Sustainable Style (or how to find clothes you love that don't cost the earth) with Becky Barnes

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet, and we no longer talk about 'fast fashion' but 'ultra-fast fashion' with the rise of retailers like Shein and Temu churning out over 100billion items of clothing every year. Consumption has doubled since the year 2000, but many of us will relate to the feeling of having nothing to wear, whilst we simultaneously feel overwhelmed at the volume of clothes in our wardrobes and drawers.Becky Barnes is a 'sustainable stylist' who embarked on 'styling' career with the ambition of helping women to feel good about themselves, but then stumbled across the heavy environmental impact of the fashion industry. She subsequently pivoted her business to focus on 'sustainable style' and now helps women to not only feel good about themselves, but to feel good about the clothes they're wearing.Join us for this chat about all things sustainable style covering: fast fashion and some of its impacts; secondhand style and top tips for charity shop shopping; Vinted and how to find things you like amongst the thousands of listings; and lots more!USEFUL LINKS:Becky Barnes- Website- Instagram- Facebook- Linked InThe Willow ReviewLess by Patrick GrantGemma Metheringham - @the_elephant_in_my_wardrobe) on InstagramHot or Cool Institute - Unfit, Unfair, UnfashionableSustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Do let me know your thoughts on this epsiode!What are your takeaways? Becky shared so many brilliant tips, I’d love to know which ones you’re going to try out. Drop me an email on [email protected], or come and find me on Instagram where I'm @sustainableish.And please do share this episode, on your own socials, or with a friend who you think might like it. If everyone shared it once, we would double listeners in a week, which would be pretty awesome!

This episode is a rare solo episode, so no guest this week, and a shorter episode of me, chatting to myself... Let me know if you like it!I'm reflecting on my experience of hosting a screening of the People's Emergency Briefing film in Warminster, where I live, and giving a bit of a 'how to' and some encouragement to anyone thinking about hosting their own screening.USEFUL LINKS:Podcast ep - 186 - The National Emergency Briefing with Nick OldridgeThe National Emergency Briefing websiteThe People's Emergency Briefing filmThe screening mapClimate feelings blob treeHope for the FutureDo let me know your thoughts on this solo ep, and if you've seen a screening of The People's Emergency Briefing, or are thinking about hosting one. Drop me an email on [email protected], or leave a comment on your podcast platform of choice!

I'm chatting with Hugh Montgomery, intensive care doctor, and one of the expert speakers from the National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature.We dig into climate science, climate and health, and the wonderful idea of 7 acts to save the world, told to seven people.USEFUL LINKSLancet Countdown on Health and Climate ChangeUK Health Alliance on Climate ChangeReal ZeroNational Emergency Briefing-              Expert Briefings-              People’s Emergency Briefing film-              Screening map-              Warminster screeningNYC Hospitals plant based mealsCost of Net Zero by 2050Climate anxiety resources:-              Turn the tide on climate anxiety-              Climate anxiety resources from Greenpeace-              Climate cafésRelated podcast episodes:-              186 – The National Emergency Briefing -              188 – Money, money, money-              154 – Leading by example – does it work?

Today’s guest is Victoria Page, founder of Love Haslemere Hate Waste, a local group in Surrey who run Repair Cafes, and host a community fridge and a Library of Things. Victoria has combined her professional comms expertise and her business experience, with a desire for local climate action, and created not just one, but three local projects that are not only reducing waste and emissions, and normalising reuse and repair, but are helping people to feel more connected to the place where they live and the people in their community. The community resilience part of projects like Repair Cafes and Community Fridges is something we probably don’t talk about, or even recognise enough, and it’s something that’s going to become increasingly important as climate impacts continue to worsen. Victoria shares her experiences, and exciting news of a toolkit she is developing to help people wanting to start up similar projects in their own communities. USEFUL LINKS:Victoria Page- Website- On Linked InLove Haslemere Hate Waste- Website- Instagram- FacebookENVableSky Ocean RescueBlue PlanetSurfers Against Sewage - Plastic Free CommunitiesClimate Outreach - Britain talks climate and nature 2025 report Ep 193 - The Power of SwappingEp 119 - Shrewsbury CupThe Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse The podcast is hosted by me Jen Gale - do come and find me on social media. I'm @Sustainableish on Instagram, and you can find me here on Facebook. Or the Sustainable(ish) website is right here. Thanks for listening!

