

Climate Curious
TEDxLondon
Are you Climate Curious? If you care about the world, but find the current conversation about climate change confusing, scary or boring – then this might be the podcast for you. Join TEDxLondon and co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst as we lift the lid on the climate emergency by speaking to the world’s leading and most relatable climate pioneers. Find out why cities are key to the climate fight, why we need to tackle systemic problems (and not just plastic straws), and why we’re all a bit crap at sustainability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 16, 2021 • 35min
How to be a global food citizen
Veganism isn’t the only answer to climate change, dignity and equity are, says knowledge broker, community chef and food policy-maker, Dee Woods. In this week’s Climate Curious by TEDxLondon, we’re discussing food – yum! Contributing to a whopping 21-37% of greenhouse gas emissions, the global food system needs a rethink, stat. Instead of restricting our diets, we need to reconnect with where our food comes from – so we can start making more localised, equitable choices. Join co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to hear Dee breakdown why solving bigger problems of the food industry can help us fight climate change, how chicken shops are in fact a policy-driven food apartheid, and why building localised food economies is essential to the future of people and planet.Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-to-be-a-global-food-citizen/Buy a Granville Community Kitchen Good Food Box: http://granvillecommunitykitchen.org.uk/good-food-box/Sign MP Ian Byrne’s #RightToFood petition: https://www.ianbyrne.org/righttofood-campaignFollow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 9, 2021 • 35min
Why we need to stop hating on bugs
Scary creepy crawlies, indestructible cockroaches and fluffy bumble bees… we’ve written narratives that have got bugs all wrong, says modern day explorer Will Hawkes in the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn about the little known, but incredible role insects play in the world’s ecosystem – from helping us grow crops and keep pests under control – bugs need love, too. From planting herbs on your balcony, to eating organic foods and pressuring your council to reduce verge cutting, discover what you can do today to give bugs their buzz back!Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-we-need-to-stop-hating-on-bugs/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 2, 2021 • 34min
Why Mother Nature is a drag queen
If you’ve ever thought about being a lady in the streets, but a freak on the peaks – this one’s for you! Thigh high boots, full glam and bouncy curls for days – Mother Nature’s had a makeover, and we’re not mad about it. In the first episode of Season 2 of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we're joined by the iconic environmentalist and intersectional drag queen, Pattie Gonia, who explains the need for everyone to connect to nature, why we must diversify the climate movement and why queer ecology is so much more than “gay dolphins in the ocean” – urging us to “advocate for our one true Queen, Mother Nature with all of our creativity and intersectional identities.” Join co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to discover why Pattie believes the outdoors isn’t just for white, straight, cis males, but instead, for everyone - especially Queer people and other marginalised groups, how you can be an environmentalist and still love your sofa and why hiking in 6-inch heels feels so right.Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-mother-nature-is-a-drag-queen/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 26, 2021 • 2min
Coming Soon: Season 2
We're back! Launching June 2nd, co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst introduce some of the topics we’ll cover in Season 2 of TEDxLondon's Climate Curious.Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 19, 2021 • 1h 9min
Best of Season 1
Join Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst in this bonus episode as they celebrate the highs and lows of season 1 of the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. From reminiscing on their most cringe-worthy climate confessions to reflecting on our guest’s most powerful insights, tune in to get geeky - in a fun way - and find out what we’ve really learnt in the first 8 episodes.Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 17, 2020 • 52min
Why what you wear is about more than fashion
Far from being frivolous, fashion is cultural currency, a tool of self-expression, and a much-loved confidence boost, but sadly it’s a problematic friend. Whether you’re donning Primark or Prada, thanks to hazy supply chains and labour practices, there’s no guarantee as to who made your clothes, and how sustainable they really are. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by Baroness Lola Young, an activist, author, crossbench peer in the House of Lords, and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, widely known for her contribution to creating legislation to eliminate modern slavery, a number which shockingly still stands at 40 million today globally. This pioneer urges us all to wake up to the labour behind the label, and to disengage from the fast fashion blame game and change what we can, today, with the resources we have. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to understand why it’s not about banning fast fashion – it’s about pressuring governments to make firms smarten up their act to end modern slavery, discover why being more thoughtful about people is the first step to being more thoughtful about consumption, and explore the surprisingly easy thing you can do today to make a difference – simply wear your clothes more! In this week’s Climate Confessions we take on shoe addictions, shopping to make yourself feel better (we’ve all been there) and recklessly running the hot tap for no good reason – why not!?Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-what-you-wear-is-about-more-than-fashion/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 9, 2020 • 59min
