Emma Brisdion & Sophie Pavelle

Shows

For What It’s EarthTo Have or To Hold: An exclusive look at Sophie Pavelle's new bookSophie's only gone and written another brilliant book (and no, she's not writing this episode description). In To Have or To Hold, she unearths and marvells at some of nature's strangest symbioses and oddest relationships. In this bonus episode of For What It's Earth, Sophie and Emma sit down to chat about the book, dig into the story of a truly mysterious freshwater parasite, and share with you why Emma asked (politely) for a specific word to be removed from an early draft. PLUS, enjoy a sneak peak at the audiobook! Thank you to Bloomsbury for allowing us to s...2025-05-0744 min

For What It’s EarthBonus: Wild Cities with Chris Fitch live at StanfordsHow green is your city? And what can we learn from the international urban metropolises that are bringing inviting nature back? Last week, Wild Cities was published, and Emma was invited to join author Chris Fitch at Stanfords bookstore in Bristol to chat about the book. We chatted about fast-tracking ancient forests, gardens in skyscrapers, beavers, birdwatching and, of course, asked, 'What one good thing have you done for the planet this week?' Send us a voice note listener question (via Instagram @forwhatitsearthpodcast or email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com) for your chance to win a Wild Cities...2025-04-2339 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Solar roads in the UK, water use in airports and cleaning up the North Sea oil tanker crashWe've got three absolutely corking listener questions on the show this week, including one from the wonderful Gillian Burke! We're answering: A South Korean motorway has a solar panel-covered bike lane in its central reservation - can we do this in the UK? How much water and waste accumulates at airport security, and can we reduce it? What's the env. impact of the north sea oil tanker crash, and how do we clean jet fuel/nurdles out of the ocean? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us...2025-04-0241 min

For What It’s EarthMoss: The quiet (but very cool) climate allyWe’re plunging our hands into the soft green bits you find in woodlands, and shining a spotlight on moss. Can the many life-giving, pollution-gobbling, and carbon-storing species of moss on earth be the quiet antidote to climate change? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a donation through Ko-fi. Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch & subscribe so you...2025-03-2651 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Boycotts, sustainable tea and coffee, and Wild deodorantThis week we're answering your questions! First, we explore whether environmental boycotts actually work, and ask whether we should all stop buying Wild deodorant since the news that Unliver are purchasing the brand. Finally, we settle down with a steaming mug to find out whether our teas and coffees can be more sustainable. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a d...2025-03-1929 min

For What It’s EarthScrubbing up: What's the MAKE UP of make up, SPF, and personal care items?This week we’re talking about make-up - or more specifically - the make-up of it, alongside other personal care products, and what that means for our environment. Shampoo, eye cream, and SPF, we're coming for ya. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a one-off donation or sign up for monthly...2025-03-1252 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Book sustainability, wildflower lawns, and ratsAre wildflower lawns the best thing to do with your garden? Do rats deserve their bad rep? Can books be more sustainable, and am I still allowed to buy new ones sometimes? This week we're answering your big green listener questions, and we're introducing two new members of the For What It's Earth team! An RHS guide to making wildflower meadows: https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/creating-wildflower-meadows Pre-order Sophie's upcoming book, To Have or To Hold: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/to-have-or-to-hold-9781399412162/ Get in touch We're on...2025-03-0538 min

For What It’s EarthWildfires: How ready are we for extreme climate events?Things are hotting up. As global temperatures increase, so too does extreme fire risk. Parts of LA are still burning, and this week we’re exploring all things wildfire in a changing climate. As we watch fires erupt on our TV screens, we ask: In the UK, are we really as sheltered from wildfires as we might think? More info: State of Wildfires Report: https://tyndall.ac.uk/news/state-of-wildfires-report-2023-2024/ Beavers and fires Fairfax stop-motion animation: https://emilyfairfaxscience.com/research/firebeavers/ Met Office’s Fire Severity Index https://www.m...2025-02-2656 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Cruise holidays, medication in poo and greener bankingWhat's the environmental footprint of taking a cruise? Does medication you take end up in your composting toilet or the sewage system, and if so, what happens next? And can you bank in greener ways? All this and a bonus mini-q on this week's Listener Questions episode. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a o...2025-02-1930 min

For What It’s EarthDriving electric: Is the UK ready for EVs?As climate change marches on, and transport is under a spotlight for significantly contributing to carbon emissions, we’re exploring electric transport. Are we ready for it, particularly in the UK when compared to other countries? What is outstanding in electrification/decarbonisation? And is it a realistic climate ambition? Show notes: Hinkley Point Petition: https://win.newmode.net/hinkley-point-nuclear-power-station-fish-protection https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/02/uk-needs-to-ban-full-hybrid-cars-by-2030-or-face-net-zero-catastrophe https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/23/do-electric-cars-really-produce-fewer-carbon-emissions-than-petrol-or-diesel-vehicles Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email fo...2025-02-1253 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Long-term environmental habits, recycling, and cleaning with bleachThis week you asked us which environmental habits and green-living changes we've managed to keep up the longest, whether things actually get recycled, and whether bleach should (or shouldn't) be our go-to household cleaning product. PLUS, Sophie beefs with her neighbour over bin etiquette, and we realise that all of our listeners are called Andrew. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch ...2025-02-0529 min

For What It’s EarthVapes: Environmental impacts & the single-use banThe sale of single-use vapes is set to be banned in the UK in June, and the environmental impact of e-cigarette-style devices was a key lever in the campaign that fought for this legislation. So, we're following the lifecycle of a vape and exploring the many moments in which these electronic devices can cause planetary problems. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & mer...2025-01-2954 min

For What It’s EarthJoin the team: Could you be our Social Media Volunteer?We’re seeking a talented and passionate volunteer with digital marketing and editing experience to join the FWIE team in 2025! This year we're taking the pod to exciting places, but working full time in the environment sector AND making the podcast ourselves means we have little time to do the whole ‘digital’ thing. We need a hand making reels, cutting down clips, making graphics for carousels, nailing the algorithm (blah blah), and we hope in return you'll gain valuable science communication experience working as part of a tiny audio team, who have heads and hearts in the right...2025-01-2601 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Eco tattoos, laundry detergent and environmental heroesIn Listener’s Questions this week, we’re sharing who in the environment sector inspires us, chatting laundry detergent choices (and recipes…) and exploring top tips for keeping green while getting tatted! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a one-off donation or sign up for monthly support through Ko-fi. & subscribe so you never mis...2025-01-2227 min

