First Mile's Climate Heroes

"Can Surplus Food Solve London's Hunger Crisis?" with Paul Baines from 'The Felix Project'

Climate Heroes — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0100

Can a broken food system be fixed by businesses across the capital?

Our guest on this week's epsiode is Paul Baines from The Felix Project, a leading food redistribution charity tackling food poverty head-on in London.

Paul shares how The Felix Project is rescuing surplus food from going to waste and delivering it to those who need it most — from school children to vulnerable families. We explore the scale of food waste in the UK, the logistical challenges of redistribution, and the powerful social and environmental impact of their work.

Plus we discuss how through our partnership with The Felix Project, businesses can ramp up their food waste strategy and reduce waste whilst helping those most in need.

“How green is your cup of coffee?” with Caffé Nero's Matt Spencer

Climate Heroes — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0100

The UK coffee industry is huge and still growing - and as the amount of coffee being consumed on the go increases, so does the potential for these coffee cups to end up in landfill.

Our guest today is Matt Spencer, Commercial Director of Caffé Nero who joined us to discuss how they’re getting ahead of the upcoming ‘Simpler Recycling Reforms’ which will change the way businesses recycle their food waste and coffee cups from next year, as well as the operational challenges of making a multinational retailer like Caffé Nero sustainable.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Matt Spencer

"How businesses can fight Food Waste" with Too Good To Go's Jamie Crummie

Climate Heroes — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:00 +0100

Every year we throw away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste every year, most of which will end up in landfills where it decomposes and releases harmful gas such as methane.

In this episode of Climate Heroes, we sat down with Jamie Crummie, Co-founder of the Too Good To Go app responsible for saving over 300 million meals from going to waste.

Listen to Jamie & Bruce discuss the importance of Stop Food Waste Day, what we can all do to fight the food waste epidemic, as well as how businesses can get prepared for the upcoming ‘Simpler Recycling Reforms’ which will legally require businesses to recycle their surplus food from next year.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Jamie Crummie & Sara Shearly

“Innocent Drinks' Recipe for B Corp Success” with Emilie Stephenson

Climate Heroes — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +0100

Ready to take a deeper dive into B Corp?

This B Corp month, we’re kicking things off with a berry special episode of Climate Heroes - featuring smoothie giants Innocent Drinks️, who are pioneers in the UK B Corp movement and one of the first businesses to gain the certification back in 2018.

In the episode Bruce and Nick chat with Emilie Stephenson, Head of Force for Good at Innocent, to discuss their ESG journey, recent controversies surrounding the B Corp movement, as well as their top tips for achieving B Corp certification.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley & Nick Perry

Featuring Emilie Stephenson

“Seeing Red”: Decoding the Climate Stripes with Professor Ed Hawkins

Climate Heroes — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0100

Professor Ed Hawkins is a climate scientist and creator of the renowned Climate Stripes which highlights the earth’s increase in temperature over the last 170 years. In the last 50 years, there has been a 1°C increase in global temperatures across the globe. Ed’s Climate Stripes is a striking visual showing this change over the last 173 years, it has since been displayed worldwide, at music festivals, sports events and even on the side of buses.

In the episode, Professor Hawkins delves deeper into the science behind the climate stripes and how they were created. He also explains the importance of using visual representations to communicate complex data and engage audiences on important issues such as climate change.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Ed Hawkins

“What is cell-free biomanufacturing?” FabricNano CEO & founder Grant Aarons explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0100

We’re joined by FabricNano CEO & Co-Founder Grant Aarons to learn about how they’re transforming the industrial chemical process using cell-free biomanufacturing.

This new biomanufacturing method has many benefits, it requires less resources and energy to maintain and produce less waste than the traditional cell-based approach.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Grant Aarons

“The growing problem with E-Waste” with Anthony Levy, The Sustainable IT Guy

Climate Heroes — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Climate Heroes podcast episode, we're excited to be joined by Anthony Levy, also known as The Sustainable IT Guy and founder of Circularity First. Anthony is one of the people leading the charge in tackling electronic waste (e-waste) - a growing issue that demands our immediate attention.

Today only 17.4% of E-Waste is collected and properly recycled. As our reliance on technology continues to grow, these figures are expected to rise, making the efficient and sustainable handling of e-waste a global concern.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Anthony Levy

“Are AI robots the future of recycling?” with Recycleye’s Benedetta Delfino & Zoe Cook

Climate Heroes — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0100

Recycleye is an exciting technology company bringing AI and robotics to the waste management industry. Their cutting-edge technology is helping material recycling facilities across the USA and Europe optimise their operations with their AI-powered sorting robots.

