Podcast · Tech & Science

For What It’s Earth

by Emma Brisdion & Sophie Pavelle · English · Tech & Science

Environment, sustainability, and climate action podcast: We make big eco issues bite-sized, answer your green living questions, and explore the things that we can do to help save the planet. With Emma Brisdion and Sophie Pavelle.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 26 min

FWIE X Met Office: How can the Met Office work to boost biodiversity? With Ben Drummond

Meet Ben Drummond, an atmospheric air quality scientist by day, and chair of the Met Office’s biodiversity working group by night (or just, around his working hours). He's part of a team striving to ensure the Met Office site near Exeter itself is an eco-conscious space that also provides varied habitats for wildlife. In late 2025, we spent the day speaking with meteorologists and experts about what this iconic institution does as a powerhouse of weather data analysis and science communication, and also to explore how climate change is impacting the weather we experience every day. Watch…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E136 · 30 Sep 2026 · 28 min
FWIE X Met Office: Storm naming, climate change AI & storm chasing with Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley
We speak to Deputy Chief Meteorologist and keen stormchaser, Dan Holley, about marvelling at weather extremes safely, how the Met Office chooses to name storms, and AI's role in weather prediction. In late 2025, we spent the day speaking with meteorologists and experts about what this iconic institution does as a powerhouse of weather data analysis and science communication, and also to explore how climate change is impacting the weather we experience every day. Watch this chat, filmed in the Met Office studio, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UoNqlNJhtqA Get in touch: We're on Instagram and…
E135 · 23 Sep 2026 · 44 min
FWIE X Met Office: Climate, space weather, shipping forecast and the importance of meteorology, with Alex Burkill
In late 2025, For What It's Earth visited the ICONIC Met Office in Exeter! Join us for a walking tour of the Met Office with meteorologist and presenter Alex Burkill, during which we meet space weather expert Rebecca and shipping forecast maestro Craig. Oh, and they let us attempt to deliver the weather forecast in their greenscreen studio, too. Check out our efforts, and see the full tour, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/q0eE-l8H5vc In late 2025, we spent the day speaking with meteorologists and experts about what this iconic institution does as a powerhouse of weather data analysis and…
S5 · E134 · 26 Nov 2025 · 54 min
Greening the music industry: Can gigs, touring and our listening habits be more sustainable?
The music industry is an ecosystem in itself, and one that's come under fire lately for its massive associated carbon footprint and waste production. Between the recording, live shows and touring, music publishing, digital streaming, distribution, and promotion, music is increasingly dominant in the modern landscape of entertainment. There are endless not-so-green elements, and we're here to explore the endless potential improvements, too. This show was originally delivered as part of the wonderful British Science Festival in Liverpool! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email…
S5 · E133 · 19 Nov 2025 · 48 min
Dairy: How can we get it right? with Tom White, at Yeo Valley Organic
Can we still enjoy yoghurt and eat well for the planet? We’re fully immersing ourselves in one of the biggest food-based climate and sustainability topics: dairy! To provide a bit of real-world insight, we sat down with Tom White, the Regenerative Farming Manager at Yeo Valley, to talk about organic, nature-friendly farming, the role of climate change on farming as well as farming's own impacts on the planet, and how consumer choices and markets dictate a lot of what our farmers are able to do. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your…
S5 · E132 · 5 Nov 2025 · 52 min
[Recycled] A deep dive on Black Friday
Happy Halloween, Samhain, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving and, of course, Black Friday month. This week we’re leaning in to the seasons and being oh so eco-friendly by recycling an autumnal episode from about a year ago. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation through Ko-fi or grab an organic cotton FWIE tee. & subscribe so you never miss an episode! For What It’s Earth is hosted and produced by Emma Brisdion and Sophie…
S5 · E131 · 29 Oct 2025 · 37 min
[Listener Questions] Rights of nature, the sustainability of the London Underground, and lobbying councils
All aboard the Lizzie Line! In this week's listener questions episode, we're on a journey to understand how eco friendly the London tube might be, and whether newer developments like the Elizabeth Line are being built more sustainably. Plus, we ask how we can push our councils to reduce light pollution, and explore ⁠how giving nature rights can help us deal with environmental issues. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation…
