How to Make a Difference: Recent Episodes
heyImpact
How to Make a Difference is a podcast where we give you easy, effective and actionable tools empowering you to maximise your impact in the fight against climate change. Each month we bring forward a new topic where we talk to experts in the field, followed by mini weekly episodes to entice you into taking action.
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to keep the episodes of season 1 online. We will also have to shut down heyImpact. Our social media accounts and website will be closed. And this podcast feed will disappear within the next 2 weeks. If you have any outstanding episodes, make sure to listen to them soon.
Where you can find us in future: linktr.ee/heyImpact
Chinmai and Elisabeth have decided to part ways. In this episode, Elisabeth gives a short summary of the survey results and presents teasers for Chinmai’s and Elisabeth’s new podcasts.
Where you can find us in future: linktr.ee/heyImpact
Unfortunately, Chinmai and Elisabeth have decided to part ways.
Thank you, dear listeners, for your support! For commenting online, sending us messages and for writing reviews. Thank you! Truly
Where you can find us in future: linktr.ee/heyImpact
It’s time to take a break and with this episode, we’re closing Season 1. We will be back with Season 2 after a summer break and in the meantime, we leave you with a collage of amusing clips and hopefully a smile on your face.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 24: Season 1 Finale
'Vote with your dollars' is a ubiquitous phrase. However, shopping sustainably can be near to impossible, when sustainable alternatives don’t exist or require hours and hours of research to be found.
This is why we invited Marcus Rosenberger, the co-founder of Beeanco. Beeanco is a sustainable online marketplace that makes it easier for people to find more sustainable alternatives to everyday products.
This episode builds on Episode 20, where we speak about conscious consumption and the circular economy.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 23: Beeanco - Sustainable Shopping Made Easy (Mini)
One of the most impactful things we can do to be part of the circular economy is to 'reuse'. This could be by renting rather than buying, using sharing systems, or by buying things second hand.
In this episode, we also speak with Kathrin Wronka and Stefanie Richter, the co-founders of Ambar Share, a person-to-person platform to connect lenders and borrowers of high-end fashion. Their example shows what a more circular world could look like.
This episode builds on Episode 20, where we speak about conscious consumption and the circular economy.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 22: Ambar - New Life for Your Closet (Mini)
Waste is not just an environmental problem - it is a climate problem. When materials are wasted, so is the energy that went into their extraction and production. Considering that two-thirds of all materials are wasted every year, it is worth exploring how we can reduce our consumption and the waste associated with it.
For this purpose, we invited Evelina Lundqvist and Malin Leth, the co-hosts of the Love Zero Waste podcast. They paint a picture of how our economic system has to change and what we as individuals can do.
This episode builds on Episode 20, where we speak about conscious consumption and the circular economy.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 21: How to be Zero Waste (Mini)
Did you know that 30% of our carbon footprint comes down to consumption? And that does not include things like fuel, electricity, or food - in the most simple terms, it refers to all the 'stuff' we buy.
This month we’re tackling conscious consumption: How can we as consumers reduce the carbon emissions related to our lifestyle? One possible solution is the circular economy.
Our first guest is Catherine Weetman, the host of the Circular Economy Podcast. She explains what the circular economy is and why it is a promising alternative to our current extractive throughput economy. Our second guest is Erin Andrews, the host of the Inner Circle podcast. With Erin, we explore what we can do as citizens and consumers to support a transition to the circular economy.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 20: Conscious Consumption
Can I feed crickets to my pet? If you’re unsure whether a climate-friendly diet is actually healthy for your pet - worry not, we’ve got you covered.
In Episode 19 we recap our favourite climate-friendly pet food solutions and we speak with Andrea Schmidt, a veterinarian with more than 10 years of experience, who gives us some basic tips on keeping our pets healthy.
Of course, pet parenting is not just about pet food, which is why we also give you a few non-food tips on how you can be a more sustainable pet parent. We also speak with Chantal Saelen, the managing director of Moderna Products, a company producing pet supplies like bowls, pet carriers, and litter boxes.
