The GREen Pod: Recent Episodes
David Jackson
Welcome to the University of Greenwich sustainability series of podcasts. Created by students and volunteers, with support from the Sustainability Team. Whether you’re looking to brush up on knowledge, learn something new or delve into a specific niche, there’s a show for you. The podcasts were launched during the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 to keep connections between the sustainable agenda and our students and staff.
Switch on, sit back and enjoy these discussions with peers and professionals alike.
Join host Linden Kemkaran as she speaks to Professor Ravi Kumar, an expert in Monitoring and Impact at the Natural Resources Institute, and Livelihoods and Institutions Department at the University of Greenwich.
Part of Ravi’s work is to provide monitoring and evaluation support to organisations and programmes in many sectors, including those working to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the majority of life on earth (around 94%) is aquatic?
Join host Linden Kemkaran as she speaks to Professor Steve Belmain, an expert in ecology at the Natural Resources Institute, and part of the Agriculture, Health and Environment Department at the University of Greenwich.
Steve discusses whether rats really are too clever to control and why he thinks it’s unwise to anthropomorphise rodents and give them human characteristics.
By examining some of the myths and fears associated with rats, Steve explains why it is sensible to fear them, but also why we should respect and praise them for their usefulness.
Certain rodents possess behaviours and characteristics which are incredibly valuable to humans in terms of bomb and illness detection.
Steve suggests that some rats are so useful and trainable that we could see them being deployed instead of sniffer dogs at airports and ports very soon.
Fun Fact: Rats are incapable of vomiting and they also suffer from ‘neophobia’ – the fear of new things. Why is it important to understand facts like this in order to control them? Listen and find out …!
Join NRI host Linden Kemkaran as she speaks to Dr Conor Walsh, an environmental scientist at the Natural Resources Institute, and part of the Agriculture, Health and Environment Department at the University of Greenwich.
Conor describes how he and his team are introducing ‘climate literacy’ to the next generation by heading up a brand-new BSc in Climate Change here at the university.
By examining the terminology that is used in the media to explain the phenomenon of climate change, Conor discusses how each individual on the planet will be responsible for how the future pans out. He reframes the outcomes of COP26 by looking back to the Paris summit of 2015 and asking exactly how effective has it been. The importance of ‘carbon sinks’ is explained as is the potential of noticing ‘tipping points’ to indicate the likelihood of extreme weather events occurring.
Fun Fact: So, you’re probably wondering if we’re all doomed or is there hope that we can work to reverse the climbing temperature and ward off disaster? Conor says that yes, there is hope and that acting now, is key.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to David Jackson, a frequent guest and the University's Sustainability Projects Officer.
Christmas is a wonderful time of year, whether it be celebrating the religious contexts or coming together as family and friends, this festive season can bring great joy. With all the extra indulging, Christmas can carry a higher environmental footprint, but that doesn't mean we have to stop all those traditional treats and activities we all hold dere.
Listen to our light hearted Green Christmas tale; selecting our festive favourites and offering our top tips on how to make that Christmas hat or stocking extra green this year. What will Ryan and David pick as their all time number one Christmas hit, and what are their thoughts on mince pies? Listen to find out.
Join host Linden Kemkaran as she speaks to Phil Stevenson, Professor of Plant Chemistry at the Natural Resources Institute, and Head of the Chemical Ecology Research Group at the University of Greenwich.
Phil describes how he and his team wondered, if humans’ performance and memory can be enhanced by caffeine, could the stimulant have the same effect on bees?
By using an experiment called ‘conditioned learning’ (aka Pavlov’s dogs) Professor Stevenson provided bees with a food reward of liquid sugar while he wafted a plume of odour across their antennae so that they associated that smell with good food. Using caffeine helped this process and the bees made the association more quickly.
When the bees went out foraging the next day, they were much more able to remember a specific cue and a route that enabled them to gather good food sources, or nectar. Memory is a very important part of success for pollinating insects and the caffeine enabled the bees to remember things for much longer.
Fun Fact: Caffeine is a fairly simple chemical that has evolved as a naturally occurring ‘defence’ chemical in many different crops, not just tea and coffee, but in legumes, citrus and ivy plants protecting them from insect herbivores. In high concentration it is bitter and sometimes toxic, but in low concentration in the nectar it is hardly noticeable, and it serves as an attractant and an aide memoir for pollinators.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to David Jackson, a frequent guest and the University's Sustainability Projects Officer.
