Floss from Gimli, Manitoba, Canada set the first of two listener questions in today’s episode

“Do either of you feel you have guardian angels?”

Stuart and William come at Floss’s question in two very unique ways, which reflects how different they are from each other.

William refuses to believe in literal guardian angels, as he feels you need to believe in actual angels. He does however acknowledge how the presence of important people in his life could be like having a guardian angel.

Stuart believes that he has certain people from his past "on his shoulder", informing his thinking, and that he has felt their physical presence at periods in his life. He feels that he has at least two guardian angels.

Stuart puts an environmental spin on this question, with a question of his own: How can humans be guardian angels of planet Earth?

The second listener question comes from Paula in Norfolk, England.

“Anything currently annoying you with the use of modern language?”

Off the back of Paula’s question, Stuart shares his dislike for fashionable phrases that are essentially meaningless filler. William agrees. He has a particular dislike of the overuse of “bro” and "super". Both do acknowledge however that they might just be "old and cranky".

The big takeaway from this discussion is that Stuart and William advocate for using a varied vocabulary and not to rely on the same words, repeatedly, and most importantly, for communication to be genuine. Listen to yourself and others, use varied vocabulary, fill sentences with value rather than filler words.

What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

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This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

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Scott, a listener from Arisaig, Scotland sets today's first question - “We have rebranded tourism, to backpacking, walking, cycling, mountaineering and exploring etc, so as to get an authentic experience of a place. Though in getting that authentic experience, often we turn a blind eye and we see places how we want to, not how they really are. In ways that fit our own narrative, maybe overly romantic? Maybe that's why when we revisit a place it often is not as good as we remember it? So those authentic experiences are skewed and informed by our own internal habits and processes. We readily overlook the impacts we are having, behaving like sheep, following the crowd, and going on mass to get these authentic experiences?”

Join co-hosts Stuart and William on a wild ride through the contradictory world of travel. Stuart argues that all that backpacking, hiking, and cycling is mere "passing through"—nothing like truly diving into the heart of a culture. He even recounts safari adventures that leave you questioning if you're witnessing nature or a scene from a horror flick (spoiler: those animals aren’t just posing for a selfie—they’re feasting without mercy!). Meanwhile, William champions the power of local interactions, insisting that true cultural insights come from chatting with the locals, not ticking off tourist landmarks on a map.

In each episode, our duo engages in a hilarious tug-of-war: Is travel about immersing yourself in the raw, unpredictable pulse of a foreign land, or merely curating a safe, picture-perfect postcard life? Stuart’s anti-tourism stance collides with William’s conscious, soul-searching travel vibe, leaving no cliché unchallenged and no tourist untouched. Their final piece of advice? If you're going to be a tourist, do it sustainably—think outside the mass flock and embrace your inner rebel.

Strap in for candid debates, laugh-out-loud stories, and a fresh perspective on how travel can either be a genuine adventure or just another scheduled excursion. Tune in, because when authenticity meets absurdity, the conversation is anything but ordinary!

What unconventional travel mishap or unexpected local encounter has made you question your holiday choices? Let's keep the conversation going!

Oisin, from Cork, Ireland sets the second question - Oisin’s Question

History isn’t just written—it’s wielded. In this thought-provoking chat, Stuart and William unravel the complexities of Ireland’s past and its lingering impact on today. From the historic rivalry between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to the British government’s strategic hands-off approach that allowed internal strife to flourish, they explore how political maneuvering has shaped nations.

Stuart delves into how famines can be leveraged for social change, citing the Irish famine as a tragic example where suffering became an opportunity—intentional or not. Meanwhile, William sheds light on the erasure of Irish history in British education and asks: What do we conveniently forget, and why? The conversation expands to immigration, drawing parallels between past acceptance of Irish migrants in America and current hostility toward newcomers.

Together, they emphasize a vital message: We must acknowledge history without weaponizing it—learning from past injustices without falling into the trap of blame. Tune in for an educational deep dive that challenges perceptions and uncovers the hidden forces shaping societies today.

Which overlooked moments in history have shaped the world more than we realize? Let’s dig into it!

Send us a question to discuss to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

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“I heard someone on TV say they didn’t think Essex had wildlife, until someone said wildlife is everywhere. What is the world coming to?” That's the question left by listener James, in Ecclefechan, Scotland for your co-hosts Stuart and William to delve into.

