Which? Investigates podcast: Season one - sustainability

The Which? Investigates podcast explores how to be a more sustainable consumer - and the barriers we often find along the way.

Reducing your carbon footprint is never quite as simple as it seems. Our first podcast season investigates the ways in which UK consumers have an impact on the environment and where we can make a difference. We dig into the facts around the sustainability issues that matter, from our energy supplies to our diets, and our cars to our gadgets.

Plus, we put common sustainability claims under the spotlight to find out which are meaningful and which are just hot air.

Join science journalist and producer Greg Foot and our own Which? experts as they figure out how we can genuinely reduce our environmental footprint.

If you enjoy our new podcast, please do remember to rate and review us, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Which? Investigates is now a fortnightly show - Get all our latest episodes here

Which? Investigates

End of season bonus: More on travel, working from home and money

Hear more from three of the conversations we had while recording the second half of the season:

Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel discusses whether we can holiday without harming the planet (02.35 - 16.12).

Mike Berners-Lee explains how to work out the carbon footprint of almost everything (17.58 - 34.02).

Olivia Bowen, partner and financial advisor at Castlefield, reveals all on the world of ethical investing (36.20 - 47.33).

Episode Eight: Could your money be causing climate change?

This week, Greg has heard a claim that all the eco-benefits of eating less meat to cut your food footprint, driving an EV to reduce your travel emissions, and choosing products that don't contribute to deforestation could be completely undone by something you may not have considered: your money.

In this Which? investigation, Greg Foot finds out how our bank accounts, pensions and investments may be causing climate change without our knowledge. He teams up with the Which? Money team to analyse the 'sustainable' and 'ethical' options, and discovers what could be the biggest case of green-washing yet.

Episode Seven: Does working from home help save the planet?

After a year of Zoom calls, countless hours sat in makeshift home offices, and less time stuck in commuter traffic, what does the future of work look like?

Will 'hybrid working' reign supreme? And is WFH actually be better for the planet?

In this Which? investigation, Greg Foot reckons that with some offices down-sizing and fewer of us travelling to work, the eco-benefits could be huge. He soon learns that it's much more complex than he thought

Episode Six: Can we ever fly on holiday with a clear conscience?

We've all heard that flying is terrible for the planet, but is there any chance of it getting cleaner? Can 'carbon-offsets' soak up and neutralise your flight's emissions? And will 'bio-fuel' decarbonise the aviation industry?

In this Which? investigation, Greg Foot asks if he can ever justify taking a flight, learns about the benefits and wider impacts of travelling abroad, and uncovers how 'eco-friendly' an 'eco-holiday' really is.

Episode Five: Will hydrogen soon be heating your home?

Homes and heating are responsible for around a fifth of the UK's carbon emissions. There's increasing talk of our boilers potentially being upgraded to hydrogen, and increased government interest in heat-pumps as a possible way to reach the net zero target. But what really is the future of your home heating system?

In this investigation, Greg Foot asks if these are indeed viable options for your home or whether their green credentials are being exaggerated. He also looks to Norway to learn about 'district heating' and finds out what you should do next time your boiler fails.

Bonus episode: More on phones, alt-meat and electric cars

This is a chance to hear more from three of the experts we spoke with while recording the first half of season one:

• Materials scientist, engineer and broadcaster Mark Miodovnik reveals more about how your mobile phone is made, how repairable it is (or not), and the shocking reality of what happens if you recycle it (02:22-19:14).
• Journalist and author of 'Sex Robots and Vegan Meat', Jenny Kleeman, shares stories of her unique research trips looking at the alternative meat industry (20:45-32:31).
• Which? car expert Adrian Porter answers some of your biggest questions about electric vehicles (EVs) (34.11 - 48.39).

Episode Four: Is a plant-based diet healthier for you and the planet?

With more and more plant-based burgers, milks and other alternatives filling our shopping aisles, it's never been easier to cut meat and dairy products from your diet. But as advocates make claims for the health-promoting and planet-saving power of going plant-based, what does the evidence say?

In this Which? Investigation we ask if cattle farming can ever be sustainable, uncover how 'plant-based' doesn't always mean 'planet-friendly', and learn how healthy, or not, these meat-alternative products really are.

Episode Three: Are electric cars really greener?

With the UK set to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, more of us are considering the switch to electric. But with the environmental impact of making the batteries, and the need to generate the electricity to charge them, what is truly the greenest option - go electric or stick with a petrol or diesel car?

Episode Two: Does your phone come with an expiry date?

When you buy a new phone, you expect it to last, but could that new handset have a shelf-life that's shorter than your contract? A cracked screen or a dodgy battery can be a pain to repair, but is that driven by manufacturers or by consumers eager for the latest feature-packed model?

Greg Foot asks who's to blame for the mountain of 'old' mobiles hidden away in drawers up and down the country. Find out what it takes to make a phone, the surprising facts about what happens if you recycle one, and how phone companies may be putting you at risk.

Episode One: is plastic packaging always bad?

The packaging on our everyday groceries is enemy number one for anyone trying to do their bit for the planet. But why is there still so much of it around and what makes it so hard to recycle?

Greg Foot and Which? researchers investigate the current state of supermarket packaging. We look at why so much of the plastic that wraps our food is completely unrecycleable and whether biodegradable plastic is the answer.

Plus, what can we do about the food that simply has to be wrapped up to protect it from damage that would send it straight to landfill?

How to subscribe to Which? Investigates

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More on sustainability from Which?

• Choose the most eco-friendly appliances with our new Eco Buy label
• Get the low down on peat-free compost
• Sustainable fruit and veg to buy in June
• Find out how to make your fridge freezer run more efficiently
• Plant milks: What's best for your health and the environment?