The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

Why shouldn't a couple of birds ruin the entertainment for thousands of people? Every year, thousands of people flock to watch the high-speed thrills of motorcycle speedway, but at what cost to the environment? Is it worth sacrificing the habitat of a few Nightjars for the entertainment of the masses? But here's where things get complicated - it's not just about a couple of birds. It's about a balance - a balance between conservation and entertainment, between preserving habitats and providing jobs and economic growth. As they say, death by a thousand cuts - it's only a few Nightjars, but if we follow that thinking, we can justify any development until their population is wiped out. So, where do we draw the line? Should we prioritize the needs of the environment or the desires of the people? And why shouldn't an environmentalist also enjoy motorsports? After all, motorcycle speedway is not the most polluting motorsport - the majority of the environmental impact comes from the transporting of the riders around the world. But then again, perhaps an environmentalist is just a label placed on someone by others. Is it possible to be both a conservationist and a motorsport enthusiast? Can we find a way to strike a balance between these seemingly opposing forces? This discussion between your co-hosts Stuart and William was sparked by the following question sent in by Daphne in Exeter, Devon, England. “Stuart, you mention you are interested in the sport of Speedway, what are your thoughts on the failed planning application to build a new venue for Exeter Speedway? It was turned down because rare Nightjar birds that nest nearby would be disturbed. How can a few birds be more important than thousands of people's entertainment? How can you be an environmentalist and still like motorsport?” In this episode Stuart and William were joined by long time listener Hedley Thorne, who was invited to take his place in the ‘Listeners Chair’, where he sat in and contributed to the recording, and gave his opinions on the topic discussed. To get your chance of appearing on the podcast and sit in the ‘Listeners Chair’, we have a stretch goal on our Patreon page where once we get to ten Beyond Stereotypes support tier backers, everyone on this tier will be entered into a quarterly draw, and the winner will be offered the opportunity to make an appearance on the podcast. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. In today's episode Stuart and William again talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://bit.ly/3mJyElY , support our work through Patreon https://bit.ly/3JdVCt3 or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Are we too controlling of the environment? We’ll always justify our own actions, so are there really any categorical answers? What makes us different from the rest of the animal kingdom? Is it really so off putting to be talking about us being animals, and is a negative reaction to that based in self determination or fact? We aren’t descended from monkeys, we share a common ancestor, is that true? Nature isn’t just ‘out there somewhere’, a backdrop to our lives, it's everywhere, at all times, and we are part of the ecosystem, not separate from it. We know when something’s not balanced, but isn’t deciding on what balance is, too much about human centric thinking at times? Have you ever seen an evil magpie? All these points flash through the co-hosts' minds as they were faced with another listener question, received from Bart from Tacoma, Washington, USA. Enjoying the freedom to explore their own thoughts on the open mic without the distraction of an invited ‘expert guest’. The question is as follows: “What is a healthy and balanced ecosystem, and who decides what that is, and when humans should step in to assist/manage/restore/develop?” We are part of nature and not separate from it, and we are as much part of the ecosystem of any particular place, as the birds and the bees are. So when confronted with maintenance of a nature reserve say, do we manage what an area is now, return it to what it was, or do we turn it into something we want it to be or feel it should be? It’s very hard to know what a healthy and balanced ecosystem is, but we can feel when the balance has been tipped, but often divorce ourselves from responsibility and involvement in tipping points. We need to understand what we do or don’t do both have impacts. We need to allow death and decay to readily be part of ecosystems, and not wash them away. We perhaps need to appreciate the natural order of things. Sometimes some things dominate, so when should we step in? We’ve been so disruptive to ecosystems, so do we actually need to step in to aid biodiversity, or take a step back? What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. In today's episode Stuart and William again talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

