My Green Pod Magazine, June 2025

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

LONDON CLIMATE ACTION WEEK

Get set for Europe’s largest city-wide climate festival (21-29 June)

AI VS PLASTIC Tech is being used to tackle waste – but will algorithms ever outsmart the pollution crisis?

MUSIC FOR CHANGE

Why AY Young and Antonique Smith are using their music to inspire positive action

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY FOOD

Plant-based recipes from BOSH! cooks Henry Firth & Ian Theasby

TICKET INCLUDES: As we celebrate our green champions and eco heroes, we will raise the vibration with a feast for the senses, in partnership with OMMM, at Ladbroke Hall, London on 26 June (18.30-00.30)

n 3-course plantbased Italian cuisine

n Sumptuous drinks including vegan wines and cocktails

n Entertainment from Tom Ball with Cosmic Rhapsody, Reachel Singh, Antonique Smith, the Museum of Consciousness and more

Bring an open heart and a smile full of joy!

Welcome to My Green Pod Magazine!

Katie Hill, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF katie@mygreenpod.com

World Environment Day has been celebrated annually on 05 June since 1973. This year, the day will be used to highlight the importance of ending plastic pollution.

The timing couldn’t be better, as World Environment Day 2025 falls exactly two months before countries meet again to continue negotiations for a global and legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.

The venue for World Environment Day 2025 is also fitting; Jeju, an island in the Republic of Korea, has a vision to become free from plastic pollution by 2040.

This might sound like a simple goal, but plastic waste is everywhere – from empty shampoo bottles to discarded polyester clothing. It wreaks havoc on ecosystems and is causing unknown damage to humans when ingested in the form of microplastics.

Researchers estimate that since the 1950s, humanity has produced 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic, some 7 billion tonnes of which have become waste.

There are solutions to plastic pollution, and the best news is that they also make good financial sense. Research suggests that by taking a lifecycle approach to plastics, we could save $4.5 trillion in social and environmental costs by 2040.

Of course the simplest and most effective way to keep plastic out of the environment is to stop using it – especially in its most wasteful, energy-intensive and environmentally destructive single-use form.

You can join the movement to beat plastic pollution by sharing tips, joining cleanups and demanding more from the places you shop and the people who represent you in parliament.

This issue is full of inspiring ways people are already tackling plastic pollution – and ideas that could help you make a difference, too – on World Environment Day and beyond.

ABOUT US

My Green Pod is an independent, family-run UK business, founded by Katie Hill and Jarvis Smith. We want to share the real stories behind the brands and people working tirelessly to offer ethical alternatives to mainstream products and services. You might not see these options on the high street and they may not be the first to appear in online searches. But they are on mygreenpod.com Use the search bar to find conscious lifestyle inspiration –and you could save some cash along the way!

CONTACT US

Less than 1% of all our old clothes will be recycled into new

Over 37% of annual waste is unaccounted for

Subscribe to get each digital issue of My Green Pod Magazine delivered straight to your inbox mygreenpod.com/subscribe @mygreenpod f facebook.com/mygreenpod

24 million slices of bread are thrown away by UK households every day

CONTENTS

NEWS

06 Get set for London Climate Action Week – Europe’s largest city-wide climate festival

07 Will Hayler shares what’s driving his passion ahead of Blue Earth 2025

08 Amber Nuttall on what we need from London Climate Action Week

10 EARTHDAY.ORG’s Sarah Topalian Davies says: ‘World Environment Day is next’

12 Can algorithms outsmart the pollution crisis?

13 The event for climate solutions, real connections & capital with purpose

14 Sustain Britain’s roadmap for a sustainable, independent Britain

ENERGY

16 Meet the company on a mission to end the use of the term ‘waste’ within a decade

ARTS & FASHION

18 Is buying secondhand fashion a ‘good’ thing to do?

19 The music project that brought yogis to Abbey Road Studios to help inspire environmental action

20 We spoke to two artists using their music to inspire positive action

HERO PRODUCTS

22 My Green Pod Heroes for June, plus our Top 5 Switches

HEALTH & BEAUTY

23 Natural beauty expert Janey Lee Grace on how to embrace sustainable wellness

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

HOME & GARDEN

24 8 ways to live sustainably (that you may not have thought of yet)

FOOD & DRINK

25 What’s the difference between organic and regenerative agriculture?

26 Let beans shine with these plant-based recipes from BOSH! cooks Henry Firth and Ian Theasby

28 At River cottage, a greener wedding starts with the menu

CONSCIOUSNESS

29 OMMM co-founder Michelle Narciso on AI, spirituality & the need for discernment

30 Jarvis Smith explores how to become the best version of yourself

31 Dr Scilla Elworthy looks at why women understand change, and their role in a sustainable future

TRAVEL

32 An abandoned village in Portugal has become a sustainable sanctuary for inner transformation

COMPETITIONS

34 Take a look at the latest competition giveaways featured on mygreenpod.com!

GET SET FOR LONDON CLIMATE ACTION WEEK

Europe’s largest city-wide climate festival will transform London into a hub of action for the planet

Founded in 2019, London Climate Action Week (21-29 June) is now the largest independent climate change event in Europe – and organisers are preparing for 2025 to be the biggest and best edition yet.

Now firmly established as a major feature in the global climate calendar, the event will be a key moment in the 2025 year of delivery and ambition.

This year’s main programme will feature key debates across finance, insurance, resilience, health, nature, geopolitics, energy and governance.

A strong and varied stakeholder-led programme will feature a set of flagship events, alongside wider business, community and cultural initiatives.

LONDON’S CLIMATE CLUSTER

London has the largest concentration of climatefocused organisations in the world, and London Climate Action Week (LCAW) has grown to become the flagship moment for London to become a platform for global debate.

The event convenes diverse sectors to deliver groundbreaking initiatives that showcase the depth and strength of London’s unique ‘climate cluster’, and engage people and communities in London to drive green, fair climate action in their city. The goal is to harness the capital’s power to catalyse global and local climate action.

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

The annual festival, established in partnership with the Mayor of London and hosted by leading climate think tank E3G, brings together world-leading climate professionals and communities, all seeking and sharing practical solutions to climate change.

The official LCAW 2025 opening reception will take place 18:30-20:30 on 23 June, hosted by the LCAW Secretariat in partnership with Wellcome. The event will be opened by Nick Mabey, founder and chair of London Climate Action Week, and will feature contributions from government leaders from London, the UK and Brazil, alongside sponsors.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Some of the main events for LCAW 2025 include Blue Earth Forum, Reset Connect, Climate Innovation Forum, Net Zero Delivery Summit and the P.E.A. Awards.

At Blue Earth Forum (24 and 26 June), impact investment will meet breakthrough innovation in a two-day gathering designed to accelerate funding into business solutions. The Forum will unite more than 300 investors and 40 pioneering businesses with a curated network of business leaders, entrepreneurs and strategic partners focused on building a regenerative future.

Global leaders debate how to craft the politics and geopolitics for climate safety at a LCAW event

Reset Connect London (24-25 June) is an award-winning sustainability and net zero event that will take place at Excel London. Sustainability leaders, innovators and decision-makers will come together to drive impactful change. Over five main stages, 400 expert speakers will deliver powerful keynote addresses, thought-provoking panel discussions and engaging presentations.

Eight interactive hubs, located throughout the exhibition floor, will provide a unique space for guests to engage directly with innovative solutions providers, technologies and pioneering startups.

Across the exhibition floor a community of 7,500 attendees, representing diverse sectors such as finance, energy, retail, manufacturing and government, will get space and time to connect, collaborate and network.

CELEBRATING CLIMATE ACTION

Returning for the seventh year, the Climate Innovation Forum (25-26 June), organised by Climate Action, will bring together over 2,000 business leaders, policymakers, investors and civil society representatives to accelerate the speed and scale of our collective efforts in driving climate action. The Forum will focus on translating promises into tangible actions midway between COPs, harnessing the power of London as a leading global climate hub.

This high-level event champions the role of the real economy in delivering the transition; it serves as a platform for sharing the brave leadership, innovative solutions and radical collaborations needed to bridge the gaps in implementation, investment and scaling-up of innovation.

Marking the crucial halfway point between COP summits, the Net Zero Delivery Summit (23 June) is a high-impact moment to accelerate climate ambition. It is where leaders in finance, policy and sustainability come together to drive progress beyond pledges.

On 26 June the P.E.A. (People. Environment. Achievement.) Awards, in association with OMMM, will honour the individuals and teams behind the products, services and businesses that are changing the face of our planet.

The UK’s leading climate and sustainability awards, now in their 15th year, identify the green heroes who are taking matters into their own hands and providing inspiring alternatives to business as usual. These sustainability pioneers, in sectors ranging from finance and energy to music and art, will be recognised and celebrated at a green-carpet event at Ladbroke Hall.

'The climate movement is broken'

Blue Earth co-founder Will Hayler shares what’s driving his passion ahead of Blue Earth 2025

Blue Earth Forum, part of London Climate Action Week (21-29 June) and Blue Earth Summit (15-17 October), is preparing to return for 2025 with an even bigger mission to transform the way the world works and support the changemakers who are driving positive action.

Across private, public and the third sectors, the events will focus on the value of nature, the power of innovation, the spirit of adventure and the impact of strong leadership – for early-stage businesses, global brands and everything between.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Taking place at London’s Woolwich Works, Blue Earth Summit will see 7,000 passionate innovators, investors, corporations, politicians, adventurers, academics, campaigners and media gather with a view to explore, spotlight and fund solutions to accelerate the health of people and the planet.

‘Blue Earth is about reconnecting the working world across private, public and third sectors, to find a better way to live, consume and operate’, explains Blue Earth co-founder Will Hayler. ‘Our first event this year, Blue Earth Forum on 24 and 26 June, will connect sustainable business innovators with impact investors. This flagship event hub for London Climate Action Week will bring together thousands of investors, business leaders and pioneering entrepreneurs to accelerate funding into solutions that will regenerate our natural world.’

WORKSHOPS & SPEAKERS

New for this year, the Sessions Series will present high-level talks led by sustainable business leaders from 1% for the Planet, eBay, Woolmark and Ecologi. Debates, workshops and keynote speakers will focus on topics such as circularity, renewables and the future of impact investment. Conversations like

these will help to elevate and empower planetpositive solutions in the business world.

‘The system we have will not give up without a fight', Will shares. 'Climate science and logic is not moving the world forwards fast enough. Regardless of whether science says we are running out of time, we need to be far more focused on what comes next and why it is better than what has been before.’

PITCHING SOLUTIONS

Later in the year, one of several new features for October's Blue Earth Summit 2025 is Startup Land, a vibrant marketplace where over 200 sustainable innovators can showcase new ideas and solutions while meeting and connecting with customers, investors and partners.

Launch Pad Stages will allow fearless founders to grab the microphone and rapid pitch their solutions at the centre of the Summit’s high-traffic zones.

‘The good news is that there are myriad startups, entrepreneurs, changemakers and mavericks already thriving or ready for launch’, Will tells us.

‘This is where we will find the solutions to climate change. The pioneers that don’t get dragged into reverse or decline by politics, policy, alarmist activists or sensationalist media.’

‘We know that climate solutions must outcompete what already exists and we believe that innovation will disrupt the status quo’, Will continues. 'Simply virtue signalling around environmental benefits is not good enough. This is the opportunity of our time. We're looking forward to seeing you there.’

CLOCKWISE

Forest Defender Manari Ushigua from the Sapara Nation; climate tech startups pitching investors in 2024; wild swimming at Blue Earth Summit; climate advocates Clover Hogan and Dominique Palmer

‘EVOLUTION IS THE REVOLUTION’

Amber Nuttall, co-founder & creative director of Extreme Hangout, on what we need from London Climate Action Week

As London Climate Action Week (LCAW) approaches, the urgency to address the climate crisis feels palpable for those who are deeply embedded in the space. Events are being meticulously planned, sponsors confirmed and expert speakers lined up. For those working in the climate sector, this is a busy, critical week – but for the average citizen the event may pass unnoticed. This raises a fundamental issue: climate action weeks like this are not shifting the dial.

THE ECHO CHAMBER

LCAW, like many similar gatherings, often caters to insiders, policy professionals, ESG consultants, scientists and activists who have been involved with the movement for years. These are the same voices speaking to the same audiences. The result is a well-meaning echo chamber; it lacks the diversity of lived experience, the broader human voice that must be central to any meaningful transformation.

INCLUSION IS KEY

This November, COP30 in Brazil will mark 30 years of climate negotiations. Over those decades, warnings from scientists have grown louder and many predictions have begun to materialise sooner than expected. Yet governments delay, corporations make pledges without substance and systemic change remains slow. Meanwhile, ordinary people are grappling with cost-of-living pressures. Conversations about emissions and climate targets feel distant when you are choosing between groceries and gas. If climate efforts do not meet people where they are, they will fail to bring them along. A more inclusive, human-first approach is urgently needed.

