We Are Carbon
Helen Fisher
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Top 10 We Are Carbon Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best We Are Carbon episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to We Are Carbon for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite We Are Carbon episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Let's Create Together!
We Are Carbon
07/12/23 • 6 min
Episode Links:
Find the webpage with more information here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/regenerative-animation-templates-social-media/
And for the Compilation Episode on regenerative agriculture (mentioned at the end of this one) go here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/regenerative-agriculture-healing-planet-climate/
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This is a really short episode with no guest as I'd like to invite you to consider getting involved within my new 'Animation Snapshot' development, which I'm designing to offer regenerative organisations an accessible way to raise awareness about the value of their work.
Find details through the link at the very top of this description.
Thanks, Helen :)
04/07/22 • 66 min
Tiny microorganisms inhabit every place upon this planet and for much of human society we have at best dismissed them, and at worse waged war against them.
In this interview I'm joined by Dr Christo Miliotis, scientist and & entrepreneur, for an insightful talk that sheds light on the significance of the microbes and multitude of organisms that live within the soil beneath our feet, and their incredible role in supporting life on this planet.
We cover their role in feeding plants and their ability to transfer gases from the atmosphere.
We learn why current practices of using chemicals in agriculture cause damage to this essential life.
We understand the building and value of a 'soil carbon sponge' and its significance in being able to draw down not just carbon, but also water vapour from the atmosphere.
And we gain a broad picture of the impact of how we to treat our soil connects to the health of everything from the climate, to the oceans, to the microbiome within our own guts.
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:38 - Start of Interview
00:03:55 - The Wrong Way To Feed Plants!
00:14:05 - Let Nature Feed The Plants!
00:17:32 - Greenhouse Gases as Plant Food!
00:21:45 - Plants & Microbes Work Together
00:27:04 - Build the Soil Carbon Sponge!
00:31:44 - Draw Down Water to Cool the Planet!
00:39:22 - Keep the Soil Covered!
00:41:37 - Big Leaps When We Work With Nature!
00:48:17 - Super Bugs & Super Weeds!
00:51:47 - Respecting the Life Within Soil!
00:52:53 - Healthy Soil / Healthy Gut!
00:57:57 - Motivation From Linked Benefits!
01:01:38 - Insights to Our Gut Health
Find additional resources related to the information covered over on the website.
Watch the animations from 'We Are Carbon'.
Follow on Instagram: @wearecarbon.earth
04/28/22 • 70 min
Do new plastic materials have the potential to shift this large and polluting industry towards a circular economy?
In this interview I'm joined by Cade Frost, CEO of 'Source Bioplastic' for a discussion about the development of his non-toxic bioplastic material along with the bigger picture of making shifts towards a healthier future for the planet.
It may seem like plastics and healthy can't really go hand in hand, but as one of the world's largest industries, it's something that we can't pretend is going to go away. And with such vast and destructive impact on the planet, that actually makes it one of the biggest opportunities for improvements.
Moving from synthetic to bioplastics gives the immediate benefit of reducing dependency on fossil fuels but there is huge variation within these materials and if we are to move forward at scale there's a lot to consider and iron out.
Cade had spent years anguished by the issue of plastic pollution and he recognised that it would take involvement from a full range of interests for real change to happen.
He's made an incredible start by successfully developing a rapidly compostable plastic material made entirely from natural and non-toxic ingredients.
I really appreciate the point of view that he brings with regards to understanding the needs of manufacturers, the current limits of disposal facilities and the expansive potential when we consider moving things to a truly circular economy.
We discuss everything from the materials themselves, to the impact on society and even consider whether it's possible for plastics to have a positive impact on the environment.
Use the time stamps below to get a sense of what's included:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:58 - Bioplastics vs Conventional Plastics?
00:03:20- Bioplastic Uses
00:06:37 - Can the Additives be Natural?
00:08:28 - The Issues with Plastics Disposal
00:15:30 - What are Microplastics?
00:19:12 - Disposal of Bioplastics?
00:22:08 - Can Bioplastics be Recycled?
00:26:29 - Do we have Space to Grow all of our Plastics?
00:32:03 - The Story of Source Bioplastics
00:39:03 - Are Bioplastics Competitively Priced?
00:44:55 - Are Toxins Still a Problem with Bioplastics?
00:48:58 - Can Fungi Assist with Breakdown?
00:53:17 - Disposal of Bioplastics
00:56:11 - Do Bioplastics have Potential to Help the Environment??
01:01:16 - Potential for Local Circular Economies
01:01:08 - Source Bioplastic Specifics
01:01:17 - Manufacturing Bioplastics
10:06:57 - Applications for Source?
Watch this episode's animation at the website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/bioplastics-potential-circular-economy/
Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearecarbon.earth/
06/02/22 • 63 min
When we talk about regenerative agriculture we can often lean on words like 'traditional' and 'indigenous', which can give the sense that we're turning our back on modern developments in technology.
