The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

“Ok, so I’ve heard, but not checked the accuracy of the data, that Brussels Airlines run 3000 empty flights to maintain take-off and landing slots. Then again, Lufthansa run 18,000. You mentioned Stuart, that a whistle-blower at an English airport, told you the super-rich were chartering large planes to fly them around the world, alone. Just them, and the crew on the flight. Is this really the act...

“Women shouldn’t be overlooked in forming part of the solutions to counteracting human impact on the climate and the earths ecosystems. Please explore” A longer episode than we've been releasing recently, so we suggest you find a good mug of tea, and a nice comfortable place to sit and listen, as Stuart and William embark on another unscripted, searching, insightful laypersons chat, as they discus...

"Before COP26, young Greta said 1.5 limits to carbon output might not be achieved, but increasing to 2.5 is ok, as we can always do something to improve things, and not just give up. I’ve seen Climate crisis deniers have a field day with this seeming moving of the goals posts. Is it wise to be flexible when talking about the targeted figures?” In this episode Stuart and William delve into, investi...

“People walked 100’s of miles to attend COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, recently - answering calls to not burn fossil fuels when traveling to protests. This was met with further criticisms that the protesters still stink, are entitled, on benefits, and also the question was constantly asked if the protestors were meat eaters, and why were they still wearing plastic and animal based clothes whilst prot...

“Enjoying your jokes at my expense guys, I’m still here though, so if you’re trying to get rid of me, you need to try harder. Ok, my question ... President Biden visited the Pope recently. He flew to Italy, and imported 80 cars, which formed his protective entourage. Whatever they chatted about when they met, does it justify the level of pollution caused to make them happen?” Stuart and William on...

“Cleaning up beaches, and removing washed up plastic, is that really doing anything? To me, what's collected, is going back into the system that deposited it on the beaches in the first place. Is this a pointless exercise until the tap is turned off that's filling our oceans with plastic?” Stuart and William were once again able to record face to face, which leads to a very real, and intimate conv...

“Try and stretch this one out fellas! I’ve heard, unneeded and unused data, that's stored in the UK, which include photos etc, use up the equivalent energy to store them as 100’s of return flights to Australia and back. I’ve also heard that paperless billing, that's now gone digital, still needs to be stored somewhere, again consuming vast energy volumes. Any thoughts on these claims?” This is the...

"I was listening the other day when you were asking about discussion questions, and wondered what you thought about the rise in use of drones? A great tool for agriculture and photography, or a real pest, danger to the public and animals, and an invasion of privacy?" This podcast is about having conversations that need having. It's in a conversational style, with real opinions, real discussions, w...

"You’ve been talking a lot about this, but please keep going. The green economic revolution is an illusion! If the hidden values, morels and agendas are about perpetual growth, it will mean more mineral extraction and the levels of unsustainability we witness in the current system. Its not about capitalism or communism, even though both are closer bedfellows than they may have us believe. Both foc...

"Growth in the green economy, low carbon industries as it were, isn’t necessarily the success people suggest. There are indeed more cycles, but there are also more planes. There are indeed more electric cars, which you’ve discussed on the podcast, but there are also more petrol cars. No matter how many good things we do, unless we stop expanding the bad, there’s no chance of reversing the ecologic...

"Is it a good idea to dissolve personal assumptions now and then, and shine a fresh light on personal perspectives?" Stuart and William once more embark on a roaming, natural style of conversation, with a healthy dose of humour as they explore a question from listener Dave in Cheshire, England. They're not experts, they will however explore this question, in a relatable way, for you, the listener....

"I love you don’t prepare too much for the questions you cover, it makes your exploration, from the starting point, the same as the listeners. I don’t want you guys to be the go to experts, more the go to relatable explorers. My question is, Belgium philosopher Ingrid Robeyns coined the phrase ‘Limitarianism’. She argues there should be an upper limit to the amount of income and wealth a person ca...