This episode builds on Episode15, Episode 16, Episode 17, and Episode 18, where we speak in-depth about the climate impact of pets and more climate-friendly pet food options.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 19: Sustainable Pet-Parenting 101 (Mini)
Human-grade pet food is a growing trend, however, often this equates to more factory farming, perpetuating environmental damage and climate change. This week we’re asking the question: Can human-grade pet food be sustainable?
For Episode 18, we’ve invited Lucy Postins, the founder and chief integrity officer at The Honest Kitchen. She tells us about their sustainability efforts all while being a proud human-grade pet food company.
This episode builds on Episode15: Climate-Friendly Pet Parenting, where we speak about climate-friendly pet parenting more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 18: The Honest Kitchen - Human-Grade Pet Food (Mini)
Factory farming comes with a myriad of issues like low animal welfare, a huge carbon footprint, the overuse of antibiotics and environmental damage. Is there a way to feed meat to our animals without all the negative side effects? One possible solution is growing so-called cultured meat in a lab.
In Episode 17 we’re speaking with Shannon Falconer from Because Animals, a pet food company working on a fascinating innovation in meat production.
This episode builds on Episode15: Climate-Friendly Pet Parenting, where we speak about climate-friendly pet parenting more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 17: Because Animals - Lab-Grown Meat (Mini)
If you own a pet, you are probably an animal-lover. And being an animal lover, you probably want to make sure that the animals that are fed to your pets are treated in a humane way.
In Episode 16: MeatMe - Happy Farm, Happy Pet (Mini) we’re speaking with Laura Clark from MeatMe, a pet food company that puts a very strong focus on raising their farm animals humanely.
This episode builds on Episode15: Climate-Friendly Pet Parenting, where we speak about climate-friendly pet parenting more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 16: MeatMe - Happy Farm, Happy Pet (Mini)
One quarter of all meat consumed in the US is eaten by pets. We love our fluffy, furry companions, however their impact on the climate is massive. In this Episode we explore what conscious pet parents can do to reduce the carbon pawprint of their pets. The world of climate-friendly pet parenting is full of amazing innovations and possibilities.
Our first guest is Tracy Hotchner. She is an expert in the area of pet nutrition, and an educator to both pet parents, and companies in the pet industry. With her, we untangle the confusion around an increasing number of pet food trends.
Our second guest is Hanna Lemmetti, the CMO of Alvar Pet, which is a sustainable pet food startup. She explains how Alvar Pet creates dog food with an up to 84% lower carbon pawprint compared to common alternatives.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 15: Climate-Friendly Pet Parenting
Localized electricity generation, electric vehicles, smart technology - the future of renewable energy is exciting!
In Episode 14, Stuart Lloyd-Evans, Managing Director of Cielo Energy Ltd takes us on a trip with the time machine. He explains what we have accomplished in the past 20 years and what we can expect in the future.
This episode builds on Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, and Episode 13, where we speak about renewable electricity more broadly, untangle green electricity certifications, and present you with some concrete examples for green electricity suppliers.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 14: The Future of Electricity (Mini)
Some electricity providers go one step further - they actively invest in building new renewable infrastructure.
In Episode 13 we speak with Christian Knops, the head of communication at the Grüner Strom Label, which is a German NGO certifying green electricity and gas providers.
This episode builds on Episode 10, Episode 11, and Episode 12, where we speak about renewable electricity more broadly, untangle green electricity certifications, and chat with a green electricity supplier.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 13: Beyond Green Electricity (Mini)
"Energy has always been expensive and dirty, frankly. Since we first started chopping down trees to build campfires when we were hunter gatherers. But that phase is coming to an end. So what do we do in a world of plentiful cheap energy?" - Andrew Mack
In Episode 12 we speak with Andrew Mack, the CEO of Octopus Energy Germany. He tells us why time-stamped green energy certificates matter and why there’s hope for a 100% renewable future.