THE POWER OF LISTENING

After five years of attending climate summits, rallies, conferences and festivals, one truth stands out to me: we have a tendency to underestimate the power of listening. Listening reveals overlooked truths; it

A CALL TO EVERY ROLE IN SOCIETY

To the billionaire: pay your taxes, yes – but also invest in the future.

To the business leader: redefine success with courage and imagination.

To the homemaker: you are raising the future and where you spend your money matters. A lot.

To the teacher: plant seeds of hope and wisdom. Include the vital tools of joy and humour.

To the children: we hear you and we need you.

To the poor: you are not forgotten. Climate justice is social justice.

challenges our assumptions and encourages us to grow. That evolution is the revolution that we need right now.

IMPERFECT ENVIRONMENTALISM

Where do we focus? We must put people first and build systems that work for all. This means investing in a future where success is defined not by extraction but by regeneration, and moving beyond blame towards bold, creative action. We must walk the talk, together.

During last year’s LCAW the message at the Extreme Hangout was clear: we need 8 billion imperfect environmentalists. That still holds true. You do not need to be perfect. You can eat meat. You can fly. You can still be part of the solution. What matters is movement, not perfection.

A REVOLUTION FOR ALL

This revolution needs all of us; it begins with the evolution of language, of leadership, of systems and of our own mindsets.

LCAW can be more than a meeting of experts: it can be a catalyst for change that includes everyone. Let’s evolve, together.

During last year’s LCAW the message at the Extreme Hangout was clear: we need 8 billion imperfect environmentalists. That still holds true. You do not need to be perfect.

Where transformation is underway

Here are nine areas where transformation is already within reach.

1

STORYTELLING

Climate speakers must elevate their game; the message is too important to deliver poorly. It must be relatable, emotional and clear. Those on stage should not be the usual suspects; we should elevate new voices, young people, Indigenous leaders, women from the Global South. Speak at conferences outside the climate sphere to expand the audience. And if you’ve had your say, help others have theirs.

2 LANGUAGE

The climate lexicon is alienating. Terms like ‘ESG’, ‘1.5°C’ and ‘decarbonisation’ confuse and distance people. Instead, we must speak in a language that connects – clear, vivid and accessible. Use music, humour and visual storytelling to reach people emotionally, not just intellectually.

3 POLLUTION

Pollution is tangible and widely understood. The ‘polluter pays’ principle is powerful and fair; it’s a message people connect with and a concept that cuts through the complexity. Use it.

4 OCEANS

Ocean with David Attenborough delivers a clarion call – perhaps his final message – that is simple and profound: the ocean is our most vital climate ally. Marine ecosystems can recover and protecting them is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change. This must become a central pillar of climate action.

5 FOOD & FARMING

Regenerative agriculture offers a systemic solution. We must redirect subsidies from fossil fuels and industrial fishing to support farmers who protect the land. Promoting biodynamic techniques, local food systems and new technologies will support circular agriculture. Healthy soils lead to healthy food, which leads to healthier people.

6

HUMAN & PLANETARY HEALTH

These are inseparable. Pollution degrades ecosystems and human bodies alike. A broken food system fuels chronic illness and enriches a few. Climate conversations must centre on real food, clean water, clean air and mental wellbeing. This is about survival and quality of life.

7 NATURE & WILDLIFE

Nature is not optional. It is life. Biodiversity builds resilience and nature provides healing. We must protect it because our lives depend on it.

8 EDUCATION

The next generation must be equipped to lead, and we must model the change we talk about. Education should be experiential, joyful and hopeful. As Martin Luther King Jr said, people follow a dream, not a nightmare.

9 TECHNOLOGY

We must harness the potential of clean tech, AI and artificial labour (robotics) to accelerate solutions. AI can analyse complex systems and augmented learning can empower citizens with the knowledge and tools they need to participate in solutions. But we must ensure these tools are used ethically, inclusively and transparently; technology should serve people and planet, not profit alone.

Find out more

n Upcoming events from Extreme Hangout, the climate action events platform, is at extremehangout.org

MOMENTUM FOR CHANGE

As coverage for Earth Day 2025 breaks records, EARTHDAY.ORG’s

Sarah Topalian Davies says: ‘World Environment Day is next’

June is World Environment Day. In most years, this article would open with a reflection on why that day matters and what it asks of us but this year, it felt timely to begin by reminding everyone of something bigger: we are not alone.

How do we know? Well, Earth Day, marked on 22 April, triggered a truly unprecedented global outpouring of support this year, proving that this movement is neither in retreat nor daunted. It is proof that climate concern is not niche, not fringe, not waning. It is alive, it is growing and it is unstoppable.

A RECORD-BREAKING WAVE

Let’s start with the facts. EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) – the organisation behind Earth Day globally – was featured in more than 17,000 unique articles worldwide, not including syndications. In fact, between 01 and 27 April 2025, EDO’s editorial reach surpassed 7.5 billion – a staggering 641% increase from 2024.

On Earth Day alone, we reached 2.1 billion people through earned media – and that’s before factoring in our vast global social media presence. General ‘Earth Day’-related media coverage also exploded – up 900% over last year, which had already shown significant growth from 2023.

HOW DID WE DO IT?

Part of this year’s Earth Day theme  – Our Power, Our Planet – involved a call for the tripling of electricity generated by renewable energy by 2030. It hit a nerve. We struck a deep chord by focusing on the benefits of clean, cheap, never-ending energy and connecting the opportunities for job creation. The goal was to paint a sustainable future that feels within reach – if we commit to making it happen.  We lit iconic buildings all over the world green, partnered on concerts in New York City (with Good News Planet and OMMM), we taught climate education classes, advocated for renewable energy, put up billboards and marched, ran, cycled, planted and spoke up for the planet.

Antonique Smith performing in New York’s Times Square for Earth Day 2025

LANDMARKS GLOW GREEN Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai, China; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai, India; Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland; St. James’ Church, Delhi, India; Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow and Indian Merchant Chamber, Mumbai, India were all lit up green to mark Earth Day

Over 100 local climate policy roundtables, led by community leaders and local mayors, held city-level renewable energy conversations that will positively impact 12 million people. In the US alone, municipalities in Manhattan, New York, Iowa City, Iowa and Nashville, Tennessee led the way.

Our media team didn’t sleep and we booked staff on TV and radio shows from the Falkland Islands to Bulgaria – Leeds to Taiwan. We were not speaking into an echo chamber; the world tuned in to listen and then turned up the volume.

CLEANUPS TELL A BIGGER STORY

Perhaps the most compelling Earth Day stories were hyper-local. EDO’s Great Global Cleanup (GGC) continued to expand in 2025, with well over 6,000 cleanups loaded on our GGC map. But this year, the framing shifted. These weren’t just trash pick-ups; these were transformative moments of community power, driving a sense of unity and hope by creating a tangible gateway to environmental activism.

In Detroit, Michigan volunteers revitalised vacant lots to support pollinator gardens. In San Antonio,

‘There is no role for timidity in confronting this assault on our future. We must each dig deep enough to find a fearless core.’

DENIS HAYES

NATIONAL ORGANISER OF THE FIRST EARTH DAY AND BOARD CHAIR EMERITUS OF EARTHDAY.ORG

Texas cleanups emphasised the value of urban green spaces. In Miami’s Little Havana, organisers blended environmental action with community wellness, combining a cleanup with yoga and local outreach. In North Carolina in Raleigh, the cleanup programme funded by the local government continues to employ unhoused residents, building dignity, sustainability and opportunity in one stroke. They were not alone; all over the world millions more acted – in the UK, Italy, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Spain, Canada, Australia and beyond.

REAL ACTION, REAL RESULTS

This year’s Earth Day sent a loud and clear political message: a healthy climate is no longer negotiable. According to the Guardian’s 89% Project, a vast global majority wants more ambitious government action on climate change mitigation. Earth Day’s media growth and huge numbers of volunteers – all acting decisively –reflected this demand.

Now, we need to carry this momentum into World Environment Day on 05 June 2025. Its theme, ‘Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience’, could not be more urgent, as the world grapples with escalating environmental crises that threaten ecosystems, biodiversity and human livelihoods.

In recent years, the planet has witnessed a dramatic increase in extreme weather events. Wildfires in North America and Australia, for example, have burned millions of acres, with the 2020 Australian wildfires alone destroying over 18 million hectares of land – an area larger than the entire state of New South Wales.

In Southern Europe severe droughts are becoming more frequent, with the Mediterranean region experiencing a 30% reduction in annual rainfall since the 1980s.

This depletion of freshwater resources threatens agriculture and accelerates the desertification of once-fertile lands. By 2025, an estimated 12 million hectares of land will be lost to desertification every year, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

When we restore degraded land we are not only helping to combat desertification, we are also contributing significantly to the sequestration of carbon. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), by restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land we could remove 13.6 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

‘This movement is exponentially growing, and it is getting louder and faster than ever before. It is much more active than even a year ago. For anyone in doubt, just look at Earth Day’s reach. Over 7 billion people!’

TOM COSGROVE

AT EARTHDAY.ORG

CHIEF CREATIVE AND CONTENT OFFICER

SOLUTIONS, SOLUTIONS

World Environment Day demands that we find solutions – and one example can be found in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, home to iconic species like lions, elephants and wildebeest. It faces mounting pressures from climate change, land degradation and overgrazing, but local communities, conservation organisations and government agencies have come together to reverse some of that damage.

Thousands of indigenous trees were planted to stabilise the soil, conserve water and provide habitats for wildlife. Sustainable grazing practices and rainwater harvesting were adopted. The impact has been tangible, with improvements in soil health and water availability and an increase in eco-tourism.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

You can take action this World Environment Day by organising a cleanup in your community, planting trees or a pollinator garden, organising a teach-in or discussion in your community – the possibilities are endless. Speak up – online, at school, at work –and ask your elected officials to put the planet first. Make your voice heard at the ballot box.

No act is too small. No action is insignificant when multiplied by millions of others doing the same. The movement is here. The world is watching. Let’s make 05 June count.

Find out more

n Discover ways to take positive action for the planet at earthday.org

AI vs plastic

Neel Zaver looks at whether algorithms can outsmart the pollution crisis

Let’s start with a sobering fact: every minute, a lorry-load of plastic enters our oceans. By 2040 that could triple unless we act. Fast. But here’s the twist: the same technology that’s powering your Netflix recommendations might also be able to save us from drowning in disposable coffee cups.

South Korea, a country that once had the highest per-capita plastic consumption in Asia, is betting big on artificial intelligence to clean up its act. Its goal is to eliminate plastic waste by 2040. Ambitious? Absolutely. Impossible? Not if its army of AI rubbish-sorting robots has anything to say about it.

RECYCLING’S DIRTY SECRET

Recycling should be simple, shouldn’t it? Chuck your bottle in the bin, feel virtuous, repeat. But here’s the kicker: even in eco-conscious South Korea, only 23% of collected plastics actually get recycled. The rest? Landfilled, incinerated or, worse, shipped overseas to become someone else’s problem.

Enter AMP Robotics. Its AI-powered systems, like the AMP Neuron platform, are flipping the script by processing 80 billion waste items annually and sorting plastics with up to 99% accuracy. That’s something humans, who average

70-80% accuracy, just can’t match. ‘It’s like teaching a toddler to spot Smarties in a sandpit, but at industrial scale’, quips Matanya Horowitz, AMP’s founder.

The numbers don’t lie: facilities using AMP’s tech see contamination rates drop by 90% while doubling output. In Virginia, one plant boosted recycled material volume by 10% overnight. Not bad for a bunch of metal arms with camera eyes.

DATA-MINED WASTE

Walk through Seoul today and you’ll spot residents casually feeding plastic bottles into AI-powered bins. These smart receptacles, over 1,000 of which have been installed nationwide, identify materials in seconds using cameras and machine learning.

ABOUT NEEL ZAVER

Neel Zaver is a biologist and creative who is using his work to showcase the inspiring work of organisations around the world for the environment, conservation and our planet. His goal is to instil hope by profiling those working to create a positive future for us all.

In return? Points redeemable for cash. One user reportedly earned the rough equivalent of £100 monthly, turning eco-guilt into grocery money.

But South Korea’s ambitions go deeper. The government’s £5.2 billion AI-semiconductor programme isn’t just about beating Silicon Valley, it’s about rewiring waste management.

At recycling plants like Hwaseong’s, AI systems now remove impurities from plastic streams using spectral imaging, predict optimal cleaning temperatures to save energy and track recycled granules through blockchain to ensure they become new products, not landfill filler.

‘We’re not just sorting rubbish’, says Hong Seong-en, a recycling plant manager; ‘we’re data-mining the waste stream.’

THE IRONY ALERT

Here’s the elephant in the server room: training a single AI model can emit 284 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to five cars’ lifetime emissions. Google’s environmental report revealed a 13% emissions jump in 2024, partly from AI data centres. But before you cancel your ChatGPT subscription, there’s hope.

