Coffee & Geography

In this episode of Coffee & Geography, Kit Marie chats with Tom Herman, Executive Director of the US National Council for Geographic Education, about geographical identity, why geography has become invisible in American classrooms, environmental determinism, and what personal geography can give young people.

Tom describes himself as an observer rather than someone rooted in one place — a Midwesterner by birth who grew up across the East Coast and New Mexico and has called San Diego home for over thirty years. Together they compare the two sides of the pond: a standalone but squeezed geography in the UK, against a subject folded into social studies across fifty different state curricula in the US. They take on environmental determinism head-on, celebrate the teachers of AP Human Geography, and land on the idea that the people learning matter more than the things we want them to learn.

At the heart of it is the story of a student who noticed her local ponds dropping, asked the right question, and helped force developers to fix the water table — proof, as Tom puts it, that "coverage and content are the enemy of learning." Plus Spilling the Beans (Tom was born the day the astronauts returned from the first moonwalk), the drafting-table bridge into cartography, and the daisy chain word passed on to the next guest: playfulness.

A warm, wide-ranging conversation about why geography matters now more than ever — perfect timing as Geography Awareness Week approaches.

🔗 Tom's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thomasherman 🔗 NCGE website: ncge.org 🔗 NCGE on X: x.com/NCGE1915 🔗 NCGE on Facebook: facebook.com/NCGE1915 🔗 NCGE on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/national-council-for-geographic-education 🔗 San Diego State University — Young People's Environments, Society & Space (children's geographies): yess.sdsu.edu 🔗 Geography Awareness Week 2026 — "Mapping the Future," 16–20 November: ncge.org/geography-awareness-week 🔗 GIS Day, 18 November: gisday.com 🔗 AP Human Geography (College Board): apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-human-geography

#CoffeeGeogPod #TomHerman #NCGE #GeographyEducation #GeographyAwarenessWeek #GAW2026 #MappingTheFuture #GISDay #Geography #GeoEd #ChildrensGeographies #GeographyTeachers #USGeography #EdChat

Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansound.com

In this episode of Coffee & Geography, Kit Marie chats with Edward Ofori-Annor, a Ghanaian geographer and doctoral researcher at the University of Cologne, about language, geographical identity and the global trade in tropical freshwater fish.

Edward explains how the colours, behaviours, resilience and reproductive habits of species such as Siamese fighting fish, paradise fish and angelfish shaped their domestication in Germany. The conversation explores aquarium technology, animal welfare, commodification, global value chains and what happens when humans try to recreate a piece of the wild inside their homes.

Along the way, Kit and Edward discuss Ghanaian hospitality, German döner, historical fish fights, humanitarian work, murmurations and why an aquarium contains rather more geography than first meets the eye.

🔗 Edward Ofori-Annor: University of Cologne profile - https://geographie.uni-koeln.de/en/research/working-groups/economic-geography-and-environmental-change/staff/ofori-annor-edward

🔗 Commodifying the Wild research team - https://commodifying-the-wild.de/team/

🔗 Showcasing the Wild - https://commodifying-the-wild.de/projects/showcasing-the-wild/

🔗 Ornamental Fish Value Chains - https://commodifying-the-wild.de/projects/showcasing-the-wild/work-package-2-ornamental-fish-value-chains/

🔗 Edward’s presentation at the RGS-IBG Annual Conference 2026 - https://geosciences.uni-koeln.de/en/gsgs/news-and-reports/news-page/the-royal-geographical-society-with-the-institute-of-british-geographers-rgs-ibg-annual-conference-2026-1

🔗 German Research Foundation project page - https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/516754715

🔗 Fish welfare in the ornamental trade - https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/5/224

🔗 Wild-caught ornamental fish - https://ornamentalfish.org/what-we-do/represent-the-industry/wild-caught-fish/

🔗 Siamese fighting fish: IUCN assessment - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/pdf/7653828

#CoffeeGeogPod #EdwardOforiAnnor #ShowcasingTheWild #AnimalGeography #MoreThanHumanGeography #HistoricalGeography #EconomicGeography #TropicalFish #OrnamentalFish #AquariumFish #FishWelfare #WildlifeTrade #GlobalValueChains #Commodification #Domestication #SiameseFightingFish #BettaSplendens #Angelfish #ParadiseFish #HumanAnimalRelations #UniversityOfCologne #GeographyEducation

Theme music: Sparks of Inspiration by Silvermansounds.com

In this episode of Coffee & Geography, Kit Marie chats with ⁨Climate Comedian Stuart Goldsmith about using humour to communicate the climate crisis without losing sight of its seriousness.