Britain is a nation of nature lovers, yet we live in one of the most depleted countries in Europe. The State of Nature report that came out in 2023 stated that 1 in 6 species in the UK are at risk of extinction.These kinds of stats are staggering, and more than a little depressing. But this is something that we can all do something about, in our own gardens, or in communal green spaces.In this weeks episode, I'm chatting to Sarah Skeels, who I first came across via her wonderful instagram account @frontgardens.forwildlife.What Sarah is doing is incredible, and her I love her focus on front gardens, recognising that sparking conversations and spreading the word is a vital part of helping nature recovery. And it's also bought a huge amount of connection to her neighbours, and a whole load of joy!If you're inspired by Sarah, she shares how she got started, in her own garden, then a street What's App group, and then on from there. So we can all start small, with a simple sign in our front gardens!Useful links:Front Gardens for Wildlife on InstagramLambridge and Walcot Community Nature HavenNational Security Assessment - Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national securityState of Nature Report 2023Miles Richardson - Derby university- The Nature Connection handbookBiodiversity stripesNew RSPB guidance on feeding birdsTeam Wilder - Somerset Wildlife TrustThe Wildlife TrustsMerlin Bird ID appiNaturalist appBLUE campaignThe Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse -doors will be opening in June!

Welcome to Episode 200!200 episodes feels a little bit mad! A LOT has happened: globally, in the sustainability space, and for Sustainable(ish).In this solo episode, I take a little trip down memory lane, share the Top 5 episodes by download numbers, and share your podcast ripples ie the things that you've gone and done, the changes you've made, after listening to an episode.I'm going to be having a break for a couple of weeks, but in the meantime I will republish some of the episodes that are mentioned in this one, as having inspired action! LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:The Sustainable(ish) Living GuideAvailable at online bookstores - my fave is World of Books(or ask your library if they have a copy, or can get one in!)The Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green ParentingSustainable(ish) Festival - links to all the sessions on You TubeCarbon Literacy info and waiting list - there's a box at the bottom of the page to sign up to the waiting list, and I'll be in touch when I've got some dates in the diaryThe Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse -doors will be opening in June!Sign up to the waiting list hereTop 5 podcast episodes by downloads:1) [164] Your Council and Climate Action with Annie Pickering from Climate Emergency UK2) [138] How much difference can individuals actually make with Tom from Take The Jump3) [124] The Day the World Stops Shopping with JB McKinnon (the book of the same name is here on World of Books)4) [134] How eating seasonally can help reduce your carbon footprint with Veg Power5) [137] Wildflower meadows and how to create (a mini!) one in your garden with Paul Jupp from Meadow in My GardenSustainable(ish) on Podlink - a great space to find all the episodes in one place, with links out to all the popular podcast platforms so you can listen.The Nothing New in '22 podcast (episode 126) that inspired Sam to set up her Swap ShopsThe original podcast episode with Tillie at Frome Eco Party Kit (epsiode 38) that inspired Isabel to set up the Party Kit Network

Did you know we have lots 97% of our species rich graslands in the UK since the 1930s? This has had a huge knock on impact to the rest of the food chain that are relaint on that habitat, things like our insect pollinators especially, but also our birds and mammals that were part of this ecosystem.The good news is that this is something most of us can do something about! If you have a garden, or have local green spaces, we can use them to recreate some of that lost speices rich grassland, and you don't need masses of space to be able to do it.AND this is one of those very rare things - a sustainability action that actually requires LESS effort than the status quo, because to make it happen, we're being asked to mow LESS!In today's episode I'm chatting to Sarah Shuttleworth, Specialist Botanical Advisor at Plantlife, all about their No Mow May campaign, and how we can all get involved, even if we don't have a garden, and/or the rest of the family aren't keen on having an entirely unmown lawn for the whole of the summer!Have a listen, and then head over to the Plantlife website to sign up to take the No Mow May pledge . There are links to all of the fab No Mow May resources on the Plantlife website, including things like downloadable signs you can print out to let the neighbours know what you're doing!Sarah ShuttleworthA bee orchid - Sarah's favourite plant! LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Plantlife- Website- Facebook- Instagram- You TubeNo Mow May- Take the No Mow May pledge- The No Mow Movement calendar- Free downloads: posters, lawn signs, colouring sheets, social media posts- The Good Verge Guide (for local authorities)- Managing grassland road verges (for local authorities)Sarah Shuttleworth- Linked InSeek - plant ID appNational Education Nature Park (for schools)[137] Wildlflower meadows and how to make (a mini) one in your garden! With Paul Jupp (podcast episode) Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Carbon Literacy- Carbon Literacy with me!

