Best Ashna and Lydia Podcasts (2024)

1
S3 E6: How to embed sustainability into a business, with Lola's Cupcakes 42:43

3+ y ago42:43

42:43

Today we talk about building sustainability into your business, with special guests Adam Doffman and Zac Huddart from Lola’s Cupcakes. Lola's is iconic in London and UK-wide for their fresh, handcrafted and delicious cakes. Lola's didn’t start out with sustainability at its core, but is now doing a lot of work in this area. It is a great example of…

1
S3 E5: Physical Activity: How Your Movement Could Support A Movement 32:25

3+ y ago32:25

32:25

Today we discuss physical activity and the links it has to social impact. We start by discussing the intersection of yoga, yoga philosophy and social impact, as there are links there which Lydia, as a yoga teacher, has come to realise through her training. We then move to other ways in which physical activity and sports can have socially positive e…

1
S3 E4: Mental health: How do mental health and sustainability relate? 42:01

3+ y ago42:01

42:01

Today we haven’t chosen an easy topic, but it's an extremely vital one: Mental Health. We are grateful that this topic is not new, as over the past few years mental health is slowly coming into the everyday conversation (from workplaces addressing it, to parents and children communicating about it more, to governments increasing funding in it). How…

1
S3 E3: Finance: Making your wealth do good 52:43

3+ y ago52:43

52:43

We've talked on the show about spending power and the impact that buying more sustainable products can have on the planet and society. However, what about the impact of our 'wealth', i.e. the money we hold in bank accounts, investments, pensions, etc? Our wealth has a significant impact on carbon emissions, for example. You can create 27 times more…

1
S3 E2: Relationships: How to have a conversation on values 43:38

3+ y ago43:38

43:38

The reason we started Switch is that we want sustainable living to be mainstream. The podcast acts as a small piece in the puzzle towards this goal by opening up the conversation on sustainability, helping people to feel more positive, empowered and effective in how they can improve the planet and society. One key thing we haven’t actually touched …

1
S3 E1: Careers: How to Get A Career in Sustainability / Social Impact 47:55

3+ y ago47:55

47:55

Welcome back to Switch Podcast. This new season we are exploring our core foundations and how sustainability intersects with them. In season 1 & 2 we put a spotlight on some of our biggest environmental challenges such as plastic waste, food systems, fast fashion; and brought in guests who were doing some pretty cool things to tackle these. This se…

1
Ep 48 #ItsCoolToBeKind, with TALA 36:55

4y ago36:55

36:55

This week we’re joined by Sarah from TALA, which makes sustainable active/casual-wear that is super stylish! We’re actually in love with this brand… They are inclusive. Their collections are for every body, designed to make everyone feel comfortable and empowered with high-performance designs and flattering fits. And we think their instagram reflec…

1
Ep 47 Ecofeminism: Why The Patriarchy & Climate Change Are Linked 48:50

4y ago48:50

48:50

Right now, it feels like marginalised groups across the globe are demanding respect, justice and equal rights and are finally being heard - from the Black Lives Matter movement to trans-gender rights activism. People will not stand oppression by patriarchal power structures any longer. But in among this fight, are some voices not being heard? Patri…

1
Ep 46: Switch x The Wise Consumer: Coming Together 51:57

4y ago51:57

51:57

Hello! Welcome to the first in a series of collaborative episodes with Switch and The Wise Consumer. Madeleine (AKA The Wise Consumer) uses her podcast to sit down and chat with entrepreneurs from all walks of life whose mission it is to use their businesses as forces for good. A woman after our own hearts! In our first collab episode, we discuss h…

1
Ep 45: #Goals, with the Conscious Fashion Campaign 48:29

4y ago48:29

48:29

How do you get a whole industry to change its practices? This week we’re so excited to be joined by Kerry Bannigan, Founder of the Conscious Fashion Campaign which engages global fashion industry events - e.g. trade shows, fashion weeks, conferences - to commit to the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The Conscious Fashion Camp…

