Straight Talking Sustainability

When did climate change become awkward to talk about? This episode explores the gap between what people think others believe and what people actually support, arguing that silence can make climate action seem more divisive than it is.
The episode is a spin on the famous Transport for London prompt: see it, say it, sorted.
In this episode
Reflections from the Blue Earth Summit, including an unexpected conference sauna 00:26
Why words like “polarised” and “divisive” have entered the climate conversation 01:53
The gap between public concern about climate change and the noisy minority opposing action 04:07
Why net zero isn’t a purely political or “green” issue 05:02
How green hushing and cautious corporate messaging create a “sea of sameness” 07:57
Why employees take cues from what leaders do and don’t say 09:03
The responsibility of sustainability professionals to challenge silence around climate change 10:39
Moving from “Do I have permission?” to “It’s my responsibility” 11:31
Why stories and conversations may be more effective than repeatedly building the business case 12:11
A practical exercise for revealing how much support for climate action exists in a room 15:09
How sharing knowledge can help people feel informed, confident and empowered 19:38

Key takeaway
Most people care about clean air, nature, food prices and their children’s futures, but many have never been asked. When sustainability professionals spot the silence, start the conversation and share compelling stories, climate action becomes easier to discuss.
“It’s only as divisive as our silence allows it to be.” 21:14Conversation prompts
Where has climate change disappeared from conversations in your organisation?
Are people mistaking loud opposition for widespread disagreement?
What story could you share instead of another target, KPI or statistic?
What would help colleagues feel safer and more confident talking about climate change?

Book a Power Hour with Emma
https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma
Website
Email
Emma Burlow | LinkedIn
Not Sustainable

In this episode, Emma Burlow talks with Liv Cropper, transformational coach and host of the podcast Rooted: The Human Side of Sustainability Leadership.
Liv Cropper shares how she moved from 25 years in financial services into coaching sustainability leaders, why she nearly quit a postgraduate sustainability course, and what happens when sustainability work becomes too closely tied to your identity.
In this episode
Moving into sustainability without a traditional science or environmental background
Why transferable skills such as stakeholder management and problem-solving matter
The pressure to collect qualifications and prove your expertise
How perfectionism, people-pleasing and overwork can shape a sustainability career
The emotional cost of being placed on a “sustainability pedestal”
Climate purism, personal choices and the pressure to “walk the talk”
Why disillusionment can follow when your whole identity is invested in work that cannot be solved by one person
How coaching can help sustainability leaders reconnect with their values, strengths and identity outside work
Finding practical, enjoyable and affordable ways to live your values

Key moments
Liv Cropper explains her transition from financial services into coaching after burnout, bereavement and redundancy at 01:25.
Her sustainability career covered operational emissions, Scope 1 and Scope 2, then Scope 3, financed emissions, policy and target-setting at 03:41.
Liv Cropper describes entering sustainability as a generalist rather than a science specialist at 05:18.
She talks about nearly giving up during her postgraduate certificate in Sustainable Business at 10:27.
The idea behind Rooted, focusing on “the human side of sustainability leadership,” comes up at 13:24.
Liv Cropper explains why looking inward is difficult, slow work rather than a quick fix at 15:09.
The conversation turns to perfectionism, people-pleasing and overwork at 17:48.
Liv Cropper describes how sustainability work can intensify existing patterns of overwork when it adds a powerful sense of purpose at 19:23.
The pressure to be a perfect sustainability role model, including around travel, comes into focus at 24:10.
Liv Cropper explains how losing hope can become a turning point in disillusionment at 36:06.
Coaching may reveal that the problem isn’t the sustainability profession itself, but the beliefs and patterns someone brings to their work at 37:38.
The episode closes with a reminder to find sustainability choices that feel possible, enjoyable and affordable at 41:59.

Find out more
Liv Cropper
Search for Rooted Liv Cropper to find the podcast.

Book a Power Hour with Emma
https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma
Website
Email
Emma Burlow | LinkedIn
Not Sustainable

The sustainability sector is facing a slowdown, pushback, and political reframing. In this episode, Emma Burlow explains how to stay relevant, find work, and avoid burning out when sustainability knowledge alone no longer sets you apart.
In this episode
Why some sustainability work is being sidelined, rebadged, or called something else 02:59
Why narrowing your niche can lead to more work than presenting yourself as a generalist 04:29
The transferable skills that now matter alongside sustainability expertise 05:57
Why “passion” won’t win you work, and what clients actually need 09:40
How procurement, risk, and other existing skills can become your sustainability advantage 11:47
Why stabilising your workload and energy matters when the sector feels uncertain 13:10
The three pots to protect: profession, obsession, and decompression 14:14

Key takeaways
Niche down around something people need and are willing to pay for.
Build skills in communication, relationship development, analysis, problem-solving, resilience, risk, and leadership for change.
Use your existing professional strengths. “Every job’s a climate job.”
Don’t let sustainability become your entire identity or your only source of energy.
Make room for genuine decompression. Reading another climate book doesn’t count.

“You need to be shit hot at your job.” 10:33“We are no good to our sector exhausted.” 13:22Not Sustainable
Book a Power Hour with Emma
https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma
Website
Email
Emma Burlow | LinkedIn
Not Sustainable

Emma Burlow talks with Sarah Mukherjee, CEO of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals, about the pressures facing sustainability professionals, the business case for climate resilience, AI, public engagement, optimism, and why failure is part of progress.
In this episode
Why professional standards matter in sustainability, and how ISEP evolved from IEMA 01:10
How ISEP supports more than 21,000 members across over 120 countries 05:43
What the latest State of the Profession report reveals about political headwinds, resilience, and funding 08:29
Why businesses are reframing sustainability as resilience, risk management, and business continuity 08:40
The insurance and finance implications of weak climate adaptation plans 11:19
Sarah Mukherjee’s advice: “Plan for 2, stress test for 4” degrees of warming 14:16
How sustainability professionals can bring climate risk into boardroom conversations 16:53
Why blaming and shaming people over flying can alienate the audiences sustainability needs to reach 19:40
Focusing on material emissions and savings instead of treating every intervention as equal 25:51
The opportunities and risks of AI for sustainability professionals 29:18
Why AI-generated work still requires professional judgement, accountability, and human oversight 30:33
The case for optimism, even when progress feels slower than the challenge 35:34
Why sustainability professionals need permission to experiment, fail, learn, and try again 41:38

Key quotes
“Plan for 2, stress test for 4.”Sarah Mukherjee explains how organisations can test whether their business models remain viable under more severe climate conditions 14:16.“If you save carbon, if you save inputs, it’s going to save money.”Sarah Mukherjee makes the case for connecting decarbonisation with resource efficiency and business savings 26:13.“The way of losing it is to give up.”Sarah Mukherjee reflects on the importance of persistence in sustainability work 38:12.“The most important thing you can do is fail and then recover.”Sarah Mukherjee discusses resilience, career setbacks, and the role of failure in professional development 42:30.Listen for
Emma Burlow and Sarah Mukherjee challenge narrow sustainability messaging and argue for a more practical focus on resilience, business continuity, material emissions, financial risk, and solutions that people can realistically adopt 24:25.
Sarah Mukherjee MBE | LinkedIn
ISEP - Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals
State of the Profession - ISEP
Book a Power Hour with Emma
https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma
Website
Email
Emma Burlow | LinkedIn
Not Sustainable

Emma Burlow marks 100 episodes of Straight Talking Sustainability by reflecting on why she started the podcast, what has surprised her, and where the show goes next.
In this episode
Why a podcast felt more achievable than writing a book after nearly 30 years in sustainability 03:07
The need for more female voices in sustainability podcasting 03:59
How the podcast helps Emma Burlow share experience, connect with others, and create more impact 05:06
Reaching 12,000 downloads, with an average of 128 downloads a week 01:57
The importance of process, even for people who prefer to wing it 08:40
Why podcasting is a “dark art” and why authenticity matters more than polished production 09:30
The slow growth of podcast numbers and the danger of fixating on them 11:15
Creating conversations that feel more like the valuable, informal discussions after a conference 12:29
A sharper focus on practical questions, useful experiences, and getting “to the nub of the issue” 13:29
Plans for more book reviews, a resource Padlet, and video episodes 15:47

Episodes recommended
The 52 Sustainability Hacks series, including spring, summer, autumn, and winter editions 17:42
Getting Past “Yes in Principle” 18:41
Is Climate Anxiety Actually Healthy? 19:07
Early episodes on working in communities and sustainability leadership 18:18

Key quote
“Winging it is great until it isn’t great.” 08:54Emma invites listeners to share feedback, suggest future topics and books, and recommend the podcast to a friend or colleague. 19:52
Book a Power Hour with Emma
https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma
Website
Email
Emma Burlow | LinkedIn
Not Sustainable