
The Plant Based News Podcast
The Plant Based News (PBN Podcast) delivers pioneering vegan news and ethical views weekly. Your go to podcast for plant-based nutrition and everything to do with living a vegan lifestyle.
Hosts in order of episodes:
Robbie Lockie
Joe Best
Klaus Mitchell
Sarah Tweed
Shabnam Islam
Latest episodes

Nov 30, 2022 • 54min
Does The Perfect Vegan Exist? Alicia Silverstone On The Dangers of Burnout, Mental Health, And More
Welcome back to another week of the Plant Based News podcast. We have a very special guest on today’s episode. Best known for her roles in cult classics such as Clueless and The Crush, our guest on the podcast today is none other than actress, entrepreneur, and vegan advocate Alicia Silverstone.
Becoming vegan in her early 20s, she first made the lifestyle change out of consideration for animal welfare. Since the early 2000s, she has been a strong advocate for animal rights and has participated in several PETA ad campaigns promoting veganism. Discovering the health benefits of a plant-based diet, she co-created myKind Organics vitamin line – a certified organic, non-GMO vegan supplement range. The supplements are crafted from real whole foods offering clean nutrition that is good for the environment and good for our bodies.
Alicia is now the host of The Real Heal with Alicia Silverstone from iHeartMedia, where she sits down with guests each week to talk candidly about health, healing, and cutting through the noise of our busy lives, covering topics like self-love, nurturing children, ocean conservation and more. She has also chronicled her journey towards a more conscious way of eating in her New York Times bestseller, "The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet" and her second book, "The Kind Mama." Her website, thekindlife.com, is a platform for health and eco-living.
I am thrilled to welcome Alicia to the Plant Based News podcast and talk about her vegan journey and all things wellness, nutrition, and self-care. Welcome, Alicia!
*Show Notes*
00:00:00 An Introduction to Alicia Silverstone
00:02:14 How Alicia discovered the vegan lifestyle
00:07:19 The Witness documentary and the impact the movie had on Alicia
00:12:50 The Kind Life books: The Kind Diet and The Kind Mama
00:24:40 How the media attention has affected Alicia with her vegan message
00:31:44 How Alicia has maintained her positive mental wellness
00:36:30 The Real Heal Podcast
00:45:43 The challenges that vegans face
00:47:30 How Alicia avoids the dangers of burn-out
00:50:30 Would Cher Horowitz (Alicia’s character in Clueless be a vegan?)
00:52:00 Stranded on a desert island
Produced and Presented by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott

Nov 16, 2022 • 1h 2min
Dan McKernan On Why He Ditched His Six Figure Salary To Start An Animal Sanctuary
Welcome back to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast! This week I am delighted to welcome to the podcast animal advocate and founder of Barn Sanctuary Dan McKernan.
Dan’s journey of animal advocacy goes back a few years to when he decided to leave a successful, high-paying job in the tech industry in Austin, Texas. He decided to return to his home in rural Michigan and was intent on transforming his family’s 140-year-old farm into a safe haven for farmed animals. This is how in 2016 Barn Sanctuary was formed.
Barn Sanctuary in Chelsea, Michigan is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused and neglected farmed animals in need. It is currently home to over 100 rescued farmed animals, which reside within the 70-acre property. Barn Sanctuary exemplifies Dan’s mission to change the way the world views farmed animals and help lead society towards a more compassionate and plant-based lifestyle.
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
Learn more about Dan and Barn Sanctuary here -https://www.barnsanctuary.org/
00:00:00 An Introduction to Dan McKernan
00:04:10 Discovering the vegan and plant-based lifestyle
00:06:48 Detaching from the misconceptions that being vegan is not masculine
00:14:45 The transition from being tech nerd to founder of Barn Sanctuary
00:19:35 What happens on the animal sanctuary
00:27:10 Stories of visitors at the sanctuary
00:31:00 Dealing with the loss of animals cared for at the sanctuary
00:38:21 Dreaming of the perfect future for animals
00:42:00 Mercy For Animals: Transfarmation
00:43:00 Saved By The Barn TV Show
00:51:35 This Farm is a Family - a book for children
00:58:40 Stranded on a desert island

