Innovate Eco

Dr. Joe Huddart is an ecologist, former environmental DNA researcher and now the founder of Ecology Calling — a series of events built on a simple premise: stop charging extortionate ticket prices, stop letting sponsors dictate agendas, and start having actual conversations about what's working in nature.We cover why he thinks the conference model is broken, what happens when you take nature events out of city auditoriums and into actual landscapes, the state of biodiversity data and why MRV still isn't where it needs to be, and the gap between supply and demand in nature markets that nobody seems to want to talk about honestly.We also get into his career trajectory from academia to eDNA, his first word being "aphid," and why he nearly got arrested as a teenager trying to sell great crested newts to a pet shop.To find out more about Joe's events go to www.ecologycalling.co.uk

Peter Bach grew up going to school in the middle of a Singapore rainforest, became an engineer because he couldn't draw, and now runs a company in Switzerland building digital tools to put nature back into cities. His podcast has better production values than mine.We talk about why cities spent a century paving over nature in the name of efficiency, what AI and digital twins might actually be able to do about it, and why the question of who pays for nature is still basically unresolved. There are also beavers.Peter's Podcast The Grand Challenges PodcastBooks mentioned Think and Grow Rich — Napoleon HillAtomic Habits — James ClearThe Power of Habit — Charles DuhiggBe Like Water, My Friend — Shannon LeeThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck — Mark MansonCo-Intelligence — Ethan MollickFind Peter petermbach.comedenct.comGet in touch with Rob linkedin.com/in/robwreg

In this episode, Rob Wreglesworth sits down with Nathan Stranart, co-founder of Ten Lives Festival, a bold new “regenerative festival” movement aiming to tackle land degradation and desertification by pairing hands-on restoration work with music, joy, and community.Nathan explains how Ten Lives formed as a founder collective (not a solo hero story), why governance and “relationship to profit” matter more than most founders think, and how festivals can become a scalable vehicle for behaviour change rather than just entertainment. They dive into alternative investment models (steward ownership, capped returns, climate dividends), the idea of scaling like a tree rather than a rocket, and why Ten Lives is fundamentally an education project that trains local guides and future festival builders.If you care about regeneration, systems thinking, and building mission-led ventures without falling into the usual VC traps, this one goes deep in the best way.Topics covered:Regenerative festivals, community-led entrepreneurship, systems thinking, post-growth business design, scaling impact, eco-anxiety and purpose, alternative finance models, and building movements people actually want to join.To back the project and secure a ticket to the first edition of Ten Live click here https://www.ulule.com/ten-lives-regenerative-festival/Learn more about Ten Lives here. If you have any ideas for future guests drop me a direct message on Instagram or Linkedin

A special Christmas bonus episode ahead of the official relaunch of This Might Just Work: Ideas for a Tired Planet in January.Rob chats with filmmaker James Dawson, director of Derek vs Derek, a documentary built around an unlikely pairing: two neighbouring farmers with very different views on what the countryside is for. On one side is Derek Gow, a maverick rewilder in Devon digging ponds, reintroducing species, and letting nature get noisy again. Over the hedge is Derek Banbury, an arable farmer focused on food production, tight margins, and the reality of making a living from the land.They disagree, sometimes spectacularly (wild boar and beavers included), but they do not hate each other. Which makes this film feel like a rare thing: a genuinely human conversation in a polarised debate.Support the film’s crowdfunder and learn more at derekvsdereck.com.

In this episode, I sit down with Sylvain, co-founder of Mosaic Earth, to unpack his journey from the world of energy strategy to creating a nature tech company tackling one of the hardest problems out there: making ecological data collection accessible, affordable, and trustworthy.We talk about:🌱 The parallels between raising a newborn and raising a startup.📊 Why site-level ecological data is the missing piece for scaling nature-positive action.🤝 How to bridge the gap between ecologists, corporates, and big tech.🚀 What it means to “build the plane while flying it” in a fast-moving Nature Tech space.💡 Practical advice for conservationists and ecologists who want to start companies of their own.Sylvain also shares Mosaic Earth’s long-term vision: empowering communities worldwide to become custodians of local biodiversity with the help of AI and smart data tools.Whether you’re an aspiring founder, an ecologist curious about tech, or just someone excited about the future of nature-positive business, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.👉 Learn more about Mosaic Earth at mosaic.earth👉 Join the Ecopreneur Collective newsletter for more founder stories: ecopreneurcollective.substack.com/

