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People Fixing the World

People Fixing the World

BBC World Service 483 Episodes Oct 6, 2026

Brilliant solutions to the world’s problems. We meet people with ideas to make the world a better place and investigate whether they work.

Episodes

The joy of walking
The joy of walking Oct 6, 2026 1427 How something as simple as a walk can improve our wellbeing, sharpen our thinking and bring communities closer together. We try out an innovative walking map of the UK on a journey through London, then head to the United States and Hungary, where doctors are leading walks to build stronger relationships with their patients.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the wo
Bringing Kashmir’s lakes back to life
Bringing Kashmir’s lakes back to life Sep 29, 2026 1388 Wular and Dal lakes are among Kashmir's most famous natural treasures, but decades of pollution, encroachment and neglect have taken their toll. Chhavi Sachdev follows conservationists, farmers and local communities as they attempt an ambitious restoration effort. Along the way, she discovers migratory birds returning, lotus flowers reappearing, and a circular economy transforming ecological waste
Clever ways to cut waste
Clever ways to cut waste Sep 22, 2026 1428 We look at three solutions connected to the “three Rs” – reduce, reuse and recycle. The city of Brussels in Belgium is in the process of moving all 40 municipal nurseries over to reusable nappies – and have managed to do it without their staff kicking up a stink! Also energy companies around the world have found ways to encourage customers to reduce their consumption by making it fun, and lastly w
The pictures that help and heal
The pictures that help and heal Sep 14, 2026 1412 Myra Anubi looks at two solutions that harness the power of pictures to help disabled people. Books Beyond Words is a UK charity that publishes books with no words, just big pictures on every page. They are made for people with learning disabilities, who come together to read them in book clubs. Myra also hears about TapSOS, the only smartphone app to be approved by the UK’s emergency services, wh
Getting the homeless homed
Getting the homeless homed Sep 8, 2026 1419 We visit two projects exploring practical responses to homelessness and housing insecurity. Presenter Myra Anubi travels to Edinburgh to see the work of Social Bite, a charity creating small communities of prefabricated homes on unused land, offering people a stable place to live and rebuild their lives. Meanwhile, in Nantes, western France, we meet the team behind Bureaux du Cœur, which partners
Saving mothers and babies
Saving mothers and babies Sep 1, 2026 1396 In 2017, Spanish engineer Pablo Bergasa began an unusual hobby: to design a new incubator for use in African hospitals. Eight years on, he has sent 200 of his machines around the world, and he estimates they have saved the lives of 5,000 babies. Pablo’s incubator costs just a small proportion of the price of a regular machine and can run on a battery and a bottle of water. Plus Myra Anubi hears ab
How to have better sex
How to have better sex Aug 25, 2026 1399 Sex is one of the few things in life that is available to everyone and is free. But achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. Some people are held back by fear, ignorance or culture - others don’t know or understand their rights around sex. For years public health campaigns focused on warning people about the downsides of sex - danger, disease and death - but increasingly the work is focus
The preschool in a retirement home
The preschool in a retirement home Aug 18, 2026 1382 A unique community in Chester in northern England, brings multiple generations together to encourage learning and connection. We explore how young children in the onsite nursery benefit from the time, attention and vocabulary skills offered by the older adults. Meanwhile the retirement home residents can benefit from increased social activity and a sense of purpose. We also speak to an intergenera
The world's largest wildlife crossing
The world's largest wildlife crossing Aug 11, 2026 1378 When it opens in December, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be the largest in the world. Stretched over a 10-lane freeway, it is intended to help save California's mountain lion population, which has become fragmented by the highway. It could also serve as a model for other projects, as crossings of this kind have often been viewed as too large to be effective. But will the crossing wor
The cows fighting wildfires
The cows fighting wildfires Aug 11, 2026 1401 Another summer brings more deadly and disruptive wildfires in Europe. As the earth warms up, they’re becoming increasingly common and harder to deal with. We hear about a special herd of cows which could help to keep some of the flames under control in future. And we find out how cutting edge space technology could be used to quickly detect forest fires when they break out.People Fixing The World
Stop being a terrible tourist
Stop being a terrible tourist Aug 4, 2026 1399 We live in an age of global mass tourism. Last year, the UN estimated 1.5 billion people travelled to another country. While many places depend on tourism for income and employment, it can come at a significant environmental and social cost.We take a tour of Dubrovnik in Croatia, which has the highest tourists-to-locals ratio in Europe. The city is using perks and penalties to keep both local pe
Who does the housework?
Who does the housework? Jul 28, 2026 1407 How much work do you do to keep your household running smoothly? Figures suggest domestic work still falls mostly to women - leading to resentment and burnout. This week we’re hearing from Indonesia and Croatia about projects helping change that. In rural Indonesia we visit the island of Rote - and hear how men there are overturning centuries-long attitudes to male and female roles and learning ho

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