For What It’s EarthZoos: The good, the bad and the frozenZoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and seed banks: Is keeping animals and wild creatures in captivity for entertainment ever ok? Or are zoos the conservation powerhouses and the biodiversity arks that we need as wildlife declines across the globe? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a one-off donation or sign up for monthly support through Ko...2025-01-1550 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Book recommendations, Vinted and search enginesWe're back with another episode in which we answer your burning eco-living questions. Find out whether Vinted is as good for the planet as it seems, what the climate impact of search engines may be, and what we're loving reading. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a one-off donation or sign up for...2025-01-0827 min

For What It’s EarthClimate-friendly Food Choices: Is vegan always best?We're brushing away the crumbs of Christmas, readying to weather the month of Veganuary spam, and trying to get to the bottom of the big heavy question: What should or shouldn't I be eating, if I want to be kind to the planet? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch: https://forwhatitsearth.teemill.com/ Help us cover our running costs with a one...2025-01-0158 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Sustainable Christmas gift ideas, plastic grass and road saltingLeft your Christmas shopping to the last minute? We've got you. This episode is packed with environmentally friendly gift ideas, from experiences to things to look out for in charity shops before the big day. We also answer listener questions on the environmental impact of both plastic grass, and of salting our roads during icy weather this winter. We're taking a break over the Christmas week, so will be back in your feeds on January 1st. Happy holidays! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us yo...2024-12-1837 min

For What It’s EarthHen & Stag Dos: How to throw a sustainable partyLike many a party, hen and stag dos (or bachelor/bachelorette parties) can come with a big carbon footprint and create a lot of waste. But they can still be special events without being polluting. We’re looking at these milestone gatherings and trying to help you throw one in ways that don’t leave the planet with a sore head too. This episode contains a toolkit, and many of our top tips can be applied to any event on your horizon. Get in touch: We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.co...2024-12-1146 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Not-so-eco things, gyms as energy generators, and big green career choicesWe're asked whether gym equipment could actually generate enough electricity to power the gym, we try to divulge some useful career advice to a climate-concerned listener, and our classic 'what one good thing have you done for the planet this week?' prompt gets flipped on its head. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch: https://forwhatitsearth.teemill.com/ Help us cover our...2024-12-1027 min

For What It’s EarthBlack Friday: Glad I wasn’t born a teeshirtWe're zoning in on Black Friday; the holiday that celebrates binge-shopping and leaves the environmental credentials of the retail sector in tatters. For the sake of the planet, put your bank cards away! Do you really *need* that thing that's on a super duper exclusive promotion and will never (wink wink) be that cheap again? Sure, you might, and that's fine. But if you're keen and able to try to participate less, or better, in Black Friday, here's our guide to trying to reduce the environmental impact of this international consumption-fest. References from the episode ...2024-11-2751 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Staying hopeful, plogging, and picking up dog pooThis week we're answering your questions. Join Emma and Sophie for a grand tour of 'plogging', an investigation into whether dog poo is natural enough to be left in the environment, and a chat about how we remain hopeful in the environment sector despite all the bad news. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch: https://forwhatitsearth.teemill.com/ Help us cover our...2024-11-2025 min

For What It’s EarthAI: A climate solution or a concern?This week, we’re diving into one of the most rapidly evolving fields of our time: artificial intelligence. AI takes many forms and is rapidly transforming many industries and sectors - from helping to optimise international supply chains to smarting up energy grids and predicting climate patterns. But alongside the many celebrated efficiency and problem-solving benefits that AI can offer, there are also many concerns lurking around every virtual corner - including concerns about the massive environmental footprint of AI. Episode notes: UNEP World Environment Situation Room: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ho...2024-11-1351 min

For What It’s EarthTrump: A backwards step for climate change?What impact will the incoming President have on the climate? The US Election result this week has left many of us in a spin, and in this bonus episode, we take a trip to BCFM's show Love and Science to chat with the lovely Andrew Glester. We share a few of our initial thoughts on the news and explore ways to remain optimistic, look after ourselves and galvanise as a community to ensure climate action isn't forgotten. Episode notes: Email your MP: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/ The Climate and Nature Bill: https://www.z...2024-11-1026 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions] Eco-bafflement, biogas, and teaching kids about climateHow do we teach children about climate change without causing eco-anxiety? What supposedly environmental thing absolutely baffles you? Is biogas actually carbon neutral? Three hot topics on the table today as we sit down to answer your For What It's Earth listener questions. Episode notes: The Adventures of Scout children's books: https://theadventuresofscout.com/ Get in touch: We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE...2024-11-0618 min

For What It’s EarthThe Olympics: Was Paris 2024 really the greenest games ever?The 2024 Olympics in Paris aspired to be the first Games ever to be fully aligned with Paris Agreement - but can the world's biggest international sporting event ever really be considered sustainable? From incredible eco-design decisions to the energy and food choices made with the planet in mind, to the burden of private aviation and wasteful merchandise and athleisure, we're taking a metaphorical dive into the bold claims, innovative steps and downright failures associated with Paris 2024. Episode Notes: British Association for Sustainable Sport: https://basis.org.uk/2024/07/26/paris-2024-the-greenest-games-ever/ Designing the aquatics centre: h...2024-10-3050 min

For What It’s Earth[Listener Questions]: Dishwashers, phone charging and Clarkson's FarmWelcome to the first of our fortnightly bonus episodes, in which we answer three green questions sent in by you! Ever wondered whether washing your dishes by hand or in a dishwasher is more environmentally friendly, or whether it's better to charge your phone at home or in your car? Or what our humble opinions on the hit farming series Clarkson's Farm might be? Well, this episode has got you covered. Episode Notes: 10 eco-friendly laundry products to add to your cupboard: https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/green-living/eco-friendly-laundry-products Get in touch:2024-10-2320 min

For What It’s EarthProtests: A help or hindrance for the environment?Environmental protests. Beyond grabbing headlines and successfully irritating segments of the population, do they work as a tool to move the needle for the planet? We're starting this new season by taking to the streets (not literally) and exploring how one of history's most effective but divisive change-making methods is being used to demand action on climate change. Episode notes: They Work For You, the website that connects you with your local political representative and makes it easy to contact them: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/ Get in touch: We're on ...2024-10-1653 min

