Episode 6 begins with Tom’s composting toilet being the great teacher of circular economics, leading us to share gardening tales — “s**t tomatoes”, invasive food, and a mysterious driveway pumpkin — revealing how chaos in nature can be a key ally in sustainable living. The conversation shifts to the seasonal appearance of crop circles in England’s countryside, provoking though on art, mystery, and societal dismissal of the unexplained.

Then we dive into the main focus of this episode. Tom proposes veganism as a first principle of sustainability, and Asim nearly falls off his chair laughing. It leads to a deep discussion of exploitation versus compassion as key factors in sustainability. We get into the edges of the vegan discussion — bees, processed foods, hunting and pets — leading us to contemplate a “suffering cycle” that, like the carbon cycle, must be balanced to foster growth not destruction.

Dive in and see where it leads your thinking…

If you enjoyed the episode, here are a few ideas to explore the ideas further:

* Embrace nature’s chaos

See if you can find an example of plants that are food or medicine growing spontaneously in your garden or neighbourhood. Take a photo and share it with us.

* Do the suffering mathsYou can’t literally do the maths, but see if you can find something in your life that creates tension because it adds value to the world but also creates some harm. Contemplate how you weigh up this balance.

* Embrace voluntary sufferingTry a small discomfort (e.g. a cold shower, or skipping a meal). Note how it sparks growth or clarity, if any. Share your perspective — does purposeful suffering play a role in making your life better?

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