The Unplugged Debate: Recent Episodes
Craig Gavigan
Welcome to The Unplugged Debate, on this podcast we delve into the ideas that surround human’s interaction with both nature and technology. Talking to people about their time in the outdoors. Starting from when they were younger all the way through to present day. Developing a picture on who and what motivates them to be outside and why they do the things they do in the outdoors. Crossing over into talking about their technology usage and how that has changed throughout their life. Speaking to them about the different types of technology they use on a day to day basis from their mobile phones to the running shoes. Once we’ve developed a good picture of them, we incorporate that into how they think technology has changed their outlook on life and their time in the outdoors and how they think technological develop has changed society on a wider scale.
On today’s episode, we have Chris Mckleroy. Chris is a keen outdoor sportsman; He has been skiing and mountain biking among other sports since a young age. As he has got older, he has moved into slower adventure starting to become more interested in birdwatching, and more wildlife watching while out on his adventures. This leads to the business that he set up in 2019 called Nos which has redesigned binoculars to make higher-powered binos more affordable and with a sleeker look than the other binoculars on the market. With his company, he is looking to encourage minority groups to get out into nature and get the well-documented benefits that humans can have from being in nature. It was great speaking to Chris and the ideas that he has have been very refreshing. Please have a look at their page @n_o_c_s on Instagram.
On todays episode, we have Daniel Lynn. Daniel lives in Florida and is currently studying business management with a specialist view of HR management. Daniel has a varied and interesting background in nature. From learning to swim to running around in the forests when he was younger. He has had to develop his knowledge in the digital world. With his degree and his new project of running a podcast called the opposition theory podcast. Which I was lucky enough to be a guest on so please go and take a look at his podcast. But thanks for listening.
On today’s episode, we have Lizzie McGhee. Lizzie is a yoga teacher working in Edinburgh at the moment and is moving to Canada to pursue a new adventure in her life. She has developed an off-grid yoga retreat that incorporates the benefits of being digitally detoxed, yoga, and reconnection with nature. In this episode, she explains that her connection with the outdoors has been a relatively new one as she graduated with a degree in music and was on the road to being a music teacher before the pandemic hit, and her youth was a mix of being indoors and outdoors. But is now keen on developing something that promotes well-being and connection away from our digital devices.
On today’s episode, we have Abbie Barns. Abbie Is a filmmaker, presenter, and adventurer. She has a production company that works to provide education about issues around the environment and the connection with nature. This is what her company ‘Spend more time in the wild’ is promoting, the engagement in nature and promoting fitness and mental health benefits. Abbie is very open about her own mental health issues that she has had and the connection with nature helping throughout her life. She talks about her technology usage through her work and within her personal life, and gives an insight into how she embraces technology and the boundaries she has with it.
On today’s episode, we have Akarsh Vinod, he is a young aspiring entrepreneur, designing and launching an innovative set of connective home speakers in his spare time. While working full-time in a tech company in Silicon Valley. However, he grew up in several different places from Qatar and the UAE to the USA. Getting a huge amount of life experience moving around. he does like to hike and rock climb and has done the experience of spearfishing. As a person that lives and breathes tech, he has some refreshing views on our tech use and the activities outdoors. So sit back and enjoy.
On today’s episode, we are pleased to introduce Lorna. Lorna was born in Scotland and grow up in and around Glasgow. Lorna however would spend a lot of her free time while growing up in the highlands areas around Loch Tay. Lorna has taken part in many different outdoor ultra events, from organised walking events to marathons. All in aid of charities and causes. When entering the working world she moved into Human Resources and has spent the last 20 years working in the area. In that time, she moved to Singapore and continued her Human Resources work. Developing an in-depth knowledge of organisations, employees, and employers. To which she has use that knowledge and set up her own company on helping to promote wellbeing within organisations.
On today’s episode, we have Kellee. Kellee is from Edmonton Alberta. She has had a diverse interaction with the natural world from a young age through to the present. A lot of her interaction with nature in her early years was driven by her mother, who works within the provincial environment agency. Which gives her a firm knowledge of the natural world around her, and this also led Kellee on to becoming a junior ranger. Which offered her the chance to go and speak with the environmental minister of the Canadian parliament at the time. However, like a lot of young Canadians, she also has a fair amount of experience in snow and working through arctic-style winter life. Kellee’s introduction to digital technology was limited going through school and accelerated when she went to university to get her degree in teaching. Which has swung around to being more reliant on technology while living in China. Kellee moves away from Canada to different parts of the world to teach, and she aspires to combine her love for teaching, nature, and travel around the world. Giving her the opportunity to share her life experiences with the pupils that she teaches.
