Grow Your Own Grassroots Movement - A Conversation with Pam Warhurst

In this episode of Force of Nature, Clover sits down with Pam Warhurst - founder of Incredible Edible. Pam’s history as an activist goes back four decades, but in 2008 she experienced a catalyst that ignited a global movement out of her backyard. In this conversation, Clover and Pam unpack people’s power, finding where you’re smartest, and building back communities to weather society’s biggest storms.

Episode notes

02:04 - 04:56) Pam’s flashbulb moment came out of frustration at doomism; why food was the catalyst for a grassroots movement; and how ordinary people achieve extraordinary things when given the chance.

04:56 - 10:53) Incredible Edible turned global; the source of society’s disconnect; and why climate change is the ultimate trump card.

10:43 - 18:06) The problem is the system, not the individuals; how we all need to take ownership of the solutions; and why now is the time to beg for forgiveness, not ask for permission.

18:06 - 27:35) Letting go of the “we’re better than you” mentality; creating an invitation too good to turn down; delivering sustainable systems that meet the needs of all.

27:35 - 39:57) Rewriting our social contracts to deliver climate and social justice; realising that technology will only take us so far; and beginning to write a new normal.

39:57 - 52:29) Decisions outside of closed-door rooms; the power of individuals sharing their stories; and how to recognise your gifts, then offer them.

52:29 - 1:00:01) Don’t let your convictions fall by the wayside; have the courage to imagine a better world; and learn to become an unrelenting optimist.


Top quotes

“In a society that can persuade people to buy bottled water, we can persuade people to live life differently, right? This is not rocket science.” - Pam

“We have been given the greatest gift of all, which is the gift of life on this planet - yet we navigate our lives in the 21st century focusing on the mini lotteries that we lose every day.” - Clover

“We've got problems. We haven't respected all species. We've created a culture of greed and consumption. All that is true. So what are we going to do about it?” - Pam

“We need to build a world where decisions are made locally. You are unlikely to pollute a local watercourse if you live in the area of that watercourse; you are unlikely to want to build houses in a floodplain if you’ve lived in a floodplain. You are more likely to get those nuances, and put that extra resource in, if you live in that locality.” - Pam

“Ultimately, it's up to us to stop being a victim. Stop waiting for permission, stop saying I can only do it with money. Do it with the gifts that you've got because you've got them; just play them and see where you go.” - Pam

About the guest(s)

Pam Warhurst co-founded Incredible Edible in 2008, after her town of 50,000 people was hit by horrific floods - exposing its vulnerability to climate change. Having been in the inner circles of politics and business, Pam was fed up with empty promises and climate doomism. So she sat at the kitchen table with friends and explored how they could make their community more resilient, and more prosperous. Their answer was food. Specifically, ‘propaganda gardening’. Now, Incredible Edible has 120 groups across the UK, and over a thousand worldwide, all of whom are taking back their food sovereignty.

Resources
Incredible Edible
https://www.incredibleedible.org.uk/

About the host

Clover Hogan is a 21-year-old climate activist, researcher on eco-anxiety, and the founder of Force of Nature - a youth-led organisation empowering Gen Z to step up, rather than shut down, in the face of the climate crisis. She has worked alongside the world’s leading authorities