But of course the very best value and progress comes when we can integrate multiple points of view together.
In this interview I’m joined by Adrian Ferrero, co-founder of ‘Biome Makers’, a global AgTech company working to empower farmers through a greater understanding of the soil microbiome.
Biome Makers brings our logical, data driven mind into the picture to work alongside the wisdom of working with nature.
They've studied soil samples from numerous locations to build up the largest soil microbiome database in the world.
Using computing technology and DNA sequencing they're continually deepening understanding of microbial communities and their relationships with plants.
As fertiliser prices continue to rise, regenerative farming methods are becoming increasingly desirable. Other interviews have taught us that working in close harmony with the soil life is a big part of making the shift. And since that soil life is so tiny and so varied, this growing understanding of soil biology is an invaluable tool to farmers seeking to make the transition away from synthetic chemical inputs.
Adrian shares a wonderful range of insights, from offering a broad understanding of why soil biology is so significant to farming, to details about the dimensions of plant growth and development that the microbiome can support.
Some of my favourite take aways were learning how dynamic the communities are, and that they change to meet the needs of new crops that are sown, and that maximum diversity isn't necessarily best - it's more about having a range of microbes that are best suited to the job at hand!
Use the time stamps below to get a sense of what's included:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:15 - About Adrian
00:04:27 - Soil carbon for a layman
00:16:30 - How soil biology supports the farm
00:25:18 - The role of microbes in pest control & plant disease
00:34:36 - Guided by the data
00:38:11 - Biological inputs
00:39:30 - Soil testing to profile microbes
00:41:41 - The largest soil microbiome database in the world!
00:42:30 - Using microbe profiles to turn desert to arable land
00:44:23 - How does the data guide action?
00:45:54 - Microbe communities are dynamic (the most diverse isn't necessarily the best)
00:49:58 - Plant dimensions that can be supported by microbes
00:51:26 - Biological inputs are more affordable for farmers
00:53:44 - How Biome Makers work with farmers
00:55:57 - Developments at Biome Makers
00:57:59 - How diverse soil biology affects food
Watch this episode on the Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/soil-biology-transition-to-regenerative-farming/
Follow on Instagram: @wearecarbon.earth
Learn more from Biome Makers: https://biomemakers.com/
07/28/22 • 49 min
Working to safely speed up the long-term inorganic carbon cycle, from millions of years to mere decades!
In this interview I'm joined by Kelly Erhart to discuss the possibilities of coastal carbon capture for safely yet dramatically speeding up the process of mineral weathering, which draws carbon down to Earth for very long term storage (thousands of years).
This episode moves our focus to a natural yet permanent capturing of carbon as we learn about the work and research behind 'Project Vesta', who are utilising a mineral called olivine along with the power of the oceans, to both remove CO2 from the atmosphere and reduce ocean acidity.
When we think about nature based solutions we're usually talking about carbon that cycles pretty quickly, through the growth and decay of organic life. It could be days, decades or hundreds of years, but the carbon will be relatively active in its continual journeys from the atmosphere to the earth and back round and round.
When we take a holistic view we recognise of course that the mobility of this isn't in anyway a concern - so long as we're deepening soils and regenerating ecosystems and biodiversity then more carbon will be stored down here in any given moment and it'll be offering us all kinds of essential benefits besides.
But with such an excess of emissions up in the atmosphere there are all manner of approaches being explored for drawing down large quantities of CO2 to be locked up and considered stored down here permanently.
These methods are often very technical, industrial or expensive, but Kelly is here to introduce us to coastal carbon capture - a means to accelerate the earth's ancient natural process of rock weathering, utilising the power of the oceans.
Now this natural process takes millions of years. And they're reducing it to just decades with an approach that's also surprisingly simple and cost effective!
So it's easy to imagine how impactful this could be, and I was delighted for the opportunity to speak with Kelly to get an overview of this project; its science, its methods and ambitions.
And like all nature based approaches the benefits can web outwards, so we also discuss how their carbon capture solution is countering ocean acidification and protecting vulnerable shorelines alongside.
Watch this episode on the Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/coastal-carbon-capture-accelerating-mineral-weathering/
Follow on Instagram: @wearecarbon.earth
And for more details on Project Vesta & the research behind their work visit their website: https://www.vesta.earth/
06/13/23 • 84 min
Find this Episode and all related links on the We Are Carbon website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/localise-lincolnshire-food-system/
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A special episode exploring the potential routes and benefits of building deeper connections within the local food system.
I have discussions with Laura Stratford, Martin Taylor, Hannah Thorogood and Adam O'Meara. They're all based in my home county of Lincolnshire, UK. As we learn about their individual roles within creating a more sustainable food system here we also explore the need to connect to dots between local efforts.
