We Need to Act

Sara Rego
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education
  • Updated Semimonthly

Hosted by Dr. Sara Rego, We Need to Act is a podcast about people, nature and the systems that connect them. From climate change and biodiversity to health, culture, economy and justice, the show brings together Indigenous leaders, activists, researchers, policymakers, authors and practitioners from around the world. Conversations in English and Spanish.

  1. 4d ago

    The True Cost of Fashion and Why We Need to Buy Less with Claudia Pievani

    Fashion is broken. Can beauty fix it? In this episode of We Need to Act, Sara Rego speaks with Claudia Pievani, founder of Miomojo — an upper premium, cruelty-free Italian accessories brand and certified B Corp. Fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. It exploits animals, underpays workers, floods developing nations with waste, and keeps selling us things we don’t need at prices that hide the real cost. And yet the industry resists change — because desirability always comes first. Claudia Pievani decided to prove that ethics and aesthetics don’t have to be opposites. Miomojo makes bags and accessories from next-generation materials — including orange-derived leather — handcrafted by artisans in Le Marche, Italy. No animal skin. No greenwashing. No compromise on beauty. In this conversation, we explore: Why Claudia refuses the “sustainable brand” label — and what she calls Miomojo insteadThe hidden cruelty behind glamorous fashion productsNext-generation materials and the R&D process behind each oneWhy cheap accessibility to fashion is a trap, not a virtueThe committed minority theory of changeWhat B Corp certification means in an industry where greenwashing is the normWhy the future belongs to businesses that create prosperity for everyone Claudia’s challenge is simple: “Just be kind — and check if what you buy was too.” Find more about Claudia’s work here: https://www.miomojo.com/ 🎙️ We Need to Act is a not-for-profit podcast about the stories, experiences and ideas that can help us find our way back to nature, to ourselves and to one another.

    The True Cost of Fashion and Why We Need to Buy Less with Claudia Pievani

  2. Oct 7

    The Ocean Won't Die But We Might: Indigenous Knowledge, Ocean Health & Youth Leadership with Bodhi Patil (066)

    The ocean is dying. Do we have the answers? In this episode of We Need to Act, Sara Rego speaks with Bodhi Patil, ocean guardian, founder of Inner Light and co-founder of Ocean Uprise. The ocean produces roughly half the oxygen we breathe and absorbs nearly a third of the CO2 we emit. And yet it remains one of the least understood and least protected systems on the planet. The people who have always known how to protect it — Indigenous communities and local guardians — are still the least invested in. Bodhi Patil has been fighting for the ocean since he was twelve years old. In this conversation, he explains what it will actually take to heal it. In this conversation, we explore: The connection between ocean health and human healthWhy Indigenous and local communities hold the answers we've been overlookingInner resilience as a foundation for ocean and climate resilienceThe role of young people in ocean stewardship and governancePower, power transfer and who gets left out of climate solutionsThe work of Inner Light and its mission to support young and Indigenous ocean guardiansWhat it means to be an ocean guardian in 2024Bodhi's message is clear: "The ocean isn't gonna die. It's all of us that will first perish before the ocean ever dies." And his challenge to all of us: "The biggest opportunity we have to restore our planet is with the people and places that we've left out the most historically." Find more about Bodhi's work here: https://www.bodhipatil.com/ 🎙️ We Need to Act is a not-for-profit podcast about the stories, experiences and ideas that can help us find our way back to nature, to ourselves and to one another.

    The Ocean Won't Die But We Might: Indigenous Knowledge, Ocean Health & Youth Leadership with Bodhi Patil (066)

  3. Sep 23

    Tuvalu Is Fighting to Survive: Climate Change, Rising Seas & Climate Justice | Dr. Tapugao Falefou (065)

    Tuvalu is living the climate crisis now. In this episode of We Need to Act, Sara Rego speaks with Dr. Tapugao Falefou, Tuvalu’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States and the Republic of Cuba. For Tuvalu, climate change is not a distant threat. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion and the loss of land are already affecting communities and creating profound uncertainty about the future. Dr. Falefou explains what it means for a small island developing state to face the consequences of a crisis it has contributed very little to — and why climate change is also a question of justice, responsibility and global solidarity. In this conversation, we explore: • The reality of sea-level rise and climate change in Tuvalu• Climate adaptation, coastal protection and resilience• Climate finance and the Loss and Damage Fund• The role of the United Nations and multilateral cooperation• Climate justice and historical responsibility• The protection of Tuvalu’s culture, identity and statehood• Digital initiatives to preserve Tuvalu’s cultural heritage• Why climate change should be treated as a global security issue• The need to move from commitments and statements to meaningful action Dr. Falefou's message is clear: “Climate change is not a future problem for Tuvalu. It is happening right now.” And his final call is one for all of us: “The world must choose solidarity over indifference.” 🎙️ We Need to Act is a not-for-profit podcast about the stories, experiences and ideas that can help us find our way back to nature, to ourselves and to one another.

