The Mercast | Plastic Free Mermaid talks Change Making

In a world full of noise, we will cut through the confusion and explore the growing divide on climate science. Hosted by Kathryn Nelson (aka Plastic Free Mermaid), a passionate environmental activist with two decades of ocean conservation experience, this podcast dives deep into the issues that matter—examining the rising mistrust in climate science, the role of misinformation, and how political and social divides shape the debate. Each episode explores the complexities of the climate conversation, engaging both sides in the debate, while unraveling the truths and myths surrounding topics like climate change, geoengineering, and sustainability. Expect interviews with experts, a dive into the science, and plenty of room for questioning, curiosity, and honest dialogue. Whether you're a skeptic or a supporter, we invite you to listen, learn, and challenge the narratives shaping our world. Please send questions, links, sources, feedback, memes, and suggestions for interviews to instagram.com/plasticfreemermaid THANK YOU

When we begin our move into a more sustainable life, we can be so quickly reeled into the idea that consuming animal products and byproducts are bad; that we should be into much more plant-based food, but what if that isn't the big picture? In this episode, I have Ryland Engelhart, producer of Netflix's Kiss the Ground, which is a documentary that focuses on our soil health situation. He shares with us what we need to do to keep our soils diverse, and how we can contribute as soil advocates. Being earth-conscious is more than just consuming plant-based choices, it's contributing and supporting industries and farmers that work in the most sustainable and natural ways to keep our soil healthy and rich. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Process of Photosynthesis The Soil Sphere and the Carbon Cycle Why our Soil is Sick Soil versus Dirt Veganism, and true sustainability Become a Soil Advocate Follow Ryland Engelhart here: Kiss the Ground | Website Kiss the Ground Documentary | Netflix Ryland Engelhart | Instagram Ryland Engelhart | Linktree --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

Plastic pollution is a problem that affects so many animals, habitats, and people. Turtles have come into the spotlight in recent years though, thanks to the rise in social media awareness for their protection and preservation; with a big factor to that being the viral video of the straw stuck up in a poor turtle's nose. This video hit the world hard, but we cannot stop at feeling bad for what is happening when we can make conscious efforts now to save more than just the turtles. Today I'm joined by Lauren Engledow, a turtle ranger dedicated to protecting what is left of the species and rebuilding its future here on the beaches of Mon Repos. You'll hear us talk about this modern-day threat called light pollution and how its strayed hatchlings from where they rightfully belong. Be informed, be aware, and make conscious efforts against plastic waste for our shared future. In This Episode, We Discuss: Types of turtles left in the world How plastic pollution affects turtles and surrounding marine life Light pollution and how it stray turtles almost as soon as they're born Other threats to turtles The imbalance in male and female turtles What we can do to help Follow Lauren and the Mon Repos Turtles here: Southern Great Barrier Reef (bundabergregion.org) --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

To conclude my five-part series with the amazing Helena Norberg Hodge, we discuss reclaiming our power of choice by making the switch to using local products and reducing our emissions. We bring to light the faults of industries, proposing a new way to tackle our overall impact on the planet. For the youth listening in-- Helena has a special message for you, addressing the quality of life corporations have placed on you and how we want to support you all through your journeys. In This Episode, We Discuss: An epidemic of anxiety and depression amongst the youth Join the local food movement Taking a step back and asking ourselves how we can ultimately help It's not one solution for the planet-- it's many solutions Staying connected with our local community We have the power of choice Follow Helena Hodge: Instagram @helenanorberghodge Twitter @helenanhodge Facebook @HelenaNorbergHodge --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

In our global society today, multinational corporations remain faceless and nameless to us as consumers to the point where it affects our mental health greatly. We strive for fame, for being known, and in this increasing globalization of the world, our likelihood to rise slim down immensely. In this episode, Helena talks about what we can do, from our conscious choices to how we treat the world at our fingertips we call our cellphones, all to cure this world's deep loneliness. In this Episode, We Discuss: The consequences of a government focused on global growth Economics of Happiness: Localising instead of Globalising Changing how we see fame Decentralizing a global society Choosing local and developing relationships Follow Helena Hodge: Instagram @helenanorberghodge Twitter @helenanhodge Facebook @HelenaNorbergHodge --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe to your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

With the world moving at such a pace, it's easy to make the decision to choose convenience over consciousness. These seemingly small individual decisions only rear its ugly head when we look at the much bigger picture-- one we call pollution. To share with us today her 45-year journey in the making, is Helena Norberg-Hodge, a woman with a mission to revitalise cultural and biological diversity. We bring up issues from big business that contribute the most to plastic waste, all the way down to social and cultural issues our society faces today. Join us today so we all can make better, more informed decisions for our shared future. Follow Helena Norberg-Hodge: Instagram @helenanorberghodge Twitter @helenanhodge Facebook @HelenaNorbergHodge --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

