Adventurer and TV presenter Ben Fogle on how we can all live more eco-friendly lives

Normally found yo-yoing from one end of the Earth to the other on various intrepid enterprises, the environmentalist, documentary maker and travel writer has had an unusual amount of time to reflect, given the circumstances of the pandemic.

He’s now backing a new farming initiative in partnership with dairy co-operative Arla, to highlight the importance of eco-friendly muck-spreading techniques, and produce a fragrance capturing the smells of the countryside. “Research from Arla has shown that 68 per cent of us have been missing the countryside during lockdown,” says 46-year-old Fogle, “so they’ve bottled its scent – think meadows, moss and freshly-cut grass.”

The British countryside is precious to us all, of course, but to what extent can we live completely eco-friendly lives? “It’s impossible for seven billion humans to live on Earth without having an impact, so we need to make changes collaboratively. It would be much better for 100 per cent of us to make a 10 per cent change than 10 per cent of us to make a 100 per cent change, and find a sustainable way of changing our lifestyles gradually,” he says.

People need to be encouraged to make these changes rather than steamrollered into them. “The bridge of consumerism is broken, and we know that, so we’re trying to fix it. Some people think we should just blow the bridge up, but then we’re left stranded on either side of the river. We should build a second, much more environmentally-friendly bridge, and only blow up the other bridge when we’re finished.

“I think a lot of people feel disempowered by the scale of some of the things we need to do, but small changes add up. If everyone on the planet put a penny in a pot, do you know how much money we’d make? That’s my approach to environmental messaging.”

The pandemic appears to have sparked a renewed interest in reconnecting with nature – which is at least one positive to take from the current situation. “We actually moved from London to the Chilterns just before lockdown, so we were fortunate enough to have access to rural spaces and a vegetable patch. We talk about this disconnect that a lot of people have with rural Britain, and a lot of people forget that rural Britain isn’t just national parks and campsites. I think it’s important that we see the true face of the countryside and I hope that post-lockdown, people will explore every facet – including farm life. Farmers get a hard time sometimes, but they were key workers during lockdown and as a nation, it’s important we champion them.”

For someone accustomed to travel and adventure, the recent lockdown must have been a challenge? “I saw it as a sort of reverse expedition. Usually I pack my bags and head off into the wilderness; this time I didn’t pack my bags and closed the door. I’ve experienced isolation, I’ve experienced lockdowns, but they’re usually in remote corners of the world and often on my own, so to have it with my family and with the nation was very new to me.

“As much as it was a difficult time for many, we tried to make the most of the unrepeatable family time. I’m not going to be able to recapture those months with my nine and 10-year-olds [Iona and Ludovic] for many reasons. It was a different, but quite extraordinary experience.”

However, many people have struggled to come to terms with the pandemic and the impact it has had on their mental health, something Fogle understands. “As a species, we’re habituated to routine. There are those that struggled to adapt to the routine of lockdown, and to them I would say, as long as easing continues, get out there. Reconnect, get back in shape, engage with wildlife, engage with people – responsibly, obviously.

“Then there are those that became habituated to lockdown, who are slightly fearful of going out, and to them I would say, small steps. Like anything in life, you have to ease yourself in – you can’t just open your door and waltz out, it depends on your character.

“On both sides: set yourself targets, set yourself carrots, to have something to be working towards. I worry that some of the nation either want to make too big a leap, or they’re too fearful even to make the first step.”

Over the past couple of decades Fogle has become a familiar face to viewers and during that time he’s shown he’s not afraid to take on a challenge. He’s run the Marathon des Sables – dubbed the “toughest footrace on Earth” – across the Sahara where temperatures can exceed 50C; he has rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, travelled to the South Pole on foot, and come face to face with some of the most feared predators on the planet.

He’s also adept at hosting more genteel animal programmes and on Monday, along with Kate Humble, he’s back on our TV screens with a new series of the BBC’s Animal Park, which follows the lives of the exotic animals at Longleat Safari Park.

His career has certainly been a varied one and has taken him all over the world. So have his adventures made him more environmentally aware? “When you spend time in wild habitats you become acutely aware of cause and effect, and the impact your footprint has. When you pick some wood to make a fire, you see the marks that leaves behind, and the more that happens, the more you want to leave no trace.

“One of the symptoms of modern commercialism is being a bit too wasteful. We don’t think about what’s going to happen because of fast food and fast fashion, but I think it is starting to change.”

Environmentalism has increasingly become a political football. “It has become politicised and I find that quite sad. I’ve been working in this medium for years and have always remained apolitical, and it’s a shame people make assumptions according to your beliefs. It’s easy to throw up your hands and abandon all hope, but I’m not one of those people, so I just carry on.

“I think the mainstream press sometimes listens to a minority of voices on social media and, just because they’re very loud, assume they’re the mood of the nation. From my experience, I don’t think they are, so that saddens me. The press have a greater responsibility not to just listen to trolls and propagate – and almost validate – their voices.”

For all his exotic, faraway travels, his favourite is still his home – Britain. “I’m not just saying that. I love this country and I think we need to support our tourism industry, and all those places hit so hard by corona. I’ve always loved the whole of the British Isles, but to narrow it down I’d say the Outer Hebrides. That’s where my career started 20 years ago.”