1
Ep 44: Giving Food Another Life, with City Harvest 31:51

4y ago31:51

31:51

This episode we’re joined by Laura Winningham, CEO of City Harvest London. City Harvest puts surplus food to good use in a sustainable way. While thousands of Londoners go hungry each day, safe, healthy, usable food is being disposed of. City Harvest collects this from all segments of the food industry and delivers it to 300 organisations that prov…

1
Ep 43: Hitting reset with The Food Waste Project 29:43

4y ago29:43

29:43

Today we are with The Food Waste Project, which is a consultancy service dedicated to advising the hospitality sector with a particular focus on corporate offices, on food waste prevention and reduction strategies. We have spoken endlessly about food waste both from the consumer side and business side. Other episodes: Olio, Toast Ale, Oddbox, and T…

1
Ep 42: A Good Company in a 'Bad' World 1:03:52

4+ y ago1:03:52

1:03:52

Another brilliant international friend of ours, based in Sweden, A Good Company creates elegant, thoughtful and sustainable everyday products - from stationery to personal care items. Simple and beautiful! They don’t take shortcuts, thinking about every step in the journey of their products, from how they’re made to how they are transported. We cou…

1
Ep 41: Changing for change with Hubbub 42:04

4+ y ago42:04

42:04

This week we’re joined by Sarah Divall from Hubbub, a foundation helping provide inspiration and practical actions that are good for you and the environment. They believe that to create positive environmental change at the scale and speed needed, we need to get everyone on board. So they design campaigns that inspire ways of living that are good fo…

1
Ep 40: Cracking On With Easter 35:10

4+ y ago35:10

35:10

In our 40th episode we are super egg-cited to bring you a light-hearted conversation focused on Easter. Sadly, we're still not with each other due to the Coronavirus lockdown here in the UK, but that’s the beauty of podcasts - we can do them online if we need to! During this time, we want to keep on with our mission to open up the conversation on s…

1
Ep 39: We're in this together 29:40

4+ y ago29:40

29:40

This week, as we figure out our new 'normal', we ask ourselves whether and how sustainability can still feature in daily life. Can we ensure things continue to move in a positive direction rather than a destructive one? In what ways can we support sustainability, even at a time like this? We break it down. We look at a few levels at which we can ma…

1
Ep 38: Gone Viral 35:45

4+ y ago35:45

35:45

Amidst the current crisis of COVID-19, we are dealing with new challenges we haven't really faced before. Lock-downs, washing hands for 'happy birthday x 2', stockpiling toilet paper, business uncertainties, and so on. We don’t want this episode to be another conversation about how terrible this virus is for us, the economy, our health and wellbein…

1
Ep 37: Gather Round for Zero Waste 45:19

4+ y ago45:19

45:19

We are joined by wonderful guests Tash and Laura today, founders of Gather. Gather is a zero waste store and ‘refillery’, here to make it easy for you to live a life of less waste. They work to help the world know that living sustainably can be easy (and even fun - we can attest to this!). Gather is one of an increasing number of ‘refilleries’ star…

1
Ep 36: It’s Too Good To Go 53:01

4+ y ago53:01

53:01

Today we are recording from the Too Good To Go UK office with co-founder Jamie Crummie. Too Good To Go, for those of you who don’t know, is an app connecting users to surplus delicious food from bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, hotels and more. Too Good To Go is rescuing 1 meal every second - so by the end of this podcast they would have saved …

1
Ep 35: Are we greenwashed out? With Amirah Jiwa 50:59

4+ y ago50:59

50:59

Today we’re joined by Amirah Jiwa, a Social Impact Strategist. She helps brands create and communicate impact. She is excited by products and experiences that deliver and inspire positive change - for consumers, producers, employees, the environment, and society at large. Amirah has experience working with a number of different companies about what…

