Live and Learn - 14 December 2011

Dear Environmentality listeners,

Our regular blog coordinator is in Madagascar and as you can see we are struggling to keep up her good work. However after hearing Christian Nielsen speak again while I was editing the show this morning I decided it was time to share our guest's amazing enthusiasm and knowledge with all of you!

Christian is the Executive Director of Live and Learn Environmental Education, an organisation that I had never heard about until our lovely Pre-Production Coordinator Alicia organised the interview.

It would be fair to say that both Smokey and I were blown away by the amazing work that this organisation does in countries as diverse as Cambodia, Vietnam or Australia, and a little bit ashamed about our lack of knowledge.

One of the parts of the interview that particularly struck me was Christian's comment that the general Australian public is asleep when it comes to action on environmental sustainability. I probably had not thought about it in those terms but I have to say that I tend to agree with him. What do you think?

I see, you have not listened to the show yet... what are you waiting for?

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Two shows in one article! 23 November and 7 December

Dear Environmentality listeners,

A few technical hiccups made us lose a bit of momentum with our schedule of weekly uploads and articles but hopefully we will be back on track by the end of the week.

On the 23rd of November we had a very pleasant chat with Marcelle Holdaway from Hume City Council, who was sharing the news of an exciting community environmental program called Environmental Champions Program. It's a great opportunity for Hume residents so if you are interested do apply as they still have a couple of free places!

Marcelle also talked to us about one of her areas of expertise, Social Accounting; and about an environmentally friendly house that she built many years ago.

Two weeks later we had a fantastic telephone interview with Rebecca Gillin from Planet Ark. Rebecca gave us an overview of the fantastic programs carried out by Planet Ark and she showed an impressive amount of knowledge about recycling and its benefits. We also learnt about Planet Ark's campaign for the festive season: the 12 Do's of Christmas.

Clearly this three paragraph summary does not do any justice to our two fantastic guests so why don't you listen to the shows?

Environmentality 23 November - Hume City Council

Environmentality 7 December - Planet Ark

Wednesday 30th November 2011

When Jaime's away, the Smokey will play!

No guests, no main man, so I've got a nicely self-indulgent music selection going (Jenny Odoline is the whole marvellous 18 minute album version)

I try to do a bit of environmentality stuff, even my ideas on what the word means. Hint: it's a state-of-being, an unconcious aversion to waste & mindless consumption; it's cycling to get somewhere, not cycling on a machine at the gym watching Channel Seven with the sound loud enough to annoy, but not to hear)

I'm playing:
Sunny sundae smile / My Bloody Valentine
How soon is now / The Smiths
When you sleep / The Field Mice
Jenny Odoline / Stereolab
Is there anyone out there for me? / Mighty Mighty
Karen / The Go Betweens
Baby honey / The Pastels

Dear Environmentality Listeners,

We bounce down this week with Darren Cook from the North Melbourne Football Club. In partnership with The Huddle, The Squeaky Wheel, Victoria Police, City of Melbourne, and the University of Melbourne, My Bike Project aims at raising awareness and education to culturally and linguistically diverse young people in Melbourne’s inner-north. To find out exactly whats involved and how to register in the future tune into the podcast. Darren would love it if our listeners could also check out their facebook page . Comments and suggestions are welcome. And for all our footy fan followers, Jaime also asked Darren the all important question 'What are your tips' for next season?

Eve Archibald, the Nursery Manager at CERES Community Environment Park also provided some cracking tips for the garden. Sales in the nursery have been dominated by vegetable seedlings of late as people begin to embrace the up coming summer months. Jaime took this opportunity to ask Eve about non-toxic, safe alternatives to control snails in your garden. All we will say is that it involves shouting your snails a round of 'Beer'! Eve then went on to clearly describe just what Permaculture is and great ideas to better integrate strategies into your lifestyle. Head to the podcast for all the details.

And don't forget to check out all the up coming workshops and events at CERES over the summer.

What are your best eco-friendly Snail Slaying methods?

Leave your suggestions in our comments.

Listen to the show!

Environmentality, 09 November 2011

Dear Environmentality Listeners,

We have returned with a scientific bang! This week we were joined by Roger Jones, Professorial Research Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University. One of Rodgers aims is to bring Science and Policy together. As the senate passed the Carbon Tax this week such a relationship can be seen to be of great importance.

Roger Jones has a background in Earth Science, Environmental Science, Indigenous Nurseries and completed his PhD in the History of Crater Lakes. It is from this foundation that Roger works towards and greatly informs his approach in the adaptation to Climate Change. Social justice and environmental security are just a few of the morals and ethics woven through this weeks show. Along with estimations and conversions from Roger that will help our listeners to better visualize the potential real world effects in the reduction of carbon emissions.

Image courtesy of Independent Media Centre Australia

Climate policy is highlighted as an important step in tackling Climate Change. As is the efforts of the individual. Roger is quick to point out that the actions of an individual can provide global benefits. And it is with this that we end another great show.

Environmentality has another way for the individual to take action...Simply tune in to the show each week and listen out for our Listeners Challenge! This weeks prize consists of Enviroshop vouchers AND movie tickets. First listener to leave the correct answer as instructed by Jaime WINS!

So come on Environmentality Listeners take action!

Environmentality, 02 November 2011

Apologies to our listeners, unfortunately the show this week was cancelled. But don't worry, we will be back next week with another great show.