For What It’s EarthSeason 4 trailer: FWIE is back!Yes, your favourite climate, nature and sustainability podcast is back! For What It's Earth returns next Wednesday with a shiny new look, new features, and a brand new co-host. Nature writer and science communicator Sophie Pavelle now joins Emma Brisdion for a series exploring a wide range of eco topics - from discussing environmental protests and exploring the green credentials of the Olympics, to finding out how to make your upcoming hen or stag do more sustainable. Get in touch Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content between episodes, and g...2024-10-0900 min

For What It’s Earth83: Forget Me Not, with Sophie PavelleSophie's debut book, Forget Me Not, has landed on our shelves, chronicling her low-carbon journeys around the UK searching for 10 charismatic species that are being impacted by climate change. She joins Emma for a chat about her adventures, about the role of JOY when communicating climate science and nature connection, and also a little bit about the Kardashians (it makes sense if you've read the book). Purchase your copy of Forget Me Not: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/1647217193_forget-me-not-finding-the-forgotten-species-of-climate-change-britain/9781472986214 Hear more from Sophie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiepavs/ T...2022-08-1753 min

For What It’s Earth79: Antarctica. Can we protect it, or survive without it? With Ryan DaltonThe White Continent (and the southern seas around it) is an incredibly important place for wildlife, for the regulation of global ocean currents, and for reflecting a huge amount of the sun's heat back out of our atmosphere (known as the Albedo effect). But Antarctica faces plenty of threats, which we'll take a dive into. You're in for a treat, too, as this week Emma is joined by Ryan Dalton from Into The Wild Podcast. Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get i...2022-06-2947 min

For What It’s Earth74: Saving fish and top pond tips with wildlife cameraman, Jack PerksThis week Emma takes a dive into something she knows very little about; fish in UK rivers, the threats they're under and the fascinating projects working to restore their populations. Joining her to head upstream is wildlife cameraman, author, and podcaster (and almost one of the dullest men in Britain...), Jack Perks! Plus, plenty of fantastic advice for anyone keen to put a pond in their garden to support wildlife, as Emma is attempting to do. Links: Jack’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishtwitcher/ Lizzy Daly’s film ‘Billion Pound Fish’ on Scottish f...2022-03-3054 min

For What It’s Earth72: Steve Simpson on coral reefs, global change, and hope“The future is still up for grabs.” In this episode, Emma is joined by Professor Steve Simpson, marine biologist, lecturer and science communicator, to take a dive into the issues that our oceans are facing. We explore the effects of noise pollution on our coral reef communities, discuss harnessing our eco grief to fuel finding innovative solutions, and, given that Steve was part of the influential Blue Planet II series, the role that public science communication can have in helping us improve the state of our seas. Steve’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/st...2022-02-1649 min

For What It’s Earth71: Botanist Leif Bersweden on plants & climate changeHow is climate change impacting plant communities? Are there any winners among the losers? Why are plants just as cool as (if not, cooler) than animals? And how does a broken car actually HELP when you're writing a book? Emma is joined this week by botanist and author Leif Bersweden, who has just announced that he's got another book due out in 2022; Where The Wildflowers Grow. For more from Leif: https://www.instagram.com/leifbersweden/ https://twitter.com/LeifBersweden Pre-order Leif's new book, Where The Wildflowers Grow: https://www.waterstones.com/bo...2022-02-0248 min

For What It’s Earth69: Conservation in Africa and life in the bush, with Rosie Miles 🎧 ✨ Conservation in Africa! 🐘 🐆 In the first episode of 2022, Emma travels south (virtually) to find out what it's really like to live in the African bush and work as a conservationist protecting and restoring areas of land in protected national parks. What does 'rewilding' look like in Malawi? What is the issue with colonialism in conservation? How does the conservation sector differ in the UK from Africa? Rosie Miles has spent the last 10 years as a bush guide and conservationist, specializing in tracking and monitoring predator populations. Plus, she's just published her first book 'Girl of the Wild'! Pick up a copy of Girl of...2022-01-0550 min

For What It’s Earth66: Australia on fire, with award-winning filmmaker Eva OrnerWhat was the role of climate change in the intense ‘Black Summer’ bushfires in Australia in 2019/20, and what can Australia, do to change the increasingly-unstable direction that we’re currently heading in? As her award-winning climate change documentary, BURNING, is released on Prime Video, Eva Orner joins Emma for a fascinating conversation about how the climate crisis is playing out in Australia. The documentary (and this episode) explores the stories of the people on the ground fighting these fires and the communities experiencing the devastation first hand, what the warning signs were for our increasingly intense...2021-12-0145 min

For What It’s Earth63: Light pollution: Bulbs, brightness and blinding natureWe’re turning our attention today to a kind of pollution that you can’t just pick up and pop in the bin. Light pollution can occur in many forms and can, of course, have a great many impacts on all that it touches - including our plant and animal chums. Join us to find out how our artificial illuminations are impacting moths, bats, and trees, why we’re second-guessing switching street lights to energy-efficient LEDs, and why residents in California once freaked out when they saw the Milky Way. Articles we mentioned: Our nig...2021-10-1339 min

For What It’s Earth62: Soil: Essential and… Sexy?Join us this week to get down and dirty in the world of SOIL, dirtiness, earthworms, and carbon being burped from our land when we don’t look after it. Soil is important for food production, for water storage and filtering, for improving both our own and our ecosystems’ resilience to climate change, AND HEALTHY SOILS STORE HEAPS OF CARBON. What can we do to a) make soil sexy and b) save our soils? Listen now to find out… Documentaries/movies recommended in this episode: Fantastic Fungi https://fantasticfungi.com/ Fantastic Fungi (N...2021-09-2149 min

For What It’s Earth61: Eco(ish) home renovation & redecorationHelpful podcast about sprucing up your home while keeping the planet in mind, or therapy session for Emma and Lloyd in the middle of their own home renovation projects? You decide…. Some of the links that we mentioned: https://www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk/ https://localtools.org/ https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/home-garden/best-eco-paints-environmentally-friendly-b75193.html Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get in touch...2021-09-0846 min