On today’s episode, we have Daniel. Daniel is a musician performing, teaching, and collaborating out of Montreal, with his primary instrument being the bass guitar and upright bass guitar. He has a vase knowledge of music development throughout his lifetime. However, he has an interesting relationship with the outdoors, being a snowboard instructor teaching others in the Canadian wintertime. He explains that it is his outlet and allows him to reset and gives him his balance for his musical life and outdoor life balance. Really enjoyed talking to Daniel, it was a really chilled out chat.
On today’s episode, we have Teekay. Teekay is from Brooklyn on the east coast of the United States. He has a wide variety of outdoor sports that he took part in while he was younger and has continued to the present day. Some of these were Motocross, mountain biking, and all the way through to canoeing in the present day. In contrast, Teekay runs his own digital marketing company where he shares his tips and tricks from developing his own social media following when he was younger. His view on technology has changed a large amount as his life has changed, and he is divining into minimalistic living and running a small project to refurbish a van to see where that adventure takes him. I really enjoyed recording this podcast, so enjoy.
On today’s episode, we have Tony. Tony has a rich and vibrant past in the outdoors, with being home schooled from a young age spent a large amount of time walking and interacting with nature. Learning applied knowledge about the flora and fauna throughout his education at home. He moved into mainstream school later in his education career. Once leaving school, he joined the United States Air Force as a Cyber operator. When leaving the military, he has headed into IT in the private sector. Within that period of leaving, he achieved his degree in History, with that achievement he is planning to complete his master’s in history. Linked with his background in history, he has started a podcast on YouTube called ‘The Pop Historian’ which talks about various historical topics. These topics start from the history of computers games to the history of the space force.
In this episode, we are delighted to have Arnav Gautam on. Arnav is a Computer Science student in New Delhi. Arnav has plans to have a small spin-off company going at some point in the future with some of his university mates. There is a podcast that Arnav runs called Drag and Downforce talking about the F1 in all its brilliance. However, he is a history of heading off into the mountain. This has taken him to various trails in the Himalayas, which has allowed him to sample a lot of what the mountain range has to offer. He is also a very forward-thinking person and has a keen perspective on what the future of technology may look like.
Just to let our listeners know we are taking a short break and we will be back in January with all new podcasts. See you then.
On today’s episode, we have Sean Conway. Sean is a highly respected and well renowned ultra-endurance athlete, with an amazing run of events that he has completed stretching from cycling Lands’ end to John O’Groats and cycling self-supported across Europe. He is also an author of a plethora of books that talk about his experiences doing his ultra-endurance events and children’s adventure fantasy books. Sean is also a public speaker appearing at TEDx youth in Manchester. We are delighted to have Sean on the podcast and get his perspective on the unplugged debate.
On this episode, we have Ben Donsky. Ben has an interesting and unique perspective to provide as he runs his own placemaking consultancy company over in New York. Predominantly looking at public spaces and parks. We delve into what that is and what process Ben takes while developing these areas. This helps to provide the view of what technology must go into the development of these places as well. However, Ben has a rich and diverse relationship with the outdoors and his use of technology. As he spent a large part of his childhood exploring country parks in the states around where he lived, but in later life has now got into podcasting himself and has a wide array of uses for technology in his adult life. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording this episode.
On this episode we have Em Barrett, Em is a champion for showing the world that people can and do make positive change, and with the right drive even the individual can change the world and society. This is documented through their solutions journalist company called ‘everyday grit’. Which is run alongside their dad. They Provided, insightful and engaging news stories. Em also provide a unique background to the technology side of the unplugged debate, while still having a strong connection with the outdoors. I would highly recommend looking at their solutions journalism it is a refreshing change to the normal news that you see. https://everydaygrit.com/articles/
On this episode we have Allan Milne. Allan has had a full, adventurous, and accomplished career in the Parachute Regiment. Leaving at the rank of Regimental Sargent Major. While serving, Allan had done two tours as part of the Red devils which is the army parachutes display team. After serving 22 years in the British Army, he then spent the next 29 years to present delivering British Accelerated Freefall (AFF) course around the world. Allan was the proprietor to the British AFF and wrote the rule book for it. He has a fantastic perspective on the use of technology, the outdoors and shows a fantastic progressive view on technology. I really enjoyed recording this episode and I hope that you enjoy.
On this episode of The Unplugged Debate we have Meg Taintor, Meg has a wealth of experience in theatre industry, working as a director in a small theatre company in the states before emigrating to Scotland to pursue a master, which lead her onto a second masters when the pandemic hit. she has worked as a Season Park Ranger and has now moved into climate justice work. Meg has a great perspective for the podcast, I hope you enjoy.