Stuart explains how climate dread led him towards comedy with a purpose, why laughter can create a safer space for difficult conversations, and how implicating himself helps audiences confront uncomfortable subjects without feeling attacked.

The conversation also visits climate memes, birdwatching, badgers, beavers, street wolves, sustainable venison, fossil fuels, giant robots and Stuart’s unusual geographical route from Chipping Sodbury to a children’s television programme filmed on mothballed container ships.

A funny, thoughtful and reassuring conversation about climate anxiety, storytelling and finding the work that each of us is equipped to do.

🔗 Stuart Goldsmith: official website - https://www.stuartgoldsmith.com/

🔗 Canary: 2026 UK tour - https://www.stuartgoldsmith.com/comedy

🔗 Stuart Goldsmith on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@climatecomedian

🔗 Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: Climate Action Venn Diagram - https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com/climatevenn

🔗 No Laughing Matter: humour in sustainability education - https://se-ed.org.uk/no-laughing-matter/

🔗 Laughing with or laughing at? Research in use of humour for climate action - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13412-025-01011-w

🔗 Mission: 2110 CBBC gameshow starring Stuart - https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Mission:_2110

#CoffeeGeogPod #StuartGoldsmith #ClimateComedy #ClimateCommunication #climatechange #climateanxiety #ecoanxiety #climateaction #ComedyForChange #SustainabilityCommunication #environmentaleducation #geographyeducation #climateeducation #teacherwellbeing #HumourInEducation #storytelling #CanaryTour #AyanaElizabethJohnson #naturerecovery #rewilding

Clips of Stuart's comedy skits used with permission. Theme music: Sparks of Inspiration by Silvermansound.com

In this Espresso & Geography special, Kit Marie explains the importance of the UK Environment Agency's Flood Action Week, taking place between 12-18th October 2026.

This year's campaign arrives at a critical juncture as a super strong El Niño threatens to supercharge global weather patterns, significantly increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and devastating winter washouts across the UK. With climate change already making intense storms the "new normal", the added atmospheric instability of El Niño elevates the danger of both flash flooding and overflowing rivers. For school leaders, the stakes are remarkably high: nearly half of all schools in England (10,710 settings) are already vulnerable to flood risks. A severe weather season could disrupt education, damage critical infrastructure, and threaten student safety. Flood Action Week is therefore an essential catalyst for public awareness, urging school leaders to move past passive compliance and actively integrate flood mitigation into their emergency and climate action plans before the worst of the seasonal weather hits.

Vital resources and useful tools:

🔗 Use the Gov.uk Assess and manage flood risk in schools checklist. Consider whether flood risk is reflected in your school’s emergency planning and climate action planning. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ae1dfe6e6c8d18118acda9/Assess_and_manage_flood_risk_in_schools_-_checklist.pdf

🔗 Encourage staff to understand local flood risk and how singing up for flood warnings can support preparedness. https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/ and https://www.gov.uk/get-flood-warnings

🔗 Use the free Environment Agency Flood Action Week resources to deliver an assembly, or tutor activity to engage children and young people with the subject. https://geography.org.uk/resources/flood-action-week/

🔗 Schools (Neighbourhood) Climate Vulnerability Explorer: http://t.ly/6s95T

🔗 Further information and resources for Flood Action Week 2026 from FPS Environmental: https://fpsenvironmental.co.uk/flood-action-week-2026/

#CoffeeGeogPod #EnvironemntAgency #FloodActionWeek #FloodRisk #ClimateResilience #GeographyEducation #GIS #Vulnerability #ClimateJustice #Mapping

Kit Marie chats with Dr Josh Jones, Senior Technical Analyst at The Rivers Trust, about the latest State of Our Rivers report and what the data reveal about waterways across the UK and Ireland.

