The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

Welcome to The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. It’s been a while since we last sat behind the microphones. That gap may seem unusual in the fast moving world of podcasting, but it offered something valuable: time. Time for life to unfold, experiences to accumulate, and perspectives to evolve.

Meanwhile, we’ve built a substantial catalogue of questions, 37 now lined up, enough to carry us well into March 2027. After a period of reflection, observation, and inquiry, let’s return to the debate.

Yenifer, from Provincia De Panamá, Panama asks -  “A number of your questio...

Welcome to a classic episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. With this final instalment in our three‑episode classic series, we complete our re‑release of the top three most listened to episodes of all time.

Coming in first place is this episode entitled “TPC: Listener Question Time: Inland Wind Turbines! Are They Good Or Bad? Well, Let's Discuss It Shall We?” which was originally released on the 26th January 2021. Here is the original description for this episode:

In this episode Stuart and William explore and examine a question from listener Maureen in Chalgro...

Welcome to a classic episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. As part of this three episode series, today’s release continues our countdown of the top three most listened to episodes of all time.

Coming in second place is the episode entitled “TPC Listener Question Time: The Donut Economy Discuss” which was originally released on the 1st December 2020. What a different time that was! Here is the original description for this episode:

In this episode Stuart and William explore a question from listener Frank from Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, England, "Can you talk about the donu...

Welcome to a classic episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. This release marks the start of a special three episode run where we’re re‑sharing the top three most listened‑to episodes of all time.

Coming in third place is the episode entitled “Does Amplifying Indigenous Cultures Voices Make Them More Relatable?” which was originally released on the 2nd May 2021. Here is the original description for this episode:

Another unscripted, meandering, insightful chat, between hosts Stuart and William. A very real discussion, as they examine a listener question, from Jesper in Denmark.

This is The People's Countryside Environmental Debate podcast. Listeners send us questions we haven't seen before. Instead of consulting experts, we simply apply curiosity, questionable confidence, and the reckless belief that difficult conversations are worth having.

Saoirse, from Drogheda, Republic of Ireland asks - "Who’d want to be a police man or woman? One minute they are accused of being pro-white and anti black etc. With recent events they are now accused in the UK of being anti white. When the police turn up at a scene, they do so as human beings, who should be tr...

Listeners send us questions sight unseen. Like Freddie Mercury handed a mystery lyric sheet seconds before Live Aid, we somehow have to make it work, then steer it towards the environment.

Saoirse, from Drogheda, Republic of Ireland sent in todays first listener question - "Over the last few days, violent protests have occurred in Belfast. Some say whipped up by far right agitators looking for trouble, and galvanized by social media and online channels, and leaders using language to incite. Others say they never went out with the intention of being violent, but have been made angry...

The UK’s repeated heatwaves are often talked about without much acknowledgement of the wider context of global warming. Even mentioning global warming in weather forecasts can cause some people to switch off, seeing it as unnecessary interference or “nanny state” messaging.

Lifestyle also plays a big part in environmental behaviour, and our everyday habits can hold us back from making changes that would benefit the environment.

These are two of the themes your cohosts, Stuart ‘The Wildman’ Mabbutt and William Mankelow, explore in this episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. As always, they...

One of the biggest challenges facing 16 to 26 year olds today is navigating an aspirational culture shaped by endless scrolling on YouTube and TikTok, where fame and financial abundance can look easily attainable. Environmentalism can also slip into an “us and them” mindset, especially when business people end up being seen as the enemy.

These are two of the themes your cohosts, Stuart ‘The Wildman’ Mabbutt and William Mankelow, explore in this episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. As always, they go in cold, no preview of the questions, and respond in the moment.

The firs...

If you're looking for world-leading experts, you've taken a wrong turn somewhere. This is the People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, where the questions are fresh and the opinions are under construction.

Jimmy, from Little Waldingfield, Suffolk, England asks - “I’ve heard getting people to the moon and back recently cost 80 billion, yet the delayed by 15 years HS2 thats only going as far as Birmingham, and slower speeds could cost in excess of 100 billion. Are we finishing HS2 because we started it, or because its needed?”

This episode goes full steam ahead into HS2, historical railwa...

This is the People's Countryside Environmental Debate podcast. We open your questions live, debate the issues, and turn the conversation into practical environmental action where possible.

Ronny, from Kentucky, USA has sent in today's initial question for us to explore - “Do we take consistency and reliable routes for granted?”

