Top 8 Podcasts on Sustainability To Listen To
Podcasts have grown hugely popular these past few years: as of June 2021, it’s estimated that there are over two million different podcasts and over 48 million episodes. In the US, 55% of the population has listened to a podcast and 48% of those listeners are between the ages of 18 and 34.
Podcasts provide valuable industry updates that you can take on the go. They’re presented in a convenient, easily digestible form and can frequently be played when you’re doing other mindless tasks (commuting, cleaning, cooking, etc).
As someone who is keen on new developments in the sustainable space, podcasts are by far my favorite method for learning new information.
Here are the top 8 sustainability podcasts that you should listen to today.
1. Green Dreamer
It’s no surprise that Green Dreamer is at the top of my list. I’ve been a supporter of this show since 2018 and cannot say enough about how the podcast is run. Green Dreamer covers a wide breadth of sustainability topics ranging from sustainable fashion to decolonizing wellness and how all ties into our greater wellbeing as a society.
Podcast Blurb:
Green Dreamer with Kamea Chayne is a podcast that curiously and critically explores our paths to collective healing, ecological regeneration, and true abundance and wellness for all.
2. Hey Change
Have you ever experienced eco-anxiety? I sure have. I think it’s safe to say that most of us here have. On one hand, it can be empowering to take simple everyday actions to better our shared environment; on the other hand, how can the actions of one small individual possibly make an impact in the large, looming beast that is climate change?
Hey Change is an uplifting podcast that features positive stories and interviews with climate activists and entrepreneurs. I love listening to this podcast for an instantaneous mood lift.
Podcast Blurb:
Welcome to the Hey Change Podcast. We speak with climate activists, social justice advocates, change-makers, and thought leaders to inspire and empower ourselves to be the change we wish to see in the world. If you’re ready to make meaningful changes in your life and help shape the path for a more just and sustainable tomorrow, you’re in the right place. We are so excited to have you on this journey with us!
3. A Sustainable Mind
A Sustainable Mind started off as Marjorie Alexander’s master’s thesis project to expand the conversation around environmental activism and sustainability to include a more diverse group of people. The podcast features weekly interviews with industry experts and is framed in a way that makes environmental conversations more accessible.
Podcast Blurb:
A Sustainable Mind is a podcast created for the earth-conscious individual, ecopreneur, environmental activist, sustainability enthusiast, grassroots organizer, minimalist, conscious consumer, and the eco-curious. If you are looking to get inspired, motivated, and take ACTION to be the change you want to see in the world, you are in the right place.
4. Conscious Chatter
One of my go-tos for conversations in sustainable fashion. Kestrel Jenkins actively works to bring us interviews with a diverse cast of guests and she even created a series called, “The Root,'' in partnership with Dominique Drakeford about decolonizing sustainable fashion. Too frequently do we see sustainable fashion through the lens of the white woman and Jenkins uses her platform to share the space with other individuals leading the movement.
Podcast Blurb:
An inclusive audio space, Conscious Chatter opens the door to conversations about our clothing + the layers of stories, meaning, and potential impact connected to what we wear. It's a venue that allows us to continue to learn more about the garment industry and how we can all be a bigger part of positive change in the industry.
5. Brown Girl Green
A podcast that addresses the intersectionality of sustainability! There are very few podcasts that discuss environmental wellbeing as it relates to social justice and racism, but this podcast does just that. It can be difficult to navigate such complex topics but Brown Girl Green does so in a manner that is thought-provoking and easily digestible.
Podcast Blurb:
Created by activist, host, and speaker Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green addresses the intersections of media, diversity, and environmentalism. Through interviews with leaders and advocates, the conversations focus on inclusion, climate crisis solutions, and more. Listeners can tune in to discussions about how to use personal finance for environmentally conscious spending, as well as how to cultivate joy in a frequently overwhelming world.
6. Practical(ly) Zero Waste
Zero waste has been a huge conversation in the sustainability space for a while now and although there are plenty of accounts that share aspirational photos or videos of living zero waste (you know, the ones that gather all their trash for a year into a tiny glass jar), there’s surprisingly not that much that address the practicality of it all.
Practical(ly) Zero Waste is a hands-on podcast that talks about the daily changes we can make in the context of everyday life.
Podcast Blurb:
Welcome to Practical(ly) Zero Waste, a podcast about making zero waste living as practical as possible. Each episode discusses straightforward practical changes we can make that add up to create a big difference environmentally. We explore different companies, products, habits, and practices that make going zero waste easier. Everything we do on this earth has an impact, let's make it a positive one!
7. The Sustainability Agenda
Sustainability encompasses many facets and The Sustainability Agenda is a podcast that addresses all of them. This podcast features interviews with the industry’s thought leaders and critically examines the latest concepts at play and what needs to shift in order for us to build the future that we envision.
Podcast Blurb:
The Sustainability Agenda podcast has Fergal Byrne hosting a killer lineup of sustainability experts and thought leaders to take on some of the biggest questions in the industry today. Discussions are piercing and tactical, yet manage to retain an accessible, down-to-earth quality that makes for great listening. Learn how some of the top sustainability professionals are devising innovative solutions to long-standing challenges.
8. Mission First
Mission First is a podcast that explores sustainability through the lens of entrepreneurship. Can sustainability move hand in hand with capitalism and entrepreneurship? I don’t know. But I do think that it’s worth exploring the intersection of the two and how we can use business ventures and existing systems to address the climate crisis.
Podcast Blurb:
Welcome to Mission First, the podcast to learn from successful entrepreneurs who are building a sustainable future for our planet and its people!
In each episode, I interview one entrepreneur with a company mission related to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Our guests are entrepreneurs who have recently gone through these difficult first years successfully. Together we discuss their challenges and what they have learned on the way. We go into detail, with a specific focus on company culture, leadership, financing, growth and business strategy.