Plastics not only destroy our planet but also degrades our health. Harmful chemicals like endocrine disrupting-chemicals can be easily found in today's products. To have a better understanding of these hazardous chemicals, Dr. Leo Trasande returns to talk about the impacts of chemicals on hormones in our bodies! Dr. Leo Trasande is a physician at NYU and the author of Sicker, Fatter, Poorer and an internationally renowned leader in environmental health. He is best known for a series of studies published in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism Join me in this episode as we talk about how you can avoid these harmful chemicals, the regulations on these materials, it's impact on children and adults, and what you can do to spread more awareness about this issue! In this Episode, We Discuss: The regulations related to toxic chemicals Why plastic is dangerous to our health The chemical structure of plastics that makes it harmful Dr. Leo explains the endocrine system and why you should be concerned about disrupting chemicals Natural vs. Synthetic The types of plastics Safe and simple steps you can take to avoid plastics and harmful chemicals The top 10 diseases linked to plastic exposure The problem with lack of transparency and regulation If plastic clothing is a concern or not How to be the change you seek Get to know Dr. Leo: Dr. Leo Trasande is an internationally renowned leader in environmental health. His research focuses on the impacts of chemicals on hormones in our bodies. He also led the way in documenting the economic costs for policymakers of failing to prevent diseases of environmental origin proactively. To know more about Dr. Leo and his works, you can go to his website here Dr. Leo Trasande Twitter --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

Our guest for today is a surfer who's been fighting against plastic pollution for 30 years! Hugo Tagholm is the Chief Executive of SAS (Surfers Against Sewage), a community dedicated to protecting our oceans, waves, beaches, and wildlife. They bring people together and empower communities to create positive change for the ocean and our environment. In this episode, Hugo will share with us his years of experience and expertise working with grassroots activists, the government and the youth! He talks about the seaweed problem and what can we do about it. Find out how he is making an impact on creating change and how you can take part in it! In this Episode, We Discuss: How SAS started The seaweed problem and what can we do about it Fighting plastic pollution Connect with Hugo LinkedIn Twitter Instagram SAS - Surfers Against Sewage --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

In today's episode, Sean Doherty joins us to further talk about The Fight for the Bight campaign. He is a Surf Journalist and has written for the Sydney Morning Herald, and for the Surfer and Surfing magazines in the United States. He talks about the #fightforthebight campaign and explains the climate change performance index. He also shares his opinion on the issues that currently surround Australiaparticularly around the topic of oil, coal, and gas. We also touch the importance of activism, raising awareness and educating others to make a difference and make change happen. In this Episode, We Discuss: The climate change performance index The importance of raising awareness and educating others to create change What the #fightforthebight campaign is all about How we can transition away from our dependency with coal, oil, and gas How activism can make a difference What's next move for the #fightforthebight campaign Connect with Sean Doherty Instagram Know more about the #fightforthebight campaign After several years of independent campaign work in Adelaide and with the communities surrounding the Great Australian Bight, a collection of local groups and environmental advocacy organisations came together to create the Great Australian Bight Alliance in January 2016. The founding members of the Alliance included: Mirning Traditional Owners, Clean Bight Alliance Australia (West Coast SA), Oil Free Seas - Australia, Sea Shepherd Australia, Sea Shepherd Adelaide Chapter, Surfrider Foundation Australia, and The Wilderness Society South Australia. Since then, the Alliance has continued to grow. Our vision for the Great Australian Bight is for a protected marine environment, where marine life is safe and healthy. Our unspoiled waters must be valued and celebrated. We cannot accept the risk of a catastrophic oil spill in our waters and along our coastline. Oil spills are irreversible. Together, we can save the Bight from these risks. You can learn more about their cause and how to become an ambassador here! --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

One of the most unspoiled marine environments in the world is the great Australian Bight. And we all know that an oil spill would ruin the pristine coastline and threaten coastal homes and livelihood. Unfortunately, the Australian government is trying its best to sell the rights to drill more oil to just any foreign bidder. BP and Chevron has already pulled out, but Norwegian company Equinor remains. In this episode, Patagonia Surf Ambassador & BIG OIL Activist, Heath Joske, joins us to talk about these issues and what we can do to support and get involved with the campaign for protecting the Australian bight. Since he learned of Equinor's plan to turn the bight into a dangerous, deepwater oil field, he has been campaigning against it and spreading awareness and educating others to fight together with him. In this Episode, We Discuss: Fighting for the Great Australian bight Equinor's plan of drilling more oil from the sea What we can do to prevent the Norwegian oil company's plan How to get involved and what you can contribute to the #fightforthebight campaign Connect with Heath Joske Instagram Know more about the #fightforthebight campaign After several years of independent campaign work in Adelaide and with the communities surrounding the Great Australian Bight, a collection of local groups and environmental advocacy organisations came together to create the Great Australian Bight Alliance in January 2016. The founding members of the Alliance included: Mirning Traditional Owners, Clean Bight Alliance Australia (West Coast SA), Oil Free Seas - Australia, Sea Shepherd Australia, Sea Shepherd Adelaide Chapter, Surfrider Foundation Australia, and The Wilderness Society South Australia. Since then, the Alliance has continued to grow. Our vision for the Great Australian Bight is for a protected marine environment, where marine life is safe and healthy. Our unspoiled waters must be valued and celebrated. We cannot accept the risk of a catastrophic oil spill in our waters and along our coastline. Oil spills are irreversible. Together, we can save the Bight from these risks. You can learn more about their cause and how to become an ambassador here! Mentioned in this episode: Fight for the Bight The Head of the Bight - Full Film Patagonia --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