Do people really want consistency, or are they always searching for change? Stuart and William explore routines, adaptability, political instability, and the tension between stability and progress.

Rick, from Colgate, West Sussex, England raises the second question for today - “Recently the Enhanced Games...

You, the listeners, send in questions that we don’t see before we press record. We then try to have a conversation around them, explore different perspectives, and hopefully come to some conclusions.

Today, we’ve got two listeners who have sent in questions for the first time.

The first of our newbies is Harry, Stank, Cumbria, England - “So, what did you make of the UK local elections last week?”

Stuart believes the shift towards Reform and the Greens is more a reflection of how people vote between general elections rather than a clear...

Many are about the environment, but plenty are not. Whatever the topic, we always try to find an environmental angle and, more importantly, come up with practical actions.

We are of course talking about the questions that you, the listener, send in for us to discuss, chew over, ponder etc. We do not see them until we press record. We come to each one completely cold.

The first question for this episode comes from Shazad, Great Bricett, Suffolk, England - “What steps must the pharmaceutical industry take to reduce its environmental footprint while still delivering sa...

As always, we haven't seen these questions in advance. This means every answer is a thrilling mixture of expertise, improvisation and quiet panic. If a question isn't obviously about the environment, we attempt to connect the dots with the confidence of someone assembling flatpack furniture without the instructions.

Geographically, we're also all over the place. We were in Northern Ireland, then New York, and now we're in Suffolk. It's less a podcast and more a budget international tour.

Jules, in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England asks - “If true sustainability demands limits, what moral responsibility does an en...

This is the podcast where you, the listeners, send us your questions, and we, the hosts, discuss them together. We don’t see the questions until we hit record though.

Clodagh, from Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland asks  - “What lessons, if any, can humans gain and learn from observing the forces that drive bird murmurations, clouds of birds like Starlings coming into roost, or wading birds on mud flats?”

Stuart believes humans naturally collide and overlap, physically and in conversation. Unlike birds, which occupy distinct spaces and vocal frequencies to avoid interference, people share the sam...

Welcome to The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, where we receive all kinds of listener questions. Some are challenging, some are straightforward, some are about the environment, and some are not. We never see them before we press record, but we always try to bring each conversation back to an environmental perspective.

The first question for this episode comes from Paul in Lleweni, Wales - “Do we have any signs of a sustainability policy, plan, and quantifiable results forming, that crosses cultures?”

Stuart believes meaningful progress will not come from a single policy or plan...

In this podcast, you the listeners send in questions, that we do not see before recording. We then try to connect them back to the environment in some way. 

Today, we also have two listeners who are sending in questions for the first time.

The first of which comes from Mary in Brassington, Derbyshire, England  - “What’s the best decision you’ve ever made in your life?

Off the back of Mary’s debut question William feels that the best decisions in his life have come from choosing which relationships to hold onto and w...

Two new listeners send in this week’s questions, one from Wales, one from Derbyshire. We haven’t seen them before recording, and as always we’ll pull each one back to an environmental angle. They may be short questions, but they could take us somewhere much bigger. 

Val, from Galtegfa, Wales asks - “How long does it take to grow an audience? I ask as I’m looking to set a podcast up”.

Stuart and William break down what really matters when starting and sustaining a podcast to, knowing your purpose, committing to the work, and val...

Two surprise listener questions. One take. Real talk about how it all ties back to the environment, and what you can do next. 

Ray, is back from Sauk Centre, Minnesota, USA asking our first question - “How are you guys? How do you keep going as podcasters? Are you looking to make guest appearances on other podcasts etc?”

Stuart and William make a podcast that runs on habit, curiosity, and whatever real life throws at them. Every couple of weeks they sit down to record two episodes, keeping things simple with a routine that just works...

In these charades we call episodes, we tackle two listener questions. We never see them, or very rarely see them, before we press record, so you hear our answers completely cold.

Some subjects we know a fair bit about, and we are honest about that. Others come from our own life experience. But sometimes we are presented with a question, and simply have to go with it, seeing what emerges from the conversation, and our thoughts.

Our first listener question arrives from Estefania in Jalisco, Mexico - “Do you think we’ve stopped listening to each...

Thanks very much for joining us for this episode of The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. If we had our time again, we might choose a shorter title, because it has to be one of the longest podcast titles in the world!

We answer two questions in every episode, sent in by you, the listeners. We try not to see them before we press record. That is intentional. Where possible, we go in cold.

Bronwen from Atlanta, Georgia, USA then asks the first question for this episode - “Is nature just becoming a nice backdrop to...

Welcome to The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, now apparently featuring an unexpected Yorkshire spin-off series judging by last time.

Each episode, we answer two listener questions that we have not seen beforehand, because preparation is for people with structure and emotional stability.

It’s also our first recording session in about a month, after quite a lot of life happening in the meantime, so there’s a slightly confused ‘first day back after the holidays’ energy today.

We’d recently got into the habit of recording four episodes in one sitting, but today we...

Welcome back to the podcast, episode… honestly, we’ve lost count at this point. Somewhere between ‘quite a few’ and ‘deeply concerning.’

William and Stuart begin by debating exactly how many episodes they’ve recorded, before immediately deciding the numbers don’t matter anyway. Which, of course, leads naturally into the observation that some people suddenly become extremely interested in statistics the moment they’re being criticised.

William pauses dramatically, as though about to name names… before Stuart helpfully blurts out: ‘Paul.’

As always, the format is beautifully chaotic. You send in the questions, we answer the...

As of this episode, we’ve only six listener questions left, so do send one in today. Though now we’ve mentioned it we’re braced for a tsunami of filth, or at least a tsunami of questions, we’re happy to discuss anything you care, or dare, to throw our way.

The first of two listener questions for today’s episode comes from Ray in Newmilns, Scotland - “I’ve been thinking about human evolution in space, but closer to home than you think. Recently a group of astronauts came home early as one was ill, but we’ve yet...

In this podcast, you, the listeners, send in the questions for us to discuss. We don’t see them before we press record, and we don't prepare. We encounter them cold, much like most of the big issues in life which arrive without warning. 

There are plenty of experts out there. What interests us is the freedom to explore our first thoughts openly and honestly in the moment.

The questions are only read once that big red recording button has been pressed, so what follows is shaped by our lived experiences and more than five yea...

A city soundscape drifts through the open window of Stuart’s lounge as we hit record, sirens, engines, and all the usual urban visitors. We never see the questions to be discussed beforehand, we dive in completely cold. That way, when you press play, you’re discovering the conversation at the exact same moment we are. 

Anders, from Kent, England set today’s first listener question - “South East Water have been giving out water bottles to the public during the water supply problems in Kent in January 2026, but some of the vulnerable aren’t being supported until commu...

A podcast built on pure curiosity. You send the questions, and we tackle them cold, no prep, no peeking. Every episode starts with a blank slate and an honest reaction. And if a guest wants the questions in advance, we kindly suggest they try a different podcast, because the magic here is in the surprise. 

Paul, from Stithians, Cornwall, England ask today's initial question - "What's your favourite way to spend the weekend?”

A conversation about life structure, blurred boundaries, and what a “weekend” even means anymore. William explores how flexible work has dissolved the old two...

In this podcast, you, the listeners send in questions, two per episode, for us to conversate around and explore.

We always try to bring the conversation back to the environment in some way, and sometimes overtly come up with an action. When an obvious action doesn’t arise, you will often find one buried deep in the conversation we have. There's always plenty to think about in what we discuss.

Our first listener question for today’s episode comes from Ted in St Keverne, Cornwall, England - “Cornish was declared by the UN as an extinc...

You the listener send in the questions. We do not see a single one before we press record. If our off the cuff answers ruffle you, then wander elsewhere, questioning why the answers ruffled you. The answers may be uncomfortable, but out of that comes enlightenment. 

Better still. If you appreciate our willingness to be tossed into the bare pit, then settle in and enjoy the chaos.

Our first listener question comes from Robin in Slindon, West Sussex, England - “Are you guys truly sustainable foodies and travelers?"

William and Stuart wander into the...

Welcome back to the People’s Countryside Environment Debate Podcast,  the podcast that bravely asks, “What even counts as environmental anymore?” 

Ever since the COVID lockdowns, you lovely people have been sending us two questions per episode, and in true professional fashion, we still refuse to look at them before hitting record. Sometimes your questions have absolutely nothing to do with the environment, but don’t worry, we’ll heroically drag them back to nature by the ankles. It’s April, after all, the perfect month for pretending we know what we’re doing.

Samantha, from Cumbria, En...

Welcome back, dear listeners, to yet another episode of the show that refuses to evolve. William insists we’re living in a perpetual Groundhog Day loop, because, brace yourselves, the introduction is exactly the same every single time lately. Consistency or creative stagnation? Who can say.