Why the law can save the planet
Forget imaginary superheroes, there is a team of legal avengers that are fighting every day on behalf of us and the planet. These legal heroes are shutting down coal power plants in Poland, re-designing what law looks like in China, making air pollution a thing of the past in the UK and uniting with local communities in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia and the Republic of Congo to stop deforestation. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious, we’re joined by the legal powerhouse that is James Thornton, the founding CEO of ClientEarth, and one of the New Statesman’s ‘ten people who could change the world’ – a lawyer who helps protect the planet and its people. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to discover what it takes to sue Governments and huge corporations, understand why working as a community is key to dismantling the fossil fuel economy, and explore why getting creative with the law is empowering nations to redesign ‘the system’ from within to reduce carbon emissions. In this week’s Climate Confessions, or Climate Crimes (for one week only!) we’re talking environmental litigation envy, disposable face masks and how your coffee addiction can lead you to some climate compromising decisions.Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-the-law-can-save-the-planet/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 24, 2020 • 48min
Why you feel anxious about climate change (and what to do about it)
Young people are terrified, depressed and anxious about the climate crisis. And the pressure society puts on them to drive innovation and lead change isn’t helping. In fact, it’s wearing them down – with 70% of 18-24-year-olds saying they feel eco-anxiety. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by visionary 21-year-old activist Clover Hogan, who urges us to give youth activists the space to have nuance and express their true feelings. Tune into this illuminating episode with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst where they explore the importance of an intergenerational approach to the climate crisis, explain why it’s so important to face these negative or scary feelings, and suggest how to turn your anxiety into agency. This week’s Climate Confessions? A nearly vegan burger, long hot baths, and a shocking revelation about coconut water you won’t be able to unhear.Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-you-feel-anxious-about-climate-change-and-what-to-do-about-it/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 17, 2020 • 40min
Why climate justice can’t happen without racial justice
The climate conversation is changing; a more inclusive, diverse and equitable story around climate is emerging, with race at the centre. This week’s extra special guest Member of Parliament for Tottenham and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy explains that the fight for racial justice is critical to saving the planet. He urges us to reframe the climate debate and see it as a humanitarian crisis: “this in the end is not just about saving the planet. It's about the people on the planet. And the people on the planet bearing the brunt of it are black,” David explains. On this episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst as they discuss why we need more black representation in the climate conversation, interrogate why if you care about identity, race, gender or equality you should also care about climate, and explore how we can all join the dots between racism and climate to create a more equitable world. And don’t miss out on this week’s scandalous Climate Confessions, which includes an hilarious overshare on some very personal habits!Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-climate-justice-cant-happen-without-racial-justice/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 10, 2020 • 57min
Why there’s much more to climate action than reducing your carbon footprint
What comes to mind when you think of the climate change conversation? Puffed-up academics? Militant hippies? Infuriating climate sceptics? Only ten years to save the world? Yep – it’s pretty overwhelming, pretty polarised, and we’re here to help you find a way through this ‘wicked problem’ of climate change. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we're joined by the legendary TEDxLondon speaker and neuroscientist specialising in polarisation, Dr. Kris De Meyer, who gives us the tools to disarm ourselves of limiting values and opinions and instead approach the climate crisis from a place of pure action. Tune into our most empowering episode to date with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst where they explain why climate change is a wicked problem, debunk why the 2020 climate conversation feels so fragmented and hostile, and unpack the neuroscience at the centre of this polarising topic. Spoiler alert – it involves going on a journey to discover where your ‘agency’ and climate intersect. This week’s Climate Confessions? Engaging with strangers on climate, vowing to be less judgemental and struggling to sort the recycling.For a full list of sources and further reading in this episode visit the TEDxLondon site: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-theres-much-more-to-climate-action-than-reducing-your-carbon-footprint/Follow Climate Curious:NewsletterInstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookSuggest a topic you’d like Climate Curious to coverCreated by TEDxLondonProduced by Josie ColterEdit, mix, master by Ben BeheshtyCurated by Maryam Pasha Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