We can all be guilty of limited thinking and unconscious bias, but where and at what point does an open mind become detrimental? There’s not enough time in the day to take every opportunity on, and we need to remember balance is a goal,  not a struggle. A deeply philosophical question today, which has come in for Stuart and William to chat about from Samia, from Tlemcen, in Algeria, here it is: “Should we always leave space and prioritise consciously and subconsciously expanding our minds, or are there times that other aspects of life should be prioritised over expanding our minds? If its the latter, perhaps our default positions should ideally be do these non mind expanding things with an open mind at the very least, as often as possible? Is there enough time in a day to take on all the mind expanding opportunities presented to us anyway, and if we tried, other aspects of life, that bring balance, could be neglected? You’ve said in the podcast before that not all opportunities are opportunities, can I ask, are these questions I raise an example of some opportunities being distractions depending on when they arise etc, and do we have time in any given day to take all opportunities, in all their forms, that we are presented with anyway? Surely everything expands our minds, everything expands our horizons, and we can’t avoid that? It’s best to do everything with an open mind as often as possible, but an open mind can also be indecisiveness in another guise, it’s an excuse potentially, and we can actively be doing nothing. Reframing our whole life to quickly  around new information can be detrimental, so maybe it's better to incorporate it into how you live and work, and not reinvent the wheel every day? In today's episode Stuart and William again talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

We need to get used to change, and there appears to be 19 US states not wanting to change, and reduce their pollution. Is this really a republican issue, or is it a wider than that? Maybe these 19 states need guiding through this change in a more supportive way with clearer pathways, and maybe, just maybe, these can help reduce resistance to change? These points of discussion were instigated by another question sent in by Paco in Wimbledon, England, here it is: “I’m now hearing that the Supreme Court in the US has voted to limit President Biden's power to cut emissions. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lost some of its power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court represents a major setback. Biden called it a "devastating decision" but said it would not undermine his effort to tackle the climate crisis. The case against the EPA was brought by West Virginia on behalf of 18 other mostly Republican-led states and some of the nation's largest coal companies. They argued that the agency did not have the authority to limit emissions across whole states. These 19 states were worried their power sectors would be forced to move away from using coal, at a severe economic cost. In a 6-3 ruling, the court sided with the conservative states and fossil-fuel companies, agreeing that the EPA did not have the authority to impose such sweeping measures. Environmental groups will be deeply concerned by the outcome as historically the 19 states that brought the case have made little progress on reducing their emissions - which is necessary to limit climate change. It means President Biden is now relying on a change of policy from these states or a change from Congress - otherwise the US is unlikely to achieve its climate targets. This is a significant loss for the president who entered office on a pledge to ramp up US efforts on the environment and climate. On his first day in office he re-entered the country into the Paris Agreement, the first legally-binding universal agreement on climate change targets. And he committed the country to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 52% by 2030 against 2005 levels. Please cover this and also the fact that maybe we should all start to get used to paying more for fuels. Here in the UK the cost of heating our homes, maybe thats something we should get used to and not expect it to go down? Maybe instead of getting home based fuel costs down isn’t the answer, maybe we should be insulating our homes better so we need less fuel and heating. Two seemingly different issues but related I feel”. It’s a long question but co-hosts Stuart and William break it down into bite sized palatable chunks. Among other things examining if the EPA in the US is not having the power they probably should have, and whether it is in fact a toothless tiger. In today's episode Stuart and William again talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message Find out more about our project through the following link https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Do private individuals realise the impact of their own CCTV and other monitoring devices? Do we really need to be capturing everything that goes on around our lives and homes? It's said cameras can aid crime prevention, though being watched all the time can lead to paranoia, and here in the UK we seem to be one of the most watched nations in the world. Do you have any thoughts around being monitored? Perhaps you feel if you’re not doing anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to hide? Is this really true? Regular listener Paco from Wimbledon, England has sent in another question for Stuart and William to explore and it goes like this: “In the UK I often hear it said it's a police state and that we’re monitored by CCTV and other cameras. I also hear most footage captured is done so by private cameras on our own homes or work premises, and via dashcams these days. 96% of UK cameras are private as our homes are bristling with tech and monitoring devices. Maybe those saying we live in a police state, or those concerned about how the state can monitor us, should target their words towards us private individuals not the state?" Your co-hosts discuss that there does seem to be more CCTV these days with private door bells, dash cams etc, so why wouldn't the police and others tap into this footage? More people got the video doorbell technology during lockdown to reduce social contact, so is this the thin end of the wedge with CCTV easily leading to totalitarianism. This footage is potentially open to abuse, and not just by the police or government etc. Some people make the big jump from CCTV coverage to the novel 1984, is that too big a jump, too soon? Back in the 1980’s radio personality and journalist Bill Heine said he never put his name down on things where it could be stored in a master database somewhere, did he have a point that monitoring comes in many forms, and the line between privacy and traceability is often too blurred? This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. There are so many avenues to explore with this question today and all the other listener questions lined up that fill our schedule until the Autumn of 2023 already. This podcast clearly has a healthy future, and as such, to keep things fresh, we’re going to be working with 14 or more interns from Oxford University, to keep the new ideas flowing, which stops things getting stale. What do you make of this discussion today? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message In today's  episode Stuart and William talk further about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted which is happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in rural Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

