We Are Carbon Helen Fisher

It was a great pleasure to spend some time discussing a new paradigm for our built environment with David Nicholson; considering how the construction of our buildings can actually support the drawing down of carbon. David is the director of Natural Building Systems
His work not only explores how we can transform the impact of our buildings upon the climate, but how the use of natural materials is key to both creating and maintaining a healthy living environment for ourselves too.
Natural Building Systems is working directly with farmers to develop a supply chain for the hemp fibre utilised within their unique prefabricated system. Combining the best of nature and technology to work towards an affordable, adaptable system of building for a more regenerative future.
For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below.
See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/carbon-sink-homes-david-nicholson/
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format with Animations] - Can All Food be Regenerative. With Patrick Holden: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/can-all-food-be-regenerative/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:06:10 - Embodied carbon in buildings - the size of today's problem
00:13:30 - The transition needed
00:17:30 - Synthetic insulation - look at the bigger picture
00:22:00 - The properties of hemp & short life cycle crops
00:29:00 - Utilising short life cycle crops as a more sustainable resource than timber?
00:34:30 - Working & developing with farmers
00:43:30 - The biobased modular system of Natural Building Systems
00:54:10 - The experience for a builder / developer to work with NBS & adaptability
01:00:00 - The experience to live within a NBS construction 
01:05:00 - Collaborating / getting in touch / learning more

I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Serenity Hill about building an alternative, fairer and more resilient path within our food systems.Serenity is the co-founder of The Open Food Network.
She comes from a long line of farmers on both sides of her family and has grown up with a keen awareness of the challenges and contradictions of balancing the needs of nature and the needs of farmers within a centralised food system that does a poor job of supporting either.
We talk about the motivations that led to the creation of The Open Food Network alongside the ongoing ambitions and evolution of this now expansive enterprise.
For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below.
See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/serenity-hill-open-food-network/
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format with Animations] - Can All Food be Regenerative. With Patrick Holden: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/can-all-food-be-regenerative/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:51 - Motivation & background to start the OFN
08:40 - Farming with nature - influences from both parents
13:42 - Challenges faced by farmers in current food system
17:07 - What is a social enterprise?
18:50 - What is the Open Food Network?
24:00 - Input from Nick Weir (Open Food Network UK)
27:54 - Shared learning, resource & investment
30:21 - OFN success stories and uses
36:00 - Evolving the investment and subsidy schemes for greater food access for all
39:39 - 'The Power of Food'- valuing food beyond a basic commodity
44:25 - Serenity and Kirsten's farm
46:11 - Learning more

I was delighted to be joined by Daniel Deniaud-Powell for a conversation about the wonderful potential of our gardens for supporting both biodiversity and food production, and exploring the practical steps we might take to bring such enrichment into our own green spaces and lives.Daniel co-owns and runs 'Des Heures Dehors' with his wife Hélène.
His passion and connection to nature is clear, and he has a wide range of experience producing food, designing gardens and food forests and running unique enterprises; such an edible flower farm, to make small scale growing profitable.
We touch on all of this alongside gleaning some very practical guidance for anyone considering creating an edible, biodiversity garden. 
See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/daniel-deniaud-powell-biodiversity-gardening/
For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below, and use the references section to find links out to Daniel's work and a range of further resources that he mentions.
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format with Animations] - Can All Food be Regenerative. With Patrick Holden: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/can-all-food-be-regenerative/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:12 - What is an Edible biodiversity garden?
00:09:15 - Soil health & principles from regenerative farming
00:12:44 - Supporting diversity / creating an ecosystem
00:18:34 - Our bad relationship with creepy crawlies & creatures in our spaces
00:24:33 - Nature isn't fully functioning - rewilding through standing back OR taking action?
00:27:49 - Daniel's dream garden
00:31:58 - Daniel's favourite species to include in a garden design
00:35:50 - Including food in the biodiversity garden
00:41:19 - How to produce food with low maintenance - approach and plant suggestions
00:48:08 - Commercial business from a small growing space
00:55:39 - Gardens at restaurants / working with chefs
01:03:10 - Current focuses
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References mentioned by Daniel:
Charles Dowding - Vast info on producing food 'No Dig'. Richard Perkins - Farming in small spacesHuw Richards - Video learning for self sufficieny / permaculture gardeningDr Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web School

