{"podcast":{"title":"The Wild Minds Podcast","slug":"the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140","podcast_index_feed_id":6369140,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-wild-minds-podcast/","website_url":"https://www.theoutdoorteacher.com/p/the-wild-minds-podcast","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/891b8b6e-f2b7-4deb-8146-b114b9d808cf/73gzRMDo0dJ-OWjo6u9ojk-S.jpg","author":"The Outdoor Teacher","episode_count":96,"summary":"What if wild, not domesticated, should be our normal instead of factory-farmed lives? What if you could cultivate fulfilling lives and contribute to a healthy natural world? The Wild Minds podcast is brought to you by me, Marina Robb, an author, entrepreneur, Forest School and Nature-based Trainer and Consultant, and pioneer in developing Green programmes for the Mental Health service in the UK. I am the founder of Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC and The Outdoor Teacher and creator of practical online Forest School and nature-based training for people working in mental health, education and business. Tune in for interviews, insights, cutting-edge and actionable approaches to help you to improve your relationship with yourself, others, and the natural world. Music by Geoff Robb","last_synced_at":"2026-06-22T08:18:12.983617+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140"},"episode":{"title":"The River of Truth with Ash Smith","slug":"the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith","published_at":"2025-11-03T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140/the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140","url":"https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-75-the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/72240892-709c-4d35-bced-fa74f61d3272.mp3","summary":"In this episode, I’m speaking with Ash Smith, the founder of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. A retired Detective Superintendent, former angler and scuba diver, Ash has spent the last eight years investigating the truth about what’s happening in our rivers. His love for the natural world, combined with a deep sense of justice, led him to gather a team of committed people from different disciplines to form one of the most effective groups holding water companies and regulators to account. In our conversation, Ash shares what’s really going on with our rivers, the scale of sewage pollution, and the failures of government and regulatory bodies to protect our waterways. This is a passionate, evidence-based discussion, grounded in data that you can find on the WASP website. The Windrush itself flows for 65 kilometers from Gloucestershire into the Thames - but this story reaches far beyond one river. It speaks to the health of our ecosystems, and to our own health as well. Topics include: A vivid picture of what a living, healthy river once was — and how the “new normal” hides a quiet collapse. How WASP (Windrush Against Sewage Pollution) turns citizen science and data analysis into undeniable proof of illegal pollution. The shocking reality of regulators who no longer investigate — and water companies marking their own homework. What happens when public services are sold off and profit replaces purpose. The money trail — how customers fund dividends while private shareholders drain the system. Why some water companies are now in “special measures” and what real accountability could look like Ash’s journey from detective superintendent to river defender — following the evidence wherever it leads. The quiet power of ordinary people who refuse to look away. How anger can bec…","meta_description":"In this episode, I’m speaking with Ash Smith, the founder of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. A retired Detective Superintendent, former angler and scub…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4033,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140/episodes/the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-wild-minds-podcast-6369140/the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}