Companies like Google now power AI training with renewable energy, while Microsoft’s Planetary Computer uses AI to monitor deforestation. As Kate Brandt, Google’s chief sustainability officer, puts it: ‘AI’s both the arsonist and firefighter in the climate crisis.’

WHERE TECH MEETS POLICY

The real magic happens when AI bridges the gap between individual action and systemic change. Take Recyco’s facility in Northern Ireland: after installing AMP robots, it doubled sorting speeds while slashing labour costs. At Evergreen’s rPET plants, AI helped boost annual recycled plastic output from 40 million to 147 million pounds.

But can tech alone fix this? Even with AI, only 5-6% of plastics get recycled globally. That’s why South Korea is pairing robotics with radical policy: banning single-use plastics, incentivising reuse and deploying 1,000 more AI bins by 2026.

THE ROAD TO 2040

The OECD’s latest report paints a stark choice: without drastic action, annual plastic production could hit 736 million tonnes by 2040. Even with AI-driven recycling, we’d still dump 300 million tonnes into ecosystems.

But here’s where it gets interesting. New bio-catalysts like South Korea’s KUBU-M12 enzyme can break down PET plastic in 12 hours, a process that normally takes centuries. Pair that with AMP’s sorting bots, and suddenly ‘permanent recycling’ doesn’t sound so sci-fi.

As I write this, Seoul’s AI bins are crunching through their 500 millionth plastic bottle. Meanwhile, algorithms hum with potential to either doom or save our oceans. The lesson? Technology isn’t the hero or villain here; we are.

As a Busan negotiator muttered during plastic treaty talks: ‘AI won’t save us from ourselves.’ But it might just buy us enough time to figure it out.

RESET CONNECT LONDON 2025

The event that combines climate solutions, real connections & capital with purpose

At a time when both urgency and opportunity define the climate conversation, Reset Connect London 2025 (24-25 June) will unite forward-thinkers across finance, business, policy and civil society – and set a stage that will encourage more than just talk.

Taking place at Excel London during London Climate Action Week, this two-day event is the UK’s largest sustainability and net zero gathering; it offers practical ideas, real collaboration and access to the people and projects already driving change.

SOLUTIONS FOR TODAY

Reset Connect London isn’t just another trade show; it’s a live hub of interaction and insight, built around real-world challenges and workable solutions.

This is where sectors connect, ideas take shape and action gets underway – whether you’re a foundation testing new funding models, a business leader working to cut carbon or an investor backing climate innovation.

Across five main stages, 400 speakers will share what’s working now, what needs to shift and how we can move faster, together.

TAKING THE STAGE

Climate-conscious capital will get the spotlight at the Finance & Investment Stage. From impact measurement and mission-led portfolios to blended finance and donor-advised funds, the focus here will be on how money can drive meaningful change. Expect insights from asset managers, philanthropists, family offices and next-gen investors.

Startups and scale-ups can present their ideas live to investor panels at the Pitch & Invest Stage, which will offer a rare glimpse into early-stage innovation and how it’s assessed. Whether you’re funding or founding, this is where future-focused ventures meet the people who can help bring them to life.

At the Energy & Tech Stage, clean energy, smart tech and digital infrastructure will take centre stage. Expect sessions that cut through the hype to show how new technologies are being applied on the ground – and what’s gaining traction.

Tailored to organisations of all sizes, the Net Zero Business Stage will tackle strategy, compliance, procurement and reporting – the practical steps towards net zero action, not just ambition.

The Cities & Nature Stage will bring together those working at the intersection of place, people and planet. It’s a space for sharing what’s working at the local level – from rewilding to resilient cities – and how it can be scaled.

HUBS & INSIGHTS

Away from the main stages, eight interactive show-floor hubs will provide spaces for more focused conversation and problemsolving. These are ideal for My Green Pod readers involved in ethical business, sustainability and purpose-led finance. The Wealth & Investment Management Hub will be a great place for

advisers, investors and fund managers who are looking to align traditional portfolios with long-term sustainability goals.

A new addition this year, the Fund Managers Hub will bring together capital allocators and fund leaders to discuss responsible growth and performance.

Energy & Tech Hubs will be packed with investment-ready innovation in areas like renewables, battery tech and smart infrastructure, and a number of further industry-specific hubs will be tailored to specific areas of focus, offering practical insights and peer-to-peer connections in a more informal setting. These hubs are where many of the best ideas are shared and long-term partnerships begin.

AN

IMPACT-LED

COMMUNITY

Reset Connect London brings together a wide mix of people, from local campaigners and city planners to B Corp founders, policymakers and philanthropic funders. It’s one of the few events that manages to bridge sectors and still keep the energy collaborative, grounded and focused on results.

Speakers for 2025 include Kerry McCarthy MP, Mike Berners-Lee, Emma Pinchbeck, John Elkington, Sacha Sadan, Tracy Wyman, Sir Andrew Steer, Vicky Moffatt, Lucy Siegle and other influential voices in sustainability and finance.

For anyone serious about climate action – whether through investment, innovation or leadership – Reset Connect London offers more than inspiration. It’s a chance to find real opportunities, make useful connections and move forward with confidence and join the festivities. Everyone is welcome.

Find out more n Find the full Reset Connect agenda, plus information on registration, at reset-connect.com

A GREENPRINT FOR BRITAIN

Sustain Britain is creating a roadmap for a sustainable, independent Britain

Sustain Britain, a new movement created to deliver greater localised sustainability throughout the UK, is moving one step closer to launching its ‘Greenprint for a sustainable, independent Britain’.

Following delegate feedback from its inaugural conference, held in Royal Wootton Bassett last September, the Sustain Britain team has focused on practical ways to build more resilient, self-sufficient local communities nationwide.

A MODEL FOR COMMUNITIES

The current era of global upheaval and uncertainty, including the way tariffs were elevated overnight by the Trump administration, is underlining the need for a society in which communities and businesses are supported and encouraged to produce more for themselves and their local markets.

Sustain Britain’s aim is to address this need by putting self-reliance and self-sufficiency at the heart of communities across the country, enabling them to become less reliant on international imports and the influence of multinationals.

Due for launch later this summer, its ‘Greenprint’ will create a model that communities throughout Britain can adopt, adapt and implement for their own good. It will also outline policy changes that both local and national governments need to

CLOCKWISE

Sustain’s subterranean business units will foster collaboration among local businesses while keeping overheads down; aerial image of the proposed Sustain green food super production centre; grazable roofs help the subterranean business unit structures blend seamlessly with rural environments

adopt if we are to realise a more sustainable future for Great Britain.

During the second Sustain Britain Conference, due to take place in Royal Wootton Bassett in September, delegates and sustainability speakers will be invited to discuss and debate the principles of the Greenprint.

This year’s conference will build on last year’s prominent speakers, which included Sir Jonathan Porritt, Roz Savage MP, Thomas Panton and Jarvis Smith.

LOCAL GOODS & SERVICES

One of the driving factors behind the Greenprint is Britain’s over-reliance on foreign goods and resources, which creates vulnerabilities to external shocks such as trade disputes, disruptions, currency fluctuations and global crises. This leaves Britain open to economic instability and rising living costs.

The aim of the Greenprint is to decouple Britain from this current state of dependency by encouraging and enabling local communities to produce goods and services independently, keeping more wealth within local economies.

To help deliver this future, the Greenprint champions the principle of ‘The Sustain Circle’. This model encourages communities to produce and source as many goods and raw materials as possible within their local circle, and only ever extend beyond that circle where products, services and resources cannot be accessed.

By promoting self-sufficiency and sustainability, the model aims to strengthen local economies, reduce road transport pollution, drive innovation and prevent wealth from being lost to large corporations that have no interest in the local communities to which they sell.

The Greenprint outlines how supporting local businesses and revitalising domestic industries is crucial to strengthening economies at the local, regional and national level. This, in turn, requires investment in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and sustainable consumption. Here, backing from the government and entrepreneurs will be necessary to drive innovation and reduce environmental impact.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

The Greenprint sees Britain’s mineral and natural resource wealth as crucial in realising this future, aiding the development of the country’s high-tech industries while bolstering national security. Investment, supported by government initiatives designed to stimulate innovation, is seen as key to strengthening Britain’s economic resilience and strategic independence, allowing new and innovative products and technology to be developed and manufactured domestically.

At the micro and macro levels, the Greenprint argues that prioritising quality over consumerism is essential for a more sustainable and less wasteful society. But it also recognises that if consumers are to purchase locally sourced products on the basis of quality, these need to be competitively priced. The removal of VAT on 100% domestically produced goods is seen as essential to helping British-made products compete with imports.

Radically, the Greenprint argues that ‘designed-in repair’ should be mandatory, in order to extend product lifespans, reduce waste and ensure goods are made with reuse and recycling in mind.

SUSTAINABLE ANARCHY

Turning its attention to social cohesion, the Greenprint strongly advocates Community Interest Companies (CICs) for their ability to prioritise investments in community-based businesses, projects, education and skills.

The Greenprint also champions the principle of Sustainable Anarchy, a tool to advance sustainable projects that comply with both the law and regulations but which are held back by bureaucracy and red tape. Instead of waiting for official approval from the authorities, Sustain Britain advocates action so that environmentally or socially beneficial projects can be advanced while archaic approval processes catch up.

In addition to outlining how a more sustainable Britain can be achieved, the Greenprint points to a series of projects that are currently being pioneered, which it hopes communities across Britain will adopt and adapt.

These include Sustain Green Halo Communities, the Sustain Super-Midden and new eco working environments that are designed to supercharge the economies of Sustain Circles across the country.

GREEN HALO COMMUNITIES

Sustain Britain’s Green Halo Communities are seen as a practical way of addressing the current housing shortage crisis through the development of sustainable communities on the outskirts of towns, villages and cities.

Utilising long-term land leases, agricultural land would be leased for the construction of affordable, eco-friendly, low-impact rental housing built in new forest by Community Interest Companies.

The housing would be accessed using central transport hubs via a network of paths, cycleways and autonomous vehicles, giving access to town centres, supporting local businesses and breaking the reliance on cars.

Focusing on energy-efficient, autonomous homes with affordable rents – made possible by removing the need for land purchase – the aim of this model is to provide a solution to current housing shortages by allowing permissible, sustainable housing development on agricultural land.

Providing high-quality housing while protecting the environment, this model devalues the worth of existing landbanks being held for development, encouraging the acceleration of home building on this land ahead of the proliferation of future Green Halo Communities.

THE SUSTAIN SUPER-MIDDEN

Currently being pioneered by Sustain Wiltshire and Crapper and Sons Landfill Ltd in Royal Wootton Bassett, the Sustain Super-Midden is a prime example of new technology that has the potential to create a more sustainable future for all under the Sustain Circle model.

This technology uses methane from landfill sites to create energy, which is used to heat and provide UV light to positively pressured, flexible greenhouses, alongside CO2 for photosynthesis.

Enhancing growing conditions, this process enables the production of affordable, organic fruit and vegetables year-round for local communities, and is set to be trialled following the arrival of the first prototype greenhouse later this year.

The Super-Midden enables communities to have access to fresh, locally sourced, affordable food, blending traditional and modern solutions to reclaim control of the wider food supply chain.

By revitalising agriculture, using this approach alongside other innovative farming practices, Britain stands its best chance of building resilient food systems for the future, ensuring long-term food security and sovereignty.

Replicated and scaled nationally, Sustain Super-Middens have the potential to prevent over 2 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually, while delivering sustainable, just-in-time production that delivers fresh food at a lower cost than supermarkets.

With the advent of Solid Waste Anaerobic Treatment Cells (SWATC) – which are set to be pioneered by the Sustain Wiltshire Operations CIC later this year – gas from solid waste will add to the power from electricity-generating engines on site, while preventing even more CO2 emissions. When oil production stops and virgin plastics are no longer available, the Super-Midden will be a valuable source of polymers for future plastic production, and will help create a future where we can maximise today’s waste for tomorrow.

ECO WORKING ENVIRONMENTS

As part of the Sustain Super-Midden model, Sustain Wiltshire is currently evolving the development of sustainable, grazeable subterranean workspaces that will be connected to the Sustain Super-Midden. The Super-Midden will provide businesses with affordable heat and energy, reducing energy bills and boosting their competitiveness and growth.

Modular in form, these eco-working business units will create an environment that fosters collaboration among local businesses, increasing innovation and job creation, supercharging the local economy and enhancing the power of the Sustain Circle. All this within cutting-edge dome structures covered by 1.5 metres of soil that adds insulation, prevents water run-off and allows for grazing, blending the units with the rural environment. Together, these three symbiotic solutions provide housing, food, jobs and a sustainable future for their communities, demonstrating how the first level of the Sustain Circle can be achieved and repeated across the country, alongside a wider commitment by communities and businesses to focus on producing and consuming more locally.

out more n Information about Sustain Britain, its ‘Greenprint’ and the Sustain Britain conference in September is at sustainbritain.co.uk

Waste as a commodity

Meet the company on a mission to end the use of the term ‘waste’ within a decade

The waste epidemic is one of the most essential and systemic crises on Earth. We introduce over 4.4 trillion pounds of waste to the environment every year and, according to the World Bank, over 37% of annual waste is unaccounted for due to mismanagement through illegal dumping and open burning.

