Mama Earth Talk

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Steven Cohen. He is a professor in the Practice of Public Affairs, Columbia University Director, MS (Master of Science) and MPA (Master of Public Administration) Programs in Sustainability. He has been an advisor to many boards and committees over the years.  

During this episode, we take a look at climate change. The importance of the EPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency) plays in protecting the environment. We also look at his book, The Sustainable City and why it was important for him to share it.  

Where can people find Dr. Steven Cohen?

LinkedIn

Columbia

“Don’t pay that much attention to people denying climate change. They know in their heart that it is happening.”

In this episode, I am looking back at the first 50 episodes of the Mama Earth Talk podcast and some of the amazing guests that we had on the podcast so far. I will be sharing some of the clips that provide you with some great tips and also a reminder for us to take a deep breath every now and then and remind ourselves that we do not have to be perfect on our journey, even the smallest of steps are making a difference. Take it one step and one day at a time.  

Episode 2: I talked about the 5R’s and this 5’R are, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot.

Episode 9: Karim El-Jisr shares why we should drive less.

Episode 11: Marita Peters shared how we should pick one thing we would like to change and stick with it to see how it makes us feel.

Episode 21: Max La Manna shares why it is important not to throw away food.

Episode 25: Kathryn Kellogg talked about the "Lonely Banana" and why we should choose to buy them instead.

In this episode, we talk to Haya Altamimi. She is a producer and editor. Her first film War Sweet Home won several international awards and her second documentary titled Keepers of the Wild premiered late last year. She hopes that her documentary will help many bears to be freed and to be able to live a full and healthy life and I would love to share that with you. 

During this episode, we take a look at how some of these bears are illegally taken captive, the environments that they are locked up in and who this is impacting their health. We also talked about organisations that are helping the free these bears and giving them much-needed nutrition and support.  

Where can people find Haya?

Instagram

LinkedIn

“They think that they own nature”

In this episode, I will be sharing with you two organisation that has really helped me a lot on my sustainable journey. I will also be giving you some tips that you can use to help you reduce your waste.  

Plastic-Free July

Lonely Whale

#StopSucking 

” Just start with one item that would be easy for you to replace and take it from there.”

You do not have to feel that you need to save the world overnight or transform your house into a plastic-free haven overnight. It is all part of the journey. If you are going to do too much and burn yourself out. You might not able to sustain that lifestyle and would become frustrated and this can lead you do not want to continue with this journey. Therefore take it one step at a time. Find communities that share your passion and do what you can as it is not a race.

In this episode, we talk to Raj Singh. He is the head of global strategy, international business development and marketing at Coco Veda a social enterprise established in the Philippines, with over 100 coconut-based products,  

During this episode, we take a look at coconuts and coconut oil and what we need to look out for when purchasing coconut oil to ensure we get the best value for money.  

1.What is one social media platform that you follow?

 Raj Singh

2.What is your hope for mama earth going forward?

 We would like to extend what we are doing, collaborate with people in the coconut industry and do that starting from a governmental level. Get engaged with government. Feed that into academia and universities from a research point of view and bring in medical health care academic professionals. 

3.What advise can you give our crazy birds this week to help out mama earth?

 Maybe try our products. 

4.What is one sustainability fact that you like to use in a room with people not yet on a sustainability journey?

Sustainability is not just about the planet and the environment, the buildings and all. It is really about the people as well. 

5.Where can people find you?

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Youtube

Website

“There are different kinds of coconut oil. The word coconut oil is loosely used”

When we look at the different coconut oil. We need to make sure that we get what we pay for. There are some brands that will market their coconut oil as a specific type but in actual fact, it might not be a 100% correct. A better quality coconut product would have a lot more health benefits and is also more likely to last longer.

In this episode, I am looking back at some goals that were set for Mama Earth and that is the Sustainable Development Goals we will also be looking at great organizations like the Goalkeepers that are bringing leaders from all around the world to accelerate progress toward ending poverty and fighting inequality. 