    Tuvalu Is Fighting to Survive: Climate Change, Rising Seas & Climate Justice | Dr. Tapugao Falefou (065)

  4. Aug 28

    El Agua en Chile es Privada y las Comunidades Pagan el Precio con Jorge Morales (064)

    ¿Qué pasa cuando el agua que necesitas para vivir ya tiene dueño? Jorge Morales Trincado lleva 14 años defendiendo el agua y el territorio en el Valle del Aconcagua, una de las cuencas más fértiles de Chile — y una de las más amenazadas. Antiguo ejecutivo de multinacionales como Volvo y Mercedes-Benz, Jorge tomó una decisión radical a los 42 años: renunció, volvió a su tierra y dedicó su vida a protegerla. En esta conversación con Sara, Jorge nos lleva al corazón de una de las crisis hídricas más graves de América Latina. Nos explica por qué el agua en Chile es privada, por qué el 75% del agua del Aconcagua va a la agroindustria de exportación, y por qué la Ley de Glaciares que Chile lleva años debatiendo es, en sus palabras, "un circo" que no ataca la causa raíz. Pero esta conversación va mucho más allá del diagnóstico. Jorge habla de narrativa, de arte, de ternura. De por qué la batalla ambiental se gana o se pierde en el plano de las emociones y las creencias. Y de por qué defender el buen vivir requiere también cuidarnos entre nosotros. "Podemos perder todas las luchas. Lo que no podemos perder es la capacidad de crear, la capacidad de amar y la capacidad de tratarnos con ternura." En este episodio: Cómo el agua en Chile se convirtió en un bien privado — y quién paga las consecuenciasEl 75% del agua del Aconcagua va a la agroindustria de exportación: el aguacate como metáforaLa Ley de Glaciares: por qué 14 años de debate han producido un circo legislativoEl Observatorio Socioambiental Aconcagua: cómo traducir documentos del Estado en narrativas accesibles para las comunidadesPor qué la batalla ambiental se da en el plano de la emoción y la creenciaArte, cultura y ternura como herramientas de movilizaciónLlamada a la acción: el cambio empieza en casa Sobre Jorge Morales Trincado: Jorge Morales Trincado es coordinador del Observatorio Socioambiental Aconcagua y defensor del territorio en el Valle del Aconcagua, Chile. Con 14 años de activismo socioambiental, lidera procesos de análisis y traducción de documentos del Estado para empoderar a las comunidades locales en la defensa del agua y el territorio. We Need to Act es un podcast sobre las personas, ideas y movimientos que están construyendo un presente mejor.

    El Agua en Chile es Privada y las Comunidades Pagan el Precio con Jorge Morales (064)

  5. Aug 13

    Our Lands Are Who We Are: Indigenous Science, Ecological Grief and Decolonising Research with Dr. Jessica Hernandez (063)

