I hope you are well wherever you're reading this from, and since this episode is being released very close to Christmas, if you’re celebrating, however odd it may be this year, I’m wishing you a warm, cosy, merry Christmas wherever you find yourself.
As this chaotic year draws to a close, I wanted to try take a moment to reflect on things I’ve learned, mistakes I’ve made, nuggets of wisdom that have really stuck with me, and looking forward to how all these experiences inform what I’m trying and planning to do moving forward.
I'm not a huge new years resolution person, but I do feel it’s a good time to be reflective on the year, set some focus points/goals moving forward that help bring focus and motivation as we move into the new year.
Going WAY back to the start of the podcast, I had a few solo episodes, focusing on topics such as plastic pollution, food waste, food footprint,and food ethics. This was broken up with an episode chatting about looking after our well-being whilst learning and acting upon all the shocking information.
Some key shock factors:
Right now, there are 51 trillion microplastics in the sea, and up to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean every year. And just to make this scale a little more relatable, the equivalent of a truck load of plastic enters the ocean every minute.
According to the UN, “a global shift toward plant-based food is vital if we are to combat the worst effects of climate change. Globally, animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all the world’s transportation systems combined.”
Also according to the UN, with further support from multiple studies, Globally, a third of food goes to waste. 1.8 billion people could be fed with the food waste produced globally.
“All the world’s nearly one billion hungry people could be fed on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in the US, UK and Europe.” OLIO
Water footprint.org website – so useful for seeing the water usage and wastage in different types of food production processes.
A report in the journal environmental research letters states:
"The water footprint of any animal product is larger than the water footprint of any crop alternative with equivalent nutritional value”
1 dairy cow = 145 pounds of feed and 35 gallons of water PER DAY
According to USDA estimates, 87% of the global soy output is processed into soy oil and soy cake, with the latter used almost entirely as an animal feed.
Only 6% of global soy output is used for foods for human consumption that are produced from whole soybeans (e.g. edamame beans, tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, or tempeh).
1 hamburger = 660 gallons of water & 55 square feet of cleared rain forest = showering for 2 months Sustainability secret
Calculate food footprint on WWF website:
Episode checking in with well-being - an analogy that really stuck with me
You don’t wait until you develop a cavity, or until your teeth start to fall out before you decide it’s important to brush your teeth, you know the value of brushing them at least every morning and every night, just to help make sure they stay healthy.
The same thing applies with your mental health. We cant only start to acknowledge our mental health when it becomes a problem in our lives, our mental health is with us throughout our entire lives and it’s state will fluctuate from day to day, minute to minute at times. So its important we check in with ourselves more often and find things that work for us to help look after our well-being.
Food ethics
This was a heavy episode but really important to allow ourselves to see these injustices in the food industry.
Not only looking at types of foods, but also problem with chain companies.
“Nor is it only the biodiversity of plants, animals and insects that is decimated by the obliteration of the rain forests. More than 6 million indigenous people once lived in the amazon forests. There are now, because of the loss of the forests, less than a quarter of a million.” (The Sustainability Secret)
“Roughly 60 billion land animals and over a trillion marine animals are used and killed as commodities per year” Madeleine Olivia
FOOD EMPOWERMENT PROJECT:
So much info on ethics of food, and super useful resources. I'm so grateful to have discovered this in my research, and I refer back to it a lot in my choices.
INTERVIEW EPISODES:
I am so grateful to have met and spoken with some truly wonderful people. Its so difficult to summarise briefly the such valuable insights and perspectives they all shared, so I really do recommend listening to what they have to say, but just a quick summary...
FIRST EVER GUEST – Kathleen Varendia – so much useful info on sustainable fashion. Highlighting fast fashion problem:
In 2000 the amount we consumed in relation to clothing was about 60% less than we do now on average!!!
How to spot fast fashion, Greenwashing, follow remake our world, download the 'Good on You' app.
"Sustainability is living your life so you can hopefully leave what resources you had for future generations. Balancing environment, equity and social justice and the economy (way you consume). Also important to keep a balance in yourself and do what makes sense in your life. You have to be able to sustain your mental health." Kathleen Varendia.
I hope to have Kathleen back on the podcast, she's been researching on indigenous people who’s land was stolen by national parks!!!
Greener, Kinder, Smarter, NO Waste Store – Randie Cimino.
It was great talking with Randie so early in her process of starting up her store, and I'm really wishing her all the best with it.
“Age doesn’t matter about starting new adventures”
There are some great zero waste tips in this episode, and if you’re considering starting a zero waste store venture, on whatever scale, this episode could especially be of interest to you.
Balancing this set up with her full time job is super inspiring.
More on Zero waste living with Alysha, now @the.sustainable.scientist on Instagram, her account is such a feel good place to go!
This episode is great for tips on journeying towards zero waste, breaking down the 5 R’s of zero waste which I had not previously heard of! Great bread recipes, discussing veganism:
"It's sort of odd how we are brought up to think eating meat and other animal products is normal and we don’t really question it."