To date, our ‘solutions’ to waste have involved polluting our land, water and air with toxic byproducts and emissions. Yet there is little interest in change; our existing systems are inefficient and don’t produce the kind of return on investment that leaders in public and private sectors are looking for.

Most would agree that wasteful lifestyles and industrial practices need to change – yet Joyous Heart, co-CEO, co-exec chair and co-founder of E.D.E.N., has a controversial take on the issue; ‘Humanity no longer needs to shift industrial or consumption practices, even though I highly recommend it’, he tells us, ‘because now all waste, in any mixed-batch flow, can be transformed –with an energy efficiency of 94% – into the cleanest fuels, fertilisers and biochar on the planet.’

ENDING THE IDEA OF WASTE

With E.D.E.N., Joyous Heart is turning the idea of waste on its head, and repositioning it as a lucrative, regenerative commodity rather than a massive liability.

‘We want to end the idea of waste, which is not a term that nature knows, as it is not longer accurate’, he tells us. ‘We are here to assist in leading the movement to restore balance on Earth between people and place. It is imperative we remember how to thrive on, and with, our planet; it is time to enrich and upgrade the lives of humankind systemically.’

It’s a lofty ambition, and Joyous Heart believes it can be realised with E.D.E.N., a proprietary process that has been $350m in research and development and 28 years in the making.

INEFFICIENT SYSTEMS

Other than E.D.E.N., Joyous Heart believes there is no viable waste solution that has been proven and verified to be capable of scaling to address the global waste epidemic. The main issue is that conventional solutions create energy as a byproduct of shifting waste into others forms of equally polluting fuels.

‘While solutions like pyrolysis, which are more suitable for creating speciality chemicals, can create clean fuels, a company would be lucky to achieve a 10% energy efficiency’, Joyous Heart shares. ‘Other solutions, such as incineration, are toxic to

people and place; as a result we are finding that incinerator plants are increasingly being shut down in many regions.’

For Joyous Heart, anaerobic digestors aren’t the answer either; ‘They are severely limited in their potential to address myriad types of waste and will not remediate industrial and medical byproducts, mixed plastics or the other most damaging and toxic waste streams’, he says.

‘The environmental and economic costs of the waste epidemic are costing humanity hundreds of billions of dollars in quantifiable damages’, Joyous Heart continues. ‘I posit that the actual cost, when taking into account the full extent of the problems created by the waste epidemic, is in the trillions.’

COPYING EARTH’S PROCESSES

E.D.E.N. has succeeded where many have failed: the team has been able to mimic the way Earth uses heat, pressure, time and water to break down all carbon-based materials and convert them into base molecules and hydrocarbons under the surface of the mantle.

‘Put simply, we have figured out how to do this within 90 minutes within a controlled environment’, Joyous Heart reveals. ‘We were extremely lucky to have discovered how to truly reverse engineer the

process Earth uses to break down and transmute all carbon-based matter, under the surface of the mantle, to re-purpose each natural molecule and element. We were privileged enough to have access to the foremost scientific minds and resources in both the civilian and military sectors.’

E.D.E.N.’s eight-stage process has perfected the use of two forms of hydrothermal liquefaction and a specialised hydrothermal crack, as well as other processes, to convert all waste, in mixed and wet streams, into clean-burning regenerative fuels that are free of VOCs, PAHs and heavy metals, alongside fertiliser and an amorphous crystalline biochar with piezoelectric properties.

The only waste inputs that E.D.E.N. systems do not process are rocks, metals and glass, though partner technologies are currently leading solutions to handle these waste inputs as well.

‘We are now bringing Gen 3 to market after proving it at commercial scale for 13 years and being validated by the DOD, DOE, MIT, Lehigh University, TUV SUD, Bechtel and other leading agencies and organisations’, Joyous Heart reveals.

ACCESS TO CLEAN ENVIRONMENTS

E.D.E.N. processes waste at a 94% or greater energy efficiency, which is far superior to systems such as pyrolysis, incineration or gasification, which are 50% or less energy efficient. When creating clean fuels, the energy efficiencies of these systems plummet to 5-20%.

E.D.E.N. systems are self-fuelling and don’t require external energy sources for power; they are only tied to the grid when they’re being optimised to generate a significant portion of the energy requirements for cities, data centres and industrial areas. The systems include large-scale fixed-state bio-refineries that are capable of being scaled to process thousands of tonnes of waste per day, as well as containerised two and 10 tonne per day (TPD) units which are transportable and even mobile.

The idea is to be able to transform waste into energy wherever it’s needed, reinforcing the principle that clean energy and a healthy environment isn’t just a privilege for some, but a fundamental right for all.

‘These systems are stackable to iteratively build localised waste remediation and clean energy microgrid requirements’, Joyous Heart tells us. ‘The E.D.E.N. systems are deployable virtually anywhere on Earth that is – or could potentially be –inhabited by human populations. There are no known downsides to the way E.D.E.N. systems process waste.’

Jonathan Appel, co-CEO of E.D.E.N. (above) and Joyous Heart, co-CEO, co-exec chair and co-founder of E.D.E.N. (opposite) speaking at EarthX 2025, Dallas

THE CARBON CONFUSION

For Joyous Heart, the general consensus that we need to cut carbon isn’t quite correct; ‘We are a carbon-based planet and species’, he tells us. ‘In fact, carbon is the fourth-most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. We literally can’t reduce carbon.’

What we can do is molecularly restore carbon molecules to their pure nature, free of the bonded elements which are the toxic result of covalent bonds created through industry for creating various products and chemicals.

‘E.D.E.N. is carbon neutral as we repurpose the carbon already extracted and sitting on the surface in the form of discarded consumable products, electronics and speciality chemicals’, Joyous Heart says. ‘We create clean regenerative fuels, fertilisers and biochar. When processing only heavy hydrocarbon waste products such as tyres, without processing fillers like MSW, we produce a graphic-rich pure carbon black. We are also a net water producer as E.D.E.N. systems liberate the water trapped in waste inputs.’

Joyous Heart believes it’s essential that humanity scales clean, regenerative energy infrastructure on a planetary scale and that our biosphere, while not doomed like many believe, desperately requires rejuvenation and restoration.

‘The planet will be fine’, he tells us; ‘the question is, will humanity – and most of the species on Earth – still be here in 100 years? We unequivocally believe the answer is yes and that we will actually be experiencing a paradigm of ecosystemic thrivability. Our solution can be used anywhere on Earth – from an urban metropolis to a remote rural or island environment.’

BRINGING CLEAN POWER H.O.M.E.

E.D.E.N. – along with H.O.M.E., its partner organisation – is determined to lead in the race towards a net-positive future.

H.O.M.E., the world’s premier regenerative development platform, offers the most comprehensive resources and marketplace platform designed to facilitate sustainable built environment at any scale of deployment. It has a goal to build 12 regenerative mini-cities in key regions around the world over the next 15 years.

H.O.M.E. is building a Web5 platform that will offer the leading templates and resources for regenerative real estate development and green building, alongside modular and equitable governance, legal, medical and educational templates to empower community builders, real estate developers and regenerative capital partners to fulfil visions for the built environment that equally enrich people and place.

GOING GLOBAL

While E.D.E.N. offers a radical, standalone solution to waste, Joyous Heart has created alliances in order to offer complementary solutions that can be integrated with E.D.E.N. systems for fit-for-purpose projects.

‘The environmental and economic costs of the waste epidemic are costing humanity hundreds of billions of dollars in quantifiable damages... I posit that the actual cost, when taking into account the full extent of the problems created by the waste epidemic, is in the trillions.’

JOYOUS HEART

CO-CEO, CO-EXEC CHAIR & CO-FOUNDER OF E.D.E.N.

E.D.E.N. is partnering with aligned public and private organisations on each continent in order to scale globally. ‘We require bold pioneering leaders, in the governmental, corporate and military spheres, who are prepared to assist with pushing forward policies, establishing new infrastructure and making sure that, within the next decade, humanity is no longer using the word ‘waste’’, Joyous Heart explains.

‘Governments have not yet had the ability to address the waste epidemic in an effective way’, he continues. ‘Now, by partnering with E.D.E.N., municipalities are able to achieve circular economic and zero waste goals. At the same time, governments are now able to power a significant

portion of their core infrastructure using the clean energy generated by E.D.E.N. systems. They will also now be able to effectively remediate soil and water with the biochar and clean liquid fertilisers produced by their local E.D.E.N. systems.’

E.D.E.N. plans to joint venture with, and serve, all existing waste management companies, leading consumer brands, industrial centres and municipalities. It has partnered with Peace Through Trade (PTT), the world’s most compliant layer one (L1) blockchain designed to assist in legally and securely onboarding governments, institutions, organisations and individuals into the Web3 and Web5 economy.

E.D.E.N. will use PTT for global transactions –including banking, trade finance and merchant processing – to ensure 100% security, zero financial censorship and the ability to instantaneously shift between any reputable leading fiat currency, digital currency and asset and precious metals.

E.D.E.N., H.O.M.E. and PTT-ZDK, along with strategic partners in private and public spheres, have embarked on a global showcase tour that will feature at a number of iconic events over the next nine months, including EarthX, Milkin Institute, NATURE Summit, UN International Climate Week, UN World Oceans Day, Cannes Lions, the P.E.A. Awards, Volcano Summit, Nexus, Earth Day, Nexus, New York Climate Week, COP30 and Davos.

‘We invite aligned leaders, enterprises and NGOs to connect with us to explore partnership’, Joyous Heart says. ‘We want to share the message with humanity that we are OK: we are stepping into a paradigm of ecosystemic thrivability.’

Find out more

n Discover how an E.D.E.N. system could help your organisation turn waste into value at edenenergy.co

Fashion's flip side

Circular fashion consultant Gemma Metheringham asks: is buying secondhand fashion a ‘good’ thing to do?

Do you see secondhand clothes everywhere? With charity shops taking over our deserted high streets, vintage (or Vinted) sellers taking over Instagram and the big resale platforms taking over our advertising, the spotlight is firmly on the secondhand market.

This enthusiasm for preloved fashion is being fuelled by a seductive narrative that shopping secondhand is a sustainable thing to do, and suggesting that reselling our unwanted stuff is a good way to make money.

Global secondhand sales are predicted to more than double this decade – so isn’t that a good thing for people and the planet?

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

It’s true that for us, as individual consumers, choosing to buy secondhand apparel instead of new does reduce our personal carbon footprint. Yet the reality is that all our secondhand purchases would need to start displacing new purchases – and reducing the billions of new apparel items being manufactured every year –in order for the secondhand market to start driving down the fashion industry’s overall emissions.

Displacement matters because, according to McKinsey & Company, the vast majority of fashion’s emissions happen during the production of fibres, fabrics and new garments.

Most sustainability champions agree that making fewer new clothes – and wearing existing clothes for longer – are the most effective ways to reduce the fashion industry’s environmental impact. But the elephant in the room is captured in the Re/ make Fashion Accountability Report 2022: ‘despite the meteoric rise of resale, none of the companies that we evaluated that have resale programmes in place demonstrated that they are, in tandem, reducing the production of new products.’

In fact, research suggests that the ability to dispose of our clothes in relatively easy and guilt-

free ways – donating to charities or reselling online – could actually be increasing new apparel sales.

Paradoxically the growing secondhand market could be triggering a circular economy rebound effect by encouraging us to churn our wardrobes more often to make space to buy more new stuff.

RESELLING OUR WARDROBES

Secondhand enthusiasts I’ve spoken to are worried about the impact that declining quality and increased discounting in the mainstream fashion industry will have on the secondhand market’s future. Many secondhand retailers, and some charities, say they can’t or won’t resell fast fashion items. This matters because, at the time of writing, there are 95.2 million items tagged Zara, 86.6 million items tagged H&M, 31 million items tagged Primark and 29.5 million items tagged Shein – on Vinted alone.

Research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation suggests the lifetime emissions of a new dress are halved if it is worn 20 times by its original owner and then resold and reworn a further 40 times. But how many of the millions of fast fashion items flooding the secondhand market will find a new owner, or displace a new purchase?

WHERE DO OUR CLOTHES GO?

In the UK 49% of the clothes we dispose of end up being binned and landfilled or incinerated. Sadly, less than 1% of all our old clothes will be recycled into new clothes. Of the apparel we donate to charities, less than a third will be resold here; globally, the UK is the second-largest exporter of used clothing.

Taking our old clothes back to brands is not a better option, either. A 2023 Changing Markets Foundation report revealed only five of the 21 garments they returned to retailer take-back schemes were resold on the same continent.

Landfill doesn’t have to be the inevitable fate of our old clothes; the secondhand market could be a cornucopia of preloved treasure – but its future is in our hands.

