The Earth Show

With ever growing pressures to build new developments and infrastructure across the UK, what are the impacts on our already vulnerable environment? How are these challenges being faced? And is it possible to find a balance where nature and societal needs are taken into account?On this episode of the Earth Show, Elysia chats with Mélusine Velde, Planning and Advocacy Officer at the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. Join them as they discuss the work of the trust, the challenges it faces, and how they work to overcome these.

Every year in the UK we are seeing more and more of the impacts of climate change in the form of extreme environmental events such as floods and wildfires. In response we often see huge investments into new infrastructure to protect the most vulnerable areas; but these additions all have a lifespan and an environmental cost. So what if there was another type of solution? A simpler and better one? Could restoring our natural landscapes be the answer to some of the challenges we face? On this episode, the focus is an example of just this, as Elysia is joined by Tom Harrisson, Conservation Works Officer from Moors for the Future, to talk about their incredible work restoring thousands of hectares of land across the Peak District and South Pennines. Protecting communities, restoring culturally significant sites, and safeguarding our water supply and vital biodiversity for the future; make up just some of the many benefits discussed on the show!

An incredible community energy organisation based in Manchester join the podcast to talk about their work and the positive impact it has for both people and the planet 🌍!Read more about their work here: https://www.gmcr.org.uk

The UK is an island, we’re surrounded by sea, and it plays an integral part in all our lives: from the oxygen we breath, to the food we eat, and our own cultural identities. Yet, our marine environment is more threatened than ever. So, who’s working to protect it?This week on the Earth Show we’re joined by Liberty Turrell from the Marine Conservation Society UK to talk about their important work, their flagship Great British Beach Clean event, and to answer your listener questions.

Food-waste is responsible for 8% of our planet’s annual greenhouse emissions. It’s bad on both a human and environmental level, yet so easy to contribute to.So, what can we do in our own lives to make a big difference collectively? - actually quite a lot! Join me as I chat with Dyl and Will about foodwaste, the challenges it poses, and as we test out live an innovative app helping to make a difference.

You don’t need me to tell you that the tech sector is a huge and rapidly growing space. We have all seen how almost instantaneously AI has become a default tool in millions of people’s lives; celebrated for its potential to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. But with our ever-increasing technology use and dependence, it is sometimes easy to forget, or not realise, the full impact the sector has on our planet- on both an environmental and human level.Vineeta Greenwood co-founder of Wholegrain Digital, a pioneering digital agency with a strong focus on sustainability, joins me on this week’s podcast episode to talk about this. Join us as we discuss where Wholegrain Digital came from, what it means to be a tech B-Corp, and what AI could mean for the future of the sector and our planet.

When it comes to our planet’s future, we can often be hasty to dismiss the past from the conversation, as new smart technologies, promises and approaches capture our attentions. But actually, what we find if we do look back, is that the past, our ancestors, and previous ways of life, hold far more intuitive, effective and simple solutions to the ever-pressing challenges will be facing as a result of climate change.Join Elysia and Catherine as they talk about the incredibly important work of Historic England, when it comes to tackling one of the world’s largest problems.

Join Elysia as she chats with Bella and Honor about their experiences and relationship with looking after the environment, as young adults in their 20s. Featuring discussions, news articles, and wait for it… a QUIZ! Listen along to the conversation with us, and join in yourself by leaving a comment below:)Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content. You can also follow Bella @bellafletcherlomas on Instagram!!

Roads can be tricky enough to cross at the best of times, but for toads, it’s even harder. Why does it matter though? Why are toads important? And why are they trying to cross the roads in the first place?Join Elysia as she chats to Sheila Gundry from the UK’s Reptile and Amphibian Charity Froglife about just this, at this incredibly exciting time in the amphibian calendar!Answering your questions sent in ahead of the show, and brimming with tips to help you support our native wildlife, listen to this podcast episode to find out more about Froglife’s incredible work and how you can help to make a difference.

We all have pieces of jewellery that mean something to us, it’s a way to show somebody you love them, that you care, or a way to treat yourself. But what about the jewellery industry? Is it really as beautiful as the pieces it provides us with? And what options do we have to be more planet friendly in our choices, and make the most of the pieces we end up with that maybe mean a lot but aren’t right for us? Join Elysia as she chats to the talented jewellery designer Amy Ridyard taking a different approach to jewellery making, designing incredibly personalised and beautiful pieces across her collections, whilst taking a very environmentally conscious approach. Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content. You can also look at Amy’s work on her Instagram account @amy_ridyard_jewellery .

Dairy alternatives have boomed in popularity in recent years with 1 in 4 UK adults choosing one as part of their diet. They’re a familiar sight in coffee shops, but how do they really compare to dairy products on an environmental and ethical level… and equally importantly… how do they taste? Join Elysia and her university friend Mitch as they set about the ultimate taste test of six different milk and ‘mylks’, to give you their honest opinions of where they stand in this fun episode. For anyone curious or considering the world of dairy alternatives, this is a great place to start. Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content.

Water security is a challenge we don’t often have to think about in the UK. But around the world, and even for the UK as we face climate change, it’s an ever-growing struggle.  Desalination is one of the potential solutions to this and is already being used widely all around the world. But what is it? How does it work? And what are the environmental challenges associated with this modern method for sourcing drinking water? Join Elysia and her expert guest Conor Kenny, a freelance chemical process engineer specialising in desalination and wastewater, as they delve into the answers to these questions for you.

Plastics are everywhere. They are so convenient yet so problematic.   Join Elysia as she invites radio presenter Peter Scotson on the podcast to discuss the challenges and realities of living on a planet with plastic.   Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content.

If you were asked where your food comes from, how it was farmed, where it was grown, would you know?   With an ever-increasing volume of giant commercial farms all around the world, we have never been more separated from our food. Farmers are struggling and the environment is paying a toll for intense agricultural practices. But David Fryer is one of a few taking a different approach, reclaiming lost knowledge and reconnecting a community through his Cheshire based farm Groobarbs.   Join David and Elysia as they chat about the challenges of modern farming, and how a different approach, stepping back down to a smaller scale, may just be the solution.   Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content.

It’s no secret that the fast fashion industry is problematic on many levels. Yet with ever growing pressures to keep up with trends and look a certain way, it’s easy to get swept into.    Join Elysia and What_Chloe_Thrifts as they discuss the environmental and ethical problems of the fashion industry, how you can break the cycle and embrace more sustainable fashion yourself, and Chloe’s own journey into the realms of slow fashion, and the joy it has brought her.     Catch up with a new episode of the Earth Show every week, and in between check out @theearth_show on Instagram for more content.