“Some people might thing I’m extreme, not buying things in plastic. Other people might not think I’m doing enough. You just have to find what works for you and be kind to yourself”
“Just because there are things in our society that seem normal, doesn’t mean that they are okay”. We’ve normalised things that should NOT be normal.
Check out the 'Share Waste' app for composting, it's definitely in New Zealand but may be in other countries too. Hopefully there's something everyone can take away from this episode to make a small change somewhere in their lives to help the planet :)
Martha Powell - first in person chat!
Martha talks about finding her balance with social media, steps she's taking to be more sustainable, super interesting conversation around speciesism, how we see some animals as pets yet others are considered food.
I'm so grateful she was so open to talking about these contradictions. Confirmation bias and algorithms, challenges shes faced being more sustainable, steps she’s taken. Such a positive energy.
Another interview with someone I know, and am now living with in Sweden, was with Matilda Bjarum who is also a dance artist. We talk about her relationship to Lagom having grown up in Sweden, how it shaped her life in so many ways.
Importance of opening up and allowing space for conversation, making mistakes.
Recognising what I think/believe now can change when we learn new things, gain new experiences.
Lagom is integrated into the Swedish way of life, the differences she felt when moving to the UK, we discuss appreciation for nature, our views around capitalism and advertisement in shaping the disposable culture we live in, concerns surrounding tribalism with social media, and considering individual and collective responsibilities when approaching environmental and social injustices.
Tech Waste Episode
This is something I've only started learning more about recently, since don’t see myself as tech savvy, but I have SOOO MUCH TO LEARN!!! Plus, if you're reading this, or listening to the podcast, we are using technology that it's important we learn how to preserve, repair and when needed to be disposed of, knowing how to do so responsibly.
I want to have a guest on to talk about this more in a future episode, still searching, if you know of anyone please do get in touch.
Scott Thomson – An incredibly informative conversation, works for The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges.
This conversation really draws on the complexities in sustainable development on company and government level, and how much they should be held accountable for.
Something that really struck me was the gap he mentions between education and sustainable jobs. For example, hydrogen power - nowhere in Scotland is teaching students about it, yet it’s a big part of Scotland's sustainable development plans. BIZZARE
He talks about COP negotiations, how undemocratic/unfair the system is, along with drawing attention to how we are failing on all biodiversity targets and this isn’t being prioritised.
Also, such an interesting perspective on the Oatly scandal. If you’ve been stressing out about it/trying to boycott, definitely would advise listening to this perspective!!!
“We can only try our best. It’s not up to each individual to solve the climate crisis”
CRAP ACTIVIST – So uplifting and inspiring. Her family have made such awesome changes in their lives, and it’s rippling outwards. She has such a bubbly, positive outlook, so if you’re feeling hopeless, this one is definitely for you!!
Sharing what she learned, their fails and a fabulous mantra:
“We feel good about what we do, and not bad about what we don’t”
Jasmine Harrison!!!! Such an awesome person, check out her Sunday brunch blog!!!!!
She’s focused on building community which feels more inclusive sharing important information in a way that feels more accessible. We are all still learning!! None of us are perfect, there’s so much room for growth and being open to that is so important.
“I truly believe that if we do not centre indigenous voices, marginalised voices, disabled people, issues surrounding accessibility in climate solutions, then they’re not solutions… it has to be an holistic approach”
“When it comes to the climate crisis, that is a human problem. Industrialisation, colonisation, capitalism has all rapidly sped us into the climate crisis that we are now living in”
She really highlights the intersectionality in the environmentalist movement, ,and why its so crucial we recognise this, otherwise any solutions we come to are not really solutions.
“There’s one earth, there’s no other place for us to go. Anything happening on a microcosmic level has impacts on a macro level… it’s all connected and we should all care”
I learned so much from this conversation, and also just had a wonderful chat with Jasmine, and we have agreed to find a way to meet some day, which would be awesome!!!! Definitely check out the episode if you haven’t. so many gems of wisdom, so many quotes I wanted to share from the conversation, so go give it a listen as you will gain so much.
Jam Jar Gill – focus on holistic health, experiences trying to live in a more eco-friendly way as a mother of twins!!
“Doing little things every day can make a big difference, and it doesn’t have to take up much time in your day”
“Look at your whole body, look at how it’s all interconnected”
Great book recommendations, advice to parents, Remind yourself of the positive changes you are already making and celebrate that. Focus on controlling the controllables.
Interview with Xenia:
In this conversation, we discuss her zero waste, minimalist journey, her masters in sustainable development, barriers to sustainability and the impact of privilege on living in this kind of way. Recognising the privilege of knowledge and the responsibility that comes with this to make the information more accessible.
How economic growth is not sustainable, the faults with the capitalist system. Very insightful!
