Because Why?! The Science and Society Pod.

I am so excited to talk to Amy Robbins, a self-declared “jack of all trades, master of none,” but honestly, an incredibly impressive person. Amy is the Deputy Curator of Mammals at Auckland Zoo and the founder of the Sumatran Ranger Project. She has been working with animals and finding innovative ways to help them for decades, and it is an honour to share her story with you. In this episode, she...

This guest was someone I was equal parts terrified and excited to speak with. Steve Backshall is one of my literal heroes, and I still can’t believe he said yes to being on the podcast. You may know him as the presenter of The Deadly 60 , Lost Land of the Tiger , or Lost Land of the Jaguar . He’s an explorer, naturalist, scientist, presenter, writer, and so much more. In this episode, he shares: •...

Today’s "This or That" episode tackles some everyday decisions that might seem small, but add them up and they make a big impact on the environment. We’ll be discussing tea vs. coffee, and which is worse for the environment, what the best and worst options are for the milk you use with your drink, and finally, what exactly are bioplastics? And, whether we should even be using them... In this episo...

This week, we are joined by someone truly multi-talented. Miriama Kamo is an award-winning broadcaster, TV presenter, face of Sunday , author, and a hardcore environmentalist. I was a little intimidated having another legitimate, professional journalist on the show, but Miriama is just soincredibly kind, warm, and generous. I think you’ll be fascinated by how her upbringing has shaped her environm...

By now, you probably know that I firmly believe we need to use business to change the world. So, I was very excited to chat with a leader in the environmental movement who also feels the same way, Tim Silverwood. Tim is a trailblazer in the fight against plastic pollution, known for co-founding the powerful eco-movement Take 3 For The Sea. But that’s not all — he’s also the founder of the Ocean Im...

Welcome to another "This or That" episode! This short, snappy installment investigates the sustainability of three topics you've asked me about, helping you make informed decisions. In this episode, we’ll be covering three unusual options: E-readers vs. physical books: Kindles versus your everyday old book. Hand dryers vs. paper towels: I personally find hand dryers annoying. The best type of laun...

Today, we have a man who needs no introduction: Patrick ‘Paddy’ Gower. Paddy is an incredibly well-respected journalist in Aotearoa, known for tackling complex issues head-on. His latest documentary, On Ice, focuses on climate change and his journey to Antarctica. In this episode, he shares: Why he decided to cover climate change What it was like in Antarctica What he learned during his time in An...

We all know science is fascinating, but sometimes the way it's communicated is... less than captivating. That’s why I’m really excited to chat with Laura Wells. Laura Wells is a science communicator, presenter, environmental advocate, model, and social media professional from Sydney. Over the past 14 years, since graduating with degrees in Biology and Law, she has amassed a wealth of experience in...

Welcome to another "This or That" episode! This short, snappy installment investigates the sustainability of three topics you've asked me about, helping you make informed decisions. Today, it's: Electric Vehicles (EVs) vs. Hybrids, Cotton vs. Bamboo Fabric, and Bamboo vs. Plastic Toothbrushes. In this episode I share:      EVs generally produce 50% fewer emissions over their lifetime compared to t...

I thoroughly enjoy talking to incredibly smart people who make you realise you know nothing compared to them. Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb is the CEO of WWF New Zealand and is a passionate advocate for conservation and has a very interesting background in indigenous studies and treaty law. If you’re interested in conservation and how the organisations involved try to help the world, then this is a chat f...

When it comes to environmentalism and sustainability there are a wide range of opinions and perspectives, but one person I have been very excited to talk to is John Pabon. This chat did feel a bit like chatting to a mirror, but he has such an incredible way of explaining concepts that I only ever even voice in my own head. John has spent two decades in the business of saving our Earth. After leavi...

I am so excited to speak with the guest for this episode! I have wanted to have a proper discussion with him ever since I first met him. Dr Jim Salinger is a noted international climate scientist and amongst his many achievements he is known for being the involved in the first detection of global warming (climate change) in 1976. Since then he has been a vocal communicator and educator around clim...

