We Are Carbon

Welcome back to the podcast. I'm getting ready to launch the fifth season of We Are Carbon at the moment, but this episode is a little bonus, coming slightly sooner, because really, it's just been too long!This Episode:I had the pleasure of speaking with Helen Meech, executive director of The Climate Coalition. Their campaign 'The Great Big Green Week' has been building rapid momentum year to year, with millions of people across the UK anticipated to take action for their communities, nature and the climate this week (6th - 14th June 2026).It felt like an opportunity to dig in to some of my own pondering around 'can small steps taken locally, really have the power to create the changes we want to see'?I'll leave you to take your own conclusions around that as you listen through.And I hope you have a fabulous Great Big Green Week if you're taking part!External Links:The Climate Coalition: https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/Great Big Green Week: https://www.greatbiggreenweek.com/

In this episode I invite you to open your mind to the potential around our coastlines. It's easy to overlook the value of the soils that are hidden underwater and the life that they support, but these blue carbon ecosystems are significant right across the globe. We are losing them, and the work to restore them can be even more challenging to fund than with projects in land.This is a catch up with Diana Denke, co-founder of Fair Carbon. You'll find the link below to our previous episode with Diana, where she helped us to break down the barriers to understanding finance around nature based solutions.Here she returns with equally valuable insights around developing projects for restoring blue carbon ecosystems. We chat about:Blue carbon ecosystems - what they are & why they're so valuableBarriers to blue carbon projects The role of communities for long term successEpisode Links:Fair Carbon website https://www.faircarbon.org/Nature Based Solutions - previous We Are Carbon conversation with Diana https://www.wearecarbon.earth/nature-based-solutions-diana-denke/'Carbon Builds Life' - We Are Carbon compilation with Diana https://www.wearecarbon.earth/because-carbon-builds-life/---Episode Timestamps:00:00 - Intro03:59 - What are Blue Carbon ecosystems06:16 - The values of Blue Carbon ecosystems13:20 - Developing with communities21:51 - Leading with mangrove restoration28:04 - Barriers to starting a project (and some solutions)36:50 - Why have 80% of projects failed?40:23 - Growing the Blue Carbon market & steps for Fair Carbon

In this episode we return to one of my favourite topics - that microscopic life that lives in the soil. After recognising the significance of soil life for supporting the climate, Daniel Tyrkiel set about exploring solutions that would support farmers to support and work with the biology in soil. The desire was to create a plug and play solution; something easy and accessible that allows farmers to shift from chemicals to biology without a need for heavy learning or investment. Daniel's company Soil Ecology Laboratory are becoming recognised for their innovative products which are continually being developed and explored further.It was a pleasure to chat with Daniel and learn about the mindset behind the products and his determination which seems to have been inspired by his mentor Dr Elaine Ingham.We talk about:The significance of soil lifeThe barriers to supporting soil life on farmsThe products & evolution of Soil Ecology Laboratory----Resources Shared by Daniel:Recent news about Soil Ecology Laboratory - https://www.farminguk.com/News/-goop-boosts-soil-life-on-welsh-farm-in-no-input-trial_66709.htmlSoil Ecology Lab website: https://soilecologylab.co.uk/Consumer product website: https://soilsmiths.co.uk/Learn more about Soil Ecology:Teaming With Microbes (book by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis)Google Scholar - look up Dr Elaine Inghams' Ecological Monograph from 1986----Learn more with We Are Carbon:Soil Life - Decoding Soil Biology with Adrian Ferrero https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/soil-biology-transition-to-regenerative-farming/Soil; Living Support for Plants & Climate with Christo Miliotis https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/soil-microorganisms-plants-climate/Farming Transition - The Weather Proof Farm with Niels Corfield https://www.wearecarbon.earth/weatherproof-farm-niels-corfield/We Can Regenerate! with Finian Makepeace https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/finian-makepeace-we-can-regenerate/Holistic Management with Shiela Cooke https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/holistic-management-transition-mindset-farming/---Episode Timestamps:00:00 - Intro 06:12 - Why learn about soil life? 10:00 - The barriers to support soil life on farms 15:45 - The products & evolution of Soil Ecology Laboratory 33:14 - Recommendations for learning about soil life 38:16 - Making compost at S.E.L 41:13 - Taking steps for regeneration