How can you avoid the pitfalls of subservience and oppression? What does being born to lead really mean? Doesn’t it lead to egotism? These are just a few of the questions Stuart and William discuss as they explore the following question that was sent by listener Alex in Poland: “Does the reaction to the Queen's death show how a society could be subservient to its oppressor? Is this Stockholm Syndrome in daily life?” They go on to talk about how royalty often exists off the back of colonialism and power, together with how you can understand other people better by understanding your own history, good and bad. Plus how the royal family are just another family, they’re no higher than us really, and that we shouldn’t feel too subservient to them. They explore why there is often deference to a perceived higher power and if in the UK we’re an oppressed as society? Neither Stuart and William are royalists and call for the bad stuff from the past to be acknowledged so we can all move on? Do you have to accept being lead? Big questions! This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message In this episode they talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted which is happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in rural Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Are impulsive purchases just filling up a hole in our lives? Are those impulsive moments just to get the rush of a new purchase, the thrill of buying that new object? “What do you think about people who purchase things because they just like gadgets, but don’t really need the item?” A very straightforward question sent in by Bobby in Pasadena, California, USA, which leads to an in depth discussion between Stuart and William you co-hosts. They really dig into what impulse buying is from their own perspectives, and where it potentially comes from, what the motivations are around it could be, and they also touch upon the effect tech has on our daily lives. This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message Get yourself a ticket for the live (unrecorded) incarnation of this podcast today! Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted, which is happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in rural Oxfordshire, will be an event to stretch your thinking, explore opportunities and build lasting links with people who want to make a difference. If we find solutions to some of the big issues we all face, that will be a bonus. The event is more designed to get various people together, and give space for opportunities to manifest through conversation and connections. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 This event will be a fundraiser for the organization Wild Oxfordshire with 50% of the profits being donated to them. Wild Oxfordshire is all about bringing people together, to do the best thing for nature on their patch. They collaborate with numerous individuals, communities and organizations, offering expertly collected and inspiring information, bespoke advice, and nature-based solutions. Find out all about The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

