The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast
Biryani Power And Moody Weather
Published: 29 June 2025 at 10:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
Stuart and William don't see the listener questions before they press record. They don't really have guests. They explore these topics cold without preparation. Not trying to be the go-to experts as they feel there are enough out there already, they see themselves as the go-to guys who are willing to explore things cold.
Scott, Arisaig, Scotland - “What are your biggest challenges personally in 2025, and what are the biggest culturally?”
Stuart marched into 2025 armed with flipcharts, fire in his belly, and a dream of accessible fields for all. But by March, the flipcharts were supporting a sad-looking houseplant, and his greatest obstacle was not uneven terrain, but patience and acceptance toward his own ill-health. He’d tried yoga, herbal tea, and shouting at ducks—none worked.
Meanwhile, William’s job title changed so often it needed a loyalty card. One day consultant, next day “freelance strategist of vibes.” He embraced the chaos like a man at a buffet who forgot what he came for.
Culturally, both were baffled. Stuart declared British culture was invisible but everywhere—like damp. William wondered if he was English, British, or just someone who owned a teapot and too many socks.
Their shared mission? End othering, talk to strangers, and dismantle the great wall of cultural confusion one biryani-powered chat at a time. Because progress starts with a ramp—and maybe a really good biscuit.
Jess, Bishop’s Tatchbrook, Warwickshire, England - “Unless it's on the edge of disaster and on the precipice, humanity never seems to want to change, adapt and evolve. Discuss”.
Stuart insists that “change,” “adapt,” and “evolve” are not synonyms, despite what motivational posters and management consultants would have us believe. Change, he says, is swapping oat milk for cow’s milk and pretending it’s just as good. Adapt is realising your oat milk curdles in tea but drinking it anyway. Evolve is becoming lactose-intolerant and being smug about it.
William thinks the climate crisis is like waiting for a Hollywood meteor—we want a big dramatic moment before reacting. Meanwhile, Europe is quietly crisping like the forgotten toast languishing in the bottom of a bag belonging to a fellow Speedway supporter of Stuart’s. He points out we've already had the disaster movie, we just missed the trailer.
They agree: humanity is great at adapting... often in ways that make things worse. Evolution won’t save us—it takes millennia, and we’ve barely got until next Thursday. But if individuals act, influence leaders, and maybe stop voting for people who think climate change is just “weather being moody,” there’s hope.
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This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.
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