There are obvious ways that becoming more localised with our food systems can be of benefit to looking after both the climate and economic resilience.
There's the reduction in delivery miles and waste, and the perhaps more significant yet less understood aspects that come from nurturing the soil and ecosystems through the ways that we farm. Remember, it's not what we eat that determines its impact, but how it's produced.
Building connections between local farmers and consumers may be our easiest path for making sustainable food choices.
But how do we make that happen at any kind of scale and convenience?
It's a solution that depends upon connection, communication and collaboration between people who may be close together physically, but have little awareness or involvement with one another besides.
And that's why this episode brings together a number of guests all located in the same county. We're exploring not only how producers can support nature, but how they can support one another, and the requirement for community involvement.
Wherever you are in the world, there's likely a similar level of dedication and passion somewhere close by, often it's just going under the radar. So this episode is really about highlighting the role of all of us, regardless of location, in making local food possible.
As Laura will put it, it's about calling out to the curious!
Use the timestamps below to identify who's speaking when.
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:40 - Laura Stratford - The need and vision for a local, sustainable food system.
00:23:42 - Martin Taylor - Growing in local soil to look after nature & reduce delivery miles.
00:40:22 - Hannah Thorogood - Permaculture, rare breeds and regenerative grazing.
01:00:40 - Adam O'Meara - Sourdough, cheese & connecting with local community.
01:12:56 - Mixed guest - the vision for a good local food system.
01:17:30 - Laura Stratford - who has a role?
01:20:12 - Shout out to other local Lincolnshire food producers!
03/24/22 • 44 min
In this interview I’m joined by Mandi Kerr of ‘The Global Hemp Association’ for a discussion about making big leaps towards a circular economy and less dependency on fossil fuels through establishing new uses for the hemp plant. Hemp is incredibly versatile and can be used within all manner of applications from insulation and construction materials, to textiles, food and even tyres!
Mandi recognised a huge opportunity here and created her non-profit organisation, The Global Hemp Association to connect together all manner of people; from researchers, farmers, manufacturers, government, haulage, educators etc. to increase the pace of product development and new supply chains through discussions and collaboration.
Note: Hemp is related to the marijuana plant however it doesn't contain enough THC to cause intoxication. Despite this the relation causes legal complications when growing or using the hemp plant, which has historically been utilised for its fibre rather than its intoxicating compounds.
Use the time stamps below to get a sense of what’s included:
00:00 – Intro
02:44 – Start of Interview
04:14 – Why Hemp?
05:13 – The Varied Uses of Hemp
06:12 – The Parts of the Plant
07:04 – Moving Past Legal Barriers?
09:10 – A Great Crop For Carbon Storage
10:33 – Where Can It Grow?
11:53 – Bringing People Together
15:07 – Evolving Through Communication
21:27 – Progress Around Sustainability?
24:32 – ‘The We Are Carbon’ Project!
26:12 – Winning Through Collaborating
28:32 – Recurring Concerns
30:53 – Evolving Through Technology
36:37 – Benefits to Farm Land
37:43 – Get Involved!
Find full details of the 'We Are Carbon' project over at the website:
Or follow on Instagram: @wearecarbon.earth
03/07/23 • 63 min
Episode Links:
Global Climate Dollar: https://www.globalclimatedollar.com
This Episode on the We Are Carbon Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/when-money-grows-on-trees-regenerative-currency/
If you have questions or would like to explore Global Climate Dollar further with myself and Michael then please get in touch to join us on an upcoming group call: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/contact/
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In this interview I'm joined by Michael Twist to discuss an intriguing concept for a new digital currency that would more or less allow money to be grown on trees!
Global Climate Dollar uniquely sets out to make the generation of currency accessible and worthwhile for even the very smallest of sites.
From just half an acre to vast expanses of land this currency is designed to reward land management that supports regeneration of soil, biodiversity and watersheds; all of those natural functions of the land that we each depend upon equally.
From that place of inclusion it encompasses so much of what we've identified as necessary for a regenerative future. Moving towards equality for people alongside healing the planet.
Like all ideas, especially one this encompassing, it remains as little more than an idea until people like you and me engage with it.
Michael has spent many years doing the complicated stuff; figuring out and piecing together the legalities and technicalities and it's now time for him to reach out and ask for your help in bringing the idea to life.
Our discussion here helps to give an overview of the motivation behind the currency and a general sense of what it's all about.