Nov 2, 2022 • 59min
How To Cope With Eco Anxiety With Scientist & Environmentalist Matthew Shribman
Welcome back to another episode of the Plant Based News Podcast! We are joined by a familiar face, environmentalist, scientist, and educator Matthew Shribman.
Last time Matthew was on the podcast we talked about environmentalism and ways in which we communicate the scientific facts about the current state of our planet and the climate crisis. As an educator and a science communicator, Matthew has made significant strides in educating people on the importance of action and solutions.
Today we are sitting down to discuss more about his journey, his mission, and his continued work in education through his platform AimHi Earth. We will delve deeper into the role of science, education, and communication in mobilizing people in to taking action.
Follow AimHi Earth here - https://www.instagram.com/aimhilive/
Find out more about Matthew here - http://www.matthewshribman.com/
Image of Matthew is from the 'HalfCut Campaign' which raised awareness about how half of the world’s forests are GONE.
Find out more here - https://go.halfcut.org/abouthalfcutcampaign
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An introduction to Matthew Shribman
00:03:19 What Matthew has been up to since the last PBN chat
00:07:45 Learning about Earth
00:10:55 The nature of Consciousness
00:21:00 The importance of connecting with nature
00:25:30 The challenges of educating / making information accessible
00:28:40 Creating content on TikTok and other platforms
00:33:16 Eco anxiety: how we can stay positive and hopeful
00:39:16 Predicting the future: what does the Earth look like?
00:43:55 Are we a parasitic species?
00:51:37 Rewriting the script for humankind

Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 5min
The Importance Of Bearing Witness & The Plant Based Treaty With Nicola Harris And Anita Krajnc
Today on the PBN Podcast, we are joined by two special guests – Nicola Harris & Anita Krajnc of Plant Based Treaty, an international movement and grassroots campaign designed to put food systems at the forefront of combating the climate crisis.
Anita Krajnc is co-founder of Toronto Pig Save and the global Animal Save Movement. The groups bear witness to animals at slaughterhouses and are dedicated to promoting an equitable, eco-friendly vegan vision for the world through grassroots activism. She has participated in numerous campaigns and initiatives such as the Great Bear Rainforest Campaign where she met environmental activist Tzeporah Berman, who now chairs the Fossil Fuel Nonproliferation Treaty. Anita received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and she has also taught university courses on social movement strategies.
With over 20 years experience in pressure campaigning in the UK, Nicola Harris serves as Plant Based Treaty’s Director of Communications. She studied Psychology and Computing at Bournemouth University. This laid the foundation for learning how to apply our knowledge of human memory and information processing in communication, copywriting and media strategies. Nicola coordinates the Plant Based Treaty’s online activity and digital campaigns, ensuring that their work has maximum reach and impact.
00:00:00 An introduction to Nicola Harris & Anita Krajnc
00:03:00 The start of Nicola and Anita’s commitment to veganism
00:07:00 How Nicola and Anita came to work together
00:09:32 Animal Save Movement: The principles and ideas behind the global network
00:13:35 Examining the positive impacts of bearing witness
00:17:30 How has bearing witness impacted Nicola and Anita’s experience as a vegan advocate?
00:21:00 The most effective ways in which we can advocate without showing too much graphic detail of animal suffering
00:27:00 How The Plant Based Treaty began
00:32:00 The most surprising things that Nicola has noticed during the Plant Based Treaty journey
00:33:45 The key things that people need to know about our food system and how it impacts climate breakdown
00:38:10 How can we fight apathy?
00:40:00 What needs to be done to address the harmful effects of animal agriculture?
00:45:45 Nicola Harris on becoming the victim of state repression and being imprisoned during her fight for animal welfare
00:51:00 Anita Krajnc on the importance of Gandhi's teachings
00:56:30 The future of the Plant Based Treaty campaigns
01:01:50 Stranded on a desert island

Oct 5, 2022 • 1h 8min
Does Food Impact Our Mental Health? Dr Angie Sadeghi On The Link Between The Brain & Gut
Welcome to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast, where I am joined today by the President and CEO of the Institute of Plant-Based Medicine gastroenterologist Dr. Angie Sadeghi. Based in California, Dr. Sadeghi is an expert in the digestive system and a passionate vegan advocate. She is committed to helping people through an integrative approach that helps them lead healthier and longer lives.
Dr. Angie’s personal journey is what has inspired her to help patients stay fit and healthy through nutrition and fitness. She had previously suffered from health problems such as severe eczema, elevated cholesterol, fatigue, and was overweight. After being vegetarian for several years, in 2014 she switched to a whole-food plant-based diet and adopted regular fitness into her lifestyle. This proved to be transformative for her, restoring her health and improving her physical fitness in a short span of time. She lost 30lbs of weight in 8 months and even gained the confidence to enter into a fitness competition.
Today Dr. Angie heads the Institute of Plant-Based Medicine whose mission is to treat, prevent, and reverse disease using a multi-speciality approach combining plant-based nutrition with evidence-based medicine. She continues her work of treating her patients and educating fellow physicians and healthcare professionals on the positive impact of evidence based nutrition on health and disease.