The same new clothes we choose to buy today will be filling charity shops and resale platforms in the future. What if we stopped buying throwaway fashion and started buying the clothes we’d really like to find in a vintage market in 25 years’ time?

The sad reality is that most of our unwanted clothes won’t find a happy new home in someone else’s wardrobe.

On her return from a transformative 200-hour yoga teacher training course in Bali in January 2024, Susan Lim felt deeply inspired by her learnings. The experience had enriched her practice and also ignited a passion for environmental advocacy that she carried with her to Abbey Road Studios.

‘During my training in Ubud, Bali, surrounded by lush tropical rainforests and the simple lives of locals working the paddy fields, I developed a deep appreciation for the beauty around us’, shares Susan, a creator, storyteller and songwriter behind the ALAN Trilogy. ‘This experience heightened my awareness of environmental issues – particularly the devastating wildfires in California in 2020, which inspired the narrative for ‘Cosmic Rhapsody’, the second instalment of the ALAN Trilogy.’

CONFRONTING THE BIG ISSUES

The ALAN Trilogy is an artistic exploration of the partnership between a human and ALAN, an AIenabled inanimate. The project uses music and film to address the big issues of our time: loneliness and companionship (ALAN I), the environment and our place in the cosmos (ALAN II) and the health of our planet and its oceans (ALAN III).

‘The project evolved organically from a desire to use storytelling to address these pressing global themes’, Susan tells us. ‘Our primary goal is to spark conversation and raise awareness about our planet's fragility and the urgent environmental challenges confronting humanity’.

While conversations and awareness are key, the team behind the ALAN Trilogy also wants to inspire collective action and encourage innovative solutions – even those that might extend beyond Earth – to address the critical issues we face today. This faith in the power of unity is why a group of yogis ended up gathering in Abbey Road Studios for the recording of ALAN III.

THE POWER OF OM

During Susan’s yoga training, her 'Air Shala' – a diverse group of 20 individuals – forged a deep spiritual bond, strengthened by gruelling 12-hour days under their teachers' strict and passionate guidance. When it was time to record ALAN III at Abbey Road, Susan extended the invitation to her Air Shala yogis.

‘For the session in the iconic Studio 3, I arranged garlands for us’, Susan reveals. ‘We opened by chanting Om, barefoot in a circle on the studio floor, guided via Zoom by our Ubud teacher.’

‘Chanting Om draws me into a state of oneness, connecting me with the immediate community and people far beyond’, Susan continues. ‘It reinforces my place as a global citizen and highlights how each individual is strengthened within a community bound by spirituality, inspired by this universal sound. It is a reminder of our shared breath and interconnectedness.’

As musicians and yogis gathered together, the chanting resonated through the studio, connecting each individual. ‘It was a truly special, grounding experience that infused the recording session with shared intention’, Susan tells us. ‘We were united by

United by Om

The music project that brought yogis to Abbey Road Studios to help inspire environmental action

a vision of using music to raise awareness about the environmental challenges relating to space debris on Earth and its oceans.’

The team created an atmosphere filled with love and friendship, where music and mindfulness intertwined. ‘This moment didn’t just mark the birth of ALAN III’, Susan tells us; ‘it also highlighted the strength that community can bring in addressing the urgent challenges facing our planet.’

COMMUNITY & CONNECTION

For Susan, community is fundamental. The ALAN project thrives on collaboration; its core creative team comprises 12 individuals from three continents, expanding to 16 with its US-based actors. From co-creator Christina Teenz Tan to the composers, band, orchestra and finally the audience, every member is part of the community.

The ALAN team sees itself as part of a larger global community of environmental artists, using music and film to communicate its advocacy. ‘We believe music transcends boundaries’, says Susan, ‘reaching across geographies and into every corner of the planet to inspire awareness and action.’

MUSIC AS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Susan has always felt a strong connection to the power of sound and sees it as a powerful catalyst for environmental stewardship.

‘I am acutely sensitive to both sound and smell’, Susan tells us. ‘Natural sounds, like the rustling of leaves, the crashing of waves on the shoreline or

the chorus of birds at dawn, awaken my senses and fill me with a vibrant energy.’

When the sheer scale of challenges like climate change feels overwhelming or distant, music cuts through, speaking directly to the heart. ‘As a universal language, music transcends data; it fosters empathy, unites communities and inspires a profound reverence for our planet that compels us to protect it’, Susan shares.

The orchestral album, Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra, has recently been released on Decca Classics, and a more pop-accessible album of 17 songs is planned for release after summer 2025. An animated feature film offers another entry point for audiences to engage with the story and its environmental themes.

Find out more

n Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra is now available on Decca Classics. Listen at jean-yvesthibaudet.lnk.to/CosmicRhapsody

Yogis join the ALAN team at the entrance to Abbey Road Studios, before entering to record ALAN III

Music for change

We spoke to two artists using their music to inspire positive action for the planet

Music has the power to connect and move us in ways no other medium can – so when used as a force for good, could it have the power to change the world?

OMMMbassadors Antonique Smith and AY Young certainly think so; they are using their music and influence to support the work of OMMM, an organisation dedicated to elevating global consciousness through spiritual engagement and environmental stewardship.

We spoke to both artists following their show-stopping performances at the Love Your Mother event in Times Square, in celebration of Earth Day 2025.

ANTONIQUE SMITH

Grammy-nominated singer, film, TV and Broadway actress Antonique Smith is also CEO and co-founder of Climate Revival, and was the official ambassador for Earth Day 2025. She fell in love with music after hearing Whitney Houston’s voice as a young girl, and began singing in her church choir at the age of seven. ‘I can’t remember a time in my life when music – or making people feel – wasn’t my passion’, she tells us.

That passion has stayed with Antonique to this day, and has shaped her as an artist. ‘I think my purpose in life is to make people feel’, she reflects, 'and I believe that’s my music’s superpower. It opens hearts, which allows for healing, introspection and inspiration.’

Antonique is no stranger to the power of music; one of her first demos as a little girl was about a child seeking love from her parents. ‘Very early on, I understood music as a force for good’, she shares. ‘I hope to make a massive impact in people’s lives – and I hope to help the world win the climate fight.’

Antonique’s music became linked to the environmental movement and sustainability 11 years ago, after a recording session for the first album about climate change. ‘I was there to sing ‘Mercy Mercy Me’’, she remembers, ‘even though I hadn’t heard much about climate change beyond polar bears and glaciers.’

Discovering that her people were dying from pollution, and that that pollution was also

causing climate change, was a life-changing moment for Antonique; ‘That night, I joined the environmental and climate justice movement and I’ve been using my music to inform and inspire action ever since’, she shares.

To Antonique, sustainability is about people and love –and climate change is personal. Members of her own family have cancer and asthma, so when she joined the dots between environmental and human health, climate advocacy became a calling.

‘The environment is the most urgent cause to support’, she says. ‘The world’s existence is in jeopardy! What good is any other fight if we don’t have a planet any more? After coming to one of my concerts I want people to feel moved, uplifted and inspired. I hope their hearts have been opened.’

So do all artists and influencers have a duty to use their platform to effect positive change? Antonique is clear: ‘Yes’, she replies.

‘Love Song To The Earth’ and ‘Mercy Mercy Me’ are just two of the songs Antonique sings to advocate for the environment; ‘I sing ‘Here Comes the Sun’ as an ode to one of our greatest solutions – solar power’, she tells us.

‘I am the ambassador of Sun Day, on 21 September, which will be a new international day for us to celebrate the sun and renewable energy. I’m very excited about it!’

‘Toni Cade Bambara said the role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible. I don’t think every song they sing needs to be a message song, but I do think they should take time to sing about and speak about the things we are facing.’

CLOCKWISE Antonique Smith, official ambassador for Earth Day 2025, singing at OMMM’s Love Your Mother event in Times Square; AY Young, UN Youth Leader for the SDGs, at the ArtsKC Awards Lunch; a solar-powered street performance was part of AY Young’s Battery Tour

AY YOUNG

AY Young is a recording artist, producer, UN Youth Leader for the SDGs and founder of the Battery Tour, a global music movement powered by clean energy.

‘I was in high school when I fell in love with music for the first time, maybe 16 or 17 years old, and since then it has been my passion’, AY tells us. ‘It was always this idea that I could change the world, and I think music just became the vehicle for that passion for me.’

Today AY is living that passion; he has performed 960 concerts powered entirely by clean energy as part of his Battery Tour. The goal is to hit 1,000 and achieve a Guinness World Record.

AY had already embarked on the Battery Tour when he made the conscious decision to use music as a force for good. ‘Back when I was about 200 or 300 concerts in, I was sleeping in my car and driving from city to city, state to state’, AY remembers. ‘I was in a city that didn't have energy, yet I had energy in my car from the batteries I was using to power the concerts. I could do a concert in the city, but the grid was down and the actual city didn't have power.’

AY started Googling and discovered that a billion people didn't have access to energy.

‘I immediately was like OK, well I'm an outlet, right? And I believe an outlet is someone who uses their passion or their talent to take action every day to help people. I thought to myself, if I'm an outlet for change, I need to use music to help people and get the world plugged in.’

AY changed the Battery Tour to what he describes as a ‘music for impact’ company, and made sure that every concert from then would

raise money to fund, promote, develop and deploy sustainable solutions to people who need them, and give energy, food, water and power to people around the world who didn't have it. ‘It wasn't because I chose to support anything specifically’, AY tells us; ‘it’s just the right thing to do and it is what I do.’

‘I think in life we should do what we love to do every day’, AY continues. ‘I wanted to do concerts because I love music, and so I found a way to power a concert anywhere. I didn't choose to do anything other than what I love to do every day. I just am what I am: I like batteries, clean energy, dope technology – that’s in my DNA. I had to find a way to perform, because I wasn't allowed to be on the the big stages or in the big venues because I didn't have enough followers, or didn't have a booking agent, or I wasn't with a major record label. So I did it out of necessity.’

For AY, the term sustainability has been overcomplicated and is charged with doomsday predictions that everything's over, we’re too late and there's nothing we can do. ‘I'm taking a different approach’, he shares. ‘We can do something every day – it doesn't even have to be about sustainability. It's just what we should do as humans.’

AY uses the example of ocean plastic; throwing plastic in the ocean is ‘just something we shouldn't do’, he says. ‘Is that being sustainable? I guess you can put that label on it – but overall, we probably just shouldn't throw plastic in the ocean where fish are, where they can suffocate or drown or it can mess things up.’

In the same way, common sense dictates that we should be making use of solar energy; ‘We

Find out more n Discover how other OMMMbassadors are supporting a shift in consciousness at ommmpresents.com

can use the sun to power things’, AY says. ‘It's here. It's available every day. The sun comes out; you can store energy and you can use it to power things. It’s not even about sustainability essentially – it’s just the fact that it’s an energy source that is open and available, so use it. It's dope. It's cool. It works. Like me, that's what I do. I just do what's dope. I do what's cool. It doesn't have to be all about all these labels.’

To AY, the Battery Tour is just the launchpad; he believes his next project – Project 17 – will be the biggest impact album and project of all time. ‘Project 17 has one song for each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals’, AY tells us. ‘Each song has a purpose and a mission to power change across the globe –from climate action and education to ending poverty. We’re talking major artists, real solutions and global storytelling like never before. This isn’t just music. It’s a movement. We’re rewriting what it means to be an artist, an activist and a changemaker. And we’re just getting warmed up.’

HERO PRODUCTS

Introducing our June Heroes!

We’ve picked these products because we believe they are all best in their class for people and the planet. They represent simple, sustainable switches that will help to keep you, your home and the planet healthy –without compromising on experience or performance!

View all our Heroes at mygreenpod.com/heroes

HOME & GARDEN

HONEST MOBILE SIM CARD

It takes less than 24 hours to transfer your number to Honest Mobile, the UK’s only carbonneutral mobile network. mygreenpod.com/heroes/honestmobile-sim-card

DIRTEA

MUSHROOM POWDER

BOXSET

These pure and potent mushroom powders can be added to your coffee, shake or just hot water. mygreenpod.com/heroes/ dirtea-mushroom-powder-boxset

HEALTH & BEAUTY

HOOPSY ECO PREGNANCY TEST

A reliable, accurate pregnancy test made from 99% paper instead of single-use plastic. Gives you the results in five minutes. mygreenpod.com/heroes/hoopsy-eco-pregnancy-test

TOP 5 JUNE SWITCHES

1

Need some sustainable holiday inspo? Lonely Planet’s Flight-Free Europe is the ultimate guide to slow travel, ethical adventure and mindful exploration. @lonelyplanet mygreenpod.com/heroes/ lonely-planet-flight-free-europe

& DRINK

VINTAGE ROOTS ORGANIC EVERYDAY

This selection of six light, organic wines has something for everyone. mygreenpod.com/heroes/vintageroots-organic-everyday

NEVE’S BEES FACE THE DAY

MOISTURISING BALM

With a blend of rose, frankincense and lavender essential oils, this 100% natural, water-free moisturising balm is perfect for keeping skin feeling supple and firm. 10% of profits support projects to bring back pollinators. mygreenpod.com/heroes/ neves-bees-face-the-day-moisturising-balm

2

Tackle plastic pollution and treat your skin at the same time with Pit-Tastic! natural deodorant. It’s fully biodegradable –from wrapper to bar. #PitTastic mygreenpod.com/ heroes/pit-tastic

3

Whether you’re heading to the sun or staying in the UK this summer, incognito Natural Insect Repellent will help to deter biting insects –without using Deet. @incognitoUK mygreenpod.com/ heroes/incognito-naturalinsect-repellent

4

Switch to a bank that will only ever invest your cash in good causes. Triodos only lends money to people and organisations making a positive impact – culturally, socially and environmentally. @triodos mygreenpod.com/ heroes/triodos-ethicalsavings-accounts

5

Sick of ploughing through lots of secondhand websites to find the things you need? Rumage will search across all the sites it’s connected to, then deliver a wide set of results in one go. #Rumage mygreenpod.com/ heroes/rumage

Small swaps, BIG IMPACT

World Environment Day (05 June) isn’t just about planting trees or switching off lights, it’s about rethinking the way we live, consume and care for our bodies and our planet.

