Sustainable(ish)

I'm delighted to be working with Organic UK* for a mini-series of podcast episodes to mark Organic September - an annual month long awareness campaign by the Soil Association In collaboration with the Organic Trade Board.In the same way that 'sustainability' and 'sustainable living' mean different things to different people, 'sustainable eating' will too. With that in mind, we've collated a brilliant panel to discuss what it means to them, the impacts our choices around food have on the planet, and how we as individuals and families can take some simple steps to eat more sustainably. Our brilliant panel comprises Melissa Hemsley – self taught cook and author of a stack (technical publishing term..) of amazing cookbooks including her latest Eat Green – based on the 15 most commonly thrown away foods; Ben White from Coombe Farm Organic - an organic farm in Somerset breeding and rearing slow-growing native breeds to produce award-winning meat; and Tim Field, head of sustainability at Daylesford – one of the most sustainable farms in the UK.Enjoy!* This is a paid partnership with Organic UK. This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media Useful linksOrganic UK- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterOrganic SeptemberMelissa Hemsley- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Eat Green - Melissa's latest book- The Felix ProjectCoombe Farm Organic- Website- Facebook- InstagramDaylesford- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterThe 'Dirty Dozen' and 'Clean Fifteen' - lists of fruit and veg with the most and least pesticide residuesStudy looking into nutritional values of organic vs non-organic milkResearch article regarding glyphosphate (a widely used weedkiller) levels in people eating organic and non-organic foodsCity to Sea - Contactless Coffee campaignThe Sustainable(ish) Facebook group The Power of One Challenge!As with all things Sustainable(ish), organic doesn't have to be 'all or nothing'. No-one is expecting you to covert to 100% organic, and as Harriet points out in the podcast, you'd struggle even if you wanted to, as there are some products that there aren't organic versions of. But I hope after listening to this episode, and to the others in the Organic September mini-series, you'll be a convert (if you weren't already) to the power that organic farming has to help us to pass on a healthy planet to our kids and grandkids. As consumers we have a lot of power to amplify the impact of organic by making some simple swaps. Next time you're shopping, can you swap one of your regular products for an organic one? Just imagine the surge in demand if everyone who was able to do this, did it!  What does 'sustainable eating' mean to you?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

I'm delighted to be working with Organic UK* for a mini-series of podcast episodes to mark Organic September - an annual month long awareness campaign by the Soil Association In collaboration with the Organic Trade Board.Most of us are now quite familiar with the concept of organic food, and maybe even organic textiles, but (and I'm speaking for myself here) maybe we don't really have that great a handle on what it actually means. Is it a legal definition? What does it mean if a product is organic? Is it just about pesticides? Is organic really any better for me and the planet? In this episode we've put together a brilliant expert panel to answer all those questions and more! Lee Holdstock from The Soil Association, Harriet O'Regan from Organic UK, and Guy Singh-Watson from Riverford joined me around my virtual kitchen table for a cuppa, and we dived into all things organic. Even as someone who gets an organic veg box, and regularly seeks out organic produce in the supermarket, I'm not sure I'd have been able to explain the benefits to friends and family in a very articulate or persuasive way. But I hope that after listening to this episode, we'll all feel like we have a greater understanding of what exactly "organic" means, and the role it has to play in the health of the planet and feeding the world.  Enjoy!* This is a paid partnership with Organic UK. Organic is...working with nature. It's stewardship. Handing the land over to our children and grandchildren in a fit state. It's about taking responsibilityLEE HOLDSTOCKThe Soil Association This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media Why Organic?Check out The Soil Association's post for more details on each of the bullet points below.It's better for the planet - fewer pesticides, increased biodiversity, healthier soil and more!Better for nature and wildlife - fewer pesticides and more biodiversity means more insects, more birds, more wildlife Higher welfare for farm animalBetter for people and healthImage from The Soil Association The Power of One Challenge!As with all things Sustainable(ish), organic doesn't have to be 'all or nothing'. No-one is expecting you to covert to 100% organic, and as Harriet points out in the podcast, you'd struggle even if you wanted to, as there are some products that there aren't organic versions of. But I hope after listening to this episode, and to the others in the Organic September mini-series, you'll be a convert (if you weren't already) to the power that organic farming has to help us to pass on a healthy planet to our kids and grandkids. As consumers we have a lot of power to amplify the impact of organic by making some simple swaps. Next time you're shopping, can you swap one of your regular products for an organic one? Just imagine the surge in demand if everyone who was able to do this, did it!  Useful linksOrganic UK- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterOrganic SeptemberThe Soil Association- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Why Organic?Riverford- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- "In organic we trust" - article from Guy in the Riverford Wicked Leeks Magazine- "An uncomfortable truth" - article from Guy about the devastating soil loss they suffered this year that he references in the podcastOrganic Trade Board30 ways to join the organic movementThe 'Dirty Dozen' and 'Clean Fifteen' - lists of fruit and veg with the most and least pesticide residuesWorld Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report 2020The Sustainable(ish) Facebook groupAre you up for the Power of One Challenge? What organic swaps have you already made? What do you think you might swap out this week?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

I'm delighted to be working with Organic UK* for a mini-series of podcast episodes to mark Organic September - an annual month long awareness campaign by the Soil Association In collaboration with the Organic Trade Board.We'll be diving into all things organic - what the term actually means, how we know if something is organic, AND crucially, the impact that organic food and farming has on the planet. We're kicking off with the brilliant episode with David and Emma Buckley from Buckleys Bees. Talking, unsurprisingly given the name of their business, about bees! DID YOU KNOW?Bees and insects are essential pollinators of our food - It's estimated that it would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion a year to pollinate their crops manually if wild bees disappearedBee and insect populations are crashing - every square kilometre in the UK has lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly, between 1980 and 2013In the UK at present there are around 270,000 active honeybee hives, compared to a million in 190098% of natural wildflower meadows have been lost in the UK since the early 1900s Plant, insect and bird life is 50% more abundant on organic farmsTune in to learn more about the wonderful work of bees, why they's so vital, how organic farming can help to support them, AND how we can help them in our own gardens too.Enjoy!(Heads up on the sound quality - it's pretty rubbish at the start of the podcast, but improves quickly, so please do bear with!!)* This is a paid partnership with Organic UK.This episode was edited by Emily Crosby MediaUseful linksOrganic UKOrganic SeptemberBuckleys Bees- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterSoil Association - Bee Organic articleSoil Association article: "Why Bees are Important"Plant Life - "How to get 10 times more bees on your lawns"The Sustainable(ish) Facebook groupDavid and Emma inspecting some of their hives Top tips to help the bees!Plant bee friendly seeds and flowersLet your lawn and hedges flower - mow less!Avoid 'blended honey' and look out for UK and local honeyLeave out a shallow dish filled with marbles and water for the bees to take a drinkBuy organic fruit and veg if you canPic credit: Buckleys BeesHow are you getting on with your bee-friendly gardens and window-boxes?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Carbon footprints - we've probably all heard the term, but what exactly is a carbon footprint? And why does it matter?Do I have a carbon footprint?How do I know what it is?How do I reduce it?What do I need to reduce it to?ALL the questions about carbon footprints!Luckily in this episode I'm chatting to Jo Hand, co-founder of Giki Zero, an app and website that allows you to easily measure and track your individual carbon footprint.Because I'm a bit of an eco geek, I've tried out a few different carbon footprint calculators, and whilst they're great for giving a ballpark figure, they don't allow for much nuance, and the only way to really see it come down is to do something really drastic, like go car-free, or move to a smaller house - neither of which are hugely practical right now.So when I tried out Giki Zero I was geekily excited to see that this is a calculator that does allow us to factor in many of the smaller changes we're making day to day, and to see our footprint shrink!Jo answers all of the questions above, and many many more, including sharing her top tips for the big impact things we can do to reduce our footprints.Listen in, then go and check out Giki Zero! Let me know what your score and your footprint are!Useful linksGiki Zero- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter[046] - Sustainable(ish) supermarket shopping with Giki Badges (podcast)Carbon footprints and off-setting  (festival session)How Bad are Bananas? - great book by Mike Berners-Lees that looks at 'the carbon footprint of everything.'Ecosia - a greener alternative to Google!- The search engine that plants trees (and how to install it) (blog post)The World Land Trust[068] - How to waste less at work with Livvy Drake (podcast)Big Clean Switch* (green energy comparison site)*if you use this link and switch I get a small commission at no extra cost to youA beginners guide to switching to a renewable energy supplier (blog post)Make My Money MatterSwitch ItHow to make sure your money is doing as much good as you are (festival session) 2040 filmFashion's Dirty Secrets - fast fashion doc by Stacey DooleyThe Knackered Mums Eco Club - come and join us!Sustainable(ish) Facebook groupMy carbon footprint...!Have you measured your footprint..?What is it?