This week I’m joined by Jon Conradi, founder of Wild Mosaic, a nature startup on a mission to make rewilding something everyone can be part of, not just landowners or ecologists.Jon’s journey into entrepreneurship is one I think a lot of aspiring ecopreneurs will relate to. He didn’t start out in conservation or business. In fact, for a long time he completely switched off from environmental news. But through a mix of rediscovering wonder, a career shake-up, and a push from the Year Here programme, he slowly built an idea that turned into a real business and a hopeful vision of what rewilding can be.In this conversation, we talk about:What made Jon feel like an outsider in the nature world (and why that became his strength)How he turned redundancy + new parenthood into a startup launchpadWhat rewilding has taught him about building businesses differentlyThe hard truths about funding, identity shifts, and learning to sell your missionWhether you're working on your own planet-positive idea or still figuring out where to start, Jon's honest, thoughtful reflections will give you something to hold onto and hopefully, a nudge to take your next step.🔗 Learn more or get involved:🌱 wildmosaic.eco📬 Contact Jon directly: [email protected]📚 Book mentioned: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell🎧 Bonus reading: Jon’s blog on the 3 Horizons model📷 Also worth following his journey on LinkedInAnd if you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with someone else trying to build something meaningful. This one’s all about starting small, thinking big, and staying human.Do head to www.nolongerknown.com to find out what I am building too.

In this episode, Emily Power shares her honest, inspiring journey from a corporate career at Microsoft to founding Oceanmade, a regenerative business with global ambitions. We explore how seaweed could be the most underrated material in the climate fight - not just for oceans, but for land too.We also cover:Why the first version of Oceanmade (the "green Amazon") failed and what Emily learnedThe gardening eureka moment that changed everythingWhy plastic plant pots are a hidden environmental problemHow to build a product without being an expert and why that can be an advantageThe challenge of marketing to real customers, not just eco-enthusiastsThe land and sea benefits of seaweed from soil health to carbon sequestrationWhy building in public with imperfect products might be your startup's secret weaponThis episode is packed with lessons for aspiring founders, regenerative thinkers, and anyone ready to turn anxiety into action.🔗 Learn more:🌿 Oceanmade → https://oceanmade.co🌊 Follow Emily → https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybpower/📬 Planet-positive founder's newsletter: The Ecopreneur Collective → https://robwreg.substack.com/subscribe🧵 Follow the startup journey at → https://www.nolongerknown.com

What if the key to restoring nature lies in uncovering the past?In this episode, I’m joined by Iris Kramer, founder of ArchAI and Forbes 30 Under 30 scientist-turned-startup-CEO, who’s pioneering the use of AI and LiDAR to rediscover lost landscapes, from medieval furrows to ancient orchards and turn them into assets for nature recovery.We talk about:How Iris went from archaeology to AI entrepreneurshipWhy historic maps and burial mounds matter for modern biodiversityWhat it's like bootstrapping a deeptech startup without VCHer vision for a national (and global) “map of the past” to guide future regenerationIt’s a fascinating story of tech, nature, and startup grit — and a must-listen for anyone building at the intersection of climate, data, and land use.To learn more about ArchAI head to www.archai.io🌱 Subscribe to my newsletter for more founder stories + tools for building planet-positive businesses: The Ecopreneur Collective🧵 Follow my own journey building a regenerative clothing brand at: www.nolongerknown.com

In this episode, I speak with Alex Kornelsen — a former startup and innovation strategist who left the corporate world to co-found Mission to Marsh, a storytelling-led non-profit restoring wetlands and rebranding peatlands as climate heroes.We talk about how it all started with a Tinder date and a one-sentence peatland pitch, and go deep into what it takes to launch a mission-driven organisation from scratch — from faking a film to raise €50K, to securing Patagonia support, to building a community using marketing, humour, and open storytelling.Whether you’re looking to launch something planet-positive or just curious about how skills from marketing and innovation can be redirected for nature — this episode is packed with insights, honesty, and energy.00:00 Intro01:00 From Tinder to Peatlands — how it all began04:00 The one-sentence pitch that changed everything06:45 Why a documentary came before the non-profit09:30 How they raised €1M and got Patagonia’s support13:00 Behind the scenes of making the film16:40 The power of storytelling in conservation20:10 “Fake it till you make it” — lessons from launching25:30 From GoFundMe to corporate partnerships30:00 AI + grant writing: how they raised €20K in 30 minutes32:00 Why LinkedIn beat Instagram for traction36:45 Personal branding in nature restoration40:15 Disrupting the non-profit model44:00 Co-founding with your life partner — the real talk50:00 Starting a for-profit arm with peatland tech57:00 Final thoughts on optimism, failure, and what nature teaches us01:00:45 The billboard quote, book recommendation & business idea👉 Connect with Alex Kornelsen on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/k0rnelsen/👉 Explore Mission to Marsh and watch the filmhttps://missiontomarsh.org/📷 Follow the Mission on Instagram and LinkedIn to see where the film is touring next.🛠️ Interested in building your own planet-positive venture?Check out The Startup Diaries episodes — where I document the behind-the-scenes journey of building No Longer Known, a new nature-led brand from scratch.Subscribe on your favourite platform and come along for the ride.

