King's Spotlight on Sustainability
By King's Sustainability
King's Spotlight on Sustainability Sep 06, 2022
Episode 11. Sarah Ditty - Director of Programs at EarthPercent
Have you ever thought about working in a charity that strives to use the power of an industry to address climate change? In this episode, Daniel and Emily are excited to be joined by Sarah Ditty, Director of Programs at EarthPercent – a brand new climate change charity whose mission is to harness the power of music in service of the planet. Sarah walks us through the ways in which the organisation is working to build a sense of community and courage around climate action in the creative industries, highlighting that the crisis is equal parts cultural, social and scientific, which means our solutions must be too! We discuss Sarah’s diverse and unusual career path to working in the environmental nonprofit sector, and explore her take on the skills, experiences and attitudes that she believes are crucial for pursuing a career focused on sustainability.
For more information on EarthPercent: https://earthpercent.org/2/
For more information on other organisations occupying this space, check out:
Julie’s Bicycle: https://juliesbicycle.com
A Greener Festival: https://www.agreenerfestival.com
Music Declares Emergency: https://www.musicdeclares.net
Episode 10. Ozone depletion with climate campaigner Sophie Geoghegan
In this episode, Oliver is joined by Sophie Geoghegan. Oliver and Sophie were working with the Climate team at EIA researching China’s responses to the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, while also looking at why ozone management complements and is a threat to climate action (and vice versa).
Episode 9. Plastic Pollution, SDGs & Environmental Investigation Agency with Tom Gammage and Lauren Weir
In this episode, Oliver is joined by Tom Gammage and Lauren Weir from the Ocean Team campaigners. They both work for the Environmental Investigation Agency’s (EIA). The podcast discusses why EIA was a critical actor in securing the Global Plastics Treaty 2022; what is the Basel Convention, circular economy and environmental justice, and how you can get involved.
Episode 8. Environmental law with Diana Rucavado
Are you interested in environmental law?
Daniel and Emily are joined in this episode by Diana Rucavado, an environmental lawyer. This episode will delve into Diana’s previous experience working in social and environmental justice. As well as, why she is doing an MSc at King’s. Diana also talks about how to deal with the challenges of translating climate science into policy.
Diana is a postgraduate student at King's College London pursuing an MSc in Climate Change, Environmental Science, and Policy. She was also a paralegal for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples. She was a member of the supervision and judgement team, the contentious team, and the international cooperation team.
Episode 7. Sustainable publishing with Zoe Cokeliss Barsley
Have you ever thought about a career in corporate sustainability? Or how the publishing industry can be more sustainable?
In this episode, Kate and Emily are lucky to be joined by Zoe Cokeliss Barsley, Director of Sustainability at Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world, publishing a wide range of research, education, and English language teaching material. Zoe talks about her role setting out and implementing the sustainability agenda for Oxford University Press, including sourcing all paper from sustainable sources by 2025. Zoe then discusses her journey from a Masters in Conservation to a sustainability communications consultancy role and then working in corporate sustainability. We finish by hearing key pieces of advice from Zoe about working in corporate sustainability.
Find out more about Oxford University Press here: https://global.oup.com/
Read more about the sustainability ambitions of Oxford University Press here: https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/oxford-university-press/pressreleases/oxford-university-press-unveils-environmental-sustainability-ambitions-for-the-future-3129886
Episode 6. Sustainable and equitable healthcare with Dr Cyan Brown
How can you become a global leader in sustainable and equitable healthcare?
In this episode, Kate and Emily are excited to be joined by Dr Cyan Brown, a Senior Atlantic fellow at Tekano health equity, a non-profit leadership development programme that focuses on creating a more equitable society, and founder of Women Leaders For Planetary Health South Africa, which links health to the rising impacts of human activity on the environment. We discover what moments in Cyan’s life inspired her to go down this less traditional healthcare path and discuss her advice for students about to enter the job market on sustainable health routes and also working sustainably.
Find out more about Tekano here: https://tekano.org.za/
For more information in Women Leaders for Planetary Health: https://wlph.org/
Check out the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare here: https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/ and look out for future episode with Stefi Barna, Education Director at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare.
