but it’s actually really interesting!)  and it applies to all kinds of plastics  that are labelled as compostable eg coffee cups, plastic cups you might get at festivals etc etc. So keep listening!).

Pet Impact are on a mission to reduce waste from the veterinary and pet spaces. When they first started looking at poo bags, they made the same assumption as I had done, and possibly you might have done too, that a compostable poo bag must be the most environmentally friendly option. But as you’ll hear in the podcast, sometimes trying to figure out what the most environmentally friendly option is complicated, and if we just focus on the disposal end of a products life cycle, we’re not getting the full picture.

I love the depth of research that Alice and Gav have gone into with their Reseacled poo bags, and their honesty around their poo bags still not being a perfect solution. Because, spoiler alert, when it comes to poo bags, at the moment, there is no perfect solution.

USEFUL LINKS:

Pet Impact
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- You Tube
- TikTok
- Pet Impact research and FAQs
Alice on Linked In
Gavin on Linked In
How to reduce your pets carbon pawprint with Laura Binnie (podcast episode)
Stroud dog poo composting project - Crowdfunder
 
I would love to hear from you off the back of this episode.
What poo bags are you currently using?
Do you compost your dog poo?
Would you be willing to buy compost made from dog poo if it had been tested and proven safe?
Are you now questioning your poo bag choices?
So many questions!

Do let me know – you can email me, jen@ustainableish.co.uk or find me on socials, OR leave a comment on your podcast platform of choice! That last option doubles up as also being a brilliant way to boost the podcast up the charts and get it out there to more people, which would be marvellous!
Thank you as ever for listening – please do share this episode with all your dog walking buddies!

Climate Change, sadly, has become increasingly polarised in the UK over the last couple of years. And MPs consistently underestimate public support for climate action – they read the same skewed media that we do, and the minority who oppose more ambitious, or indeed any, action, often have the loudest voices. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s really worth getting in touch with your MP, or how best to engage with them, this episode is a must listen.

Rebecca Willis is a Professor in Energy & Climate Governance at the University of Manchester, where she leads the Climate Citizens  research group, looking into the role of public engagement in energy and climate governance. She is an expert advisor to the Climate Change Committee – the independent body that advises the government on tackling and preparing for climate change. And in 2019-2020, she was an Expert Lead to Climate Assembly UK, the first national Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change, which is something we dive into in the podcast.  Becky is also the author of Too Hot to Handle – the democratic challenge of climate change.

USEFUL LINKS:

Rebecca Willis
- Website
- Linked In- Climate citizens research group

National Emergency Briefing
Parents for the Future
Climate Assembly UK
Climate Barometer
Hope for the Future
Climate Conversations – Larger Us
Round Our Way
Mothers Climate Action Network
WI Climate Ambassadors Scheme
 
Previous episodes:
Everyday influencers with Sam Hampton
The National Emergency Briefing with Nick Oldridge
Accelerating climate action through sport - with Katie Cross

If you enjoyed this episode, please do leave a rating and/or a review wherever you get your podcasts 🙏.

Thanks so much for listening!

In this episode I'm chatting to Michelle Miles, founder of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance.
But don’t turn off if you’re not planning a wedding anytime soon, or you’ve been there done that and aren’t intending to do it again! All of the elements that go into a wedding, and it’s impact, are all things that we might want to think about if we’re planning any kind of event, whether that’s a party, or a works do. And there’s also top tips for what you can do as a guest, from travel to outfits to gifts.

USEFUL LINKS

Sustainable Wedding Alliance
- Website
- Instagram
- Linked In
- You Tube
 Conscious Couples
- Website
- Instagram
Michelle Miles on Linked In
Fusion Events and Weddings
Flowers from the Farm – find sustainably grown British flowers
[069] – Say it with (British) flowers – podcast episode
Bridal Reloved
Good on You - Ethical Fashion directory
By Rotation - wedding dress rental (but they also do lots of other types of rental)
John Lewis - fashion rental
Thanks for sharing by Eleanor Tucker
Carbon Literacy for the wedding industry
Sustainable(ish) Carbon Literacy training
Small 99 action box
Sky Diamond
Jacqueline and Edward jewellery

Do get in touch and let me know your thoughts - drop me an email on jen@sustainableish.co.uk

90% of businesses in the UK are classes as SMEs, or small and medium businesses, having 205 employees or less. So chances are, you might work for one, or even run one.
Did you know that SME's account for around half of the total emissions for businesses? So making it easy, or easier for SMEs to get started with climate action, is a pretty big lever for reducing emissions.
But time and money are usually limiting factors, and this is where Gikis new Giki actions platform comes in.

You might remember today's guest, Jo Hand, as she's been on twice before, talking about different iterations of the work they're doing at Giki. In this episode we're diving into their new Giki actions workshops - free workshops for SMEs, that are just an hour long, that can help them get started on their sustainability journey.

USEFUL LINKS

Giki
- Website
- Giki actions
- Giki business carbon footprint calculations
- Giki guides – for individuals; for businesses
- Giki comparisons calculators
- Giki on Linked In
- Giki on Instagram
- Giki on Facebook
Jo Hand on Linked In
Giki badges is now Impact Score
Transition Plan Taskforce
Episode 194 - People, Planet, Pint with Adam Bastock
The Climate Pledge
B Corp
SME Climate Hub
Green Project Tech
 
The Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse -come and join us for July!

Do let me know if you manage to go on a workshop, or somoene from your organisation signs up – I’d love to hear! OR if you don’t work for an SME, could you share this episode with someone who does, or share on your socials?
Drop me an email with your thoughts and any feedback: jen@sustainableish.co.uk

And please do leave a rating and a review wherever you listen to your podcasts 🤩