Josh explains why no river in England or Northern Ireland achieves good overall status, how pollution, artificial barriers, water demand and climate change interact, and why giving rivers more space can reduce flood risk while supporting wildlife. The conversation also explores access to blue space, river restoration, citizen science and practical ways for schools and communities to support their local waterways.

Released for Environment Agency's Flood Action Week (12-18th October 2026), this is a detailed but hopeful conversation about why healthy rivers matter to people, wildlife and a climate-resilient future.

🔗 State of Our Rivers (https://theriverstrust.org/key-issues/state-of-our-rivers)

🔗 The Rivers Trust (https://theriverstrust.org/)

🔗 Big River Watch (https://theriverstrust.org/take-action/the-big-river-watch)

🔗 Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (https://www.riverflies.org/riverfly-monitoring-initiative-rmi)

🔗 Use the Gov.uk Assess and manage flood risk in schools checklist. Consider whether flood risk is reflected in your school’s emergency planning and climate action planning. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ae1dfe6e6c8d18118acda9/Assess_and_manage_flood_risk_in_schools_-_checklist.pdf

🔗 Encourage staff to understand local flood risk and how singing up for flood warnings can support preparedness. https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/ and https://www.gov.uk/get-flood-warnings

🔗 Use the free Environment Agency Flood Action Week resources to deliver an assembly, or tutor activity to engage children and young people with the subject. https://geography.org.uk/resources/flood-action-week/

#CoffeeGeogPod #JoshJones #TheRiversTrust #StateOfOurRivers #RiverHealth #RiverRestoration #FloodActionWeek #FloodRisk #NaturalFloodManagement #NatureBasedSolutions #WaterPollution

#SewagePollution #AgriculturalPollution #ForeverChemicals #WaterSecurity #ClimateResilience #BlueSpace #CitizenScience #BigRiverWatch #RiverflyMonitoring #GeographyEducation

Theme music: 'Spark of Inspiration' by Silvermansound.com

Kit Marie chats with scientist and European Space Agency reserve astronaut Dr Meganne Christian about a life and career shaped by movement, exploration and scientific curiosity.

Meganne shares her experiences researching atmospheric physics and meteorology at Concordia Station in Antarctica, where temperatures fell below minus 100°C with wind chill, before explaining how satellites, microgravity research and in-space manufacturing can improve life on Earth.

The conversation also explores ice cores, katabatic winds, the ESA astronaut reserve, printing human tissue in space, servicing satellites in orbit, crocheting in microgravity, and why Antarctica helps us understand the pulse of the planet.

🔗 Meganne Christian: European Space Agency profile - https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Meganne_Christian)

🔗 ESA Astronaut Class of 2022 – Meganne Christian - https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2022/11/ESA_Astronaut_Class_of_2022_Meganne_Christian

🔗 How Meganne Christian became a reserve astronaut - https://www.ingenia.org.uk/articles/qa-meganne-christian-reserve-astronaut/

🔗 Concordia Station, Antarctica - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concordia_Station

🔗 Beyond EPICA: Earth’s oldest ice - https://www.bas.ac.uk/project/beyond-epica/

🔗 NASA Spinoff - https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

🔗 Beyond Earth: Satellite Applications Catapult - https://sa.catapult.org.uk/missions/beyond-earth/

🔗 In-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing facilities (ISAM) - https://sa.catapult.org.uk/facilities/isam/

🔗 Earth Nullschool interactive map - https://earth.nullschool.net/

#CoffeeGeogPod #MeganneChristian #ESAAstronaut #AstronautReserve #Antarctica #ConcordiaStation #AtmosphericScience #Meteorology #IceCores #ClimateScience #SpaceExploration #SpaceScience #Microgravity #InSpaceManufacturing #SatelliteApplications #SpaceSustainability #ISAM #Graphene #WomenInSTEM #WomenInSpace #GeographyEducation #STEAM

Theme music: Sparks of Inspiration by Silvermansound.com

Kit Marie chats with Tyndall Centre colleague Claire Brown about social housing, overheating, thermal comfort and how UK homes need to adapt to a changing climate.