Their ground-breaking sorting robots are as accurate as the human eye and can identify not just materials but individual objects such as food-grade packaging and different types of aluminium, which has previously been difficult to detect.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Benedetta Delfino & Zoe Cook

“Pioneering the refill system” with GoUnpackaged’s Catherine Conway

Climate Heroes — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0100

GoUnpackaged are on a mission to revolutionise the way we transport items from supermarkets to our kitchens by swapping out disposable containers for long-lasting, eco-friendly alternatives, they're tackling the packaging waste problem one product at a time.

They're currently partners with a wide range of businesses across the UK, from local organic food stores to large corporations including Waitrose, Asda, Holland & Barrett and Aldi.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Catherine Conway

“Revolutionising the Electricity Grid” with IONATE’s Luca Mezossy-Dona

Climate Heroes — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Renewable energy’s fluctuating power levels can make it difficult for the National Grid to maintain a stable energy supply, as its 90-year-old design was not designed for solar, wind and hydro energy.

For the National Grid to use renewables efficiently, it needs to be made smarter, more adaptable, and more flexible. IONATE has created a new transformer technology that’s designed to bring the grid up to speed with the renewable energy era

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Luca Mezossy-Dona

“Walking the length of the River Thames” with Li An Phoa, founder of Drinkable Rivers

Climate Heroes — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Li An Phoa is the founder of Drinkable Rivers, an organisation working towards a world where rivers are once again drinkable, by raising awareness through inspiring river walks, education and various action programs.

In September 2023, Li An and a dedicated team of volunteers set off on an ambitious month-long expedition known as the Thames River Walk. This extraordinary journey traced the river's path from its humble beginnings in the Cotswolds, extending all the way until it gracefully merged with the vast expanse of the North Sea.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Li An Phoa

“How to make sustainable investments” with Liontrust’s Peter Michaelis

Climate Heroes — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Peter Michaelis is the Head of Liontrust’s sustainable investments team. Since joining in 2017, Peter has led his Liontrust team to achieve a 77% lower carbon impact than the wider investment market. In the latest episode of Climate Heroes, Bruce and Peter discuss what inspired him to get into sustainable investing, how to start and the importance of aligning investment returns with sustainable returns.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Peter Michaelis

“The plant-based alternative for meat lovers” with Andy Shovel, founder of THIS

Climate Heroes — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0100

World Vegan Month Special: THIS is on a mission to force animals into retirement with their extensive range of plant-based meat alternatives. Since launching three years ago, THIS has already saved almost 1.2 million animals from the meat industry. In this episode, Andy discusses the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet and how he built one of the UK's leading meat-alternative brands.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Andy Shovel

“Inspiring the next generation of climate heroes” with Cindy Forde, Author, Speaker and founder of Planetari

Climate Heroes — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Cindy Forde is the founder of Planetari, an educational platform with a curriculum aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals that empower children with the knowledge and skills to become the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the environmental space. Cindy has also published a book titled ‘Bright New World’ an inspiring story that addresses the world’s most pressing problems and how we can work together to achieve sustainable solutions.

Fighting the food waste epidemic with Olio’s Tessa Clarke

Climate Heroes — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Join over 7 million users on the Olio app, where sharing, borrowing, and giving away unwanted food and household items is reducing waste and fostering a sustainable community. Olio's mission extends to partnerships with leading UK businesses like Tesco, Iceland, and Eurostar, tackling food waste industry wide.

Discover how Olio is transforming the way we think about waste and inspiring change.

S5 E1

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Tessa Clarke

What is carbon accounting and why is it important for businesses? Greenly co-founder Alexis Normand explains.

Climate Heroes — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Only a third of businesses say they currently have a net-zero strategy in place, which is detrimental to the planet and the fight against global warming. Greenly helps over 1,500 businesses reduce their carbon emissions with their easy-to-use carbon accounting which gives their clients access to the latest technology and climate experts to help them along their net-zero journey.

Episode 23

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Alexis Normand

“Your guide to travelling sustainably” with Travel Matters’ Karen Simmonds

Climate Heroes — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Travel Matters creates memorable, conscious travel experiences that focus on making sure the local community and planet can flourish.

A registered B Corp, their mission is to show how travel can impact the world in a positive way if done if correctly.

Episode 22

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Karen Simmonds

“Creating the UK's leading earth science centre” With Hermione Cockburn from Dynamic Earth

Climate Heroes — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Dynamic Earth is the UK’s leading earth science centre, the immersive experience takes visitors on a complete tour of planet Earth, from the Big Bang to

the unexplored depths of the ocean. Today’s guest is their Scientific Director Hermione Cockburn, former BBC presenter who now leads an incredible team responsible for delivering thought-provoking experiences that stay with visitors long after they step back

out into the world.