“The 17 sustainable development goals will help to end extreme poverty and build a better world by 2030. “

On the 25 of September 2015, 193 world leader adopted new global goals at the UN’s annual General Assembly. These 17 goals would each help to build a better future. Just like when we set our own goals whether for a year, a month or a specific project, it is important for us to set goals to end poverty, hunger, equality as well as all things related to Mama Earth to name a few. Without these goals, it becomes harder to measure our progress and also easier for us to not make any improvements if there are no goals to hold us accountable.

In this episode, we talk to Kyle Weber. He is the founder of EVERA, where he and his team are working hard to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy and bridging the sustainability gap between the private sector/government and community through innovative engineering activities. 

During this episode, we take a look at some of the differences between electric and gasoline cars. How easy it is to charge your electric vehicle as well as look at some of the brands and models available.  

1.What is one social media platform that you follow?

Masdar City

The Sustainable City

Dubai Carbon

EmiratesNature-WWF

2.What is your hope for mama earth going forward?

 That we form tight communities again. 

3.What advise can you give our crazy birds this week to help out mama earth?

 There is so much that can be done when you put yourself out there and you kind of lend that trust to someone else. For this week maybe just try to sort of lend that trust a few times or once at least to someone random that you may have not trusted before. 

4.What is one sustainability fact that you like to use in a room with people not yet on a sustainability journey?

 If you recycled one aluminium can, the amount of energy that you have saved, just by recycling that is the equivalent to you watching TV for four hours. 

5.Where can people find you?

Facebook

Youtube

“You give certain things up because you are willing to”

When we are dipping our toes in the field of sustainability there might be a few things that would be very easy to give up and as your journey progress there might be things that you thought would be hard but they then seem easy as you are more willing to give them up than previously. However, it should all be within balance and do what you can and feel comfortable with. I think we all want to strive to do more, be more but we also need to be aware of our limits and not try to burn ourselves out and then not want to do anything further for Mama Earth. Living a more sustainable life is a journey and not a race.

In this episode, I will be sharing with you some tips on how you can have a sustainable Christmas with some gift ideas as well as a few DIY to get your creative juices flowing this festive season.

My Eco-Friendly Gift Guide

DIY Christmas Advent Calendar made from empty toilet paper rolls 

DIY Recycled Gift Paper 

DIY Recycled Paper Bows 

DIY Jazzed up Recycled Paper Photo Frame 

DIY Recycled Paper Earrings 

DIY Cork Pin Board 

“Christmas, birthdays or any other occasions that we give or receive gifts can cause a lot of waste. There are so many gifts that we receive that we will never use and then it might end up on a shelf collecting dust until we eventually throw it out.”

It is easy to just keep on purchasing gifts for people to show them that you care and it is also so easy to receive these gifts. Often we feel embarrassed to say anything when we receive gifts as we do not want to offend the gift giver as they would have given it to us from a good place. However every time we accept these gift that we would not use or need it will just end up cluttering our homes. But we need to be able to tell the loved ones that we do not want to receive these items and that they should not be offended but we do not want to receive these items but would rather want to do an experience like going to watch a movie you really want to go and see. Maybe to help you to pay for a holiday that you always wanted to go on or it could be cooking or art class that you would have liked to go for. They could also make a donation on your behalf to an organisation that you support.

In this episode, we talk to Mariama Kamara. She is the founder and director of Smiling Through Light that works with a network of women to provide clean, reliable and sustainable energy in Sierra Leone. 

During this episode, we take a look at how Smiling Through Light has impacted many lives in Sierra Leone and Mariama’s Beam Talks in the UK that is inspiring many. We also talked about Paloma Faith’s music video, Warrior and how Mariama got selected to be featured as one of the “warriors”.  

[01:08] How did your sustainable journey start?

[06:40] When you see a problem you are the one that can create a solution. You are the one that can change that.

[07:23] What is Smiling Through Light?

[12:24] You know that when you are working with the woman, they will always go back and invest in their families. They will invest with their kids.

[14:51] If you use kerosene your eyes start watering, it becomes very cloudy, your inhaling obviously CO2 which is just dangerous and really bad for your health.

