Did you know UK businesses create more than 41 million tonnes of waste every year? And who would’ve known New Zealand, considered by many as a green country, is actually one of the most wasteful.. Sofi Cinque, founder of Earthic, is an environmental consultant originally from Argentina, now based in Queenstown, New Zealand. She speaks to Harriet Robinson about her career and the ways she's managed to help businesses around the world to reduce the amount of waste they create. Sofi offers up...

Could you do a whole year of buying nothing new?  Environmentalist, author, blogger and podcaster Jen Gale, known for her Sustainable(ish) project, speaks to Harriet Robinson about her second ‘make do and mend’ year and what she’s learned from the experience. She also shares her passion for imperfect sustainable living and how she manages to get her young family onboard with lifestyle changes, as well as ways to stay positive and productive in the face of climate ‘doomerism’ If you want some...

The live music industry generates billions of pounds for the UK economy, but it racks up a lot of carbon emissions too. According to Clean Scene, the average touring DJ emits 35 tonnes of C02 per year, 17 times higher than is recommended per person. Pauline Bourdon is the founder of Soliphilia, which provides sustainability consultancy and green touring for the music industry. She works closely with artists, as well as events organisations such as Team Love to ensure their festivals have...

Clearing up Britain’s litter and fly tipping costs taxpayers over £1 billion per year. Plastic-free blogger and Keep Britain Tidy ambassador Anna Lund, known for her blog No More Plastic Fantastic, talks to Harriet about her passion for litter picking, including the benefits it brings, not just to the local community and wildlife, but also for mental health. She talks about the oldest piece of rubbish in her vintage litter collection (yes that really exists) and how she has managed to get big...

How can you get others around you to care about sustainability as much as you do? Environmentalist and founder of sustainability coaching platform, Coaching for Cause, Manuel Bergmann, believes the best way is to lead by example. A German now living in Bali, Manuel talks to Harriet about the misconceptions we have of how different cultures treat the environment. He also gives advice for positively influencing others and suggests ways to effectively spread your message online, as well as some...

The award-winning period plastic campaigner Ella Daish talks to Harriet about her inspirational journey from Royal Mail postal worker to full time environmental campaigner. She details the worrying extent of the problem of period plastic, which is the fifth most common item washed up on Europe's beaches. As well as explaining what needs to change & the options facing us an individuals, Ella gives advice and tips for those wanting to follow her footsteps into a life of activism. Ella's...

An urban gardener, blogger and founder of The Farm In My Flat, Joyce van Dam believes everyone can grow their own food, even inside a small apartment like her own. Joyce talks to Harriet about how to get started with your indoor farm, the many benefits it brings and her top tips for keeping your home thriving with edible plants. By growing your own produce you can help to reduce plastic waste, avoid nasty pesticides and unnecessary transport miles, enjoy a healthier diet and environment and...

Growing up in Kenya Sapna Mulki was forced to appreciate the importance of water, which was often very scarce, but was surprised to learn others take it for granted. Globally more than a billion people are currently living without enough clean safe water. Sapna, a water consultant & host of the podcast Breaking Green Ceilings, is trying to change that by promoting a better understanding of the value of earth's most precious and vulnerable resource. She explains the problems with the...

The founder of Food Empowerment Project, lauren Ornelas, talks to Harriet about the human impact of our food choices and her journey into activism. lauren believes we need to look beyond veganism, highlighting the exploitation of farm workers, including children, for products we all enjoy on a regular basis. She gives advice on how to make more empowered food choices that consider animals, the environment and humans. lauren has been an animal rights advocate for most of her life, previously...

What's the connection between mind-body practices and environmental activism? Kayla Robertson, founder of the wellness platform and podcast Moving Inward, believes the journey to becoming and remaining an effective activist begins with prioritising your inner self; keeping your personal well-being in check through practices such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga. Kayla talks to host Harriet Robinson about her own journey, how to figure out a routine that works best for you, and the ancient...

A sneak peak at what we've got lined up for the second series of Wannabe Greener. New episodes from January 2021.

All the brilliant tips and advice from the first 12 episodes of Wannabe Greener.. Further information on each guest can be found on their individual episode pages.