Episode 21

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Hermione Cockburn

“Pioneering the B Corp movement in the UK” with James Perry, Co-founder and board member of B Corp UK

Climate Heroes — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0100

B Corporations are a global movement of businesses challenging the status quo by serving people and the planet instead of just profits.

James Perry Co-founded the B Corp movement in the UK in 2014 and currently sits on the board of B Corp UK. His food company COOK was one of the first B Corporations in the United Kingdom.

Episode 20

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring James Perry

“Empowering businesses to accelerate global climate actions” with Ecologi’s Elliot Coad

Climate Heroes — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Founded just four years ago, Ecologi has now built a passionate community of over 19,000 businesses and 40,000 members all on the same journey to reduce

their carbon emissions and take climate action. Since then, the Ecologi community has planted over 66 million trees and offset almost 3 million tonnes of carbon.

Episode 19

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Elliot Coad

“Spotlighting your businesses’ carbon solutions” with The Climate Agency’s Co-Founder Sophie Gallios

Climate Heroes — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0100

The Climate Agency are a female-founded non-profit marketing strategy consultancy helping start-up navigate their biggest challenge yet, climate change. We spoke to their Co-Founder & Director Sophie Gallois to find out more about the climate communication space and how they’re helping businesses create meaningful and easy-to-digest campaigns through their accelerator workshops.

Episode 18

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Sophie Gallios

“Constructing a net-zero world” with Low Carbon Materials CEO & Co-Founder Natasha Boulding

Climate Heroes — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Earthshot Prize finalists Low Carbon Materials develops new solutions for the construction industry with its innovative net-zero building materials. In

this episode, we speak to their CEO and Co-Founder Natasha Boulding, who was recently named in the Forbes 30 under 30 European Manufacturing & Industry list.

Episode 17

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Natasha Boulding

“Creating a more sustainable fashion future” with Reskinned Co-Founder Ross Barry

Climate Heroes — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Reskinned is on a mission to help fashion brands achieve their sustainability goals with its circular economy model which incentivises owners to part with

their unloved clothes so they can be resold, repurposed or recycled. With over 20 years of recycling experience and investments in modern technology solutions, Reskinned are creating new ways for pre-loved clothes to last beyond the season.

Episode 16

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Ross Barry

“Can packaging made from seaweed solve the plastic pollution problem?” Pierre-Yves Paslier from Notpla explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 31 May 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Pierre-Yves Paslier is the Co-founder & Co-CEO of Notpla, who recently won the prestigious Earthshot Prize environmental award for its innovative biodegradable packaging. Made from seaweed and plants, Notpla packaging naturally biodegrades in 4-6 weeks, making it innovative sustainable packaging alternative to single-use plastics.

Episode 15

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Pierre-Yves Paslier

“Surviving the food waste epidemic” with Oddbox’s Deepak Ravindran

Climate Heroes — Wed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Food waste is a worldwide problem and is responsible for around 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Oddbox is fighting the food waste epidemic and fostering conscious consumerism with its wonky fruit and vegetable subscription service, rescuing perfectly good food that would otherwise be wasted and getting it into our kitchens.

Episode 14

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Deepak Ravindran of Oddbox

“Pioneering for change” Ceris Turner-Bailes on WasteAid’s mission

Climate Heroes — Wed, 17 May 2023 05:00:00 +0100

WasteAid is a UK-based organisation that works with communities in low-income countries to implement greener recycling and waste management programmes. Their hard work improves the lives of some of the poorest and most vulnerable people on the planet.

Episode 13

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Ceris Turner-Bailes of WasteAid

“Why the Ocean’s future is key to our wellbeing” Finisterre’s Tom Kay explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 10 May 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Tom Kay is the founder of UK-based surfing brand Finisterre, which designs functional and sustainable products for those who love the sea. The Finisterre Foundation aims to inspire people to love and protect the sea and remove its barriers to access so everyone can enjoy our oceans.

Episode 12

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Tom Kay of Finisterre

“Becoming a sustainable business by achieving net zero” Anthesis' Stuart McLachlan explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Stuart McLachlan discusses the importance of achieving the target of net zero as a business in his latest book ‘The Adventure of Sustainable Performance', which guides you through the everchanging world of Environmental, social, and governance compliance.

Episode 11

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Stuart McLachlan of Anthesis

“There’s never been a more important time for organic farming” Daylesford Organics’s Henry Unwin explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Henry Unwin from Daylesford Organics discusses the ongoing debate of organic vs regenerative farming, and closing the price gap between the produce of each method. He talks about the environmental benefits of living in season and what it means for our health and the planet.

Episode 10

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Henry Unwin of Daylesford Organic

Josh White from CanO Water on disrupting the water industry by putting water in a can.