This episode builds on Episode 10, where we speak about renewable electricity more broadly, and Episode 11, where we untangle green electricity certifications.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 12: Octopus Energy (Mini)
Electricity providers are allowed to buy coal-generated electricity and sell it as green electricity as long as they buy enough green electricity certificates. Sounds crazy, right?
In Episode 11 we untangle the implications and give you an overview of various green electricity models.
This episode builds on Episode 10: Green Electricity, where we speak about renewable electricity more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 11: How Green is Green Electricity? (Mini)
Renewable energy generation like solar, hydro, and wind power is rapidly increasing across the world. With the growth of renewables driven by both consumer demand and government regulation, a question that often comes up is “How do I know if the energy I pay for is actually green?” To answer this question we dive into the world of electricity.
We invited two guests: Stuart Lloyd-Evans, managing director of Cielo Energy Limited, and Janet Wood editor of New Power Magazine. They explain how the electricity grid works, the hidden financial market behind the scenes, the role of renewable energy within this system, and what we as end consumers can do to make a difference.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 10: Green Electricity
Our third recommendation for trustworthy carbon offsets is Atmosfair. Atmosfair is a German NGO and is very selective in the offsets they offer. This episode builds on Episode 6: Carbon Offsetting, where we speak about carbon offsetting more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 9: Atmosfair (Mini)
Our second recommendation for trustworthy carbon offsets is Nori. They are building a blockchain-based carbon removal marketplace. We speak with Aldyen Donnelly, Director of Carbon economics at Nori, who explains how the Nori marketplace works, how they quantify the amount of carbon captured and how they approach offsetting more broadly.
This episode builds on Episode 6: Carbon Offsetting, where we speak about carbon offsetting in more detail.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 8: Nori (Mini)
Our first recommendation for trustworthy carbon offsets is Climeworks. They have developed a machine based solution to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air. This episode builds on Episode 6: Carbon Offsetting, where we speak about carbon offsetting more broadly.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 7: Climeworks (Mini)
One of the easiest ways to have a measurable impact in the fight against climate change is to invest in projects that draw down carbon from the atmosphere.
For this episode we invited two guests: Anja Kollmuss, a climate expert who has researched carbon markets for more than 20 years and Lambert Schneider, a research coordinator for international climate policy at the Öko-Institut and a member and former chair of the UNFCCC CDM executive board. They shine a light on the complexity of carbon offsetting and things you should keep in mind when trying to offset your carbon footprint.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 6: Carbon Offsetting
Find out how you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by switching from a non-sustainable fund to a sustainable one.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 5: Mini - CO2 Footprint of Funds
What positive impact can you have just by switching your account to a sustainable bank? Find out in just 3 minutes.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 4: Mini - Sustainable Banking Impact
We explore the difference between a conventional bank and a sustainable bank. What sort of projects do sustainable banks invest in and which industries do they steer clear of?
Episode Show Notes: Episode 3: Mini - Uncomfortable Banking Truths
Did you ever consider that you could be inadvertently helping the fossil fuels or weapons industry with your savings account? Did you know that by switching to a sustainable bank you can likely save several tons of CO2 per year?
In this episode we speak with Florian Koss, Head of Communication and Marketing at the Triodos Bank. He talks about sustainable banks, how they differ from normal banks and about how banks can have a positive social impact.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 2: Sustainable Banking
At current emission levels we will run out of our carbon budget by 2030. This means we have less than 10 years to save the planet.
In this episode, we discuss the role of greenhouse gasses, how they are measured and how they are responsible for climate change. We also discuss our individual impact and what it needs to be in order to reach our climate goals.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 1: How to Measure Climate Impact
Chinmai and Elisabeth introduce How to Make a Difference and also tell you a bit about themselves in this introductory episode. Chinmai enjoys reading about human psychology and Elisabeth is an enthusiastic underwater hockey player! One is a hypnotherapist in their spare time and the other is an astrophysicist! But despite their different backgrounds, their passion for climate change and sustainability brings them together to create this podcast.
Episode Show Notes: Episode 0: Introduction