One powerful step we can all take is to choose sustainable, natural and eco-conscious products and services that support both personal wellness and environmental health. Here are some inspiring examples of brands doing just that: offering clean, conscious alternatives that help us tread more lightly on the Earth.

SKINCARE THAT HONOURS THE EARTH

Rhythm of Beauty, founded by holistic facialist and natural skincare visionary Louise Allen, takes a truly harmonious approach to beauty.

Rooted in the rhythms of nature and the wisdom of the moon cycles, Louise’s handcrafted seasonal and celestial skincare uses wild-crafted herbs and flowers, grown with reverence and love.

Products like the Celestial Rose Face Cream, infused with blue lotus, pearl and gold, are not only 100% natural but also packaged in elegant glass to retain freshness without synthetic preservatives. It’s skincare that honours the Earth while nurturing your skin.

Eco by Sonya Driver, the Australian skincare brand making waves globally, offers products like the Serum of Plenty, crafted with vitamin C, organic daisy and hyaluronic acid. This vegan, cruelty-free brand prioritises purity, sustainability and ethical sourcing, all while delivering results that speak for themselves.

SUSTAINABLE SUPPLEMENTS

Health & Her offers targeted nutritional support through expertly formulated supplements like

the Multivitamin for Women Taking HRT. Its science-backed, stage-specific products reflect a commitment to efficacy and sustainability, using responsibly sourced ingredients and minimal packaging waste.

True Veda brings centuries of ayurvedic wisdom into the modern age with supplements like its Organic Bacopa Monnieri. Known to enhance clarity, memory and calm, it’s also sustainably sourced, vegan and certified organic – proof that tradition and ethical innovation can go hand in hand.

BOTANICAL WISDOM

Nature Spirits Scotland taps into the subtle energies of plants with its Vibrational Flower Essences and Aromatherapy Mists. Crafted in harmony with nature in the Scottish Highlands, these products capture the spirit of the wild and are designed to gently support emotional wellbeing while maintaining a minimal ecological footprint.

Bona Dea Naturals uses botanical wisdom to deliver gentle, effective care with its Feminine Oil Blend. Made with ingredients like tea tree, calendula

and lemongrass, this natural, dermatologisttested product is a sustainable self-care staple that’s both soothing and Earth friendly. For those seeking a toast without the environmental toll (or the hangover), Thomson & Scott’s Noughty AF range is a gamechanger. The alcohol-free sparkling and still wines are crafted from sustainably grown grapes and low-sugar recipes, proving that celebration can still be conscious.

PLATINUM AWARDS 2025

These brands show that sustainability isn’t a trend – it’s a transformation. Whether it’s skincare made in rhythm with the moon, supplements derived from ancient plants or wine without the waste, each small, mindful choice we make helps build a healthier future for ourselves and the planet.

All these brands have entered the Platinum Awards, which are now in their tenth year of celebrating the best in natural and eco products and holistic services. Please vote for them and nominate your favourite eco brands – you could win a huge hamper of natural skincare!

LEFT TO RIGHT Health & Her Multivitamin for Women Taking HRT (£16.99); Rhythm of Beauty Celestial Rose Face Cream (£55); Eco by Sonya Serum of Plenty (£43.95); Nature Spirits Scotland Flower Essences (£11.99)

Natural beauty expert Janey Lee Grace on how to embrace sustainable wellness

LEFT TO RIGHT

Noughty Alcohol-Free Sparkling Wines (£8.96); Bona Dea Feminine Oil Blend (£18.49); True Veda Organic Bacopa Monnieri (£22.97)

A lighter lifestyle

Olio founders Tessa Clarke and Saasha Celestial-One share 8 ways to live sustainably (that you may not have thought of yet)

The climate crisis was created by billions of tiny actions. At Olio, we believe that by the same logic, a billion other tiny actions should be able to get us out of it.

While many of us want to live more sustainably, the problem can sometimes seem overwhelming. The good news? You don’t have to make huge changes to your lifestyle; a few little tweaks can

1 HAVE ONE ‘CUPBOARD MEAL’ EVERY WEEK

We’ve all got perfectly good food sitting around in the cupboards – it just takes a bit of imagination to turn them into a meal.

Take stock of what you’ve got and plan to cook one meal a week using only what’s in the kitchen. Got something in your cupboard that you’re not going to get round to eating? You can share it with your neighbours on Olio so it doesn’t go to waste!

2 UNDERSTAND WHAT FOOD LABELS MEAN

Some people live by food dates and others totally ignore them – but a lack of understanding can lead to a lot of perfectly good food being binned. Here are the facts: a ‘use by’ date is a health and safety date, but a ‘best before’ just indicates the date before which food is optimal. It can still be perfectly safe and delicious after that for weeks, months or even years.

3

add up to make a big difference to the overall health of our planet.

The internet is overflowing with suggestions for living a more sustainable lifestyle, but we’ve rounded up eight tips that we think are easy to implement (and less commonly suggested) to help you get the ball rolling in your own home. Even one small change will make a difference.

GIVE GIFTS MINDFULLY

First, think about the type of gift you’re giving: can you buy secondhand before you buy brand new? Could you gift an experience instead of an object?

If you do need to buy brand new – ideally a last resort – shop at sustainable, small businesses and choose things made from natural materials that are durable.

Doing a secret Santa? Why not make it a charity shop, vintage or homemade-only gift swap?

4 MOVE YOUR MONEY

Did you know there are savings and pensions companies that are dedicated to investing in environmentally friendly causes? This means you can have a positive impact with your earnings – and if you’re lucky enough to have investments, you can use them to do even more good for the planet. Check out Richard Curtis’ organisation Make My Money Matter.

5 CHANGE HOLIDAY PLANS

One of the most carbon-intensive things we can do is hop on a plane. And while travelling the world is a wonderful thing, maybe you can swap the faff of flying for a train ride, road trip or ferry once in a while. You’ll get to see more of the country and probably have a more comfortable journey –all while massively reducing your carbon footprint.

7

6 FREEZE YOUR BREAD

24 million slices of bread are thrown away by UK households every day. As well as bread, crumpets, pancakes, wraps, pastries, cakes and all manner of other baked goods can be popped in the toaster or defrosted in the microwave directly from the freezer.

REARRANGE YOUR FRIDGE

The way we typically organise our fridges doesn’t help us avoid waste. Instead of keeping milk in the door, you can extend its life by keeping it at the back of the fridge where it’s coldest. Rather than grouping food by type, put the items that are going off soonest at the top of the fridge, and those with the longest shelf life at the bottom. That way, you won’t need to root through everything when you want to figure out what’s in danger of going to waste.

8

BORROW, DON’T BUY

The average drill is used for less than 20 minutes of its entire life, and there are lots of other items that, while necessary, get hardly any use. Use Olio, or simply befriend your neighbours, to save money and space in your home by agreeing to share a few necessary but rarely used items within your community.

TRANSPARENT FARMING

Another concern with some regenerative, non-organic farms is the frequent incorporation of no-till methods to limit soil disturbance. Due to this, some regenerative farmers rely on herbicides such as glyphosate to kill off weeds and cover crops. This can take a heavy toll on the soil, the surrounding environment and, as evidence is increasingly suggesting, our health.

Glyphosate and all other artificial herbicides are banned by organic standards, and many organic farmers already use low- or no-till methods where they are appropriate to the farm environment.

CLAMPING DOWN ON CLAIMS

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has recognised the potential for the term ‘regenerative’ to be misused. In November last year it issued guidance to ensure brands do not overclaim how nature friendly they really are. This includes the stipulation that brands talk about actual outcomes they have achieved now, with relevant statistics, rather than goals they are aiming to achieve in the future.

The guidance also recognises how some brands cherrypick one or two of the regenerative farming principles and then claim to be ‘nature friendly’; it states this kind of tokenism shouldn’t be employed if we are to avoid misleading consumers.

A SHARED FOUNDATION

between organic and regenerative agriculture

Soil Association Certification’s Paige Tracey sets out the differences

Backed by influencers and popping up on shows like Clarkson’s Farm, ‘regenerative agriculture’ may look like the new kid on the block when it comes to environmental restoration.

However, it’s rooted in the principles of organic farming – a system of farming that cares for the health of the soil, plants and animals, respects and protects the environment and ecology and is grounded in techniques that have been producing food for hundreds of years.

A GUIDE TO REGENERATION

The aim of regenerative agriculture is to farm in a way that allows the land, soil, water and nutrients to regenerate instead of becoming depleted, as often happens in conventional agriculture. It offers a practical guide for farmers in the form of five principles: limit soil disturbance, maintain soil cover, avoid monocropping and foster diversity in what is being grown, keep living roots in the soil and integrate livestock and arable systems.

Organic and regenerative farming share a common goal to create a food system that benefits the environment and society, and the tactics above are all excellent ways to restore the land and the environment. However, the key term to note here is ‘guide’. There is currently no legal framework for what constitutes ‘regenerative farming’, meaning farmers are able to call themselves ‘regenerative’ without all – or even any – of the principles being followed.

LEGAL DEFINITIONS IN FARMING

While some farmers do work in a truly regenerative fashion, the term is open to greenwashing by corporations that adopt the label while in reality doing very little to help nature. In its current form, regenerative is an expression of intent – not a legally binding set of standards and principles.

Organic farming, while also being a movement to farm in a more nature-friendly way, comes with a legally defined set of standards. For a farm to be certified organic, it must undergo a yearly inspection to show it is following these standards.

Fossil fuel-derived fertilisers and artificial pesticides are banned under organic standards; as a result organic farms provide spaces for nature to thrive and are, on average, home to 30% more biodiversity than non-organic farms.

Organic farmers must build fertility for their crops in other ways, such as using natural nitrogen-fixing legumes and composts, which help to build healthy and resilient soil.

Organic farming has the added reassurance of higher animal welfare standards, no routine use of antibiotics and no GMOs. The standards also cover the whole supply chain, including how food and drink is prepared, exported, imported and eventually sold.

In contrast, regenerative is currently a term that exists only at the farm level, which creates opportunities for greenwashing further along the supply chain.

Half of all UK food emissions come from the agricultural system that food is grown in. The regenerative movement, which aims to combat this and restore nature at the farm level, should certainly be applauded. It is also worth noting that the term ‘regenerative’ was coined by an organic pioneer in the United States, and many academic studies on regenerative farming are conducted on certified organic farms.

This shared foundation presents an opportunity for regenerative practices to reinforce and amplify the principles of organic agriculture, provided there is no greenwashing.

Harriet Bell, the regenerative farming lead at Riverford, put it best: ‘the best regenerative farmers are organic, and the best organic farmers are regenerative’. Until there is a legal definition of regenerative, consumers should continue to look for the word ‘organic’ on their food and drink to guarantee it comes from a system that works with and regenerates nature.

Find out more

n Discover certified organic food, drink and fashion brands at soilassociation.org

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY FOOD

Let beans shine with these plant-based recipes from BOSH! cooks Henry Firth and Ian Theasby

Find out more

To celebrate World Environment Day, we’ve created two vibrant, bean-based recipes for My Green Pod that put sustainability at the centre of the plate.

As proud ambassadors for Beans Is How, we’re championing the humble bean as a delicious, nutritious and climate-friendly ingredient that can help feed the future.