Episode 5. Sustainable Education with Matthew Woodthorpe, The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education
📚Are you interested in how to make further and higher education more sustainable? 📚
Or how you can use education to create a world with sustainability at its heart? 🌎💚
In this episode, Kate and Emily are lucky to be joined by Matthew Woodthorpe, Scotland Programme Manager at The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC). EAUC is a member-based charity consisting of over 200 colleges, universities, funding councils, and companies, which aims to make sustainability in further and higher education “just good business”.
Matthew talks about his role providing impactful support to embed sustainability across Scotland’s colleges and universities. Matthew talks then discusses his “traditional” route into a sustainability career after completing a degree in Geography, but how this is not a necessity for the sector. He finishes up by highlighting the emerging opportunities in sustainable education and some “dos” to help you find your way!
Find out more about EAUC here: https://www.eauc.org.uk/about_us
Check out how King’s have become finalists for the 2022 EAUC Green Gown Awards here: https://blogs.kcl.ac.uk/sustainability/2022/07/kings-is-a-finalist-in-the-green-gown-awards/
Episode 4 Climate related career in civil service with Megan Lawler – Head of International Climate Commitments at BEIS
What is a climate related career in the civil service like?
In this Episode, Elsa and Emily are lucky to be joined by Megan Lawler, who works in the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as Head of International Climate Commitments. Megan talks about her day to day as a policy advisor on international climate policy, which includes the UK obligations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We discuss Megan’s career journey from her undergraduate degree in History, through the civil service via multiple international placements. Finally, Megan highlights the key experiences and skills that have helped in her career progression.
For more information on BEIS: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy
For job vacancies within the civil service: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi
Episode 3. Sustainable production of film and television with Charlotte Westlake - Sustainable Productions Officer at the Sustainable Production Certification organization Albert.
Ever wondered what the film and television industry are doing to tackle the climate crisis? 🍿🎬
In this episode, Daniel and Emily are lucky to be joined by Charlotte Westlake, Sustainable Productions Officer at BAFTA Albert. Albert’s mission is twofold: to provide support for companies in the screen industry to decrease the carbon footprint of their production process, and to encourage production companies to integrate climate change themes into their creative content. 👣👩🏼🎨
We explore Charlotte’s undergraduate background in art, as well as her upcoming transition into sustainable fashion, before finally discussing her key advice for students keen to work sustainability into their creative career aspirations.
For more information on Alberts’ Sustainable Production Handbook: https://wearealbert.org/production-handbook/
For more information on Albert’s Planet Placement project: https://wearealbert.org/editorial/planet-placement-home/
Episode 2. Environmental education with Carlos Izsak - Education Officer at the environmental charity Urban Wise
Are you interested in getting experience in environmental education or a teacher looking to bring sustainability into your role?
In this episode, Kate and Emily are excited to be joined by Carlos Izsak, who works as an education officer at Urban Wise, a charity that seeks to engage people in their local environment and develop their skills to tackle climate change. Carlos discusses Urban Wises’ approach to sustainable education and provides insights to some of the great projects they are currently working on in schools. We then discover how Carlos, after his undergraduate degree in Mathematics and postgraduate degree in Ecosystems Analysis and Governance, used his experience as a tutor and time as a volunteer to transition into environmental education. Finally, Carlos discusses the skills and experience that would benefit you in the environmental education field.
For more information on the Urban Wise Mudlarks Project: https://urbanwise.london/projects/mudlarks-project/
For more information on EcoActive: https://www.ecoactive.org.uk/
#SpotlightOnSustainability #KCLSustainable
Episode 1. Embedding sustainability into healthcare professions with Stefi Barna - Education Director at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare
How can you embed sustainability into any healthcare profession?
Are you interested in how to educate people in the workforce about sustainability?
In this episode, Kate and Emily are lucky to be joined by Stefi Barna, Education Director at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare aims to root sustainable practices throughout healthcare, by engaging with professionals, patients and the wider community. Stefi talks about her current role designing and implementing curricula and education packages to promote sustainable actions for the health workforce. Stefi then discusses some of the key skills and attributes that are important in the field and the importance of being able to live your values. In the final segment of this episode, we hear from medical students Marjani, Sophie and Akua who have completed training with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. They talk about their motivation to improve the sustainability of their healthcare practices, and the positive impact the training has had.