Claire explains why climate-resilient housing is a social justice issue, how building design and solar shading can reduce overheating, and why the UK must address both its existing housing stock and the homes being built for 2050 and beyond. The conversation also visits Passivhaus social housing in Norwich, ceiling fans, shutters, climate vulnerability - and Claire’s volunteer baking for Free Cakes for Kids.

A practical and people-centred conversation about making homes safer, fairer and more comfortable in a warmer world.

Links:

🔗 Claire Brown — Tyndall Centre profile (https://tyndall.ac.uk/people/claire-brown/)

🔗 Claire Brown — University of Manchester research profile (https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/claire.brown-3)

🔗 Tyndall Spotlight: Claire Brown (https://tyndall.ac.uk/news/8728/)

🔗 Futureproofing UK social housing (https://www.tyndall.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/headline-1051798-en.htm)

🔗 Goldsmith Street, Norwich — Passivhaus Trust (https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/projects/detail/?cId=101)

🔗 Goldsmith Street — Mikhail Riches (https://www.mikhailriches.com/project/goldsmith-street/)

🔗 Shade the UK (https://www.shadetheuk.com/)

🔗 Shading for Housing: Design Guide for a Changing Climate (https://kb.goodhomes.org.uk/guidance/shading-for-housing/)

🔗 Is the UK Hot Right Now? (https://istheukhotrightnow.com/)

🔗 National Emergency Briefing (https://www.nebriefing.org/expert-briefings)

🔗 Free Cakes for Kids UK (https://www.freecakesforkids.org.uk/)

#CoffeeGeogPod #ClaireBrown #ClimateResilience #SocialHousing #ClimateJustice #HousingJustice #Overheating #ThermalComfort #ClimateAdaptation #SustainableHousing #Passivhaus #SolarShading

#HousingRetrofit #EnergyDemand #FuelPoverty #CoolingPoverty #BuiltEnvironment #TyndallCentre #GeographyEducation #FreeCakesForKids

Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansound.com

In this Espresso & Geography special, Kit Marie and Alistair Hamill respond to the devastating floods affecting Nepal and Tibet following a major ice-and-rock avalanche on 26 August 2026.

They examine the emerging physical geography of the disaster, the possible influence of a rapidly warming Himalayan climate, and why it is too early to attribute one complex event to climate change with certainty. The conversation also asks why some disasters dominate global attention while others remain largely unseen, and how teachers can discuss unfolding tragedies without turning human suffering into spectacle.

A respectful discussion about hazardous processes, climate justice, media representation, and keeping people’s experiences at the heart of geographical education.

Because this is an ongoing emergency at the time of recording and release, casualty figures and scientific explanations may change. These links prioritise official scientific information, peer-reviewed research, reputable reporting, and humanitarian support.

🔗 USGS: 2026 Nepal Debris Avalanche and Flash Flood: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/science/2026-nepal-debris-avalanche-and-flash-flood

🔗 The Climate Brink - Nepal disaster and climate attribution: https://www.theclimatebrink.com/p/what-we-can-and-cannot-say-about

🔗 Climate-induced loss and damage in Nepal: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/climate/articles/10.3389/fclim.2026.1782991/full

🔗 IFRC Nepal Flash Floods Emergency Appeal: https://www.ifrc.org/emergency/nepal-flash-floods-2026

🔗 British Red Cross: Nepal flood response: https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/disasters-and-emergencies/world/nepal-flash-floods-2026

A full write-up and access to the articles written by Kit Marie and Alistair can be found on Geogrambling's The Life Geographic Blog here: https://geogramblings.com/?p=13591

Other links:

🔗 The Derna floods and dam failures in Libya https://www.britannica.com/event/Libya-flooding-of-2023

🔗 Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala 2018 https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/3-de-junio-de-2018-tragica-erupcion-del-volcan-de-fuego/

🔗 CNN News: "Rescuer was woman's last hope in Haiti: 'We told her we won't leave'" https://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/28/haiti.rescuer/