Wildlife? More Like Wild Conspiracies! Join William and Stuart as they dissect the absurdities of British wildlife with all the enthusiasm of a damp Saturday in Colchester. William opens by suggesting that if you haven’t graced Colchester with your presence, then clearly you’ve missed out on all the subtle wonders it has to offer—even if they’re as unexciting as a bus stop in the drizzle.

Stuart then delves into the baffling story from thirty years back, when someone reckoned that North Wales was practically bird-free—simply because no one bothered to record them. That is, until a slightly under-the-weather bird watcher on Anglesey made the inconvenient discovery that, shocker, birds do exist. Yes, even in a landscape where no one takes notes, nature finds a way to upend common sense.

Ever the inquisitor, William questions which part of Essex this supposed wildlife desert applies to, considering that even the busiest corners of the county attract a touch of life. Stuart is quick to chime in: if your idea of wildlife is confined to roaming elephants and lions, you’re in for a rude awakening—try rolling back your carpet and what's under there.

For the pièce de résistance, they tackle the wild conspiracy theories claiming that not only does New Zealand not exist, but neither does Finland. So naturally, it’s a short leap of logic to imagine that Essex is just a barren wasteland devoid of any real wildlife.

Martin, from Portree, Scotland sets the next question - “Heard you say you are not that active as a photographer these days William, do you see a time where you’d go back to it? Here in Portree, for a large part of the year, the landscape is multiple layers of grey. Have you done much photography with such a simple pallet?”

Martin's question was the wake-up call William didn't know he needed. While other projects hogged the schedule, the camera was left gathering dust, and he admits he never quite granted himself the freedom to simply go out and shoot. Now though, he's slowly easing back into photography, sharing the notion that layers in landscape photography can transform even the most ordinary view into something with unexpected depth.

Meanwhile, Stuart spices things up with a side story. He recounts a tale of a Portree painter who was so fixated on capturing the ever-changing moods of grey that she found herself painting four different canvases in the span of a single day. Apparently, the local weather wasn't content with just one look—each passing moment demanded its own portrait.

Reflecting on his past and looking to the future, William confesses a need for subject matter that truly resonates with him. Back in the day, he was a prolific railway photographer with a portfolio that got plenty of press and the satisfaction of mastering a craft he loved. Now, with a renewed sense of purpose, he's dipping his toes into photography once again—and you can catch his latest snaps on Instagram under the handle @shotatanangle.

What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

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Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside

“I’ve heard youngsters say in the olden days we never had mobiles, and how did we survive? This worries me. Ok youngsters are tech savvy, but they perhaps lack the ability to adapt quickly if tech fails them?”

This is the first of the two listener questions sent in for Stuart and William to discuss in today’s episode, this particular question came from Wayne in Bangor, Maine, USA.

Off the back of Wayne’s question, William recounts his own observations, where he has witnessed a younger person than him, attempting to pay for a bus ride on their phone, and when it hasn’t worked, they have not been able to pay by any other method, and therefore haven’t been able to travel. Off the back of this point, he comes up with an action: to always carry a backup with you, in this case a wallet with a physical payment card.

Stuart comes at the question from a different angle, he sets the lofty challenge of giving life without a mobile a go, and to see how you get on. William takes Stuart’s point and posits the idea that we need to strike a balance here. That phones are useful, but not to overly rely on them.

The second question for this episode comes from Paula in Norfolk, England.

“Huge amounts of trees are being planted to combat climate change, perhaps too many? Many die, because they are not cared for. How about Community Tree Ambassadors to keep an eye on them?”

The big bee in Stuart’s bonnet regarding Paula’s question is that though tree ambassadors can be potentially helpful, they can also just be a token gesture. He relates a story about one man in Oxford who set up a committee to plant more trees in the city, called The Forest of Oxford. The committee was populated by local people, but if this guy disagreed with you, he would overrule it and say the committee had made an alternative decision, when it was really him as an individual making that move. The group was really a toothless tiger, only there to give false credence and facilitate the guy's vision, which he couldn’t implement alone. He raises the question: How do we stop the tree ambassadors becoming a token gesture?

William’s opinion takes us to the very root of the matter, that planting trees is  not the sole solution to the environmental crisis as trees only form one part of the ecosystem in the first place. And when they are planted, they often aren't looked after.