It's a pleasure to share this chat that I had with Tim Sallin about the work happening across Florida to help shift garden habitats at scale in support of biodiversity. The Outside Collab brings together many minds with an aim to reshape Florida's landscapes in response to growing pressures from huge population growth and the impacts this has on resources, community and climate. It's a unique context but with insights that could be relevant to so many of us worldwide. We Talk About:Garden management in new housing developmentsThe impact of native flora on irrigation needsGardens that heal biodiversity & climateSupporting homeowners in creating native gardens----Episode Links:Tim is the host of the podcast, 'The Ground Up' - you can learn a lot more from him by delving into some episodes! https://linktr.ee/thegrounduppodcastAnd learn more about the Outside Collab here: https://outsidecollab.com/Watch the animation mentioned at the end of this episode: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/our-experiments/-----Episode Timestamps:11:57 - Role of garden management in new developments17:38 - Property management for native gardens21:54 - Ecological impact from gardens24:29 - Homeowner responses & needs29:11 - Research - Native plant garden designs & benefits34:00 - Gardens to heal biodiversity crisis36:54 - One step to regenerate?38:02 - Learn more and connect

If you're a poet, artist, photographer, writer or budding creative of any kind then you might like to listen extra closely to this one! Jamie Nix is the co-founder of Plants & Poetry whose work shares and nurtures connection to the natural world through a collaborative approach to curating published works. Alongside her poetry Jamie's career is focused on agroforesty and soil health and she has a keen interest in supporting regeneration through place based learning.We talk about: Weaving plants, science and poetryConnecting to place & communityThe role of sharing story (for regeneration)Learn more about Plants & Poetry here: https://www.plantsandpoetry.org/aboutI'm excited by an emerging co-creation between Plants & Poetry and We Are Carbon. We'll be creating an inspiring anthology together and I'd love to invite you to help us to fill the pages! It's very early on but if you head over to the website you can subscribe to email updates from We Are Carbon and I'll keep you updated! https://www.wearecarbon.earthTimestamps for this conversation: 00:00 - Intro04:55 - Weaving plants, science and poetry11:54 - Connecting to place & community19:20 - The role of sharing story (for regeneration)24:07 - Next steps for Plants & Poetry30:30 - Collab with We Are Carbon?34:12 - More from Plants & Poetry

I hope you enjoy this weave of inspirational voices.Each clip is brought in from our longer interviews. I've created this episode as an example piece that starts to compile the huge range of wisdom and knowledge that our guests have generously shared over the past few years. There's so much potential packed into our library and I wish to keep exploring the possibilities of sharing regenerative understanding in new accessible formats suited to different styles and places of learning.If this episode prompted an idea for bringing knowledge to your own community or classroom do please reach out to explore that together! https://www.wearecarbon.earth/contact/And if you enjoyed this piece and would love to support the creation of more like it, you can find a growing range of ways to do that including purchasing or distributing our art prints and greetings cards. Explore them here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/art-prints-for-regeneration/A huge thank you to each of our guests, who are (in order of appearance):Caroline Grindrod - founder of Roots of Nature and trainer of Regenerative agriculture. Full interview here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/caroline-grindrod-regenerative-agriculture/Peter Byck - Director of Roots So Deep and wrangler of scientists. Full interview here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/peter-byck-roots-so-deep/Diana Denke - co-founder of Fair Carbon and expert on nature based solutions. Full interview here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/nature-based-solutions-diana-denke/And be sure to subscribe as we'll be catching up with each of these guests alongside hearing from many new voices as we get moving into this new season of We Are Carbon!

I'm delighted to be joined by Diana Denke who has generously offered to bring us an overview of what can be done to bring more financing towards nature.For generations wealth and financial markets have benefited from the extraction and depletion of the natural world to the extent that we're globally facing a crisis of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.There is a firm recognition of the need to protect, support and regenerate nature for the multi-faceted benefits that it brings to our economy, health, communities & climate.But companies are facing a barrier when it comes to moving significant finance into projects for nature so there's a need for new approaches and further learning. Diana is passionate about nature regeneration and has a wealth of experience exploring investment opportunities into nature based solutions. She is the perfect voice to help us all to get a better grasp of the barriers, the challenges and possible paths forward. (For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below)You can learn from Diana and her work with Fair Carbon here: https://www.faircarbon.org/Find a video version of this conversation over on the website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/nature-based-solutions-diana-denke/-------------Related We Are Carbon episodes:Yesterday’s Sunlight or Today’s? – In Conversation with John RoulacRoots So Deep – In Conversation with Peter ByckUnderstanding Carbon Offsetting – In Conversation with Brennan Spellacy-----------Timestamps:00:00 - Intro04:34 - What are nature based solutions?07:42 - The need & benefits of investing in nature17:20 - Barriers to bringing finance into nature at scale29:28 - Investing in carbon removal technology vs investing in nature43:20 - Financing solutions for nature projects50:35 - Collaborating to scale up projects?54:20 - Diana's work with Fair Carbon [restoring coastal and marine ecosystems]

It's a pleasure to be joined by Niels Corfield who shares insights from his concept of 'The Weatherproof Farm'.It's hard to not have noticed the increase in standing water across farmlands in recent years; fields appearing to contain vast lakes during our wetter seasons.Whilst we might consider ourselves to be at the mercy of changing weather this conversation helps to underline why the cause and solution to this standing water can be much more within our control.Having monitored the soil and pasture health on over 200 farms in the UK Niels developed the concept of 'The Weatherproof Farm' which puts the focus on addressing compacted and unhealthy soils.Making changes to a farm management system can be complex and so I really appreciate the way that Niels breaks down the barriers with his practical and accessible approach to understanding both the problems and solutions around soil health.Niels works with producers and landowners to implement regenerative systems and has a  passion to help farmers to understand the root causes of the issues they work with day-to-day, enabling them to create low-input, profitable operations that are nature-friendly and productive.Learn more with Niels:Niels' website: https://nielscorfield.com/Farm Ed [17th Sept] 'Weatherproof Your Farm': https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-details/weatherproof-your-farm ----------Related We Are Carbon episodes:Roots So Deep  -In Conversation with Peter ByckUnderstanding Regenerative Agriculture - with Caroline GrindrodHolistic Management - with Sheila Cooke----------For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below:00:00 - Intro04:44 - The case for 'The Weatherproof Farm'06:50 - Soil type doesn't have to be the limit11:31 - What is aggregation in soil & why is it important?18:31 - Dairy management - soil health, resilience & profitability25:31 - Arable management - soil health, resilience & profitability32:43 - The soil doesn't lie!34:54 - An overview of the solutions36:22 - Grazing management for supporting soil health39:48 - Arable management to support soil health45:49 - Complimentary support approaches53:53 - Learn more with Niels

Jackson Buzingo is a multi-generational small holder farmer who grew up facing the challenges of a changing landscape in Tanzania, East Africa.As he witnessed rivers running dry and crops failing he set out to find a solution.In Season 1 of the podcast Jackson shared his journey of learning about regenerative practices in agriculture. He brought his passion to the communities around him, educating hundreds of small holder farmers and establishing small demonstration farms and food forests that have since inspired with their ability to produce when surrounding lands are dry and struggling.In this episode we catch up with Jackson over two years later. We speak at a turning point in his journey where he's taking the first steps to establish his own regenerative farm in Western Tanzania. This time to become an example of a profitable business model for small holder farmers rather than as purely a demonstration for regeneration. Jackson offers a wide range of insights into the steps that he plans to take with his farm along with exploring some of the barriers that are holding back a wider spread transition within the communities around him.Find a video version of this episode on the website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/jackson-buzingo-farming-transition-in-east-africa/For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below:00:00 - Intro02:57 - First steps on the new farm05:23 - Why this farm differs from the demo farms07:52 - Trees and layers in the new farm09:18 - Climate struggles & barriers to transition14:03 - Conventional farming struggles - tobacco dominance and deforestation16:39 - Hope & inspiration from food forests23:51 - Plan and progression for the new farm31:23 - Access to seeds36:25 - Access to food for local communities37:36 - Building awareness & momentum for regeneration

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: nick@openfoodnetwork.org.ukThe 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/-------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/----------------------Timestamps:00:00:00 - Overview00:03:12 - Guest intros00:12:00 - Collaboration - benefits & reasons for coming together00:28:28 - The Open Food Network; an ambition to connect people with their food00:34:34 - Insights from Serenity Hill - Co-Founder, The Open Food Network00:36:30 - Benefits of shorter supply chains00:41:00 - Connecting through food (self, community, nature)00:50:20 - Learning to cook - addressing this obstacle to fresh local food00:58:21 - Coming together to practice change01:04:18 - An invite; get involved today!