In this episode, I sit down with Benedict Macdonald, award winning author turned ecopreneur, to explore his fascinating journey from wildlife television producer to founder of nature restoration company Restore. Benedict shares how his childhood fascination with butterflies led him to a career in conservation, eventually leaving a successful career in wildlife television to tackle the challenge of transforming land use in the UK through innovative business models. We dive deep into Britain's complex history with nature, discussing how centuries of wildlife removal have shaped our landscapes, and explore the emerging opportunities for restoration through new financing approaches. Benedict offers fascinating insights into his current projects, including an ambitious plan to restore Atlantic rainforest in the Hebrides, while also sharing practical advice for urban rewilding and garden biodiversity. Our conversation covers everything from the role of wild boar in ecosystem restoration to the potential for nature recovery in cities like Berlin. Whether you're interested in conservation, sustainable business, or simply want to understand how nature and economics can work together, this episode hopefully offers valuable insights into how we can build businesses that help nature thrive. We wrap up with book recommendations and Benedict's optimistic vision for the future of British wildlife.

Elena Doms, is the visionary co-founder of Earth Plus, a startup with an audacious goal: to create the largest soil and CO2 cleanup in history, working hand-in-hand with nature.  Elena's journey is a fascinating one which we dive into in detail in this episode. Born and raised in the Arctic, she spent 18 years witnessing the effects of climate change firsthand From there Elena's impressive career has spanned from being a Director at Mastercard, where she merged digital and sustainable transformations, to becoming a LinkedIn influencer and top voice Now, with Earth Plus, she's working with her team to develop innovative solutions that not only clean soils from chemical pollution but also capture CO2 using plants. Not only that, but these plants are then transformed into local, circular construction materials, contributing to the decarbonisation of our cities. Find out more about Earth Plus at https://www.earthplus.eu/ Useful Links: Pollution Map of Europe PFAS Map PFAS Map 2 A guide to safer products An app to help find safe foods Book Choices: Connect - Simon Lancaster Connecting the dots - Christian Busch Please connect and message me on LinkedIn

In this episode, I chat to Mikael Hietala the sustainability officer at Croatian startup Earthbound Sneakers. Earthbound (Croatia's first B-Corp) is tackling the many issues caused by fast fashion by creating truly stylish and comfortable shoes. In this episode, we talk about the issues with fast fashion as well as a wide range of topics from growing a business in a de-growth world, why big brands find it hard to adapt, why its important to still create things people find cool and stylish (not just sustainable), carbon tunnel vision, the power of being an intrapreneur and innovating within a company and much more! Mikael's book recommendation: Capital in the Anthropocene - Kohei Saito To learn more about Earthbound head to their website here.

In this weeks episode I speak to Cameron Dowd, co-founder and CTO of Inverto, a startup who are connecting businesses with local communities to plan, plant and monitor coastal ecosystems at scale. We talk about all sorts in this episode from Cameron's background in robotics, his work flying drone medical suppliy deliveries in Tanzania, why we shouldn't get 'carbon tunnel vision', the amazing uses of mangroves and why they are so important and his ecopreneur journey so far. To find out more about Inverto head to www.inverto.earth

In this week's episode, I speak to Lindy Damen founder and CEO of EVRgreen Studio. A gaming company designing bespoke games for sustainability. We cover all sorts of topics including: How an early connection with nature and MS Paint started the journey The potential power of gaming for behaviour change How different types of games can connect with different types of audience How there is never a 'right time' to start a company The decision to bootstrap rather than get investment Links to things we talk about: Among Trees Pollinator Park VR Post Growth Entrepeneurship A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