For What It’s Earth60: Green pensions, with Make My Money MatterDid you know that changing your pension provider is one of the biggest ways to slash your carbon footprint? With over £2.6 trillion in the UK tied up in pension funds, which are often invested by banks in industries like fossil fuels or tobacco, Kenneth and Holly join us from Make Money Matter to explain the power you have by being able to switch your pension to one that invests in a sustainable future instead. It’s simple. Why would you try to live a low-impact life, but, leaving your growing retirement fund...2021-08-1835 min

For What It’s Earth59: Space tourism: Bad news for terra firma?With billionaires blasting off to spend a few minutes on the edge of space, some of us who are destined never to leave earth are asking 'Hey, do you really need to do that? Can't we fix some of the problems down here first?' We're exploring the environmental issues of commercial space tourism, and of scientific space travel, and looking at some of the options for making the industry slightly less bad for the planet. And for space. Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? We'd love...2021-08-0437 min

For What It’s Earth58: Cryptocurrency: Is Bitcoin burning the planet?What does bitcoin have to do with climate change? Can anyone mine this made-up-seeming digital money? What even IS cryptocurrency? We're tackling the big questions today after lovey listener McKenna from Ohio sent us in a request to explore the environmental impact of cryptocurrency. Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. While you're here, make sure you've subscribed so you never miss an episode, and leave...2021-07-2141 min

For What It’s Earth57: Trees, with Joe Middleton from Woodland TrustCan we plant our way out of trouble? What’s the best way to plant trees in our gardens or get involved in planting projects? And, more simply, why are trees COOL? Joe joins us to answer all our burning questions about trees, and about their role in the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis solutions Things we mentioned: Emma and Joe exploring an ancient woodland and new tree plantation with Woodland Trust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGrBBmRrx4o Lloyd’s One Good Thing: wonky bread products from Earth and Wheat...2021-07-0753 min

For What It’s Earth56: Carbon storageWhat is it? How does it work? Can we sequester ourselves out of the climate crisis? All this and plenty more in this episode of For What It's Earth, including a celebration of wonderful listener 'one good thing for the planet' submissions and a bit of a general life catch up with Emma and Lloyd. Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. While you'r...2021-05-2746 min

For What It’s Earth55: Renewables with Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good EnergyHow can we make sure that the 'green' energy we think we're buying isn't actually 'brown'? What the heck is a smart home? How can kids shape the future of green electricity in the UK? All this and a good deal more in this episode, where. we speak to the wonderful Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy and host of Great Green Questions podcast. Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or by email...2021-05-1243 min

For What It’s Earth54: Starting a sustainable & ethical business, with James from Animall TeaHave you had a neat eco-business idea recently? We're joined by James Thirwall from Animall Tea, a speciality tea company that source all their produce from organically and sustainable growers, and who spend their profits supporting conservation charities, about starting a business which is good for the planet, not just for investor's pockets. James has also offered YOU, our lovely, wonderful listners, 15% off your first order of Animall Tea (which, by the way, is totally delicious) if you visit www.animalltea.com and use code EARTH at checkout. You'll also get a neat little illustration of the...2021-04-2846 min

For What It’s Earth53: Chris Jones from Cornwall Beaver ProjectA few years ago, one breeding pair of beavers were released into an enclosure in Cornwall. Now an entire family of beavers thrives in a biodiverse wetland that they have created, supporting insect and birdlife, mitigating flooding and drought events, and even storing carbon! Join Emma as she tours the wetland, site of the Cornwall Beaver Project, and sits down on a fallen tree trunk with the proprietor (and beaver legend), Chris Jones. Get in touch Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? Get in touch w...2021-04-1430 min

For What It’s Earth52: How to grow your own foodHave you ever wanted to grow your own grub? Even with only a small space, growing food is a fantastic thing to do for you, and for the planet. This episode is all about getting the most out of the space you have in terms of yield, because growing your own food is a great potentially eco-friendly thing to do, AND is also about doing so in the best way for the environment that you can. Oh, and paw-lease leave us a lovely 5- star review. It helps us get noticed and spreads the FWIE l...2021-03-3145 min

For What It’s Earth51: PETS! Can they be sustainable? Feat. Ryan DaltonHere’s your daily paws for thought... This week we’re discussing PETS. Our furry little sidekicks hold special places in our hearts, so it’s not easy to face up to their collective environmental pawprint. Don’t get your backs up though, because we’re here to offer some helpful tips to do right by the planet without making your dog eat tofu. Warning: we say the word ‘poo’ a lot. PLUS we talk to Ryan Dalton from ‘Into the Wild Podcast’ about dog control within nature and wildlife reserves. Oh, and paw-lease leave us a...2021-03-1747 min

For What It’s Earth50: Tea and coffeeHOT DRINKS, WE'RE COMING FOR YA! That's right, we're putting the nation's favourite beverages under our environmental impact microscope in this week's episode, 'Tea and Coffee'. Pop the kettle on, grab your eco-milk of choice and settle down with a brew to listen. Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? We'd love to hear from you! Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave us a nice review on your chosen podcast platfo...2021-03-0337 min

For What It’s Earth49: Anthropogenic noise: Human sound pollutionHELLO? CAN YOU HEAR US? This week we're looking at the problem of anthropogenic noise, or human sound pollution, and how it creates real predicaments for our wildlife both above and below the waves. A significant problem that can be solved as simply as it started, but is there enough drive from policy makers? Can animals adapt their mating calls and find food in a human-dominated soundscape? Can fish still find their way home? What does Emma do with all of her spare onions? Only one way to find out - tune into our frequency and give us a...2021-02-1736 min

For What It’s Earth48: BOGS! Nature‘s best carbon capture habitatsIt's World Wetlands Day and we're chatting about BOGS; a habitat which the IUCN calls the largest natural terrestrial carbon store. So, why are these underrated habitats so gosh darn cool, and what makes them so good at storing carbon? Pop this episode in your ears to find out all about things bogs, peat, mires and permafrost. Plus, we introduce a section called 'Listener Corner' where we discuss this paper https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full sent to us by one of our lovely listeners. Thanks, Jack! Enjoyed the episode? Got an i...2021-02-0234 min

For What It’s Earth47: Air pollution: What are we breathing in?What's going on with the air that we breathe? Well, quite a lot, it seems. We're chatting today about the causes of air pollution, the problems it can cause for our own health and things like farming and our food supply, and we explore some of the possible solutions. Enjoyed the episode? Got an idea for another topic? Just want to say Hi? We'd love to hear from you! Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave us a shiny...2021-01-1941 min

