Imagining Tomorrow

Emma Newman with Friends of the Earth

It’s hard to imagine a bright future in the face of the climate crisis. This new podcast, from Hugo Award winning podcaster and author Emma Newman, will take you on a journey from despair to the most radiant, radical hope.

Made in partnership with Friends of the Earth, Imagining Tomorrow shows how we can create a future that is good for people and for nature, based on innovations in technology and community action that are already having a positive impact.

Join Emma as she pieces together the roadmap to utopia by interviewing amazing inventors, communities and award-winning science fiction authors.

We can’t build a better future until we can imagine it, so let’s imagine it together.

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36 episodes
Updated Sep 5, 2024

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Episodes36

Newest first

Oct 26, 2020 · 27 min
How to Save the Planet | How do climate and racism connect?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. What is environmental justice? How are black and brown communities impacted by climate breakdown differently? Why do equality and anti-racism need to be central to the environmental movement? To mark Black History Month, campaigner Muna Suleiman chats to MP David Lammy, MEP Magid Magid and activist Mikaela Loach about how climate and race are connected, and what we can do to make the environment movement more inclusive. ---------- Support the show
Sep 25, 2020 · 26 min
How to Save the Planet | Can you love fashion and the planet?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. As fashion week draws to a close, we take a look at one of our most problematic faves - new clothes. Muna and Louisa speak to fashion insiders Ros and Marie to get useful tips about how we can look good sustainably, what we can do as consumers to push the fashion industry to be better, and what companies and our government should be doing to make the important changes we need to see. Ros Studd worked as a buyer in the fashion industry before leaving to teach textile design. She's now on a new mission to get everyone mending to save the planet and some cash. Earlier this year she launched repairwhatyouwear.com to give people the confidence and skills to sew by hand. Marie, founder of CONGREGATIONcollective, had a similar experience of working in the fashion industry and wanted to experiment and find a way which worked better for everyone, the designers, makers and the world. The collectives latest collection is 100% up-cycled. https://www.instagram.com/congregationdesign/ -- Support the show
Sep 3, 2020 · 23 min
How to Save the Planet | Can getting around go green?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Outside of our major cities, the UK is reliant on cars to get us around. We know they're huge contributors to climate breakdown, but what are the alternatives? Could we really aim for the bike culture of Holland? Could our public transport system ever be accessible enough to challenge the car's rule? In this episode, Muna talks to Haf, Ian and Ridhi, all of whom are working on making our approach to transport that bit greener. Check out their work at: Haf Elgar: www.foe.cymru and @foecymrucydd Ian Taylor: www.transportforqualityoflife.com Ridhi Kalaria: @SustransWMids on twitter Support the show
Jul 20, 2020 · 30 min
How to Save the Planet | How to talk about climate
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Caring about the climate doesn't always mean it's easy to talk about. We know it can be a tricky conversation to have, whether with friends, family or your least favourite coworker. We're here to help, so we asked Cassie Flynn to share some wisdom. Cassie is the Strategic Advisor on Climate for the United Nations Development Programme, and joins Muna and Fran to talk us through key lessons she's learned from a long career of having those difficult conversations. Ask the UK government to take action on climate in the wake of Covid19, with a green and fair recovery plan at friendsoftheearth.uk/climate-change - - - Support the show
Jun 9, 2020 · 32 min
How to Save the Planet | Are your taxes funding climate breakdown?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. The UK claims to be a climate leader, but the truth behind where our tax money goes tells a different story. Muna and Louisa are joined today by Adam McGibbon, an investigator with Global Witness. We discover how our money is being used to damage our climate and destroy the communities and livelihoods of those most impacted by climate breakdown in the global south. And how we can stop it. We’ll also hear from Ilham Rawoot in Mozambique, who is part of a group fighting one of these damaging projects. Sign our petition to stop the damaging project in Mozambique: https://act.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/stop-funding-climate-wrecking-fossil-fuels-overseas. Find our more about Global Witness at: https://www.globalwitness.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Support the show
May 14, 2020 · 21 min
How to Save the Planet | Nature on your doorstep
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Lockdown may mean we're spending more time at home, but there's still a lot of the natural world we can look out for (and enjoy) from our doorstep. In this episode Muna and Isobel speak to 14-year-old RSPB Youth Ambassador, Kabir Kaul, who's on a mission to transform the way we look at urban landscapes and get us all looking out for nature nearby. We had a couple of tech issues with the mics, so please forgive the sound quality in parts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support the show
May 6, 2020 · 25 min
How to Save the Planet | Ramadan goes green
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Ramadan has kicked off for Muslims around the world, a time of fasting, reflection and family. This week Muna is talking to 3 British Muslims, Magid Magid, Lamees Hafeez, and Zunaira Malik. They chat about how lockdown has impacted their fasting, cooking channel addictions and advice for making your Ramadan as eco friendly as possible. Visit friendsoftheearth.uk for more tips. --- Support the show