Sep 21, 2022 • 1h 5min
Vampire Diaries Actor Paul Wesley On Fighting For The Rights Of Animals
We have a very exciting guest joining us on this episode of the PBN Podcast - American actor and director Paul Wesley.
Best known for his lead role as Stefan Salvatore in the drama series The Vampire Diaries, Paul has been an advocate for animal rights for many years. Speaking up against the unnecessary suffering of animals, over the years he has participated in events and supported activist organizations such as Mercy For Animals and Farm Sanctuary.
Follow Paul on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/paulwesley/
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An Introduction to Paul Wesley
00:03:36 The beginning of Paul’s vegan journey
00:05:42 Cowspiracy Trailer clip
00:06:22 Being inspired by news outlets and activists on social media
00:07:10 Experiencing pushback from friends for sharing the vegan message
00:13:03 The challenges of being a vegan who works in the film industry
00:15:00 The future of meat
00:17:00 How Paul maintains his health
00:19:30 Looking after your pets
00:25:00 Carnism
00:30:27 ‘Animal Agriculture and our Food System with Paul Wesley’ [Farm Sanctuary clip]
00:32:51 Engaging with celebrities such as Cardi B and politicians like senator Cory Booker
00:36:50 How important is it to preserve the meaning of being vegan?
00:39:52 ‘They’re Trying To Kill Us’: the American documentary film co-directed and produced by John Lewis and Keegan Kuhn [including clips]
00:43:50 The future of factory farming
00:44:46 ‘Animal Agriculture and our Food System with Paul Wesley’ [Farm Sanctuary clip 2]
00:46:00 ‘Don’t Look Up’: the American apocalyptical political satire black comedy movie, written, co-produced, and directed by Adam McKay [including clips]
00:49:00 Where does the responsibility lie with the climate crisis? Should it be on us as individuals?
00:53:05 ‘Breaking Boundaries’ documentary [including clips]
00:55:20 How Paul stays positive in life
00:58:05 Brother’s Bond: Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder’s bourbon whiskey business
00:59:15 ‘The Vampire Diaries’ trailer clip
01:02:20 Stranded on a desert island

Sep 7, 2022 • 1h 12min
SUPERCHARGING Your Immune System With Dr. Brooke Goldner
Welcome back to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast!
Today we are joined by certified medical doctor, plant-based healer and nutrition specialist Dr. Brooke Goldner, founder of VeganMedicalDoctor.com, GoodbyeLupus.com, and is known as the creator of the Hyper-nourishing Healing Protocol for Lupus Recovery.
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Goldner on this episode of the PBN Podcast to talk more in depth about her own inspiring life story and journey of overcoming lupus.
Follow Dr Brooke Goldner on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/goodbyelupus/
Find out more about Dr Brooke Goldner here - https://www.goodbyelupus.com/about-dr-g/
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An introduction to Dr. Brooke Goldner
00:04:06 Exciting news about the Francis Crick Institute study of the rise of auto immune diseases
00:07:00 What are the tricks and tips to help people move away from their food addictions?
00:12:30 The effects of diet in conjunction with the onset of covid-19
00:19:00 How a “hyper-nourishment” diet can prevent and reverse chronic illness
00:41:00 What is the difference between a whole-food plant-based diet and a vegan diet?
00:54:48 Understanding the hesitancy surrounding vaccines
00:59:55 Is Dr. Brooke Goldner frustrated that the media don’t appear to be discussing the benefits of a nourishing plant-based diet to combat the symptoms of covid?
01:06:05 What would a perfect day look like if someone wants to switch to a more nourishing diet?