Climate Heroes — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0100

CanO Water are ditching plastic bottles in favour of infinitely recyclable aluminium cans to tackle plastic pollution. Josh White and his co-founders came up with the idea after a trip abroad showed them the real extent of the issue. CanO Water is now an industry leader in the fast-growing canned water space.

Episode 9

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Josh White of CanO Water

“Nature should be for everybody” Rhiane Fatinikun from Black Girls Hike discusses diversity within the outdoors community.

Climate Heroes — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Black Girls Hike provides a safe space for black women to explore the outdoors and reconnect with nature. With less than 1% of national park governing bodies being people of ethnically diverse backgrounds, Rhiane has spent several years working to challenge the status quo by hosting nationwide group hikes, outdoor activity days and training events to tackle the lack of inclusion and representation within the industry.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Rhiane Fatinikun of Black Girls Hike

Your eco-conundrums explained with Georgina Wilson-Powell

Climate Heroes — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Georgina Wilson-Powel is a journalist & author. Her new book ‘365 Ways to Save the Planet’ cuts through the noise in an often confusing world of sustainability, by offering a day-to-day guide to living greener - from making your own cordial, to making your pension work for the planet.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Georgina Wilson-Powell, journalist and author of ‘Is it really green’ & “365 Ways to Save the Planet”

How to win £10k by binning your litter with LitterLotto

Climate Heroes — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Described as the “Mr Beast of Litter”, Simon Jacob’s app LitterLotto rewards its users for binning their litter. Instant cash prizes range from £5 to £250, with the

possibility of winning the £10,000 monthly jackpot.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Simon Jacobs of LitterLotto

What is light pollution and “light shaming”? Recolight’s Nigel Harvey explains

Climate Heroes — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0100

In this Earth Hour special, we spoke to Nigel Harvey from Recolight, one of the UK’s electronics and lighting recyclers. Nigel spotlights some of the most pressing

industry issues such as light pollution, the new phenomenon known as “light shaming”, and what type of lighting is the worst for the planet.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Nigel Harvey of Recolight

Making beer from bread: Louisa Ziane on Toast Ale’s mission to tackle food waste

Climate Heroes — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Toast Ale is beer that's brewed using surplus bread that’s otherwise wasted. In this episode, co-founder Louisa Ziane explains how it’s made, and Toast Ale’s mission

to tackle the planet’s food waste problem - one beer at a time.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Louisa Ziane of Toast Ale

Dr Anna Scott from Keep Britain Tidy discusses ways to reduce our consumption

Climate Heroes — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Keep Britain Tidy is an independent environmental charity whose aim is to reduce litter, prevent waste and improve local areas. In this episode, Dr Anna Scott discusses how we can all do our bit to help reduce consumption and eliminate unnecessary waste by implementing sustainable practices.

Hosted by Bruce Bratley

Featuring Dr Anna Scott of Keep Britain Tidy

"Paper straws are worse than plastic": Plastic myths debunked with Dr Chris DeArmitt

Climate Heroes — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0100

The Plastic Paradox debunks everything you thought you knew about plastic using scientific evidence from over 400 studies. This includes paper straws and why they’re worse for the environment than plastic ones, and why the greenest option is usually quite simply the cheapest.

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Chris DeArmitt of The Plastic Paradox

"I've been arrested 6 times": Extinction Rebellion's Nigel Harvey on his fight for a greener world.

Climate Heroes — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Extinction Rebellion (also known as XR) is a global environmental movement whose aim is to drive government action through non-violent means to tackle the ongoing climate crisis. Nigel Harvey is the CEO of electronics recycling company Recolight and is an avid climate activist who has been arrested 6 times at Extinction Rebellion protests across the UK.

Hosted By Bruce Bratley

Featuring Nigel Harvey of Extinction Rebellion

Packaging made from plants and how to recycle them.

Zero50 — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0100

There’s a growing trend toward compostable packaging and this episode we meet Vegware to find out how it’s made and how to properly recycle end-of-life compostables.

Streaming green films to build a community of activists

Zero50 — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Meet the world’s first interactive streaming platform who want to change the world through education and entertainment, by building a community dedicated to the future of our planet.

Better weather predictions lead to more accurate climate forecasting

Zero50 — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Weather forecasts have become much more accurate in the last decade due to advances in atmospheric physics powered by super-computing. These advances are leading to better climate predictions and in this episode we hear from Antje Weisheimer who is a climate physicist at Oxford University.

Making supply more sustainable

Zero50 — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Sourcing better packaging with a lower carbon footprint is a key consideration for brands today and we meet a company on a mission to help businesses make better decisions using technology designed to balance cost, time, and impact.

Can engineers save the planet?

Zero50 — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode we meet Dr Torill Bigg who is a Carbon Reduction Engineer, and we need engineers more than ever to re-engineer everything from machines to whole systems so we reduce our carbon impact.

