Fast beauty sucks! What is it, why is it and how can you be a better beauty consumer
Fast beauty may look pretty on the surface, but there is a massive catch; the real cost of keeping up with these ever-changing trends, to people and planet. I'm having a chat about the not-so-pretty side of fast beauty – from the piles of plastic packaging to the pressure on our planet. I've got some stats that might just make you rethink that next 'must-have' beauty buy. But don't worry I do get it, and there are ways to buy beauty products you love, without so much impact. It's about finding that sweet spot between staying trendy and being a true kaitiaki.In this episode I talk about: What fast beauty is and how it took over the industryHow social media fuels trend cycles and overconsumptionThe environmental impact of beauty packaging and wasteWhy “natural” doesn’t always mean sustainableThe hidden water and resource footprint behind beauty productsWhat fast beauty means for ethics, labour, and ingredient sourcingThe difference between cruelty-free and vegan (and why it matters)Why we buy more than we use - and what that really costsWhat to look for in truly sustainable beauty brandsHow to shift your routine without giving up what you loveThe one thing you can focus on to make your beauty routine more ethicalWhy your spending power matters more than you thinkFind our full podcast via the website here: https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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19:07
NAD+ Super supplement or wellness scam?
You've probably heard of vitamin B3. It's a molecule that's in your cells right now, quietly helping keep you alive. It goes by other names such as nicotinamide. You've also heard of niacinamide, particularly if you're a skincare girly on social media.Sometimes it's just called vitamin B3, or occasionally you will see NAD plus booster.It's all largely the same thing. Kind of.I wanted to have a chat about this particular ingredient because it's one of the many pieces of magic in Incrediballs, my new drinks start-up, which launches next week, so I know a lot about this ingredient.But I also want to talk about it because it's kind of a symptom of the massive wellness industry, which is actually about three times larger than pharma. So is it just hype, is it actually useful or does it just give you really expensive wee... ?In this episode I share:The many names of nicotinamide and what it actually isThe science around how our body uses nicotinamideWhy most adverts about nicotinamide are rubbishThe trials around nicotinamide and cognitive abilitiesThe 3 pathways that NAD+ effects in regards to agingWhat can we actually say about NAD+ Is Nicotinamide effective in helping in skin wellness?Why Nicotinamide can give you more energy, but not in the way most people claimCan it boost your metabolismWhat is a safe dose of nicotinamide?The amount of NAD+ IncrediballsFind our full podcast via the website here: https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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27:02
What Nuclear Energy Actually Offers (The Not-So-Silver Bullet)
Kia ora kaitiaki and welcome to the final episode in my nuclear energy mini-series. Over the last three episodes, I’ve taken you through the science, the messy history, and the chaos of radioactive disasters - but today? Today I’m answering the question I’ve been dancing around since the start:Do we actually need nuclear energy to hit our climate goals - or can we just stick with solar, wind, and good old hydropower?As always, the answer isn’t as straightforward as we’d like (and yes, I find that annoying too). But after wading through data, opinions, politics, and a few mild threats on LinkedIn, I’ve come to a conclusion that might help you cut through. In this episode, I talk through:Why nuclear is low-carbon… but still not a silver bulletWhat it really costs to build a reactor (spoiler: a lot)The massive difference between what’s possible in theory and what actually works in realityWhy New Zealand should probably never go nuclear (hello, earthquakes)How much land and water different energy sources really useAnd the biggest roadblock to progress: not physics, not finances… but peopleWe also take a little trip around the world - from France’s nuclear grid to Australia’s rooftop solar obsession, from China’s reactor production line to why tiny island nations are betting big on batteries.So - is nuclear the hero, the villain, or just a very expensive middle child?Tune in and find out. I promise I’ll actually give you an answer at the end. Kind of.Find our full podcast via the website here: https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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25:12
Nuclear Energy: Who’s Using It, What’s True, and What’s Next
It’s part 3 of our mini-series on nuclear power, and we’re talking about what’s going on in the reactor world and what the future of nuclear looks like.That might seem dull, but we’ll be discussing questions we need to know like: will we all have mini reactors to run our houses? Or nuclear batteries to power our phones? In this episode, I share:How different countries are currently using nuclear powerWhat nuclear waste actually is—and why it’s been over-villainisedThe issues around nuclear waste storage and how people are trying to solve themModular reactors and how they could help smaller places with little sunlightThe safer, better material that reactors could be using instead of uraniumWhat micro-reactors are and how they could help with disaster reliefWhether nuclear batteries could become an everyday thingWhat fusion is and why it's the ultimate in clean energyWhy we can’t use fusion yetKey Quotes“1 litre of sea water contains enough fusion fuel to equal 270 litres of petrol.”“Per person, a lifetimes use of electricity using nuclear would produce enough waste to fill a soda can.”“Fusion is the ultimate in clean energy.”“One nuclear plant supplies 25% of the UAE's electricity, which is bonkers.Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
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20:19
The Real Fallout: How Nuclear Energy Got Its Bad Reputation
Part 2 of the Nuclear Mini-Series This is part two of my mini-series on nuclear power and whether it could be the clean energy solution we’ve all been waiting for.As I said before (and it bears repeating): fossil fuels kill about 8 million people every single year — more than the populations of Aotearoa and most of the Pacific Islands combined.Despite that, nuclear power remains the energy source we fear the most. But should we?In the last episode, we explored the science of nuclear — what it is, how it works, and why it’s not nearly as scary as it sounds. In this episode, we dive into its history — a sometimes horrifying, sometimes absurd, and often misunderstood timeline that shaped our collective anxiety around nuclear energy.In this episode, I cover:The early discoveries of nuclear materials and radiationHow public fear around nuclear energy really beganThe rise of nuclear bombs and the race for atomic powerWhat actually happens inside a nuclear reactor (in plain English)The major nuclear disasters that shaped global perceptionWhat went wrong at Three Mile IslandWhat made Chernobyl so catastrophicWhy Fukushima shook public confidence in nuclear safetyKey quotes:“Nuclear energy got its hideous reputation before it had even powered a single light bulb.”“Creepy green glows and mutant fish? That’s science fiction, not reality.”“Public anxiety about nuclear energy didn’t actually start with power stations.”Books & Resources Mentioned:Here are the books and materials I mentioned for anyone who wants to explore:The Radium Girls by Kate MooreA gripping and enraging true story of the young women who painted glow-in-the-dark watch faces with radioactive paint — and paid the ultimate price. The Woman Who Knew Too Much by Gayle GreeneA biography of Dr. Alice Stewart, who studied radiation risks and stood up to the nuclear establishment. (Recommended for broader radiation safety context).Atoms and Ashes: A Global History of Nuclear Disasters by Serhii PlokhyCovers Six major nuclear incidents — including Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island — with historical and political analysis.If you want to go down the rabbit hole, I also recommend googling:“Radithor” (yes, that glowing bottled water was real)“Clarence Dally and Thomas Edison” (the first radiation death in the U.S).Find our full podcast via the website here:https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/
Join Brianne West, environmentalist and social entrepreneur, as she wanders through the world of 'sustainability'. "Now, That's What I Call Green" busts myths, shares the science, and talks about the amazing world we live in (with lots of cute animals). Does rewilding help? But what can I do? Are electric cars better? Is it too late to do something about climate change? Why don't sharks have bones? For those curious about the environment and eager to make a difference, tune in for a non-judgmental, evidence-based approach that is all about progress over perfection.
New Zealand