Earth Your While

Send us Fan Mail What does it take for a business to be genuinely good for its people, its community and the planet, and how can it keep getting better? On this episode of Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie meet Laura Slack, founder of Planet & Purpose, a UK-based B Corp and impact consultancy. After 15 years in the police, Laura found a new way to help people: supporting purpose-driven businesses with B Corp certification and impact strategy. B Corp standards have changed, bringing a stronger focus on meeting requirements across impact areas and continuing to improve after certification. Laura explains what the process involves, why it takes commitment from across a business, and how it can help embed purpose into everyday decisions. She also shares why profit and purpose can go hand in hand, and what businesses stand to gain by changing how they operate. Topics covered include: Laura’s journey from police detective to impact consultant What B Corp certification involves and how it helps businesses improve How the new standards strengthen accountability and ongoing progress The time, cost and commitment required to become and remain certified How to embed purpose into business culture and everyday decisions Why purpose and profit can support long-term business success Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail Cardboard boxes protect products on their way to us, but many are crushed and recycled after just one use. What if more of them could be used again? On this episode of Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie meet Marty Metro, founder and CEO of UsedCardboardBoxes.com, the US counterpart to Reuseabox. Marty has spent more than two decades building a business around a deceptively simple idea: match the boxes one company no longer needs with another company that can use them. The challenge is making reuse work at scale. Boxes vary in size, quality and quantity, and the right supply has to meet the right customer in the right place at the right time. Marty shares how technology helps solve that puzzle, how his early venture nearly sank, and what it takes to turn a promising idea into a growing business. Topics covered include: Why so many usable boxes are crushed after a single trip How UsedCardboardBoxes.com connects box suppliers with businesses that need them The surprising logistics behind making reuse work at scale Marty’s journey from an early business setback to building a company with nearly 200 employees Why execution, adaptability and hiring the right people matter How businesses can make reuse easier to adopt alongside new packaging Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if a gift card could do more than give someone a choice of present - it could introduce them to brands doing business better? On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie speak with Paul Zhu, co-founder and CTO of EcoSwap, a multi-store digital gift card featuring sustainable brands. Paul explains how his experience in engineering and an earlier startup led him to focus on shifting consumer behaviour, and why he sees gifting as a way to direct demand toward businesses with better practices. Topics covered include: The surprising scale of the gift-card market-and the money left unspent Can a sustainable gift card really change what people buy? How EcoSwap chooses better brands without expecting perfection Why being "eco" isn't enough: making sustainable shopping cool The persistence it takes to win over big-name brands Can we build a thriving economy within planetary boundaries? Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail We all know that disposable nappies are convenient, but they create mountains of waste. We know switching to reusable nappies is better for the planet, however, it can feel like one more thing for busy parents to manage. On the latest episode of Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Elisabeth Whitebread, founder of NappyLoop, about making reusable nappies easier for families by bringing them into nurseries. Elisabeth shares how her work in environmental campaigning and her own experience as a parent led her to create a nursery-first nappy subscription service, and why making sustainable choices easier matters more than making parents feel guilty. Topics covered include: Elisabeth’s journey from conservation campaigning to nappies Why parents often find reusable nappies difficult to adopt How NappyLoop’s nursery and commercial laundry model works Designing a cotton nappy for nursery staff and high-temperature laundering The environmental impact of disposable nappies and “compostable” claims How reusable nappies may support toilet training Elisabeth’s vision for making cloth nappies a mainstream option for families Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail Ultra‑processed food, exhausted soils and a warming planet are all symptoms of a food system that forgot how nature works. On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Tim Mead, organic farmer and owner of Yeo Valley, about the remarkable journey from a small mixed family farm to a household‑name organic brand. Tim shares how a tragic farming accident pushed him into leading the business, why he believes biology, not chemistry, should drive how we grow food, and how regenerative practices could help tackle both climate change and the health impacts of ultra‑processed diets. Topics covered include: The Yeo Valley origin story and how Tim unexpectedly took over the family business Why ultra‑processed foods dominate our shelves and who’s really shaping our diets Organic vs regenerative farming – what they mean and why it matters The Yeo Valley Soil Carbon Project and how healthy soil can lock away carbon Why current food markets fail farmers and what needs to change Building a business “designed around nature” Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail On the latest Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Harriet Evans, co‑founder of Penrhos Spirits, the Herefordshire gin brand that became the first in the UK to move entirely into 100% recycled aluminium bottles. Harriet shares how two farming families went from £30,000 of wasted strawberries to a circular spirits business now on shelves in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and international airports. She explains why blueberries became their secret weapon for ultra‑smooth gin, how collaborating with Oddbox and other growers helps them rescue more wonky fruit and veg, and what it really took to ditch traditional glass for lightweight, endlessly recyclable aluminium. They also discuss what it’s like working on farm in a year of drought, the realities of scaling a sustainable brand in a crowded gin market, and their growing commitment to farmer mental health . Topics covered include: How the gin was created from two farming families’ frustration with wasted fruit Why they switched entirely from glass to 100% recycled aluminium bottles to cut their carbon Their collaborations with Oddbox and other farms to turn surplus fruit and veg into gin The realities of running a distillery during droughts and extreme weather Supporting farmer mental health with help of the local community Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if a big part of climate action in healthcare starts with putting things in the right bin? On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Rufus Henderson, Sustainability Director at NuGreen, a B Corp‑certified consultancy born out of NHS waste research. In this episode, Rufus explains how NuGreen is helping hospitals, GP practices, schools and SMEs cut carbon and costs through better waste segregation, and how an Innovate UK project with Leeds Beckett University is transforming treated clinical waste into a low‑carbon construction material that could replace mined sand. Topics covered include: How NuGreen grew from an NHS research project The process and promise of turning treated clinical waste into a sand‑like aggregate Why so much “infectious” clinical waste isn’t actually infectious What really happens to household recycling once it leaves your bin Behaviour, bin design and small nudges that change how people sort waste A realistic 10‑year vision for circular healthcare waste Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if the key to cutting your carbon footprint is hidden in your bookkeeping… and your accountant is the one holding it? On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Kathryn Frimond, bookkeeper, carbon literacy trainer and founder of The Sustainable Bookkeeper. Kathryn shares how she moved from saying yes to any client to working mainly with purpose‑led businesses, and why that values‑driven niche actually made it easier to grow. She reveals how day‑to‑day accounting data can be turned into a credible carbon footprint in minutes, why SMEs are quietly responsible for up to half of UK business emissions, and how upcoming reporting standards could see unprepared small suppliers losing contracts. Topics covered include: The true impact of SMEs on UK emissions What UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and scope 3 mean for small suppliers Simple, often free sustainability wins such as energy tariffs, pensions and banking What carbon literacy training is and how it changes behaviour inside businesses The quiet power accountants and bookkeepers have to shift client decisions Drawing ethical lines on who you work with and why that can accelerate growth Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail The real power to tackle the climate crisis isn’t in shiny new tech. It is in how we design, use and discard everyday material. On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Sam Reeve, CEO of Resource Futures, an independent, employee‑owned sustainability consultancy that’s been reshaping how the UK thinks about waste for nearly 20 years. From grassroots recycling projects in Bristol and Leeds to becoming one of the UK’s leading circular economy voices and a certified B Corp, Sam shares how the company grew out of three small disruptors and why collaboration is baked into its DNA. Sam unpacks what decades of waste composition analysis really show about our bins, why behaviour change is as critical as infrastructure, and how data can guide smarter policy and business decisions. Topics covered include: How three grassroots recycling organisations merged into Resource Futures What waste composition studies reveal about our recycling habits and “wishcycling” Why behaviour change, communication and systems thinking matter as much as technology in circular economy The biggest misconceptions about the circular economy What the UK’s new EPR rules really mean for brands, costs and packaging choices Why some companies are scared to talk about their sustainability work – and how to avoid both greenwashing and greenhushing A realistic 10‑year vision for a more circular UK economy, and the role businesses, communities and policy all have to play Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if becoming a parent is one of the quickest ways into poverty even with a “good” job or thriving business? On Earth Your While, Jack and Ellie talk to Grace Carter, entrepreneur, founder of The Metamorphose Group and campaigner behind End Parenting Poverty. After her second daughter’s birth in 2023, Grace was running a 15‑person agency while facing debt, a mental health crisis and clients walking away… just as the government was talking up “female entrepreneurship” but still underpaying new mothers. Grace exposes how the system labels maternity pay a “health and safety payment”, keeps it far below the national living wage, and bakes discrimination against mothers into contracts, student loans and pensions. From multiple miscarriages and isolation as a leader to petitioning Parliament and giving evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee, she shares the personal cost and the policy shifts needed to end parenting poverty. Topics covered include: Why we shouldn't accept statutory maternity pay being below the national living wage The hidden debt, mental health impacts and loneliness behind "doing it all" How self-employed women and founders fall through the cracks of maternity support Why flexible work, real empathy and lived experience leadership are good for business What happened when Grace's petition hit 100,000 signatures and reached Westminster Practical steps employers can take to help end parenting poverty Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if the most powerful climate work happening right now is buried in spreadsheets, smart meters and standards committees? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Andrew Griffiths, co-founder of the Carbon Accounting Alliance and Director of Policy & Partnerships at Planet Mark. Andrew lifts the lid on a fast-growing global community of carbon accountants who quietly underpin the net zero transition for more than 200,000 organisations worldwide. From the Wild West of early carbon footprints to building shared standards, professional qualifications and automated data flows, Andrew explains why good carbon accounting is to climate action what financial accounting is to business survival, and why SMEs must be part of the story. Topics covered include: What carbon accounting is and why it matters to every business How and why the Carbon Accounting Alliance exploded globally in 3 years The data headache: suppliers, smart meters and open carbon data Professionalising the sector with shared standards and qualifications Real-world stories: from knife-crime medals to low-carbon industry shifts How better carbon data unlocks green finance and de-risks businesses Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if loneliness isn’t a personal failing, but a human signal we’ve all been taught to ignore? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Hannah Beatrice from Marmalade Trust, the award‑winning UK charity behind Loneliness Awareness Week. They explore what loneliness really is (and isn’t), why it’s not just “an old people at Christmas” issue, and how workplaces and communities can design for genuine connection. Hannah shares the story of Marmalade Trust’s beginnings with one Christmas lunch in Bristol, how that’s grown into a global campaign reaching millions, and why understanding loneliness as a natural emotion, like hunger or thirst, is the first step to tackling it. Topics covered include: What loneliness really is (and why it’s not the same as being alone) The stigma and shame that stop adults talking about feeling lonely Key life moments that trigger loneliness Why 16–24 year olds are now the loneliest age group in the UK How hybrid/remote work can impact connection and what helps Practical ways employers and communities can reduce loneliness Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What if real climate power isn't with politicians or protest groups, but with the millions of quietly worried people who don't know where to start? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Karen Jaques from the Climate Majority Project, an initiative on a mission to mobilise the silent majority into meaningful, local, collective climate action. Karen shares how years working with business leaders, and watching climate risk creep into every supply chain, pushed her to focus on resilience, community and "don't try this on your own" climate action. From neighbourhoods bulk retrofitting homes and building their own wind turbines, to teachers talking honestly with kids, to businesses asking to be more regulated, this episode explores a radically practical, deeply human approach to climate action. Topics covered include: The “silent majority” who care but feel stuck How to depolarise climate action and welcome everyone The Safer campaign and people-led local projects Real UK stories: retrofit streets, community wind turbines Why facts alone fail and what to do with climate anxiety How local action builds pressure for national change Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a genuinely sustainable drinks brand in a world still driven by price, convenience and big FMCG players? And can purpose, transparency and good sourcing really survive contact with supermarket shelves? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Will Englander, founder of The Root Co, a ginger-focused drinks brand on a mission to do right by people and planet. Will shares how a near-death experience and a growing frustration with overly sweet, over-processed ginger drinks led him to create a simple, fiery ginger beer with just five ingredients. From single-farm sourcing in Tanzania and cycling ginger beer around London, to negotiating with supermarket buyers and grappling with consumer behaviour, in this episode, Will offers a refreshingly honest look at what it really means to grow a purpose-led brand in an unforgiving market. Topics covered include: Leaving consulting to build a ginger beer–ginger shot hybrid How a near-fatal accident reshaped Will’s life and risk-taking Building a single-farm ginger supply chain in Tanzania and Kenya Why The Root Co uses only 5 ingredients and no chemicals Competing with big FMCG while staying fair to farmers What shoppers and retailers really care about on sustainability Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What does good leadership actually look like in 2026 and why are so many people feeling burned out and disconnected at work? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Zoe Starbuck, Director of Business Coaching and Leadership Development at Starbuck & Associates, a B Corp certified leadership and coaching consultancy. Zoe draws on 30+ years in corporate leadership and her work as an ICF‑accredited executive coach to unpack what’s really going on inside today’s workplaces. From psychological safety and trust, to burnout, hybrid work and the next generation of entrepreneurs, in the episode, Zoe shares some deeply human, practical take on what good leadership looks like and how to build it sustainably. Topics covered include: Why culture should be designed, not left as a byproduct Psychological safety, trust and the clarity leaders often miss The real difference between leaders, managers and operators How to set a vision people actually care about and buy into Burnout, hybrid work and running meetings that truly add value Values led leadership, hiring for trust and giving back Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail What does “doing good” actually look like for a marketing agency and can you prove it goes beyond the pitch deck? In today’s episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Katherine Sherry, Head of Experience at Hallam. Hallam is a B2B marketing agency that exists to do good work with good people that gets real results. From turning down misaligned clients like Airbus, to building a wellbeing‑first culture and experimenting with lower‑impact digital practices, Katherine shares how Hallam is using its real “product” influence to nudge both clients and the wider industry toward more ethical, sustainable choices. Topics covered include : Using B Corp as a roadmap not just a badge Why more marketing agencies are going B Corp How a service business measures its real‑world impact Rewiring agency culture to tackle burnout and protect worker wellbeing Guiding clients through greenwashing, greenhushing and authentic comms Designing more responsible digital experiences Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail Periods aren’t just about fertility. They shape how millions of us feel, think and work each month. In this episode, Jack and Ellie talk to Jade Wakes, founder of Melody, the menstrual journaling app helping people understand their cycle, support their hormones naturally and push for fairer, more humane workplaces. Jade shares her journey from debilitating periods and postpartum struggles to discovering cycle charting, and why better hormone education could transform both personal wellbeing and workplace culture. She also explains what it takes to build a privacy-first femtech startup that puts users’ data and dignity first. Topics covered include: What really happens across the menstrual cycle and why symptoms vary Why period pain isn’t “just part of being a woman” Four lifestyle pillars for better hormonal health The business cost of period inequity – and what employers can do How Melody helps users spot patterns and advocate for themselves Why data privacy and anonymous menstrual tracking are non-negotiable Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail Digital isn't as "clean" as it looks. Every website load, every ad impression and every AI query has a hidden carbon cost. In this episode, Jack and Ellie sit down with Sam Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of GrowRoom, a sustainable digital marketing agency helping responsible brands grow online while shrinking their digital footprint. From turning down lucrative but misaligned clients, to measuring the grams of CO2 per page view, Sam shares how GrowRoom is redesigning marketing to work for people, planet and profit. Topics covered include: How websites create carbon emissions Simple steps to cut the footprint of your website and ads When GrowRoom says "no" to misaligned clients Donating revenue through 1% for the Planet (and more) Building a values driven culture with a four-day work week Why SEO still matters in an AI driven marketing world Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail HIRO Diapers isn’t just reinventing nappies, it’s taking on the global plastic crisis one baby at a time. In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with serial “taboo breaker” Miki Agrawal, founder of HIRO Diapers, to explore how plastic‑eating fungi, unbleached materials and a regenerative mindset could transform one of the world’s dirtiest industries. From the eureka moment inspired by her son, to diapers (or nappies for our UK listeners) can start breaking down in landfill in months, Miki shares a radically hopeful vision for parents who want to raise their kids in a cleaner, more connected world. Topics covered include : Turning baby poop into a climate solution Diapers powered by plastic‑eating fungi The truth about “eco” bamboo diapers Potty training early with elimination communication Putting nature on the company board Becoming an ecosystem‑conscious parent Links: Miki Agrawal’s book: DO COOL SH*T: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After HIRO Diapers Hello Tushy Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .

Send us Fan Mail The beauty industry loves the word “clean”. But what does it actually take to live up to it? In this episode, Jack and Ellie chat with Kelsey Irvine, CEO of Birch Babe, a female and family led company based in Ontario, Canada, known for their award-winning skincare, body care and clean beauty products. Birch babe has built a reputation for creating products that are certified all natural, vegan and cruelty free, all while using premium ingredients and sustainable packaging. We'll dive into the story behind Birch Babe, what inspired its creation, and how this family led team are redefining the clean beauty industry. Topics covered include : A 60-year-old's Patagonia trek that sparked a skincare brand Leaving advertising to build a values-led business Treating "Birch Babe" as a living brand character Community-tested, certified-natural formulations Scaling sustainably when convenience fights ethics Why real change needs policy, not just "green" shopping Music by Stock_Studio from Pixabay .