Apr 9, 2020 · 27 min
How to Save the Planet | Dude, where's my COP?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet So the UN climate talks are postponed, but what really happens there anyway? And does the delay mean anything for climate breakdown? This episode, Muna and Fran chat to Friends of the Earth's international campaigner Rachel. As a regular at the talks, she shares what really goes on there, the highs and lows of the conference, and the impact of a delay to COP 26. All whilst trying to avoid the endless acronyms. Support the show
Mar 30, 2020 · 33 min
How to Save the Planet | Planet on lockdown
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet Muna catches up with a few Friends of the Earth staff to see how they're coping and staying connected as we enter life on lockdown. We discuss how we're looking after ourselves, what social distancing means for activism, experiences with homeschooling, and of course what we're binge watching. As we grapple with the complexities of life in a global pandemic, it's more important than ever that we find ways to stay connected and support the most vulnerable. We'll be here over the next weeks and months as the situation unfolds, keeping you up to date with how you can stay involved in your local and global community. Support the show
Feb 28, 2020 · 19 min
How to Save the Planet | Is Heathrow getting a third runway?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Our special bonus episode today comes hot on the heels of Friends of the Earth's historic win in the Court of Appeal. On Thursday 27 February, government plans to expand Heathrow airport were ruled illegal, on the grounds that they did not full consider the climate impacts of the project. But what happens now with Heathrow's expansion? And what does this ruling mean for holding the government to account on their promises to take climate action? Muna and Louisa chat to Friends of the Earth lawyer, Katie de Kauwe, who has been working on the case. She is more than a little thrilled with the result, and talks us through some of the wider implications it could have. Support the show
Feb 24, 2020 · 24 min
How to Save the Planet | Is climate breakdown sexist?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. With international women's day around the corner, Muna and Fran meet with Helen Pankhurst to discuss how climate impacts women and girls, and why we're partnering with Care International on their annual March for Women. We also hear from Sostine in Uganda about a grassroots movement to stop rural livelihoods being destroyed by sugar farming. Join Friends of the Earth at the March for Women on 8 March, and stand in solidarity with women around the world. You can find the details at careint.uk/m4w Support the show
Jan 20, 2020 · 24 min
How to Save the Planet | Climate keeping you up at night?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. With Australian fires dominating the news, alongside floods in Indonesia and the shocking devastation to The Amazon last year, it's no wonder many of us are feeling more than a little on edge about the environment. But with terms like eco anxiety gaining traction, what does it really mean? Why do we feel it? And what should we do about it? This episode we speak to journalist Emma Beddington and psychotherapist Caroline Hickman about their own feelings of stress around the climate emergency, how they deal with them, and why feelings of despair might actually be a good thing. For you, and the planet. This week your resident climate campaigner Muna is joined by Isobel from Friends of the Earth's video team in her search for answers, reassurance, and change. Support the show
Dec 18, 2019 · 18 min
How to Save the Planet | The year that fracking fell
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. After a long and uncertain campaign, 2019 finally became the year we've seen the fracking industry fail. It's been a big win for local campaigning, and the environmental movement as a whole. But why, and how? This episode Muna is joined by Friends of the Earth's lead fracking campaigner, Jamie, and our website guru Fran. They talk through why fracking is bad for the climate, how the win happened, and how every form of activism is needed to save the planet. Support the show
Nov 26, 2019 · 16 min
How to Save the Planet | Is this the UK's first climate election?
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. A General Election gives us the chance to make our voices heard on the issues that matter most. And with increased understanding of the climate emergency - and ever more frequent strikes - will this election turn out to be the UK's first climate election? Muna speaks to Creative Lead Louisa and Political Campaigner Rosemary about election fatigue, how to register to vote and what we should be asking our local candidates. Support the show
Oct 30, 2019 · 18 min
How to Save the Planet | Introducing Music Declares Emergency
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Councils, countries and climate activists are all declaring a climate emergency. But what about industries? Host Muna joins DJ and radio presenter Erica McKoy to discover what the music industry is doing to save the planet. The episode features interviews with the founders of Music Declares Emergency and Mercury Prize nominee Sam Lee. Support the show
Sep 20, 2019 · 13 min
How to Save the Planet | The School Strikers
An episode from Friends of the Earth podcast series, How to Save the Planet. Since 2018, schoolchildren across the world have been striking on Fridays to draw attention to the worsening climate crisis. On 20 September 2019 they were joined by millions of adults for the Global Climate Strike. Friends of the Earth's Muna Suleiman interviewed the youth climate activists at the heart of the school strikes just days before the historic event. This is their story. Support the show