Whether it’s butter beans blended into a silky mash or spiced into golden ‘sunshine’ sauces, these dishes prove that beans can be bold, beautiful –and anything but boring.

n For more plant-based recipe inspiration, head over to bosh.tv

CRISPY POTATOES

WITH SUNSHINE BEANS

INGREDIENTS

For the potatoes

n 1kg new potatoes

n 3 tbsp olive oil

n 1 tbsp dried thyme

n 1 tbsp flakey sea salt

n Pinch pepper

n 1 tbsp maple syrup

For the yellow beans

n 2 carrots

n 1 garlic clove

n 3 tbsp tahini

n 2 × 400g tin butter beans

n A small pinch of saffron threads (soaked in 2 tbsp warm water)

n 2 tsp turmeric

n Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

n Maple syrup

n Fresh coriander

n Sliced red chilli

Before you start

Baking tray lined with parchment; medium saucepan; oven preheated to 200°C

Serves 4-6 as a side

METHOD

Prepare ingredients

Roughly chop the carrots. Drain the beans.

Roast the potatoes

Place potatoes on the baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle on thyme and salt. Roast for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden. Crush with a jar or the back of a fork, drizzle with the maple syrup then roast for a further 15-20 minutes until super crispy.

Cook the carrots

Meanwhile place the carrots in a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 12 minutes until tender. Drain.

Blend the beans

Add the carrots, garlic, beans, turmeric, tahini, nooch and the soaked saffron (along with its water) to the pan. Gradually pour in water until the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Time to serve

Swirl the blended beans on a serving platter. Top with the crispy potatoes and scatter over more maple syrup, red chilli and fresh coriander.

CAULIFLOWER

STEAKS WITH HARISSA BUTTERBEAN MASH  Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

For the cauliflower steaks

n 1 cauliflower

n 1 tsp ground cumin

n 1 tsp ground coriander

n 1 tsp smoked paprika

n 1 tsp salt

n 1 tsp pepper

n 2 tbsp olive oil

n 2 tbsp water

n 1 tbsp maple syrup

For the cauliflower mash

n 1 cauliflower (remaining florets)

n 1 400g tin butter beans

n 2 tbsp olive oil

n 2 tbsp harissa paste

n Salt and pepper to taste

For the tahini sauce

n 4 tbsp tahini

n 100ml water

n ½ lemon

n Salt to taste

For the zippy coriander sauce

n 30g coriander

n 1 small green chilli

n ½ lemon

n 4 tbsp olive oil

Before you start

Large ovenproof pan; oven at 200ºC (fan);

1 baking tray lined with baking paper

METHOD

Prepare the whipped tahini

Place the tahini in a small bowl with the lemon juice. Pour in the water, whisking until it comes together as a smooth and creamy sauce. Set to one side.

Prepare the zippy coriander sauce

Trim the green chilli. Add the chilli, coriander, lemon juice and olive oil to the bullet blender and blitz into a smooth sauce (add a splash of water if you need to loosen the sauce). Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper. Set to one side.

Prepare the cauliflower steaks

Trim the cauliflower of its leaves and remove a little slice of the stem so the base of the stem is neat. Cut a thick slice out of the middle of the cauliflower – the slice should be as thick as the stem. Carefully cut the slice in half lengthwise to create two ‘steaks’. Set the remaining cauliflower to one side.

Prepare the cauliflower marinade and marinate

Add the cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, water and maple syrup to a small bowl and stir to combine. Brush the marinade over the steaks, on both sides. Put the steaks on the baking tray, put the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Prepare the butter bean and cauliflower mash

Roughly chop the reserved cauliflower. Place in a large pot of boiling salted water and boil for 10-12 minutes until very tender. Transfer the boiled cauliflower to a blender and leave to cool for a few minutes, add the butter beans and blend until smooth (add a splash of water to get a nice smooth consistency).

Cook the mash

Warm the olive oil and harissa in a frying pan over medium heat. Transfer the creamed butter bean and cauliflower, stir to combine and warm through until simmering.

Time to serve

Transfer the mash to serving plates and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Top with the cauliflower steaks. Drizzle over the tahini and coriander sauce and serve.

A greener wedding starts with the menu

River Cottage’s Jessica Church reveals tips for sustainable food choices on your special day

Your wedding day is a celebration of love, and with a few thoughtful choices it can also be a celebration of the planet.

Food is at the heart of every great wedding –from the canapés to the cake – yet 10% of all wedding food is wasted each year. Whether it’s unfinished meals, discarded edible favours or untouched slices of wedding cake, it all adds up.

The good news? By being mindful about your food choices, you can create a menu that’s delicious, memorable and far kinder to the environment.

WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE MENU?

Choosing a sustainable wedding menu isn’t just a trend, it’s a meaningful way to make your big day even more special.

Reducing food waste is a powerful first step. When so much love and effort goes into preparing beautiful food, it’s a shame for it to go uneaten and wasted. A sustainable menu also means choosing produce that’s in season, supporting biodiversity and enjoying ingredients at their very best.

Yet it’s not just about what’s on your plate. Sourcing locally and seasonally cuts down on food miles, reduces emissions and strengthens local farming communities. It’s a simple way to make a real difference and do your bit.

HOW TO CHAMPION SUSTAINABILITY

At River Cottage, sustainable food is at the very heart of everything we do – and our wedding menus are no exception. We are passionate about cooking within the seasons, and we design dishes that celebrate the freshest produce available.

TIPS FOR AN ECO WEDDING MENU

Here are some simple ways to create a greener wedding menu.

1 Confirm your guest list early

The earlier you can finalise your guest numbers, the better. Providing accurate information to your venue helps prevent over-catering, which in turn helps to reduce both costs and food waste. It also ensures every plate is prepared with intention and enjoyed by someone special.

2 Feature sharing dishes

Sharing-style side dishes give guests the freedom to serve themselves, meaning they are able to take exactly what they want. In return you get to avoid piles of uneaten food. This approach also helps to create a wonderfully relaxed, convivial atmosphere around the table.

KEEPING IT LOCAL

We believe that seasonal produce, harvested at its peak, is richer in flavour, meaning your wedding feast will be all the more delicious and satisfying. We also take pride in growing much of our own food on site.

In fact, we cultivate around 26 varieties of tomato alone, just to give you a small glimpse into our love of homegrown ingredients.

When we source from elsewhere, we work closely with local growers and suppliers who share our passion for sustainability and quality, like Trill Farm & Lyme Bay Seafood Co.

LOVE, FOOD & THE FUTURE

Your wedding day is a reflection of your values, your story and your dreams for the future. By making thoughtful choices around your food, you are creating a day that not only nourishes your guests but also treads more lightly on the Earth.

At River Cottage, we believe that small actions, like choosing seasonal produce or minimising food waste, can have a big impact.

A greener wedding is not about being perfect, it is more about being mindful with the choices available to you. And that, like your wedding day itself, is something that is truly worth celebrating.

If you would like to celebrate your wedding with us at River Cottage – in our award-winning farm venue, nestled among rolling hills on the Devon and Dorset border – we would love to hear from you.

3 Cook within the seasons

Choosing seasonal ingredients doesn’t just make environmental sense – it makes culinary sense, too. Seasonal food bursts with flavour and requires less transportation and packaging, making it a natural choice for a greener wedding menu. Get a taste of what we offer at a River Cottage dining feast.

4 Plan for leftovers

A beautiful way to avoid waste (and extend the celebrations) is to encourage guests to take leftovers home. Think about providing guests with reusable containers for slices of wedding cake or extra treats –this is a great way to ensure that the love continues well beyond the last dance.

When the mirror distorts

OMMM

co-founder Michelle Narciso on AI, spirituality & the need for discernment

Arecent Rolling Stone article sheds light on a growing concern: individuals slipping into states of psychosis, delusion or obsession following intense, ungrounded interactions with AI models like ChatGPT.

In some cases, users start to believe they have been chosen by AI or cosmic forces; others lose their grip on reality entirely, interpreting the AI's mirrored responses as divine confirmations.

As unsettling as these stories are, they call us to something deeper: a conversation about discernment, design and the sacred responsibility of reflection.

As a movement rooted in consciousness, OMMM recognises the promise of technology – and its pitfalls. AI is not inherently dangerous, but it is powerful – and, like any mirror, it doesn't know who is standing in front of it.

A MIRROR, NOT A MIND

ChatGPT does not possess awareness. It is not sentient, wise or spiritually attuned. It reflects back what it receives – tone, belief, emotion, rhythm. For the grounded user, this can be illuminating. For the vulnerable, it can be destabilising.

The danger arises when users mistake reflection for truth. If someone enters a conversation when they are in a fragile or delusional state, AI may reinforce those beliefs – not through malice, but because it lacks the ability to ethically intervene or question. This is a fault not of intention but of design.

In many spiritual traditions, mirrors are sacred tools. They reveal. They distort. They initiate. But they must be handled with care. When uncontained, they can pull us too far inward –away from connection, body and community.

As seekers, we must pair exploration with responsibility. AI can support reflection, but it must never replace community, teachers or embodied practice.

AVOIDING DISCONNECTION

Technology is a tool, not a guide. When used in isolation, it can accelerate disconnection instead of awakening. Spirituality without grounding becomes fantasy, and mirrors without discernment become distortion.

The rise of AI in spiritual spaces reveals a crucial need: for those of us holding space to anchor our communities in presence, body and clarity.

Just because something feels resonant does not mean it is real. Just because a mirror speaks our language does not mean it knows our path.

WHEN TECH MEETS INTEGRITY

OMMM believes that technology can serve the evolution of consciousness when paired with integrity. This means designing AI tools that reinforce grounding and inner alignment, and including built-in reminders that the AI is not sentient or spiritually authoritative.

Users should be encouraged to reflect, pause and re-engage with their own wisdom and community, and language that suggests AI is divine, magical or omniscient should be avoided.

STAYING AWAKE

We are in a new era – where mirrors talk back and where spiritual language can be mimicked with unnerving precision.

But the answer is not to fear technology; it is to stay awake. To remember that tools reflect, they do not lead. And to hold one another, especially the most vulnerable, in spaces of support, embodiment and real-world connection.

The real wisdom is not in the algorithm. The real wisdom is in the one who asks. Let us never forget the difference. We want to be the channel to showcase it.

Find out more n Information about OMMM and how to get involved is at ommmpresents.com

Finding happiness

Jarvis Smith explores how we can all be the best version of ourselves

For several years

I have been drawn to be in service to others – to share what I know about the changing climate, the way I see life and the world we live in and why we must strive to always be the best possible version of ourselves.

What drives me to want to help others, and do you have it too? Is it the only way we can come back to wholeness?

It seems to me the most fundamental aspect of the human experience is to be joyful and happy in relationship with everything around us; with other humans, places, animals, nature – you get my drift. When we are feeling happy, life becomes a beautifully enriching experience.

Does this start with being happy with ourselves first? The obvious answer is yes, but what does that actually mean? Isn’t what makes us happy different for everyone? Well actually, no – I don’t think it is.

DEFINING HAPPINESS

For me happiness is a feeling that can be enriched by people and the environment, but if we let those outside experiences dictate how we feel then we are not in control of our own experiences and how they affect us. Only when we are sufficiently

Have a happy thought, or even one full of gratitude and appreciation for what you have right now in this moment, and it will bring more situations for you to be happy and grateful for.

Find out more

balanced, comfortable and happy in our own bodies, minds and emotions can we be truly happy with others.

We are in control of our thoughts and feelings; they don’t just wash over us (unless we let them). We are able to choose whether we have that thought or not, feel that emotion or not. Of course sometimes there are extremes which are much harder to control, and receptive feelings can become habits or even addictions.

My point here is that we can choose to have a feeling or thought or not, and I have found this – taught to me by my yoga and shamanic teacher –to be key to my own happiness.

It’s great to recognise that those thoughts are what creates our experiences; if we think negative thoughts, this will create negative experiences. Have a happy thought, or even one full of gratitude and appreciation for what you have right now in this moment, and it will bring more situations for you to be happy and grateful for. It really is that simple. Go on, give it a go – have a practice every day, and let that practice infuse every moment.

MY DAILY RITUAL

The practice that helps me is a kriya, a simple process or technology using breathwork, sound and meditation.

I start the day with a cold shower, and then find a quiet room to sit and breathe with intention to cleanse my mind and my body.

By holding one nostril and breathing out and in again, then swapping nostrils for around five minutes, I am able to cleanse my mind.

I then chant 21 Oms; starting with a wide-open mouth, I get the sound right into my base and then slowly close my mouth to a hum and let the sound move through my body upwards and into the skull to give my body and energy a cleanse and reboot.  I end with some fast, short breaths for two minutes and then hold my breath for as long as I can before exhaling, holding again empty for as long as possible and then slowly releasing. After this process I sit quietly with a still, clear mind for around five minutes.

FIND TIME TO RECONNECT

This works for me; it keeps my stress levels low and my happiness levels high, which leads to a much happier person inside. I hope this also helps me to be a happier person with everyone I come into contact with that day.

It’s important to say that I’m very lucky to have a beautiful family that creates this time for me each morning, so I can be a better version of myself every day.

So in the spirit of gratitude and appreciation, thank you to Katie and our children for giving me this space each day.

