Episode Summary: This is a rebroadcast from another podcast, 'Alpaca Tribe', in which Steve Heatherington discusses CHANGE

EPISODE NOTES (original)

'Welcome to the podcast for alpaca people!

In this episode, I explore change, consider how we approach it and the difference between things we have no control over and things we can affect.

World scale changes will affect us, maybe not today or even tomorrow, but soon. While we can’t completely control much of anything, we can make an impact through what we do. This includes the climate.

As always, I encourage you to go spend some time with your alpacas and enjoy the moment.

Let me know your thoughts.'

More on Alpaca Tribe

Become a better podcaster with goodpodcasting.works

=

For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac, visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

article in Nature.com US nuclear-fusion lab enters new era: achieving ‘ignition’ over and over

You can find out more on page 186 of the Carbon Almanac and on the website you can tap the footnotes link and type in 094

----- 

From a beautiful valley in Wales, UK, Steve is a Podcast Coach, Producer and Alpaca Shepherd. Steve is fascinated by the ideas of regeneration beyond sustainability and is still a biologist at heart.

----- 

The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

Hi, I'm Christina.

2

I'm from Prague.

3

Hi, I'm Jen, and I'm from Canada.

4

Hi, I'm Oladunji, and I'm from Nigeria.

5

Hello, I'm Liki, and I live in Paris.

6

Hi, I'm Brian, and I'm from New York.

7

Welcome to Carbon Sessions, a podcast with

Carbon Conversations for every day, with

8

everyone, from everywhere in the world.

9

In our conversations, we share ideas.

10

Perspectives, questions, and things we

can actually do to make a difference.

11

So don't be shy and join our Carbon

Sessions because it's not too late.

12

Hi, it's licky.

13

In today's episode.

14

It would like to share with you

an episode initially published.

15

On our pocket tripe.

16

What is all like a tribe.

17

You may ask.

18

I'll pack a tribe, STF spot cast.

19

Of course.

20

Okay.

21

Who is Steve?

22

Oh, sorry.

23

Steve is one of the

producers of carbon sessions.

24

The producers of a podcast are people

usually working behind a, since.

25

Their role is to make sure that we

deliver everyone high quality episodes.

26

Both in terms of audio and content.

27

Um, we called Steve de Odo wizard

in our team because Tim is also the

28

founder of good podcasting works.

29

If you want to launch a podcast or

want to become a better podcaster.

30

You definitely need to check out

his website, which is packed with

31

podcasting wisdom and fantastic

actionable tips while you show.

32

It's good podcasting ThoughtWorks.

33

I put that in the show notes.

34

Steve is also an all

35

Hence his podcasts, all pocket tribe.

36

The episode we have selected

is change is here to stay.

37

And this episode, Steve

explores challenge.

38

How we approach change.

39

And the difference between

things we have no control over.

40

And the things we can affect.

41

Even though it was

42

And didn't directly address

the topic of climate change.

43

You'll find the content

is still relevant today.

44

Because in our world.

45

Aha.

46

the only constant is change.

47

This is the Alpaca Podcast

for all things alpaca.

48

If you're an owner, a soon to

be owner, a want to be owner, or

49

are just alpaca mad or love the

fleece, welcome to the alpaca tribe.

50

I'm Steve Hetherington.

51

Hi, Steve here and welcome to

the podcast for alpaca people.

52

Good to see you.

53

So change is here to stay.

54

Thanks In fact, change

is the only constant.

55

How many times have you heard

that or said that yourself?

56

It's, it's one of my

little broken records.

57

Uh, I was thinking about that this

morning and realizing I'm old enough to

58

remember vinyl the first time around.

59

And when you had a broken

record, it was stuck.

60

It was damaged in some way and the

needle would go so far that it would

61

stick and it would repeat the same

thing again and again and again.

62

That's what a broken record is.

63

Hmm.

64

It doesn't work in digital, does it?

65

Struge, how the world has changed.

66

Partly this is brought about

by thoughts of the iPod.

67

Apple's iPod is being retired.

68

It's not going to be there later.

69

It's still around at the moment,

but it's going to be disappearing.

70

And you're listening to a podcast

because there was an iPod.

71

They're all linked in together.

72

It's a long story.

73

Maybe share the link to where that story

is told about how podcasts got their name.

74

And today I want to talk to you a bit

about change and things staying the same.

75

So Cool.

76

We need to learn how to be flexible,

how to pivot and adjust and do all those

77

kind of trendy things that we talk about.

