Imperfect Eco-Hero

While there is no doubt that WHAT we eat impacts climate change most, however, what about HOW we eat? One third of all food produced globally goes to food waste; at the same time, food insecurity is an increasing issue all across the world. These were just some of the thoughts four friends in Switzerland asked themselves when they brainstormed together what they could do more to tackle this problem. Project Äss-Bar was created as not only a business in a new niche, but also as a community-based project to reduce food wastage across Switzerland. Today's guest and one of the founders of Äss-Bar, Dr. Raoul Stöckle, will talk more about how they're tackling these issues and more, all through baked goods. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero and Äss Bar on Instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Games serve so many different roles in our lives. They can be a form of art, they can be a method of escapism from the hecticness of life, and they can convene community by connecting people all across the world. But can games also heal our relationship to nature and help us navigate the climate crisis? Today's guest, Daniel Fernandez Galeote is a game designer and a doctoral researcher at the Gamification Group, Tampere University. His research aims to understand the potential of games for climate change engagement and combines the study of existing games with the creation of new ones. His work is enriched by frequent conversations with scientists, educators, activists, and game developers, among others and considers a variety of environmental issues and topics. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on Instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

The islands of The Bahamas are a tropical hot spot and rank among the best destinations in the world for its beauty, stunning coral reefs, and a spectacular diversity of marine life. But like every coastal region in the world, unfortunately, the Bahamas is also home to ocean plastic pollution. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of both our guests today, Kristal Ambrose and Asia Butler, the Bahamas is moving towards a healthier future above and below the surface. Both Bahamian natives, Kristal is the founder of Bahamas Plastic Movement, a non-profit that is building a community of education and activism around plastic pollution in this Caribbean island chain. Asia is one of her students from her Plastic Warrior summer camp programs and citizen science projects, making profound change not only within the non-profit but in her community as well. Kristal and Asia's work is especially significant and relevant given the recent global achievement made. Just earlier this month at the United Nations Environmental Assembly 173 countries agreed to develop a legally binding treaty on plastics to end plastic pollution! Thanks to both of their immense love for the underwater world, Kristal and Asia, along with all the Bahamas Plastic Movement crew, are truly creating positive change for the ocean. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on Instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Last summer, Jordan stumbled upon an exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC. One installation was particularly inspiring and impactful. It was called “Flying Gardens of Maybe”, part of the Unsettled Nature exhibit. This installation reflected on the age of humans in relation to the Earth, by examining the unintended consequences of human actions on nonhuman life. We then made an Instagram post highlighting the artist, Andrew Yang, as an Imperfect Eco-Hero. To our delight, we were recently able to connect with and interview this artist! Andrew Yang is not only an incredible artist whose work has been showcased globally, but holds a PhD in Biology and an MFA in Fine Arts, and is an associate professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In today's episode, we're exploring the clash between art and science, the implications of one's impacts, building meaningful connections as a climate activist, gracious failures, and how to communicate questions rather than answers.

The interconnectedness between the planet and human psychology is not necessarily a new idea, but conversations about it do need to be had more, especially as it relates to how humans can learn to cope psychologically with the existential threat that is the climate crisis. In previous episodes we've ventured into conversations about climate-anxiety and eco-grief. In this episode, we're digging a little deeper to discover what it means to embrace the biodiversity of emotions and to welcome radical hope into our lives with guest and eco-hero, Caroline Hickman. Caroline is lecturer at the University of Bath in social work and climate psychology, is a practicing ‘climate-aware psychotherapist', and has done extensive research on children and young people's relationships with nature and feelings about the climate and ecological crisis.  Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

So many narratives within activism and environmentalism tell us what we're doing is wrong or shames us for 'not doing enough'. But perfectionism is the enemy of growth, which instills shame. It is a mindset encouraged by capitalistic economics and societies that reduces our identities to just our achievements and removes our sense of humanity. That capitalistic perfectionism hinders our work; it makes us take on too much responsibility, and heightens our feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, while simultaneously fueling our burnout. It also leads us to criticize ourselves and each other instead of supporting our mutual work. That is why in this two-part episode, we chatted with the amazing Sarah JS from the Good Grief Network, to learn how to embrace our environmental hypocrisy and recognize that the inescapable nature of climate change is kind of the whole point to this problem. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero.

