Explore every episode of Why We Care
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Nov 2022 | Welcome to Why We Care – trailer | 00:02:55 | |
When asked how they can help the planet, most people will say things like ‘fly less’ or ‘cycle instead of driving’ – but how many would say ‘let leaves rot in my garden to help the soil’, or ‘buy regenerative instead of conventional cotton’? Most people know how to reduce their carbon footprints, but few know how to directly help protect nature and biodiversity in their everyday lives. Yet I believe what drove most of us to join the climate movement in the first place is witnessing the destruction of the natural world and the suffering it’s causing to all the species we share the planet with. It’s obviously all interlinked but I do believe biodiversity and nature protection should be given more importance in the list of actions we can take to help the planet. In Why We Care activists, scientists, creatives, and change makers are invited to share the story of their relationship with nature, and ways in which they are helping protect biodiversity on our beautiful planet — both through the careers they chose, and in their personal lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 30 Nov 2022 | Fashion’s impact on nature and regenerative solutions with Juliet Russell, Head of Sustainability at Stella McCartney | 00:37:01 | |
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with my friend Juliet Russell, who is the Head of Sustainability at Stella McCartney. I met Juliet a few years ago when we were both working at PANGAIA, and ever since I’ve been learning so much from her on the impact of fashion on the planet, and how we can work towards a less harmful approach to how we produce and consume fashion. We spoke about fashion’s impact on nature, material innovation, and the hope she finds in regenerative agriculture as a solution to both the climate and biodiversity crises. We also touched on how she manages to connect with nature while living in Central London, and what she does to keep her climate anxiety at bay. Want to dive deeper?
Juliet’s recommendations
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 07 Dec 2022 | Noise pollution in the oceans and telling stories that matter with Annie Moir, marine biologist and BBC wildlife filmmaker | 00:36:57 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Annie Moir, a marine biologist, wildlife filmmaker and impact producer at the BBC. We briefly worked together on a biodiversity project before both moving on to other things - but we stayed in touch and she was one of the first people that came to mind when I started planning this podcast. We spoke about noise pollution in the oceans, how human activity is affecting whales and all other marine animals, and what we could do to reduce that impact. One of my favourite moments was when she said she suggested to a big supermarket chain they might review their entire shipping process to avoid whale migration routes. We also touched on the importance of starting a conversation, and how different approaches to how we tell these stories are needed to reach as many people as possible. Want to dive deeper?
Annie’s recommendations
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 14 Dec 2022 | Reconnecting with the land and respecting the boundaries of the Earth with Daze Aghaji, climate justice, regeneration & well-being activist | 00:39:16 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Daze Aghaji, a climate justice, regeneration & well-being activist. I met her for the first time last year in Glasgow, when she was working as a Creative Director for Earthrise Studio. She’s now the artist in residence at Phytology, a cultural institute based at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve in East London - and works with Extinction Rebellion’s strategy team. We spoke about the importance and beauty of reconnecting with the land, about the Right to Roam campaign, and respecting the boundaries of the Earth. Daze is also a historian so she told me all about the Enclosures, which she believes was the starting point for the ecological emergency we find ourselves in now. She also shared her experience living on a boat in Central London - which she said really helps her feel more connected with nature but also serves as a reminder of how we’re impacting nature, as she sometimes spots very random things floating on the river - the most random one being a duvet. Want to dive deeper?
Daze’s book recommendations
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 21 Dec 2022 | Seaweed magic and plastic alternatives that support biodiversity, local communities and climate with Julia Marsh, Co-founder and CEO of Sway | 00:33:44 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Julia Marsh, the Co-founder and CEO of Sway – a California-based startup making regenerative packaging from seaweed, as an alternative to single-use thin film plastic. A few years ago, Julia and her partner Matt traveled all over the world to visit seaweed farms, explore regions most affected by plastic waste, and meet with biomaterial innovators across borders and backgrounds - with the vision of creating a truly regenerative future. They are now bringing this vision to life with Sway, by developing seaweed replacements for plastics - and have even been selected as finalists of the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize, which is super exciting! Julia and I spoke about the wonderful world of bio-based plastic alternatives (bio-based means that a material is intentionally made from substances derived from living (or once-living) organisms). She told me how Sway’s approach has the potential to positively impact biodiversity in the oceans but also the local communities on land, and the climate. She also shared her recommendation on which types of plastic alternatives to look out for or avoid when shopping in supermarkets, and how she thinks you can help address the plastic problem by bringing it up with your local businesses. Want to dive deeper?