In today's bonus episode, your hosts Stuart and William, discuss questions from the first ever Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted event that happened in the Autumn of 2021. The podcast format, expanded and evolved, then set in front of a live audience. During the pilot live event, that took place on the 25th September 2021, the audience were given the opportunity to place a question, that...

"Is the culture we’re born into the main factor in blocking self determining thought? Thoughts that lead to decisions, actions etc that lead to better quality of life, individually and collectively. Is it that habits and comfort zones, which may indeed be a product of culture, are blocking us instead? Or, is it a lack of guided pathways out of the current trajectory? What impacts do attitude, perc...

"I’ve not sent in a question since early 2020, and you actually covered it on Aug 4th 2020. I’m back though! I’ve heard during the Extinction Rebellion protests in the UK, a handful of Police have taken XR stickers, and stuck them to the inside of their helmets. Is this a turning point?" In another out and about recording at the East Oxford Farmers' and Community Market, with a small audience watc...

It's a Happy New Year from your hosts, Stuart and William. Thanks for being with us throughout 2021, we look forward to seeing you again in 2022. Do you have a question you'd like Stuart and William to examine, mull over, explore, discuss, delve into or debate? Send us an email thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com with your name, where you're listening from, and your question. Or you can record your qu...

"Do you consider yourself an intellectual podcast with a political left leaning view, or more open minded in essence? In this episode, we find Stuart and William, out and about, recording at the East Oxford Farmers' and Community Market, where they discuss, and digest a question from listener Devan in Jamaica. The first time we've heard from her, and we hope she'll send another searching question...

"Is human survival a niche interest, proactively marginalised by those wanting to distract us away from the biggest threat man has to face?" Once again, Stuart and William, delve into, discuss, and perhaps slightly overanalyse a question from a long-term listener, which this time comes from Ivy in Worthing, West Sussex, England. Do you have a question you'd like Stuart and William to examine, mull...

Stuart and William wish you a Merry Christmas in their own unique and particular way, with lots of silliness and humour. We hope you have a great festive period. Do you have a question you'd like Stuart and William to examine, mull over, explore, discuss, delve into or debate? Send us an email thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com with your name, where you're listening from, and your question. Or you ca...

"Is meandering conversation the best way to go for the podcast or should it be more focused? Are you trying to educate or entertain?" Stuart and William once more embark on a roaming, natural style of conversation. They're not experts, they will however explore this question, in a relatable way, for you, the listener. Today they're discussing a question from listener Alex in Poland. During this ep...

In this final of three consecutive re-releases, William is looking back and celebrating our top 3 performing episodes. The episode you're about to hear, is our third best performer, ever. Originally released on the 24th January 2021, this will be the second time this episode has been released. The question that we explored, and mulled over during this episode came from listener Rupert in Tring, He...

In this second of three consecutive re-releases, William is looking back and celebrating our top 3 performing episodes. The episode you're about to hear, is our second best performer, ever. Originally released on the 13th September 2020, it was a follow up to a pervious episode released on the 16th August 2020, and is the only time we've ever revisited a listener question on the podcast....

In this first of three consecutive re-releases, William looks back at one of our top 3 performing episodes. The episode you're about to hear, is our best performing, ever. Originally released on the 26th January 2021, it was then subsequently rereleased on 24th August 2021. During this episode Stuart and William discussed and chewed over the following question, from listener Maureen in Chalgrove,...

Hosts Stuart and William, mark International Anti Corruption Day, in this bonus episode for you of The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. Corruption affects all areas of society. Preventing corruption, unlocks progress towards the sustainable development goals, helps protect our planet, creates jobs, achieves gender equality, and secures wider access to essential services, such as...

"Net zero is not true net zero, as it seems the fossil fuel industry has convinced the UK government to only reduce future emissions by 50%. With the balance secured through carbon capture via tech, not yet invented. What about absorbing the crap we’ve already put out there?" What we guarantee you is a good rounded conversation on this podcast, not really a debate, even though it says that on the...