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Once upon a time (I'm looking at you 1990's) we were told that all we needed to do to be green was to do our recycling. And although it might have taken a while to catch on, most of us now diligently sort our rubbish out into a gazillion different bins and boxes each week, and feel good that we're doing our bit.However, sadly we're now realising that there's much more to saving the planet than simply popping our tin cans into the right bin, and that actually even the act of recycling is in itself bloody complicated (technical term for the UK's recycling infrastructure).One of the reasons that our recycling varies so widely across the country, is that it's managed by local councils, and many of us may have visited our council website or Facebook page for information about what we can and can't recycling where we live. But whilst we might find the information we need, we very rarely find anything else to engage us on the topic, answer some of our trickier questions, and (whispers) entertain us.Which is why Denis the Dustcart, from Exeter City Council, is such a revelation and I was so excited to interview him. Well, not actually Denis himself. He's a dustcart. Actually, he's not even a dustcart, he's an emoji dustcart persona. So I spoke to Merrick Palmer, recycling officer at Exeter City Council and Denis' alter-ego. Who happens to be very funny, and very good well-informed (by the recycling team at the council), and very good at writing engaging posts around all things waste and recycling on the Denis the Dustcart FB page.Listen in as I throw all my recycling questions at Denis, with biggies like which is better (when it comes to the planet and recycling: palstic, glass, or tetrapak. These are genuinely the kind of things that keep me up at night...Enjoy!Useful linksDenis the Dustcart- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Great graphic from Denis about the different recycling signs -->[011] - How and why to recycle less (podcast)This week (7th-13th Sept) is Zero Waste Week - find out more about it on this podcast with Zero Waste Week founder Rachelle Strauss here.Sustainable(ish) Facebook groupWhat are your thoughts on recycling..?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Who doesn't love a bunch of flowers?Well.....it turns out the planet might not be too chuffed with them if you buy a bunch of imported flowers.I don't know about you but I'd never really given much thought to the impact of flowers on the planet, other than to think that they're probably a good thing - they're natural, bees love them, what's the harm?DID YOU KNOW?A bunch of imported flowers from Holland or Kenya can have the equivalent carbon footprint of a flight from London to Birmingham!Tune into this great chat with Sara Willman from My Flower Patch where she talks about the impact of flowers and how we can lower that impact (by around 90%!!) by buying British flowers.Enjoy!Sara Willam from My Flower Patch (pic credit Katie Spicer)Useful linksMy Flower Patch - Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Waste and Recycling MastermindFlowers from the farm- The carbon footprint of flowers- Find a British flower grower locally to youThe Sustainable Cut Flower ProjectBlog post on chemicals on cut flowersBritish Flowers WeekFlower AngelsSustainable(ish) Facebook groupHow empowered (or otherwise!) do you feel about tackling waste at work?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

This episode is going out at the start of July, and in the eco world, July is all about plastic, thanks to the brilliant Plastic Free July campaign that started in Australia and has since gained traction all over the globe.It’s also a time when more of us might be contemplating a return to work as coronavirus restrictions lift a little more here in the UK. So I figured it might be a good time to speak to someone about what we can do reduce the amount of waste that is produced at work – whether we work from home, in a traditional office environment, or somewhere a bit different, it can be  easy to feel like any efforts we ‘re making at home are cancelled out by the waste produced at work, and also to feel like maybe it’s not our place to be asking questions about work waste.So it’s great to be chatting to the wonderful Livvy Drake from Sustainable Sidekicks , who took part in two brilliant panels for us during the Sustainable(ish) festival, and who is helping us to feel more confident about some of the simple changes that can be made at work to reduce the waste that’s being produced, and how we can be a part of the solution at work as well as at homeEnjoy!Useful linksSustainable Sidekicks - Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Waste and Recycling MastermindLivvy on Linked InLivvy's sessions at the Sustainable(ish) Festival- Plastic not so fantastic- Behaviour change in ourselves and othersGuardian article about safety of reusablesScientists statement regarding safety of reusablesCity to Sea- Contactless Coffee campaign- Reusable mask instructionsShrewsbury CupTerracycle disposable glove recyclingTOP TIPS FOR REDUCING WASTE AT WORKDo an audit of what you're buyingWhat is currently being spent on disposables?Do a bin auditLooks at what bins you already have, what is being thrown away, and how much your rubbish collections costCreate a recycling stationMultiple bins for different waste streams, clearly signed, and with reduced aperturesRemove desk side binsLook in to the possibility of having a food waste collection added to your recycling collection ​​How empowered (or otherwise!) do you feel about tackling waste at work?