As series 1 of Imagining Tomorrow draws to a close, presenter Emma Newman reflects on the battle against despair and what the podcast has revealed about the entrepreneurs, scientists, innovators and communities she's interviewed. Emma explores the key lessons they've imparted, and whether they're enough to tackle the climate.

Resources:
Research on new onshore wind and solar sites: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/mapping-england-could-produce-13-times-more-clean-energy

https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/richest-1-emit-much-planet-heating-pollution-two-thirds-humanity

https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/climate-equality-a-planet-for-the-99-621551/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/government-pulls-defence-cumbria-mine-legal-challenges 

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/supreme-court-judgment-horse-hill-oil

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/no-gas-caverns-legal-win-protecting-larne-lough

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/take-action/take-action-join-local-group-groups-website

Support the show

Seaweed has long been touted as an important resource in the battle against climate change, thanks to its rapid growth and ability to absorb carbon dioxide. 

Inspired by conversations with a community garden group in Scotland and the founder of a company producing sustainable materials from seaweed, Emma Newman imagines a world in which new materials replace plastics and fossil fuels are replaced by different types of biomass, including seaweed.  

In episode 9 we heard from: 

• Professor Chris Chuck from Kelpi
• Danielle Banks from Seaweed Gardens
• Lewis Hou from Science Ceilidh
• Author Gary L. Powell

Additional resources

Guide to using seaweed as fertiliser [PDF], shared with kind permission by Danielle Banks

Support the show

Recent council decisions to cut down trees in Sheffield and Plymouth have prompted outcry from local residents and demonstrated how passionate we can be about preserving trees in urban environments. Research carried out on behalf of Friends of the Earth shows the dramatic impact trees have on bringing down temperatures in urban areas, and calls to increase our woeful tree cover in the UK are gathering momentum. 

Inspired by conversations with the CEO of one of the most ambitious rewilding projects in the UK, and a data scientist who specialises in the interpretation of mapping data, Emma Newman imagines a future where trees are valued more in both rural and urban environments and reflects on how that could benefit people and planet. 

In this episode we hear from: 

• Trees for Life, a charity working to rewild the Scottish Highlands
• Author Justina Robson
• Terra Sulis, a community interest company that uses open data to conduct research and pilot nature-friendly projects

Additional resources

• The relationship between heatwaves and premature births
• First major study examining the link between heat, pollution and premature births
• Urban heat map of the UK
• Woodland opportunity map for England
• Chew Valley Plants Trees

Support the show

The decline in pollinator numbers is a frightening trend that needs to be reversed as soon as possible. If you live in a city, is there anything you can do? And if you're a farmer, how can you tell if the changes you're making to increase numbers of pollinators that food production depends upon are actually working?
Inspired by conversations with an ecologist who has an ambitious plan for pollinators in London, the founder of a UK start-up using smart listening devices and AI to monitor pollinator numbers in real-time, and a science-fiction author, Emma Newman imagines a future in which pollinators can flourish in both urban and rural environments, thanks to old- fashioned approaches melded with cutting-edge technology.

In the episode we hear from:

Gerry Tissier and the Hackney Buzzline
https://www.ecoactive.org.uk/hackney-buzzline

Casey Woodward, CEO of Agrisound
https://agrisound.io/

Allen Stroud
https://www.allenstroud.com/

Additional resources

 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/MHAW21-Nature-research-report.pdf 

 https://experiments.friendsoftheearth.uk/projects/postcode-gardeners-how-hiring-postcode-gardener-can-bring-nature-back-your-street

Support the show

In recent years, young people have been at the forefront of campaigning on climate change. How does it feel to spearhead a campaign? How is it possible to campaign with busy lives and academic pressures? What keeps you going in these times of hostile politics, an adversarial press and toxic social media? Emma Newman talks to a young activist who has spearheaded an amazing campaign for clean air in London and a youth campaigning mentor from Friends of the Earth.

In episode 5 we heard from:

• Destiny Boka-Batesa from the Choked Up campaign
• Rowha Mohid, Climate Youth Society peer mentor from Friends of the Earth

Additional resources related to the episode
Destiny's article in Cherwell (Oxford's oldest student newspaper)
Survey on the mental health impact of eco-anxiety [PDF] published in The Lancet
Friends of the Earth's Climate.Youth.Society programme.

Do you want to tell Emma about a project or idea linked to this episode? Email [email protected]

Support the show

One day, a man in Salford Quays awoke to find a duck nesting on his balcony, 150 ft above the water. Once born, her ducklings had to be lowered down in a bucket. With over 20 acres of water at her disposal, why did that mother duck decide to nest there? And why did thousands of fish in the same location die overnight?

Inspired by talking to the duckling rescuer, the inventor of cutting-edge water monitoring equipment, and an award-winning science fiction author, Emma Newman imagines a future where communities help to keep waterways across the UK clean enough to swim in thanks to a nifty monitoring system.

In episode 5 we heard from:

• Steve Stuttard, duckling rescuer (watch Steve's rescues on YouTube)
• Glynn Cotton from WATR, the environmental monitoring system
• Rachelle Atalla, author of "The Pharmacist" and "Dirty Animals"

Additional resources related to the episode

Join a local action group

Support the show

When the average person can’t control how the funds in their own bank accounts or pensions are used by institutions, is there any way to stop terrible things being done with our money?

