Sustainababble

Fancy getting your hands on a bit of lovely solar or wind power, while making friends and sticking it to the big energy companies? Course you do. So, er, why isn't community energy more of a thing in the UK? Is it the fault of that nasty ol' Government? In our first ever Babble panel chat, we meet Emma Bridge, CEO of Community Energy England; Leonie Cooper, Labour's lead on Environment in the London Assembly & chair of the Environment Committee; and Andy Hunt from Bury Community Hydro. Crikey! Also, listen to the end for the sound of two adults watching a bridge go up. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

We meet that Liz Bonnin off of TV and science to talk about the Galapagos Islands. It's far away, an ecological wonder, and slowly getting ruined by plastic. Liz tells us what needs to be done. In our exclusive chat at the Royal Geographical Society, we learn why anteaters don't need straws, why being green is trendy, and what keeps Liz feeling optimistic despite it all. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Insect numbers are plummeting and no-one knows why. What they do know is that the implications are, frankly, terrifying. Is it possible to get our heads round stuff like this without being paralysed by fear? What can we do? And why aren't our leaders even talking about it? This week's episode is unashamedly heart-on-sleeve, confronting the profound anxiety often triggered by a never-ending slew of diabolical environmental news, and wondering how on earth we remain chipper. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Hoots! Scotland's banned fracking! Ol and Dave don their Tam o' Shanters and find out why. Elsewhere, there's more suspiciously good news, particularly if you're an elephant or you like making electricity out of poo.  Even Theresa May's new clean energy strategy isn't terrible. We're agog. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Is apathy the biggest barrier to stopping climate change? How do we persuade millions of preoccupied people to put climate into the "urgent/important" box? And do we need to convince the Inhofes to join our side - or can we save the planet without them? These questions and more are answered by ex-pollster and mega brain Leo Barasi, who joins us to talk about his new book The Climate Majority . You can order Leo's book at https://newint.org/books/politics/the-climate-majority/ Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Germans went to the polls recently and, somewhat astonishingly, elected a rather large number of fascists in the process. Nicht so gut. We talk to Kenneth Richter, an actual German, to find out what it all  means and ask whether Germany and Mrs Merkel are the green heroes they're made out to be. Also this week, animals losing their shit. Specifically: otters, rats and hornets. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Lewis Hamilton's jacked in the meat and dairy cos he's scared about the planet. We applaud, then ask: hang on, you drive pointless belchy cars for a living, don't you? In other news, say eh-oh to a magic bucket that will make it easier than ever to lob litter out of your car, and the offshore wind that's so cheap it's surprised even miseryguts greenies. Plus: why using a plastic bag in Kenya may now land you in the clink. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

BAFTA award winning BBC presenter Bruce Parr, star of ‘Tribe’, ‘Amazon’ and ‘Arctic’, tells us all about his brand new film ‘Tawai: A Voice From The Forest’. As well as revealing the extraordinary stories behind the film - and what on earth a Tawai is when it’s at home - Bruce is candid in explaining some of the formative experiences in his own life. Check out the film at https://www.tawai.earth/ Additional music by David Szesztay, Ibuki Fkuda and Satellite Ensemble. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

France and Canada have bagged themselves two energetic young leaders, not only impossibly photogenic but also saying all the right things about the planet. Giggidy, giggidy goo indeed. But who's the greenest? Are they in fact very green at all? And does wanting to dig up and sell 173 billion barrels of oil slightly take the shine off the Swampy vibe? Also this week, Bond goes electric, a famous museum takes babbletastic, and finally PROOF that decaf coffee is worse than satan. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore – https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

He's back! The man who tried to ban climate change from the national curriculum has been anointed as Environment Secretary. Knickers are properly in a knot; yer Babble's on hand to see if this really is as bad news as all that. Meanwhile, Ol gets mushy about the return of a small rodent. Again. And does Donald Trump really think he's a modern day King Cnut? Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme and other music by the legendary Dicky Moore - https://soundcloud.com/dickymoo Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Holy Moley! What just happened? And what does it mean for the planet and stuff? Fresh from an election all-nighter, Dave and Ol interview superbrain political campaigner, Liz Hutchins. Will a deal with the DUP be bad news for the climate? What next for Jezza? Will the yoof save us? And is Brexit still a thing? We find out. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft & Dream Themes. This episode also contains music from Tours and Podington Bear. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

