We Are Carbon Helen Fisher

Episode Links:
Previous We Are Carbon episode with Kelly Erhart about accelerated mineral weathering: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/coastal-carbon-capture-accelerating-mineral-weathering/
MCi Carbon Website: https://www.mineralcarbonation.com/
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In this interview I'm joined by Sophia Hamblin Wang to discuss the work of MCi Carbon and how they're offering a path to net zero for some of the hardest to abate industries; by turning CO2 emissions from flue gases into a core ingredient within a range of valuable materials applications.
It's a little different for us to turn our attention to industry but there's a beautiful parallel to regenerative agriculture here. We're shifting to see CO2 as an asset; that feeds our plants, or in this case could build our homes.
We hear a lot of noise about the need to meet net zero targets in the near future, but for many industries there simply isn't a clear path to getting there.
MCi are looking to change that with a particular focus on difficult to abate yet heavily depended upon sectors including steel, cement and mining. As a pathway to transition to a greener future they're utilising technology to speed up mineral carbonation.
As a natural process CO2 becomes bound and locked into rocks over timeframes of hundreds of millions of years.
You can learn more about it in this episode on accelerated mineral weathering with Kelly Erhart (the link is at the top of this description)
But within their engineering plants MCi are speeding the process up to mere minutes!
They can take flue gas emissions and bring that CO2 into a circular economy by utilising it as a significant ingredient within a wide range of materials, including high value plasterboards and cements and concrete.
This is intentionally highly scalable and designed to work with industrial partners to build out localised, circular, industrial ecosystems. And it's all motivated by profitable models without the need to lean on carbon credits or subsidies.
There's a huge amount of potential here and it was a great pleasure to dive into the details with Sophia!
This episode on the We Are Carbon website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/circular-emissions-path-to-net-zero/

Episode Links:
Previous We Are Carbon episodes that include the climate benefits of grazing animals:
The Significance of Regenerative Agriculture – Special CompilationWe Can Regenerate – with Finian Makepeace of Kiss the GroundWhat is Regenerative Agriculture – with Caroline Grindrod of Roots of Nature
Recommendations from Richard-
To Watch:
King Corn documentaryKiss the Ground Movie (available on Netflix)Carbon CowboysTemple Grandin Movie (Staring Claire Danes)
Books:
Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katherine HeyhoeSteak by Mark ShatzkerThe Dorito Effect by Mark Shatzker
This Episode of the website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/scaling-regenerative-agriculture-grass-fed-beef/
[Find all the above as clickable links on this page].
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In this interview I’m joined by Richard Tufton who helps us to mull over the challenges and what might be needed to scale up regenerative meats within the supply chains to supermarkets, and build greater public awareness about purchasing options.
We’ve frequently heard about the role of ruminant animals in the healing of land and sequestering of carbon – Find links above to previous episodes that explain that in more detail.
But with such huge numbers of livestock being raised in more industrialised feedlot systems, the narrative gets very muddied, with cattle frequently branded as the climate enemy.
Richard shares that in the US alone 120,000 head of cattle are slaughtered everyday for meat production. That sounds horrifying, but it’s a reality, it’s where we’re at and it’s a huge contribution to our food system.
So this is a complex conversation and it could be taken in many directions but our biggest focus

Episode Links:
HarvestCare website: https://www.harvestcare.eu/
Coalition of Health Professionals for Regenerative Agriculture: https://www.regenerativehealthcoalition.com/
This Episode on the We Are Carbon website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/nutrition-motivation-for-regeneration/
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In this interview I'm joined by Zuzanna Zielinska, founder of HarvestCare to discuss the role of nutrition as a key link between the health of people and planet. 
It's difficult to talk about a regenerative future without bringing the focus on to soil, though a topic I feel gets vastly overlooked is the nutrition that that soil can output.
What better motivation do we have for becoming engaged with the health of the world around us, than the impact that it has on our own personal wellbeing?
If we could really get a grasp of the significance that quality nutrition has upon our health and happiness then valuing the biodiversity and food production methods that make it all possible may be a chain reaction.
It's a pretty big topic, so I asked Zuzanna to take us back to basics and offer a break down of what nutrition is and its importance from her perspective as a nutritionist.
Then we dig deeper as she shares her inspirational story and drive to create systems change through the seemingly simple yet powerful role of food access and education as a means to heal disease, communities and ecosystems.
I hope you'll enjoy learning from her valuable knowledge!
This Episode on the We Are Carbon website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/nutrition-motivation-for-regeneration/

In this interview I’m joined by John Roulac to consider the big picture of what it means to move forward regeneratively and the challenges of bringing the needs of our financial and natural worlds on to the same page.
There’s so many nuggets of wisdom in this one that it’s difficult to pick a highlight!
From mob grazing to seaweed straws and a follow up to Kiss The Ground, this conversation is tied together through John’s active involvement in a vast range of regenerative initiatives around the globe.
An investor and key player in highly successful companies, John has also been driven by an ecological awareness to discover practical solutions to our environmental challenges and as such has founded six non-profits through his career.
This was a fantastic opportunity therefore to tap into a valuable point of view around why it can be such a challenge for large scale investment to be directed into regenerative solutions.
Is a dying planet enough of a motivation to innovate our financial climate, and are so called green technologies always what they’re cracked up to be?
We learn about some really impactful projects offering healing for people and the environment through the simplicity of allowing nature to take the lead.
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Episode Links:
John's website: https://johnroulac.com/
John's Substack: https://johnroulac.substack.com/
Kiss The Ground Movie: https://kissthegroundmovie.com/
This Episode on the We Are Carbon Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/regenerative-future-todays-sunlight/

Episode Links:
The Harmony Project: https://www.theharmonyproject.org.uk/
This Episode on the We Are Carbon Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/natural-curriculum-harmony-education/
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In this interview I’m joined by Richard Dunne to explore how evolving children’s education could not only offer them better engagement with their learning but also help them make better sense of the world that they’re a part of.
Many of the solutions that we discuss on this show require a bit of unlearning or shifting of the mindset from what we’re used to. So I became really interested in the work of the Harmony Project from the basis of integrating a whole system way of seeing things into children’s education from a very early age.
Perhaps our children could soon be showing us the way forward!
As headteacher in a state primary school and inspired by the book titled ‘Harmony’ by the now King Charles third, Richard began developing and implementing a more Natural curriculum within the National Curriculum.
He’s since founded the Harmony Project and is integrating this approach into a variety of school settings in the UK and across the globe.
I’m delighted to have been able to discuss with him the principles of harmony and the inspirations and challenges of this ambitious project.

Episode Links:
Think Like A Tree: https://www.thinklikeatree.co.uk/
This Episode on the We Are Carbon Website: https://www.wearecarbon.earth/podcast-episode/nature-connection-wellbeing-success/
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In this interview I’m joined by Sarah Spencer for a discussion that considers how our connection to nature can have a profound positive impact throughout all areas of our lives.
It’s easy for us to romanticise the idea of listening to the birds or dipping our toes in a glistening stream, as though experiencing nature might be an infrequent luxury to try and carve time out for.
But this talk helps us to recognise that the role of nature in our lives is far more encompassing, and despite our built up environments and scheduled routines, we all are part of nature.
To such a degree that when we introduce aspects that are inspired by nature or even start to think like nature, then we can enjoy much greater success within everything from our health, our relationships and our businesses.
‘Think Like A Tree’ encompasses Sarah’s work as a trainer and author and draws upon the principles of nature to support people and organisations in a tangible way for meeting their unique needs.
It’s ever evolving and adapting through a growing network of facilitators who are each paving their own path for incorporating a more nature connected approach to a diverse range of situations.
It’s beautiful how these principles can have a place in each of our lives, and I hope you enjoy listening through to consider this all through your own personal lens!