The plastic hierarchy: Avoid single-use plastic altogether if you can. If not possible prioritise:
Julia’s book recommendation
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Jan 2023 | The psychology of oppression and healthy relationships with nature, others and ourselves with Dr. Melanie Joy, author & psychologist | 00:50:15 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Dr. Melanie Joy, a Harvard-educated psychologist specialising in relationships, communication, and social transformation. She’s the author of several books, including the bestselling Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. She’s also the Founding President of Beyond Carnism, an organisation working to expose and transform carnism, the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals. Want to dive deeper?
Melanie’s book recommendations
Little links
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 25 Jan 2023 | Storytelling for a better world with Poppy Mason-Watts, Chief Impact + Growth Officer at WaterBear Network | 00:22:23 | |
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Poppy Mason-Watts, one of the founding members of WaterBear Network – a streaming platform where you can watch award-winning environmental and social films and documentaries for free. The first time I heard about WaterBear, it was introduced to me as ‘free environmental Netflix’ - which I think is pretty cool! Poppy and I spoke about the power of storytelling and how WaterBear are bridging the gap between those important stories and clear actions you can take, such as petitions you can sign or nonprofits you can support. She shared examples of the positive impact she’s seen as a result of people watching these films. One of them was when 99% of a group of students said they would be looking to work with leather alternatives after having watched Slay, a documentary about the behind-the-scenes of the fur and leather industries. Want to dive deeper?
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Feb 2023 | Materials innovation, biomimicry, no waste in nature and alchemical mycology with Jesse Adler, materials innovation researcher at PANGAIA and biomolecular scientist | 00:51:21 | |
In this week’s episode I’m chatting with my friend Jesse Adler, a biomolecular scientist and materials innovation researcher at PANGAIA. Jesse is one of my favourite people - she is one the most enthusiastic, smartest, and overall just wonderful human beings I know. We spoke about materials innovation and what in her view are the most pressing issues in terms of materials that we need to find alternatives for, and about biomimicry and how so much of what we design as humans have been inspired by nature, including for example planes. We also discussed the cyclical nature of the world we live in and how the concept of waste doesn’t exist in nature. Aside from her job at PANGAIA Jesse is also a future materials research fellow at the Jan Van Eyck Academie in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on finding replacements for artificial colorants in fungi. So we spoke about the makeup collection she created using pigments extracted from various types of fungi, and how she approaches this as a collaboration rather than an exploitative extractive practice. She shared her tips for ethical foraging and also how she practices mindfulness to connect with the wider ecosystems we are part of. I’ve had bits of this conversation with Jesse over the past few years and it is so nice to have finally recorded it, I hope you’ll find it as exciting as we did! Want to dive deeper?
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Feb 2023 | Protecting wildlife and how to live in harmony with foxes, birds and hedgehogs with Anne Brummer, CEO of Dr. Sir Brian May’s Save Me Trust | 00:42:15 | |
In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Anne Brummer, a wildlife rescuer and CEO of the Save Me Trust. I first heard about her through Dr. Brian May, who you might know as the guitarist of the band Queen. Turns out he is also really interested in animal rights, so much so that in 2009 he joined forces with Anne to set up the Save Me Trust, a nonprofit organisation on a mission to give wild animals a voice. Anne has been rescuing wildlife for over 30 years and currently runs not only the Save Me Trust but also Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue, an emergency wildlife hospital that works 24/7, 365 days a year. We spoke about the situation of wildlife in the UK and the main threats wild animals such as badgers, foxes, deer, birds and hedgehogs are facing - including habitat loss, lack of access to freshwater and hunting. She also shared a ton of practical advice on how you can help wildlife - from what to do if you find an injured animal, to what you can put in place to support your local wild animals, whether you have a garden or not. I live in a flat in Central London so don’t have a green space of my own that I can turn into a little wildlife haven which breaks my heart - but I will be putting some of her other tips into action, and also having conversations with people around me who do have gardens - including my Dad who I’ll definitely try to convince to make our garden back home more wildlife friendly! Want to dive deeper?