So many narratives within activism and environmentalism tell us what we're doing is wrong or shames us for 'not doing enough'. But perfectionism is the enemy of growth, which instills shame. It is a mindset encouraged by capitalistic economics and societies that reduces our identities to just our achievements and removes our sense of humanity. That capitalistic perfectionism hinders our work; it makes us take on too much responsibility, and heightens our feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, while simultaneously fueling our burnout. It also leads us to criticize ourselves and each other instead of supporting our mutual work. That is why in this two-part episode, we chatted with the amazing Sarah JS from the Good Grief Network, to learn how to embrace our environmental hypocrisy and recognize that the inescapable nature of climate change is kind of the whole point to this problem. Follow us on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

An eco-hero's journey can unfold in so many different ways, it can be hard to know where to begin, especially if you're someone who wants to pursue a career in the environmental field. In this episode, we're talking to Jacob Ke, an absolute incredible human being and life-long eco-hero, who has an incredible passion for conservation and his work in the field. We're exploring how the local ecology shapes one's understanding of nature, what it's like to pursue environment studies in school, how to figure out one's next step as an environmentalist, the hard truth about the challenges of job security and maintaining one's mental health when working in the environmental field, using personal social media channels to share the joys of compassionate environmental communication, and finding magic in nature photography. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Have you ever wondered what your digital and communication habits have on climate change? Especially now with this pandemic-driven shift to remote work and more at-home entertainment, it presents significant environmental impacts due to how internet data is stored and transferred around the world. The majority of the carbon emissions from the Internet comes from the information communications and technology industry, which delivers the internet, video, and cloud services we use on a daily basis. A huge area for improvement is the systems that make up these industries, and is an area of study having a huge resurgence in the academic world. In this eye-opening two-part episode, we interviewed PhD candidate from McGill University, Helen Hayes, to chat about her research on the intersections between tech policy, data collection/digitization, and oil extraction. In Part 2, we continued our conversation on how and who is causing environmental degradation within these industries, mitigation techniques and next steps individuals can do to help, and highlighted the urgent need for a paradigm shift in our discourse on climate change, specifically within the media and journalism. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Have you ever wondered how your digital communication habits affect climate change? Especially now with this pandemic-driven shift to remote work and more at-home entertainment, our habits present significant environmental impacts due to how internet data is stored and transferred around the world. The majority of carbon emissions from the Internet comes from the information communications and technology industry, which delivers not only the internet, but also the video and cloud services we use on a daily basis. A big area for improvement is the systems that make up these industries, and is an area of study having a huge resurgence in the academic world. In this eye-opening two-part episode we interviewed PhD candidate, Helen Hayes, from McGill University in Canada, to chat about her research on the intersections between tech policy, data collection/digitization, and oil extraction. In Part 1, we dived into her journey with academia and environmental communications, and also learned how a trombone was the catalyst to it all. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

What happens when you're shamed for your parenting or for your choice of becoming a parent at all in relation to environmentalism and the climate crisis? How can you talk to your child about climate change without overwhelming them? How do you raise an imperfect eco hero? Like other folks trying to navigate both parenting and environmentalism simultaneously, D2 is no stranger to these challenging questions. D2, manager of Start The Waves' graphic design needs for all channels and communications, has joined us on this episode to discuss their experiences of how environmentalism, parenting and art all intersect within their life, and play an important role in how they find comfort in imperfection. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero and Start the Wave on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero and @start_the_wave. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