This episode of The Unplugged Debate sees Dan Rose giving his perspective on his time in the outdoors, and the way that the outdoor industry has changed even in his lifetime. Also providing an insight into the Search and Rescue side of life and how technology has changed the face of searching and locating individuals in the Midshires area of the UK. His view on the outdoors and the world of technology and how that has change is still a refreshing different perspective.
On this weeks episode of The Unplugged Debate, we have Chris Heaney.
Chris has an unbelievable wealth of knowledge in the outdoors, starting from when her was a youngster all the way through to present day. He has worked in various places around the world, delivering outdoor education to anyone and everyone willing to partake and has empowering a wide range of people to get out in the outdoors.
He gives he perspective on the ever changing world of technology in the outdoors. Providing an in depth and interesting view on coaching and the way that people use technology in the outdoors and adventure industry.
It was an amazing chat and really got me thinking about the outdoors and the uses of technology.
On this week’s podcast we have Wilson MacKenzie. Wilson is and engineer who deals with water infrastructure contracts. But is and has shown himself to be an amazing outdoorsman. From setting up Instagram pages to try and encourage people to get outdoors to running and climbing some of the most beautiful areas of Scotland.
From a young age he has really enjoyed being outdoors spending time running around on the Ayrshire coastline. As he got older his adventures lead him and his friends away from there. Off to different parts of Scotland climbing and running up hills and cliffs.
Wilson is a man that interacts with technology through work in the digital sense and has done through the outdoors. However, offers an interesting look on type of tech that he uses while taking part in his sports.
There is a great perspective to be shown within Wilson lifetime and it was super interesting talking to him on the unplugged debate.
On this week’s podcast we have Bea Dawkins. Bea worked her way through university to gain herself a doctorate in Music Composition and has gone onto do a lot of other stuff within the music industry. From humble begins in the beautiful countryside of Scotland to the city of Aberdeen. She has a lot to offer on the unplugged debate. Living and beathing technology to wondering around recording sounds for her music endeavours.
From a young age Bea spent a large amount of her time out in the beautiful countryside of Scotland and still really enjoyed being outdoors. However, connected with the modern era with going to university and getting her doctorate in music compositions
I feel she has a large amount to offer with her perspective on the changes that have happen throughout her life, and the develop of technology from within her industry of music.
On this week’s podcast we have Steve Howell. Steve is a scientist that runs a company helping business in the research and medical sector develop and changed, from start up to full size companies. Although being very tech-based Steve has really been active in the outdoors and enjoys his adventures.
From a young age he has really enjoyed being outdoors and while in Canada when on what sounded like and amazing truly unplugged trip. Providing an interesting view on the outdoors from his youth to present day.
As Steve runs a company in the modern era, he has a lot of tech that he has to use on a day to day basis and takes us on a trip that really shows how its changed throughout his life to present day.
We get a good perspective on the changes that have happen throughout Steve’s life, and the develop of technology from someone helping companies at the forefront of research and development.
On this podcast we have Sam Harbour. Sam is now a fireman on the south coast of the UK, but has a interesting background in the things he has done in the outdoors from Sky driving to Husky Sledding, with a very pragmatic view to life.
We will get a bigger picture on his time in the outdoors. Starting from when he was younger all the way through to present day.
Developing a picture on who and what motivated him to be outside and why he does the things he does in the outdoors and see how that has changed.
Then getting that pragmatic view on his technology usage and how that has changed throughout his life, and what he uses on a day to day basis.
Finishing with how he thinks technology has changed his outlook on life and his time in the outdoors and how he thinks technological develop has changed society on a wider scale.
On this episode we have Zoe Allen, who is a now a fully-fledged Paramedic. She is an open water swimmer and swam the English Channel in her epic attempt to cross the busy shipping lane in the world.
Talking to her about her time in the outdoors. Starting from when she was younger all the way through to present day, offering her a different perspective while she was growing up.
Developing a picture on who and what motivated her to be outside and why she has done the things she done in the outdoors.
Talking to her about her technology usage and how that has changed throughout her life, and what she uses on a day to day basis.
Finishing with how she thinks technology has changed her outlook on life and her time in the outdoors and how she thinks technological develop has changed society on a wider scale.
On this podcast we have Nick Hill, who is an outdoor instructor who runs a Surf school during the summer in Guernsey, and can be found around Europe as a Ski instructor during the winter
We're talking to him about his time in the outdoors. Starting from when he was younger all the way through to present day.
Developing a picture on who and what motivated him to be outside and why he does the things he does in the outdoors.
Talking to him about his technology usage on a day to day basis and how that has changed throughout his life.
Finishing with how he thinks technology has changed his outlook on life and his time in the outdoors and how he thinks technological develop has changed society on a wider scale.