It was wonderful to be joined by Jason Freeman for a conversation that brings insights from his experience running a farmer owned co-op & organic retail brand which address the challenges of bringing fairer and more transparent connections between organic food producers and consumers.We discuss why our current large scale systems of agriculture and food supply create a barrier for transitioning to more sustainable farming approaches, along with the obstacles it causes for consumers who are seeking food choices that are healthy for themselves and nature.
We also learn of Jason's journey in creating a farmer owned co-operative, the values and approaches that brought it success, and his later move to his current business 'Farmer Direct Organic'.
You can find the Farmer Direct Organic website here: https://fdorganic.com/
See the video version of this episode here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/jason-freeman-regenerative-food-supply/
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format] - Can All Food be Regenerative. With Patrick Holden: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/can-all-food-be-regenerative/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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Other We Are Carbon episodes focused on transforming food supply:
Evolving the Local Food System  - A compilation with 4 guests in my home county of Lincolnshire
Local Food Ecosystems - in conversation with Duncan Catchpole, Founder of the Cambridge Food Hub
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For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below:
00:00 - Jason Intro & importance of soil health
02:05 - Welcome to episode
04:17 - Soil health, nutrition and human health
07:18 - How our systems of agriculture can be a barrier to transitioning farming practices
14:11 - Systems change from the bottom up
22:57 - Connecting farmers and consumers - Jason's journey creating a farmer owned co-op
36:21 - Stepping away from the co-op & the new business
39:56 - Traceability and pesticide testing
46:07 - The future of supply for organic and regenerative foods?
52:33 - Learning more / connecting with Jason

This episode brings my own personal dialogue exploring our farming system through a regenerative lens.
A stark realisation of not only how bizarre it is, but of the potential we have as humans to step in, turn the tide and become a beneficial element from this place forward.
This journey is given life and rooted down by the insights and experiences of three wonderful guests from the podcast.
Learn more from our guests:
Agroforestry producer Bernadette Millard helps us appreciate the potential of perennial foods. She shares experiences from her journey transforming her farm in the desert borderlands of Oman into a thriving oasis.
The full We Are Carbon episode with Bernadette can be found here.
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Organic farmer Hannah Thorogood offers insights into why we should be imitating nature with our raising of livestock.
She utilises permaculture and holistic grazing on her 130 acre farm, The InkPot Organic Farm in the UK.
The original We Are Carbon episode with Hannah can be found here - as part of a compilation about building a local food system.
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And filmmaker Peter Byck brings observations from his extensive project with a wide range of scientists who have studied nature side by side on farms using regenerative grazing compared with farms grazing conventionally.
Peter's full interview for We Are Carbon will be published in early summer.
In the meantime you can learn more about his extensive research project and the corresponding film series 'Roots So Deep, You Can See The Devil Down There'.
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Watch the first episode in this format:
"So... What Even is Soil??" - Listen here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/

It was a great pleasure to be joined by Patrick Holden for a conversation exploring the challenges and paths to creating food and farming systems that work in closer harmony with nature.Patrick is the founder and CEO of 'The Sustainable Food Trust' and he has a great range of insights to offer around this topic.
We discuss what our diets would need to look like if we were to achieve a transition to sustainable and regenerative farming across the whole of the UK, along with the problem of dishonest pricing within our food system.
We also touch on why Patrick is optimistic that change is possible due to a trend of more and more people taking an interest in the story of their food.
Learn more about The Sustainable Food Trust here: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/
See the video version of this episode along with additional references mentioned here: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/patrick-holden-sustainable-food-trust
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More Formats from We Are Carbon:
[Shorter Video Format] - From Healthy Soil Comes Healthy Food. With Claire Mackenzie: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-health-and-regenerative-farming/
[Story Telling Audio Format] - Soil (My Common Sense Take) : https://www.wearecarbon.earth/soil-path-to-whole-systems-thinking/
Explore ways to support this content: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/your-support/
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For a further breakdown of this discussion see the timestamps below:
00:00 Intro
02:20 About Patrick
03:27 Why is cheap food not really so cheap??
11:50 True Cost Accounting
15:16 The impact of food production on our energy & vitality
22:55 Would we have enough food if all farming became regenerative?
26:06 What does a sustainable diet look like?
34:46 Multiple Approaches of The Sustainable Food Trust
44:59 What steps can a farmer take if they'd like to transition?
48:07 Do you feel we're on track to move things forward?