Aug 17, 2022 • 55min
How Chuck Carroll Lost 265 Pounds & Transformed His Life On A Plant-Based Diet
Welcome to another special episode of the PBN Podcast! We are delighted to be joined again by plant-based advocate Chuck Carroll, also known as The Weight Loss Champion.
In the previous episode with Chuck, we spoke about his amazing weight loss transformation and how switching to a plant-based diet allowed him to conquer his food addiction and improve his health in the long run. We spoke about Chuck’s weight loss journey and the instrumental role that going plant-based has played in his transformation and switch towards a healthier lifestyle.
We're very glad to welcome Chuck back for another chat as we dig deeper into what different insights he has to share about weight loss, body image and mental health.
Follow Chuck on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/chuckcarrollwlc
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An introduction to Chuck Carroll
00:02:50 The start of Chuck’s plant-based journey
00:04:17 The start of Chuck’s weight loss process
00:08:30 The obesity crisis in the U.S.
00:14:08 Chuck’s surgery and diet change
00:25:29 How Chuck transformed his health
00:29:30 Food addiction and mental health
00:39:12 The Exam Room Live Podcast
00:46:00 What efforts the US Government is making to tackle change
00:50:00 Would Chuck Caroll study nutrition in more detail and become a Nutritionist?
00:51:45 Stranded on a desert island

Aug 3, 2022 • 1h 6min
The Future Of Food Is 'Animal Free' With Sonalie Figueiras, The Green Queen
Joining us on today’s episode of the PBN Podcast is social entrepreneur Sonalie Figueiras – founder & CEO at Green Queen, Ekowarehouse & SourceGreenPackaging.com.
Sonalie was born in Hong Kong to French and Indian parents. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has a background in digital marketing, publishing and sustainability. Now with over a decade of experience in those fields, she has successfully launched several businesses centred around sustainability and organic products.
In 2011, Sonalie founded Green Queen, an award-winning media platform advocating social and environmental change. In the past decade Green Queen has established itself as the leading outlet for alternative protein news. Their mission to shift consumer and corporate behaviour through original content promotes their belief that a circular economy, alternative protein and the food tech revolution are the best way to advocate for global social and environmental change.
Find out more about Green Queen here - https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/
Follow Green Queen on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/greenqueenhk/
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An introduction to Sonalie Figueras
00:02:30 The start of Sonalie’s plant-based journey
00:10:35 How Sonalie feels about the future
00:12:50 What the term “Eco Warrior” means to Sonalie
00:17:45 What does being a Green Queen mean?
00:21:10 The pros and cons of plastic
00:32:55 The ethics of media
00:42:55 The history of Green Queen
00:49:55 How women perceive themselves in business
00:58:00 How men can support women by bringing change in society around the world
01:02:20 What does Sonalie want listeners to take away from this episode
01:03:45 Stranded on a desert island

Jul 22, 2022 • 47min
Prevent Disease Through A Plant-Based Diet? With Dr Shireen Kassam & Dr Laura Freeman
Joining us on the PBN Podcast is not one but two really exciting guests – plant-based nutrition specialists and co-founders of Plant Based Health Online Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Freeman.
Dr Shireen Kassam is a Consultant Haematologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London with a specialist interest in the treatment of lymphoma. Shireen is passionate about promoting plant-based nutrition for the prevention and reversal of chronic disease and for maintaining optimal health after treatment for cancer. In 2018, she founded Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide evidence-based education on plant-based nutrition.
Dr Laura Freeman is a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician & Medical Director of Plant Based Health Online. She obtained her Medical Degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2006 and completed her vocational training in General Practice in 2011. Both within and outside of her General Practice, Dr Freeman has developed a strong interest for plant based nutrition and optimising health through lifestyle choices.
Get Dr Shireen Kassam's book 'Eating Plant-Based' here - https://www.hammersmithbooks.co.uk/product/eating-plant-based/
Find out more about Plant Based Health Professionals here - https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
00:00:00 An introduction to Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Freeman
00:03:25 The start of Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Freeman’s plant-based journeys
00:06:28 Cancer prevention
00:12:15 Busting the misconceptions of a vegan diet
00:15:48 Why are so many people still reluctant about adopting the vegan lifestyle?
00:17:53 Plant Based Health Online - the online lifestyle medicine healthcare service
00:20:20 Plant Based Health Online & Plant Based Health Professionals
00:23:20 The role of nutrition and lifestyle in the process of prevention and longterm management of health conditions
00:26:00 The benefits of a plant-based diet and the process of overcoming illness
00:28:30 Balancing diet with the other factors of improving our well being
00:29:30 Eating Plant-Based: Scientific Answers To Your Nutrition Questions: the book by Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Zara Kassam
00:31:52 Is there such a thing as a “perfect diet”?
00:33:12 Recommended supplements to accompany a plant-based diet
00:38:00 What is lacking with access to information with plant-based nutrition?
00:39:15 Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Freemans’s favourite plant-based resources
00:41:15 Advice for hesitant people
00:43:19 Stranded on a desert island