1
Ep 34: Ecological Grief...it's actually a thing 36:43

4+ y ago36:43

36:43

Research shows that people increasingly feel the effects of planetary changes and associated ecological losses in their daily lives, and that these changes present significant direct and indirect threats to mental health and well-being. It’s termed ‘ecological grief’. Melting glaciers, coral reef death, wildlife disappearance, landscape alteration,…

1
Ep 33: Products with a purpose on Social Supermarket 44:51

4+ y ago44:51

44:51

Today we are back together and joined by Jamie from Social Supermarket. Social Supermarket was created to connect every-day consumers with social enterprises who sell high quality products that tackle important social and environmental challenges. From handbags made from decommissioned fire hoses, soap made by people with visual impairments to reli…

1
Ep 32: The A-Z of Ethical Fashion with Ruth MacGilp 50:28

4+ y ago50:28

50:28

NEW YEAR, NEW EPISODE. Happy new year, Switch listeners! Looking to have a more sustainable 2020? (Us, too!) We have the episode just for you... This week we cover fashion. We, like many, are suckers for a bargain, and like to dress well (bar those baggy jeans circa 2001). But does it all have to come at a price? We are joined by Ruth MacGilp, ethi…

1
Ep 31: Dreaming of a Green Christmas 37:12

4+ y ago37:12

37:12

We are super excited to do a holiday special, because it is one of our favourite times of year, but similar to our summer and vacation episodes: Christmas and the holiday season is a time people’s habits change all of their great sustainable practices get left at the door. This episode we want to talk about our weakness’ over Christmas, those areas…

1
Ep 30 Coffee: Boy, do we love it. 48:32

4+ y ago48:32

48:32

This week we’re joined by very special guest Mahdi Nazar, who is also Lydia’s boyfriend, to discuss coffee. From the bean, to the milk, to its packaging, the environmental impact of our daily caffeine hit is real. This episode we unpick some of the issues around coffee, telling you what’s what. But have no fear! There are lots of ways to make your …

1
Ep 29: Snacking sustainably with Nibs etc 35:39

4+ y ago35:39

35:39

Today we have special guest Chloë with us. Chloë is founder of nibs etc, probably the most sustainable granola company in the world. They are fighting food waste, have plastic-free packaging, it’s refined sugar-free, high in fibre… the list is a long one! They make their products from juice pulp, which is usually thrown away, but still very tasty a…

1
Ep 28: Packaging? That’s noissue. 36:43

5y ago36:43

36:43

This week we have special guest Ben Conard from noissue, the online platform for designing and ordering custom, sustainable packaging for your business or brand. Due to laminated inks and dyes, the majority of tissue paper will end up in landfill sites. For these guys, that’s noissue though, as they use soy-based inks. They believe that sustainable…

1
Ep 27: Smells good, with Coconut Matter 36:45

5y ago36:45

36:45

Today we have a special guest - Diane van Zwanenberg - who founded Coconut Matter, a beauty brand which aims to enable customers to enjoy healthy and sustainable living. CM creates handcrafted cosmetics and personal care products based on the health benefits of coconuts and CM’s passion for making a positive impact. During her decades of internatio…

1
Ep 26 Fairtrade Foundation: Buy Fair. Give Fair. Live Fair. 44:48

5y ago44:48

44:48

This week is a big one. We’re talking to Cat Rayner from the Fairtrade Foundation. For those of you who don’t know, the Fairtrade Foundation is that certification you typically come across when you buy your bananas or coffee - that iconic sticker on many products (actually around 6,000 of them!). Fairtrade is an organisation dedicated to giving pro…

1
Ep 25: Fash Hun: Garments with a purpose, with Gung Ho 40:00

5y ago40:00

40:00

In our very first episode we talked all about Ethical Fashion, what it means, why care and how we are seeing it make a mark on the red carpet. Today we are with Sophie, founder of Gung Ho. Gung Ho is more than just an ethical fashion brand, its a brand that educates through design and tells a story through every piece. Not only does Gung Ho commit …