In this episode, I sit down with Jamie McCallum, the founder of Force For Nature. With experience in F1 marketing and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Jamie combines this experience to bring a new perspective to driving private funding into nature projects. Jamie is the founder of Force For Nature, which aims to empower Rangers, the unsung heroes who work as park wardens, foresters, community scouts, and indigenous guardians. Despite their critical role in delivering nature-based solutions aligned with the UN's 30x30 targets, many Rangers face challenges such as inadequate staff numbers, pay, equipment, and training. Through strategic business partnerships, Force For Nature provides Rangers with the critical training, earned income, and improved status they need to excel as guardians of our planet's natural resources. In this episode, we explore Jamie's journey, Force For Nature's innovative approach, and the transformative impact their work is having on both Rangers and the natural world they protect. Find out more about Force For Nature by going to Their website Instagram LinkedIn

In this episode, I speak to Dan Watson, a multiple award-winning Product Design Engineer and the Global Winner of the 2012 James Dyson Award for design engineering. Dan's outstanding work earned him seed funding from Sir Richard Branson, leading him to establish SafetyNet Technologies, where he now serves as the CEO. At SafetyNet, Dan and his team are working closely with the fishing industry to design accessible and effective precision fishing tools that are helping to keep our oceans healthy and thriving. By reducing bycatch and minimising the environmental impact of fishing, precision fishing plays a vital role in protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable future for our planet. We cover various topics from his award-winning product design to his tireless efforts in making technology accessible to anyone with a problem to solve or an idea to explore. Discover how his groundbreaking work is revolutionising the fishing industry and contributing to a more sustainable future. To learn more about Dan Watson and SafetyNet Technologies, visit their website at https://sntech.co.uk/. Book Recommendations: Let my people go surfing - Yvon Chouinard The three-body problem - Cixin Liu

In this episode I speak to Elise Van Middelem the founder and CEO of SUGi - a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to greening cities and reimagining urban life through nature-based solutions. SUGi is at the forefront of creating green infrastructure and restoring the human connection to nature in urban areas. Their signature approach is based on the revolutionary Miyawaki Method of planting ultra-dense, biodiverse pocket forests comprised solely of native species. In just four years since its launch in 2019, SUGi has conceived, planted and funded nearly 200 of these pocket forests across 42 cities on 6 continents worldwide. Their work has reconnected over 52,000 youth and community members to nature through hands-on forest-making. What started as a grassroots movement has evolved into a leading global voice for civic rewilding and ecosystem restoration. SUGi has earned prestigious recognition from the World Economic Forum, inclusion in the 1t.org trillion trees initiative, and backing from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Along the way, they've forged powerful partnerships with iconic brands to execute high-visibility public projects that inspire environmental action. Elise's pioneering vision integrates her deep passions for contemporary art and global ecology into a unifying purpose - to empower, inspire and activate what SUGi calls "The Rewilding Generation." To learn more about SUGI head to www.sugiprojects.com Book Recommendation: The Messy Middle - Scott Belsky Email me with any comments or guest suggestions [email protected] and add me on Linked In - www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

In this episode, I speak to Dan Sherrard Smith the founder and CEO of My Mother Tree. Not every innovation needs to be shiny new technology or groundbreaking scientific advancements, sometimes it is creating something simple that can have a huge impact. That is what My Mother Tree are doing with tools such as the Money Carbon Calculator, which helps individuals and businesses find out where there money is invested and how they can have a big impact simply by switching banks. In this episode we cover lots of topics from how Dan was involved in the biggest ever deal on Dragon's Den, how the calculator works, why it is so hard to change banks, why this is a powerful lever for change, advise for other ecopreneurs and much more! Find out more about My Mother Tree Follow Dan on LinkedIn Dans Book Recommendations: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Shoe Dog Total Recall

In this week's episode I chat to Pooja Paul the founder of Habitable Earth. Habitable Earth plans to be the 'Duolingo of Climate Action' combining the best scientific insights about human behavior with the power of immersive gameplay to make planet-friendly lifestyle choices easy, fun and rewarding Habitable Earth's mission is to empower the growing majority of climate-concerned consumers worldwide to meaningfully contribute to the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, while improving health, saving money, and having a bit of fun. Pooja is a fascinating person bringing a global perspective after spending parts of her life in India, the US and the UK. As you will hear in the episode she studied and researched in the field of cognitive science before making the leap into climate tech, which brings a fascinating perspective. We cover a lot of topics including the importance of habits, the perception gap, the intention-action gap and much more besides. Useful Links: Rad Rabbit (the 5 a day app Pooja mentions) Books: Regeneration - Paul Hawken Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg Atomic Habits - James Clear