So, bottled water is kind of scam. People think it is healthier and safer despite no evidence showing that... So is it all one big marketing scam?! Well... kinda. I’m going to take you through the history of bottled water to show exactly how we ended up where we are, and why it is so, so, so bad that we are where we are.  In this episode I share:  -       the surprisingly long history of bottled w...

Welcome to another This or That episode where I break down the least impactful options from things you have asked. This weeks selection has a very controversial topic as well as one that maaay just surprise you. There is also a prize for participating in this one so make sure you listen until then end! In this episode I share:  -         What uses more energy, turning off lights or energy efficien...

Happy Plastic Free July! PFJ is a grass roots movement that is all about encouraging us all to reduce our use of plastics and be part of the solution to plastic pollution. So who better to talk to than the founder of this very movement, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz. I am honestly so excited to talk to Rebecca and hear all her wisdom, advice, tips and even a few kernels of optimism about the plastic polluti...

Big news! Now, That’s What I Call Green is going to become a weekly podcast! I have put the business podcast on hiatus and we will be going weekly podcasts here, but there is a twist. We’ll be alternating between different styles of episode. On one week you’ll have deep dives and interviews, but on the other we’re going to be something new, and that’s what we’re doing today. It’s time for This or...

This is going to be a very deep episode. We’re talking human rights violations, genocide and human trafficking and it all comes down to the devices you use and the batteries that power them. While Electric Vehicles are definitively better than fossil fuel vehicles, they are not perfect and it’s important to understand why. I’m not doing this episode to induce guilt or horror, but before we can mak...

Today it is all about World Oceans Day (8th June). They are the life blood of our planet, but they are under incredibly serious threat. For this episode I’m going to be blunt and maybe a little bit depressing, at least to start with. Our oceans face multiple threats and there is already catastrophic damage being done to them. Don’t worry, in this episode I’ll also offer some hope and some options...

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and to celebrate we did things a little differently. Kate, one of the team from Business, but Better joined me and peppered me with millions of questions. It's a behind the scenes peek at my life, business thoughts and sustainability advice. Kate wouldn't let me leave until she had asked all the questions she wanted. In this episode we share: - What...

It’s world Bee Day, and to delve further into the topic, I have been very lucky to get Ruud Kleinpaste (or you may know him as ‘the bug man) onto the podcast. He is a bug enthusiast, tv presenter and is always happy to share his face with a wētā so who better to join my on the annual day of the Bees!? In this episode Ruud shares:  -       What his actual background and education is -       How to...

If you’re like me, you might have constantly conflicting feelings about travel On one hand I can’t help but feel a little bit guilty about all the associated impacts. But of course on the other hand there are the benefits of that travel for both the traveler and they places they go to. This usually results in a very confused conscience. So to help clear things up a little, maybe, today I am going...

Caring about the environment can be quite isolating. The news is rarely cheerful about the state of the planet (despite plenty of good things going on) and that is leading to skyrocketing rates of eco-anxiety even in children as young as five. There is a general sense of apathy is settling in amongst people who are beginning to feel it is too late. It certainly isn't. And I did an episode abou...

Happy Earth Day everyone! It can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and this year I have decided to make it about sharks. Obviously. I am obviously somewhat obsessed with sharks, but people are so scared of them, sometimes to the point of wanting to cull them all. But sharks are essential for our planet and I am going to explain why and how you can help them in this episod...

When it comes to being sustainable there is often a lot of bullshit we have to wade through in order to find the right way to live AND help the environment. There is honestly a shitload of myths around sustainability and in this episode we are going to be shining a light on the top 10 so that you’ll know what to choose and what to avoid. Some of these were suggested by you on Instagram, so thanks...

It’s Easter time and we are all rushing to the stores to buy pointless, over packaged Easter eggs. While we love the taste of chocolate it’s a sad fact that ever sale further supports forced labour and environmental destruction. I have spoken about this before and received a cease and desist letter from a chocolate company, even though everything I said was all factually correct. This podcast focu...