We're all experiencing the stress and effects of climate change. But how we communicate this emergency is critical in motivating collective action. If we manage to come together to mitigate the crisis that we're in, then we'll surely achieve our goals. Our guest for today is Linda Moreland, she works in corporate finance and she's also a very active rebel within the Extinction Rebellion, a global movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction and minimize the risk of social collapse. In this episode, Linda shares how she got involved with Extinction Rebellion and what made her participate in all their causes and endeavors. Extinction Rebellion demands that people in power need to take action and work together with other institutions to help spread the message calling for things to change. She talks about policy change and the need to change the current system if we want to save all life on earth. Moreover, we also touch the issue of free-market economics, the corporate impact of flying and many more! In this Episode, We Discuss: How Linda got involved with Extinction Rebellion What is the Extinction Rebellion is all about Decolonizing our history and changing the current system How free-market economics is enslaving most of the population The most serious threat of the 21st century The corporate impact of flying The importance of community and collective action Rebellion Extinction Story: On 31st October 2018, British activists assembled on Parliament Square in London to announce a Declaration of Rebellion against the UK Government. The next few weeks were a whirlwind. Six thousand rebels converged on London to peacefully block five major bridges across the Thames. Trees were planted in the middle of Parliament Square, and hole was dug there to bury a coffin representing our future. Rebels super-glued themselves to the gates of Buckingham Palace as they read a letter to the Queen. Extinction Rebellion was born. The call to rebel swiftly became global, with branches popping up the following week in Europe, the US, and soon after the world over. Leaderless and truly global, each new branch makes the movement stronger, bringing in new perspectives, wisdom, expertise, energy, and inspiration. You can check the Extinction Rebellion's website to learn more about their activities and what's next here! To learn more about regenerative farming check my old episodes! 09: How we can reverse the climate emergency through SOIL Regeneration with Finian Makepeace 15: Holistic Farm Management with Johno Hunter 16: The Environmental Cowboy [Khory Hancock]: Aussie climate expert shares science & solutions --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

You might think buying and eating organic food is good for you, which it is. But, what happens then if that organic product is put in a plastic container? In today's episode, we are joined by Linda Birnbaum, the recently retired director of NIEHS, an institute dedicated to learning more about how the environment affects our health. In our conversation, Linda explains how the environment affects the food that we eat in various ways. She explains how fish has mercury from their food, or how organic food will affect us when placed in plastic containers. In this Episode, We Discuss: A Summary of Linda Birnbaum's Presentation from the UNWRAPPED Conference How our Environment affects the food that we eat BPA, BPS, BPAF Contamination in the environment Do we really need these chemicals or not Get to know Linda Birnbaum: Linda is the first board-certified toxicologist and the first woman to serve as Director of the NIEHS, which has a unique research mission to discover how the environment affects people's health in order to promote healthier lives. Under Linda's leadership, the NIEHS became a world leader in toxicology and environmental health research, with NIEHS science inspiring health policy and safety standards in the United States and abroad. Scientific reports generated by the NTP, such as the bi-annual Report on Carcinogens, serve as major presentations of scientific analyses of substances in our environment that may cause cancer. The NIEHS also established a national network of exposure assessment laboratories with an innovative grant program called Children's Health Exposure Analysis Resource. Research conducted by the NIEHS Children's Centers cosponsored with the EPA, and related work with environmental justice communities has led to policy changes to protect the health of children through improvements in their environments. To know more about the Unwrapped conference, please visit their website here. --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox

Plastic food packaging indeed protects our food but it can also be the source of chemical food contamination and increased risk in health. We don't know every material used in making these packaging and this knowledge gap can actually hurt us. Join me in this episode as we unfold the different packaging materials and chemicals that touch our food with Dr. Jane Muncke, the Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Food Packaging Forum. In this conversation, she talks about the different packaging materials that are used to package food. She also explains the chemical migration in our food packaging, how plastic is made, what materials are considered safe that could pass the toxicology tests, and many more! In this Episode, We Discuss: Different materials used in food packaging The known unknowns The chemical migration in our food packaging Single-use and reusables Plastic materials that could pass the toxicology test Get to know Jane Muncke: Dr. Jane holds a doctorate degree in environmental toxicology and an MSc in environmental science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. She currently works as a Managing Director at the Food Packaging Forum, a science communication organization that provides independent and balanced information on issues related to food packaging and health. She is a full scientific member of the Society of Toxicology, the American Chemical Society, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and the Endocrine Society. You can learn more about Dr. Jane's work and achievements here. Twitter References from this episode: Food Packaging Forum Subscribe here and stay up to date with the Food Packaging Forum's newsletter and read about the latest news and scientific research! --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox