A photograph of Cel Spellman sitting in front of a microphone wearing a pink shirt and a black baseball cap being interviewed about recycling
Episode 92 – Interview with Cel Spellman about recycling

Cel Spellman is a WWF ambassador, actor and presenter and is passionate about using his voice with the younger generation to encourage them to get involved in the environment. July 3rd marks International Plastic Bag Free Day and Cel chats to us about his insight into the recycling world. In this podcast he also chats about how he can make a difference discussing environmental issues with his younger fans.
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Transcript of this podcast episode
Intro  0:07  
Welcome to today's episode of The declutter hub podcast, your channel for super easy, no nonsense advice on how to declutter and organise your home. Please welcome your host professional organisers, Ingrid Jansen, and Lesley Spellman.

Lesley  0:22  
Hello, and welcome listeners to Episode 92 of the Declutter Hub Podcast. I'm Lesley. Now we're all aware that with decluttering comes a social responsibility to dispose of our unwanted items appropriately and responsibly. It's something that we focus heavily on within the declutter hub. So it's interesting that today actually is the third of July and it is also international plastic bag free day. Now, Ingrid and I are very conscious amateurs in the recycling world. So I thought it would be really nice to invite someone along who's got a much greater insight into environmental issues. And that is my lovely nephew kellock. Now I am going to flip between Cel and Ceallach I can't help myself 25 years to help myself call him pelicula time. But I'll try Cal because in the in the in the acting world, you're definitely known as Cal Spellman and not panic. So welcome, Ceallach. 

Cel  1:25  
Thank you for having me. Let's This is so funny. Although episode number 292 episodes to get the shout, I know

Lesley  1:34  
exactly an hour away for a good day. So international plastic bag free day seems the perfect time cow, we've got a lot of international listeners, some of you may not know, but I think some of Calix work definitely goes abroad. So for example, is recently been in white lines, it's a little bit agile, not gonna lie, so be prepared for the drugs and drink. But White and White, is currently on Netflix is what Kulluk has been in very recently. And he is younger Marcus, just in case you're interested. And then cold feet, which is a British drama that's been around for many, many years. So Kalmyk is Matthew in cold feet as well. So you might recognise him from that. He's also a radio one DJ as well. So that's BBC Radio One. So he's an accomplished broadcaster and presenter an actor, and I feel like an episode 92 I'm like a little scared rabbit with Kalba.

Cel  2:25  
No, never.

Lesley  2:28  
So we're gonna try our best anyway. So the one thing we want to talk, lovely, of course, we want to talk about your fantastic acting career. And that would be lovely to spend half an hour, and I'm sure people would like to listen to that for half an hour. But the reason why I asked you to come on the podcast today is because the one thing I mean, obviously I've watched your career from from, you know, Kelly, you've been doing this since you were eight years old. And some of the things that you've been able to do certainly in since you're kind of 1415, I've been really, really interested, it's given you great opportunities to see lots of stuff worldwide. But one thing people may not know about is your dedication more recently to encouraging your younger audience to become more environmentally aware. And that's what you're here for today. So tell us a little bit about that cow.

Cel  3:12  
Yes. So that came like you said it was around 14 and 15. I was I think at the time and the main thing that kind of instigated was I emailed WWF, who aren't the wrestling, it's the World Wildlife Fund, basically, just to kind of express my love for them. And if there was ever an opportunity to support them, or if they needed any help with anything, then then I'd love to kind of do that. Because I've always had like a, a love and a passion for it started with wildlife. But then I think from that you kind of learn, everything's intrinsically linked, then you kind of grow and then you find ecosystems, and then the bigger world ecosystem and the planet. So it was kind of step by step that I found my love for all things environment and climate and wildlife. And then at that age, I was on CBBC alongside some other bits and thought, well, there's a, there's a link there between me and a younger audience that I know, it's kind of an audience that is difficult to tap into at times and, and speak to. So that was kind of my link of going, you've got some really big supporters. But you know, if there's anything centred around young people, then I'd love to be able to help and, and try and provide that link. And it's kind of kind of gone from there. And it's really grown into something that I never planned for it to grow into. And I've worked with WWF since and actually, I've really kind of set about trying to empower young people, because you will know as well as obviously, that all young people just have this amazing intelligence and awareness of what's going on around them. And I don't think we give them enough credit at times. So that's kind of what I'm all about is empowering them and letting them make the change really, because I think we all collectively now as a society do so Share this one for a better a better planet a better future one that's going to be a lot more cleaner and greener and more sustainable. And I think young people are going to be the key to that. So that's kind of just yeah, in in a bit of a summary, really. But I do love it. I absolutely love it. I mean, it's hard, because it's, it's not happy what we're talking about. But it's important. It really is.

Lesley  5:25  
And I know it was very exciting for us last year as a family when you became an ambassador for WWF. I mean, that's a big deal, Kyle, isn't it? There's not many ambassadors around. So you're up there with David Attenborough, aren't you? So that's okay.

Cel  5:38  
Yeah, it was, because that's the thing you never obviously been aware of it, but I never set out with that intention. And then it literally did just come as the biggest surprise, like, out of nowhere, I never expected it. And it was yeah, it was at the back end of that November, December, I think, wasn't it less. And it was worth I mean, that was like, it was a dream come true. And then actually, in a way it kind of almost, you know, ignited me more to be like, less, let's take things even further, let's make another step up and work even harder. But I never I never saw that coming, I still can't quite believe he like when you say in it, then it's like it is Matt.

Lesley  6:16  
It's brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant. It's something that you're clearly passionate about. And you've got this voice among the younger generation and the older generation, Carl as well. You know, it's not just the younger generation that are following you. So that's really, really important and exciting. So one of the things that you were able to do last year with your, your involvement in the environmental web was you were asked to go on to a BBC programme called watchdog. And you were asked to visit a local recycling plant Weren't you into to talk about what happens there behind the scenes. So that's really where the link is to international plastic bag free day. So I found it endlessly fascinating, because one of the things that we never get to when you know, recycling is a bit of a kind of, we're not quite sure whether we're getting it right. You know, we throw things in, there's a lot of misinformation out there. And that's what I see all the time in my role, certainly decluttering. But what did you find that was the most sort of impactful really, from going to that recycling plant?

Cel  7:14  
Yeah, I mean, look at kind of what you what you've said, they're less than that, actually, we don't all have a very clear idea of recycling as a whole. We are all very much kind of in this weird, no man's land, and we think we're doing the right thing. But we're not sure if we're doing the right thing. And then the things that we think are the right thing to do actually turned out to be the wrong thing. And then what I did learn was the implications of that are massive. So if for instance, that you there is just one bit of rubbish that can't be recycled, is in a batch of stuff that could be recycled, save 1520 things. So one out of them 20, things can't be recycled, the whole of those 20 things then become contaminated, and none of them will get recycled. So it just takes like one wrong thing to actually make a massive difference to the amount that does end up getting recycled. But that's through no fault. I think of us as the consumer, it's actually that the lines are definitely blurred. And to see then this at this massive recycling plant that actually how much of the stuff that they see doesn't get recycled, because it's contaminated or people have thought it can be recycled, trying to do the right thing. But it's not as that was really scary, actually quite upsetting. And I think it makes it more frustrating is because like you say everyone is actually trying to do the right thing and do their bit. But because we haven't got all the tools available to us to make the right decision ends up having more of a negative than a positive one not all the time, just at times. And then I think that asks the wider question in that we should there be clearer rules and protocols for us to follow. So we know what we're doing. And there was also you'll probably remember, this loads that that green dot thing that we spoke about. Yeah, when the that it was mad. So it's basically if anyone who listening you can go into your cupboard literally right now. And if you take out five things, there'll be at least two of them. I'd say with it on board, it's got that it's like a green circle. It's got like an arrow going one way and an arrow going the other way. And it does look like a recycling symbol. But if you see on there, it basically doesn't mean that at all. It means nothing is on there for absolutely no reason. So an example would be Pringles Pringles tube can't be recycled because of the inside of it. It's like that metal tin foil type thing. But that's got this dot this green.is called on the packaging. So you would assume after you finish using it, you see that because it looks like oh, that's a recycling. So I'll bang it in the recycling, then that would be a piece of rubbish. That ends up contaminating a whole batch. So that green dot actually was one of the most misleading things that's put on our packaging here. In the UK, that does have a really negative effects. So that was a say would be the one of the biggest things that I learned. And it was really quite scary, actually, because I think I'd fallen victim to that as well, to be honest,

Lesley  10:12  
yeah, and I think that we don't err on the side of caution. We think that when our stuffs going to be recycled, that someone's probably going to deal with the odd thing here and there, that does get mixed senemo like, well, we're not quite sure, but maybe it can be recycled, so I put it in there, and then they'll always take it out if it can't be. And we don't have this true understanding then of what the implications of that are, and that that's going to contaminate that whole batch. You know, it's things like as well, you know, in the UK, things like greetings cards, if they've got any kind of glitter or glue or anything like that, that can't be recycled. In certain areas of the UK, shredded paper can't be recycled, because it's very difficult for them to deal with. That's changing a little bit in the UK. So sometimes in certain areas to shredded paper can be recycled now. So it's very much about looking at the guidelines in your local area. Obviously, we're talking UK based here, but I'm sure there are equivalents right across the world as well. So we've got website and you can literally go in and sat and it will say this is the recycling centre that's yours. And this is what can be recycled there and what can't. And it's really clear. So if you do if you ever are unsure, there is a lot of information out there, certainly to help. Now, a couple of the things that aren't when I was doing a little bit of research about international plastic bag free data, that is a big mouthful to say

Cel  11:32  
exactly. These days, though they're never simple to say Are they I know exactly what they're like short and concise and like snappy, they're always just use long mouthfuls

Lesley  11:42  
big is I think, I think they've tried actually to incorporate it within within something called break free from plastic, which a little bit easier to say. But a couple of the things that I found about plastic bags was and this is really this was really, really scary when I heard it was the average plastic bag is only in the US for 25 minutes. And you see that yourself, don't you can buy something and put it in your fridge and I'm just talking about food packaging here mainly, and it's gone. And it's straight in the bed, you know, for 25 minutes. It's absolutely crazy. That's mad

Cel  12:13  
25 minutes, then it lasts a lifetime. And that's the thing.

Lesley  12:17  
And a million plastic bags a minute are used across the world that a million a minute. My God, I know it's mad, isn't it absolutely mad. So yeah, so we all need to sort of do our bit and be a little bit more aware of what we're using. It's not something that's going to happen overnight. But if we can just be a little bit more conscious about plastic in particular. And then other bits of recycling as well. I know now that charity shops are reopening in the UK, there's a lot of statistics about what's happening with recycling, because people are trying to drop their stuff off at charity shops and are really struggling because the charity shops are completely inundated. They've got this new thing where they've got to put things in quarantine for 72 hours as well. Yeah, make sure there's no contamination. So the charity shops are struggling to kind of keep up with the amount of donations that are being being left. So consequently, what people are doing is they're throwing good items away straight into landfill. So that's really scary in itself, isn't it cow

Cel  13:17  
is frightening. We have such a throwaway culture as a whole as a society, I think and I don't know that you probably be found, I can't guess you kind of come across that a little bit in, in what you do like and, you know, at home hands on, I'm not perfect. And I don't think anyone is really, but we do have this instinctive thing where, you know, if we can't get rid of something the way we want you, then we will just throw it away and then don't think about it. And that's, I think, a thought process that we need to try and change a little bit as well.

Lesley  13:44  
There's so much confusion about it. One thing that I just wanted to mention, actually, there's so much confusion about recycling, whether it's plastic bags, clothes and things that we've spoken about today, we get so many questions that the declutter hub about how to donate various things. And it's one of the questions that we get, like, where do I take this word or tailor? Because people absolutely want to do the right thing. So much so that within our everyone's aware that we've got a membership within the declutter hub. So within every one of our step by step courses, we have a donation lesson. And so we gather information from right across the world, not just UK, to give some fantastic examples of where you can donate things and there are so many out there that people are not even aware of. Yeah, if you want to go granular you can go right down to send browse off to Africa or jewellery to this place, you know, there's loads of different ones or you can just keep it simple and just use refuges and charity shops and things like that.

Cel  14:35  
That's so good. That was that you kind of that that guides there for people to go and use because that's, that's the thing. It's actually it's something that you feel should just be general practice and be available for everyone but actually requires either like yourself or another organisation or charity to provide us with the toolkit that we need. When you do think it should be accessible from what is great, at least that that you're able to do that and I bet you come within that a bit. You can find a home for most things can't be less,

Lesley  15:02  
really hard. Definitely. And then if all else fails, we've got freecycle and Frigo. You know, people will come to your house and take these things off your hands. And it's things that we wouldn't necessarily send to a charity shop, because we know ultimately, they're going to sell them. And then people will, will take most things, you know, from, you know, old, I've got some things here ready for some old lever arch files, and I wouldn't send them to charity, because they're not brand new, and they would struggle to sell them. But I know that somebody would be really grateful for them. So they'll go on Freecycle, I can guarantee they'll be gone within half an hour. So freecycle and freak Freak was also a fantastic thing to use as well. So if you haven't taken the plunge and joined our membership, don't forget, we have got a two week trial for $1. I mean, that's a bargain, isn't it? Just $1 Honestly, you can have a look around do so in that Taylor two weeks. Oh, what can I do in two weeks, you can do some courses, you can really go for it. You could do your whole house if you wanted to. If you were kind of slightly crazy. In two weeks, you can do some of our quick wins, you can join in one of our q&a days, which are every two weeks. And so it's really there in case you think, Oh, I'd really like that extra push and that helped to declutter my home. But I'm not sure I've got some reservations about whether it's the right thing for me to do. Give it a try for $1 there's no you know, Ingrid and I are not there to hold you into something for the rest of your life. That's not what we're that we want you to come in, look around and see for yourself. So if you are interested, go to members, members dot Declutter. hub.com all the information will be in the show notes as well. Give us a try.

Cel  16:30  
Give it a try. What are you waiting for?

Lesley  16:33  
We know Cal you're you're on my list for decluttering. Your mom's always wanting me to come around and do a little bit of decluttering at your house. So it's just opened open the book. It's like how

Cel  16:45  
it could be like that could be our next episode. Is that what happened? When when I tried to declutter?

Lesley  16:49  
It absolutely can Yeah, well, we're gonna keep you to that account. I might have a challenge on my hands.

Cel  16:55  
I think you were I think I could be the case that you can't crack us that's it'd be tough

Lesley  17:00  
now throwing the gauntlet down there. Let us say you move into this, and should I do it do it? Anyway. Right, let's get back to you again. Now when so you obviously believe that younger generation, as you've said, I've got an important role to play in recycling and climate change in the environment. And I know there's things that you do to personally focus on this not in your work, but in your in your home life. So if you want to tell us a little bit about that,

Cel  17:25  
yeah. So it's, it's always important to try and lead by example. And as I said, I don't I want to first say that I am not perfect. And I think I kind of go off on different tangents here. But there's, there's always a blame game. And people turn around going, well, you know, you don't do this. And you don't do that, like, no one is perfect. I think if only people who were perfect, could be involved in this conversation, you'd have about three people basically having the talk that we're having, because because no one can do it's almost impossible in today's society. But no, I think you have got to try do your best to lead by example. So diet wise, I'm vegetarian a try. I can't say I'm fully vegan, but I try my absolute best to be vegan. I think you know, trying to cut down on on using my car as much as I can I spend a lot of time in London, so I'm kind of just on trains and, and then bikes and stuff, which is quite a useful kind of thing for me to do. Just having conversations is a simple thing that I try to do in my day to day, whether that be with friends who maybe quite aren't on board with the with kind of where I'm coming from yet. And that's okay, by the way, I think it's good to hear it from both sides of the coins. But just having that conversation with people I think is really important. And then as well, you know, just standing up and, and speaking out for for, for what I believe in. And I think that goes for everyone. So whether that be to go and join the school climate strikes that take place that you know, and standing up and being a person present there. Or that be can be literally simple as you sign some petitions online, just trying to use my voice and do all the little things that are within our power. I try and do on a daily basis. Like say you can't it's impossible to do it every day, but I do try my best to to live by them them rule so to speak and set that standard and it's funny, like you'll know about routines less like it's once you get things into into a routine it kind of becomes second nature then and you'll start doing it without even thinking about it.

Lesley  19:21  
Yeah, certainly. Yeah, no routines are absolutely key. And that's it. They say it takes 28 days to break a habit. And so it's definitely important to kind of get that so I've started to try and do some it mainly because I mean, you know, my daughter, all the listeners know that I've got a daughter called Leah. And she's well to Luke and Leia actually a birth a vegetarian. So I've started eating vegetarian with her. We kind of got split camps in our family at the moment. So we're doing two meals, one's meat, male and one's vegetarian. So there's a lot of but it's okay because most of us are. Most of us are at home at the moment. So it's easy to do that. But it tends it tends to have been vegan so I'm definitely I'm absolutely Loving it. So definitely moving moving that way myself. So let's talk a little bit about, I think people would be interested to know Cal about the kind of things that you're doing in your career as well, as well as your environmental stuff. So what's, how's the acting and presenting well, for you at the moment?

Cel  20:15  
Yeah, it's good. I mean, it's quiet. I think, obviously, just given how the last three, four months have been for the planet, and the whole world, really everything, like all industries is kind of grinded to a halt, I've been quite fortunate, and really grateful for the radio show that I do on Sundays. And so that's been a constant and actually has been a real source of one of routine, but actually just connection with the world where we've kind of all kind of ended up indoors, it's been a great way just to hear from people and speak to people and, and just do something really. So that's that's been taken over and kind of been a constant, which has been, as I say, really, really great. On the acting side of it, we, we had the show white lines come out. And you're in lockdown, which was quite, quite strange, really, you know, I think it does go without saying I absolutely would have loved for the show to have come out under normal circumstances. But you know, on the flip side of that, there was a lot of people who were looking for things to watch. And because the show was very much, you know, it felt like a summer holidays set in IB through it's very much song and music and having a good time that it was it provided a escapism for people so that we could really transport them to those beaches, and to those places that have just got sun all hours of the day, while we were thinking that we might not get much. So it did kind of, you know, working in the show's favour a little bit. So that was that was something as well, that was really nice to put time and energy into. And then other than that is kind of now just waiting for it or to get back going again, bit by bit and obviously safely and when when the time is right. But hopefully, it'll be sooner rather than later on the act in front, but still up in the air a bit.

Lesley  22:03  
Yeah, of course, as you don't quite know what that's going to look like really do. I guess in terms of when I know another a certain shows, I know I saw something last week, we've got a a soap opera in the UK called Coronation Street. And I know that they were filming their back filming, again, I think for Coronation Street in a kind of socially distanced way out there. But that's got to be hard in some scenes, hasn't it? Like, like, I need you up really. So but it's hard when things are on hold, and it's hard for you as well to do. So presumably you had to do a lot of your promotion and things online rather than doing things face to face and on TV. Yeah, it

Cel  22:35  
was quite amazing. Actually, that's one thing that has been amazing during this time is the power of technology, I have a very much a love hate relationship with it. And what it's allowed us to do during this time and its capabilities has been nothing short of amazing. And I think it would have been very, very different these last three months had we not had such technology on offer to us. And we've been musta adapters, I think he's going to actually, it's going to be interesting, we won't know it immediately. But to see how businesses and work in all industries comes out the other side of this because I think it has allowed people and companies to really reassess and reevaluate how they do things and how they do their business. I think you get such stuck in a way of doing things that you think that's the only way. But what this has done is provided us with the space to go, actually maybe we can do things a bit differently. We don't necessarily have to put 15 people on the fly or that person has to fly to X, Y and Zed across a week when they could just do it from the comfort of the home on a laptop. So it'll be interesting to see how it all does change.

Lesley  23:42  
I think. Yeah, I think you're so right. I mean, so I've seen so much more cycling, there's a lot of others your dog in the background in case that Dottie stata always gets in lovely little sausage dog that they've got. And it's absolutely gorgeous. I think you're absolutely right. I mean, what I've certainly seen is, you know, as you go out and about the so many more people on the street walk and there's so many people, you know, the whole family cycling, spending time together, obviously people working from home, I think that's it, you know, for environmentally, it's great. I think it's more difficult for, you know, certainly younger people, I think it's really hard not to be if you're used to being in that young, vibrant office environment and to be sort of stuck at home. But perhaps if you've not got fantastic facilities, have your own office and things like that, and people are cooped up and are certainly see that a little bit with Lucas for young people trying to work in a house where there's not four offices or individual spaces, and that's quite hard as well. Yeah, I think it's all going to be a little bit of a balancing act coming forward. You know, certainly what we've seen in the decluttering world is that people have been home you can't avoid your stuff. It's there for you to see. And so people are definitely spending the time reevaluating their relationship to their stuff and seeing Whether or not, do I need all this stuff? I don't want it around me. I'd like a more simple life. Also, you know, and they've had the time a lot of people, not everybody, obviously a lot of people still working or working very hard. But those people that have been off for a little while or have had more time at home, have certainly been reevaluating things. So it's been an interesting stopping time almost, hasn't it? So it'd be interesting interview. Yeah. What

Cel  25:24  
do you think you'll have to change anything less going back into work, then? Or will it pretty much be the same for you?

Lesley  25:31  
And when we're looking at well, obviously, we've not been able to do any face to face work that's starting up at the moment. Obviously, we're just about to get started with clients, again, the ones that want us. But obviously, they've got to be completely comfortable. We've got to do social distancing, we've got to do masks and things like that. But obviously online, it's actually made it easier for us online, because people have been home people have been engaged, people have been able to watch all our q&a is because they've had the time. So you know, I've got this kind of split kind of business really, where sometimes I do one to one with people face to face. And then sometimes we work on the online and business. So, you know, I've been looking I'd be very grateful personally, to have had the time to devote to the online side of things fully for the last 12 weeks as well, which has been quite nice. Nice. So cow, I'm sad to say we're going to end our podcast and so I am remembering your offer. You're kind of to allow me to come into your house and declutter your bedroom. Yes, we will hold that for another day. And we will watch this face listeners. All in good time.

Cel  26:34  
Love to LA is going to be a process for me to get there. But some don't. I

Lesley  26:39  
know it do I know.

myself right in it. But anyway, anyway, so thank you so much cow, like where can people find out more about you?

Cel  26:53  
I just probably across my social media platforms or be the one so I'm just at Cal Spellman on both Twitter and Instagram. And then yeah, move. Keep your ears peeled for the radio. And if you haven't seen white lines, and there's a new series there for you to go and watch. Go and immerse yourself in that. Yes. So social media platforms are probably the best way of kind of you start to talk about the stuff that I'm bothered about. Some people aren't no more if you're not.

Lesley  27:21  
So thank you, listeners. I hope you've really enjoyed listening to kale today and I've learned how you can continue to make a difference. Why not share our podcast so that your friends and family can raise awareness of the green dots symbol in particular and international plastic bag, free day. Thanks so much for taking the time to listen today. If you'd like to get more tips and advice, please do follow us on social media. We're on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook as at declutter hub and have a lively supportive Facebook group where we chat all things clutter, come and join us where you can search for the declutter hub community, we would love to see you there. And as always, if you don't want to miss the next weekly episode, subscribe to the declutter podcast on Apple podcast, Spotify, Stitcher and iHeartRadio. And it will pop into notifications every Friday. See you next time.

Outro  28:10  
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