1
Ep 24: The Food Sharing Revolution, with OLIO 50:58

5y ago50:58

50:58

On this week’s episode we have special guest Tessa Clarke, co-founder of OLIO - the food sharing app which connects people to share surplus food. A third of the food we produce globally is thrown away, and households are responsible for over half of all food waste in the UK. The average family throws away £800 worth of food each year. That adds up …

1
Ep 23 Working Out: Is It Sustainable? 35:05

5y ago35:05

35:05

On this episode we address working out. Both of us love to sport and staying fit - it’s part of our weekly routine. So we wanted to explore whether there are ways we could apply our sustainability minds to it. We know that exercising (in moderation) is good for your longterm health and wellbeing, but we wanted to continue on the path of understandi…

1
Ep 22 Transport: Planes, Trains & Automobiles 44:49

5y ago44:49

44:49

This week we talk transport. Whether it’s our daily commute, a weekend trip, or travelling abroad, we all depend on transport to get us from A to B. According to WWF’s carbon footprint calculator, travel makes up a whopping 35% of the average person’s environmental footprint. So what can we do to minimise our impact? On today’s episode we want to d…

1
Ep 21: Drinking with Mutha Nature, with MOJU Drinks 48:26

5y ago48:26

48:26

Today we have special guest Rich, co-founder of MOJU, with us. MOJU creates performance drinks designed by Mutha Nature. They are powerful, punchy, cold-pressed juices and shots made from natural ingredients. Their ethos revolves around harnessing the power of ‘Mutha Nature’, rather than artificial nasties. Performance drinks and supplements became…

1
Ep 20: Oddly Delicious with Oddbox 48:09

5y ago48:09

48:09

This week we are with Emilie Vanpoperinghe, co-founder of Oddbox - a subscription-based wonky fruit and veg box delivery which brings you fresh fruit and veg from around the UK that would have otherwise been wasted. One of our favourite things about getting a box is getting the story that comes with it that tells you why these fruit and veg were re…

1
Ep 19 Beauty: Time For A Mak-‘eco’-ver 49:50

5y ago49:50

49:50

This week we’re talking about all things beauty. The cosmetic industry is worth around $600bn USD globally and has a huge impact on the planet - from the packaging to the use of palm oil, water and animal testing. Even for a small product like lipstick or facial scrub, the impact can be relatively big. We talk about the impacts of cosmetics on the …

1
Ep 18: Staying Curiously Conscious with Ethical Influencers 42:45

5y ago42:45

42:45

Today we are with Besma, founder of Ethical Influencers, a digital community doing good. From sustainable storytellers to honest podcasters, ethical fashion instagrammers to zero waste vloggers, EI’s members are collectively working towards a better world. EI supports a diverse range of creators to improve their content, create connections with lik…

1
Ep 17: Turning Up The Heat: Summer Q&A Special 39:00

5y ago39:00

39:00

On this special episode we answer some of your summer questions from what sunscreen you should use, some swimsuit brands we think are great, and how to plan a fun BBQ. We also want to do this special episode to thank you all for your love and support. Please do continue to share the podcast so we can grow and provide you with more insights and awes…

1
Ep 16 Eco-Luxe: Pillow Talk with Tutaka 51:25

5y ago51:25

51:25

This week we speak to Alex and Franzi, co-founders of Tutaka. With a background in design and the hospitality industry, these two women created Tutaka as a result of being frustrated with how much waste was produced by hotels. Tutaka is a partner for hosts in the hospitality industry dedicated to giving their guests the best experience without harm…

1
Ep 15: Bleed red, think green - with DAME 48:04

5y ago48:04

48:04

On this week’s episode we speak with Alec Mills, co-founder of the world’s first reusable tampon applicator and biodegradable, chemical-free tampons. 100 billion period products are thrown away every year. Most contain plastic but cannot be reused or recycled. Instead they break into tiny pieces and enter our food chain. Most tampons also contain s…

1
Ep 14 Nutrition: Health foods can be dull, let’s be Onist 1:09:44

5y ago1:09:44

1:09:44

This week, we talk to Mary Lynch, previous senior nutritionist for Jamie Oliver and founder of Onist Food. We met Mary at an event where she spoke about nutrition, sustainable diets, and Onist - her answer to the fad-riddled, often dishonest food industry she’d experienced as a nutritionist. We talk about how eating well can be good for you and the…

1
Ep 13: #OnePlanetPlate with Food Made Good 59:23

5y ago59:23

59:23

This week we speak to special guest Pete Hemingway of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) - an organisation that brings together key players in the food service industry (suppliers, restaurants and consumers) to focus on improving the industry's sustainability. The SRA has shifted the industry over the last 10 years, making sustainability …

1
Ep 12: Eating more plants with allplants 46:13

5y ago46:13

46:13

On this week’s episode we talk to allplants - a UK-based company delivering delicious, plant-based, fresh-frozen meals to your door. allplants makes it incredibly easy for you to switch up your diet sustainably, without compromising on time or flavour. Their mission is to better our planet, by making eating more plants delicious, imaginative and in…

1
Ep 11 Festivals: Leaving Less Mess with Simon Heppner 29:43

5y ago29:43

29:43

Festival season - we all love it. Lots of fun, lots of music, lots of... mess. From plastics, to glass, to tents, less than a third of this waste is recycled, however, over the last few years many festival organisers have been taking steps to minimise their environmental impact. Even @glastofest made a statement this year by banning single-use plas…

1
Ep 10 Travel: Is sustainability on your packing list? 51:41

5y ago51:41

51:41

As holiday season is soon approaching we wanted to address a big question, do people consider sustainability when they go on holiday? Is sustainability something you only consider in your day to day? Do your values you have in your everyday life transpire to when you are on holiday? 87% of travelers say they want to travel sustainably (Sustainable …

1
Ep 9 Sustainability: Better Than Sex? With Ourgoodbrands 1:01:50

5y ago1:01:50

1:01:50

What is the power of positivity? By turning sustainability into a solutions-focused, accessible conversation, as opposed to all doom and gloom, what impact is that having on our behaviour changes? This episode, we talk to Maxime Dücker, co-founder of @ourgoodbrands, about how her digital media platform is working to expose the ‘good brands’. We als…

1
Ep 8 Activism: What I stand for is what I stand on 46:20

5y ago46:20

46:20

Firstly, what is activism? It’s the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. Activism isn’t new. But we’ve seen activism, rather than being laughed at, being taken more seriously recently - for example Extinction Rebellion, and Greta Thunberg and her campaign FridaysForFuture are all over the news. W…

1
Ep 7 Is sustainability unisex? With Atlas & Ortus 51:13

5y ago51:13

51:13

From reusable bottles, bags and cups to bamboo toothbrushes, dental floss and reusable face wipes, A&O has everything you need to make the switch to a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s eco-friendly and ethical essentials for the everyday adventure. On this week's episode we learn all about how A&O built their business from the ground up, from all of…

1
Ep 6 Palm Oil: It's Aping Us Crazy 45:50

5y ago45:50

45:50

In this episode, we address the issue of 'palm oil'. As a controversial ingredient, we want to understand where it comes from, what it is used for, what products contain it and exactly why it's got a bad reputation. Palm oil makes up 35% of the vegetable oil market, but what about it is actually bad, and can we do anything about it? Please share, r…

1
Ep 5 The Cheeky Panda: Your number 1 for your number 2 54:04

5+ y ago54:04

54:04

We have Chris with us, Co-Founder of The Cheeky Panda (TCP). TCP is an innovative company offering a sustainable and health conscious tissue alternative. Bamboo tissue is free from harsh chemicals found in regular tissues and saves thousands of trees and animal habitats around the world. Start to end, bamboo uses 65% less carbon than tree tissue. R…

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Ashna And Lydia Podcasts

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