Sustainability and conservation podcasts: here’s some recommendations

Podcasts are an increasingly popular way of keeping up with recent developments and stories across a diverse range of topics, from music (I’ve been enjoying the David Crosby Freak Flag Flying and Robert Plant Digging Deep series) to serial killers and the machinations of the American big cat-keeping community.  Recently a call went out on the EAUC (Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges) email list for examples of sustainability and conservation podcasts.  The request came from Dr Sandra Lee who leads the Social Impact Team at the University of Leicester and she has kindly allowed me to share the set of podcasts she’s collated.  Feel free to add your own favourite examples in the comments.

Here’s the list that Sandra compiled: with the exception of In Defense of Plants (which I suggested) the accompanying text comes either from Sandra or from the original submissions by EAUC members.  I’ve not listened to all of them so can’t comment on the quality or factual accuracy of the podcasts.

General

• Outrage and Optimism – very accessible and a great one for keeping up to date with climate policy and the global movement
• The Sustainability Agenda with Fergal Byrne (he has had some amazing guest right at the top of the sustainability field like Naomi Klien, Jonathan Foley, Paul Hawkins, Caroline Lucas, Rob Hopkins, Kate Raworth, Tim Jackson)
• Sustainability Defined (Spotify link) – mainly based in the US but there are some great conversations – https://sustainabilitydefined.com/  One university uses this series as the main material for seminar discussions (in this episode University Sustainability with Penn State)
• Radio 4’s Costing the Earth
• Mothers of invention: Climate is a man-made problem with feminist solutions with former Irish President Mary Robinson (it’s lighthearted and the co-presenter is a complete novice which makes the information very palatable)
• Resurgence Voices – this is the Resurgence & Ecologist magazine podcast – (it’s okay not as well done as some others but worth a listen)

More specialist 

• Vegan Vanguard – run by a Canadian political economist who shares anti-capitalist perspectives on everything from indigenous land rights to geo-engineering, gender-based violence and the alt-right. It’s very useful for learning about the underlying political structures of some of our big sustainability challenges
• In Defense of Plants – more botanical than about sustainability per se, but plant conservation figures large in some episodes
• Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy – not always sustainability explicit but does have some great ideas on how to change the way we think, act and live
• Making Sense with Sam Harris – looks into controversial questions about the human mind, society and current events
• Sustainable World Radio – permaculture and ecology-based podcast
• Next Economy Now: Business as a Force for Good – podcast is about leaders looking into regenerative, bio-regional, democratic, transparent and whole-system approaches
• Feel Better, Live More – Dr Rangan Chattergee (not sustainability as we know it but absolutely links to Sustainable Development Goal 3)

 

UPDATE:  Feedspot rank and overview sustainability themed podcasts:

https://blog.feedspot.com/sustainability_podcasts/

(HT Michelle Morley, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Oxford Brookes University)