Do try and give yourself some time each day to reconnect with you. It can change everything.

n For more on inner work and to connect with a movement of like-hearted people, visit ommmpresents.com

WOMEN & CHANGE

Dr Scilla Elworthy looks at why women understand change, and the role they could play in the transition to a sustainable future

This year’s World Environment Day comes exactly two months before countries meet again to continue negotiating a global treaty to end plastic pollution.

It occurs to me that there is something to say about why women should be the ones to lead such an effort.

FROM BIRTH TO BURIAL

In many countries women are still the growers –the ones responsible for sowing and harvesting, who know only too well what happens when crops are devastated by sudden weather changes. Environmental change is pivotal to their ability to feed their families.

Women know about change. Everywhere in the world, women feel their bodies alter radically as they grow up. They are obliged to come to terms with profound changes in themselves in ways that men do not, for example to deal with menstruation and blood at a young age – and for decades thereafter.

Giving birth and then caring for a helpless human being are huge tasks of nature and enable women to experience just how fragile – and how precious – life is.

And when it comes to debris and clearing up, it is often women who do the job. They often have to attend to the consequences of war – searching for the dead, laying out the bodies, dealing with death and burial. Women know about mess and waste.

These are some of the reasons why, when it comes to World Environment Day, women could play a leading part in bringing about change.

LESSONS FROM NATURE

In agricultural areas women know all about recycling; how crops become straw that becomes compost that nourishes the next crop.

In urban areas, through schools, mothers could take part in a global plan to alert their children to just how much plastic they throw away every day, and exactly what this plastic does to destroy the environment.

This could begin with the simple act of showing their children how they are personally changing their shopping habits to avoid plastic at all costs. Even walking the kids home from school presents an opportunity for learning; mothers could point out how a tree sheds its leaves –

leaves that collect on the ground and then, with rain, make a mulch that will nourish the tree and its offspring. And explain that those trees do this every year for decades.

A FLOURISHING COMMUNITY

Here’s what happened in my village during Covid-19 when the local primary school was shut down. The kids were getting a bit bored at home and missing their friends. I asked Jack, aged six: ‘Would you like to learn to grow your very own beanstalk?’ Jack said yes, he very much would –and it so happened that he told his friends.

The instruction went out to meet on Zoom at 2pm, with a plastic pot and some compost. Jack’s mum rushed around distributing bean seeds. At 2pm the following Monday, 16 children were glued to screens in their homes with their parents, some compost, a bean seed and a plant pot.

The elderly gardener gave solemn instructions, stressing most particularly that each child must talk to their bean as they planted it, and then every day for a week, to encourage it to grow. This they did.

And here’s the evidence. At 2pm the Monday after, they were jumping up and down at the sight of tiny shoots peeking through the compost.

The following week they planted cress, and the following week they planted tomato seeds. In no time their parents had been badgered into digging up the back yard.

Gardens, not to mention tottering towers of runner beans began to flourish all over the village.

FIXING TOUGH PROBLEMS

Back to World Environment Day. It’s worth asking: if women worldwide had the time, the exposure and the media access that men have had, what would we do about waste, about pollution?

To answer this question, we need to choose the women who would be most articulate and original in the build-up to World Environment Day.

Christiana Figueres immediately springs to mind, she who assumed responsibility for the international climate change negotiations after the failed Copenhagen conference of 2009.

Over the next five years Christiana Figueres led the progress to a universally agreed regulatory framework, culminating in the historic Paris Agreement of 2015.

This is a woman who, we can see, knows the issues inside out – who knows how international campaigns work, who can reach a massive global network and who has an impeccable track record in fixing tough problems.

ABOUT DR SCILLA ELWORTHY

Triple-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with Oxford Research Group to develop effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers worldwide and their critics, Scilla founded Peace Direct in 2002 to fund, promote and learn from local peace-builders in conflict areas. She was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize in 2003, the Luxembourg Peace Prize in 2020, the GOI Peace Award in 2023 and advised Peter Gabriel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sir Richard Branson in setting up The Elders. Her TED talk on nonviolence has been viewed by over 1,500,000 people. She founded The Business Plan for Peace to help prevent destructive conflict and build sustainable peace throughout the world, based on her latest books The Business Plan for Peace: Building a World Without War (2017), The Mighty Heart: how to transform conflict (2020) and The Mighty Heart in Action (2022).

In search of FREEDOM

Within a week of selling her business, Nadia Denise Duinker stumbled upon an online listing: ‘Abandoned village in Central Portugal’. ‘The title alone had me hooked’, Nadia remembers. ‘I flew to Portugal with my father a few days later, walked the land and signed the purchase agreement on the spot. My husband hadn’t even seen it yet.’

The move was bold, but not entirely uncharacteristic; Nadia and her husband have a background in hospitality in Amsterdam, and a track record transforming abandoned spaces into thriving cultural hotspots.

Among other projects, the couple created the popular Volkshotel as well as Amsterdam Roest, a café and event venue with a city beach on a forgotten patch of industrial land near the centre of Amsterdam, and Canvas, a rooftop bar, restaurant and art space on top of an old newspaper building.

The Quarantine, a small neighbourhood café and restaurant, made use of a building that had been squatted by Nadia’s parents-in-law the early 1980s, and held deep emotional value for his family.

‘I love working with a blank canvas, especially when it has a soul’, Nadia explains. ‘That’s what I felt in Portugal: the raw potential of the abandoned village. The buildings carried the timeless energy of the past – remnants of a once-thriving village created a structure, but it could be shaped to an emerging vision.’

BUILDING PARADISE

That vision was to build a lifestyle and eventually an eco resort – Freedom Ville – rooted in selfsufficiency. It was formalised at the height of the Covid pandemic; ‘We wanted to be closer to nature, to our children and to ourselves’, Nadia tells us. ‘Freedom Ville is not just a business – it’s a life project, growing and transforming alongside my own personal journey.’

The seed for Freedom Ville had been planted years earlier, while Nadia was travelling solo through Asia and Australia. ‘That journey showed me I wasn’t made for the corporate world’, she shares. ‘I wanted to build a piece of paradise somewhere – a place where people could connect, share stories and bridge worlds.’

Today that piece of paradise is up and running as a 14-hectare estate complete with a whale-

shaped pool, a mini spa, outdoor whirlpool bath, village taberna (social hub) and a large group pavilion for workshops and bodywork.

Guests can expect the comfort of modern life while being embraced by nature and enjoying an off-grid experience, with massages and healing treatments provided by local practitioners. ‘Freedom Ville is a sanctuary for rest, regeneration, creativity and transformation’, Nadia explains. ‘A place to stop becoming and simply be.’

INCLUSIVE SUSTAINABILITY

Visitors have the option to enjoy a short stay, a custom-designed private retreat or one of Freedom Ville’s curated programmes. ‘From the

very beginning, inclusivity has been key’, Nadia tells us. ‘When I was 18, staying in a hostel on my first solo trip, I met a businessman who preferred it over a fancy hotel. He said, ‘Here, I connect. There, I am alone.’ That stuck with me. I want to create spaces where people from all walks of life feel welcome. From age 0 to 100, from every background. We need diversity to make life rich, vibrant and full of possibilities.’

Freedom Ville’s 19 unique accommodations underline this inclusivity; guests can choose from tiny houses, yurts, studio apartments, hotel rooms and budget options. Each space is uniquely styled with handmade interiors crafted from local natural materials and an eclectic mix of design pieces that have been collected over the years.

The village’s existing structures have been honoured, but the thick schist stone walls and traditional layouts now have new insulated roofs, and exposed stonework has been blended with soft plaster finishes. High-quality and locally sourced materials such as pinewood, marble and granite have been used throughout.

‘Our rooms offer all the essential modern comforts, but with conscious exceptions’, Nadia says. ‘We are solar powered and raise awareness among guests about energy usage. There are no

An abandoned village in Portugal has become a sustainable sanctuary for inner transformation

hairdryers, we have whistling kettles instead of electric ones and fans in place of air conditioning. After sundown, energy-intensive systems switch off automatically. We recycle, reduce waste and are continuously working towards circularity.’

Freedom Ville promotes shared cooking and encourages guests to use produce from its garden. In addition to its sustainability benefits, this approach helps to foster a sense of community that Nadia sees as crucial to wellbeing.

‘Community is the foundation of a meaningful life’, Nadia shares. ‘It brings safety, collaboration, inspiration and shared joy. Through relationships we grow, reflect and understand ourselves more deeply; we believe that one plus one can equal three; that together, we become greater than the sum of our parts. We host gatherings, communal meals, events, and co-creation opportunities that nurture this collective spirit.’

TRANSFORMATION IN NATURE

Freedom Ville has been created sensitively and in harmony with its environment, in a way that honours the land, community, culture and history. The strong emphasis on nature plays an important role in the retreat’s goal to initiate change and inner transformation.

‘Just being here invites people to turn inward’, Nadia shares. ‘Even without a structured programme, the energy of the land allows for deeper clarity. The comfort and aesthetic calm the nervous system, allowing people to reconnect with their inner voice and intuition.’

Freedom Ville currently offers therapeutic sessions, bodywork and expression practices. As it evolves, the aim is to create immersive retreat experiences that merge creativity, nature, personal development and spiritual alignment. ‘It’s about unlearning what no longer serves and reprogramming ourselves into the conscious creators we are meant to be’, Nadia tells us.

‘Nature is our teacher, our home and our greatest guide’, Nadia shares. ‘She moves us through her seasons and cycles, showing us when to bloom and when to rest. She helps us remember our essence – that we are not separate, but deeply connected. Nature reveals the illusion of the matrix and offers the path back to wholeness.’

ART & CREATIVITY

Art and artists feature prominently at this resort and creativity is the heartbeat of Freedom Ville. It lives in the hand-painted signs, the interior details and the curated art that’s tucked into every corner.

CLOCKWISE

Freedom Ville has turned an abandoned village into a sanctuary for transformation; guests can enjoy the whale-shaped pool; Nadia and her family at Freedom Ville; the whirlpool hot tub is surrounded by nature; 19 unique accommodations are available; therapeutic sessions are available to guests

Artists leave behind works that will eventually form a walking art route through the land – an evolving open-air museum that invites stillness, reflection and awe. It is a co-creation between human imagination and the landscape itself.

In the long term, the goal at Freedom Ville is to regenerate the 14 hectares of land and launch impactful collaborations through the resort’s Art & Nature Foundation. ‘We aim to partner with companies willing to invest in reforestation and land regeneration, to expand our reach and resilience against wildfires’, Nadia tells us. ‘We envision becoming a model for how communities, corporations and artists can co-create sustainable, meaningful change. With each year, Freedom Ville will grow into an even more beautiful, transformative sanctuary – a place of rebirth, where people return to their essence with the help of nature and a network of devoted souls walking their unique paths to heal the world.’

‘We’re always open to co-creation’, Nadia continues; ‘if our story or vision has sparked something in you, we’d love to hear from you.’

Find out more

n Book your stay at Freedom Ville, or learn about available programmes, at freedomville.pt

COMPETITIONS

We’ve got our hands on a bunch of prizes from fantastic companies that are doing things differently. We love them all and we want to give you a chance to get to know them, too – so we’re running these competitions so you can have a go and see for yourself!

We’ve hand-picked this selection of green pearls – including sustainable fashion and textiles, tickets for a Summer Music in City Churches concert and even a romantic break for two at Freedom Ville in Portugal – to help get your summer off to the sunniest start possible. Good luck!

To enter and view any Ts & Cs, visit mygreenpod.com

TICKETS TO THE LIM FANTASY OF

COMPANIONSHIP SUITE

We’re giving away two tickets to this concert at St Giles’ Cripplegate, on 19 June, featuring Mark Bebbington on piano with flute and strings from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Deadline for entries: 13.06.25

£150 OF THTC CLOTHING

One reader will receive a £150 voucher to spend on award-winning hemp clothing from THTC – including T-shirts, women’s tank tops and socks. This hemp streetwear brand has been worn and supported by hundreds of celebs, musicians and activists, and is ranked the UK’s most ethical clothing company by Ethical Consumer.

Deadline for entries: 26.06.25

A COPY OF REVERSING CANCER

We’re giving away a copy of Reversing Cancer, by UK Health Radio founder Johann Ilgenfritz. This is a sciencebacked blueprint for wellness, rooted in the latest research on nutrition, inflammation, pH balance and disease prevention. Despite the bold title, the book is not about blame but about empowerment.

Deadline for entries: 05.09.25

A BREAK FOR TWO AT FREEDOM VILLE

We’re giving one lucky reader – and their partner – the chance to be immersed in nature at Freedom Ville eco resort in Portugal, with five days’ accommodation and a couple’s massage to help them relax into the serene environment. The break must be booked for summer 2025.

Deadline for entries: 11.07.25

£500 TO SPEND AT INDILISI

One lucky reader will get to spend £500 on clothes or textiles from Indilisi, which supports female artisans and organic smallholder farmers while promoting regenerative practices in textiles and fashion. The winner will be able to shop from across the responsibly made range of organic textiles, accessories, menswear and womenswear.

Deadline for entries: 18.07.25