[15:32] If you have a solar lantern you can learn, you can use a clean eco-friendly a brighter solar lamp to help kids improve their education.

[21:21] What is Beam Talks?

[26:01] You have been featured on the recent Paloma Faith’s music video, Warrior. How did this come to life?

[29:40] What has been one of your most important decisions that you have made around mama earth?

1.What is one social media platform that you follow?

 Sustainable Energy For All

2.What is your hope for mama earth going forward?

 I really want people to respect Mama Earth. 

3.What advise can you give our crazy birds this week to help out mama earth?

 If you got anything, please focus on it, work on it and keep on going. 

4.What is one sustainability fact that you like to use in a room with people not yet on a sustainability journey?

 I always tell them a story and I always highlight in Sierra Leone we have a population of almost 7 million people and only 13% of the population have access to electricity and in rural communities, it is less than 1%. 

5.Where can people find you?

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Website

“When you see a problem you are the one that can create a solution. You are the one that can change that”

There is a lot of issues we are faced with every single day but we have the power to make a change even if it is a small change. Every step forward is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or small the step it. You just have to start. You are the one that can change that. 

In this episode, I will be sharing with you what an eco-bricks is and how this bulletproof building material is making waves in the building industry and cleaning up waste while doing so.  

[00:57] An eco-brick is a plastic bottle, that is packed to a set density with cleaned and dry used non-biodegradable materials. These vary from cellophane, Styrofoam, plastic bags, straws and packing materials. These are usually all your soft-plastic materials that cannot be recycled by your local recycling facility.

[01:41] In 2016, Upcycle Santa Fe was awarded a research grant that assisted them to study whether compressed plastic waste like that in the eco-bricks was as safe as common store-bought insulation. The result of the study revealed that as an insulation material, common plastic waste emits no traceable harmful chemicals. Plastics in the environment disrupts the cycles of life and by placing these items in an eco-brick, helps control the materials that would have normally become toxins, by sealing it away.

[02:20] The eco-bricks is also a highly insulated building material that is fire, water and bullet-proof.

[03:16] Materials like paper, metal or glass should not be added to the eco-brick as they are usually recyclable through the majority of municipalities.

[03:43] The main objective with creating an eco-brick is to be able to use hard to recycle items and place them in the bricks. This will be able to divert a lot of plastic from the landfill as well as provide people with more affordable building materials they would be able to make themselves.

[04:05] A few things that you can do when starting your eco-brick.

1. Make sure you use the same branded bottles for each individual project as this will make building easier. Try to use the bottles that are most common in your community.
2. You can cut the materials that need to be placed in the eco-brick into small little strips. It does not have to be, but I often cut mine in 1 x 5cm strips. This will allow you to easier fill little gaps in the bottle. Before you start cutting, make sure all the plastic to go inside the bottle is cleaned and that there is no organic matter stuck to the plastic pieces.
3. When you have added the items to the bottle, use a long thin stick and push the materials down that it covers a variety of different areas and make sure you cover the corners of the bottles well. If you will have a small part of the plastic bottles exposed as part of the design, it is advisable to maybe stick with the same colour for about the first centimetre of the bottle.
4. You can then just keep on filling the bottle until it is completely full. You would then be able to place the cap on and walla, your brick is done.

[06:29] We will even unveil our own eco-brick program early 2019 in the UAE, to start our own movement here.

[06:48] These eco-bricks can be used to build a variety of different items, from structures, furniture to decorative items. For some of the projects, one would require quite the amount of eco-bricks, a two-room classroom would use about 6,200 eco-bricks that is a lot of waste diverted from landfills. Your designs will only be limited to your creativity. I for one have many more amazing designs that I can not wait to start with.

“This will be able to divert a lot of plastic from the landfill as well as provide people with more affordable building materials they would be able to make themselves”

Eco-bricks is such a wonderful initiative and one that will help us to reduce the size of landfills if people start diverting non-recyclable items into an eco-brick. This will also help us to view our waste and to see what items we would be able to eliminate from our lives. I am very excited to have this initiative in the UAE as well very soon.