This Might Just Work - Ideas for a Tired Planet

Rob Wreglesworth
  • 5.0 (7)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

We are all tired of environmental doom, guilt, and greenwash. But tired is not the end. It is the moment to wake up and build something better. Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action. If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.

  1. FEB 17

    49 - Can Music Festivals Regenerate Land? Mobilising Thousands to Repair Water Cycles, and How to Build a Regenerative Company - Nathan Stranart, Ten Lives Festival

    In this episode, Rob Wreglesworth sits down with Nathan Stranart, co-founder of Ten Lives Festival, a bold new “regenerative festival” movement aiming to tackle land degradation and desertification by pairing hands-on restoration work with music, joy, and community. Nathan explains how Ten Lives formed as a founder collective (not a solo hero story), why governance and “relationship to profit” matter more than most founders think, and how festivals can become a scalable vehicle for behaviour change rather than just entertainment. They dive into alternative investment models (steward ownership, capped returns, climate dividends), the idea of scaling like a tree rather than a rocket, and why Ten Lives is fundamentally an education project that trains local guides and future festival builders. If you care about regeneration, systems thinking, and building mission-led ventures without falling into the usual VC traps, this one goes deep in the best way. Topics covered:Regenerative festivals, community-led entrepreneurship, systems thinking, post-growth business design, scaling impact, eco-anxiety and purpose, alternative finance models, and building movements people actually want to join. To back the project and secure a ticket to the first edition of Ten Live click here https://www.ulule.com/ten-lives-regenerative-festival/ Learn more about Ten Lives here. If you have any ideas for future guests drop me a direct message on Instagram or Linkedin

    1h 16m

  2. 12/23/2025 · BONUS

    48 - The Film Director Trying to Heal the Food vs Nature Divide - James Dawson, Director of Derek vs Derek

    A special Christmas bonus episode ahead of the official relaunch of This Might Just Work: Ideas for a Tired Planet in January. Rob chats with filmmaker James Dawson, director of Derek vs Derek, a documentary built around an unlikely pairing: two neighbouring farmers with very different views on what the countryside is for. On one side is Derek Gow, a maverick rewilder in Devon digging ponds, reintroducing species, and letting nature get noisy again. Over the hedge is Derek Banbury, an arable farmer focused on food production, tight margins, and the reality of making a living from the land. They disagree, sometimes spectacularly (wild boar and beavers included), but they do not hate each other. Which makes this film feel like a rare thing: a genuinely human conversation in a polarised debate. Support the film’s crowdfunder and learn more at derekvsdereck.com.

    40 min
  3. 47 - Can we Mobilise 1 Billion People to Collect High-Quality Nature Data? - Sylvain Vaquer, Mosaic Earth

    08/18/2025

    47 - Can we Mobilise 1 Billion People to Collect High-Quality Nature Data? - Sylvain Vaquer, Mosaic Earth

    In this episode, I sit down with Sylvain, co-founder of Mosaic Earth, to unpack his journey from the world of energy strategy to creating a nature tech company tackling one of the hardest problems out there: making ecological data collection accessible, affordable, and trustworthy. We talk about:🌱 The parallels between raising a newborn and raising a startup.📊 Why site-level ecological data is the missing piece for scaling nature-positive action.🤝 How to bridge the gap between ecologists, corporates, and big tech.🚀 What it means to “build the plane while flying it” in a fast-moving Nature Tech space.💡 Practical advice for conservationists and ecologists who want to start companies of their own. Sylvain also shares Mosaic Earth’s long-term vision: empowering communities worldwide to become custodians of local biodiversity with the help of AI and smart data tools. Whether you’re an aspiring founder, an ecologist curious about tech, or just someone excited about the future of nature-positive business, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. 👉 Learn more about Mosaic Earth at mosaic.earth👉 Join the Ecopreneur Collective newsletter for more founder stories: ecopreneurcollective.substack.com/

    1h 19m
  4. 46 - Turning a Wild Idea Into a Real Business: What Rewilding Can Teach Us About Starting Up Differently - Jon Conradi, Wild Mosaic

    07/30/2025

    46 - Turning a Wild Idea Into a Real Business: What Rewilding Can Teach Us About Starting Up Differently - Jon Conradi, Wild Mosaic

    This week I’m joined by Jon Conradi, founder of Wild Mosaic, a nature startup on a mission to make rewilding something everyone can be part of, not just landowners or ecologists. Jon’s journey into entrepreneurship is one I think a lot of aspiring ecopreneurs will relate to. He didn’t start out in conservation or business. In fact, for a long time he completely switched off from environmental news. But through a mix of rediscovering wonder, a career shake-up, and a push from the Year Here programme, he slowly built an idea that turned into a real business and a hopeful vision of what rewilding can be. In this conversation, we talk about: What made Jon feel like an outsider in the nature world (and why that became his strength) How he turned redundancy + new parenthood into a startup launchpad What rewilding has taught him about building businesses differently The hard truths about funding, identity shifts, and learning to sell your mission Whether you're working on your own planet-positive idea or still figuring out where to start, Jon's honest, thoughtful reflections will give you something to hold onto and hopefully, a nudge to take your next step. 🔗 Learn more or get involved: 🌱 wildmosaic.eco 📬 Contact Jon directly: jon@wildmosaic.eco 📚 Book mentioned: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell 🎧 Bonus reading: Jon’s blog on the 3 Horizons model 📷 Also worth following his journey on LinkedIn And if you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with someone else trying to build something meaningful. This one’s all about starting small, thinking big, and staying human. Do head to www.nolongerknown.com to find out what I am building too.

    1h 7m
  5. 45 - Inventing with Seaweed: Could kelp pots spark a regenerative materials movement? – Emily Power, Oceanmade

    06/30/2025

    45 - Inventing with Seaweed: Could kelp pots spark a regenerative materials movement? – Emily Power, Oceanmade

    In this episode, Emily Power shares her honest, inspiring journey from a corporate career at Microsoft to founding Oceanmade, a regenerative business with global ambitions. We explore how seaweed could be the most underrated material in the climate fight - not just for oceans, but for land too. We also cover: Why the first version of Oceanmade (the "green Amazon") failed and what Emily learned The gardening eureka moment that changed everything Why plastic plant pots are a hidden environmental problem How to build a product without being an expert and why that can be an advantage The challenge of marketing to real customers, not just eco-enthusiasts The land and sea benefits of seaweed from soil health to carbon sequestration Why building in public with imperfect products might be your startup's secret weapon This episode is packed with lessons for aspiring founders, regenerative thinkers, and anyone ready to turn anxiety into action. 🔗 Learn more:🌿 Oceanmade → https://oceanmade.co🌊 Follow Emily → https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybpower/📬 Planet-positive founder's newsletter: The Ecopreneur Collective → https://robwreg.substack.com/subscribe🧵 Follow the startup journey at → https://www.nolongerknown.com

    1h 33m
  6. 44 - From Ruins to Recovery: How AI is Mapping Lost Landscapes for Nature Restoration - Iris Kramer, ArchAI

    06/09/2025

    44 - From Ruins to Recovery: How AI is Mapping Lost Landscapes for Nature Restoration - Iris Kramer, ArchAI

    What if the key to restoring nature lies in uncovering the past? In this episode, I’m joined by Iris Kramer, founder of ArchAI and Forbes 30 Under 30 scientist-turned-startup-CEO, who’s pioneering the use of AI and LiDAR to rediscover lost landscapes, from medieval furrows to ancient orchards and turn them into assets for nature recovery. We talk about: How Iris went from archaeology to AI entrepreneurship Why historic maps and burial mounds matter for modern biodiversity What it's like bootstrapping a deeptech startup without VC Her vision for a national (and global) “map of the past” to guide future regeneration It’s a fascinating story of tech, nature, and startup grit — and a must-listen for anyone building at the intersection of climate, data, and land use. To learn more about ArchAI head to www.archai.io 🌱 Subscribe to my newsletter for more founder stories + tools for building planet-positive businesses: The Ecopreneur Collective 🧵 Follow my own journey building a regenerative clothing brand at: www.nolongerknown.com

    1h 3m
  7. 43 - From Marketing to Marshlands: How a Climate Startup Raised €1M to Restore Wetlands - Alex Kornelsen, Mission to Marsh

    05/11/2025

    43 - From Marketing to Marshlands: How a Climate Startup Raised €1M to Restore Wetlands - Alex Kornelsen, Mission to Marsh

    In this episode, I speak with Alex Kornelsen — a former startup and innovation strategist who left the corporate world to co-found Mission to Marsh, a storytelling-led non-profit restoring wetlands and rebranding peatlands as climate heroes. We talk about how it all started with a Tinder date and a one-sentence peatland pitch, and go deep into what it takes to launch a mission-driven organisation from scratch — from faking a film to raise €50K, to securing Patagonia support, to building a community using marketing, humour, and open storytelling. Whether you’re looking to launch something planet-positive or just curious about how skills from marketing and innovation can be redirected for nature — this episode is packed with insights, honesty, and energy. 00:00 Intro01:00 From Tinder to Peatlands — how it all began04:00 The one-sentence pitch that changed everything06:45 Why a documentary came before the non-profit09:30 How they raised €1M and got Patagonia’s support13:00 Behind the scenes of making the film16:40 The power of storytelling in conservation20:10 “Fake it till you make it” — lessons from launching25:30 From GoFundMe to corporate partnerships30:00 AI + grant writing: how they raised €20K in 30 minutes32:00 Why LinkedIn beat Instagram for traction36:45 Personal branding in nature restoration40:15 Disrupting the non-profit model44:00 Co-founding with your life partner — the real talk50:00 Starting a for-profit arm with peatland tech57:00 Final thoughts on optimism, failure, and what nature teaches us01:00:45 The billboard quote, book recommendation & business idea 👉 Connect with Alex Kornelsen on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/k0rnelsen/ 👉 Explore Mission to Marsh and watch the filmhttps://missiontomarsh.org/ 📷 Follow the Mission on Instagram and LinkedIn to see where the film is touring next. 🛠️ Interested in building your own planet-positive venture?Check out The Startup Diaries episodes — where I document the behind-the-scenes journey of building No Longer Known, a new nature-led brand from scratch. Subscribe on your favourite platform and come along for the ride.

    1h 6m
  8. 42 - From Author To Ecopreneur - Building A Buisness To Profitably Restore Nature - Benedict Macdonald, Restore

    02/06/2025

    42 - From Author To Ecopreneur - Building A Buisness To Profitably Restore Nature - Benedict Macdonald, Restore

    In this episode, I sit down with Benedict Macdonald, award winning author turned ecopreneur, to explore his fascinating journey from wildlife television producer to founder of nature restoration company Restore. Benedict shares how his childhood fascination with butterflies led him to a career in conservation, eventually leaving a successful career in wildlife television to tackle the challenge of transforming land use in the UK through innovative business models. We dive deep into Britain's complex history with nature, discussing how centuries of wildlife removal have shaped our landscapes, and explore the emerging opportunities for restoration through new financing approaches. Benedict offers fascinating insights into his current projects, including an ambitious plan to restore Atlantic rainforest in the Hebrides, while also sharing practical advice for urban rewilding and garden biodiversity. Our conversation covers everything from the role of wild boar in ecosystem restoration to the potential for nature recovery in cities like Berlin. Whether you're interested in conservation, sustainable business, or simply want to understand how nature and economics can work together, this episode hopefully offers valuable insights into how we can build businesses that help nature thrive. We wrap up with book recommendations and Benedict's optimistic vision for the future of British wildlife.

    1h 24m
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About

We are all tired of environmental doom, guilt, and greenwash. But tired is not the end. It is the moment to wake up and build something better. Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action. If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.

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