Mind, Brain and Planet

In this final podcast of the season, Paul discovers that religion can have an important influence in how we use natural resources. He continues his journey South, finally reaching the Sahara Desert. At a well frequented by nomads, local guide Zakarya explains why water is precious but also why you shouldn’t have to pay for it.  More info on mindbrainplanet.com

The Draa valley in Southern Morocco is one of the driest places on Earth and getting drier. Paul talks to local residents and farmers about a system of sharing  water that has been operating for over 500 years - a longstanding example of a successful "commons". In a world where access to scarce resources is leading to conflict, commons may offer insights about achieving more sustainable...

Paul explores how surface travel may effect the brain in different ways compared to flying. Could the sciences of mind and brain help reduce carbon emissions due to flying? Paul spends 3 days travelling from Bristol to the Sahara desert by public transport, and reports on how that feels compared with a 3 hour flight from his local airport. On a cycle tour around Marrakesh, we meet Yessir who expla...

What's it like to be a climate activist and can it be good for you? Protest and civil disobedience have won many of the benefits and freedoms we enjoy today, but  what about the activists themselves? Is it all about hardship, risk and stress, or can activists benefit too? Paul interviews research Robyn Gulliver (University of Queensland, Australia) about her research on the wellbeing of activ...

Why invest all that time, energy and emotions – even risk your personal freedom – when the impact of your efforts on the earth’s temperature will be, at best, invisibly small? Paul interviews climate protester Rosie about her motivation to take action - and asks researcher Ans Verkammen (Curtain University, Perth) about the emotions that drive us to speak out and act up for the environment. Paul s...

After a brief update on Episode 6 from Season 1 "Flying, climate change and the bystander effect", we continue exploring eco-anxiety. Expert Panu Pihkala explains how eco-anxiety can be viewed as a process involving emotional engagement, self-care and action. Paul considers the educational implications of the link to action, and meets climate activist Rosie, who explains how she has expe...

Do you lie awake at night thinking about food shortages, conflicts over vanishing resources, nature loss and mass migrations? If so, you may be suffering from eco-anxiety.  But how prevalent is eco-anxiety, who is most at risk and is it a disorder? Paul meets experts Ans Vercammen and Panu Pihkala, and talks to Fenella Lloyd about her experience of eco-anxiety amongst young people at Black Mountai...

Quick, book a trip to see polar bears, glaciers, rainforests before they disappear forever! Can "last chance tourism" help sensitise us to environmental issues or is it just about self-gratification at any cost? Paul interviews geographer Dr Salim Emmanuel and tries to find out what last chance tourism is really all about. More info on mindbrainplanet.com

Climate change is melting our glaciers at an alarming rate, dramatically changing landscapes. That might suggest visitors to popular glacier sites would leave with better environmental intentions. Paul visits the Rhône Glacier in Switzerland and discovers not everyone is making the connection. Does our adversity to ambiguity help us avoid connecting glacial melting with our personal lifestyle?  Mo...

Why do we carry on producing large carbon emissions when we know these are damaging the lives of others? Paul explores this question in the context of the university student community – where mobile young people whose flights contribute to climate change are studying alongside those experiencing its devastating effects. Can this paradox be explained by the so-called “bystander” effect? More info o...

As our planet warms, species are migrating to new regions where they can cause damage to the local ecology. How we respond to the arrival of these non-native species may shape our future ecology, with implications for food supplies and human health. In this episode, Paul meets Dr Tanja Straka who has been studying differences in how people react to these new arrivals and revealed some intriguing b...

One of the biggest challenges faced by those who care about sustainability is getting others on board. In this episode, Paul helps launch a local initiative to address climate change, powered by cookies and drawing on expert advice from Profs Cindy McPherson-Frantz and Cassandra Troy on how to create persuasive messages. More info on mindbrainplanet.com

To reach net zero, we’re being expected to switch from gas boilers to heat pumps but, with the lowest installation rates in Europe, many consumers in the UK appear wary. Trust is surfacing as a key issue. Can the sciences of mind and brain help us understand what trust is and how it forms? What will help us trust in novel and greener types of heating technology? More info on mindbrainplanet.com

Climate change is now becoming a factor in family planning – but why? Drawing on the latest research and insights from neuroscience and psychology, this episode investigates how the environment might be impacting our thoughts about having children – and we hear from two people who have reached quite different conclusions.  More info on mindbrainplanet.com

How does the way we obtain our food can impact on our relationship with nature?  In this episode, Paul Howard-Jones travels to Berlin to discover a range of food initiatives and interviews Dr Felix Zoll, who has been studying their impact on how we think about food and the natural world that produces it. More info on mindbrainplanet.com