Episode 229: Dom Ferris, Trash Free Trails

Episode 229 of The Adventure Podcast features founder and CEO of Trash Free Trails, mountain biker, and spaniel-owner, Dom Ferris. In this episode, Dom traces his path from a feral, nature-soaked childhood in Mid Wales, through teenage mountain bike racing and a wilder stretch of partying that cost him his sense of self. He goes on to found Trash Free Trails after a breakdown at Surfers Against Sewage taught him the hard way what happens when purpose tips into relentlessness. He and Matt open up about their own mental health struggles and the danger of tying your worth to constant output. The conversation also digs into the real philosophy behind Trash Free Trails; why litter isn't really about litter, the "activism arms race," the risk of accidental greenwashing, and the hard science linking single-use pollution to disconnection from nature. It's a raw, funny, occasionally tearful look at burnout, boundaries, and what it actually means to do good work without losing yourself in it.

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Chapter Breakdown

00:00-02:27: Dom on post-big-week exhaustion and the guilt of not resting after doing good work.

02:27-06:52: A feral, nature-connected childhood and the early seeds of caring about litter.

06:52-11:57: Teenage mountain bike success derailed by partying, family breakdown, and drinking.

11:57-21:10: Matt and Dom open up about mental health, feeling pointless, and past breakdowns.

21:10-32:38: Why tying self-worth to contribution can be dangerous - and Dom's current struggles.

32:38-47:07: Dom's career path, burnout leading a team, and the leap into founding Trash Free Trails.

47:07-58:12: The pressure for bigger, better campaigns, and Dom's discomfort with it.

58:12-1:10:23: The science behind single-use pollution, disconnection from nature, and greenwashing risks.

1:10:23-1:20:15: Dom's philosophy and using your own sphere of influence for good.

1:20:15-1:23:00: What scares Dom, what gives him hope, and a fittingly emotional close.

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