For more information on the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare: https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/
For training and elective opportunities with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare: https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/who-we-are/volunteers-interns-elective-students
Episode 5. How can you take action to build and empower sustainable communities? With Abigail Oyedele (SDG 10, SDG 11, SDG13)
For the final episode of this series, we are very lucky to hear more from the fantastic co-host for this series- Abigail Oyedele. Abi is a King’s Global Health and Social Medicine alumni, who co-founded the influential student community organising group King's 4 Change and was named South London Citizens Leader of the Year in 2020. Abi talks about her journey at King’s and beyond, including her current role as an Associate Organiser for Mental Health with Citizens UK. Check out the episode and get inspired to #TakeAction!
Find out more and sign up for King’s 4 Change here: https://www.kclsu.org/groups/activities/join/20687/#:~:text=King's%20For%20Change%20aims%20to,Citizens%20U.K.%20community%20organising%20training
Find out more about Citizen’s UK here: https://www.citizensuk.org/
Episode 4. What is decolonisation and why is it important? With Dr Ricardo Twumasi (SDG 10, SDG 11)
In this episode we are very lucky to be joined by Dr Ricardo Twumasi, Lecturer in Organisational Psychiatry & Psychology at King’s. Ricardo’s research has covered resilience in healthcare workers, collaborative behaviours of energy companies, and public engagement in psychology and psychiatry. He has recently established a Master’s level teaching module at King’s on decolonising assessment, which empowers students to question and disrupt power structures that reinforce inequality and racism. We’ll talk to Ricardo about what decolonisation is and discover how his module is addressing decolonisation in education and beyond. Finally, we highlight how you can become empowered to take action to support decolonisation.
Sign up to Ricardo’s teaching module here: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/enrol/index.php?id=98360
Get in touch with Ricardo to find out more about the module and discover the best way to include the module in your programmes: ricardo.twumasi@kcl.ac.uk, @RicardoTwumasi
Episode 3. What is the Climate Action Network? With Maria Rabanser (SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 13).
In episode we will be learning about the King’s Climate Action Network (CAN), the open, interdisciplinary forum set up to support King’s commitment to be net zero carbon by 2025. We will be talking to Maria Rabanser, a Sustainability Officer and a CAN lead, about what the CAN is and what it aims to do. We then discover how staff and students have been coming up with innovative solutions and ideas to support King’s in the transition to Net Zero, and how this could provide a blueprint for other universities across the country. Finally we talk about how you can Take Action and join the Climate Action Network to shape the future of climate strategy at King’s.
Find out more about the CAN here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/aboutkings/strategy/sustainability/policies-strategies/carbon/kings-climate-action-network
Sign up to join the CAN here and implement real change: https://bit.ly/3KThk4f
Discover more about all things climate at King’s: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/climate
Enrol on the KEATS Sustainability Module here: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/enrol/index.php?id=90361
Look out for more information on the CAN plenary, taking place on 6th June 2022.
Episode 2. Why does Equality, Diversity and Inclusion matter? With Sarah Guerra (SDG 10, SDG 4).
In this episode, we are very excited to be joined by Sarah Guerra, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at King’s. Sarah talks about what EDI is and why it is important. We then explore the EDI strategy at King’s, which aims to ensure that all staff and students can fully experience the university. In the final segment of the podcast, we highlight how listeners can take action to implement EDI at King’s and beyond!
Find out more about EDI at King’s here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/diversity
Keep up to date with EDI by following the EDI team @KCLdiversity on Twitter
Check out the EDI annual report for King’s 2020-2021: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/diversity/di-at-kings/annual-report
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to support EDI at universities or elsewhere. Get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 1. How can universities be more inclusive to migrants? With Ria Patel (SDG 10, SDG 4).
In this first episode, we are incredibly lucky to feature Ria Patel, founder of the KCL Undoing Borders campaign, Co-Chair of LGBTIQA+ Greens and External Relations Officer for Greens of Colour. Ria talks to us about KCL Undoing Borders, which aims to tackle the hostile environment against migrants at universities. We learn about why there is a need for this campaign, discover how Ria began campaigning for migrant rights at universities and finally outline how you can take action to support this.
Find out more about the KCL Undoing Borders campaign and sign the petition here: https://peopleandplanet.org/petitions/kcl-undoing-borders, @undoingbordersKCL
Join the KCL People and Planet https://www.kclsu.org/groups/activities/join/peopleandplanet/
Find out more about Ria’s work with the Green party here: https://suttonandcroydon.greenparty.org.uk/ria-patel/
Follow Ria on Twitter: @Ria__Patel
Check out the “The UK Border Regime: A critical guide” by Corporate Watch here, with the border regime monster on page 49: https://corporatewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/UK_border_regime.pdf
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to tackle the hostile environment towards migrants at universities or elsewhere. Get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 5. What is divestment and how is King’s leading the change? With KCL_XR (SDG 8).
