The Flight Free Podcast

Welcome to the Flight Free podcast. Each month we speak to someone who has inspired us by being amazing.

Scroll down for our 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 series, featuring interviews and conversations with activists, business leaders, politicians, and sports stars about all aspects of being flight free.

Image for 2022 series: Reflections on the year

2022 series: Reflections on the year

We bring the full team together to talk about how the year has gone, and look ahead to plans for Flight Free 2023

Image for 2022 series: flight free across the generations

2022 series: flight free across the generations

An intergenerational conversation between three guests, each giving a different perspective on reducing flying and responding to the climate crisis with positive actions.

Image for 2022 series: Education, academia and air travel

2022 series: Education, academia and air travel

Should academics feel pressure to fly? What do field trips by air really teach us? We speak to Abi Whitefield from the University of St Andrews and Milan Klöwer from Oxford University Flying Less group.

Image for 2022 series: Greenwash and aviation

2022 series: Greenwash and aviation

We invite Futerra's Solitaire Townsend and Stay Grounded's Anne Kretzschmar to discuss greenwash in the aviation industry.

Image for 2022 series: My home town

2022 series: My home town

In a stay-at-home-travel special, members of the Flight Free UK team talk about what makes their home town so special.

Image for 2022 series: Sport and climate

2022 series: Sport and climate

Olympians Etienne Stott and Laura Baldwin join us to discuss the impact of sport upon the climate

Image for 2022 series: Aviation and wildlife

2022 series: Aviation and wildlife

We explore the various impacts of aviation on wildlife with soil scientist and author Dr Jennifer Jones.

Image for 2022 series: Earth Day – invest in our planet

2022 series: Earth Day – invest in our planet

The Earth Day theme this year is 'invest in our planet'. We speak to two entrepreneurs about how we can create a green economy.

Image for 2022 series: Confessions of an eco-hypocrite

2022 series: Confessions of an eco-hypocrite

Self-confessed climate hypocrite Sami Grover joins us to discuss if our actions really do make a difference.

Image for 2022 series: Don't Look Up

2022 series: Don't Look Up

Inspired by the recent film Don't Look Up, we speak to filmmaker Franny Armstrong and climate scientist Peter Kalmus about how we can inspire climate action through fiction.

Image for 2022 series: Could you be flight free in 2022?

2022 series: Could you be flight free in 2022?

In the first episode of our new series, we hear from people from all over the UK and Ireland about why they're taking the flight free pledge.

Image for 2021 series: Reflections on 2021

2021 series: Reflections on 2021

The Flight Free UK team reflects on 2021. We share our flight free travels and talk about the conversations we've had that have inspired others to stay grounded.

Image for 2021 series: Eco Anxiety

2021 series: Eco Anxiety

Climate activist and mental health advocate Tori Tsui joins Hemlata Pant, the founder of the Newtown Nature Club in Bristol, to discuss eco anxiety.

Image for 2021 series: COP26

2021 series: COP26

Activist Mara de Pater joins us to talk about the upcoming climate conference COP26 and the campaign Rail to the COP.

Image for 2021 series: Voluntourism

2021 series: Voluntourism

Three members of the No White Saviors team in Uganda explain to us the issues surrounding voluntourism.

Image for 2021 series: Climate and the pandemic

2021 series: Climate and the pandemic

What can the global coronavirus health crisis teach us about the climate crisis? We speak to Dr Sweta Chakraborty about how the pandemic and climate change are connected.

Image for 2021 series: Destination UK

2021 series: Destination UK

International travel is pretty difficult right now, but why look anywhere else when there are so many fantastic parts of the UK to explore?

Image for 2021 series: Family and friends

2021 series: Family and friends

It's harder not to fly when you have family abroad. We speak to Catherine, Seb and Bonnie about their experiences of travelling overseas to see family and friends.

Image for 2021 series: Activism

2021 series: Activism

Sel from Grow Heathrow, Ian from GALBA and Alice from Sky Rebellion talk to us about their experiences as aviation activists.

Image for 2021 series: Behaviour change

2021 series: Behaviour change

Toni Vernelli from the Veganuary campaign shares her insights into how behaviour change works

Image for 2021 series: Social, racial and climate justice

2021 series: Social, racial and climate justice

Poppy Okotcha and Francisca Rockey join Armelle and Sunita from our team to discuss how climate justice relates to social and racial justice.

Image for 2021 series: Can we fly carbon neutral?

2021 series: Can we fly carbon neutral?

Ex-aerospace engineer Finlay Asher gives us the lowdown on how green technology may or may not enable us to fly carbon neutral

Image for 2021 series: Welcome to the New Year

2021 series: Welcome to the New Year

To ring in the New Year, we speak to Dominick, Lenny, Jo, Lizzie and Gope about why they have made the #FlightFree2021 pledge

Image for 2020 series episode 12: reflections on 2020

2020 series episode 12: reflections on 2020

Flight Free 2020 didn't work out at all the way we thought it would. Here, the whole team discusses what the year meant to them.

Image for 2020 series episode 11: business travel

2020 series episode 11: business travel

CEO and businessman Gope Walker has clients and staff across three continents, and speaks to us about how it's possible to run a successful business without flying.

Image for 2020 series episode 10: cycle touring

2020 series episode 10: cycle touring

For low-carbon travel, you can't beat the humble bicycle. We speak to Debs and Jo, two seasoned (but very normal) cycle tourers about the wonders of exploring on two wheels.

Image for 2020 series episode 9: a 2.3 tonne lifestyle

2020 series episode 9: a 2.3 tonne lifestyle

Science communicator Dr Emily Grossman joins us to discuss what action we need to take to reach a sustainable carbon footprint. 

Image for 2020 series episode 8: stay-at-home travel

2020 series episode 8: stay-at-home travel

Is it possible to have genuine travel experiences close to home? The Independent's Helen Coffey and Steph Parker from Big World Small Pockets tell us about their lockdown travel discoveries.

Image for 2020 series episode 7: behaviour change

2020 series episode 7: behaviour change

Steve Westlake from Cardiff University joins us to discuss behaviour change and how our individual actions can create a social shift.

Image for 2020 series episode 6: flight-free Europe

2020 series episode 6: flight-free Europe

We hear from Dr Alexandra Jellicoe about why it's important to take action on the climate, enjoying the experience of travelling by train, the European destinations on our doorstep and the value of staying put.

Image for 2020 series episode 5: carbon offsets and green technology

2020 series episode 5: carbon offsets and green technology

We talk to Dr Roger Tyers about the viability of carbon offsetting and green technology in reducing emissions from aviation.

Image for 2020 series episode 4: transatlantic travel

2020 series episode 4: transatlantic travel

Author and adventurer Kate Rawles discusses the merits of travelling by cargo ship across oceans, and what trans-Atlantic travel might look like in the future.

Image for 2020 series episode 2: skiing by train

2020 series episode 2: skiing by train

Planning your half term ski trip? Daniel Elkan, founder of SnowCarbon.co.uk, explains why it's so much better to travel to the slopes by train rather than by plane.

Image for 2020 series episode 1: New Year's Resolutions

2020 series episode 1: New Year's Resolutions

What's your New Year's resolution? We speak to Maja Rosén from Sweden, whose resolution two years ago led to the creation of the Swedish flygfritt campaign and inspired Flight Free campaigns all around the world.

Image for Interview: Iain Green, wildlife photographer

Interview: Iain Green, wildlife photographer

We speak to wildlife photographer Iain Green about his decision to stop flying 14 years ago, and how he had the wildlife experience of his career in his own back garden.

Image for Interview: Etienne Stott, Olympic champion

Interview: Etienne Stott, Olympic champion

We hear from Olympian Etienne Stott about taking action on climate change and why he's signed the Flight Free pledge.

Image for Interview: Vipul Patel, entrepreneur

Interview: Vipul Patel, entrepreneur

Vipul Patel, the organiser of Bath Green Drinks, chats with us about how we need to talk far more about the climate crisis, and how powerful it is to be a role model.

Image for Interview: Lewis McNeill, campaigner

Interview: Lewis McNeill, campaigner

Environmental activist Lewis McNeill shares his experiences of flight-free travel to South America as well as long-distance coach journeys within Europe.

Image for Interview: Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP

Interview: Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP

'The MEP who doesn't fly' talks to us about her political past and how she can do an international job without getting on an aeroplane