78

So I've decided that I want all the

good things to stay the same, and

79

I want all the bad things to change

and go away or be fixed or something.

80

And of course, it's not like that.

81

And with our alpacas, very much so, there

are things that we simply can't control.

82

But there are many things

which we can influence.

83

We can make a difference.

84

We can adjust.

85

But when you have a young creer, a

newborn, but in those first few weeks, the

86

first month or two, they are just amazing.

87

Amazing creatures anyway, but amazing.

88

A crea is just such a

Ah, it does something.

89

It touches you somewhere deep.

90

At least it does for me.

91

And I'd like them to

stay the same, please.

92

I'd like them to stay

as crea, but they don't.

93

In fact, they change so quickly.

94

Have you noticed that?

95

They change so, so quickly.

96

Like children and weeds.

97

They grow so quickly.

98

Hmm.

99

So, they can't stay.

100

And actually, it wouldn't be

right for them to stay like that.

101

Change can be good, but we do

tend to want to hold on to things

102

and to keep things the same.

103

And yet, change is part of

what we live with all the time.

104

And we change individually.

105

You, that's you, that's you, listener.

106

I'm talking to you.

107

And partly this is getting reflected back

from my, I was contacted by someone who

108

wanted to raise the question of alpacas

growing old, but also us growing old.

109

Sorry, I'm not old.

110

I'm just older.

111

And it's really important to think about

those things and to recognize that I

112

say, I'm sorry, I don't want to grow old.

113

I'd say you haven't got a choice.

114

Uh, so with the alpacas, you

can't stop them from growing old.

115

And so tomorrow is probably, Pretty

much going to be similar ish, mostly,

116

unless there's a major change.

117

Most of it's going to be similar and

the same as today or about the day

118

after or next week or next month or

certainly next year, things will change.

119

Things will have to change.

120

And there's so much going on at the

moment, and there's the price of

121

fuel, there's the price of gas and

electricity, and ah, and oh, yeah, we've

122

got the war in Ukraine, and the silos

full of grain that they can't get out,

123

and that's going to become a problem.

124

Knock on effect, knock on effect.

125

It's going to spread and it's going to

become an issue for the price of feed.

126

What about how much hard food, the

pellets, we, different kinds that we use.

127

A lot of that's wheat based.

128

It's going to, prices are going to go up.

129

How do we change that?

130

We stop using it.

131

Okay, so what are we going to use instead?

132

Do we need to be using it?

133

If we don't need to be using

it, let's just not use it.

134

So, at times of year, you know, When the

grass is not growing, when the nourishment

135

that your alpacas need is not there,

certainly in the UK, through the winter,

136

the food needs to be supplemented.

137

But it's a supplement, it's not

the main feed, it's a supplement.

138

So what can we do about the grass

that's going to make things better?

139

What can we do about

adjusting the hard feed?

140

The amount or the type, and we're just

going to have to wait and see for some

141

of the answers to what is going to

be available and how much it's going

142

to cost and how much we can afford.

143

The other things with hay, I'm

guessing that that is going to

144

creep up a bit because the cost of

production of everything is going up.

145

The cost of production of hay will

increase because the cost of fuel.

146

is going up so much, so quickly.

147

Now maybe it's going to come down

again, but it's going to be a

148

challenging time in the future.

149

Today, we can feel anxious

about that change, but we can't

150

do much about changing it.

151

Apart from preparing ourselves

to be flexible, ready for the

152

pivot, ready for the change.

153

So yeah, by nature, I'm not full of

anxious thoughts about the future.

154

I'm sure it'll work out.

155

I'm sure it'll be fine.

156

We'll get by.

157

I tend to be a bit more on that end of

the scale and I need to be a bit more,

158

what are we going to do about this?

159

How can we put things in place now, which

will mean we're in a better place later.

160

And you may be on the other end of the

scale, where you're panicking about

161

things now that haven't happened yet.

162

And you probably need to go spend some

time with your alpacas and relax a bit.

163

No easy answers, no easy answers,

but can we ask better questions?

164

Always good to be asking good questions.

165

And if we can work a bit at finding

the right question to be asking,

166

maybe we can find a way forward.

167

There's the climate crisis

that we're in the middle of.

168

Oh, the, the UK announced

yesterday that within five

169

years, It is likely that that 1.

170

5 degree change barrier will have been

crossed, that the warming effect will

171

have, will have passed that, and not

permanently, it'll probably drift back

172

again, but, you know, five years, okay.