Ride to net-zero with Brompton Bicycles

Zero50 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Brompton aren’t just an iconic folding bike, they also form a key part in sustainable city transport and in this episode we learn about the impact of making a Brompton and their role in urban mobility.

Disrupting packaging with low-carbon paper bottles

Zero50 — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode we meet Frugalpac who are disrupting the packaging market with their latest product – a paper bottle – which has six times less embedded carbon and is easier to recycle.

BOKASHI

Zero50 — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Bokashi is the Japanese word for “well fermented organic matter” and it is said to be the most efficient way to replenish soil with organic matter. In this episode we will hear from Agriton, to learn how Bokashi is becoming a star of green waste management.

Low-carbon living should taste great

Zero50 — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0100

A recent UN report shows that household carbon footprints are dominated by the food we eat, but this could change with a quarter of us aiming to be vegan or veggie by 2025. In this episode we meet AllPlants who are helping us become imperfect plant-eaters.

Bottle to garment circular plastic recycling

Zero50 — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode we meet Zak Johnson, founder of Reborn who reward you for recycling plastics at your workplace, and with full traceability, recycle your plastic back into corporate and leisure clothing.

Empowering behaviour change to reduce personal carbon impact

Zero50 — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Each adult in the UK has annual carbon footprint of 10 tonnes and this episode hears how we can easily make small decisions daily to reduce this impact. Nudj is a climate behaviour app that sets challenges to help users move to sustainable lifestyles. We meet Dee and Meg who’s goal is reduce everyone’s carbon footprint by one tonne by empowering simple, sustainable changes to our habits.

Making the case for plastics in a regenerative society.

Zero50 — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

It’s estimated the UK produces half a million tonnes of plastic film per year for consumer packaging, and less than 5% is recycled. This episode meets Berry bpi, Europe’s biggest film recycler, to find out why we have so much plastic film in our lives, and to get an update on how we recycle more of this material.

Composting food and green waste at scale

Zero50 — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Composting provides a safe and sustainable way to recycle the millions of tonnes of garden and food waste we generate. In this episode we discover how composting has gone high-tech to reduce landfill, capture carbon and provide a sustainable alternative to peat compost.

Social housing leads in decarbonising homes

Zero50 — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

We have 29 million homes in the UK and they account for 18% of GHG emissions but they could all have a much lower impact if properly insulated and heated. This episode explores what we need to do to decarbonize homes, businesses and cities, and my guest is leading the way with a major social housing project.

Making an impact with your investment

Zero50 — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

You can make a big impact on climate change if you invest your savings wisely and Clim8 have made this easy for you. In this episode we find out how to invest your money and ensure good is done with it.

Can UK Rainforest provide the ultimate ecosystem service?

Zero50 — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Cabilla is an upland hill farm on Bodmin Moor and home to an ancient temperate rainforest where we can enjoy the restorative power of nature. In this episode we delve into some of the least-known and perhaps hardest to understand ecosystem services, or wellness benefits of nature.

The British Bean Scene

Zero50 — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0100

As more of us are searching for sources of plant-based protein tune in to find out how Hodmedods have their finger on the pulse of the British Bean scene.

Worm farming to manage food waste and regenerate soil.

Zero50 — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0100

The Urban Worm is on a mission to show us how worm farming can deliver future food security and provide simple solutions for managing food waste.

Recycling By Bike

Zero50 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:00:00 +0100

This episode hears how Hereford Pedicargo are taking cargo bike logistics to a new level and collecting waste and recycling from an entire town. Tune in to find out recycling-by-bike really works.

A global reuse marketplace for planet positive impact

Zero50 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0100

Reuse can be a tricky business because items are often hard to find, they can have inconsistent specifications and there’s limited data available. This episode’s guest is changing the reuse with a marketplace to manage and track items, and bringing much needed liquidity and data to reuse.

Taming the Four Horsemen to save civilization.

Zero50 — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode we learn from explorer and activist Robin Hansbury-Tenison how we must harness the power of microbes, free electricity, weather management and climate geoengineering to tame the four horsemen of pandemics, conflict, famine and death.

Putting a mark on climate change

Zero50 — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0100

This episode finds out if we can stamp our climate change with a stamp – or a Planet Mark - to be more precise. Andew Griffiths, from Planet Mark talks about the importance of story-telling, measurement and goal setting to achieve net-zero.

Regenerating fashion into a force for good

Zero50 — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode we meet former ‘sneakerhead’, Rory Hugill, who is working to transform the fashion industry from its linear model to a circular Good Fashion approach that is regenerative and restorative for nature.

Building a regenerative solution to plastic pollution and extreme poverty

Zero50 — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0100

Plastic could be a $4trillion social opportunity for the planet, and redistribute worth to the poor who can escape extreme poverty by recycling plastic. In this episode we meet the founder of Plastic Bank who is connecting circular economies with social justice to build regenerative opportunities for our planet.

Harnessing the power of nature to grow produce and conserve our soil.

Zero50 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0100

There can be no life without soil and no soil without life and this episode meets Soil Heroes to explore how regenerative farming works with nature to harness the chemical and biological power of soil – preserving biodiversity and increasing its ability to store carbon.

Not all burgers (or chips) are made equally. Honest Burgers and regenerative farming.

Zero50 — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0100

Environmentalists often turn diet into a behavioural battlefield – getting polarised around being a veggie, vegan, beef-free, or a pescatarian. Today’s guest is the founder of Honest Burgers, who are on a mission to feed people from locally sourced food from regenerative farms. Tune in to learn about cooking, food miles, sustainable produce and British farming.

Power to the people – using democracy to act on climate change and biodiversity

Zero50 — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0100

This episode meets The Commitment who are using the power of our democracy to deliver on climate change and biodiversity loss. We need politicians on side to change policy for the climate and UK Government directly controls 40% of UK GDP which could be spent wisely.

Kickstarting the reuse sector in the food-to-go sector with CLUBZERO

Zero50 — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 05:00:00 +0100

I love having guests on Zero 50 who want to kill my business by eliminating waste and SafiaQureshi, founder of CLUBZERO is planning on doing just this by replacing billions of items of single-use packaging with better quality and more resilient reusable alternatives.

Making cities greener with ESG property investment

Zero50 — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 05:00:00 +0100

There’s no shortage of money to solve the climate crisis. Property is a case in point because the sector is worth £280 trillion globally. In this episode we hear how Savills Property Investment are using their property portfolio to green cities and make them better places to live and work.

Eliminating food waste with sustainable cookery

Zero50 — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 05:00:00 +0100

EIGHT billion people live on this planet BUT we grow enough food to feed 11 billon, and yet we waste millions of tonnes of edible food a year. In a generation, we have changed how we grow, cook and consume food. We’ve become disconnected from what we eat and where it comes from. To understand this and how we can change we meet Cookery School and learn how to cook sustainably.

How to save our planet. The Facts.

Zero50 — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0100

This extra episode of Zero 50 is released for Glasgow’s Cop26 and we are joined by Professor Mark Maslin, who is Professor of Earth System Science at UCL and says “The challenge of the 21st century is that we must learn to think and act as a global species so that we can take care of all individuals, our global species and our planet, that we rely on for everything”.

What is Sustainable Production and Consumption?

Zero50 — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0100

How do we move our economy and society towards carbon net-zero? Who does the work? This episode explores how with Sustainability Activator Debbie Hitchen, who leads the Sustainable Production and Consumption team at Anthesis. Learn how organisations focus their sustainability ambitions on deliverable impact. Not just talk.

Sustainable places and the future of town centres

Zero50 — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0100

This episode of Zero50 meets the CEO of British BIDs to explore the importance of place in building sustainable futures. Our towns and cities have a huge environmental impact and greening these places will be key to meeting our future carbon goals.

Compostable packaging meets citizen science in the Big Compost Experiment

Zero50 — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0100

The use of compostable plastic packaging has exploded in recent years, but do they actually compost at home, or in our current industrial composting infrastructure? In this episode we meet Danielle Purkiss who runs The Big Compost Experiment at UCL and we find out if compostables are a the perfect substitute for plastics or not as simple as they seem.

Future of robotic waste sorting with AI computer vision

Zero50 — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0100

Recycleye, the artificial intelligence & robotics recycling company, is on a mission to codify waste identification and use machines to pick pure materials from a mixed waste stream.

Building a circular economy of print with ink refills

Zero50 — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0100

We think we are using less paper, but the inkjet printer market is growing at 6% per year and we throw away billions of used cartridges per year and 80% of them are landfilled. In this episode we hear how the Ink Bin is on a mission to change the ink industry to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious.

Sand is the most consumed natural resource; it’s running out and overlooked

Zero50 — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0100

We put the record straight on sand extraction in this episode with author and sand activist Kiran Pereira. Sand is in everything from computers to paint and we learn how our insatiable demand for sand has huge and unseen social, biodiversity and environmental impacts.

S2. E11. Smart bins and skips deliver on-demand Canadian waste services

First Mile — Thu, 27 May 2021 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode we hear how Vancouver based Recycle-Smart use technology, waste audits and computer algorithms to make recycling more efficient.

S2. E10. Lessons learned from pay-as-you-throw household waste services

First Mile — Thu, 20 May 2021 07:00:00 +0100

Waste and recycling is not included in council tax for Irish householders and so companies like CityBin collect on a pay-as-you-throw basis. In this episode we learn from Gene Browne and how has persuaded homes across Ireland to recycle more by putting service first as a core value.

S2. E9. Assessing the route to a Circular Economy

First Mile — Thu, 13 May 2021 07:00:00 +0100

This episode of Wasted is on the Circular Economy and how we shift from our current linear system of Take – Make and Waste and moving to a circular economic system of production. Our guest, Dr David Greenfield is a Circular Economy Specialist and explains the state of play and future roadmap for a circular economy.

S2. E8. The future of packaging recycling with B-Corp compliance scheme Ecosurety

First Mile — Thu, 06 May 2021 07:00:00 +0100

B-Corp certified compliance scheme Ecosurety shows us how it is taking a new approach to producer responsibility. In this timely episode we learn about the future of extended producer responsibility, being a B-Corp and future recycling challenges. Our guest – James Piper - also gives us an early review of his new book, which is on the subject of rubbish.

S2. E7. Do we have a tragedy of the commons?

First Mile — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode our guest - Prof. Tom Appleby – shares his experiences of protecting the oceans and other public spaces to halt the destruction of our commons. His work ranges from banning plastic cotton buds, establishing ‘no take’ ocean conservation zones, and showing how we are polluting our latest common property – the internet.

S2. E6. Are the Cloud, data centres and live streaming killing the planet?

First Mile — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100

Like it or not we are all being herded onto the Cloud and it is often claimed to be a greener choice for work and leisure. The majority of data centres are used to store and stream videos, which comes at a cost to us and the environment. In this episode we meet an anthropologist and an engineer to learn how the Cloud impacts society and the environment.

S2. E5. Biohm harnesses the ancient organism mycelium to grow engineered construction systems

First Mile — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100

Mycelium, or the roots of mushrooms, can grow to the size of entire forests and are used by plants to communicate across large areas. Ehab Sayed of Biohm is using mycelium and other natural processes to make the building products of our futures that are organic and zero carbon. Ehab’s business is inspired by nature and its construction systems and materials champion a transformation towards the integration of engineering and biological processes. This episode hears how Biohm, a multi-award winning biotechnology company is changing the shape of the built environment.

S2. E4. Aluminium is the most recycled material in the world from drink cans to space craft – we discuss the current state of aluminium recycling

First Mile — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100

First used as a packaging material by Toblerone a century ago aluminium is the most recycled material in the world. 75% of all aluminium ever made is still in use today, but there’s still a lot more to do to recycle all of this wonderful material. In this episode we learn how far we have come and what the future might look like. Rick Hindley from Alupro talks to Wasted about the barriers and opportunities for aluminium recycling and what we might expect from Extended Producer Responsibility and a Deposit Return Scheme.

www.alupro.org.uk

www.recyclealuminium.org.uk

S2. E3. Learn how to reshape your office space with a low carbon impact, deliver social benefit and save money.

First Mile — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100

This Episode we meet Rype Office - the circular economy company shaking up the office furniture industry:. Hear how Greg Lavery, founder of Rype Office returns office furniture to as-new condition, saving money, reducing waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating local jobs www.RypeOffice.com

S2. E2. Putting us straight on plastic packaging recycling, green washing and behaviour change.

First Mile — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Join Bruce for this straight talking episode on plastics recycling. Bight Green Plastics are manufacturing recycled plastic compounds right here in the UK. Tune in to get clear insights about plastic exports, green washing and changes policy makers and influencers need to make around plastics. https://brightgreenplastics.com/

S2. E1: Textile recycling comes full circle…

First Mile — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Kicking-off Series 2 of Wasted we delve into 200 years of textile recycling with Dr John Parkinson who is founder of Yorkshire wool recycling business iinouiio. Learn how John is saving one of the olderst recycling industries - shoddy and how he plans to change perceptions of recycling in fashion. https://www.iinouiio.com/about

Bonus Season 2 Episode - Meet the First Mile Team

First Mile — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Wasted Series 2 and to get started we have a special edition where we meet some of the First Mile team

S1 E17. Understanding how we can take action against the environmental footprint and consequences of the fashion industry

First Mile — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:07:46 +0100

We chat all things fashion with Dr Patsy Perry who is a Reader in Fashion Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University. We focus on the environmental footprint and consequences of fashion, the rise of fast fashion, the innovative companies leading the way to a more sustainable future and how we, as consumers can take action.

S1 E16. Fixing our dysfunctional relationship with plastic

First Mile — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 11:20:18 +0100

Could you imagine a modern world without plastic? It's a valuable and useful material when used well, but we're living with the consequences of not having designed for end-of-life. We chat to Mark Miodownik, Materials scientist & engineer; Director of the UCL Institute of Making; author and occasional tv/radio presenter about the future of plastic.

S1 E15. KeyKeg: how to tap into the circular economy

First Mile — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 11:11:44 +0100

If you're a beer drinker, you've almost certainly had a pint out of a KeyKeg; the lightweight alternative to traditional steel kegs. Hear KeyKeg's CTO, Bert Hanssen, discuss KeyKeg's fascinating journey towards a closed-loop system.

S1 E14. Delphis Eco: Cleaning up the cleaning industry

First Mile — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:16:35 +0100

We speak to Mark Jankovich Founder and CEO of Delphis Eco to find out how Delphis Eco is disrupting the cleaning product industry with recyclable products and clever formulations that put the environment and aquatic organisms first.

S1 E13. LettUsGrow: Growing lettuce with LEDs: the sustainable future of farming?

First Mile — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:30:08 +0100

Bruce chats to Ben Crowther, Co-founder & CTO of revolutionary indoor agriculture company, LettUsGrow. Find out about aeroponics, vertical farming, food waste and what UK agriculture will look like in 2050.

S1 E12. Hubbub: Solving environmental issues through play

First Mile — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 11:17:00 +0100

Recycling bins that blow bubbles, giant ashtrays and DIY bat costumes… We speak to Hubbub creative partner, Sarah Divall, to find out about the role of psychology and playfulness in kick-starting behavioural change.

S1 E11. The science behind Nando's ambitious 2030 carbon target

First Mile — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 13:11:19 +0100

We speak to Henry Unwin, Head of Sustainability at Nando's UK & IRE to find out about the importance of making sustainability fun, why carbon off-setting isn't the immediate solution, and what it means to sign-up to the Better Chicken Commitment. And don't miss Henry's top recycling tips for a unique way to reuse a box of wine!

S1 E10. How to build communities through food waste

First Mile — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 17:33:14 +0100

Bruce chats with Tessa Clarke, CEO and Co-Founder of the food sharing app Olio. They discuss the shocking reality of food poverty and malnutrition here in the UK, the environmental impact of food waste, and how we need to stop looking for the perfect fruit and veg in the supermarket.

https://olioex.com/

S1 E9. How wet wipe reefs are changing the River Thames

First Mile — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 15:11:40 +0100

Bruce talks to the team behind the plastic in the Thames study about wet wipe reefs building in the River Thames, plastics in the food chain and how everyone needs to change their behaviour.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53479635

S1 E8. The future of coffee: from coffee logs to cosmetics

First Mile — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:18:51 +0100

Meet George May, Director and Chief Commercial Officer of bio-bean, the world's largest coffee ground recycler. Our CEO Bruce and George chat about the innovative ways to recycle coffee grounds.

https://www.bio-bean.com/

S1 E7. How to row the Atlantic and save the planet

First Mile — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 14:15:44 +0100

Bruce catches up with Kiko Matthews, fastest woman to row the Atlantic, and discusses all things beach cleans, education, environment and sustainability.

https://www.kikomatthews.co.uk/

S1 E6. How to build a sustainable start up in the foodie world

First Mile — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:30:26 +0100

Bruce chats vegetables, veganism and sustainable foodie start-ups with serial entrepreneur Grace Regan, Founder of SpiceBox http://eatspicebox.co.uk/

S1 E5. What happens when your waste goes abroad

First Mile — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 17:13:02 +0100

Bruce chats about the consequences of waste on children and families around the world with Amy Hanson, Founder of Small Steps Project http://www.smallstepsproject.org/. Plus find out what Lewis Hamilton, Benedict Cumberbatch and Mel C all have in common.

S1 E1. How to create a zero-waste business in a week

First Mile — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 22:24:24 +0100

First Mile CEO Bruce Bratley chats with Miranda Essex Founder of PlantPack (getplantpack.co) about how she set up a zero-waste business saving plants from waste all whilst in lockdown.

S1 E4. Rewilding: the rise of un-gardening

First Mile — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:04:15 +0100

Bruce chats all things rewilding with Alastair Driver, Director of Rewilding Britain. With a goal to rewild 5% of Britain by 2100, find out how every single one of us can help to bring back nature and restore living systems rewildingbritain.org.uk

S1 E3. How to be plastic savvy in a plastic world

First Mile — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 10:48:55 +0100

Bruce discusses all things plastic with Dan Webb, aka Everyday Plastic, and how we can all learn a lesson or two from the humble milk bottle. They also chat why reduction is key, even more so than recycling.

S1 E2. How the takeaway industry can go zero waste

First Mile — Tue, 26 May 2020 14:38:06 +0100

Bruce discusses the positive impacts of covid-19 with Tony Small, founder of Decent Packaging, and how businesses can look to come back greener. They also delve into the world of compostable packaging as Tony shares his vision to make takeaways more sustainable.