🔗 The Bridger Foothills Fire, September 2020 https://geogramblings.com/2020/09/11/bridger-foothills-fire-video/

#CoffeeGeogPod #NepalFloods #Nepal #Tibet #Himalayas #GlacierCollapse #IceRockAvalanche #ClimateChange #ClimateJustice #DisasterRisk #NoNaturalDisasters #GeographyEducation #GeographyTeachers #MediaLiteracy #DisasterEducation

In this episode of Coffee & Geography, Kit Marie chats with Amy Imhoff about space, science communication, Star Trek, STEAM, feminism, dark skies, and why storytelling matters if we want people to care about science.

Amy shares her route from literature and technical writing into aerospace communications, including her work with Star Trek creatives, NASA-linked missions, and the Astro Society. The conversation moves from the Space Shuttle Enterprise and Artemis lunar observations to public trust in science, asking “stupid” questions, Taylor Swift, live music, and the idea that every country shares a border with space.

A joyful, wide-ranging episode about space as a shared human story, and why the arts, communication and community are essential parts of science.

🔗 Amy's personal website: https://www.amyimhoff.com

🔗 Amy's Astro Society profile: https://astrosociety.org/who-we-are/staff.html/title/amy-imhoff

🔗 NASA Night Sky Network: https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/night-sky-network/

🔗 NASA IMAP mission: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/

🔗 NASA Artemis II mission: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

🔗 NASA Images and Media Usage Guidelines: https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/

🔗 DarkSky International: https://darksky.org/

🔗 Kate Mulgrew official website: https://www.katemulgrew.com/

🔗 Taylor Swift Eras Tour Paris: https://www.timeout.com/news/taylor-swift-in-paris-eras-tour-timings-dates-set-list-and-everything-you-need-to-know-050224

#CoffeeGeogPod #AmyImhoff #SpaceCommunication #ScienceCommunication #STEAM #WomenInSTEM #WomenInSTEAM #StarTrek #CaptainJaneway #NASA #Artemis #ArtemisII #IMAPMission #AstroSociety #AstronomyEducation #DarkSkies #LightPollution #GeographyEducation #SpaceGeography #Exogeography #FeministMedia #scifihorror

Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansound.com

In this episode of Coffee & Geography, Kit Marie chats with Dr Cyrus Golding about geographical identity, hazards, student voice, AI, and the kinds of knowledge geography makes visible.

The conversation moves through so-called natural disasters, slow violence, and why geography helps us understand the social and political choices that shape vulnerability.

Kit and Cyrus also discuss Routes: The Journal for Student Geographers, the importance of taking young people’s geographical knowledge seriously, and how AI is changing education in ways that go far beyond plagiarism and chatbots.

A thoughtful, wide-ranging episode about hazards, power, student voice, technology, and what geographical thinking can do in the world.

🔗 Dr Cyrus Golding — University of Southampton profile: https://cdn.southampton.ac.uk/people/672ydb/doctor-cyrus-golding

🔗 Dr Cyrus Golding — personal academic / professional profile: https://cgolding.snaap.app/

🔗 Golding Education: https://goldingeducation.com/

🔗 Routes: The Journal for Student Geographers: https://routesjournal.org/

🔗 Ilan Kelman: Disaster by Choice: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/disaster-by-choice-9780198841357

🔗 Rob Nixon: Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674072343

🔗 Deleuze and Guattari: A Thousand Plateaus: https://files.libcom.org/files/A%20Thousand%20Plateaus.pdf

🔗Lines of Flight: theory article: https://www.jstor.org/stable/48618028

#CoffeeGeogPod #GeographyEducation #CyrusGolding #RoutesJournal #StudentGeographers #GeographyTeachers #TeacherEducation #PGCEGeography #NaturalHazards #DisasterRisk #NoNaturalDisasters #SlowViolence #AIinEducation #GeographyAndAI #ClimateEducation #GeographyPodcast #HumanGeography #EnvironmentalJustice #GeographicalThinking

Theme music: "Spark of Inspiration" by Silvermansounds.com