173

So that thing that was further down the

line, kicking the can down the road, has

174

now arrived with us and is part of it.

175

It rained today.

176

Wow, that was good.

177

I got wet.

178

It was nice.

179

Uh, but it was proper rain.

180

We've had a bit of rain just to wet

the ground a bit and feed the grass

181

a bit, but this is proper rain.

182

I'm seeing some little

changes in the, in the lake.

183

I see some water coming in

far end, a little bit of white

184

water coming through the rocks.

185

And.

186

it's been more persistent.

187

And it was one of those,

I wish I'd put my hat on.

188

No, no, it was beyond that.

189

It was, I wish I'd put my waterproof

trousers on because my waterproof

190

coat, it ran off and I got wet legs.

191

Okay, I'm dry now.

192

But this is something that we're going

to have to adjust to over the coming

193

years is how the climate is changing.

194

Not today's weather, but

the climate as a whole.

195

Not easy.

196

Can I control it?

197

No.

198

Can I influence it?

199

Well, the weather, excuse me.

200

Can you influence the weather?

201

Not really.

202

Can we influence our environment in a

way that says it'll be in a better place

203

than it was if we didn't do anything?

204

And the answer to that's got to be yes.

205

We've got to be able to make changes

that are for the better, that don't leave

206

things as they are, because they can't

stay as they are, but move things forward.

207

So with our alpacas, what are we doing?

208

with them, what can we do with them that

has an influence on how well they're

209

going to be, how well they're going to

cope with the future that is coming.

210

It's not here yet, not tomorrow,

probably not the day after, but

211

coming to a place near you soon.

212

Okay, so let's move away from the doom

and gloom and think about the change

213

that happens, the things that we observe.

214

One of the things about things changing

so quickly with the career that made

215

me think about how much do we enjoy

the moment because we can be planning

216

ahead, planning for change in a way that

means we miss the beauty of the moment.

217

We don't start, stand and stare.

218

We don't.

219

sniff the breeze, shoot the breeze.

220

Oh no, we shoot the breeze, don't we?

221

We sniff the breeze as well.

222

Uh, miss my dog.

223

Uh, dogs, two of them.

224

They'd got old and we, we lost them.

225

But they, they used to stand and

stick their nose in the air and

226

they'd be sniffing the breeze

just to see what was there.

227

They'd sit outside the top of the

steps just near the house and they'd

228

sniff to try and see what was going on.

229

What could they determine?

230

What could they check

their word missing out on?

231

So spend some time.

232

And I keep talking about that.

233

Do you know why?

234

Because I think it's important.

235

So spend some time with your alpacas.

236

That's another broken record bit.

237

I know.

238

So spend some time with your alpacas.

239

Plan it in.

240

Find some space in your calendar,

whether it's the weekend, whether it's

241

a specific thing where you can spend

some time to stop and take stock.

242

of your stock to look at your

alpacas and enjoy the moment.

243

And we can have those

little five minute holidays.

244

That's something that feeds us,

that nourishes us in a place

245

that isn't to do with food.

246

So spend some time with your alpacas,

enjoy the moment, and also reflect on the

247

things that we can influence, the things

that we can change and see what we can do.

248

I'm not sure what to do yet about.

249

the dry food, the, you know, the pellets.

250

I'm worried I've got to put

an order in for some today.

251

Is the price going to be going up?

252

I don't know.

253

But I know it will be, if not

today, then in the future.

254

So what am I going to do about that?

255

Apart from wringing my hands.

256

Ah, there must be an answer.

257

I'm sure there will be.

258

And we need to think about it.

259

One of my thoughts, I'm sure

there's a downside to this

260

somewhere, but I haven't worked out.

261

It's one of my ideas that I

haven't put into action yet.

262

Maybe I need to just get

on and do that as well.

263

Was to buy some peas, some dried peas.

264

Not for feeding the Okay.

265

There's the flake peas,

the micronized peas.

266

They're rolled and

crushed and dried quickly.

267

And they get added in as an

extra supplement to their feed.

268

But what I was thinking

of was the peed seeds.

269

The ones that you plant

to grow pea plants.

270

What if I got a big ass bag

of seeds, a big bag of seeds.

271

And I went around sticking them in

the ground, just here and there.

272

They're legumes.

273

They are able to fix nitrogen.

274

There's a combination of the, in the

root nodules and bacteria, and they

275

work together and they fix nitrogen.

