Brave Blue World

One of the eight scientists shut inside the ‘Biosphere 2’ scientific and human experiment, Mark Nelson shares his story about what was learned from the two-year experience. The ‘wastewater gardener’ discusses the need for water reuse and how every action ultimately impacts the first biosphere, our earth.   Support the show

How are we wasting the world’s dwindling supplies of freshwater? Dr. Mark Nelson has worked for several decades in closed ecological system research. As one of eight brave souls enclosed in the pioneering Biosphere 2 experiment, he realized how essential the proper re-use of human waste is to the health of the planet. This led to what Dr. Nelson calls a life-long love affair with constructed wetlands, where he discovered an important solution to some of our trickiest global dilemmas: wastewater gardens. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Mark Nelson, who discusses the problems covered in his book 'THE WASTEWATER GARDENER: PRESERVING THE PLANET ONE FLUSH AT A TIME'. Support the show

How does water recycling keep astronauts alive in the International Space Station? Will humans ever colonise Mars? Does extra-terrestrial life exist? Former Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki joins as a special guest in this latest podcast to answer some of life’s greatest questions. Support the show

From sustainable trainers, to fertiliser and even renewable car fuel, algae is being transformed in some incredible ways. We speak to three pioneers to find out how they're turning algae from foe to friend... Support the show

With Indian city Chennai and others on the brink of a ‘Day Zero’ drought situation, could cleaning up and reusing water be the answer? Why is water reuse more successful in some countries but not others? Jon Freedman, global government affairs leader at SUEZ joins us in this latest Brave Blue World podcast to demystify water reuse and discuss what’s really holding it back… Support the show

In the developing world, the responsibility for collecting water often falls to women. Yet, in the developed world the responsibility to treat and distribute water often lies with men. Around 25% of civil/environmental engineering graduates are women and only 5% of water and wastewater plant operators are female. In this latest Brave Blue World podcast, Tom Freyberg interviews two established engineers, Kimberly Kupiecki and Elena de la Vieja, to find out about their stories and what is being done to right the gender imbalance. Support the show

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Many company executives talk the talk when it comes to discussing water scarcity but how many have walked the walk? Vetrivel Dhagumundi, the global water program leader at Kimberly-Clark is one man who understands the scale of this challenge, having grown up with water scarcity in India. Here he explains the development of water reuse projects across the company’s enormous operations: 1.8 billion people use its products every day in 175 countries. Support the show

Heineken is a company rich in water history. First brewed in Amsterdam in 1873 by a young entrepreneur called Gerard Heineken, the company has since grown into a global force with 170 breweries. In this latest podcast Jan-Willem Vosmeer, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager discusses the company’s recently launched 2030 Water Strategy and how it is reusing water across its operations. Support the show

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Semi-conducting manufacturing is a very water intense business. Each year, Silicon Valley computer chip giant Intel uses approximately three billion gallons at its campus in Washington County. In this latest Brave Blue World podcast Fawn Bergen, Global Sustainability Program Manager at Intel discusses ambitious water targets and why the company’s in-house water reuse plans will be vital in the future. Support the show

For the second podcast in the Brave Blue World series, we speak to two prominent figures in the sanitation revolution. At the Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing, philanthropist Bill Gates discusses how innovation will be needed to meet Africa’s future population growth. Meanwhile in Singapore, eccentric entrepreneur and self-appointed ‘Hugh Hefner of toilets’ Jack Sim explains why he founded the World Toilet Organisation (WTO). Support the show

A brief overview of how we got to where we are today and a glimpse into the future of water.  From the Romans to the Victorians, each previous water revolution was triggered by a crisis or emergency. Today we are at a precipice where a global water crisis is precipitating the next water revolution. This podcast paints the picture of the Brave Blue World we are about to enter into. Support the show