As always, you send in two questions per episode, and in our ongoing commitment to professionalism, we don’t look at them until the moment we hit record. Why? Because we’re not the go to experts. We’re the go to lunatics. We’re the people who willingly stick our heads abov...

No, we don’t prepare for the questions you the listener send in, we don’t even read them before recording. Our only real prep has been the well over 600 episodes in our back catalogue.

We’re not experts, but we talk freely and honestly, as people often do when faced with important issues unexpectedly.

The first listener question for today’s episode comes from Kev, St George’s, Bermuda - “Can we ever truly be in the moment?”

Stuart argues that people should not react in the moment, as it is better to pause, refl...

When we first started The People's Countryside Project, it was all about people working in the countryside. We made films, took photographs, wrote articles, and eventually developed this podcast.

Then COVID hit and you, the listeners, started sending in questions. That’s really when the format stuck. 

Since COVID we’ve answered two listener questions an episode. 

We don't see the questions before we press record, and we always try to bring the conversation back to the countryside in some way.

Our first listener today question comes from Felix in Novi Sad, S...

Listeners send in questions we don’t see until we hit record. We’re not experts, just curious people willing to dive into topics cold, something we rarely make time for.

James from Ecclefechan, Scotland set us the first question today - “Why do we age?”

William argues we age because our cells replicate poorly, while Stuart sees aging as damage from external forces rather than time itself. 

William thinks milestones like birthdays are mostly excuses to celebrate and don’t change how he feels; turning 39 or 50 is all the same to him. He believes...

We’re back with Stuart ‘The Wildman’ Mabbutt and William Mankelow, the latter who, to be clear, absolutely was not ready for the recording to start, but the big red button was pressed and now he has to pretend he was.

As always, we’ve got two listener questions you lot send in. We don’t see them before we hit record, because apparently we enjoy chaos. We do try to drag every question back to the environment somehow, though some of them fight us all the way.

And as we ramble through, we usually stumble ac...

If you’re looking for the experts, you may be in the wrong place.

This week, Stuart “The Wildman” Mabbutt and William Mankelow dive headfirst into two BIG listener questions’ that ask whether we are putting too much faith in the systems around us.

First up, Paula from Norfolk, England asks: “I’m seeing companies are being advised to keep hard copies of records and not just digital. We’re being told to back up and not have too much data in our phones. Has the online bubble burst? 

Are we realising it's not perfect, be...

Thanks very much for joining us for this episode of the People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. We answer listener questions that we’ve not seen before we press record, approaching each one cold. 

Well that is usually what happens! The recording of this episode was somehow lost. William is wondering if it is down the back of the sofa, but in any case we’ve had to record it again. 

We’re not experts, but we talk freely and honestly, as people often do when faced with important issues unexpectedly.

This week, Stuart “Th...

Welcome back to the podcast where you supply the questions, and we bravely refuse to look at them before hitting record. Truly, we like to live on the edge.

Each episode, we attempt, with varying degrees of success, to bring an environmental twist to whatever you throw at us. Sometimes it fits beautifully, sometimes it’s like trying to compost a bowling ball.

And when the stars align, we even suggest actions you can take. Other times, the actions just sort of tumble out naturally as we talk.

Either way, we’ve got two...

Welcome to our learning‑led discussion series, where William Mankelow, Stuart “The Wildman” Mabbutt, and you—the audience—shape the conversation together.

Your questions arrive unopened, and we explore them in real time, discovering the topic at the same moment you do.

We don’t present ourselves as definitive authorities. Instead, we approach each question as curious learners, ready to examine ideas from fresh angles, embrace uncertainty, and see where thoughtful dialogue can take us.

Kholoud, a Palestinian Refugee living in Long Eaton, England sets the initial question for discussion- “Does gun ownership lead to mass s...

We’re recording this episode at the very beginning of January, our first session after the New Year, and yet it does not feel new at all.

In this podcast, listeners send in questions that we do not see before we press record, and we answer them cold, with no preparation. Hopefully that makes us relatable, because life often presents us with difficult questions at unexpected moments. 

Our first listener question for this episode comes from the lovely village town of Charlbury, Oxfordshire, with John setting the following query:  “Can we disagree with civility?”

Stuart...

Surely you have something better to do with your life, than listening to this podcast? There must be something else you could be doing, right now? Perhaps you have some paint to watch dry?

No? Then let’s dive into today’s episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast. We are not the go to experts. We are just two regular guys exploring big issues cold, with every conversation starting from a question sent in by a listener.

The first of today’s two listener questions comes from John in the lovely village town of...