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | Carbon tunnel vision and animal exploitation in fashion with Emma Håkansson, activist and founder of Collective Fashion Justice | 00:30:26 | |
In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Emma Håkansson, an activist, author, and founder of Collective Fashion Justice – an organisation campaigning for a fashion system that upholds total ethics, by prioritising the life and wellbeing of our fellow animals, people and the planet we share. I first heard about Emma through Slay, a documentary on the behind the scenes of the leather industry – you might remember hearing about it in the episode I did with Poppy Mason Watts from WaterBear Network, as the film is available for free on their streaming platform. Emma has been advocating for a more ethical fashion system for years – so we spoke about how to navigate the “sustainable” fashion space, which can be so confusing and misleading. We discussed the environmental impact of animal leather and how leather is actually a profitable co-product, rather than a byproduct of the meat industry as we’re often led to believe. We also spoke about the carbon tunnel vision - this idea that by focusing on carbon emissions we tend to overlook other important issues such as biodiversity loss, overconsumption, pollution, inequality, and animal exploitation. Want to dive deeper?
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Mar 2023 | How is climate change impacting communities and species in the frozen parts of our planet? with Nicola Brown, Series Producer of BBC’s Our Frozen Planet | 00:47:53 | |
In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Nicola Brown, an impact producer and filmmaker specialising in natural history and conservation. Her most recent work, the digital campaign Our Frozen Planet, has been published over the past few months on the BBC Earth channels alongside the release of Frozen Planet ll. The series explores how climate change is impacting communities and species living in the frozen parts of our planet, with the vision to bring people together to drive positive change. She also led Our Blue Planet, another BBC Earth digital impact campaign that aimed to get people talking about the ocean. Want to dive deeper?
Little links
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 05 Apr 2023 | Rethinking waste, the microplastics problem and women in science with Dr. Amanda Parkes, Chief Innovation Officer at PANGAIA | 00:46:29 | |
In this week’s episode I’m chatting with Dr. Amanda Parkes, the Chief Innovation Officer at PANGAIA and a materials engineering lecturer at Harvard. Amanda is really difficult to introduce in a few sentences as she has experience across such a wide range of sectors, from computer science, mechanical engineering, and biotech, all the way to fashion and material innovation. I met her when I was working on the Impact team at PANGAIA, and one of my favourite memories from that time was the science sessions she would run on Friday afternoons to introduce us to all the amazing science behind the material innovations we were working with. I have to admit that growing up I did have a bit of a love-hate relationship with science, and Amanda was one of the people who made me rediscover and love that space! We spoke about how we can rethink our approach to waste and how by looking at places of abundance in nature we can find “new” materials to work with – through a process she refers to as high-tech naturalism. An example of this is FLWRDWN, an alternative to animal and synthetic down made using waste wildflowers. She also explained how microplastics are shed when we wash some synthetic materials, how these end up polluting our rivers, lakes and oceans - and what you can do to avoid this. Want to dive deeper?
Little links
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 31 May 2023 | How to become a changemaker: where to begin and how to grow a movement with Melati Wijsen, founder of Bye Bye Plastic Bags + Youthtopia | 00:23:21 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Melati Wijsen, a 22 year old change maker and movement builder. When she was 12 she started a campaign called Bye Bye Plastic Bags with her sister Isabel to tackle the plastic pollution problem in Bali, where they are from. She went on to become a global spokesperson for not only plastic pollution but also the role young people can play in tackling the climate crisis. She spoke on international stages including TED and the UN headquarters in New York and was listed on Forbes 30 under 30. 10 years later she is now spearheading a new initiative called Youthtopia, which is all about youth empowerment through short and meaningful peer to peer programs. I really enjoyed speaking with Melati about the early days of Bye Bye Plastic Bags and how she managed to channel her youthful energy into creating a global movement for change. Her joy and determination are contagious and I definitely felt inspired and ready to make change happen around me after our conversation! Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 07 Jun 2023 | Stories from a scientist living on a boat to help protect the ocean with Charlie Young, marine biologist aka Ocean Magpie | 00:54:50 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Charlie Young – a marine biologist and wildlife presenter also known as Ocean Magpie on social media, where she shares the behind the scenes of her life at sea. Yes you read that well, Charlie lives on a boat!! So we spoke about what her life is like, and how she and her partner renovated their boat in a super sustainable way. I asked her about her most magical wildlife encounter, which she spoke about in such a beautiful and moving way it brought tears to my eyes. She also shared her perspective on human impact on the oceans and gave tips on what you can start doing in your everyday life to both feel more connected with the ocean and also help protect it – whether you live near it or not. Make sure you listen until the end as she also shared career advice for anyone who might be interested in working in ocean conservation or becoming a marine biologist. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 14 Jun 2023 | What’s needed for the planet: systemic change or individual action? with Isaias Hernandez, environmental educator aka Queer Brown Vegan | 00:29:58 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Isaias Hernandez, an environmental educator aka Queer Brown Vegan - the social media platform where he helps people understand the climate crisis. Isaias is so good at explaining some of the worlds most pressing issues in a super simple and engaging way - highly recommend following him on Instagram to learn more about sustainability, research, and what he calls ‘evidence-based hope’. We spoke about the link between the environmental crisis and social inequalities, how he believes the climate crisis is an educational crisis and how he perceives the tension between the need for systemic change and individual action. He told me the story of how and why he went vegan, and shared his perspective on ocean wildlife. We also discussed how to avoid climate doomism, and where to find hope - with the amazing example of the recovery of Monterey Bay, where ocean biodiversity is now thriving. Isaias is such a joy to speak with and I had a great time recording this conversation - hope you’ll enjoy it as well! Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | Tackling plastic pollution and rewilding our oceans through radical collaboration with Emy Kane, managing director at Lonely Whale | 00:31:42 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Emy Kane, the managing director of Lonely Whale - a nonprofit organisation working to prevent plastic waste from entering the ocean. She told me how we know more about the universe and space than we do about the depths of the ocean, even though that’s what is sustaining life on Earth. I actually found out recently that more people have been to the moon than have explored the deepest part of the ocean - which is really crazy when you think about it. Emy also explained how the health of our oceans ultimately impacts our own health and daily lives. She shared how Lonely Whale is using the power of radical collaboration to support innovation in the fight against plastic pollution through the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize, which you might remember hearing about in episode 4 with Julia Marsh on seaweed as an alternative to plastic. She also shared the cutest story on how she finds hope by restoring her backyard garden with a friend’s daughter who is almost 3 years old and marvels at how seeds grow and falls in love with nature for the very first time. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 28 Jun 2023 | Diversity in the ocean space and helping kids learn to love and protect nature with Zandi Ndhlovu, freediver and founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation | 00:24:19 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Zandi Ndhlovu – an ocean explorer, South Africa’s first Black woman free diving instructor and the founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation. Zandi discovered free diving when she was 28, and fell in love with this beautiful practice and the underwater world. Ever since she’s been using her voice to advocate for more diversity and access in the ocean space and change the narrative that black people don’t belong in the ocean. Through the Black Mermaid Foundation she started in 2020 in Cape Town, she teaches local kids how to swim and helps them discover the wonders of the ocean through snorkeling. She told me how she realised that working with kids had a much broader impact on the community, as they come home from a snorkeling adventure and tell their parents all about what they have learned and discovered that day. She also said that kids are the leaders and decision makers of tomorrow, and so by getting them to understand the ocean, they will learn to love it and want to protect it. She told me how they’re usually terrified of getting into the water but once they do, they gradually learn to love it and marvel at the beauty of what they see. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation. Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 31 Oct 2023 | Why We Care – season 2 trailer | 00:03:34 | |
Biodiversity is the web of life we all depend on – life on Earth in all its forms from pollinators and fungi to entire ecosystems, from rainforests to deserts and oceans. Human activity is destroying nature all around us and over the past few years I’ve come to realise and understand that the reason why we care and feel such deep hurt when we see a forest being cut down or a whale being killed is because nature is where we come from. It’s our home and it’s who we are – and it is so central to our balance and wellbeing. Yet we’ve become so disconnected from it, most of us in the Western world living in concrete buildings, walking on concrete roads, living our lives away from the trees, rivers and wildlife we so crucially need to survive. For the health of the planet as well as our own, I really do believe we need to restore that connection with the natural world – now more than ever. In Why We Care, activists, scientists, creatives, and changemakers are invited to share the story of their relationship with nature, and how they are helping protect biodiversity on our beautiful planet, both through the careers they chose and in their personal lives. For season 2, we’ll also dig deeper into figuring out how we can restore that connection – recognising that we can increase our health and wellbeing if we live in harmony with our environment and the other species we share the planet with. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | Why we need to reconnect with the natural world with Cel Spellman, Actor and WWF Ambassador | 00:29:28 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Cel Spellman, an actor, radio presenter and WWF ambassador. He’s also the host of the WWF podcast, Call of the Wild, which is one of the first environmental podcasts I started listening to a few years ago. Cel is one of those people who can talk about his love of the natural world for hours, and I felt like this conversation with him would be perfect to open this new season of Why We Care, as we dive deep into why nature is so central to our wellbeing, and how important it is to spend time connecting with it in our everyday lives. He also shared some of his most important learnings from his years as a host of the WWF podcast, and how he takes care of his mental health. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Nov 2023 | Deep sea mining and why we need to stop it with Anne Sophie Roux, Ocean researcher and deep sea mining activist | 00:28:00 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Anne-Sophie Roux, a French researcher and ocean activist. Anne-Sophie is the deep sea lead for Europe at Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and in 2022 she started the Look Down campaign against deep sea mining, which encountered massive success. While deep sea mining hasn’t been completely stopped yet, in less than a year the campaign has grown to mobilise over 20 countries behind the cause. So we spoke about why the deep sea is so important and why it’s a terrible idea to try to mine it, how she and her team got their first meeting with the French government after 13,000 people sent an email to support the campaign, how activism gives her hope, and what is next for the movement. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Nov 2023 | How can technology be used in service of both nature and people with Joycelyn Longdon, Founder of Climate In Colour and PhD researcher at Cambridge University | 00:32:04 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Joycelyn Longdon, a PhD researcher at Cambridge University and the founder of Climate in Colour, an education platform dedicated to making climate conversations more accessible and diverse for the climate curious. Joycelyn works at the intersection of technology, ecology, sociology and racial justice. So there was a lot to cover in this episode! She describes bioacoustics and the technologies she works with for her PhD research as ‘Shazam for nature’, which I think is fascinating – she explained how by listening to the sounds of nature we’re able to monitor the health of ecosystems and enhance conservation work. We also spoke about the ethical implications of technology and how it can be used in service of nature and people, rather than against them. Another really important aspect of her work is participatory design, so she explained how she’s working very closely with local communities to reduce racial and climate injustice by involving them in the process, getting their insights and feedback. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Nov 2023 | Why forests are important and how ancient trees help us understand climate change with Mary Gagen, Chief Advisor on Forests at WWF UK | 00:31:52 | |
In today’s episode I’m chatting with Mary Gagen, a Professor of Geography at Swansea University, and the Chief Advisor on Forests at WWF UK. Forests are our strongest allies in the fight against climate change, and yet we are failing them. They absorb a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, are home to 80% of the world’s land-based animal and plant species, and provide livelihoods for 1.6 billion people. Yet forests all around the world keep being destroyed despite all the global pledges and declarations to protect them. So last month, WWF UK released a report called ‘Forest Pathways’, highlighting the solutions that exist to protect and restore our forests. Mary and I spoke about the report, what it means and how she hopes it will be used. She also shared her thoughts on ancient trees and what they can tell us about climate change, and her perspective on the tension between the need for systemic change and individual action. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | Using AI to understand and communicate with whales with Tom Mustill, Nature filmmaker and author | 00:41:08 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Tom Mustill, a nature filmmaker and the author of ‘How to Speak Whale’. We recorded this a few weeks ago but since then I actually had the chance to travel to COP28, the climate conference, and see Tom and his friend Vahakn perform a whale song bath on the beach, which was absolutely magical. He was in Dubai to help give whales a voice with Whale and Dolphin Conservation, an organisation he’s an ambassador for. Tom is really great at telling the story of why whales matter and how crucial it is for us not only to try to protect them but also to allocate more resources and focus towards the technologies that could allow us to understand them and maybe even one day, communicate with them. So we spoke about the anthropocentric approach we’ve taken to define language, and how both museums and zoos (the places most of us can easily go to to observe other species) are failing to capture behaviour and communication. We also discussed the philosophical idea of alignment within Ai (in other words, how do we teach new forms of computer intelligence to have value systems and a moral compass so they can operate within a framework that values human life and how the rest of the living world fits in. Want to dive deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 17 Jan 2024 | Nature in urban spaces: a human right? with Ellen Miles, Activist and Author of “Get Guerrilla Gardening” | 00:41:30 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Ellen Miles, guerrilla gardener, activist and author. I found out about guerrilla gardening when I first met her a few months ago - in case you haven’t heard of it yet, it means planting flowers and plants in public spaces in your neighbourhood, both to support biodiversity but also to reclaim those spaces and connect with your local community. I asked her a ton of questions about it so if you’re curious and want to learn more about guerilla gardening, you’re in the right place! She also recently wrote an entire book about it which I’ll link in the show notes in case you’d like to dig even deeper (pun completely intended). The other book she wrote is called ‘Nature is a Human Right’, another movement she started to advocate for more access to nature in our increasingly urbanised world. So we also spoke about this a little bit and how regular contact with nature is absolutely crucial for our health. Want to dig deeper?
Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 31 Jan 2024 | Restoring the ocean, one coral at a time with Titouan Bernicot, Founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners | 00:25:06 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Titouan Bernicot, the founder & CEO of Coral Gardeners. He grew up on a pearl farm in French Polynesia, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Whenever I’m on a call with him I’m convinced he’s using one of those fake beach backgrounds but then remember it’s actually a real backdrop. We even got interrupted by dolphins swimming past the Coral Gardeners headquarters while recording this conversation… Titouan says that coral reefs gave him everything in his life, from the waves he surfs to the food he eats and the oxygen he breathes. So in 2017, at only 18 years old, he started Coral Gardeners to restore the reefs and plant corals. Together with his team he has already planted over 100,000 corals in French Polynesia and they have set the goal for themselves to plant one MILLION corals by 2025, all around the world. I met him at the World Oceans Day event in New York last year and was so impressed by his positive energy and contagious hope. He knows what’s at stake but rather than letting the state of the world get him down, he turns this into meaningful action, getting people and organisations such as Rolex, Prada, Warner Bros and many more from all around the globe to join the movement and help restore healthy ocean ecosystems. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 21 Feb 2024 | Learning from and for nature with Christabel Reed, Co-Founder of Earthed and Advaya | 00:29:43 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Christabel Reed, the co-founder of two online learning platforms: advaya, and Earthed. A few years ago Christabel and her sister Ruby created advaya, a platform at the intersection of ecology, consciousness and the body, to help people heal their relationships with themselves, each other and the natural living world. They then developed and launched Earthed, a nature skills platform removing the obstacles towards a mass mobilised ecosystem restoration movement. I love that through Earthed you can access a mix of theoretical as well as very practical courses, and learn about things such as soil health, seed saving, no dig gardening, biodynamic farming and river restoration - to name a few of the many topics they cover. Their approach is that they want to empower people to learn from and for nature – which I think is exactly what the world needs! Christabel and I spoke about how she worked with her sister to create and build these platforms, the future she envisions and her hopes for humanity’s relationship with nature. I really enjoyed our conversation and I hope you will as well! Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 06 Mar 2024 | Intergenerational collaboration for the ocean with Bodhi Patil, Gen Z ocean advocate and solutionist | 00:36:45 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Bodhi Patil, a United Nations-recognized, award-winning Gen Z ocean climate solutionist dedicated to improving Ocean Health and Human Health. So we spoke about many aspects of his relationship with the ocean, from his early childhood memories diving with his dad to how he helped build Ocean Uprise, an initiative he developed with Parley for the Oceans to help young people learn about the ocean and become advocates for it. I met Bodhi for the first time at COP28 in Dubai last December, where he was part of the Wisdom Keepers delegation – he told me what that experience was like and shared really beautiful thoughts and advice on how we can all support the transition towards a world where Indigenous voices are given more importance. One of my favourite things he said was how important it is to build bridges between generations and collaborate across all age groups. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 27 Mar 2024 | Is it too late to save our glaciers? with Dr. Heïdi Sevestre, glaciologist | 00:50:03 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Heïdi Sevestre, an amazing French glaciologist. She called me all the way from Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic ocean, between mainland Norway and the North Pole. 10 years ago, as Heidi was hiking from Chamonix to Zermatt, a mountain guide told her that it is possible to spend your life studying glaciers, and become a glaciologist. So she’s never looked back and has since studied glaciers all around the world, from the French Alps to Greenland, from the Arctic to Antarctica. We spoke about why are glaciers important and their role in regards to regulating the climate, but also what exactly is happening to them and whether or not it is too late to save them. She also told me about a climbing expedition in Greenland she recently went on called Arctic Ascent, which was filmed and is currently being released on National Geographic TV. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 10 Apr 2024 | Change the story, change the system with Joi Lee, Head of Editorial and Producer at Earthrise Studio | 00:33:05 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Joi Lee, the Head of Editorial and an Executive Producer at Earthrise Studio. I’m sure you’ve heard of Earthrise – they’re one of the leading media platforms reporting on climate change, launched in 2020 by Alice Aedy and Jack Harries. Over the past few years, their social media channels have become one of my go-to sources of climate related news – and I know I’m not the only one! So Joi and I spoke about how the climate crisis is being portrayed in the media, and why she thinks stories are so integral to how we communicate. She then told me about POWER, their latest series digging into the energy crisis, and how they collaborated with their community to define how they would tell that story. We also discussed the many elections coming up this year all around the world, and what you can do as an individual to ensure the fossil fuel industry loses some of its power. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 26 Nov 2024 | SEASON 3 trailer - the podcast helping you reconnect with nature | 00:03:23 | |
