In this episode, I caught up with an old friend James Thornton – an Environmental lawyer, TED speaker, and the CEO and Founder of ClientEarth, a global non-profit environmental law organisation.

James’s legal strategies have led to groundbreaking legal victories in the fight against climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. His work at ClientEarth focuses on holding governments and corporations accountable for environmental harm.

He’s also an ordained Zen Buddhist priest and a prolific writer, and his new book, Nature My Teacher, is a collection of essays about our connection with the natural world.

Takeaways

• China’s ultra fast approach to environmental law
• Enforcing change through the law
• Reconnecting with nature to overcome climate anxiety

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(00:26) Inspiration for Client Earth

(03:55) Balancing law and compassion

(05:18) Dealing with anxiety and taking action

(09:40) Taking care of oneself: The Donkey

(13:09) Proudest cases at Client Earth

(17:10) Sources of cases

(18:58) Client Earth's work in china

(22:23) Using the law to enforce change

(25:02) Exploring the flow of money

(27:41) Message: Nature, My Teacher

Links:

Nature, My Teacher book

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nature-My-Teacher-Alive-Threat/dp/1909954934

Visit Client Earth's Website

https://www.clientearth.org/

Visit Ben’s Website:

https://bensaunders.com/

Subscribe to the New Frontiers Newsletter:

https://bensaunders.substack.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I have the immense pleasure of speaking with Patrick Grant, a Savile Row tailor, campaigner, TV presenter, and the mind behind several sustainable clothing ventures – his influence has stretched far beyond the cutting table.

The UK was once a textile powerhouse, spinning 70% of the world’s cotton within just a 40-square-mile area. Yet this golden age faced a steep decline, with employment plummeting from 1.6 million to under 100,000 today. However the true cost is in the diminished quality of our clothes, and despite purchasing five times more, we only use a third of it.

Patrick’s commitment to the industry's future is evident in his rescue and revitalisation of the Blackburn clothing manufacturer Cookson & Clegg, and 150 year old Saville Row tailor Norton & Sons. He then went on to launch Community Clothing, a sustainable clothing brand that prides itself on using plastic-free materials and being 100% made in the UK.

Beyond his business endeavours, he is also the host of the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee and Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King.

Takeaways

• How clothes can influence how you feel and think
• The decline of the UK's textile industry
• The true cost of fast fashion
• Investing in fewer, but higher quality garments can save costs and protect our planet
• The future of the fashion industry.

Chapters

(00:00) The journey to today

(01:32) The common thread of his endeavours

(05:17) The decline of UK textile manufacturing

(10:16) Why Community Clothing is different

(15:31) Marketing is making us buy more

(19:23) Why we've lost the skill of repairing clothes

(20:20) Buying less, but better

(25:47) Sustainability in the fashion Industry

(34:21) Transitioning to a Low-Volume, High-Quality Economy

(28:01) The real cost of Fast Fashion

(29:57) Building items that last

(34:25) The future of the Fashion Industry

(36:13) How clothes can influence how you feel and think

(37:59) The 1-minute takeaway

Links:

Visit Community Clothing

https://communityclothing.co.uk/

Visit Norton & Sons

https://nortonandsons.co.uk/

Visit Ben’s Website:

https://bensaunders.com/

Subscribe to the New Frontiers Newsletter:

https://bensaunders.substack.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“To enjoy rather than endure”

In today's episode I sit down with Olly Hicks, an old friend, a record-breaking adventurer, and these days, the founder of a fascinating startup.

Olly's life has been deeply intertwined with the ocean. Like me, his first big expedition was at the tender age of 23, when he made history by becoming the first person to row solo across the Atlantic from America to England, and he has since used a pair of oars or a kayak paddle to propel himself more than 7,000 miles at sea.

He has witnessed some incredible sights, including what he calls the 'nightclub under the sea’ – an awe-inspiring display of bioluminescent phytoplankton lighting up the ocean as he rowed.

Transitioning from the extreme solitude of the high seas to the collaborative venture of aquaculture, Olly’s latest adventure is as the co-founder of Algapelago. This initiative is pioneering the creation of large-scale offshore kelp farms, setting a benchmark as the UK's largest licensed kelp cultivator and offering a future model on ocean sustainability.