For What It’s Earth46: Tom Carroll: Saving the rainforest with TikTokScience and Tech YouTuber & Content Creator Tom Carroll joins the podcast to chat about using TikTok to save the rainforest, why wind farms are moving further offshore and what’s so exciting about 3D printing coral reefs (and also to catch up with us, as we're also old uni chums). Find Tom on YouTube and Instagram. Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave us a shiny review on your chosen podcast platform. We'd super appreciat...2021-01-0643 min

For What It’s Earth45: Merry Christmas-is-a-bit-cancelled bonus Q&A!This week, literally moments after the big covid-bans-holiday-fun announcement, we recorded a festive episode answering your questions! We can't promise you Pulitzer Prize-winning green journalism, but you can unwrap 40 bonus minutes of our voices, as we meander through some serious eco q's and some not-so-serious silly inquiries, which you sent in this week! PLUS... The long-awaited return of Lloyd's Christmas singing. Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave us a shiny review on your chosen podcast platfo...2020-12-2339 min

For What It’s Earth44: Beavers, with Sophie Pavelle and Eva Bishop from Beaver TrustPandemic, what? 2020 has been the year of THE BEAVER. One native rodent with the natural ability to engineer wetland landscapes that support an incredible diversity of life, and which can even help us combat the effects of climate change. What's not to love? Sophie Pavelle and Eva Bishop from Beaver Trust join Emma to chat all things Castor fiber from orange teeth and second lips to beaver boobs and rewilding parachute attempts. For more from Beaver Trust, head to https://beavertrust.org/ While you’re here, why not give us a r...2020-12-1644 min

For What It’s Earth43: British nature with Lucy HodsonWhy are fungi cool? What happens to British birds in the winter? We sit down for a natter with Nature Nerd Lucy Hodson (AKA Lucy Lapwing) to find out what it is about wildlife in Britain that has driven her life-long love affair with nature. Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave us a shiny review on your chosen podcast platform. We'd super appreciate it. And for more from Lucy, find her on Instagram and Twi...2020-12-0245 min

For What It’s Earth42: Sea ice: Why does it matter?It's been a record-breaking (-ly bad) year for sea ice. So why does that matter? The changing of the seasons is pretty reliable … or it used to be. Arctic ice loss has been in the news constantly for at least a decade, but just last month it was confirmed that 2020 is the second-worst year on record for it. If you thought it was problem that didn’t affect you, well, you’d be wrong about that. So, why is this happening? Why this year in particular? And what about the antarctic? Take a listen and find ou...2020-11-1835 min

For What It’s Earth41: HS2: Low-carbon travel or environmental disaster?It’s fair to say that, since its announcement nearly a decade ago, the ‘High Speed Rail 2’ project has been in the UK news A LOT. With construction starting on the massive infrastructure project recently, we took a look at the likely environmental impact of this highly-contentious undertaking. Could projects like this ever have a positive environmental swing? Does simply uprooting and moving a whole forest actually work? A few of the discussed sources: https://www.hs2.org.uk/what-is-hs2/ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/hs2 https://www.bbc.co.uk...2020-11-0439 min

For What It’s Earth40: Lizzie Daly on animal-human interactions and wildlife presentingWhat happens when you take a scorpion into a hotel? What’s the best material to make a puffin from? This week we sat down with Wildlife Television presenter and Biologist Lizzie Daly to discuss human-wildlife ‘conflict’ (or more optimistically, coexistence) and her own research with Kenyan elephants, as well as explore her frankly ridiculously cool career. This is a fun one - plug in, get a cup of tea and laugh along with us. Why you’re here, why not give us a lovely review on your podcast platform of choice? Find Lizz...2020-10-2142 min

For What It’s Earth39: Rivers (re-visited!) with Dr. Stephanie Januchowski-HartleyAfter our rivers episode earlier in the season, we realised that we’d barely gone beneath the surface of this vast topic. Enter: Stephanie, a specialist in aquatic ecosystems and research fellow at Swansea University! Not only do we unpick some key environmental issues in the form of freshwater obstructions (culverts are, perhaps, the unsung villain of our riverine world), but also look at Steph’s work exploring how people and communities the world over interact with, and think of, freshwater. Ponds and poetry, billabongs and balladry, we’ve got it all! Oh, and why not give...2020-10-0741 min

For What It’s Earth38: Badgers! (and the ‘C‘ word: culling)We're talking about the UK's most iconic monochrome, stripy nocturnal creatures and the threats they face: roads, pesticides, and the 'C' word - culling. Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Oh, and please do leave us a cute little five-star review so we can achieve our dream of world dominance (and actually stand a chance at being found by new listeners). Episode links: https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/07/badger-cull-extended-england-60000-animal...2020-09-2337 min

For What It’s EarthSharks! With Hannah RuddWhen you think of sharks, do you think of far-flung exotic seas? Did you know that we in the UK have over 40 species of shark? We talk to Hannah Rudd - marine biologist and science communicator - about these often misunderstood creatures that so often capture our imaginations, but not always in the most flattering ways. Why are sharks important? What can we do to help them? Where might we find them on our very own shores? Hear about all this, including Hannah’s own research on eco-tourism’s potential in replacing damaging fishing practices. Oh, and whil...2020-09-0900 min

For What It’s Earth36: Rivers: Pollution, pesticides and poopWith untreated sewage, fertiliser nutrients, agriculture chemicals and ALL SORTS ending up in our rivers in the UK through a variety of ways, we turn our attention to some of our beautiful freshwater habitats. Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Oh, and please do leave us a cute little five-star review so we can achieve our dream of world dominance (and actually stand a chance at being found by new listeners). Episode links: https://bristolavonriverstrust.org/citizen-science-water-quality-monitoring/ 2020-09-0234 min

For What It’s Earth35: Insect decline with Yussef Rafik, aka The Zoology GuyYussef Rafik, host of BUG FACE on BBC Earth, joins us to share his love for insects, and to chat about insect decline and the things we can do to save the planet's most important but underrated creatures. The Wildlife Trusts' Action for Insects campaign and advice booklets: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/take-action-insects Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email forwhatitsearthpod@gmail.com. Oh, and please do leave us a cute little review so we can achieve our dream of world dominance. 2020-08-1935 min

For What It’s Earth34: Lockdown and the environment: changes that can last?Emerging from lockdown, eyes blinking in the sunlight and masks firmly on, Emma and Lloyd ARE BACK! In this episode, we talk about COVID and the environment. We’ve all seen the amazing stories of dolphins in Venetian canals, goats wandering the streets of Llandudno (Emma can’t pronounce this) and clear skies over our busiest of megacities, but has the perceived environmental benefit been as significant as hoped? And, perhaps more importantly, can it last? STATISTICS. PERSPECTIVE. POOR BANTER. FWIE is back! Get in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and by email for...2020-08-0538 min

For What It’s Earth33: Alcohol: Getting sloshed, sustainably (and responsibly)Getting sloshed, sustainably… This week we’re raising a glass and toasting the end of series 2 of For What It’s Earth, by taking a look at the environmental footprint of the alcohol industry. From the packaging used and the carbon footprint associated with your bottle or can’s transport around the globe, to the amount of water or energy used in the crop growing or distilling process, it turns out, there’s rather a lot to think about. Find out what we recommend you consider when deciding on your next tipple of choice, and explore so...2020-04-2235 min

For What It’s Earth32: Save the butterflies, plus getting your nature fix during lockdownIn this episode, we find out why butterflies (and moths!) are an essential part of our ecosystems, learn about why they're under threat and in decline, and explore ways in which we can protect these beautiful pollinators from our own homes. As we're also recording separately and practising social distancing, we're also sharing some top tips for making sure you still get your nature fix while in lockdown - whether you've got a garden, window boxes or just the internet to help! Our Google Doc of things to do to connect with nature while we're i...2020-04-0136 min

For What It’s Earth31: Water scarcityAs our population grows and so too does our consumption of resources, this week Emma and Lloyd are exploring why one of life’s most essential resources is becoming more and more scarce around the world. We look at the causes of water scarcity, explore big ideas for dealing with it and find out what easy changes we can make in our daily lives that can reduce our personal water usage. Sources: Ted Talk: We need to track water like we track the weather: https://www.ted.com/talks/son...2020-03-1137 min

For What It’s Earth30: Overpopulation: climate change‘s uncomfortable truth? With Dave GardnerDave Gardner, host of GrowthBusters Podcast and The Overpopulation Podcast joins Emma this week to talk about climate change’s uncomfortable truth: We’re struggling with overpopulation. We need to do something about our population size and our rate of consumption. How do you deal with that without telling women what to do with their bodies? Download the episode to find out! We even got Dave to answer YOUR listener questions! Find For What It's Earth on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Don't forget to leave us a review on your podcast platform - it helps new liste...2020-03-0445 min

For What It’s Earth29: Flooding: Can we blame climate change?With the UK still recovering from the flooding caused by Storm Dennis and Storm Ciara, we’re looking at the news this week. We're exploring the links between flooding, intense weather events and climate change, and whether there's much we can do about it. And that means, of course, we're also taking BEAVERS. Emma gets pretty enthusiastic about nature’s natural flood management squad, which are currently being trialled in Devon and Cornwall... #morebeaverforbritain Find For What It's Earth on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Don't forget to leave us a review on your podcast platform - it helps new l...2020-02-2632 min

For What It’s Earth28: Tori Tsui on modern-day activism and fixing the systemThe passionate and fantastic climate activist Tori Tsui joins Emma this week! After a 3-month sail across the Atlantic which helped to raise awareness about the need for thinking about how we travel and making lower-carbon alternatives feasible, Tori is dialling in from Colombia where she's helping run the fantastic Sail for Climate Action project, taking Latin American and Caribbean youths across the Atlantic to take part in climate talks in Europe in April. We talk about tackling the carbon footprint of, and the growth of the aviation industry, the role social media can play in combating c...2020-02-1949 min

For What It’s Earth26: Renewable energy: How it works, sources and switchingRenewable energy! What is it, how does it work, and how can you switch supplier? Some of the most common renewable energy questions are answered in this episode as we explore on-shore and off-shore wind, solar, biomass and nuclear energy. Find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and leave us a review - it helps new listeners find the podcast! Things we spoke about: Which? Understanding solar panels: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/solar-panels/article/solar-panels/how-does-solar-pv-work Which? How green is your energy tariff: https://www.which.co.uk/news...2020-02-1241 min

For What It’s Earth27: Roxy Furman on activism and low-impact livingAKA Roxy the Zoologist, this lovely activist and wildlife filmmaker joins Emma this week to chat about all things vegan, how social media and activism can come hand in hand, and teaches us how to make oat milk. Follow Roxy on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/roxythezoologist/ Check out her sustainable supermarket, Zephy EcoMarket: https://www.zephyrecomarket.co.uk/ Organic underwear company which donate pants each time you purchase: https://www.youunderwear.com/ Find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and please do leave us a review...2020-02-0535 min

For What It’s Earth25: Strange sustainability solutionsIt’s a fun one this week as we explore some of the most interesting and unusual sustainability solutions and environment-saving action plans the internet has to offer! We’re talking about robot-bees, plastics made from fish waste, bicycles and towers which suck smog out from the air, toilets which convert urine into electricity, shower curtains which grow spikes to kick you out and save water… aaannd all kinds of other things! If you’ve heard of any cool climate or sustainability solutions recently, let us know! We LOVE hearing about them. Find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter...2020-01-2235 min

For What It’s Earth24: Wildfires: Causes, biodiversity loss and climate changeThis week we're exploring the topic of wildfires. As immense wildfires currently blaze across huge areas of Australia and both California and Siberia have also experienced vast fires in recent years, we look at the causes of wildfires, the impact they can have on biodiversity and the natural environment, how fires fit into nature's usual cycles and the role that climate change is having on the increased frequency and severity of wildfires. We also speak to Professor Stefan Doerr from the University of Swansea about understanding how climatic conditions have influenced the severity of the fires, and...2020-01-1533 min

For What It’s Earth23: Overfishing & eating fish sustainably, with Marine Conservation SocietyWith lots of information about overfishing and depleted wild fish stocks in the news, it can be hard to know what fish or seafood we should and shouldn't be eating. This week Emma joins Charlotte Coombes from the Marine Conservation Society to talk about their Good Fish Guide, a handy tool for finding out which species and which fishing styles are 'red-listed' and to be avoided, and which species or sustainable practices we can choose to buy and support! MCS' Good Fish Guide: https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/search Thanks to Charlotte for joining us t...2020-01-0838 min

