Imagining Tomorrow

Seaweed has long been touted as an important resource in the battle against climate change, thanks to its rapid growth and ability to absorb carbon dioxide. 

Inspired by conversations with a community garden group in Scotland and the founder of a company producing sustainable materials from seaweed, Emma Newman imagines a world in which new materials replace plastics and fossil fuels are replaced by different types of biom...

Recent council decisions to cut down trees in Sheffield and Plymouth have prompted outcry from local residents and demonstrated how passionate we can be about preserving trees in urban environments. Research carried out on behalf of Friends of the Earth shows the dramatic impact trees have on bringing down temperatures in urban areas, and calls to increase our woeful tree cover in the UK are gathering momentum. 

Inspired by conversa...

The decline in pollinator numbers is a frightening trend that needs to be reversed as soon as possible. If you live in a city, is there anything you can do? And if you're a farmer, how can you tell if the changes you're making to increase numbers of pollinators that food production depends upon are actually working?
Inspired by conversations with an ecologist who has an ambitious plan for pollinators in London, the fo...

In recent years, young people have been at the forefront of campaigning on climate change. How does it feel to spearhead a campaign? How is it possible to campaign with busy lives and academic pressures? What keeps you going in these times of hostile politics, an adversarial press and toxic social media? Emma Newman talks to a young activist who has spearheaded an amazing campaign for clean air in London and a youth campaigning men...

One day, a man in Salford Quays awoke to find a duck nesting on his balcony, 150 ft above the water. Once born, her ducklings had to be lowered down in a bucket. With over 20 acres of water at her disposal, why did that mother duck decide to nest there? And why did thousands of fish in the same location die overnight?

Inspired by talking to the duckling rescuer, the inventor of cutting-edge water monitoring equipment, and an award-w...

When the average person can’t control how the funds in their own bank accounts or pensions are used by institutions, is there any way to stop terrible things being done with our money?

Inspired by conversations with the leader of a grassroots movement empowering women to take control of their finances, a community farm in Wales raising funds to keep the farm in the service of the local people it feeds, and an award-winning...

Across the UK there are thousands of faith buildings playing important roles in their communities. Churches, mosques, gurdwaras, all host gatherings for worship and for community activities such as playgroups, choirs, support groups and many more. Recently, many have been serving as warm banks, providing a space for people struggling to heat their homes in the energy crisis. How can these buildings, often huge and sometimes hundred...

Over the past couple of years, extreme weather events, the energy crisis and Brexit have put a visible strain on the UK’s food supply chain and increased prices for the consumer.

What if we increased the amount of food that we grow in cities, and thus increased biodiversity and reduced food miles?

Inspired by talking to a community gardens group in Reading, a horticultural engineer who has co-founded a vertical farm in London and an ...

Most homes in the UK are still heated by burning fossil fuels. Struggling households are faced with unnecessarily high bills and cold winters, or bearing the financial burden of replacing old-fashioned central heating.

So is there a better way to heat and cool our buildings, accelerate decarbonisation and reduce fuel poverty?

Inspired by talking to a Welsh community, a scientist and award-winning author Anne Charnock, Emma ...

Coming soon, a new podcast, Imagining Tomorrow shows how we can create a future that is good for people and for nature, based on innovations in technology and community action that are already having a positive impact. 

Join Emma Newman as she pieces together the roadmap to utopia by interviewing amazing inventors, communities and award-winning science fiction authors. 

We can’t build a better future until we can ...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

This summer, in a ground-breaking ruling, a Dutch court ordered Shell to reduce its emissions. This is the first time a company has been made to take action to prevent climate breakdown.  

The case was brought by Friends of the Earth Netherlands, alongside 17,000 co-plaintiffs and other organisations.

In this episode Fran and Fin...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

As lockdowns ease and we're able to get out again we look at groups working to address the under-representation of black and brown people in the outdoors. Over a couple of future episodes, we speak to people who are challenging this. 

Louisa and Danny speak to Rhiane Fatinikun. In 2019 Rhiane set up a small walking group Black Girl...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

On 6th May polls open for local elections around England and Wales, for communities to vote for their next Mayor, Metro Mayor, local council and Senedd representatives. 
But interest in local elections can be low, with the power of your local representatives to make big decisions for our planet often get overlooked. 

This episode we s...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

A green, low carbon future means new jobs and industries that are good for the environment and the people in them. But what counts as a green job? Do people really want them? How do you get one? And what should government be doing to create more?

We're joined today by Clare Linton from Urban Transport Group and Lola Fayokun from Teac...

Part of our plan for building  a greener and fairer future as we recover from the pandemic is to fix the broken economy. But what's broken about it? What might a different approach look like? And what difference would that actually make to your life?

Fran and Danny talk to Adrienne Buller from think tank Common Wealth who answers all of these burning questions. 

Want to hear from us on a specific topic? Tweet...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

As we make our way through the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of talk of building back better and a new normal. We have heard campaigners and politicians talking about a green and fair recovery or a green new deal. But what do any of these things really mean? What parts of our society need to change? What would that look like in your life...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

The holiday season is barrelling towards us, and it can be a high stress time of year, even as we try to relax.
So, Muna and Louisa spoke to Tori Tsui, a climate and mental health activist. Tori came loaded with tips on how we can look after ourselves, each other and the planet as we make it through the final hurdle of 2020.

Head to I...

An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet.

You've signed petitions and shared posts, but what next? How can you make an actual difference to the climate?

It’s easier than you think: start in your backyard!

We speak to local campaigner Ian Bowler and Wigan Council's Climate Change Manager Kerrell Walley, to find out how working with your local council can have a ...