Sustainable(ish)

90% of businesses in the UK are classes as SMEs, or small and medium businesses, having 205 employees or less. So chances are, you might work for one, or even run one.Did you know that SME's account for around half of the total emissions for businesses? So making it easy, or easier for SMEs to get started with climate action, is a pretty big lever for reducing emissions. But time and money are usually limiting factors, and this is where Gikis new Giki actions platform comes in. You might remember today's guest, Jo Hand, as she's been on twice before, talking about different iterations of the work they're doing at Giki. In this episode we're diving into their new Giki actions workshops - free workshops for SMEs, that are just an hour long, that can help them get started on their sustainability journey. USEFUL LINKSGiki- Website- Giki actions- Giki business carbon footprint calculations- Giki guides – for individuals; for businesses- Giki comparisons calculators- Giki on Linked In- Giki on Instagram- Giki on FacebookJo Hand on Linked InGiki badges is now Impact ScoreTransition Plan TaskforceEpisode 194 - People, Planet, Pint with Adam BastockThe Climate PledgeB CorpSME Climate HubGreen Project Tech The Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse -come and join us for July!Do let me know if you manage to go on a workshop, or somoene from your organisation signs up – I’d love to hear! OR if you don’t work for an SME, could you share this episode with someone who does, or share on your socials?Drop me an email with your thoughts and any feedback: jen@sustainableish.co.ukAnd please do leave a rating and a review wherever you listen to your podcasts 🤩

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 jen@sustainableish.co.uk, or leave a comment on your podcast platform of choice!

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!

The podcast is having a break over the summer, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to re-visit some of my favourite episodes from the archives.I thought this episode was a good one to listen again to over the summer, as in it I'm chatting to Martin Dorey, founder of the #2MinuteBeachClean and the #2MinuteFoundation. I figured lots of us might be visiting beaches over the holidays, and this is a great reminder to do little spot of beach cleaning while you're there. As Martin says, the aim should no longer be simply to leave no trace, but to actually leave a place a little bit better than when you arrived.And in fact, it doesn't even need to be a beach clean, a #2MinuteParkClean, #2MinuteStreetClean, or #2MinuteLitterPick all count!Pop a plastic bag and some hand sanitiser into your rucksack, changing bag, handbag, picnic bag, and you'll be ready to go, wherever you are!If you are visiting the coast, then keep your eyes peeled for #2MinuteBeachClean boards, designed to raise awareness, and encourage people to get litter picking - there are 100's around the country - check out the map!Martin is also the author of several brilliant books, including No More Plastic, No More Rubbish Excuses, Kids Fight Plastic, and Kids Fight Climate Change. LISTEN... CHECK OUT...The #2MinuteFoundation- Website- On Facebook- On Instagram- On TwitterMartin Dorey- Website- Twitter- Instagram- No More Plastic- No More Rubbish Excuses- Kids Fight Plastic- Kids Fight Climate ChangeThe original podcast episodeThe Sustainable(ish) Facebook group Did you listen to this one first time round, or is it fresh to your ears?What are your favourite episodes that you'd love to listen again to over the summer?Let me know in the comments! KNACKERED BUT WANT TO 'DO SOMETHING'..?Join the Sustainable(ish) e-mail list and kick off your imperfect eco-action with my '5 easy Sustainable(ish) things you can do from your sofa'! By signing up you'll also receive my weekly sustainable(ish) newsletter. You can make use of the unsubscribe link in every e-mail at anytime SIGN UP NOW! […]

DID YOU KNOW..?There are over 40 million cars parked on our roads and driveways in the UKOn average, vehicles in the UK sit idle 96% of the timeFor every 1 car shared, we can take 14 off the roadA 2% switch to car sharing could see CO₂ emissions drop by 620,000 tonnesWhich all sounds awesome, and even the big car manufacturers are gearing themselves up for a shift towards a more shared ownership for cars in the future.But it might feel like a pretty daunting thing to do right?If I rent my car out, how do I know someone isn't going to just run off with it? Or bring it back trashed and scratched? If I give up my car and look to rent a car as and when I need it, how can I make sure I get the right car at the right time? What if it's filthy and covered in dog hair with empty crisp packets in the footwell?In this episode of the podcast, I'm chatting to Andy Hibbert, who is the CEO and founder of Karshare, an app which "makes it easy to discover, book and unlock affordable vehicles from owners in your area." And I basically ask him all of the questions above, and more.I really enjoyed Andy's story of how he arrived at the idea, and it was staggering to hear about just how impactful car sharing is and could be, when it comes to reducing the UK's transport emissions. LISTEN... CHECK OUT...Karshare- Website- Twitter- Facebook- InstagramThe Sustainable(ish) FB group Have you ever tried out car sharing?Are you tempted to give it a go?Let me know in the comments! KNACKERED BUT WANT TO 'DO SOMETHING'..?Join the Sustainable(ish) e-mail list and kick off your imperfect eco-action with my '5 easy Sustainable(ish) things you can do from your sofa'! By signing up you'll also receive my weekly sustainable(ish) newsletter. You can make use of the unsubscribe link in every e-mail at anytime SIGN UP NOW! […]