S5 · E130 · 22 Oct 2025 · 49 min
Natural Disasters: Can taking action on climate change have an impact?
As the climate changes, natural disasters are becoming more frequent, intense, and harder to predict and recover from. This week we're learning about tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and exploring how taking action on climate change could help change or influence the trajectory of these events. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation through Ko-fi or grab an organic cotton FWIE tee. & subscribe so you never…
S5 · E129 · 15 Oct 2025 · 44 min
[Listener Questions] Sustainability of B-corps, running and garden decking materials
Is B-corp still a reliable accreditation for business/product sustainability? How can I make my love for running more sustainable Does composite decking have any environmental credentials? This week Emma and Sophie dive into your green-living questions. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation through Ko-fi or grab an organic cotton FWIE tee. & subscribe so you never miss an episode! For What It’s Earth is hosted and…
S5 · E128 · 24 Sep 2025 · 55 min
Gardening: How can we adapt to or mitigate climate change? [From Yeo Organic Valley Garden Festival]
We took For What It's Earth to the heart of the Yeo Valley's first ever Garden Festival to chat about something every gardener’s thinking about: climate change. From exploring the power of ponds and trees as temperature control systems, to tips for building resilient soil, and planting for biodiversity, we explore how our gardens can adapt to, as well as fight back against, a changing world. While still being a beautiful, joyful space, of course! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The…
S5 · E127 · 17 Sep 2025 · 47 min
Nuts: Superfood, climate problem, or sustainable solution?
Shell we go a little bit nuts together? This food group is having a bit of a *moment*; equally at home in our diets and social media feeds. We're told they're fantastic for our health, but they can also cause environmental damage. It's only natural that Emma and Sophie should investigate. Plus, squirrel season is in full swing: Many tasty morsels are in season right now in the UK (think hazel nuts, walnuts), and some inedible nuts that still have brilliant natural uses, like horse chestnut (also known as a conker). Yes, there will be foraging tips in this episode. Get in touch We're on…
S5 · E126 · 10 Sep 2025 · 44 min
[Listener Questions] Green mobile providers, white pavements, and house plants
Is it possible for mobile service providers to be more environmentally friendly, and should I switch to a greener one? Are houseplants a gateway drug for environmental activism? And what happens if we paint all the pavements white to reflect the sun's energy back out to space? We're joined by Osian England, our wonderful social media volunteer, to answer these q's! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation through Ko-fi or…
S5 · E125 · 3 Sep 2025 · 44 min
Pets & Pesticides: Keeping our best friends and the environment healthy
Pet treatments and pesticides have been in the news this year for their polluting power. Join us to learn more about the ways that we interact with our beloved dogs and cats, which can lead to toxins reaching the wider environment. Can we be better pet owners and creature custodians? The answer is yes, and we'll find out how... Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us keep podding with a donation through Ko-fi or grab an organic cotton FWIE tee. &…
S5 · E124 · 1 Sep 2025 · 11 min
Minisode: Updates, bonus bits & events
We've got a few exciting things coming up, so we've packaged some of them up into a teeny weeny episode of extra bits. Join us at British Science Festival for a Live Podcast Episode and a To Have or To Hold book Interview with Sophie. To access upcoming VIDEO episodes, clips, and exclusive content, you can support us through Ko-fi and help keep the show running! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. & subscribe so you never miss an episode! For What It’s Earth is hosted and…
S5 · E123 · 27 Aug 2025 · 31 min
[Listener Questions] Beekeeping, nature on the curriculum, and menstrual cups
Is beekeeping bad for the environment? They say menstrual cups last for just 10 years; is silicone bad for us or the planet? Do we need an emotionally engaged relationship with nature as an essential part of the early learning curriculum? All this and more in this week's episode! To have your eco-queries answered, send us your listener questions for our next episode! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a donation…
S5 · E122 · 22 Aug 2025 · 38 min
On The Farm [Part 2] Dung beetles and organic dairy cows with Will Mayor, Yeo Valley
