First Mile's Climate Heroes

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.

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 BratleyFeaturing Matt Spencer

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 BratleyFeaturing Jamie Crummie & Sara Shearly

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 PerryFeaturing Emilie Stephenson

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 BratleyFeaturing Ed Hawkins

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 BratleyFeaturing Grant Aarons

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 BratleyFeaturing Anthony Levy

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 BratleyFeaturing Benedetta Delfino & Zoe Cook

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 BratleyFeaturing Catherine Conway

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 eraHosted by Bruce BratleyFeaturing Luca Mezossy-Dona

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 BratleyFeaturing Li An Phoa

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 BratleyFeaturing Peter Michaelis

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 BratleyFeaturing Andy Shovel

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.

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

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 23Hosted By Bruce Bratley Featuring Alexis Normand 

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 

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

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  

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 

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  

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 

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 

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 15Hosted By Bruce BratleyFeaturing Pierre-Yves Paslier 

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 14Hosted by Bruce BratleyFeaturing Deepak Ravindran of Oddbox

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 13Hosted by Bruce BratleyFeaturing Ceris Turner-Bailes of WasteAid

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 12Hosted by Bruce BratleyFeaturing Tom Kay of Finisterre

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 11Hosted by Bruce BratleyFeaturing Stuart McLachlan of Anthesis

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 10Hosted by Bruce Bratley Featuring Henry Unwin of Daylesford Organic

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 9Hosted By Bruce BratleyFeaturing Josh White of CanO Water

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 BratleyFeaturing Rhiane Fatinikun of Black Girls Hike

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”

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 

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 

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

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 BratleyFeaturing Dr Anna Scott of Keep Britain Tidy

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.