For What It’s Earth22: Sustainable & plastic-free periodsThis week we're talking about that time of the month. Half of the world menstruates at some point during their lives and often the sanitary products used are single-use and contain significant quantities of plastic. City to Sea estimates that a regular pack of pads contains as much plastic as five plastic bags and that 2.5 million tampons are flushed in the UK every year, and the Marine Conservation Society have seen huge numbers of sanitary products wash up on our beaches every year. The things we use for just a matter of hours can outlive even us when discarded...2020-01-0136 min

For What It’s Earth21: Letters from listenersA few months ago, a year 6 class at Mendip Green Primary School sat down to do a writing exercise; they wrote us letters on the topic of plastic pollution! Today we're sharing a few of these fantastic letters, which range from issues they've researched in-depth to some fantastic creative writing exercises. What happens to Rodrigo The Eager Sea Hampster, and why did Alfred clamber onto the oak table to stamp his foot, you ask? Listen to probably our most heart-warming episode so far to find out! Don't forget to subscribe, find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter...2019-12-1825 min

For What It’s Earth20: Sustainable cities: Nancy Grimm on future-proofing for climate changeThis week Emma's chatting to Dr Nancy Grimm @DrNitrogen from Arizona State University about sustainable architecture, and her research and role in designing our cities to better prepare them (and us) to handle climate change, which is bringing more frequent and extreme weather events. Don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review and keep in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Get yourself an organic cotton, sustainable FWIE teeshirt here: https://forwhatitsearth.teemill.com The very tiny proceeds of which go towards helping us keep producing this podcast for free and allow us to trav...2019-12-1133 min

For What It’s Earth19: Happy holidays: Being sustainable at ChristmasHappy Christmas! This week we're kicking off the festive season by sharing some of our favourite ideas for making this Christmas a real hoot without it being hard on the environment. Links we mentioned: Recycle Now's local Christmas tree recycling finder: https://www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling?rlw-initial-path=places/all%3Fmaterials%3D97 Furoshiki Japanese Fabric Wrapping: https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/how-furoshiki-japanese-fabric-wrapping/ Seedboms: https://kabloom.co.uk/ (Head over to our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for your chance to win two!) Don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review and keep...2019-12-0441 min

For What It’s Earth18: The Great British Beach Clean, with Lizzie Prior and Marine Conservation SocietyEvery year, millions of items of litter wash up on our shores, from crisp packets and plastic bottles to cigarette stubs and microplastics, and every year hundreds of volunteers join the Marine Conservation Society's Great British Beach Clean weekend. Volunteers get to be citizen scientists, picking up all the litter found on a 100m stretch of their local beach, recording what they find and sending the data off to MCS, who use the results to inform policy and ask for government change. Today, MCS is releasing the results of their 2019 clean up, so this week Emma has had a...2019-11-2836 min

For What It’s Earth17: Rewildling and reforestation: Can trees save the planet?This week we're wandering through the topics of rewilding and reforestation! We find out how many trees we would need to help the UK become 'carbon neutral', learn about some of the amazing projects in Scotland, Yosemite and Mauritius in which fantastic teams of conservationists are restoring whole ecosystems and reintroducing species, and explore the ways in which taking inspiration from Mother Nature herself could help us save the world. Oh, and did you know that planting trees can sometimes be a bad thing? You'll have to listen to find out why! If you'd like to support...2019-11-2033 min

For What It’s Earth16: British birds and wildlife-friendly gardens, with Dan RouseThis week Lloyd speaks to the completely lovely Dan Rouse, ornithologist and wildlife presenter! Find out more about how to look after our birdlife, how to make your garden super wildlife-friendly, how to get the best from bird boxes, and how fulmars use vomiting to protect their chicks. This is the first in our efforts this series to sprinkle more interviews and interesting chats with brilliant people. This one was recorded in the park earlier this summer, so you can hear more birdsong than you would in our usual studio. Get your organic cotton FWIE podcast tee...2019-11-1337 min

For What It’s Earth15: How can we travel more sustainably?Emma and Lloyd are back for season two of For What It's Earth! To kick off our next batch of sustainability podcasts, we're celebrating Greta Thunberg's sail across the Atlantic to raise awareness the need for us to reduce our carbon emissions, and, because trans-Atlantic boat journeys aren't always feasible, we're exploring other ways that we can make our travels more sustainable. We're also dead chuffed to now be working with Teemill to produce some snazzy, organic cotton sustainable teeshirts, the very tiny proceeds of which go towards helping us keep producing this podcast for free. Get...2019-11-0636 min

For What It’s Earth14: BONUS episode! Arctic bumblebees & climate changeHello from the Arctic! In this cheeky bonus episode, we're sharing an episode of one of the podcasts that Emma has been working on in northern Sweden this summer, for the Climate Impacts Research Centre. She's joining Ryan and Lottie from Imperial College London for a day out on the mountain, catching and recording Arctic bumblebees! Click here for more episodes of Field Notes on Climate Change, and here for more information on the Climate Impacts Research Centre. Keep in touch and let us know what you want to hear in se...2019-07-1733 min

For What It’s Earth13: Listener Q&A!And that’s a wrap for season one of For What It’s Earth! This week, to celebrate making it this far, we’ve been answering your questions, from finding the most impactful environmentally-friendly actions we can make from our own home and exploring whether we can travel the world sustainably, to finding environmentally-friendly earplugs and wondering whether the series has changed our own attitudes towards sustainability. Thanks for listening this far, we’ll be back bigger and better than ever in the autumn with season two! Things we chatted about: Off...2019-06-121h 00

For What It’s Earth12: Climate emergency: What does that even mean?Children have gone on strike from schools, Extinction Rebellion has occupied our headlines and our cities, and now the UK has declared a Climate Emergency, as have many individual towns, cities and communities - Universities, even! But what has the Greta-effect actually had on the UK, and what does declaring a very official sounding (but not actually very officially-binding) Climate Emergency even mean? Things we chatted about: WWF Climate Emergency Demand Action Petition: https://www.wwf.org.uk/fight-climate-change Friend's of the Earth's to-do list for the UK Government to address cl...2019-06-0538 min