Ever tried to podcast while surrounded by curious cows? It's as fun and chaotic as it sounds. Today we're still touring the organic farm, so make sure you've listened to part 1 first! Join us in the fields with Yeo Valley Organic's Farms Development Manager, Will Mayor, searching for dung beetles in the fresh cowpats and getting up close with the organic dairy cattle. Thanks to our friends at Yeo Valley Organic for supporting this series and to Will for a brilliant farm experience. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener…
S5 · E121 · 20 Aug 2025 · 33 min
On The Farm [Part 1] Sniffing soil and going organic, with Will Mayor, Yeo Valley
Going organic is essential for combating the climate and nature crisis. But what does that look like for British farmers producing our food? Farm Development Manager and all-around soil guru, Will Mayor, took us out into the fields for a Yeo Valley Organic farm tour. Join us up to our knees in grasses to smell happy soil in the herbal lays, search for quinoa-shaped signals of healthy plant roots, and understand more about the impacts of the climate crisis on our farmers. And there's more... Join us on Friday for part 2, where we meet some very happy cows. Thanks to our friends at Yeo Valley…
E120 · 13 Aug 2025 · 42 min
[Listener Questions] Sustainable home improvements, and beauty Vs function in ecological spaces
When embarking on a kitchen extension (how exciting!), how can you make the process and build more sustainable? When looking at ecological landscapes, what’s more important, the way that something looks, or the way it works? And what career choices led us to start podcasting? To have your eco-queries answered, send us your listener questions for our next episode! Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a donation through…
E119 · 6 Aug 2025 · 57 min
Whales: Why conserving them IS climate action
More whales have been spotted off the coast in the UK this year, including humpbacks off the coast of Cornwall. Exciting? Sure! But changes like this lead us to question what's bringing or driving these incredible marine mammals to waters they’re not usually found in. The whales & climate change conversation is not just one of distress, it's also one of hope; join us to find out how whales, though a climate victim, can actually offer powerful climate solutions. Orca whales using tools: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/23/killer-whales-kelp-grooming-tool-use Get in touch We're…
S5 · E118 · 30 Jul 2025 · 42 min
[Listener Questions] Green gardening with Sarah Mead, Head Gardener at Yeo Valley Organic
Sometimes, you've just got to take your eco-friendly growing questions to an expert. This episode was recorded in a stunning glasshouse at Yeo Valley Organic with the brilliant Head Gardener Sarah Mead (see it on Instagram). Think: keeping ants out of your compost bin without chemicals, sowing spectacular wildflower lawns, and empowering soil to love your seedlings. Oh, and water butts for all! Tickets for Yeo Valley's Organic Garden Festival: https://www.yeovalley.co.uk/events/yeo-valley-organic-garden-festival-2025 Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email…
S5 · E117 · 23 Jul 2025 · 46 min
Invasive species: The good, the bad and the innocent(?)
Invasive non-native species have been called the silent threat to our ecosystems. They are a key driver of global biodiversity loss. We’re understanding what an INNS actually is, learning about issues these plants and animals can bring with them when they arrive and get comfortable in a new ecosystem, and we’re asking, can we actually blame invasive species for their damage? Or is there another direction to point the finger at? Hmm. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet.…
S5 · E116 · 16 Jul 2025 · 37 min
[Listener Questions] Environmental benefits of space travel, guerilla rewilding, and hydroelectric dams
In the first listener questions episode of series five, we do our best to answer, 'Are hydroelectric dams good or bad?' and, 'Can I move some plants around when I go for a walk and help rewild my town?' Plus, we even had help from the wonderful Jake Foster from the Royal Observatory Greenwich to find out, 'Is there any environmental benefit to space travel?' LIVE Show Get your free ticket to see us record an episode at the British Science Festival in Liverpool on Friday 11th September: https://britishscienceassociation-tickets.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173666323 Get in touch We're…
S5 · E115 · 9 Jul 2025 · 56 min
Farming: Can farming feed us AND save species from extinction?
To start the series, we're taking a closer look at nature-friendly farming. Can changing farming practices and land management methods offer a helping hand for biodiversity, as well as support farmers in producing nutrient-dense, good local food? We explore some of the brilliant, innovative and old-school ways that wildlife, soil and water are being looked after on farms, to ensure a healthier future for nature and us. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show:…