We’re talking pensions! I know! Exciting stuff right!!I never imagined that I would get excited about pensions but this episode has proved me wrong. Don’t get me wrong, pensions are still pretty high up on the boring adult-ing scale of things but the potential that our pensions have to create a better world has blown me away a little!Because did you know, that your pension, that you probably think very little about, other than when you see the section on your pay slip each month telling you how much has been taken out for it, could be investing your hard earned money in fossil fuels?So we’re busting our guts trying to make the world a better place with the choices that we’re making, and all the while our pension money could be working directly against us. See! Now you’re getting interested right? And maybe not a little enraged!The good news is that change is afoot. I’m chatting to Henna and Kenneth from an organisation called Make My Money Matter – a people-powered campaign fighting for a world where we all know where our pension money goes, and where we can demand it’s invested to build a better future.We chat about...The $2.5 hole in funding for the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)The £3 TRILLION sat in the UK's pension pots and what they might be fundingWhat Make My Money Matter does and the impact it's having and wants to haveHow to find out who your pension is with and where it might be investedHow we can influence investors and pension providers to divest their investments from fossil fuelsThe power of 'activism', 'clicktivism', and template lettersAnd lots more...!Useful linksMake My Money Matter- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Sign the petition- Be a Net Zero Hero - find out where your pension provider are investing your money (and then take action!)UN SDGsPension Tracing ServiceThe Good Pensions Guide from Good with MoneyEthical Consumer guide to ethical pensions[013] - Be good and do good with your money (podcast episode)The Knackered Mums Eco ClubThe Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green Parenting Wow!!Where is your pension? Do you know?Are you off to find out?Let me know how you get on! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

Another solo episode from me this week, as I haven’t been able to conjure up any extra time or headspace for getting guests organised – I’ve been super busy getting ready for The Knackered Mums heading back on out on Eco Tour – this is my FREE 5 day eco challenge that’s kicking off on Monday 15th Feb. Do come and join us – it’s probably the most fun you’re going to be able to have in half-term. AND you get to slash your carbon footprint at the same time as whinge about how tired you are and how hard it is to get your kids off their screens, with a bunch of similarly knackered types. Excited to say that I have not one but TWO interviews in the diary for next week, so we should be back on a roll with some fabulous guests from next week!It’s Valentines Day in just a couple of days time, and I’m well aware that if you do celebrate it, then this episode may well be too late if you’re an organised type.Bear it in mind for next year if that’s the case, and don’t stop listening if you don’t celebrate Valentines Day (we gave up on it years ago!) because I’m going to be sharing some fascinating stats and some alternative gifts that are a great way to say ‘I love you” or “thank you” or “you’re really rather brilliant” at any time of the year.Giving ‘stuff’ has become our way of saying I love you hasn’t it? And who doesn’t love a present?But the problem with Valentines’ gifts, and indeed most gifts is that that although they might say “I love you” to the recipient they aren’t usually saying “I love you’ to either the people who made the gift, or to the planet.We are at peak stuff, we are using up resources at an astonishing rate, the people who make much of our stuff are being exploited, and most of us are struggling to find anywhere to put anymore stuff in our homes. Oh, and our landfills are full to bursting.God I’m SUCH a party pooper aren’t I?Never fear – this isn’t a whole episode about how terrible everything is, there is some good news –there ARE some fabulous ways we can do Valentines (and indeed other gifts) that don’t cost the earth (see what I did there).Enjoy...!Useful linksThe Knackered Mums (Eco) Tour5 days of easy eco-action, a LOT of fun, and endless GIFs - come and join us![069] - Say it with British Flowers (podcast)Tony's Chocoloney Sweet Solution campaignEthical Consumer ethical chocolate guideTED IDEAS: The steep price we pay for cheap chocolateGeorge Monbiot: The Gift of DeathArbikie Nadar climate positive ginThe Climate Coalition Show the Love CampaignSustainable(ish) Facebook groupDo you Valentine?What are your thoughts on some of those stats?Do let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]

In this episode I have a treat in store for you if you're looking around the world and feeling a little....erm....despairing?! If you're looking at your kids and wondering what their future will hold, and worried that when they're old enough to understand what's going on that they'll be viewing their own futures with trepidation and despondency rather than the excitement that we probably felt as we embarked on our adult lives.Rachel (aka The Crap Activist on Instagram) in an inspiration. She told me she had massive imposter syndrome coming on the podcast following on from last week's episode with Sian Berry, but genuinely what she has done and been doing has inspired me, and I'm pretty sure it will inspire you too.She was worried about the future her kids were facing, and how that potentially affected their mental health. So she went a step beyond worrying, and decided to spend a year doing one thing a day to make the world a better place. To be a better citizen of the world.And she's only gone and bloody well done it (we recorded this episode on day 365 of her year!), during a pandemic, she's managed to bring the rest of the family along for the ride too. She's shown her kids that she thinks their future is worth fighting for. That it's worth making some changes, and maybe some sacrifices for. She's shown them that we can all be activists. That we don't have to simply put up with, and despair about, the status quo, but that we can take steps to empower ourselves and to create positive change.And she's done it with humour and honesty about the good bits AND the not-so good bits - it's not a curated Insta perfect story, thank goodness...It's so important that the stories we share, the people we celebrate, the people we admire, aren't just the Greta's and David Attenborough's (although clearly they're doing amazing stuff). There are millions of awesome crap activists out there, having a go, getting it wrong, trying again. Who are changing the world without the recognition and accolades and applause. Enjoy this episode, let me know what you think and if you're inspired to take action and indulge in a little everyday activism, crap or otherwise..!Useful linksThe Crap Activist- InstagramAdidas recycled plastic trainersThe Knackered Mums Eco ClubSustainable(ish) Facebook groupWow! Are you inspired to indulge in a spot of imperfect eco-action after listening?Do let me know in the comments! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS NOW! "Easily the most family friendly way to do your bit"The Sunday Times"Absolutely love this book - should be mandatory reading"Online review […]