Straight Talking Sustainability
Welcome to Straight Talking Sustainability! I'm your host, Emma Burlow. If you're feeling lost in all the sustainability talk or struggling to see real results in your business, this podcast is for you. We’ll clear up the confusion and focus on practical, straightforward actions that actually work. Join me as I talk with experts, share real-world stories, and tackle the common roadblocks that stop businesses from making progress. This is all about making sustainability easier and sharing what truly makes a difference. Let’s keep it simple, effective, and make sustainability stick!
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How To Reach Thousands Of Businesses Through Authentic Sustainability Marketing
<p>In this insightful and energising episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Crista Buznea, Head of Sustainability Marketing at Ecology, to explore how effective communication can transform sustainability from a worthy burden into an engaging, dopamine-filled journey that drives real business action.</p><p>With a background spanning tourism marketing at Heathrow and TUI before transitioning into sustainability leadership, Crista brings unique perspective on what actually works when trying to bring sustainability to the masses through authentic storytelling, strategic listening, and remarkably, the occasional use of negative messaging.</p><p>Crista's career transformation began during...
The Science of Friction-Free Sustainability Wins
<p>In this practical and uplifting solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow kicks off 2026 with a powerful reframe for sustainability professionals exhausted by negativity, what-aboutism, and constant battles over every small change. </p><p>Drawing on groundbreaking research published in Nature Food, Emma demonstrates how clever behind-the-scenes switches can deliver massive carbon reductions (30% in one study) without guilt, arguments, or removing anyone's choices. This episode is essential listening for anyone tired of making sustainability harder than it needs to be.</p><p>Emma introduces research by Flynn et al. titled "Dish swap across a weekly menu can...
Don't Waste Good Food: Fighting Food Insecurity and Climate Crisis in the Caribbean with Sian Cuffey-Young
<p>In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Sian Cuffey-Young, founder of SAEL Environmental in Trinidad and Tobago, to explore the intersection of food waste, food security, and climate action in Caribbean island states.</p><p>With 20 years of experience in waste management and a mission statement that "waste is sexy," Sian brings infectious energy and unflinching honesty to one of the most overlooked sustainability challenges: the fact that our largest waste stream receives the least attention whilst people go hungry.</p><p>Sian's journey into food waste began with composting...
From Drained to Driven: A Year‑End Straight Talking Reset
<p>In this powerful year-end compilation episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow revisits the three solo episodes that resonated most strongly with listeners in 2025, addressing the thorniest challenges facing sustainability professionals today.</p><p>From navigating conversations with climate sceptics to avoiding the "evangelical trap" that alienates colleagues, to breaking free from the paralysis caused by knowing business-as-usual will not save us, these episodes tackle the psychological and practical barriers that prevent meaningful climate action.</p><p>After training over 800 people in carbon literacy and working in the sustainability sector for nearly 30 years, Emma knows that technical knowledge...
Inside B&Q's Net Zero Transformation: From Plant Pots to Supplier Collaboration, How to Make Sustainability Stick
<p>In this practical and inspiring episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Sanita Garley, Net Zero Transition Plan Lead at B&Q, to explore the often-discussed but rarely-demonstrated journey from setting net zero targets to actually implementing change across a major retail organisation.</p><p>With over 20 years in buying and product development before transitioning into sustainability three years ago, Sanita brings a refreshingly commercial perspective to the sustainability challenge, proving that expertise in carbon science matters far less than understanding how to get things done within business realities.</p><p>Sanita's transition into sustainability...
Top 5 Carbon-Cutting Switches: Simple Actions That Slash Your Carbon Footprint (Plus £332 in Savings and Bonuses)
<p>In this action-packed solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow delivers exactly what sustainability-conscious listeners have been asking for: five straightforward switches that make the biggest dent in your personal carbon footprint, complete with referral codes, money-off promotions, and practical bonus links worth £332 to remove every excuse for inaction.</p><h1>Top 5 Carbon‑Cutting Hacks</h1><h2>1. Switch Bank 💰🌍</h2><p>One of the biggest instant switches you can make - though it’s rarely included in carbon footprint tools!</p>£10k saved in a high‑street bank (e.g. HSBC, Barclays) = over 2 tonnes CO₂The same amount with Nati...
Building a Career in Sustainability: Why Mastery Beats Passion and How to Navigate the Skills Gap with Nick Valenzia
<p>In this career-focused episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Nick Valenzia, co-founder of Leafr (the world's largest marketplace for sustainability skills), to unpack the brutal realities facing sustainability professionals today: unclear career pathways, exhausting job searches, and the dangerous myth that passion alone will get you ahead.</p><p>Nick reveals how Leafr was born from his own frustrating experience trying to freelance in sustainability after his master's degree, unable to find a single platform connecting independent consultants with companies needing short-term expertise.</p><p>Despite launching with an "embarrassing website" (his words), the...
The 80-25 Rule: Why You Only Need to Activate 25% of Your Workforce to Transform Sustainability Culture
<p>In this game-changing solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow reveals the counterintuitive strategy that's transforming how organisations achieve climate action: forget trying to convince everyone and focus on activating just 25% of your workforce to create unstoppable momentum.</p><p>Emma unpacks the frustrating paradox facing sustainability professionals everywhere: if 80% of UK adults care about climate change (DESNZ 2025) and 73% of businesses say they're prioritising net zero (Net Zero Business Census 2025), why does driving action feel so impossibly difficult? </p><p>The answer lies in understanding tipping points, social norming, and the critical mass needed to shift organisational...
The Untapped Power of Volunteering: How Community Action Transforms Climate Anxiety into Local Impact with Ben Luger
<p>In this inspiring and deeply personal episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Ben Luger, Marketing Project Specialist at Ecosurety, to explore how volunteering can be the secret weapon for engaging people in climate action whilst simultaneously improving mental health and building stronger communities. </p><p>Ben's journey from delivering carbon literacy training to establishing a thriving community tree nursery in just 12 months demonstrates how individual action, when channelled through community organising, creates exponential impact without the overwhelming time and energy drain that most people fear.</p><p>Ben traces his volunteering journey back to...
One Year of Straight Talking Sustainability: Anniversary Special Featuring the Most Powerful Insights from Nicola Jones, Briony Pete, Andy Middleton, Jen Gale, and Phil Korbel
<p>In this landmark anniversary episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow celebrates one year of the podcast by revisiting the most impactful moments from five extraordinary guests who have shared their hard-earned wisdom over the past 12 months. </p><p>After nearly 30 years in the sustainability sector, Emma knows that we simply do not have time to keep knowledge locked away, which is why she launched this podcast to democratise sustainability expertise and make connections across industries, backgrounds, and experience levels.</p><p>This bumper compilation episode features powerful excerpts from conversations with industry leaders, changemakers, and thought leaders...