It’s the 400th episode of the podcast! Thanks to everyone who listens, and everyone who sends in questions for discussion on this podcast. The following is a question that was sent in for Stuart and William to discuss by Ron in Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire, England. “I notice you record so you capture the ambient noise in the background and you leave the bleeped out swearing in. Most other podcasts don’t, so why do you? Do you think it's a distraction for the listener? Do you think it's a weakness that you’re not experts in what you talk about? Mind you, I don’t know how you could be, as the questions set by listeners are so varied? You could though release less so you could research each question more, but that could lose some of your off the cuff dynamic though. Some of your views, statements and claims, are maybe unfounded, but as you are aiming to get people thinking through the podcast, maybe that's your aim?” During this discussion they talk about why they keep ambient sound in recordings, the pitfalls of swearing on podcasts and how it’s perceived differently around the world. Together with how they don’t try to pretend to be something they are not, and are always attempting to get you thinking about the big issues in the world. In this episode they talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted which is happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, in rural Oxfordshire. Here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Trigger Warning: The topic of male suicide is discussed in this episode. If this is a subject that you’ll find difficult to listen to, then this might not be the episode for you right now? This subject was raised by listener Alex from Poland, who sent in the following question for us to discuss: “Not listened to your podcast in a long long time, but nice to see you are still going. I see I’ve got a lot of listening to catch up on. Could you discuss the serious subject of male suicide and its potential hidden threat?” Neither Stuart or William are experts on this subject, but have both had experiences of suicide and mental health, which they draw on in this episode. The in depth conversation that was sparked by this question lead Stuart and William to talk about some of the various aspects of suicide, not just male suicide. They also to talk about mental health as well, with one of the conclusions being that its potentially best to take the gender out of it, we perhaps need to talk more about suicide in general? During this episode they mention the previous episode Leon’s Law, here’s a link to that episode: https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/episode/7d34ea5df6bf1b840edc5aa1963b9039eeb198e7/view If you like to find out more information about this subject, here is a list of online resources that you may find helpful: Calm https://www.thecalmzone.net/ David Kessler https://grief.com/ Global Retreat Centre https://www.globalretreatcentre.org/ The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/ Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/ Rethink https://www.rethink.org/ Self-Compassion https://self-compassion.org/ Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide https://uksobs.org/ Zero Suicide Alliance https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/ They also talk about Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted, which is happening on the 27th May at the Bothy Vineyard, here’s a link to book tickets for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807 What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

A very different discussion, from one of the many varied questions that are sent into us by you, the listeners. In this episode Stuart and William mull over the following question from Ron in Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire, England: “Not asked you a question since November 2020 but got a cracker for you. Hope another listener hasn’t asked this? How important is a good credit rating to you personally?” While Stuart doesn’t care at all about his credit rating, as he’s never really had one, and tries to live outside ‘the system’ as much as possible. Stuart has never thought about doing or not doing something as it might affect his credit rating. He just gets on and lives life. William knows what his is, through his credit card, but really doesn’t know what to make of it. Maybe if you’ve got a bad credit rating, it’s likely that you’ve not tried to do anything about it? What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

As a species we like a sterile, safe and controlled environment, that’s maybe why we detach ourselves from nature? It’s a form of control. This is just one of the conclusions Stuart and William came to as they discussed the following question from listener Ignacio in Peru: “Is there a defined time when man started to see himself outside of nature and not part of it, or was it a steady evolution? To me the advent of agriculture and harvesting crops was a key point, as from there it seems if a piece of land and wildlife is under the influence of man then it's considered outside of nature, and the stuff outside of man's influence is nature. As you guys have said in previous episodes though, almost all habitats look how they do because of man's influence, but is that really a good measure of what is nature and what isn’t, and why do we insist on seeing ourselves outside of it? Maybe the writers of the world should include the message more that we are part of it and not separate?” During this episode the co-hosts go on to discuss the very humancentric concern about the pointlessness of life, and how in the end everything lives and dies, begins and ends. They discuss how at times everything outside of human control can be perceived as dangerous, if we choose that mindset, and how it’s the narrative that we use that separates us from nature, a narrative that can make us feel that we’re superior. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Often Stuart and William’s views, statements and claims, are maybe unfounded, but their aim through this podcast, and other outlets, is to get you thinking about how we can help tackle the world scale problems we all face. This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Though the specific subjects discussed generally come from the questions that you the listeners are sending in, with today’s question which Stuart and William discuss and mull over, coming from Kenny, in Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England. The question is as follows: “China has gone for a testing instead of a vaccination approach to try and beat Covid. This means there's an immune disparity between China and the rest of the world. Do you think China’s borders will ever open again how they were, or an opportunity to be more insular?” During this episode Stuart and William discuss this topic by asking the question, can you really be an insular country, as we now live in a globally connected world? They go on to explore how the Chinese are being accused of not being honest about their stats, and the West are being accused of bending the truth. Also pointing out how China has the power and influence to generate movements and systems that can help them, and the rest of the world. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