We're back for a third season! Thanks so much for being here and for caring, and see you tomorrow with the first episode of Why We Care, season 3. Until then, sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 27 Nov 2024 | Hope and resistance in the Amazon rainforest with Nemonte Nenquimo, Waorani leader, and Mitch Anderson, Authors and Co-founders of Amazon Frontlines | 00:43:51 | |
In today’s episode I’m incredibly honoured to be speaking with Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson. Nemonte is a Waorani leader, mother, and forest defender. She grew up in a little village in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and has now become one of the leading voices of her community. Together with her partner Mitch they created the nonprofit organisation Amazon Frontlines, bringing together Indigenous peoples to defend their rights to land, life and cultural survival in the Amazon. They have now also written a book to share her story with the world, called We Will Be Jaguars. I couldn’t have hoped for a more important conversation to kick off this new season with. Indigenous people represent just 5% of the world’s population, and yet they look after over 80% of our planet’s biodiversity. In other words - they are the experts. So in this episode, Nemonte shares what it was like for her to grow up in the heart of the Amazon, the teachings she received from her ancestors, and what she hopes the world will understand about the forest. We also spoke about how together with Mitch and their team, they made history by bringing together an alliance of Indigenous nations to defend their territories, and ultimately winning a legal battle against the oil industry, resulting in the protection of half a million acres of rainforest in her region. As you’ll notice part of this episode is in Spanish - I didn’t want to cover Nemonte’s words with a translation. So instead, Mitch helps translate her answers after she’s spoken. If you understand Spanish, wonderful - and if not, no worries. I think you’ll still very much enjoy this episode and I invite you to close your eyes if you can, if it’s safe for you to do so, and try feel the power of her words. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Dec 2024 | Patagonia’s approach to activism with Gina Lovett from Patagonia and Jón Kaldal from the Icelandic Wildlife Fund | 00:48:22 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with not just one but two wonderful guests: Gina Lovett, Environmental Initiatives Manager at Patagonia and Jón Kaldal, of the Icelandic Wildlife Fund – a Patagonia Grantee. I was really excited to record this conversation. Like many people in the industry, for many years I’ve looked at Patagonia as a sort of North star of responsible business, and it was super interesting to hear more about how they approach activism as a global organisation. Earlier this year they released a film called A Salmon Nation, exposing the ugly truth behind open net salmon farming in Iceland. Jón from the Icelandic Wildlife Fund is a fountain of knowledge on the issue and it was great to hear from him on how the local communities in Iceland are coming together to try to stop this harmful industry before it completely destroys their beautiful ecosystems. Gina and Jón are seasoned campaigners who have managed to bring a movement together, gathering public support on social media and in real life - so this episode really is a lesson in how to get your message heard by the world. I’m really happy about it, it is full of very practical tips that I’m sure will be mega helpful whether you’re an individual or working as part of a business or organisation. I also loved Gina’s reminder that there’s not just one type of activist – she said often the people they work with are mothers, or grandmothers who are fighting to protect their families and communities. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Jan 2025 | Can we still coexist peacefully with the wild? with Jacob Dykes, Conservation Manager at The European Nature Trust | 00:47:34 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Jacob Dykes, the Conservation Manager of The European Nature Trust - a foundation that works to lift conservation and nature restoration projects in Europe, supporting a network of organisations working at landscape-scale to protect and restore ecosystems. Through an approach they call ‘Noise for Nature’, they also amplify conservation storytelling by creating impactful documentary films that raise awareness and engagement with the defining issues of our time. I was really looking forward to speaking with Jacob about his conservation work in general but also more specifically about wolves. The European Nature Trust recently produced a film called The Wolf Within exploring the relationship between wolves and humans in Europe, which was released at the end of last year – just weeks before the European Commission decided to downgrade their protection status. I’ve been fascinated with wolves for as long as I can remember and really enjoyed learning more about the evolution of our relationship with them and their place in our collective imagination. Jacob and I also talked about what this relationship says about our coexistence with the wild; and what we can do to better and more equitably safeguard keystone species around us. Jacob also shared a really lovely story about seeing wolves in the wild in Italy, and an important reminder to keep practicing wonder towards the natural world. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Feb 2025 | Imperfect activism: how to let go of the pressure of being perfect with Maria Correa, VP of Marketing & Editorial at WaterBear | 00:30:16 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Maria Correa, the VP of Marketing & Editorial at WaterBear, a community platform where entertainment meets impact. You might remember WaterBear from one of the very first episodes of season one with Poppy Mason-Watts – it’s an amazing streaming platform with lots of really cool environmental and social documentaries, all accessible for free. Today I wanted to speak with Maria about what I think is an increasingly important topic - imperfect activism. I know lots of you care about the environment and are doing your best to live in an ethical and respectful way. I do too, and yet. I’ll be the first to admit that as much as I care about the environment sometimes I do still fly, sometimes I forget my reusable water bottle and need to buy a plastic one, sometimes I buy things from companies that are not very ethical. I don’t think that means I don’t care. I don’t think this should stop me from speaking up about the issues I care about. As the saying goes, we don’t need 100 perfect environmentalists, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly. I wanted to record this episode because I feel like a lot of us are feeling that way and I don’t think we should let the pressure of being perfect prevent us from standing up for what we believe in. Maria has done a lot of research around this, and the idea of brining together a community of imperfect activists is at the heart of WaterBear. So we spoke about what it means, but also the negative stereotypes that tend to be associated with activism, and the importance of approaching environmental action through the things you love, so that it can bring you joy. Maria also shared her tips on how to handle challenging conversations around these often very emotionally charged topics. I really hope this episode will be helpful! Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Mar 2025 | How to bring a community together to protect your local ecosystems with Farwiza Farhan, Forest Conservationist | 00:29:19 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Farwiza Farhan, an amazing forest conservationist working to protect and restore the Leuser ecosystem on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia – the last place on Earth where tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans still roam together in the wild. Farwiza has been campaigning to protect it for years, and it was so interesting to hear more about how she approaches conservation and how she collaborated with the communities who live in the area to get their voices heard and protect this precious ecosystem. She also shared why it matters to protect entire ecosystems rather than a few charismatic species, as well as her tips to start making change happen in your own community, and what gives her hope – a much needed reminder in today’s world. Want to dive deeper?
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If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Apr 2025 | Folklore, myths and stories to shape your relationship with nature with Morvern Graham, Storyteller and Illustrator | 00:44:20 | |
In today’s episode I’m speaking with Morvern Graham, a storyteller, illustrator and printmaker. I first found out about her work and art through Instagram, and was pretty much instantly drawn into her magical universe filled with mythical creatures, fairies and inspiring folk tales from her native Scotland and beyond. Once you’re done listening to this episode I invite you to go take a look at her work on her Instagram account. I’m so happy we got to record this conversation, it’s a super cosy one so go make yourself a cup of tea and find a relaxing spot to listen to it! Morvern told me some of her favourite stories, and we also spoke about how she managed to take her childlike sense of wonder with her into adulthood. She also shared how she finds and collects folk tales, how these stories have shaped her relationship with nature, and how she practices imagination and creativity in her every day life. One thing she said that has stayed with me ever since we spoke was a piece of advice she received from her dad to keep her connection with the natural world alive. I’ll let you discover this for yourself towards the end of the episode, it’s such a good one! Want to dive deeper?
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Come say hi!
If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. Thank you so much for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||