Switch

Research shows that people increasingly feel the effects of planetary changes and associated ecological losses in their daily lives, and that these changes present significant direct and indirect threats to mental health and well-being. It’s termed ‘ecological grief’.

Melting glaciers, coral reef death, wildlife disappearance, landscape alteration, climate change: our environment is transforming rapidly, and many of us are experiencing a sense of profound loss. 

On this episode we dive into ecological grief and all of the positives to be reminded off when feeling down or hopeless. 

Again it is all about the small switches that lead to big change! 

Today we are back together and joined by Jamie from Social Supermarket. Social Supermarket was created to connect every-day consumers with social enterprises who sell high quality products that tackle important social and environmental challenges. From handbags made from decommissioned fire hoses, soap made by people with visual impairments to relishes made with wonky fruit and veg, there’s something for everyone.

They are on a journey to become the most comprehensive marketplace for social enterprise products in the UK. To be the first place that people look for products that change the world for the better. 

We all want to be conscious about how our day to day purchases have an impact on these issues. Social Supermarket has created a growing marketplace of products that help tackle these issues without compromising on quality.

NEW YEAR, NEW EPISODE. Happy new year, Switch listeners! Looking to have a more sustainable 2020? (Us, too!) We have the episode just for you...

This week we cover fashion. We, like many, are suckers for a bargain, and like to dress well (bar those baggy jeans circa 2001). But does it all have to come at a price? We are joined by Ruth MacGilp, ethical fashion enthusiast and expert in fashion and marketing, to understand more.

We pick her brains about ethical fashion right now. We break down the main issues and get some practical tips for making your fashion more sustainable, whilst still being able to slay at the party!

We hope you enjoy the episode - make sure to pass on to anyone who, well, wears clothes!

Let us know what you think and if you have any questions just send them our way. 

Check out www.ruthmacgilp.com for her latest blogs and news :)

We are super excited to do a holiday special, because it is one of our favourite times of year, but similar to our summer and vacation episodes: Christmas and the holiday season is a time people’s habits change all of their great sustainable practices get left at the door.

This episode we want to talk about our weakness’ over Christmas, those areas where we can not be our greenest selves- and talk about some easy wins to help be a little bit more friendly to the planet.

Did you know that each year a shocking 74 million minced pies are thrown away and 4.2 million plates of turkey and the trimmings. That is just looking at food waste. 

We also reflect on some of our lessons learnt this year and highlights from our wonderful guests.


Featured brands & companies we discussed on this episode:
Atlas & Ortus
Dame
Our Good Brands
Too Good To Go
Gung Ho
Fair Trade

This week we’re joined by very special guest Mahdi Nazar, who is also Lydia’s boyfriend, to discuss coffee.

From the bean, to the milk, to its packaging, the environmental impact of our daily caffeine hit is real. This episode we unpick some of the issues around coffee, telling you what’s what. But have no fear! There are lots of ways to make your fave brew more sustainable. We offer some advice on what to look out for.

Today we have special guest Chloë with us. Chloë is founder of nibs etc, probably the most sustainable granola company in the world. They are fighting food waste, have plastic-free packaging, it’s refined sugar-free, high in fibre… the list is a long one! 

They make their products from juice pulp, which is usually thrown away, but still very tasty and nutritious.

 The brand is not only tackling food and plastic waste, it is also redefining how we think about ingredients and well-known products. It fully embraces the fact that brands can be the tool consumers need to reduce their waste and carbon footprint.

This week we have special guest Ben Conard from noissue, the online platform for designing and ordering custom, sustainable packaging for your business or brand. Due to laminated inks and dyes, the majority of tissue paper will end up in landfill sites. For these guys, that’s noissue though, as they use soy-based inks.

They believe that sustainable packaging doesn't have to be unattainable for brands. You can be environmentally conscious and responsible while creating a premium product for customers to enjoy.

We love sending gifts and purchasing online. A lot of companies need that branded premium option so this is something we are curious to explore.

www.noissue.co.uk

Today we have a special guest - Diane van Zwanenberg - who founded Coconut Matter, a beauty brand which aims to enable customers to enjoy healthy and sustainable living. 

CM creates handcrafted cosmetics and personal care products based on the health benefits of coconuts and CM’s passion for making a positive impact. 

During her decades of international corporate experiences, Diane consistently challenged the conventional to develop innovative solutions. She created this brand because she believed in sourcing sustainably and designing for minimal waste to build a lifestyle that truly matters. 

The cosmetics and beauty industry is a hot topic for us because it’s typically used by everyone. Also, we think that, in terms of behavioural change, beauty could actually be a really simple solution - way simpler than changing your commute or what you eat.

We recently did an episode on cosmetics and beauty - there are a number of issues we identified with the industry, such as packaging (and the lack of it being recycled), palm oil (in 70% cosmetics), animal testing, water usage, carbon emissions, and more. So we really wanted to dive into this topic with a brand working better in this space.

www.coconutmatter.com

Reach out to us at www.podcastswitch.com or on instagram @podcastswitch

This week is a big one. We’re talking to Cat Rayner from the Fairtrade Foundation.

For those of you who don’t know, the Fairtrade Foundation is that certification you typically come across when you buy your bananas or coffee - that iconic sticker on many products (actually around 6,000 of them!). 

Fairtrade is an organisation dedicated to giving producers, farmers, workers a fair price and ethical conditions for the work they do. 

Empowerment is at the core of what Fairtade is all about, whether it’s giving those that produce the food we love a say in the matter, setting the standard in the industry or lobbying the government for change. 

We discuss what it means to be ‘Fairtrade’, and why the topic matters, along with how Fairtrade has really set the path for other important certifications. We also dive into Fairtrade's 25th anniversary celebrations and what the path ahead looks like for them.

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Instagram: @podcastswitch

www.fairtrade.org.uk

In our very first episode we talked all about Ethical Fashion, what it means, why care and how we are seeing it make a mark on the red carpet. Today we are with Sophie, founder of Gung Ho. Gung Ho is more than just an ethical fashion brand, its a brand that educates through design and tells a story through every piece. Not only does Gung Ho commit to selling garments that are ethically produced with sustainable materials, but it aims to shed light on a focus area each year impact our planet and people.

As always you can reach out to us at www.podcastswitch.com or instagram @podcastswitch

To get in touch with and purchase these amazing pieces go to https://www.gungholondon.com and use discount code SWITCHITUP for 10% off at checkout.