Inspired by conversations with the leader of a grassroots movement empowering women to take control of their finances, a community farm in Wales raising funds to keep the farm in the service of the local people it feeds, and an award-winning science fiction writer, Emma Newman imagines a world in which fossil fuel companies are starved of funds and ethical companies are able to thrive thanks to sensible, sustainable community investment.

Who we hear from in this episode:

Money Movers: https://www.wearemoneymovers.com/

Tydden Teg Farm: https://tyddynteg.com/

Adrian Tchaikovsky: https://adriantchaikovsky.com/

My own website: www.enewman.co.uk 

Resources:

Friends of the Earth article about the World Bank:

https://foe.org/blog/finance-to-fossil-fuels-world-bank-imf/

The Tydden Teg Community Share offer document: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14eQEnnrDs7Bws7eFP8-IAme_gtoOZlFu/view

Report by Urgewald on World Bank Trade Finance: https://www.urgewald.org/sites/default/files/media-files/Urgewald%20-%20Trade%20Finance%20Paper%20-0923.pdf

Friends of the Earth article about UK Pension Funds:

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/revealed-ps16bn-local-government-pensions-fuelling-climate-crisis

Tydden Teg’s Crowdfunder page - now finished, but you can see how they did it: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/tyddyn-teg-community-shares

foe.uk/community-groups

Co-operatives UK - Helped Tydden Teg to do their community share offer: https://www.uk.coop/

The origin of Money Movers: https://experiments.friendsoftheearth.uk/projects/money-movers-get-your-friends-or-colleagues-together-take-climate-action-your-finances

Climate Town video on banks financing fossil fuel projects: https://youtu.be/NJ7W6HFHPYs

Support the show

Across the UK there are thousands of faith buildings playing important roles in their communities. Churches, mosques, gurdwaras, all host gatherings for worship and for community activities such as playgroups, choirs, support groups and many more. Recently, many have been serving as warm banks, providing a space for people struggling to heat their homes in the energy crisis. How can these buildings, often huge and sometimes hundreds of years old, afford to provide these critical spaces in times of energy price hikes and still meet net-zero goals? Inspired by talking to an interfaith group in Birmingham, an innovative infra-red heating company in Bristol and an NYT bestselling science-fiction author, Emma Newman imagines a future in which community groups redesign the function of former shopping malls to create third spaces that repair the fabric of society.

Who we hear from in this episode: 

Footsteps: https://footstepsbcf.org.uk/

Herschel Infrared: https://www.herschel-infrared.co.uk/heating-heritage-buildings/churches/

Una McCormack: https://unamccormack.co.uk/

My own website: www.enewman.co.uk 

https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/design/faith-buildings-and-local-communities/ - Interesting post about working with Bow Church to expand community activities

http://www.empoweringdesign.net/ - all about the research project looking at community engagement in the use of faith buildings

 https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/enabling-community-based-leadership-in-design-sustainable-development-of-historic-faith-buildings/1  - An Open University course designed to help people to consult with communities on the use of faith buildings

 A video about the Halo heater, in which the diagram about bubbles of heat mentioned in the episode can be seen: https://youtu.be/eqnZF2uYMz4

Support the show

Over the past couple of years, extreme weather events, the energy crisis and Brexit have put a visible strain on the UK’s food supply chain and increased prices for the consumer.

What if we increased the amount of food that we grow in cities, and thus increased biodiversity and reduced food miles?

Inspired by talking to a community gardens group in Reading, a horticultural engineer who has co-founded a vertical farm in London and an award-winning author and screenwriter, Emma Newman imagines a future in which communities grow so much food together on their doorstep that the UK no longer needs to import fresh fruit and veg...

Resources

In episode 2 we heard from:

• Reading Food for Families 
• Harvest London 
• Temi Oh 
• Reading International Solidarity Centre 
• Presenter Emma Newman 

The quote from Safia about her experience of growing food at Aisha Mosque garden was taken from this video and used with the kind permission of Andrea Berardi from COBRA Collective.

Get inspired by existing community gardening projects

• Postcode Gardener scheme (by Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank)
• Incredible Edible movement (which Reading Food for Families is joining). Check out their campaign to establish a Right to Grow 
• Community food-growing initiatives highlighted by the COBRA Collective (PDF)

Support the show

Most homes in the UK are still heated by burning fossil fuels. Struggling households are faced with unnecessarily high bills and cold winters, or bearing the financial burden of replacing old-fashioned central heating.

So is there a better way to heat and cool our buildings, accelerate decarbonisation and reduce fuel poverty?

Inspired by talking to a Welsh community, a scientist and award-winning author Anne Charnock, Emma Newman imagines a future in which ex-industrial towns can be regenerated, thanks to the intriguing idea of flooding mines...

In episode 1, we hear from:
Green SCIES (Centre of Excellence in Smart Local Energy Systems)
Cym Arian Renewable Energy (CARE)
Author Anne Charnock
Presenter Emma Newman 

For inspiration and guidance on starting your own community energy project, visit the websites listed below:
Welsh Government Energy Service
Community Energy Wales
Regen - Local and community energy support
Centre For Sustainable Energy 

Additional resources mentioned in the episode:
Friends of the Earth's guide to heat pumps and other eco-friendly heating
The Ogwen Valley social enterprise group (video)

Support the show