The countryside isn’t always spoken about on this podcast, even though it’s in the name, due to the conversations generally being based around the questions sent in by you the listener, so you help set the direction and agenda of the discussions we have. This episode is no exception to that rule. This discussion between Stuart and William is framed around the idea of the differences between compensation, support, and setting up new funding systems. Together with is there a finite end for financial support? They talk about how compensation for example can be seen as the blame game, which just gets people’s backs up as it indicates someone is always wronged, and can also play into a victim complex. They expand into how support is more than just giving money, it's about skills, partnerships and well targeted ideas too, and that new funding systems could lead to more clarity. This discussion was sparked by the following question, sent in by listener Russ in Harcourt Hill, Oxford, England: “At COP27 in Egypt it was suggested the larger countries that have mainly caused human influenced climate change should compensate smaller countries and economies who are being impacted the most with climate change. Should we be playing the blame game or setting up a new funding system to help the most impacted people to adapt? Isn’t seeking a compensation approach, which could be open ended, delaying getting funding to the needy in this emergency?” What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Today’s listener question, from Paco in Wimbledon, London, England, was a tricky one for Stuart and William to tackle, as after all they’re two men talking about an issue that they’ll never have direct experience of. They do however try their best to tackle this particular subject from an as objective a viewpoint as possible, as life is rarely black and white. Here is the question that was set by Paco: “Heard the conservative Supreme Court in the USA has overturned the Rowe/Wade ruling in 1973, with some hoping abortion is now made illegal in every US state. The US president has said this ruling could set America back 150 years. What are your views on all abortion and do you think these extreme decisions about abortion, gun laws and climate change in the US are a driver for a second US civil war? Not like the first where you had 2 armies facing each other, but more around political violence, like what happened when Trump lost his Presidency.” During this episode Stuart in particular recounts a powerful story about his own Mother, and how he himself could have been aborted. They both go into how making abortion illegal will make it more unsafe potentially, and how giving up a child must be one of the hardest things to do in life, particularly when you have no support from your family. William also has strong views that the ultimate choice is down to the women, or should be at least. It’s an ethical and unethical choice but shouldn’t the mother decide that? Both Stuart and William feel regarding abortions, it’s not what is done, it’s the way it’s done, particularly when it’s done in secrecy. They question if there’s a social, economic or race divide? Is the abortion debate too much about telling women what to do with their bodies? When does an outside opinion step in? When is it right to allow it to happen? When is the right time to step in? When is it right to take a step back? When do we step in? Should we step in? It feels to Stuart and William that society has an opinion about abortion yet when you’re born and out of the womb, you’re on your own. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message

Another great question from one of our long standing listeners, this time it’s from Ivy, in Worthing, West Sussex, England. The question is as follows: “Is there a shortage of volunteers now, in our societal hour of need? Are people fed up with volunteering, maybe having done loads of it during the Covid situation?” The discussion between your co-hosts Stuart and William mainly revolves around why people perhaps volunteered more during the initial stages of Covid, together with why there now could be a shortage in volunteers, which could be due to burnout, the impact of Brexit, or also due to people having more things to do now, particularly since the easing of COVID lockdowns. This conversation includes ideas why volunteers can experience burnout, especially if they are leant on too heavily, and how the roles could be made more interesting, varied and flexible. They also go on to cover a number of actions that could be taken to counteract this possible far reaching issue, including a suggestion for you if you’re thinking about volunteering, but don’t have very spare time to do so. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com, or record us a message in your own voice by going to https://anchor.fm/thepeoplescountryside/message This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view , support our work through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message