If it leaves you with questions or you're intrigued to make your own regenerative project a part of the currency creation then do get in touch as I'll soon be facilitating a group call for Michael to offer a Q&A with you: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/contact/
Scaling Up Regeneration - Tipping the Balance in Favour of Grass Fed. With Richard Tufton
We Are Carbon
05/16/23 • 75 min
Episode Links:
Previous We Are Carbon episodes that include the climate benefits of grazing animals:
- The Significance of Regenerative Agriculture – Special Compilation
- We Can Regenerate – with Finian Makepeace of Kiss the Ground
- What is Regenerative Agriculture – with Caroline Grindrod of Roots of Nature
Recommendations from Richard-
To Watch:
- King Corn documentary
- Kiss the Ground Movie (available on Netflix)
- Carbon Cowboys
- Temple Grandin Movie (Staring Claire Danes)
Books:
- Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katherine Heyhoe
- Steak by Mark Shatzker
- The Dorito Effect by Mark Shatzker
This Episode of the website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/scaling-regenerative-agriculture-grass-fed-beef/
[Find all the above as clickable links on this page].
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In this interview I’m joined by Richard Tufton who helps us to mull over the challenges and what might be needed to scale up regenerative meats within the supply chains to supermarkets, and build greater public awareness about purchasing options.
We’ve frequently heard about the role of ruminant animals in the healing of land and sequestering of carbon – Find links above to previous episodes that explain that in more detail.
But with such huge numbers of livestock being raised in more industrialised feedlot systems, the narrative gets very muddied, with cattle frequently branded as the climate enemy.
Richard shares that in the US alone 120,000 head of cattle are slaughtered everyday for meat production. That sounds horrifying, but it’s a reality, it’s where we’re at and it’s a huge contribution to our food system.
So this is a complex conversation and it could be taken in many directions but our biggest focus in this discussion is that only a tiny, tiny percentage of those animals are regeneratively raised.
Producing cattle in systems that are healing to the land is also proving to be hugely beneficial to the farmers who adopt those approaches, but there are big barriers to shifting things in that direction at scale.
Whatever your views on meat I think it’s a conversation that everyone can take interest in because, as Richard concludes, ultimately it’s the consumer who has the power to change the system.
He bring us insights from a career hands on within the meat supply chain first within his home country – the UK, and in more recent years as chief sustainability officer for one of the largest suppliers of natural and organic meats going into the US supermarket system.
He helps us to consider what might need to be done to provide purchasers with both the convenience and the understanding to make choices that could really scale things up for regeneration.
![We Are Carbon - The Power of Food - Four Guests Working in Collaboration [Nick Weir, Kay Johnson, Flora Gathorne-Hardy, Miche Fabre Lewin]](https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/episode_images/23614ed5294d37f800f90b3cf0b2278e72470f4fce53c3f560ba6da393cca7d1.avif)
Join us in this special episode that brings together a range of voices to explore their developing collaborative project; The Power of Food. Together these four guests bring a diverse range experiences and knowledge to unite around the common goal of building social cohesion by harnessing the connective power of food.
Connecting with where our food comes from, and also with community, with health, with nature and with the world around us. Holistic and expansive.
It was a delightful conversation to be engaged with and I'm so excited to announce that during our chat a decision was made to fast forward plans and move forward with a pilot right away!
If you're serious about taking action to connect and enrich the local food system around you I'm sure the team here would love to hear from you. Here's Nick's email - do reach out: [email protected]
The Guests and links out:
Nick Weir - Co-founder, Open Food Network UK https://openfoodnetwork.org.uk/
Kay Johnson - Director, The Larder https://larder.org.uk/
Flora Gathorne-Hardy & Miche Fabre Lewin - Founders, Living Justice https://livingjustice.earth/
With insights from Serenity Hill - Co-founder, Open Food Network [Full episode with Serenity: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/serenity-hill-open-food-network/ ]
For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below.
See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/power-of-food-collaboration/
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format with Animations] - Can All Food be Regenerative. With Patrick Holden: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/can-all-food-be-regenerative/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Overview
00:03:12 - Guest intros
00:12:00 - Collaboration - benefits & reasons for coming together
00:28:28 - The Open Food Network; an ambition to connect people with their food
00:34:34 - Insights from Serenity Hill - Co-Founder, The Open Food Network
00:36:30 - Benefits of shorter supply chains
00:41:00 - Connecting through food (self, community, nature)
00:50:20 - Learning to cook - addressing this obstacle to fresh local food
00:58:21 - Coming together to practice change
01:04:18 - An invite; get involved today!
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FAQ
How many episodes does We Are Carbon have?
We Are Carbon currently has 55 episodes available.
What topics does We Are Carbon cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Earth Sciences, Podcasts and Science.
What is the most popular episode on We Are Carbon?
The episode title 'We Can Regenerate! - With Finian Makepeace of 'Kiss The Ground'' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on We Are Carbon?
The average episode length on We Are Carbon is 55 minutes.
How often are episodes of We Are Carbon released?
Episodes of We Are Carbon are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of We Are Carbon?
The first episode of We Are Carbon was released on Feb 28, 2022.
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