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Welcome back to the Sustainable(ish) podcast!My goodness it’s been a while! I thought I’d have a little break after doing 12 podcasts in 12 days for the book launch, and then a month or two passed, and then a global pandemic hit. And now here we are 6 months down the line!How are you? How is life treating you? How has lockdown been for you?It’s a strange old time isn’t it?When lockdown started I descended into a massive funk. My husband was furloughed for the first four weeks, and it turns out he’s someone who likes to get on and do things, and was very productive in a tidying the house and doing all those jobs we never get round to type way. Me, not so much. I just wanted to lie on the sofa and read trashy novels, in between random bouts of tears and attempting to get my head around home schooling the kids.But today I want to talk a little bit about ‘lockdown guilt’.I’ve spoken to so many people, online, via e-mail, on webinars I’ve run, and in my six week coaching group, who are feeling really guilty that they’re not able to make some of the changes that they want to because of the circumstances we find ourselves in in lockdown.Enjoy...!Useful linksThe Sustainable(ish) Online FestivalFind me on Sustainable(ish) on social media:- Facebook- Facebook group - Instagram- Twitter​Have you ​been feeling any lockdown guilt?Let me know in the comments! JOIN THE SUSTAINABLE(ISH) REVOLUTIONJoin us at BASE CAMP to find free resources and receive a weekly guide to reducing your impact on the planet... one simple step at a time. I take your privacy seriously. You can unsubscribe at any time. JOIN THE SUSTAINABLE(ISH) REVOLUTION! […]

Well.... What can I say?We are living in unprecedented times - it feels surreal, scary, overwhelming, all of the emotions. And this is going out the day after the UK government announced that schools will be closed until further notice. I'm not going to dwell here on the c-word - I think we're all probably getting about as much as we can take right now, so how about a coronavirus free hour?In today's episode I'm chatting to Ann Storr, from the Storr Cupboard (do you see what she's done there? I do love a play on words) all about food waste. And specifically how to use meal planning to reduce it. We recorded this episode many moons (a few weeks) ago, and there isn't even a mention of the c-word (yay!) but listening back to it in the context of current events, it's actually a really timely episode. With pictures on social media of supermarket shelves stripped bare, we're all starting to think about food in a slightly different way - instead of seeing it as this plentiful and never-ending resource, some people are, for possibly the first time, really waking up to the idea that they need to make the very most out of every scrap of food in the house. With regards to the climate crisis, food waste is a huge issue, and c-word or not, we all need to get better at using up the food we buy. Listen in for some brilliant tips around meal planning, food storage, and clever ideas around using up leftovers, and then head on over to Ann's website to check out all the brilliant resources she has on offer there.Stay safe and well and sane(ish), wherever you are.Enjoy. Useful linksStorr Cupboard- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Leftover busting recipes- "Best before bullshit"[047] - Fighting food waste with Olio (podcast)[041] - Use your phone to fight food waste with CozZo (podcast)3 apps to help you fight food waste (blog post)Sustainable(ish) ideas for food (blog post)CozZo food management app​​How are you with food waste?Do you meal plan?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Yay! The podcast is BACK for series FOUR!!I intended to only take a short break in the New Year and now suddenly it's March - I'd like to say I have no idea how that happened, but the reality is that it turns out launching a book into the world is quite time consuming, and as ever I massively over-estimated what I'd be able to get done each day...!Right then, this week's podcast is with the wonderful Lauren Derrett, founder of Wear 'em Out, a new brand of reusable pad. We chat all things periods, obviously, but also lots of chat around taking the plunge and starting your own product based business, some of the barriers in the way of 'green living' and why lots of us might not necessarily resonate with, or aspire to 'green living' stereotypes.We recorded this episode way back in October last year, when Lauren had a brand, prototype pads and some great feedback from testers but was waiting for the first delivery of pads. Since that time, their first order arrived, the website crashed with the demand, they sold out, re-stocked and haves sold out again! Lauren posted today on Instagram that they've had 542 orders so far, meaning that over the next three years, 429,264 disposable pads will be saved from landfill (based on the average use of 22 pads per cycle). WOW!! This is where we quickly and easily see impact of individual action, collectively.Quick word of warning that Lauren is a self-confessed 'potty mouth' and I think drops the 'f-bomb' at one point - my suggestion would be not to listen to this one with the kids in earshot, or if you're not a fan of the odd expletive, to give this one a miss (although you'll be missing out on a great episode!).Enjoy!!Useful links​Wear 'em Out - Website- Facebook- InstagramThe introverts guide to climate marches (blog post) A beginners guide to eco-friendly and plastic-free periods (blog post)[031] - Plastic free periods and wipes with Natracare (podcast)[035] - #bleedredthinkgreen - the world's first reusable tampon applicator with DAME (podcast)[040] Pants for your period with WUKA (podcast) A beginners guide to period pants (blog post)Guppyfriend microfibre bag7 easy ways to reduce microfibre pollution (blog post)​Have you made the switch to reusables for your period yet?Let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]