Pets can bring a huge amount of joy into our lives, but as with everything, they have an environmental impact, and in this episode we're going to dive into where that impact comes from and what we can do to reduce it.Now I'm very aware that 'sustainability' can sometimes look like being told that all of the things that you love doing, or having, are bad, and that to be truly 'sustainable' you have to stop doing all those things, and suck all the joy and happiness out of your life.That is absolutely not the case, and it's absolutely not the case for pets. This episode isn't about not having pets, it's about (as I hope all the episodes are!) understanding where the impacts are, and making 'better choices more of the time'. I've got a dog, she adds to our family's carbon footprint, but she also brings a huge amount of joy, and she gets me outside every single day.I really hope you enjoy this chat with the brilliant Laura Binnie, who is a small animal vet based in Cumbria who has been at the forefront of the sustainability movement in the veterinary profession. It's packed with hints and tips, I've summarised them all in a blog post which I've linked to in the show notes, so hopefully you'll feel more informed about the things you can do to reduce your pets carbon pawprint - enjoy!Laura Binnie LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Laura Binnie- Linked InVet Sustain[027] - The worlds most sustainable pet food? With Tom Neish from YoraThe evidence for environmental contamination with parasiticides in small animal practice - Vet Sustain reviewCanine Parasite Risk Assessment Tool (Vet Sustain) Feline Parasite Risk Assessment Tool (Vet Sustain)Pet Impact recycled poo bags- Poo bags 101Blog post: How to reduce your pet's carbon pawprintSustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Carbon Literacy- Carbon Literacy with me!

This is Part 2, or a 'double header' episode with the brilliant Sara Grimes from Bath and West Community Energy. Part 1 is all about community energy, and takes a bit of a dive into solar and heat pumps, as well as things like the governments's Warm Homes Plan (it's honestly more fun than it sounds if you haven't already listened to it!)And this is Part 2, where we talking about all things home retrofit, and looking at some of the less technical , perhaps more affordable options for making our homes more efficient, more comfortable, and cheaper to run.Enjoy! Sara Grimes LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Sara Grimes- Linked InBath and West Community Energy (BWCE)- Website- Community benefit- BWCE home energy plans and surveys (for people in the Bath area)- Green Heritage Homes- Linked In- Facebook- InstagramCommunity Energy EnglandCommunity Energy ScotlandCommunity Energy WalesCommunity Energy Northern Ireland[112] - Community Energy with Brighton Energy Co-op[135 ] - The local electricity bill with Steve Shaw (lots of community energy chat in this episode!)Green Open Homes networkVisit a Heat PumpWarm Homes Plan- On the UK government website- Which explainer articleFind energy grants for your home (UK gov)Energy grant helpline: 0800 0987950Boiler upgrade scheme (for heat pumps)Find an energy certificate (EPC)Historic England - Energy efficiency and retrofit in historic buildingsHeat GeekEnergy Saving TrustCentre for Sustainable EnergySustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Carbon Literacy- Carbon Literacy with me!

This week's episode is the first ever two parter!This was supposed to be an episode on home retrofit, and I'm chatting to SaraG Grimes from Bath and West Community Energy about some of the brilliant work that they're doing, and what people can do in their own homes.This first part is looking bigger picture and is quite a wide ranging chat! We cover community energy generally, as well as hearing about some of the specific projects that BWCE are working on; solar; heat pumps; the UK government's Warm Homes Plan; and support for renters amongst other things.In the second part (available to listen to now!) we look more specifically at home retrofit and some of the lower cost retrofit measures available, like draught proofing and insulation.I'm very aware that both of those potentially sound more than a little dull and dry as podcast episodes, but I really hope that they're interesting and useful! Do let me know!There we go - I did warn you it was quite a wide ranging chat, but I really hope it was interesting and there were some nuggets there that you can take away.Part 2 is much more focussed on home retrofit, and some of the lower tehc, more affordable options, and should be available to listen to now if you want to dive straight in, or save that particular treat for another day!Thanks so much for listening - do let me know any thoughts, comments or questions from this episode, amd I'll catch up in Pt 2Sara Grimes LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Sara Grimes- Linked InBath and West Community Energy (BWCE)- Website- Community benefit- BWCE home energy plans and surveys (for people in the Bath area)- Green Heritage Homes- Linked In- Facebook- InstagramCommunity Energy EnglandCommunity Energy ScotlandCommunity Energy WalesCommunity Energy Northern Ireland[112] - Community Energy with Brighton Energy Co-op[135 ] - The local electricity bill with Steve Shaw (lots of community energy chat in this episode!)Green Open Homes networkVisit a Heat PumpWarm Homes Plan- On the UK government website- Which explainer articleFind energy grants for your home (UK gov)Energy grant helpline: 0800 0987950Boiler upgrade scheme (for heat pumps)Find an energy certificate (EPC)Historic England - Energy efficiency and retrofit in historic buildingsHeat GeekEnergy Saving TrustCentre for Sustainable EnergySustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Carbon Literacy- Carbon Literacy with me!