A man of his silly orange word, Donald Trump has finally confirmed the USA will quit the landmark Paris Climate Agreement. Aaargh! But just how sodding awful is this news? Ol's away, so Dave (and Arabella) chat to Amy Mount from the Green Alliance,  trying in vain not to freak out too much. And with the UK election looming, we also natter about why on Earth the environment isn't getting a look-in in the leaders' debates. Is it all our own silly faults really? Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft & Dream Themes. This episode also contains music from Daniel James Dolby and Blue Dot Sessions. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Very many elephants get their blocks knocked off every year for ivory. Grisly business. But are the UK Government doing enough to stop it? And are your granddad's billiard balls to blame? We've also got some annoyingly damp seeds from Norway, and we try to work out if cuddling plastic out of the ocean is a good thing or not. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Yes, again. Ol, Dave and Arabella summon some enthusiasm for yet another election and pick out the manifesti-babble from the manifesti-chaff. Fracking, coffee cups, expanding Heathrow and cherishing the oil industry: it's all here. There's also cheery news from France, and we find out which food company is idiotically unrecyclable. All this, and there's even time for an ELECTION QUIZ. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

FOXES BEWARE! Your days of not being chased by dogs and men on horses in red coats might be numbered, according to that nice Mrs May. But is fox death really a vote winner? Has the ban actually stopped any hunting? And was the law an accident in the first place? All this, plus ANOTHER way climate change has found to nark things up, this time by unlocking the ills of the distant past. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish. Hooray!

If YOU take a flight, are you a planet-wrecking bastard? Are some bastards more hypocritical bastards than others? And why aren't politicians talking about Heathrow any more? We chat to brainy aviation campaigner Leo Murray, where we also learn things about Richard Branson's coconuts. We've also time for a trip back to the early 80s for a warning about climate change that everyone ignored - and a chuckle at the Government's latest telling off about stinky air. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud, and all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

A sensational report claims oil giant Shell took part in a vast bribery scheme that robbed the Nigerian people of over a billion dollars. We talk to Barnaby Pace of Global Witness to hear how the scandal was uncovered. Read the jaw-dropping report at www.globalwitness.org/shellknew Also this week, the UK Govt promoting planetary destruction and Chris Packham in the clink. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud, and all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

What's wrong with economics? EVERYTHING. That's what Dave & Ol found out when they interviewed the brainy & bags of fun 'renegade economist', Kate Raworth. Kate explained that saving the planet means thinking like a doughnut, that the 21st century needs a new economics, sharpish, and that maybe books can save the world after all. Her new book, 'Doughnut Economics: 7 ways to think like a 21st century economist' is out now. Kate's website is http://www.kateraworth.com, she's on twitter @kateraworth, or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/doughnuteconomics. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud, and all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Everyone's being mean about diesel cars all of a sudden. Why? Weren't they supposed to be better for the planet? And why was Ol on the telly wearing a filthy tie? Also this week, massive Inhofery from a "think" tank in America, and Donald doing what Donald does. Sustainababble is your weekly podcast about the environment, with jokes. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud, and all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Writer, politician, former Eurocrat, lifelong environmentalist, fearsome Remainer - oh yeah, and he's also Boris's dad. Dave and Ol chat all things Brexit with Stanley Johnson. Stanley tells us all about his hopes and (mostly) fears for the environment after Brexit, stands up for the great British newt, and tells us what he can see at the bottom of his garden. Sustainababble is your weekly podcast about the environment, with jokes. Music by Dicky Moore from Bearcraft and Dream Themes. Available on iTunes, Acast, Soundcloud, and all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.