For What It’s Earth11: Libby Bowles: Marine conservation, plastics, and bamboo bicycle tripsMarine conservationist and educator, Libby Bowles, joins us to chat about her journey across New Zealand on a bamboo bicycle, discussed why she's dedicated her time to educating kids about plastic pollution and shared her wisdom on how to live a more sustainable life in a genuinely helpful, less 'I'm doing this for Instagram' kind of a way! We featured a few minutes of her interview on our 'Plastics - What Can We Do?' episode, but as all of her stories are packed full of inspiration and advice, this bonus episode consists of the whole chat.2019-05-2431 min

For What It’s Earth10: Why is nature important in our cities? With Avon Wildlife TrustJoined by the Rosie Maple from the Avon Wildlife Trust, we explore the reasons why we need urban wildlife and to understand why conservation movements such as The Wildlife Trusts believe cities rely on their green spaces. Find out why we need to keep our cities little bit wild, how careful planning and tree management can help urban environments cope with climate change, and what each of us can do to help our cities thrive. Find out more about the Avon Wildlife Trust: https://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/ The Wildlife Trusts: htt...2019-05-0833 min

For What It’s Earth9: Electric carsChocks away! From life-cycle emissions and the environmental issues surrounding the lithium-ion batteries to finding charging points and looking at how EVs (electric vehicles) can help rather than hinder the National Grid, buckle up your seatbelt because this week we’re racing through the topic of electric cars. We’ve also got a quick chat with Robert Lewellyn (of Red Dwarf, Scrapheap Challenge and Fully Charged fame) about his Tesla and Hyundai Kona, all thanks to Andrew from the wonderful Cosmic Shed podcast. Listen, subscribe and if you enjoy it, leave us a review! ...2019-05-0152 min

For What It’s Earth8: Palm oil: What’s the problem?Confused about palm oil? We’re heading deep into the former rainforests of South East Asia to explore the huge palm oil plantations that fuel far more of the food industry in the west than we realise (and also chop down quite a lot of the lush forest greenery). Things we chatted about: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard: http://palmoilscorecard.panda.org/ Buycott app to scan your produce and find out whether it contains palm oil or ties to any other unsustainable practices: https://www.buycott.com/ RSPO certification to id...2019-04-1727 min

For What It’s Earth7. Sustainable cosmetics & toiletries, with Sophie PavelleEmma is joined by conservationist and all-round nature legend, Sophie Pavelle for this episode on cosmetics and toiletries. Dead chuffed to be wondering how we can make our bathroom routines a little greener, Sophie has taken a break from generally saving all of the UK's wildlife to chat cosmetics, talk about toiletries and suss out some sustainable solutions. Listen, subscribe and, if you enjoy it, leave us a review! Stuff that we spoke about: Neal’s Yard Remedies organic bee range: https://www.nealsyardremedies.com/bee-lovely-timeline.html Send yo...2019-04-1036 min

For What It’s Earth6: Plastics (part 2): What can we do?It's time to chat about PLASTICS. This here is part two and we're looking at some of the things that we can do to reduce our plastic footprint. Plus, we'll be chatting to Libby Bowles, who cycled around the world on a bamboo bicycle to teach kids about plastics. If you haven't listened to the first part, we suggest you head back and download that one first. In part one, we explored the issues with plastics in marine environments, trie to figure out what's going on with microplastics and even dive into a bit of chemistry to loo...2019-04-0339 min

For What It’s Earth5: Plastics (part 1): What‘s the problem?In part one, we're exploring the issues with plastics in marine environments, trying to figure out what's going on with microplastics and even diving into a little chemistry when we look at the new links that scientists have uncovered between plastics and our health. Once you've finished this episode, head over to enjoy part two. We'll be looking at some of the things that we can do to reduce our plastic footprint. Plus, we'll be chatting to Libby Bowles, who cycled around the world on a bamboo bicycle to teach kids about plastics. Get in to...2019-04-0334 min

For What It’s Earth4: Recycling: How does it work and are we doing enough? We are diving deep into our green bins and following the things we throw away on their journey through the recycling process (or not). Find out why we're fascinated by 'Air Knives' in Brighton & Hove, and join us as we discover just why the UK has SO much green glass in its recycling bins... Download, subscribe, leave us a review and lend us your ears. Stuff that we spoke about: 'Air Knives' and other extraordinary elements of Brighton & Hove's fascinating (genuinely!) recycling system: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/environment/recycling-rubbish-and-street-cleaning/how-your-recycling-sorted R...2019-03-2032 min

For What It’s Earth3. Fast fashion: How can we shop sustainably?What are you wearing and do you know the hidden costs associated with your clothes? Trawling through the world of Fast Fashion this week, we're exploring the complicated and not very environmentally-friendly textile dying processes, asking whether organic cotton is really all that and finding out why we all should be hunting down our nearest charity shops and fabric recycling banks. Download, subscribe and lend us your ears. Let us know what you think! Stuff that we spoke about: Patagonia clothing: https://www.patagonia.com/sustainability.html Rapanu...2019-03-1333 min

For What It’s Earth2. Vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian? Sustainable diets and smart food choicesPut down your hamburgers! This week we are tucking into the topic of sustainable diets, looking at the many, many environmental impacts of the food industry and finding out why many of us are moving to vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diets. We’re looking at the future of food security in a growing world, the carbon emissions and water demands of different food-producing practices, nifty new farming and agriculture technologies, and whether or not that all means we all have to turn 100% vegan. Download, subscribe and let us know what you think! ...2019-03-0542 min

For What It’s Earth1: Why do we need bees (and other pollinators)?Why do we need bees in our gardens (and everywhere else)? To kick off the first series, we're sitting down to talk about honey bees, solitary bees (yes, they’re a thing), pollination, trying to figure out how to feed the world’s growing population without these stripy characters, and exploring the ways that we can make our cities, our farmlands and our own gardens or windowsills beautifully bee-friendly. All the while trying not to headbutt their microphones. Download, subscribe and tune in, let us know what you think! Things we've mentioned in the ep...2019-02-2731 min

For What It’s EarthFor What It's Earth TrailerHello and welcome to For What It's Earth! Your brand new environment and sustainability podcast explaining the science behind what’s going on in the world, and exploring the things that we can do to make a little bit of a big difference. Each week we sit down and look at a different topic, from plastics to palm oil and from conservation to cosmetics, sharing good ideas in a world of bad news. Join us for a new episode every Wednesday. Hosted by Emma Brisdion and Lloyd Hopkins. Instagram @forwhatitsearthpodcast ...2019-02-2000 min