“The premise that we can be developing and growing endlessly and still not destroy the planet is false”
“Remind yourself that even comparing to the moment when you started, you’ve already done so many amazing things”
Xenia is opening up conversation around mental health, creating a supportive space to talk about it.
Tips for managing eco-anxiety. Importance of not shaming others for the choices they are making, as we are living in different situations with differing levels of privilege. The importance of continuing to learn, and then acting upon the information if you are in a position where you can.
Awesome part, relating how we are made of microbes, all doing their quiet work, all a part of our systems, to the way we, microbes, plants, animals, humans, are all part of this complex eco system, and all have value. We need to recognise how it’s all interconnected.
Some great book recommendations too!
There's so much I want to mention about these episodes and can’t do these people enough credit for their generosity in what they have shared. Thank you all so much, I’m incredibly grateful.
I hope this outlaying of information from episodes so far wasn’t too overwhelming or disjointed, but I thought it would be good to take a moment to reflect on what has happened so far from starting the podcast, even if it only captures an essence, it might also help signpost you to any episodes you would like to listen to if you haven’t already.
Moving Forwards and Goals I wish to set
After an overwhelmingly positive response on a recent Instagram poll, for January, inspired by Veganuary, the podcast episodes will be focused on raising awareness about veganism, speaking to some people I find super inspiring, sharing their experiences, advice and perspectives on veganism.
I am so happy you guys were so up for hearing more about veganism!!
I hope these episodes will be useful and insightful, I’m super excited to speak with the guests I have lined up for it!!!
I also want to get more involved in community projects (when they start up more again in my area).
Reevaluate where I’m expending emotional energy. I hit a point of huge overwhelm, as I was focusing so much on individual choices, that are sometimes out of my control, when that energy could be far better spent on engaging with community, learning more about social injustices and how I can unlearn inbuilt prejudices for example.
Links to a few useful resources:
Emmanuel Acho - Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man:
The Yikes Podcast:
The Environmental Justice Movement:
Intersectional Environmentalist Platform:
I am also getting involved in a few projects which I’m very happy are combining my artistic work as a dance artist with raising awareness for environmental issues, so I’m super excited about this, and hope I can share more about these with you as their processes develop!!!
I am also going to dedicate more time to signposting to people doing incredible work, so you can listen to all the amazing things they are doing, be inspired and learn so much from a diverse range of people, doing very different things, living very different experiences.
I also have a lot to figure out with being in Sweden, Brexit implications, moving hopefully to an apartment if I find somewhere to rent, and figuring those fun logistical things out….
I’m going to try some DIY things, if I have a bit more time over Christmas, see which ones are successful and hopefully keep them in my routine.
What goals are you setting for the few weeks/months ahead?
I’d love to hear from you; what you’ve been learning, changing in your life, challenges you’re facing, or any feedback for me to make the podcast more of what you would like to hear.
Some Recent Failures
We all have them, and it's important not to shy away from them, and accept we can't always do things in the most 'perfect' way we might hope to.
- I haven't been able to be as plastic free as I would like to be recently - my time has been quite limited to manage to get to different grocery stores when doing the food shopping to get everything free from plastic. finding veg plastic free has been a challenge in some cases!
I'm trying to focus on what I can do, and what I can't yet do better on an individual scale, what can I do on a community/global level? Shifting my perspectives and evaluating where I'm placing most of my energy, and where I could use that energy more effectively elsewhere.
- Talking about Intersectional Environmentalism - I received a message following a recent post I made about Intersectional Environmentalism, and I was very grateful for this message. I had credited Leah Thomas for her work in creating the Intersectional Environmentalism platform, but hadn't mentioned Kimberle Crenshaw, who is an incredible civil rights advocate, among many other things, and a leading scholar in critical race theory. she proposed the theory of intersectionality.
Take a look at her incredible TED Talk:
it's important I don't assume people's knowledge about her work, and am sure to credit those from which terms I discuss originate, as it is so important we are aware of where the concepts and terms we use originate from.
- Another mistake, might seem little to some, but I've downloaded Ecosia on my phone, I downloaded it on my phone but keep using google by default - a habit I'm planning to break!!! If you haven't downloaded Ecosia yet, DO IT!! Start planting some trees simply by using it as your search engine.
There are of course many more mistakes I am making and learning from, and I'm learning to accept that's okay - it means we are learning if we take appropriate action following the recognition of these mistakes.
Apologies if this was a rambly episode, but I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, sending you all my love and best wishes.
I'd love to hear what you've been learning, failures you've learned from, and any reflections or thoughts you've had from any of the episodes so far - you can email me (alittlebitoflagom@gmail.com) or send me a message on instagram @alittlebitoflagom :)
If you can support the podcast financially, please check out the Ko-fi account, all donations go straight into podcast production fees, and every little really does help.
If you aren’t in a financial position to do so, I completely understand, and would be so grateful if you could share things you’ve learned with family/friends, and leave a rating/review on apple podcasts. It would mean so much!!!
Sending warm wishes x