From learning to develop grit by understanding the importance of keeping your kit dry, to the effect that solo expeditions have on your view of the world – Olly offers a fascinating insight into both individual agency and courage, and the importance of marine restoration today.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro & love for the sea

(00:45) Wonder rather than fear

(02:59) The challenges of solo expeditions

(04:27) The Overview Effect from rowing

(07:15) A new expedition at Algapelago

(11:27) Keeping your kit dry to develop grit

(14:56) Enjoy rather than endure

(16:12) The role of exploration in the 21st Century

(19:13) The future of kelp farming

(21:00) Final thoughts

Links:

Visit Algapelago

https://www.algapelago.com/

Visit Ben’s Website:

https://bensaunders.com/

Subscribe to the New Frontiers Newsletter:

https://bensaunders.substack.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can the New Zealand haka teach us about dealing with climate change?

In this episode of New Frontiers, we dive into the world of Benjamin Kayser, a former professional rugby player for France, with 37 caps to his name and a memorable run in the 2015 Rugby World Cup under his belt.

After grappling with injuries, Benjamin made the bold decision to hang up his boots and make an unlikely pivot into an entirely new arena – Venture Capital.

He is now one of the founders of Teampact Ventures, a VC firm with a focus on Health and Climate Tech, who leverage wisdom from elite-level sport to help portfolio companies build winning teams.

From dealing with imposter syndrome, to the best way to handle criticism – what I love about Benjamin’s story is that his expertise on performing at the highest level isn’t just based on theory.

He’s walked the walk, and while his ears are a bit worse for wear, his mind has clearly been sharpened by the hard yards he’s travelled to get to where he is today. I only wish I’d come up with a pun about going from the hardest tackles to tackling the hardest issues before we recorded this episode.

It was an inspiring, down-to-earth conversation and I hope you enjoy it too.

Today’s episode of New Frontiers is brought to you by the Financial Times. I’ve been an FT subscriber for more than a decade, so I’m particularly happy to tell you that New Frontiers subscribers can access exclusive articles and up to 40% off a standard digital subscription by visiting ft.com/newfrontiers. Offer available until 28th March.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro to Benjamin Kayser

(01:06) Today's sponsor – The Financial Times

(02:29) From Pro-Rugby to Venture Capital

(05:23) The highs and lows of a new career

(09:59) Why invest in climate?

(13:01) Fear can be a motivator

(17:40) Dealing with imposter syndrome

(21:44) The opinions that matter

(24:09) How to identify high performance

(28:34) Team dynamics at Team Pact VC

(32:02) Final thoughts

(34:36) Today's sponsor – The Financial Times

Links:

Get 40% off a standard digital subscription with The Financial Times:

https://ft.com/newfrontiers

Visit Team Pact Ventures

https://www.teampact.ventures

Visit Ben’s Website:

https://bensaunders.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two broken down old adventurers talk about what they used to do…

Episode #3 of the New Frontiers Podcast with Alex Honnold is now live!

Today’s episode of New Frontiers is brought to you by the Financial Times. I’ve been an FT subscriber for more than a decade, so I’m particularly happy to tell you that New Frontiers subscribers can access exclusive articles and up to 40% off a standard digital subscription by visiting ft.com/newfrontiers. Offer available until 28th March.

Known for his breathtaking free solo ascents, Alex's audacious climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park not only captured global attention through the Oscar-winning film "Free Solo" but also marked a significant moment in climbing history.

Beyond his climbing feats, Alex has made a remarkable pivot into renewable energy. In 2012 he committed to giving away 30% of his income, which has now snowballed into the Honnold Foundation – a non-profit that helps marginalised communities around the world transition to solar energy. 

What struck me most was Alex's pragmatic approach to ‘doing’ – a methodical, step-by-step strategy to tackle daunting challenges. A fundamental bias towards action over words. He avoids descending into clickbait and cliché, even calling me up on a few dubious questions.

It was an incredibly refreshing conversation.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) Today’s sponsor – The Financial Times 

(02:46) The roots of Alex’s connection to the outdoors.

(04:10) The bike tour that shifted his perspective on the climate

(07:21) Can a climbing approach be applied to the climate?

(08:26) How to tackle big, audacious goals.

(11:12) A bias towards action over storytelling. 

(14:07) The Honnold Solar Foundation. 

(19:04) Is there a 'crux' for solar?

(22:47) The win/win of solar projects. 

(25:01) The expedition that was saved by solar.

(27:28) Success isn't just a finish line.