The past 18 months have been challenging for us all. With the new 2021-2022 Academic year upon us, with new students arriving and a majority of student also attending physically for the first time, it is the right time to reflect on the challenges and positives during the past year.
The University of Greenwich takes its environmental risks seriously, and is committed to minimising its impacts and that continues to be the case. Listen to find out about our 2020-21 highlights, our sustainable successes and what we are targeting in future years. The wider World is also discussed; our global challenge of climate change, from the recent IPCC climate report to the strength of collective actions and the sustainable future we can still achieve.
Fun Fact: The international energy agency has revealed that global renewable electricity capacity is expanding at a faster space. In 2020 the capacity rose 45% to 280 gigawatts. Renewables accounted for 90% of the global power sector’s expansion last year.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to David Jackson, a frequent guest and the University's Sustainability Projects Officer.
The University of Greenwich takes its environmental risks seriously, and is committed to minimising its impacts. ISO 14001 is an international standard that the University has voluntarily signed up too that sets strict processes on how environmental risks can be reduced. From legal requirements to waste, transport to energy and whilst continuously looking for improvement, ISO 14001 accreditations need evidence and are audited by external bodies. Product lifecycles are crucial in this management; considering not only how things are used and disposed of, but thinking about the raw materials and the final destination of a product's waste.
Listen to find out how we manage these risks, and what goes on beyond the scenes as you study or work across the University.
Check out the ISO website for more information into this standard.
Fun Fact: The ISO 14001 has existed since 1996. ISO – which stands for the International Standards Organisation started looking into environmental care in the 1990’s and the standard was created six year later. For those that don’t know the International Standards Organisation is an independent organisation dedicated to providing sector standards. There are 23,737 standards today, covering nearly all aspects of technology and manufacturing.
The third and final episode of our mini-series - in collaboration with the Green Ambassadors; a team of students working with the Greenwich Students' Union and helping to raise the awareness of sustainable issues throughout the student population.
Mini series host Martina Gozzi (a Green Ambassador) is joined again by Peter Watson (another Green Ambassador) to interview Maxim Gelmann, founder and Chief Stroodler of Stroodles, the innovative and fun alternative to plastic straws; the pasta straw!
First off, yes you can eat the straw! Stroodles was founded by Maxim in 2018 to bring a new imaginative way of dealing with the plastic straw. Plastic pollution is a global issue and straws were an early product to see change. Reusable straws are available, but in most restaurants, bars and cafes the plastic straw changed to a paper straw, with mixed results.
Made of only two ingredients, wheat and water; stroodles can be cut to size, flavourless and are 100% biodegradable, ideal for compost or you can even eat them raw or boil them to make pasta! Stroodles can also last over an hour in a drink, making them hardier than the sometimes soggy paper straw. Listen to find out how this idea began, the current market and how this new product is hoping to combat plastic pollution in a fun imaginative way.
https://stroodles.co.uk.
The second of our three part mini-series - in collaboration with the Green Ambassadors; a team of students working with the Greenwich Students' Union and helping to raise the awareness of sustainable issues throughout the student population.
Mini series host Martina Gozzi (a Green Ambassador) is joined by Peter Watson (another Green Ambassador) and Fred Henderson, a Project Coordinator at Ecosia, an innovative search engine browser that can turn your clicks into millions of planted trees.
Funded in 2009, this social browser initially appears to the same as any other, earning money from clicks on advertisements that appear above and beside search results. But, this is where the similarities end as Ecosia invests 80-100% of its profits on tree planting projects carefully chosen in 15 countries with biodiversity hotspots.
Your clicks therefore fund tree planting across the planet. Listen to find out how these projects are chosen, how they are monitored and how your individual actions can make a difference. Over 121 million trees have planted so far. https://www.ecosia.org/
A new three part mini-series - in collaboration with the Green Ambassadors; a team of students working with the Greenwich Students' Union and helping to raise the awareness of sustainable issues throughout the student population.
Join mini series host Martina Gozzi (a Green Ambassador) delve into the topic of Green Criminology. Alongside Martina is Dr Melissa Pepper (lecturer in Criminology within the School of Law and Criminology, joining in 2020 following 18 years in government social research) and Sophie Joyce (currently studying for a PGSE in Education with a focus on Criminology at Greenwich).