In Part 2 of our two-part interview with Start the Wave, we continue our conversation with the founder, Dom P-C, and their Project and Research Manager, Randi Ramdeen, to dive deeper into themes their non-profit and Imperfect Eco-Hero have in common. Elements so vital to the climate movement that have often been missing. We chat about the importance of building community to amplify change and encourage self-growth, the urgency to dismantle the notion of perfectionism in our activism and the shame associated with it, and learn about all the new projects Start the Wave is working on. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero at @imperfect_ecohero and Start the Wave @start_the_wave on instagram. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Building communities is a process that not only fosters connection amongst people, but it offers a collective space for experience sharing. The act of collective learning and sharing becomes a very empowering practice that can turn into a source of motivation, inspiration, learning and support for the people in the community. One non-profit organization that really harnesses the importance and power of community is Start the Wave. We sat down with the founder of Start the Wave, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, and their Project and Research Manager, Randi Ramdeen, for a 2-part interview to discuss how they've built this movement that centres on community and accountability so that it can meet people where they're at, to inspire them to become their own wave-makers. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero and Start the Wave on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero and @start_the_wave. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Oftentimes, it can feel very routine to understand societal issues and topics separately from one another. Even within the environmental movement, discussions can divide issues into smaller individual categories, and sometimes the larger interconnectedness between it all can seem lost. In this episode, Colombian environmental activist Laura Hernández joins us to discuss the importance of challenging this understanding of the world; she believes that the way to protect the Earth is to connect with it and understand everything as one beautiful system. Laura is the creator and president of the NGO called Generación Enraizada, which aims to empower young people to make a change, connect with nature and become guardians of the Earth. She works with many indigenous communities around Colombia in order to promote the preservation of indigenous culture and knowledge to foster both cultural and environmental conservation. Through these experiences she has had the chance to live in the heart of the Colombian jungle, connect with different ecosystems, and encourage a stronger relationship that humans have towards Nature. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Many of us have heard about the damage the fast fashion industry has had not only on the planet but with their exploitation of labour as well. But did you know that the ‘fast beauty' industry has been plagued by all the same ethical and sustainable challenges too? Beauty and makeup, like fashion, is a product of the crossroads between creativity and commercialism. It is transforming from a slow monopolized industry to a majorly saturated market with new products being launched daily. We sat down with California-based clean beauty chemist, sustainability enthusiast and Founder of The Rebrand Skincare, Aubri Thompson, to chat more about the rise of consumerism and the push for more green cosmetics in this new clean beauty market. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Nature and mental health often have a bit of a catch-22 relationship which has become more prominent as the climate crisis worsens. Nature has always been known to have a nurturing and positive effect on our mental health, but what happens to our own well-being when that same nature gets taken away and destroyed? We delved into this complicated relationship with a young German filmmaker named Laura, who's working on a film project called Kintsugi. Her project aims to highlight this connection especially now during the pandemic. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

Stories make climate change relatable by drawing on common experience and core human values. They take listeners on an emotional journey and offer a sense of hope that inspires positive change. To chat more about the power of story-telling in the climate movement, Jordan and Mimi interviewed the brilliant story-teller and writer, Linh Nguyen. Linh is a Vietnamese-Canadian writer who specializes in #OwnVoices children's literature and creative non-fiction, and is passionate about creating communities for underrepresented artists in mainstream media. On top of telling her story and journey to her first book, we also discussed the importance of positive story-telling in the climate movement, the privilege of accessing nature, and the significance of intersectional environmentalism. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com/episodes.

We figured a good place to start with sharing stories, was with our own stories. In this episode, Mimi interviews Jordan about her life and how sharks were both the catalyst and inspiration for her getting involved in the climate movement. Learn about the incredible legacy of one amazing Canadian Conservationist who's story and mission in life not only inspired her and millions of others across the world, but was also the inspiration behind this podcast as well. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram at @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com.

Conversations around making sustainable choices often include the actions we take as consumers: what food we eat, which products we buy, how we dispose of our material goods. But, sustainability doesn't have to only be about consumer choices. Maybe the best place to start to become more sustainable is in how we think about nature and how we talk about nature. In this episode, join Jordan and Mimi as they discuss how we can better use the tool of language to make sustainable choices and work towards repairing the human-nature relationship. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com.

Welcome to the first episode of Imperfect Eco-Hero with hosts Jordan and Mimi! Imperfect Eco-Hero is a podcast that aims to use storytelling as a way to connect with and celebrate the local ecology and global community of people who are resisting the commodification, privatization and exploitation of the Earth and all life on it. By changing the way, we view our relationship with nature, we believe that the seeming impossibilities of climate change can be made possible and ecological justice can be achieved. Follow Imperfect Eco-Hero on instagram @imperfect_ecohero. Find more information and resources about this episode at www.imperfectecohero.com.