Is People, Planet, Pint the parkrun of Sustainability? With Adam Bastock, Small99

In this episode, Emma sits down with Adam Bastock, founder of Small 99 and the grassroots movement People Planet Pint. The conversation dives into Adam Bastock's journey from digital marketing to sustainability, the origins and evolution of People Planet Pint, and the critical role of community-led action in making real, lasting change. Key Topics Adam Bastock's Background & Motivation Started in digital marketing, specializing in SEO for SMEs (01:25). Noticed sustainability advice, like digital marketing, was often aimed at big companies and hard for small businesses to implement (01:41). Frustration with lack of SME-focused sustainability guidance inspired the creation of Small99 (02:55). Small99 & People Planet Pint (PPP) Small99: Aims to empower small businesses to decarbonize rapidly thanks to their nimble decision-making (03:07). People Planet Pint: Born from the realization that business owners are more likely to gather in pubs than formal training rooms—turning the traditional networking and learning model on its head (06:38). Lessons from experimentation: Tech tools like to-do lists and online calculators weren’t as effective for SMEs as community and peer support (06:07). Community, Behaviour Change, & The Magic of the Pub Real, lasting behavior change happens in informal, social spaces—over a pint, not in a classroom (09:08). Events like PPP remove the threat and formality of standard sustainability events, providing a "safe space" for networking and support (18:35). Mini games and monthly themes have proven a powerful way to spark conversations and learning (10:48, 30:07). Failures and Learnings: People Planet Pastry Attempted morning meetups ("pastry"), but found them less accessible, often attracting a more privileged, professional crowd (10:29). Realized morning networking isn't for everyone—validated the pub as the most inclusive, accessible space (11:16). The Role of Technology & AI Tech (including AI) can now generate carbon reduction plans for free, making human-to-human connection the true unique value PPP offers (13:51). Nothing yet replaces the spark of real conversation and shared experience in the pub (14:15). Working With the National Emergency Briefing PPP complements the National Emergency Briefing: watch the hard-hitting film, then come to the pub to share, vent, and act (18:28). Emphasis on being welcoming and non-threatening for those who might feel out of place at activist-run events (20:14). Impact & Growth Since 2021, PPP runs about 80 events monthly, with more than 35,000 registrants (22:54). Dream: To become the "Parkrun of sustainability"—consistent, safe, locally run events driving exponential growth and deeper community (24:09). Expanding the Movement Looking to break out from the sustainability sector regulars to engage the "quietly concerned"—people who care about climate but don’t feel part of the movement yet (28:19). Open to partnerships, sponsorships, and new chapter (location) hosts—especially brands and influencers with wide reach (29:55). How To Get Involved Attend your local People Planet Pint event—bring a friend for the most impact (36:48). Interested in hosting or partnering? Connect with Adam Bastock via LinkedIn or at small99.co.uk (40:11). Help PPP reach 200,000: listeners, partners, and sponsors wanted! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate, share, and subscribe so more people can find ways to take practical, community-driven climate action. Send in your guest suggestions for the upcoming 100th episode! LINKS https://small99.co.uk/find-people-planet-pint-near-you/ https://small99.co.uk/action-box/ Book a Power Hour with Emma https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour Connect with Emma Website Email Emma Burlow | LinkedIn