Episode Summary: In this episode of CarbonSessions, we chat with Patrick Jackson, the creative mind behind “Picker Pals,” an innovative environmental program for children. Patrick shares his journey from creating educational materials to becoming an environmental advocate.

Patrick discusses the Picker Pals initiative, which engages children in litter-picking activities through a compelling mix of storytelling, practical activities, and classroom tools. With Picker Pals now active in 70% of primary schools in Ireland and expanding globally, Patrick emphasizes the importance of empowering children and communities to take action against environmental degradation.

Listen to this episode to learn about:

• The origins and impact of Patrick’s eye-catching “cloak of debris”
• How Picker Pals integrates environmental education with hands-on activities
• The challenges and successes in spreading the Picker Pals program across different countries
• Patrick’s creative approach to engaging children in environmental stewardship through storytelling and interactive learning
• Expanding Picker Pals to schools and communities worldwide
• Insights into Patrick's creative process and future plans for the program

Connect with Patrick:

Picker Pals Website

Picker Pals on Instagram

Patrick Jackson on LinkedIn

Watch Patrick in Action

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Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Leekei Tang, Jenn Swanson, Tania Marien, Kristina Horning and Barbara Orsi.

Leekei is a fashion business founder, a business coach, an international development expert, and podcaster from Paris, France.

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer, and community Connector, helping people help themselves.

From Riverside, California, Tania is an independent environmental education professional and hosts and produces The Talaterra Podcast.

Kristina has a background in architecture and engineering. Currently in Prague (that it is where she is originally from) and her base is US.

Based in Milan, Italy, Barbara is a mom and marketing executive who has been actively involved in building a better and brighter future for our planet since November 2021. She has contributed to the Carbon Almanac and serves as the Italian coordinator for the Carbon Almanac Network. During fall 2023, she co-founded Generation Carbon Italy, the Italian spin-off of the Carbon Almanac Network

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For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac (one of Amazon best-selling books of the year!), visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our...

Episode Summary: today we are joined by Leah Rampy to discuss her book Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos, a project rooted in her lifelong connection to the living world. Leah shares how her book draws from her extensive experience in understanding climate change, biodiversity loss, and leading retreats and pilgrimages that invite deeper ecological connections.

Leah shares her journey from corporate roles to advocating for environmental stewardship through initiatives like "Save Our Soil," while addressing the dangers of "othering" and promoting a kin-centric view of nature, leading with the heart, and embracing the grief and joy of climate change.

Highlights include:

• The inspiration and journey behind Leah’s book Earth and Soul.
• The grassroots movement “Save Our Soil” and its focus on local regenerative farming and habitat creation.
• Leah’s transition from a corporate career to environmental and spiritual work.
• The principles of somatic leadership and how they can apply to environmental advocacy.
• Balancing grief and joy in the face of climate change and the importance of ritual and community in navigating these emotions.
• The concept of kin-centric ecology and the practice of reweaving our relationships with the natural world.
• The value of local pilgrimages and connecting deeply with the nearby environment.

About Leah Rampy: Leah is the author of Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos. Leah is a writer, retreat leader, and educator who blends ecology and spirituality through personal stories and practices to help others deepen their relationship with the natural world. With a Ph.D. in curriculum from Indiana University, Leah currently lives with her husband in a co-housing community in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

To connect with Leah, visit https://www.leahmoranrampy.com/.

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Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Leekei Tang, Brian Tormey, and Jenn Swanson.

Leekei is a fashion business founder, a business coach, an international development expert, and podcaster from Paris, France.

Brian is a Real Estate Title Insurance Professional and Goat Farmer in the US.

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer, and community Connector, helping people help themselves.

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For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac (one of Amazon best-selling books of the year!), visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

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The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

Episode Summary: This episode is focused on a discussion about the problem of plastic recycling. It is selected from episode 13 (The Octopus’ Gardens)

Like many of us, Tonya, Kristy, and Katherine thought that cleaning plastic containers and putting them in the recycling bin would help mitigate the negative impact created by the use of plastic.

It’s only after they’ve been working on the Almanac that they realised that they got it all wrong! While recycling plastic is an important habit, its impact is tiny compared to the magnitude of plastic pollution created at all stages of the plastic lifecycle.

This focus is selected from episode 13 (The Octopus’ Gardens) where Tonya, Kristy, and Katherine discussed the marine environment and plastic pollution and how humans are creating problems for them. They talk about projects that are trying to solve these problems and how personal responsibility is just a part of this.

To listen to the full episode of Octopus’ Gardens go here

For more information on the project and to pre-order your copy of the Carbon Almanac, visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

You can find out more on page 78, 79 and 162 of the Carbon Almanac and on the website you can tap the footnotes link and type in 027, 346 and 256

Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Tonya Downing, Kristy Sharrow, and Katherine Palmer.

Tonya is from Durham in North Carolina, she is involved in Personality-driven digital marketing for small businesses in the US. Kristy is a journalist turned marketer and Katherine is an Aromatherapist and Workshop Coordinator.

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The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.