This Might Just Work - Ideas for a Tired Planet

In this episode, I chat to Mikael Hietala the sustainability officer at Croatian startup Earthbound Sneakers. Earthbound (Croatia's first B-Corp) is tackling the many issues caused by fast fashion by creating truly stylish and comfortable shoes. In this episode, we talk about the issues with fast fashion as well as a wide range of topics from growing a business in a de-growth world, why big brands find it hard to adapt, why its important to still create things people find cool and stylish (not just sustainable), carbon tunnel vision, the power of being an intrapreneur and innovating within a company and much more! Mikael's book recommendation: Capital in the Anthropocene - Kohei Saito To learn more about Earthbound head to their website here.

In this weeks episode I speak to Cameron Dowd, co-founder and CTO of Inverto, a startup who are connecting businesses with local communities to plan, plant and monitor coastal ecosystems at scale. We talk about all sorts in this episode from Cameron's background in robotics, his work flying drone medical suppliy deliveries in Tanzania, why we shouldn't get 'carbon tunnel vision', the amazing uses of mangroves and why they are so important and his ecopreneur journey so far. To find out more about Inverto head to www.inverto.earth

In this week's episode, I speak to Lindy Damen founder and CEO of EVRgreen Studio. A gaming company designing bespoke games for sustainability. We cover all sorts of topics including: How an early connection with nature and MS Paint started the journey The potential power of gaming for behaviour change How different types of games can connect with different types of audience How there is never a 'right time' to start a company The decision to bootstrap rather than get investment Links to things we talk about: Among Trees Pollinator Park VR Post Growth Entrepeneurship A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

In this episode, I sit down with Jamie McCallum, the founder of Force For Nature. With experience in F1 marketing and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Jamie combines this experience to bring a new perspective to driving private funding into nature projects. Jamie is the founder of Force For Nature, which aims to empower Rangers, the unsung heroes who work as park wardens, foresters, community scouts, and indigenous guardians. Despite their critical role in delivering nature-based solutions aligned with the UN's 30x30 targets, many Rangers face challenges such as inadequate staff numbers, pay, equipment, and training. Through strategic business partnerships, Force For Nature provides Rangers with the critical training, earned income, and improved status they need to excel as guardians of our planet's natural resources. In this episode, we explore Jamie's journey, Force For Nature's innovative approach, and the transformative impact their work is having on both Rangers and the natural world they protect. Find out more about Force For Nature by going to Their website Instagram LinkedIn

In this episode, I speak to Dan Watson, a multiple award-winning Product Design Engineer and the Global Winner of the 2012 James Dyson Award for design engineering. Dan's outstanding work earned him seed funding from Sir Richard Branson, leading him to establish SafetyNet Technologies, where he now serves as the CEO. At SafetyNet, Dan and his team are working closely with the fishing industry to design accessible and effective precision fishing tools that are helping to keep our oceans healthy and thriving. By reducing bycatch and minimising the environmental impact of fishing, precision fishing plays a vital role in protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable future for our planet. We cover various topics from his award-winning product design to his tireless efforts in making technology accessible to anyone with a problem to solve or an idea to explore. Discover how his groundbreaking work is revolutionising the fishing industry and contributing to a more sustainable future. To learn more about Dan Watson and SafetyNet Technologies, visit their website at https://sntech.co.uk/. Book Recommendations: Let my people go surfing - Yvon Chouinard The three-body problem - Cixin Liu

In this episode I speak to Elise Van Middelem the founder and CEO of SUGi - a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to greening cities and reimagining urban life through nature-based solutions. SUGi is at the forefront of creating green infrastructure and restoring the human connection to nature in urban areas. Their signature approach is based on the revolutionary Miyawaki Method of planting ultra-dense, biodiverse pocket forests comprised solely of native species. In just four years since its launch in 2019, SUGi has conceived, planted and funded nearly 200 of these pocket forests across 42 cities on 6 continents worldwide. Their work has reconnected over 52,000 youth and community members to nature through hands-on forest-making. What started as a grassroots movement has evolved into a leading global voice for civic rewilding and ecosystem restoration. SUGi has earned prestigious recognition from the World Economic Forum, inclusion in the 1t.org trillion trees initiative, and backing from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Along the way, they've forged powerful partnerships with iconic brands to execute high-visibility public projects that inspire environmental action. Elise's pioneering vision integrates her deep passions for contemporary art and global ecology into a unifying purpose - to empower, inspire and activate what SUGi calls "The Rewilding Generation." To learn more about SUGI head to www.sugiprojects.com Book Recommendation: The Messy Middle - Scott Belsky Email me with any comments or guest suggestions hello@innovate-eco.com and add me on Linked In - www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg

In this episode, I speak to Dan Sherrard Smith the founder and CEO of My Mother Tree. Not every innovation needs to be shiny new technology or groundbreaking scientific advancements, sometimes it is creating something simple that can have a huge impact. That is what My Mother Tree are doing with tools such as the Money Carbon Calculator, which helps individuals and businesses find out where there money is invested and how they can have a big impact simply by switching banks. In this episode we cover lots of topics from how Dan was involved in the biggest ever deal on Dragon's Den, how the calculator works, why it is so hard to change banks, why this is a powerful lever for change, advise for other ecopreneurs and much more! Find out more about My Mother Tree Follow Dan on LinkedIn Dans Book Recommendations: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Shoe Dog Total Recall

In this engaging conversation, Pooja Paul, founder of Habitable Earth, discusses her mission to make climate action accessible through immersive gameplay. She explores the psychological barriers hindering effective environmental action, advocating for small, fun habits instead of overwhelming changes. Pooja shares her journey from India to climate tech, emphasizing the importance of motivations and human behavior in addressing climate issues. The podcast also touches on innovative solutions like gamification, which empower individuals to contribute to sustainability while having fun.

In this episode, I speak to Max Runzel the cofounder and CEO of the company HiveTracks. HiveTracks creates technology to help beekeepers manage their hives. Started back in 2010 at the intersection of computer science and beekeeping and now supports over 40,000 beekeepers across more than 150 countries. That is cool on its own but what they are working on now is even cooler (well to me it is anyway) and that is using environmental data collected by bees and beekeepers to monitor biodiversity. To find out more about Hivetracks head to https://www.hivetracks.com/ Book Recommendations: The Invention of Nature - The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt - Andrew Wulf Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity - Peter Attia Please do follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter for podcast updates and send any feedback you have or ideas for future guests

A short clip from episode 19 of the podcast where I spoke to Mart Drake-Knight founder of tshirt company Teemill. We talk about how creating a circular company actually makes business sense whilst being much better for the planet. If you enjoy it do check out the full episode and subscribe for more.