In this podcast your co-hosts Stuart and William discuss questions the listeners have sent in. Get ready to join the chaos of their live audio circus, where your intrepid hosts dive headfirst into your listener-supplied mystery boxes of questions. They may chat, they might bicker—but rest assured, there's no fancy pre-reading. They discuss them, they rarely debate them. Sometimes a surprise guest or an unsuspecting listener takes center stage in The Listeners Chair, adding extra spice to the mix. It’s unscripted, unpredictable, and as raw as your first cup of coffee—so buckle up and enjoy the unfiltered ride! Most importantly Stuart and William don’t see the question before the press record, so their reactions and opinions come to you in real time, and they most likely start from the same position as you the listener at the start of the recording. Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

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This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside

This episode was recorded in Stuart’s garden, so expect in the background,  people shouting, horns, sirens, Harley’s revving, all sorts. If you’re struggling to filter out the background noise and not focus in on the question, that's something you need to practice, because when your co-hosts are out having a conversation in this garden space, they don't even notice the background sounds very often. So that's the thing, life is a noisy place and you get presented with these big questions at inconvenient times, so we all need to learn to filter at any given moment.

Ray, from Sauk Centre, Minnesota, USA is the lucky listener asking the first question - “Do you think countries that benefited from the slave trade should pay compensation to the descendants of slaves. Is it fair to pay for wrong doings of ancestors, and is it wrong to accept compensations for things your ancestors experienced? Are all white people racist if they are living off privileges afforded them by their forefathers? For balance, are modern day slave descendants, victims? Is it potentially better though to work towards a fairer society, instead of compensation? It can maybe be argued that compensations won’t make a difference in a society that remains inherently unfair?”

Stuart and William discuss reparations, fairness, and historical context. Stuart emphasizes the importance of understanding history to build a better future. William examines unconscious biases and how ancestral privilege shapes opportunities. Rather than financial compensation, Stuart argues for acknowledgment and proactive change. William stresses that achieving a fair society requires recognizing existing privilege. They both highlight the need for balanced historical perspectives and thoughtful action beyond monetary solutions.

Mateusz, from Rzeszow, Poland sets the second question for discussion today and as it is quite lengthy, we have put it in a separate document which you can find here - Mateusz’s Question

William and Stuart dive into pronouns, identity, and how labels can matter—or not. William, a self-described "CIS white male (but don’t call him that)," sees pronouns mostly in emails and social media but acknowledges that openly sharing them can help others feel comfortable. Stuart recounts an awkward business meeting where he avoided stating his pronoun and paid the price. They agree that inclusion means normalizing differences without making a spectacle of them. William sees identity as secondary to kindness and competence, while Stuart laments society’s slow progress in LGBTQ+ acceptance since the 1970s. They conclude with a universal truth—offending someone is inevitable, so keep messaging clear, direct, and free of unnecessary complexity.

What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

We like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we’re not after numbers.

This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside

Sign the Petition - Improve The Oxfordshire Countryside Accessibility For All Disabilities And Abilities: change.org/ImproveTheOxfordshireCountrysideAccessibilityForAllDisabilitiesAndAbilities

Fundraiser For An Extreme 8 All-terrain Wheelchair: justgiving.com/wildmanonwheels

Floss, in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada is the listener who set the first question today - “What are your objectives, personally and with your work?”

William aspires to live a fulfilling life by practicing kindness, spending time with loved ones, and embracing diverse experiences. Both personally and professionally, he seeks growth through challenges and stepping out of his comfort zone.

Stuart, on the other hand, values enjoying life's journey. His professional focus is on establishing the Disabled Countryside Access CIC to enhance accessibility, with the long-term aim of transitioning to part-time work to prioritize health and well-being.

These perspectives highlight different approaches to personal and professional fulfillment.

James, from Ecclefechan, Scotland is the listener setting the next question - “In the little known mountainous areas of Greece, down toward Albania I think, the government are issuing sheep farmers with huge sheep dogs, to help keep bears and wolves away that roam the area. We need to find ways like this to live alongside larger animals and not shoot on sight. What do you think?”

Stuart and William feel farmers are now adopting non-lethal strategies to manage bear encounters, choosing to deter rather than eliminate these animals. This approach not only promotes more humane interactions but also influences local decision-making towards sustainable practices.

Understanding that bears view farms as extensions of their territory emphasizes the importance of educating communities about animal behavior—a key step in reducing conflicts.

Moreover, drawing an analogy to coastal sea defenses, one can question whether such interventions might shift bear activity in unforeseen ways, much like how sea defenses alter the natural energy flow of the ocean. Investigating these hidden dynamics could lead to more effective and balanced wildlife management strategies.

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What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

We like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we’re not after numbers.

This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside