Birds and Bees recordings
Here is a all content from the show which is relevant to Plastic Free Swindon:
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Goodbye Swindon Pulse Wholefoods
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On 26th March 2024, after 48 years, one of the most ethical and sustainable businesses in Swindon closed its doors for the last time. At the closing ceremony, we speak with various people involved with Swindon Pulse Wholefoods over the years.
26th March 2023
2 staff members, Tracy and Evan, explain the decision to close the shop.
Matt Holland talks about the pioneering work from the early days of Swindon Pulse Wholefoods and the legacy it leaves.
Local resident and former staff member Jen tells us about her experiences of Swindon Pulse Wholefoods.
Cath, a member of the workers co-operative, describes her history with, and experiences of, Swindon Pulse Wholefoods and the importance of supporting local independents.
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Clear Waters Swindon to Sea
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Interview with Clear Waters organiser, Trevor Carlton.
1st November 2023
Trevor Carlton tells us how the Clear Waters project came to be and the great work that it has done to clean up waterways in Swindon in 2023.
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Litter and (plastic) pollution
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Studio discussion about litter problems in Gorse Hill, South Marston and beyond.
12th May 2023
Ayaan and Ben are joined by borough councillor Jane Milner-Barry and Gorse Hill litter picker Ruth Sumner. The waste and recycling system is broken. It is a major factor in litter / pollution. What can be, and is being, done to deal with it?
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The David and Goliath Tapes
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Trade deals
28th April 2023
Introduction.
Interview with Jean Blaylock of Global Justice Now on the Pacific Trade Deal which the UK government signed up to on the 31st March 2023. She details how "this is a deal for Big Business not for ordinary people".
No guarantee was provided by local MPs to Plastic Free Swindon that trade deals wouldn't hinder our ability to deal with plastic pollution.
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Baristocats
26th September 2022
Intro
Interview with Marcus Kittridge, co-owner of Baristocats cafe on Commercial Road SN1. Why is a thriving small business struggling to stay afloat? How is the market rigged in favour of Big Business? How do financial pressures on Baristocats affect their ability to operate sustainably? What is the importance of good local governance to keep the town clean and tidy?
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Swindon Pulse Wholefoods
14th October 2022
Intro
Interview with Cath, a member of the worker's co-operative Swindon Pulse Wholefoods. What are the hidden costs of buying cheap products from supermarkets? What are the benefits of supporting local indepent traders? What are the benefits of buying organic food?
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Public open spaces
28th November 2022
Intro
Interview with Josie Lewis about the importance of public open spaces, in response to proposals to build 2 large tower blocks in the town centre.
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Council Plastic Motions
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Be The Change campaign
10th March 2023
Swindon Borough Council's Be The Change campaign has omitted plastic pollution and Plastic Free Swindon. We describe the work being done by Plastic Free Swindon to remedy this.
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Swindon Borough Council plastic motion.
10th March 2023
Jake Chandler, the borough councillor who successfully proposed the motion tells us how it came to be and what he hopes it will achieve.
Borough councillor Jane Milner-Barry, Shadow Spokesperson for Sustainability tells us about the plastic motion and the amendment that she proposed.
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Oxford City Council plastic motion.
10th March 2023
Oxford City Councillor Lois Muddiman tells us about the motion being worked on to ban local traders selling single-use plastic items.
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Fracking
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Clive Trevor of Keep Wiltshire Frack Free (KWIFF)
17th February 2023
What are the realities of fracking? Can it be safely managed in future, as the government suggests possible? Have the government considered the health and well-being of communities? We discuss geothermal energy as an interesting alternative.
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Part 2:
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Waste incineration
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Robert Ayres of SKIP
10th February 2023
A fascinating, detailed interview on waste incineration with Robert Ayres of SKIP (Stop the Keypoint Incinerator Project). We discuss the SKIP campaign, the impacts of waste incineration, and the need to move away from waste incineration to develop the circular economy / a system of zero waste.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
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Refill
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Cut the Cutlery win
19th January 2023
City to Sea's Cut the Cutlery campaign, supported by Greenpeace, has forced the government to ban further items of single-use plastic. A win for people power! But is it enough? What is needed from the government to effectively deal with plastic pollution?
Part 1:
Part 2:
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Rivermead
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Intro
Keep Swindon Tidy worked for many months at Rivermead in 2022. Other organisations have also been working to transform the area for local communities, wildlife, and environment.
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Keep Swindon Tidy
12th September 2022
Interview with Karen Leggett, a member of Keep Swindon Tidy. What work has been done to clean up Rivermead? What difference has it made?
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Westlea Church & Friends Litter Pickers
21st August 2022
Interview with Moya Pinson, organiser of Westlea Church & Friends Litter Pickers. How has the group contributed to the new BMX track? What can the BMX track offer to the local community? What is the importance of positive community activities?
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West Swindon Parish Council
12th September 2022
Interview with Swindon Borough and Westlea Parish Councillor, Suresh Gattapur. How have the parish council contributed to local efforts to transform Rivermead? How did the parish council help fund the new BMX track? How can the BMX track help young people?
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Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
19th August 2022
Interview with Neil Pullen, Swindon Conservation Lead for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. What conservation work have Wiltshire Wildlife Trust been doing at Rivermead? What's the importance of that work for the local area? What's the importance of that work to meet environmental targets?
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Ending
Work continues at Rivermead...
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Small Change Festival 2022
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Sustainble(ish)
14th September 2022
Intro
Interview with Jen Gale about her work, Sustainble(ish). What is sustainable(ish)? Why sustainable(ish) rather than sustainable? What benefits can an approach of small steps to sustainability have?
Ending
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Archaic Revival
17th October 2022
Interview with Ross Sheppard of local business venture Archaic Revival. What is Archaic Revival? What is the importance of retaining foraging information passed down by our ancestors? What's it like to eat seasonal local food from nature compared to supermarket food?
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