(31:45) Advice from two broken down old adventurers…

(33:43) Final thoughts and a word on our sponsor 

Links

• Support The Honnold Foundation: honnoldfoundation.org
• Visit Ben’s Website: bensaunders.com
• Subscribe to the New Frontiers Newsletter: bensaunders.substack.com/podcast
• Get 40% off a standard digital subscription with The Financial Times: ft.com/newfrontiers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking to the brilliant Jo Royle, a former ocean racing skipper and founder of Common Seas, a non-profit working to tackle plastic pollution in our rivers and seas.

Jo's journey is pretty extraordinary. She has skippered boats across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, across the Antarctic Circle, and even to the Sundarbans (tune in if you don’t know where the Sundarbans are).

Her most significant venture afloat, though, might be co-designing and skippering the Plastiki. This 60-foot catamaran, made from 12,000 repurposed plastic bottles, sailed 8,000 miles across the Pacific – sparking a crucial conversation on marine plastic pollution.

Jo is now the founder of Common Seas, a non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing marine plastic pollution. In our chat, we delve into some of Common Seas' key initiatives, including their startling research that found microplastics in human blood.

From the high seas to the forefront of ocean conservation, her journey is one of perseverance – demonstrating what can be achieved when tackling one of our planet's most pressing issues.

Tune in to hear more about Jo's remarkable story and her impactful work at Common Seas.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro 

(00:58) Jo’s connection to the Ocean 

(02:35) Lessons from Sailing 

(03:28) Toughest Challenges at Sea 

(06:14) The Plastiki Project 

(08:47) Changes in Plastic Pollution Awareness 

(11:38) Microplastics on the South Pole 

(13:55) Balancing Demand and Impact 

(17:19) Approaches to Tackling Plastic Pollution 

(22:18) Bonus Round 

(25:19) Final Thoughts

Don’t forget to subscribe to the New Frontiers Newsletter at https://bensaunders.substack.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to welcome the gloriously talented and deep-thinking Rainn Wilson. 

Best known for his iconic portrayal of Dwight Schrute in 'The Office', a role that earned him three Emmy nominations, Rainn's journey has extended far beyond the screen.

He has gone on to co-found Climate Basecamp, a platform to educate people on climate change, where some of the unique things he has done include:

Handing out bottles of water from an iceberg at COP26, offering ‘limited edition’ ice-creams with ingredients that could go extinct, and filming ‘An Idiot’s Guide to Climate Change’.

And then there’s his book… Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.

Obviously as an Englishman, I don’t often talk about spirituality, so this episode takes me into rarely charted territory. We also discuss his journey from acting to activism, and the power of storytelling in inspiring change.

It was a wonderful conversation, and I hope you enjoy it too.

Chapters

00:00 From Dwight Schrute to Climate Change 

05:27 Influence of Role Models 

09:03 Importance of Father Figures

13:25 Spirituality and the Soul 

17:56 Connection to Antarctica 

25:20 Becoming a Dad

30:45 Balancing Greed and Ambition

35:38 Dealing with Climate Anxiety 

38:52 Comedy and Climate Change 

41:34 Alienating Audiences 

43:42 Transferable lessons from Acting 

46:15 Redefining Success 

48:28 Key Takeaways 

49:49 Why Rainn did the Podcast 

Final Note: 

Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when we publish all future episodes and updates: https://bensaunders.substack.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Incredibly excited to be bringing you the New Frontiers podcast.

I’ll be exploring the stories of extraordinary individuals who’ve done great things in one field, and who’ve since transferred their wisdom and drive to tackling climate change.

I'm honoured to introduce a roster of phenomenal people as my first guests:

Rainn Wilson - Known for his role in ‘The Office’, Rainn has also produced ‘An idiot’s Guide to Climate Change’, and is a member of the advisory board of Arctic Basecamp.

Alex Honnold - The Oscar-winning rock climber from Free Solo and CEO of the Honnold Foundation, promoting solar energy for a fairer world.

Benjamin Kayser - Ex-international and pro-rugby player, now a Founding Partner at Teampact VC, focusing on climate investments.

Jo Royle - Founder of Common Seas, tackling ocean plastics. A seasoned racing skipper with Antarctic voyages under her belt.

Olly Hicks - CEO of a biotech startup and TED speaker. Known for his record-breaking solo ocean rows, accumulating over 7,000 miles at sea.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.