276

And it makes the, the soil richer.

277

This is regeneration.

278

It's not just sustainable.

279

It's not just using what we've got

and carrying on using what we've

280

got, which is the sustainable.

281

How can I carry on doing

what I've been doing?

282

How can this be sustainable?

283

So that I can carry on using the

resources and doing what I want to do?

284

Well, What about the, beyond

that, to think about regeneration?

285

What about regenerating the ground?

286

And I'm aware, very much so, looking

at our valley, that that is what

287

the alpacas are helping us with.

288

They are actually helping

regenerate places and parts of

289

the valley that we wouldn't be

able to do without fertilizers,

290

without chemicals of some kind.

291

And we don't want to use those.

292

So the alpacas are actually helping.

293

It's part of the regeneration of

this piece of land, which we have.

294

responsibility for, we have control

of, we have not full control,

295

but we have an influence on.

296

There are things outside of our

control, but there are things that we

297

can do that will make a difference.

298

And my idea, I don't know

whether I should share it with

299

you before I do it myself, but.

300

was to plant some peas and just

see, this could be an interesting,

301

because they'd love that, the alpacas.

302

Can you imagine?

303

Uh, Ooh, Ooh, what's this in here?

304

And then the grass, they would

love the new leaves coming through.

305

They, I don't imagine many of

them are going to get to the

306

point of actually flowering or

producing peas, but you never know.

307

And then they're going to self seed and

then they're going to grow a bit more.

308

So it becomes something

that's good for the soil.

309

It becomes something that's

good and interesting variety,

310

fresh food for the alpacas.

311

And, uh, it's an idea.

312

It's not going to change the world.

313

I know that.

314

But it may have a little bit of influence.

315

It may have a little bit of bringing in

some positive change that is worth doing.

316

I think that's an idea I will pursue.

317

And in fact, today, and now

that I've recorded it, I

318

will have to do it, won't I?

319

So I will order some pea seeds today.

320

Assuming they're not out of season.

321

Always act before your ideas expire.

322

Uh, there we go.

323

So we've been thinking about, it's

a bit philosophical today, I know.

324

We've been thinking about change.

325

Thinking about what we can

control, what we can't control.

326

Thinking about we want the things

to stay the same and they won't.

327

Thinking about the big stuff

that we have got no control over.

328

The climate, the weather,

I can't change that.

329

Certainly not today, but maybe there

are little things, less plastic.

330

Is that a thing that's

going to change the climate?

331

You know, one, one plastic bottle less,

is that going to make a difference?

332

Well, if we all use one plastic bottle

less, if we all think about reusing, we

333

all think about how we do things and the

way we want to do things in the future,

334

then together we can make a difference.

335

We can make change.

336

So change is here to stay.

337

Change is the only constant.

338

Hopefully that's given you some food

for thought and maybe some ideas

339

about food for your alpacas as well.

340

If you've got any thoughts about all of

that, and I want to revisit this at some

341

point as well, just that whole thing of

what's the impact on the environment of

342

keeping alpacas positive and negative.

343

I think most of it's positive,

but there are maybe some negative

344

things that we can change as well.

345

If you've got any thoughts,

I'd love to hear from you.

346

Steve at alpacatribe.

347

com.

348

That's steve at alpacatribe.

349

com.

350

I'd love to hear from you.

351

And we will see you again next

time when it may have rained

352

again, or it may have stayed dry.

353

Things might have changed

or they might be the same.

354

If you can go spend some time with

your alpacas and smile and take a deep

355

breath and stand a while and watch.

356

Bye for now.

357

This is The Alpaca Tribe.

358

And I'm Steve Hetherington.

359

Have a great day.

360

You've been listening to Carbon

Sessions, a podcast with carbon

361

conversations for every day with

everyone from everywhere in the world.

362

We'd love you to join the Carbon

Sessions so you too can share your

363

perspectives from wherever you are.

364

This is a great way for our community

to learn from your ideas and

365

experiences, connect and take action.

366

If you want to add your voice to the

conversation, go to the carbonalmanac.

367

org slash podcast.

368

and sign up to be part

of a future episode.

369

This podcast is also part of

the Carbon Almanac Network.

370

For more information, to sign up for

the emails, to join the movement,

371

and to order your copy of The Carbon

Almanac, go to thecarbonalmanac.

372

org.

373

Be sure to subscribe and join

us here again, as together

374

we can change the world.