In this episode, I speak to Max Runzel the cofounder and CEO of the company HiveTracks. HiveTracks creates technology to help beekeepers manage their hives. Started back in 2010 at the intersection of computer science and beekeeping and now supports over 40,000 beekeepers across more than 150 countries. That is cool on its own but what they are working on now is even cooler (well to me it is anyway) and that is using environmental data collected by bees and beekeepers to monitor biodiversity. To find out more about Hivetracks head to https://www.hivetracks.com/ Book Recommendations: The Invention of Nature - The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt - Andrew Wulf Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity - Peter Attia Please do follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter for podcast updates and send any feedback you have or ideas for future guests

A short clip from episode 19 of the podcast where I spoke to Mart Drake-Knight founder of tshirt company Teemill. We talk about how creating a circular company actually makes business sense whilst being much better for the planet. If you enjoy it do check out the full episode and subscribe for more.

In this episode, I chat to Carlos Terol. Carlos is a serial ecopreneur and around a year ago launched his latest venture Good Ripple which is a community platform for connecting passionate changemakers who are ready to make a difference in the world and take action. We cover all sorts of topic including the plan for Good Ripple, thinking locally in an increasingly global society, our communication issue in climate, starting to act like an ecopreneur without quitting your job, the power of LinkedIn and how things change when you grow. As Carlos mentions everyone out there who is a changemaker or wants to become one should join Good Ripple so head to https://nas.io/good-ripple to sign up. You can connect with Carlos at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-terol/ Carlos book recommendation, a Gift For Conversation can be bought directly here: https://www.agiftforconversation.com/shop/

How could we leverage blockchain technology in interesting ways to help nature? That is what Pete Howson focuses his research on and he highlights some companies leading the way with some out-of-the-box thinking, like getting a forest to own itself! The full episode was episode 13 from back in 2019 and you can listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Il0ztA4ITuyfB8eux7Vw9?si=0b51e79167d84876

In this episode I speak to Chris D’Agorne, the founder of How to Rewild – the UK’s most popular rewilding advice website, and is currently developing Life to Land –  a nature recovery advisory service for smaller landowners. Chris is one of the most influential voices in the growing rewilding movement in the UK.  Chris took the bold step of re-mortgaging his house to purchase 3.5 acres of land that he has been managing for about two years now and sharing his story in the open, inspiring thousands of people with his direct action.  In this episode we talk about everything from filming polar bears in the Arctic, to how Chris decided to buy the land, putting a price on nature, how we deal with increasing polarisation and much more.  The best way to find out more about what Chris is working on is to head to the Life to Land website. You can also follow Chris on LinkedIn to see updates from his project The episode of The Wilder podcast can be found here   Chris’ book recommendations: ⁠Rooted⁠ – Sarah Langford Please do subscribe and rate the podcast if you have time, it really helps! Follow Innovate Eco or Rob Wreglesworth on LinkedIn for all updates. Please like and subscribe and follow me on LinkedIn or Twitter

In this episode I speak to Oliver Dauert the founder of Wildya, a platform that helps users understand their own complex minds and transform their eco-anxiety into action. They then use 15% of the revenue to protect & restore nature. People just show up and work on themselves, nature is restored as a consequence. To learn more head to Wildya.earth and make sure you download the app to start working on your mental fitness whilst restoring nature! Olivers Book recommendations: Atomic Habits - James Clear Rewilding: The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery - Cain Blythe and Paul Jepson The Social Lives of Animals - Ashley Ward Please do subscribe and rate the podcast if you have time, it really helps! Follow Innovate Eco or Rob Wreglesworth on LinkedIn for all updates.

Topher White is the founder of Rainforest Connection (rfcx.org) and is known for his work since 2012 protecting rainforests using a device he invented called the "Guardian"— made from upcycled Android smartphones. His original Ted talk can be found here. His latest undertaking, called Squibbon, harnesses 10 years of experience creating technology for protecting rainforests to explore wilderness areas much closer to home – your own backyard. This includes a reimagined new device, Delta, which looks like a brushed aluminum mini spaceship you might imagine traversing through the galaxy, yet fits snugly into any space in your backyard, easily mounted on a tree or in your garden, allowing you to explore the wilderness just outside your door. Weatherproof, rugged and powerful enough to capture the sounds of every living creature (including sounds the human ear cannot even detect), 24 hours a day, streaming them to your phone and home electronics to entertain, protect, educate and advise you and your family about the animal activities beyond your walls.The product will launch on March 28th on Kickstarter, with the first devices shipping in 2023. Head to www.squibbon.com for more info If you like the podcast please subscribe so you get the next episodes as soon as they are released. And please follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/robwreg) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg)

As more people move to live in cities, the disconnect between where food comes from and our plate seems to be growing all the time. But today's interviewee is hoping to change that by helping design alternative food solutions from the very heart of London. The amazing place that is the focus of today's podcast is called Green Lab. Founded by Andrew Gregson as a maker space with the belief that design is the most effective way to tackle big challenges, they have set out on a mission to radically change the way we produce and consume food Whereas many people might see our ever-expanding cities as concrete jungles devoid of life, they see them as places with opportunity, to experiment and develop food systems that make people and spaces healthier For more information and info on open days and courses head to www.greenlab.org Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

With approximately 90% of the world's freight moved about by large ships, it's perhaps not surprising the industry has a big impact on the environment. In this episode, I interview someone who is on a mission to change that. Danielle Doggett is one of the founders of SailCargo Inc who are currently building a large sailing vessel called Ceiba in Costa Rica. The idea is that once finished it will not only have a positive impact but act as a model for others to copy around the world as they hope to #seashippingchange To find out more about this amazing project and info about how to invest head to https://www.sailcargo.org and watch some videos of the construction at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-oMwu50sTk  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

There are certain topics amongst environmentalists that seem particularly controversial. One of these is Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). In this episode, we explore the topic of ‘beliefs’ within the environmental community and whether those beliefs are no different to ones of religion such as creationism. So I’m stepping out of the realms of environmental scientists and innovators once again to speak to Stefaan Blanke is a philosophy professor at The University of Tilburg, who has taken his work looking at matters such as creationist beliefs in humans and applied that thinking to look at pseudoscience, particularly around GMOs.  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Biochar is a product created by applying lots of heat to plant matter in the absence of oxygen. This creates a form of pure carbon, not that dissimilar to what you would put on a bbq, but much purer. This substance that is created can then be stored in soils which locks away this carbon for hundreds, potentially thousands of years. It also has the added benefit of holding moisture and nutrients within its pores, potentially boosting crop growth too. It sounds like an interesting idea but I wanted to speak to someone in the know to find out a bit more. My guest today is Jamie Bakos from Titan Projects. After graduating as an environmental engineer student, Jamie worked his way through jobs where he had to figure out what to do with waste streams. This is what eventually lead him to set up Titan Projects and to focus on biochar as a solution to many organic matter waste streams and also as a solution to climate change. We also chat about some of Titan Projects other projects all trying to find a use for carbon. For more info on TitanProjects check out www.titan-projects.com and for more on carbon-based products go to https://carbon4climate.com/  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Shah Selbe is a spacecraft engineer turned conservation technologist and founder of non-profit Conservify, whose mission it is to lower barriers to entry for effective conservation by providing anything from equipment to apps and all with a big push towards open-data. For more info on Conservify head to www.conservify.org You can find Shah on Twitter @shahselbe Conservify @conservify on both Twitter and Instagram Field kit @fieldkitorg also both on Twitter and Instagram  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

We’ve spoken about the issue of plastic waste in a few previous episodes, but the problem of litter extends much beyond that. There are many other materials and items that are used in an increasingly disposable manner and that contribute to this epidemic. Litterati is a mobile app, created by Jeff Kirchner. It started off simply as an Instagram hashtag, but it started to grow into a global movement. Jeff then realised he was collecting lots of useful data and perhaps this data could be leveraged to approach brands who were the main litter offenders. In the interview, Jeff will share some of the stories of how that is working in the real world and how the power of ‘big data’ can be used for good and not evil for a change. We also talk about how even though littering isn’t necessarily the biggest environmental issue of our time that the app can be used as a gateway into other issues and a way to engage people on a relateable issue. Download the app on iTunes or Android and have a go, it's actually really fun!  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Currently, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic enters the oceans every single minute of every day. So until we cut out this plastic habit completely, we need to find a way to put it to use and stop it harming wildlife and ecosystems. In this episode, we look to the circular economy model once more for a solution and I interview Toby McCartney, the founder of MacRebur, a Scottish based company that takes waste plastic that would otherwise be destined for landfill (or more likely the ocean) and use it to build roads. We chat about where the idea came from, the difficulty of getting from idea to product, the importance of local circular economy thinking and finally the plan to scale and tackle the plastic problem around the world. Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Land-based food production is in crisis - driven by climate change & population increase. We have to grow 70% more food by 2050 to accommodate 2 billion more people on the planet (World Bank 2017). So with the oceans covering over 70% of the earth's surface surely there must be opportunities for food production there? We know fishing with large nets hasn't worked, putting fish stocks under a lot of pressure. And fish aquaculture has many negative impacts too. But today's guest Bren Smith from non-profit GreenWave is pioneering a new technique known as 3D ocean farming which is a no input, ecosystem restoring, carbon-storing innovation that could provide sustainable, affordable food and millions of jobs in the process. For more info head to www.greenwave.org Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Fast fashion focuses on speed and low cost delivering new ‘collections’ of clothing for every season of every year inspired by the latest catwalk looks or celebrity styles. But this low-cost, disposable way of buying clothes is having an impact on the environment. This often includes growing the cotton (land use and chemicals), huge amounts of freshwater use, toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process and the impact of endless clothes filling landfills. Rapanui is a clothing company that has always had the environment at the center of their business, using renewable energy, organic cotton and recycling all the water they use. And their latest idea is a circular economy t-shirt which can be sent back over and over cutting down many of the environmental impacts of disposable fashion. In this interview I speak to one of the two brothers who founded the business Mark Drake-Knight about the company, this product and the exciting idea of Tee-Mill a platform they created which helps anyone set up a circular economy fashion brand. Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Biomimicry is the process of looking to nature for ideas and inspiration on how we can solve human problems and design things that better fit in with life on earth. Taking advantage of 3.8 million years of evolution to give us a ‘jump start’ on research and development. In this interview, I speak to Megan Shuknecht who is from the Biomimicry Institute, an organisation set up to promote the use of the principles of biomimicry in design and innovation. As Megan will explain, they do this by hosting design challenges, with a launchpad for new businesses and even an award-winning free tool (AskNature.org) which anyone can access to get inspiration from the natural world. For more information on The Biomimicry Institute head to: https://www.biomimicry.org And for AskNature: www.asknature.org Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

With the issue of climate change seeming so vast with so many factors influencing our carbon emissions, many people have started to focus on what they can do as an individual. Because at least we have control over that. In this episode, I speak to Roger Tyers, an academic working on climate change at the University of Southampton (UK) who is leading by example by pledging to stop flying. But with research based in China, how do you get halfway around the world without leaving the ground? I ask how this journey was, how he planned it, what it was like and what it cost. We also spoke about the wider issue of flying, why it is so cheap? Finding fulfillment in flying less often and we also touch on his research as well. Follow Roger on Twitter: @RogerTyersUK and Instagram: doctorchoochoo  Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

This episode focusses on the environmental problems caused by agriculture and I speak with the co-founder of a The Small Robot Company who aim to tackle many of those problems by approaching farming in a completely different way. We speak about the environmental problems caused by past and current intensive agricultural practices, how the small robots work and why that is positive for the environment, integration with internet of things technology, what to do with new spared land/ obsolete farm buildings and how they plan on stopping them getting stolen. Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Apparently electric flying cars will be appearing very soon, with some big names such as Uber and Boeing currently developing them. Some newspaper headlines have said they could solve our greenhouse gas and pollution woes….this seems like a bold claim that I think needs further investigation, so in this episode I speak to Akshat Kasliwal from the University of Michigan was part of a team that published a paper recently titled: Role of flying cars in sustainable mobility. In the interview, we discuss how they might fit into current and future transport systems and take a closer look at the potential environmental benefits Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

This week we are talking about the blockchain. Could the technology behind Bitcoin help us tackle some of the worlds biggest environmental problems? In this interview I speak to Pete Howson a Lecturer in International Development and Nottingham Trent University who has published papers on this very subject. We speak about how the technology works, how that might be applied to environmental problems and the potential pros and cons. We also talk about the issues of setting up environmental markets and how we need to stop thinking with a traditional capitalist mindset if we are truly to get to the root of what is causes some of the issues. To follow Pete's work and for more info go to www.crytonature.org Or you can follow him on Twitter @peterjhowson Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Today I take a deeper look into the human psychology behind climate change. Is there any way we can change tactics to convince the denialists?…..or are there more important battles we should be fighting first? I interview Dan Rubin PsyD, a clinical psychologist from Portland, US. We speak about this topic of communicating better, the rise of individualism and ‘peak entertainment’, mindfulnesses and how anyone can apply their job or skill to become a climate change activist. For more of Dan's work relating to climate change you can follow him on Twitter: @DanRubin13 or check out his articles: https://medium.com/s/story/how-to-have-a-useful-conversation-about-climate-change-in-11-steps-d4bbd4135e35 https://medium.com/@danrubinpsyd/everyone-an-activist-25f68fe6d448 Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