Join me for a conversation with Sharon Kallis who brings us thought provoking insights from her work exploring the place of textiles within our lives. Inspiring us to reconnect with ourselves, community and heal the world around us through rediscovering the materials which we wrap around ourselves and our homes.Sharon is the founding director of EartHand Gleaners SocietyAlongside her artistic and practical endeavours transforming fibres into clothing, Sharon's work also includes community projects that layer up the opportunities for people to reconnect with one another, with plants and with place.  Combined with a personal challenge of 'growing her own clothing' this all comes through to bring us a story of re-finding what it means to be human; exploring a slower, more purposeful pace of life as an outcome of acting more sustainably in the creation of the stuff we use and depend upon. For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below.See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/sustainable-textiles-sharon-kallis/-------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/----------------------Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:07:00 - Sharon's work integrating textiles within community gardens00:16:40 - Connectivity, well being & complexity00:28:08 - Challenges of community land access00:34:26 - Invasive plant species for textile use00:37:52 - Modern disconnection & unsustainable textiles00:48:08 - Growing your own clothes! Sharon's journey01:02:27 - The steps we can all take towards more sustainable textiles

I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Serenity Hill about building an alternative, fairer and more resilient path within our food systems.Serenity is the co-founder of The Open Food Network.She comes from a long line of farmers on both sides of her family and has grown up with a keen awareness of the challenges and contradictions of balancing the needs of nature and the needs of farmers within a centralised food system that does a poor job of supporting either.We talk about the motivations that led to the creation of The Open Food Network alongside the ongoing ambitions and evolution of this now expansive enterprise.For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below.See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/serenity-hill-open-food-network/-------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/----------------------Timestamps:00:00 - Intro02:51 - Motivation & background to start the OFN08:40 - Farming with nature - influences from both parents13:42 - Challenges faced by farmers in current food system17:07 - What is a social enterprise?18:50 - What is the Open Food Network?24:00 - Input from Nick Weir (Open Food Network UK)27:54 - Shared learning, resource & investment30:21 - OFN success stories and uses36:00 - Evolving the investment and subsidy schemes for greater food access for all39:39 - 'The Power of Food'- valuing food beyond a basic commodity44:25 - Serenity and Kirsten's farm46:11 - Learning more

It was wonderful to be joined by Jason Freeman for a conversation that brings insights from his experience running a farmer owned co-op & organic retail brand which address the challenges of bringing fairer and more transparent connections between organic food producers and consumers.We discuss why our current large scale systems of agriculture and food supply create a barrier for transitioning to more sustainable farming approaches, along with the obstacles it causes for consumers who are seeking food choices that are healthy for themselves and nature.We also learn of Jason's journey in creating a farmer owned co-operative, the values and approaches that brought it success, and his later move to his current business 'Farmer Direct Organic'. You can find the Farmer Direct Organic website here: https://fdorganic.com/See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/jason-freeman-regenerative-food-supply/-------More Formats from We Are Carbon: [Shorter Video Format] - 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/----------------------Other We Are Carbon episodes focused on transforming food supply:Evolving the Local Food System  - A compilation with 4 guests in my home county of LincolnshireLocal Food Ecosystems - in conversation with Duncan Catchpole, Founder of the Cambridge Food Hub---------For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below:00:00 - Jason Intro & importance of soil health02:05 - Welcome to episode04:17 - Soil health, nutrition and human health07:18 - How our systems of agriculture can be a barrier to transitioning farming practices14:11 - Systems change from the bottom up22:57 - Connecting farmers and consumers - Jason's journey creating a farmer owned co-op36:21 - Stepping away from the co-op & the new business39:56 - Traceability and pesticide testing46:07 - The future of supply for organic and regenerative foods?52:33 - Learning more / connecting with Jason