S5 · 2 Jul 2025 · 1 min
Season 5 Trailer
Do you need more hopeful climate conversations in your week? Well, you’re in luck, because we’re back with a brand new series of For What It’s Earth! 🌍 If you’ve ever wondered how to save the planet without moving to a yurt and making your own clothes, this is the podcast for you. We're diving into everything from whales, to soil, to invasive species Environment campaigner Emma Brisdion and author and science communicator Sophie Pavelle are your Wednesday companions who investigate the eco-curiosities we all share, like, can farming save species from extinction and feed us? How can I look…
S5 · E113 · 7 May 2025 · 45 min
Bonus: To Have or To Hold, an exclusive look at Sophie Pavelle's new book
Sophie's only gone and written another brilliant book (and no, she's not writing this episode description). In To Have or To Hold, she unearths and marvells at some of nature's strangest symbioses and oddest relationships. In this bonus episode of For What It's Earth, Sophie and Emma sit down to chat about the book, dig into the story of a truly mysterious freshwater parasite, and share with you why Emma asked (politely) for a specific word to be removed from an early draft. PLUS, enjoy a sneak peak at the audiobook! Thank you to Bloomsbury for allowing us to share an extract of the book,…
S5 · E112 · 23 Apr 2025 · 40 min
Bonus: Wild Cities with Chris Fitch live at Stanfords
How green is your city? And what can we learn from the international urban metropolises that are bringing inviting nature back? Last week, Wild Cities was published, and Emma was invited to join author Chris Fitch at Stanfords bookstore in Bristol to chat about the book. We chatted about fast-tracking ancient forests, gardens in skyscrapers, beavers, birdwatching and, of course, asked, 'What one good thing have you done for the planet this week?' Send us a voice note listener question (via Instagram @forwhatitsearthpodcast or email [email protected]) for your chance to win a Wild…
S4 · E111 · 2 Apr 2025 · 41 min
[Listener Questions] Solar roads in the UK, water use in airports and cleaning up the North Sea oil tanker crash
We've got three absolutely corking listener questions on the show this week, including one from the wonderful Gillian Burke! We're answering: A South Korean motorway has a solar panel-covered bike lane in its central reservation - can we do this in the UK? How much water and waste accumulates at airport security, and can we reduce it? What's the env. impact of the north sea oil tanker crash, and how do we clean jet fuel/nurdles out of the ocean? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The…
S4 · E110 · 26 Mar 2025 · 52 min
Moss: The quiet (but very cool) climate ally
We’re plunging our hands into the soft green bits you find in woodlands, and shining a spotlight on moss. Can the many life-giving, pollution-gobbling, and carbon-storing species of moss on earth be the quiet antidote to climate change? Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a donation through Ko-fi. Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch & subscribe so you never miss an episode! For What It’s Earth is hosted and…
S4 · E109 · 19 Mar 2025 · 30 min
[Listener Questions] Boycotts, sustainable tea and coffee, and Wild deodorant
This week we're answering your questions! First, we explore whether environmental boycotts actually work, and ask whether we should all stop buying Wild deodorant since the news that Unliver are purchasing the brand. Finally, we settle down with a steaming mug to find out whether our teas and coffees can be more sustainable. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Help us cover our running costs with a donation through Ko-fi. Organic cotton FWIE tees &…
S4 · E108 · 12 Mar 2025 · 53 min
Scrubbing up: What's the MAKE UP of make up, SPF, and personal care items?
This week we’re talking about make-up - or more specifically - the make-up of it, alongside other personal care products, and what that means for our environment. Shampoo, eye cream, and SPF, we're coming for ya. Get in touch We're on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter and email [email protected]. Send us your Listener Questions and weekly One Good Thing For The Planet. Support the show: Organic cotton FWIE tees & merch Help us cover our running costs with a one-off donation or sign up for monthly support through Ko-fi. & subscribe so you never miss an episode! For What It’s Earth is…

About For What It’s Earth

For What It’s Earth is a English tech & science podcast from Emma Brisdion & Sophie Pavelle. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Emma Brisdion & Sophie Pavelle
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1453678957

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