It is now pretty common knowledge that cutting down on meat consumption is one of the best things we can do individually for the environment…. but globally we just keep eating more of it. So is there another way we can greatly reduce this impact and without going vegan? Today's interviewee is Shir Friedman from clean meat company SuperMeat, based in Israel. They are one of the leaders in this growing industry and with a focus on poultry currently, they are getting closer and closer to a final product. In this interview, I ask about the process, how big meat producers feel about this disruptive idea and how it might go down with vegans. Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

The computer games industry is now estimated to be worth over $100 billion. But could this ultimate disruptive industry help us save the planet? In this episode, I speak to Dr Umran Ali a computer games professor and self-confessed ‘digital native’ from the University of Salford (UK), about how we can potentially use games to educate and inspire around environmental issues. Please like and subscribe and follow me on Twitter @robwreg or follow me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

Most of us want to cut down on the amount of bottled water we buy, but why is it so hard to find anywhere to fill bottles in our cities.?This episode's guest is part of a volunteer group called Water for London who are campaigning for more water fountains in stations and public places across the capital. Justine is also a sustainability blogger so we start with bottled water but end up chatting about all sorts; from waste to palm oil to minimalism.

Olio is an app that aims to tackle the problem of food waste by in their words: Connecting neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. In the episode I speak to founder Tessa Clarke how the idea for the app started? How did they get from idea to product? How does it make money? And what other benefits an app like this may have such as building up local communities that are starting to disappear in many areas.

The environmental issue of non-biodegradable plastics is more well known than ever before. Despite efforts to recycle more of it a huge 91% of plastics still aren’t recycled, ending up in landfills or in the oceans, taking around 400 years to degrade. One of the ways to disrupt our plastic problem is to make plastics that degrade much faster and this is what the disruptive environmentalists I interview in this episode from startup Mobius are doing. And they are doing so by finding 'wonder in waste'.

A big part of this podcast series is about seeking out new inspiring businesses that are bettering the environment by disrupting the status quo. But what if you have one of these ideas yourself? Where do you start, especially if it is a big idea that seems too big to tackle? Well, I also wonder this quite a lot and so I've tried to find some answers by interviewing a host of another podcast, Jay Clouse. Jay is a business owner himself and hosts a podcast called Upside.fm where they speak to business owners from outside of silicon valley. With this wealth of experience and from business and podcast he provides some excellent tips and insights on starting a disruptive environmental business.

There is a great misperception in our society that others place values of self-interest higher than values of compassion and care. Fixing this perception gap is massively important in the way we approach how we try and influence behaviours regarding environmental issues.

Moving away from innovations and onto new perspectives this week, as I interview an academic who says we need to get down from our ivory towers, stop the finger pointing and start communicating better about environmental issues. This podcast series isn’t just about shining a spotlight on innovators and businesses that are disrupting the way we deal with environmental issues, it is also a chance to speak to people who might offer a different perspective. When trying to influence behaviour around environmental issues, sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we try, the message just doesn’t get through to certain groups of people. With America withdrawing from Paris Climate Accord for example, it seems like things are almost getting worse. But instead of looking for new approaches or different tactics, we too often resort to simply shouting more loudly within our echo chambers. So how do we influence people on an individual and also group level in an effective way and help instill new behaviours? Well for some answers I’ve turned to academia to speak to an academic who is working on this exact thing, to try and get some answers. Dr David Rose is a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. His recent publications include papers such as "understanding how to influence farmers’ decision-making behaviour". And as the agricultural industry is often touted by environmentalists as an area that needs to see some of the biggest changes, I thought this was a good place to start. Prepare for a few bitter reality checks, and of course, Brexit and Trump get a mention to. We also question whether we should be more optimistic about the whole thing.

This weeks episode focuses on two environmental issues, the production of animal feed and also the processing of waste, especially in developing countries. Mathieu Chaix-Bar is attempting to tackle both these problems with a solution sourced from nature. His company Weendle, which is based in The Netherlands use the larvae of the black soldier fly to break down waste and then once complete the larvae is then used as a protein source in animal feed. Their work is mainly focussed in sub-Saharan Africa where increasing urban populations and lack of sewerage infrastructure means the problem is huge.