In this episode we are very lucky to be joined by Stefano and Rosa, previous members of KCL-XR (the Extinction Rebellion Society). We’ll be talking to them about divestment and the incredible work done by students and staff that lead to King’s fully divesting from fossil fuels early this year. We learn about what fossil fuel divestment is and why it is important that universities commit to fossil fuel divestment. We then discover about the King’s Divestment campaign, and the crucial role of student led activism in this. Finally we talk about how you can take action to personally divest from fossil fuels and support larger divestment campaigns. In this episode, Stefano mentions that he thinks King’s socially responsible investments are currently at about 25% with the 40% by 2025 target, but exposure to funds with ‘positive purpose’ is actually 36% in 2021!
Find out more about the nationwide Fossil Free : Divestment campaign here: https://gofossilfree.org/divestment/what-is-fossil-fuel-divestment/
Follow KCL_XR on Facebook @kclxr and Instagram @xr_kcl to get involved and support climate action.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to divest from fossil fuels, get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 4. How can you make your wardrobe more sustainable? With Un/Archived Textiles (SDG 12, SDG 1).
In this episode we are very excited to talk about fast fashion and responsible fashion consumption with Eva, Ceylon and Dilara from Un/Archived Textiles. We learn about Un/Archived Textiles, a student led group that aims to promote sustainable fashion through clothes swapping and education events. We talk about why Eva, Ceylon and Dilara saw a need for Un/Archived Textiles and how they managed to grow the initiative from an idea to a successful series of events across London. We then Discover why sustainable fashion consumption is important before talking about how you can Take Action to build a sustainable wardrobe!
Check out Un/Archived Textiles on Instagram @unarchivedtextiles to keep up to date with their events.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to be sustainable and fashionable, get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 3. Why and how should you eat more veg? With FetchUrVeg (SDG 2, SDG 3)
In this episode, we are joined by the wonderful Mia and Liza from the student veg box scheme FetchUrVeg. We will learn how you can get high quality, local and ethically sourced veg and why this is important. We’ll then discover how FetchUrVeg has built a wholesome community among King’s students, describing how you can Take Action to cook a delicious veg based meal and get involved with FetchUrVeg!
Read our blog on FetchUrVeg here: https://bit.ly/3EgBQsP
Checkout FetchUrVeg on Facebook @FetchUrVeg and Instagram @fetchurveg, or contact them via email at fetchurveg@gmail.com.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to eat more sustainably, get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 2. What is COP26 and why does it matter? With James Baggaly (SDG 9, SDG 8)
In this episode, we are very excited to be joined by James Baggaly, previous Communications and External Affairs Manager within Global Affairs and presenter of the King’s WORLD: we got this podcast. We learn about what COP26 is, what it hopes to achieve and why this is important. We’ll then discover more about how King’s specifically has been engaging with COP26, through research and expertise, local community action and communicating with the public. Finally, we discover how you can take action to learn more about and get involved with COP26.
Listen to the COP26 we got this podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/cop26-we-got-this
Check out the King’s on COP26 event series here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/series/cop26
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to get involved with COP26, get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!
Episode 1. What is Net-Zero carbon and how do we reach it? With Prof Frans Berkhout (SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 12).
In this first episode, we are incredibly lucky to feature Prof Frans Berkhout, former Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy and Professor of Environment, Society and Climate at King’s. Frans has worked extensively in climate change policy, having previously lead positions in the Future Earth programme and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for which he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. We talk to Frans about Net-Zero carbon, taking the time to learn what we mean by Net-Zero, discover what King’s is doing to reach Net-Zero and outline how you can Take Action to support this.
Find out more about the King’s Climate Action Network here: https://bit.ly/3vuhedc
Read our blog on the Giki Zero app here: https://bit.ly/3lYQr5C
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode and any other ways that you have taken action to reach Net-Zero, get in touch on Facebook @kclsustainability, Twitter @KCLSustainable and Instagram @kings_sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team via email at sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. Thanks for listening!