About one third of the food produced globally every year gets lost or wasted. It's enough to feed all the hungry people in the world four times! https://www.unenvironment.org/thinkeatsave/about-thinkeatsave Amanda Chapman says focusing on the bigger picture in terms of sustainability means working to reduce food waste in whatever way she can. Amanda founded New Zealand's first ever community fridge, saving tonnes of food from being sent to landfill and feeding hungry mouths in the...

Fast fashion is destroying the planet, with more than 100 billion garments produced worldwide each year; 85% of which end up in landfill or incinerated. Not to mention the exploitation of factory workers in developing countries. Ethical fashion blogger Kate Hall talks to Harriet about her journey to a more sustainable wardrobe, offering achievable tips and advice for those looking to make more ethical clothing choices. Kate's open and honest approach shows that everyone can enjoy more...

Did you know that 91% of plastic isn't recycled?! Recycling is one of the easiest things we can do to help the environment, yet it's made so confusing and difficult that global recycling rates are pretty poor. Polly Griffiths from The Sustainability Trust tells Harriet what happens to recycled items once they've been collected, what we do wrong with recycling and how we can improve our own recycling methods at home or in the workplace. As landfills are overflowing across the world, they...

Journalist, writer and academic, Zakiya McKenzie, talks to Harriet about the changes she believes need to be made to ensure black, indigenous and people of colour are equally represented within the environmental movement. Born in England, but brought up in Jamaica, Zakiya was one of Forestry England's first ever Writers in Residence, documenting her journeys in English woodland. BIPOC are the most affected by climate change, with black Americans three times more likely to die from...

Co-housing is growing in popularity across the world, offering a more sustainable way of living that provides a sense of community. Unlike communal living, there are separate, fully kitted out households with a series of shared spaces, amenities and tasks. Harriet catches up with Hannah Schickedanz, who, along with her family, is part of a new co-housing project for Wellington, NZ, called Urban Habitat Collective. Hannah talks about the green aspects of co-housing, how the planning process...

Do you know what's in your make up? Or the damage it may be doing to the environment, let alone your body? Traditional cosmetics cause most harm to the planet through chemicals, toxins and plastic making their way into water systems, damaging nature and wildlife as far out as the coral reefs. That's not even counting the 120 billion units of packaging produced every year by the global cosmetics industry; most of which isn't recyclable. In this episode Harriet meets Emma Peters, the founder...

Eco-anxiety has been described by the American Psychological Association "a chronic fear of environmental doom." This type of worry is a legitimate reaction to environmental issues and, though expected to be felt by millions around the world, it can be difficult to accept and manage. Our guests are Niki Harrè - a community psychologist interested in collective responses to climate change, and Jackie Feather - a clinical and counselling psychologist with more of a focus on the...

A bitesized chunk of some of the stories and discussions you'll find within a Wannabe Greener episode. Original music by Aarmstrong https://open.spotify.com/artist/7KrgGLIFfAjoK592qPN5OS

Zero Waste is a principle focusing on minimising, and ultimately eliminating, waste. It encourages a circular economy, where all products are reused, repaired, recycled or composted. We all know the younger generation are where it's at when it comes to environmental activism and innovative ways to save the planet. At the age of 14, after watching some upsetting films about the state of the natural world, Cassia Percival Day decided to try living zero waste, and two years later it's become...

Renewable energy sources now generate almost a third of the UK's electricity. And solar power is expected to be the world's main source of power by 2050. So, why aren't we also using it? Damon Rand, a co-founder of Clean Energy Prospector - an energy services company helping to build the smart grid - is a bit of an expert when it comes to renewable energy. Harriet and Damon get down to the nitty gritty of how the renewable energy system works and easy ways we can reduce our own energy...

Eating a plant-based diet is widely recognised as one of the best ways that we, as individuals, can help reduce the impact of climate change. It's also now considered one of the healthiest diets by many medical and nutritional experts. Harriet Robinson meets Tim Barford, founder of VegFest, the UK's biggest vegan festival, who's been vegan for over 30 years. They talk about why and how to move towards a vegan lifestyle, as well as the difference between veganism and eating a plant-based...

Carolann Murray says everyone can implement elements of self-sufficient living into their lives. She is the author of the book Mastering the Art of Self-Sufficiency in New Zealand and currently lives on her blueberry farm in Whiteman's Valley NZ, where she grows her own produce, makes her own household products and lives pretty much off grid. Carolann talks to Harriet Robinson about how she got to this point and how others can do the same by starting to change small aspects of their...