    What happens to your sense of self when the lands that define you are taken away? Dr. Jessica Hernandez is an Indigenous environmental scientist, author, and founder of Earth Daughters — an Indigenous-led collective supporting indigenous women and youth through mutual aid and climate justice initiatives. Of Binnizá and Ch'orti' Maya heritage, displaced from her ancestral homelands in Oaxaca and Central America, Jessica has spent her career doing what Western academia rarely allows: putting indigenous communities in charge of their own research. In this conversation with Sara, Jessica speaks candidly about the dualities she navigates daily — as a displaced Indigenous woman, as a scientist trained in Western methods who refuses to extract knowledge from communities, as an advocate who must resist the individualistic mindset embedded in academia. She talks about ecological grief — the profound sadness that comes when lands are desecrated, even by well-intentioned renewable energy projects built without indigenous consent. She talks about the milpa — the communal agricultural system that embodies everything capitalism has erased. And she talks about Earth Daughters, which began as a mutual aid effort after an earthquake devastated Oaxaca in 2020 and has since grown into a nonprofit running projects from Bolivia to Guatemala to Colombia. "Our lands are who we are, who we become, and what we hold." In this episode: What displacement does to identity — and why the longing to return never leavesWhy Western research is often extractive — and how to do it differentlyThe hardest part of bridging indigenous knowledge and Western science in academiaEcological grief: what happens to your soul when the lands are takenHow colonisation erased indigenous histories — and how education can help break the cycleThe milpa: an indigenous agricultural system that embodies communal livingEarth Daughters: from earthquake mutual aid to nonprofit projects across Latin AmericaA call to action: pay attention to what is happening in the US — and advocate globally About Dr. Jessica Hernandez: Dr. Jessica Hernandez is an Indigenous environmental scientist of Binnizá and Ch'orti' Maya heritage, author of Fresh Banana Leaves and Growing Papaya Trees, and founder of Earth Daughters — an Indigenous-led nonprofit supporting indigenous communities through mutual aid, climate justice, and community-led research projects in Bolivia, Guatemala, and Colombia. We Need to Act is a podcast about the people, ideas, and movements shaping a better now.

    Our Lands Are Who We Are: Indigenous Science, Ecological Grief and Decolonising Research with Dr. Jessica Hernandez (063)

  6. Jul 30

    The Fashion Industry Is Broken And Ghana Is Paying the Price with Yayra Agbofah (062)

    What does your wardrobe have to do with a beach in Ghana covered in discarded clothing? Yayra Agbofah grew up trading secondhand garments at Kantamanto Market in Accra — one of the largest secondhand clothing markets in Africa, where millions of garments arrive every single week. He saw firsthand what happens to the ones that don't sell: they end up in rivers, in landfills, on beaches. He also saw something else: extraordinary creativity. Tailors transforming discarded fabric. Traders extending the life of damaged clothes. Communities practicing circularity long before it became a sustainability buzzword. In 2018, Yayra founded The Revival — a community-driven upcycling initiative that transforms textile waste into products, education, and opportunity. Named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025, he has since redirected an estimated 12 million garments from landfill, reduced CO2 emissions by more than 12,000 metric tons, and built free online courses so communities around the world can learn from the knowledge developed at Kantamanto. In this conversation with Sara, Yayra makes the case that fashion's crisis is not just environmental — it is a story of inequality, colonialism, and extraction, where the Global South pays the price for the Global North's overconsumption. He talks about what the future of fashion could look like, why synthetic materials need to go, and why the most important question a consumer can ask is: where is this garment going to end up? "It has always been dignity over charity. We're not trying to save communities — we're trying to build together with them." In this episode: How Ghana became the epicentre of global textile waste — and who pays the real priceWhy Kantamanto Market is not a dumping ground but a space of innovation and resilienceWhat the Global South actually needs from the fashion industry — not charity, but accountabilityThe Revival: upcycling, education, job creation, and free online courses from AccraWhy fast fashion is a story of extraction — of labour, resources, and now wasteWhat the future of fashion should look like: slower, more local, more honestWhy synthetic materials are the driving force of fast fashion — and need to be abolishedA call to action: think about where every garment ends up before you buy it About Yayra Agbofah: Yayra Agbofah is the founder and creative director of The Revival, a community-driven sustainable fashion initiative based in Accra, Ghana. Named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025, he has spent over seven years working at the intersection of textile waste, circular economy, and community empowerment. The Revival has diverted an estimated 12 million garments from landfill and reduced CO2 emissions by more than 12,000 metric tons. https://www.therevival.earth/ We Need to Act is a podcast about the people, ideas, and movements shaping a better now.

    The Fashion Industry Is Broken And Ghana Is Paying the Price with Yayra Agbofah (062)

  7. Jul 23

    Environmental Law and Climate Change: Why Collective Action Is Our Most Powerful Tool with Daniel Farber (061)

    What happens to environmental law when the federal government turns its back on climate action? Dan Farber is the Sho Sato Professor of Law at UC Berkeley and one of the most respected voices in US environmental and constitutional law. A former law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the US Supreme Court, he has spent decades at the intersection of environmental policy, democracy, and justice. In this conversation with Sara, Dan offers a clear-eyed and surprisingly hopeful assessment of where we are. He talks about why simply limiting emissions is no longer enough — and why we need to think seriously about what we are going to build in place of the fossil fuel world. He talks about the role of state governments as the real drivers of durable climate action in the US, and about why California and other states are effectively doing the lab work for the federal government. He speaks about environmental justice — who is most exposed to risk, who is most vulnerable, and why those two things are not always the same. And he addresses political polarisation head-on, arguing that climate change was never and should never be a left-right issue. But the most important message he leaves is this: change is not all or nothing. Every ton of carbon we stop emitting makes the world a little bit better. And collectively — in communities, in states, in cities — we are far more powerful than we feel. In this episode: What environmental law actually is — and why companies won't act without itWhy limiting emissions alone is not enough — the case for investment-led climate policyHow the war in the Middle East is accelerating the global energy transitionWhy state and local governments are the real engine of durable climate action in the USEnvironmental justice: who is most exposed, who is most vulnerable — and why these aren't the samePolitical polarisation and climate change — how we got here and how we get past itWhy democracy, despite its slowness, produces more durable climate solutions than authoritarianismWhat ordinary citizens can actually do — from voting with their wallet to writing to their state legislatorsWhy community is the antidote to powerlessness About Dan Farber: Dan Farber is the Sho Sato Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, where he leads two research centres focused on law, energy, environment, and democracy. A former law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the US Supreme Court, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the author of several influential books including Eco-Pragmatism and Contested Ground: How to Understand the Limits on Presidential Power. We Need to Act is a podcast about the people, ideas, and movements shaping a better now.

    Environmental Law and Climate Change: Why Collective Action Is Our Most Powerful Tool with Daniel Farber (061)

  8. Jul 16

    Six Years Without Salmon: Sámi, Europe's Only Indigenous People on Climate Change with Áslat Holmberg (060)

    What does it mean to watch the river that shaped your entire life fall silent? Áslat Holmberg is a former member of the Sámi Parliament of Finland and former President of the Saami Council — a salmon fisher, teacher, and holder of a master's degree in indigenous studies whose work expertise includes human rights, culture, indigenous knowledge, and environmental policy. He grew up in Njuorggán, the northernmost village in Finland, fishing salmon in the Teno River from the age of two. Today, that river is in its sixth consecutive year of complete salmon fishery closure — with stocks at roughly 1% of a healthy population. In this conversation with Sara, Áslat shares what it means to be part of Europe's only indigenous people — a community of around 100,000 people largely invisible in European institutions, rarely taught in European schools, and yet holding some of the most profound ecological knowledge on the continent. He talks about the dramatic changes the Arctic is undergoing: collapsing salmon stocks, reindeer herding disrupted by rain in January, and insects arriving all at once. And he talks about the Sami worldview — the tradition of asking permission before entering a place, the rule of leaving it exactly as you found it, and the understanding that humans are not above other species, but simply one among many. This is a conversation about identity, self-sufficiency, indigenous rights, and what Europe still has to learn from the people who have lived in the north for thousands of years. In this episode: Who are the Sami — Europe's only indigenous people — and why are they so little known?Six consecutive years of complete salmon fishery closure — and what that means for a communityHow climate change is transforming reindeer herding across the ArcticThe Sami worldview: asking permission, leaving no trace, humans as one species among manyThe gap between Sami rights on paper and real decision-making power in practiceWhy protecting the human rights system and protecting the environment are the same struggle About Áslat Holmberg: Áslat Holmberg is from Njuorggán, situated on the banks of the great river Deatnu at the border between Finland and Norway. He has worked for over a decade with Sámi and indigenous issues through NGOs, activism, and academia. He is a former President of the Saami Council and former member of the Sámi Parliament of Finland. He is a salmon fisher and teacher and holds a master's degree in indigenous studies. His work expertise includes human rights, culture, indigenous knowledge, and environmental policy.

    Six Years Without Salmon: Sámi, Europe's Only Indigenous People on Climate Change with Áslat Holmberg (060)
See All (78)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Hosted by Dr. Sara Rego, We Need to Act is a podcast about people, nature and the systems that connect them. From climate change and biodiversity to health, culture, economy and justice, the show brings together Indigenous leaders, activists, researchers, policymakers, authors and practitioners from around the world. Conversations in English and Spanish.

Information

  • Creator
    Sara Rego
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    78
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sara Rego
  • Show Website
    We Need to Act