I love podcasts. I can’t really put it any other way. Today, I spent the day on our boat, listening to podcasts while I worked on my crochet shirt, pausing every now and then for a quick dip.
There is something so wonderful about listening to people talk and hearing their stories as a way of drawing new inspiration and learning about the world. I have learnt so much from podcasts; improving my French, following the news, engaging in interesting conversations, diving into books with book clubs and interviews with authors and, of course, being inspired by people doing amazing things in sustainability.
Today, I want to share with you, a few podcast episodes that will, I guarantee, make you think deeper about conservation and inspire you to make changes in your own lives.
There is something so wonderful about listening to people talk and hearing their stories as a way of drawing new inspiration and learning about the world. I have learnt so much from podcasts; improving my French, following the news, engaging in interesting conversations, diving into books with book clubs and interviews with authors and, of course, being inspired by people doing amazing things in sustainability.
Today, I want to share with you, a few podcast episodes that will, I guarantee, make you think deeper about conservation and inspire you to make changes in your own lives.
Extinction REbellion on Wardrobe Crisis
A founder of Extinction Rebellion said on Wardrobe Crisis, “We can find hope in each other… It’s about getting together and supporting each other to make these changes… You need to bring your individual journey to the mass, you need to come with everything you’ve got in your skills set, in your enthusiasm, in your fear, in your rage, and to join us on the streets and stay there until we get the change we need for our futures”. Clare Press, the host also quoted Extinction Rebellion saying, “Tinkering around the edges of the system but essentially carrying on with business as usual will do nothing to save us from climate breakdown.” I think there is a lot we can all take out of these words.
Also in this episode, they discussed the Jevons paradox; When we make an efficiency saving, we use that saving to make more. I found this really interesting because it is so easy to justify a purchase or a type of consumption by saying that it is sustainable. Clare Farrell from Extinction Rebellion mentioned the example of coal being that when we were able to make the production of coal more energy efficient, we ended up using more coal rather than less as this became a justification to ramp up production. Retrospectively, it makes no sense. However, I have absolutely fallen prey to this sort of thinking. I know that I have bought a new bottle of conditioner because it was made from natural ingredients and I have definitely bought straws (even though I already had a number of them that I rarely use) because they are metal and thus “re-usable”. But how can they be re-usable if I never even use them?! I encourage you to reflect on your own consumption habits and consider if you have also been subject to the Jevons paradox? How can we avoid this unhealthy relationship with efficiency and consumption?
I also loved their way of generating merchandise. Print blocking! Instead of selling t-shirts and generating more waste, they set up stations at their events where people can print-block their own clothes to create completely unique pieces of merchandise in a way that isn’t creating more pieces of clothing to be eventually thrown away. It is this sort of innovation and creativity that I find so exciting and inspiring – I hope that all businesses and organisations, individuals and collectives can start to think more creatively about how they operate and how they interact with the planet.
Listen to this conversation here
Also in this episode, they discussed the Jevons paradox; When we make an efficiency saving, we use that saving to make more. I found this really interesting because it is so easy to justify a purchase or a type of consumption by saying that it is sustainable. Clare Farrell from Extinction Rebellion mentioned the example of coal being that when we were able to make the production of coal more energy efficient, we ended up using more coal rather than less as this became a justification to ramp up production. Retrospectively, it makes no sense. However, I have absolutely fallen prey to this sort of thinking. I know that I have bought a new bottle of conditioner because it was made from natural ingredients and I have definitely bought straws (even though I already had a number of them that I rarely use) because they are metal and thus “re-usable”. But how can they be re-usable if I never even use them?! I encourage you to reflect on your own consumption habits and consider if you have also been subject to the Jevons paradox? How can we avoid this unhealthy relationship with efficiency and consumption?
I also loved their way of generating merchandise. Print blocking! Instead of selling t-shirts and generating more waste, they set up stations at their events where people can print-block their own clothes to create completely unique pieces of merchandise in a way that isn’t creating more pieces of clothing to be eventually thrown away. It is this sort of innovation and creativity that I find so exciting and inspiring – I hope that all businesses and organisations, individuals and collectives can start to think more creatively about how they operate and how they interact with the planet.
Listen to this conversation here
Kirsten Brodde of Greenpeace on wardrobe crisis
In another episode of Wardrobe Crisis, Clare Press interviews a Greenpeace activist Kristen Broddde to talk about detoxing fashion. They discuss the need to completely change how we interact with fashion and the need for more transparency in terms of the manufacturing of clothes.
Listen to this conversation here
Listen to this conversation here
Talking about Greta on Sustainababble
I also came across a podcast called Sustainababble which I found really interesting and funny. In this episode, they talked about Greta Thunberg and how she is changing the conservation scene around the globe. I highly recommend this episode as they break down how it is that Greta is gaining so much media attention and having such a huge impact on the global climate activism movement.
Listen to this conversation here
Listen to this conversation here
Hopefully I have given you some ideas of where to start (or continue) your podcast journey. There are so many interesting people out there doing incredible things and sometimes it can become easy to give up hope and submit to helplessness. However, I find that no matter how down I am feeling, a good podcast can ALWAYS cheer me up.
Let me know which ones are your favourites ;)
Taylor
Let me know which ones are your favourites ;)
Taylor