Phrases including ecocide, environmental law, green criminology, wildlife law have become more common in recent years, but what do they mean? This podcast discusses these elements, their differences and the importance of their consideration within the sustainable agenda, education and personal action. The key themes are on power, control and inequality.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Jo Millis, Education Campaigns Manager for The Fairtrade Foundation. Jo works with the education sector to increase awareness of the global consumption system and how we can make lives better for the producers of the ingredients we consume. We have likely all purchased a chocolate bar, tea, coffee, banana or other item which has the Fairtrade Certified Logo on, but what does this mark actually mean for the product and those producing the ingredients? This podcast will reveal those answers.
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Learn about the certification process, how farmers are being supported and how climate change has been impacting on these individuals. This podcast was produced during 'Fairtrade Fortnight', an annual event dedicated to increasing awareness and encourage increased purchasing of more ethical products. Check out Free Online Festival: Choose The World You Want | Fairtrade Foundationfor more information, sample products and how your purchases can positive impact others.
Fun Fact: Banana trees are actually herbs! People commonly refer to 'banana trees', but there is no actual wood within the stem, and if there's no wood then it is not a tree! You only get one harvest from these herbs too.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Dan Gaunt, Chief Eco Officer and Co-found of Zero Negativity Clothing around organic clothing and the switches we can make to bring a fresher, and better style. Starting up in 2019, Zero Negativity, in Lancashire, is making waves for their innovative approaches to being a sustainable clothing brand. Their principles are exactly what their name suggests - to avoid having a negative impact at any stage of their business, and to actually create positive impacts where ever they can. From manufacturing to the inks used for decorating, giving opportunities to students and supporting causes they believe in (mental health, climate change, LGBTQ), they are bringing fresh ideas to the styles you can wear. You can find more on their website Zero Negativity Clothing.
Ryan and Dan are joined by Dilara, a recent Graduate from Greenwich in Law - check out the mini-series episode 2 to hear Dilara speak around clothes swopping from her time as the Amnesty Society President.
Fact: Zero Negativity have created a calculator to help illustrate the benefits from switching to alternative, sustainable garments. For the University of Greenwich, there are nearly 19,000 students - if they all bought a hoody, that was made of organic cotton rather than conventional cotton - it would save 172 million litres of water (sustaining 230,000 people for a year), enough CO2 emission to drive to the moon 13 times in a Ford Fiesta and keep a standard 60w lightbulb lit for 265 years. We are speaking to Zero Negativity over possibilities.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Valentina Dipietro, founder of Mykor. Using mushroom mycelium (the root), a natural glue, Mykor takes wood waste that is to be discarded and transforms it into the latest fashionable pieces for your home. Mykor is a biotechnology and design company which has at its core digital design and bio-fabrication inspired by nature. Listen to find out more about how these innovative processes can bring the feeling of nature into the home environment. Find out more from the MyKor website.
Fact: Two for one! Firstly, the oldest mushroom (A honey mushroom) is 2,500 years old and can be found in Oregon, USA. Its root system covers 2,200 acres of land and is slowly out competing the other vegetation. It is the largest living organism on the planet. Secondly, when mushrooms are added to solvents vibrant colours can be produced, from yellows to lobster pink!
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Professor Jane Harrington, Vice Chancellor at the University of Greenwich. Learn about how sustainability is structured across our university, current innovations and future targets with students being at the heart of all decisions. Jane also provides her own insights into environmental change, both personally and in the education sector.
Fact: 27,000 trees are cut down every day so that we can toilet paper.
Note: Unfortunately there were some connectivity issues during the recording that can be heard at moments. The insights remain clear and empowering.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Dan Quarterman, Account Manager for Suez; Suez are the new waste collectors at the University of Greenwich. Learn about student behaviours, how waste is being dealt with at the university and what innovations are taking place to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Fact: Each UK household will throw away £350 of edible food each year. Individually 1.6 million bananas, 1.3 million unopened yoghurts and 20 million slices of bread are thrown each and every day.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Jordyn Hilton, a now Graduated (congratulations) Politics & International Relations & History Student and co-founder of Eco-Team Greenwich; a student and staff network helping to deliver positive change. Learn about single-use plastics, how students can take a lead on projects and Jordyn's personal view of sustainability and support available.
Fact: Jordyn's aunt used to run a major political party (one might wonder, but we shall never know :))
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Dilara Altun, a now Graduated (congratulations) Law Student and former President of the Amnesty Society (2019-2020). Amnesty Society ran a hugely successful Clothes Shwop last year; allowing individuals to donate clothes for marble tokens to then swap for new garments and wardrobe. Learn about fast fashion, how this idea came about and how students and staff can work together in delivering positive change.
Fact: Humans account for 36% of the planet's mammal biomass, with livestock accounting for 60%. Only 4% of the planet's mammal biomass is of wild species.
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Jade Monroe, Senior Project Manager - Engagement at SOS-UK, the Students Organising for Sustainability educational charity (created by NUS in response to the climate change an ecological crisis). SOS-UK have run the Student Switch Off Campaign at the University of Greenwich for the past 6 years. Learn about how to get involved, the difference students are making in halls of residence and what prizes are up for grabs. Frequent guest David Jackson, the Sustainability Projects Officer at the University is also on hand to detail how the Sustainability Team views the partnership.
Fact: Eating out of season asparagus has a higher carbon footprint than a burger (due to the transportation methods)
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to frequent guest David Jackson, the Sustainability Projects Officer at the University of Greenwich. This time though we delve into David's past, and specifically his experiences working on sustainability within the NHS. Learn about the innovations, projects and challenges that face one NHS Trust in striving towards a sustainable future.
Fact: The latest NHS report, published in 2016 showed that the NHS carbon footprint in England was 22.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (MtCO2e). However, between 2007 and 2015 the carbon footprint has reduced by 11%
Join host Ryan Wallace speak to Simon Earp, the Transport & Green Travel Manager at the University of Greenwich. Find out about the alternative transport innovations that have taken place over the past 10 years and how you can travel to our campuses this year (including info about the new travel bursary).
Fact: Every litre of petrol when burnt produces 2.3 kg of carbon dioxide.
Join back-in-chair host Ryan Wallace speak to Charlie , founder of London based Urthly, a Sustainable Consultancy & My Eco Order, helping to reduce your purchase footprint at home. Listen to find out about how one London Street is bidding to become the most sustainable in the UK. Check more at the Urthly website.
Fact: If every family in the UK swapped one red meat per week to a plant based meal, it would have the same impact as removing 16 million cars from the road!
The tables have turned, join Head of Sustainability Simon Goldsmith interview GREen Pod volunteer host Ryan Wallace around his own passions, what the future holds and how he came to be volunteering with the University of Greenwich.
Fact: Dish washers may in fact use less water than hand washing – tune in to find out more
Ryan Wallace speaks to David Jackson & Jo Wilkinson around the topic of biodiversity; global and local. Learn about ecosystem services and the future of the UK’s favourite species, the Hedgehog and how one initiative is helping universities; The Hedgehog Friendly Campus.
David Jackson is the Sustainability Projects Officer at UoG
Jo Wilkinson is the National Coordinator of The Hedgehog Friendly Campus Initiative
Fact: A baby Hedgehog is called a Hoglet & a group of hedgehogs is called an Array
Host Ryan Wallace speaks to Henry Setter, the current Student Union President of Greenwich (GSU) Find out what it is like as an SU President; the positives and challenges, alongside how sustainability has been a major influence to him both professionally and personally.
Fact: The phobia of killer whales – Cetaphobia
Host Ryan Wallace interviews Simon Goldsmith, the Head of Sustainability about all things Greenwich and leading an innovative agenda. Learn the challenges and positives Simon’s seen from his 30 years experience within the environment sector.
Fact: An anniversary! In 1954 Bell Labs demonstrated the first practical silicon Solar Photovoltaic (PV) cell. It had a 6% efficiency, nowadays its around 30%
Recorded in mid-April, host Ryan Wallace catches up with Niel & David again, this time to discuss what coming out of lockdown may look like.
Niel Lewis is a student working within the Sustainability team, and forthcoming 2021 GSU officer
David Jackson is the Sustainability Projects Officer within the Sustainability Team
Fact: An estimated 50,000 tropical animal species become extinct annually, 137 species a day
Volunteer host Ryan Wallace speaks to Niel Lewis & David Jackson about the coronavirus pandemic and its influence on the environment. This podcast was recorded during the middle of the 2020 pandemic lockdown in the UK
Niel Lewis is a student working within the Sustainability team, and forthcoming 2021 GSU officer.
David Jackson is the Sustainability Projects Officer within the Sustainability Team
Fact: The oldest trees are over 4,500 years old
Volunteer host Ryan Wallace catches up with Niel & David again to speak about how they’ve been effected by the new remote life. The challenges and positives are all covered.
Niel Lewis is a student working within the Sustainability team, and forthcoming 2021 GSU officer.
David Jackson is the Sustainability Projects Officer within the Sustainability Team
Fact: A glass bottle made in our lifetime will take 4,000 years to decompose if dumped