Environmentality, 26 October 2011

Dear Environmentatlity listeners,

Walking through the shops the other day I had the sneaking suspicion something was about to change. Thats right listeners, the change of Christmas is upon us! During the festive season consumerism has a reputation for going into over drive and for many people christmas becomes a stressful  time of year. But never fear, Enviromentality is here!  With the help of our guests this week we will change you from a Christmas Consumer into a Conscious Consumer. Ease your festive fears with some some great tools to inform your purchasing and support your sustainable practices. 

Our first guest was Nick Ray from the Ethical Consumer Group. Not only do they provide a handy Ethical Consumer Book  (2012 issue due out in a few weeks) but they have also just released a shop ethical iphone app. Nick then introduced a new initiative kicking off in February at the Sustainable Living Festival.  The new project aims to provide outside options to industrial produce that can be search by simply entering your postcode. Hopefully we will get Nick back on the show closer to its release. In the meantime head to the web site localharvest.org.au

 

Get the App!

Great gift ideas for the conscious consumer...

Get the Book!

 

Our second guest, Dominic Eales also aims to support consumer based desicions. The ATA - Alternative Technology Association has introduced a fantastic online tool that 'calculates what size rainwater tank best suits your needs'. The Tankulator is free and offers independent, expert advice. A rain water tank could very well be the perfect Christmas gift... Dominic went on to mention the involvment the ATA have had in developing wind technology and solar energy through council projects. To find out the conclusions to a 13 month trial of a wind tower with the Brimbank City Council, head to our podcast and listen to the show.

Environmentality, 19 October 2011

Dear Environmentality listeners,

Summer is just around the corner and the recent warm barmy nights have made this weeks guests very timely indeed.  Sieta Whitehead, CERES facility Manager, has some great upcoming  events to kick off your summer activities. And if that's not enough this weeks 'mystery guest' presents listeners with a great oppotunity to get on their bikes and ride off  into the sunset.

With the completion of stage 3 in sustainable buildings at CERES the Van Raay Centre is just one of the great venues that can be hired and enjoyed. We were lucky enough to have Sieta Whitehead on the phone this week to inform our listeners of all the fantastic facilities CERES has to offer.

Image courtesy of CERES official website.

From small group meetings, fully catered functions and even weddings. Ceres could be just the space you were looking for. For more information check out the great interview with Sieta on our podcast or follow this link to the CERES website. While your there check out all the upcoming Festivals and Events. This month its the Rainbow Urban Gathering and the Sacred Kingfisher Festival. Kicking things off on Friday 21st October, is an out door film night. Featured film 'Play again'.

 Image courtesy of 'Play Again' official website.

Some exciting new development are also happening at the Banksia Gardens Community Centre. Stephen Hiley is no stranger to the show and has joined forces with Banksia Gardens and the Healthy Hume project to initiate the Broadmeadows Bicycle hub. The purpose built facility will encourage transportation alternatives whilst recycling  and reusing old bicycles. Steven is hoping to recruit 5 or 6 volunteers who will be trained and supported by the CERES Bike Shed staff. So lets get those wheels of interest turning! Anyone is welcome to attend the information night at Banksia Gardens on the 9th November 6:30 till 8pm, food and drink provided. What a great chance to support the community. 

We ended the show with some thought provoking analogies involving a boiling pot of soup and the predictability of  climate change. And Jaime referenced an intriguing video about Quantum Locking but not before wishing Andrew Raphael a big  Happy birthday form the Environmentality team.

Please feel free to comment on any of the topics in this weeks show. We love to hear form our listeners.

Check out the podcast and enjoy. 

Environmentality, 12 October 2011

Dear Environmentality listeners,

Last weekend it was World Food Day so our Research Coordinator Alicia decided to dedicate the show to food, which Smokey and I did not mind at all!

To start we had a very interesting chat to Arabella Forge. Arabella is a blogger, cooking teacher, published writer and, most of all, a passionate Frugavore. Haven't you heard this word before? Don't worry, we hadn't before either!

So Arabella explained that being a frugavore is about utilising the best quality foods, but wasting nothing as you go. This means that money can be saved on groceries – not by buying cheaper produce, but by using better quality, local produce more wisely, and connecting directly to the source of our food and preparing items from scratch. If you are interested in finding out more about the Frugavore Lifestyle, you can visit Arabella's website.

The interview with Arabella finished with a couple of recipes from her cookbook that she kindly shared with us. The recipes were fantastic but Smokey and I spent the rest of the show very hungry!

After this we had a chat to Zoe Whyatt, National Manager of SecondBite, an NGO that is committed to making a positive difference to people by identifying sources of nutritious surplus fresh food and produce that might otherwise go to waste and facilitating its safe and timely distribution to agencies and people in need.

Zoe explained how SecondBite worked and we were amazed to hear how in a few years it has grown from a small operation to an organisation that will move 1 million kilograms of food this year! While this is fantastic and it shows what a fantastic organisation they are, it also points out to a huge need for emergency relief in Australia, which is a worrying notion given that we are one of the richest nations in the World!

The music selection was Smokey through and through, although he did include a couple of modern tracks. You got to hear:

No one wants a lover by Josh Pyke

The sum of it all by The Herd

Born Alive by Wilco

Nowhere fast by the Smiths

When I first met your Ma by Paul Kelly

Listen to the show!

Environmentality 5 October 2011

Dear Environmentality listeners,

As some of you may know, the last two weeks have been challenging for North West FM and for us too, as the station is experiencing some major technical difficulties (a broken transmitter).

However, this has not had any impact on the quality of our guests, and this week we had someone who we described on air as a "heavy weight" in terms of environmental activism.

His name is John Merory and as he quite humbly puts it, he is a neurologist with a great interest in environmental matters. The list of environmental organisations in which he has or has had an active role is most impressive, including Men of the Trees, the Riverland Conservation Society, several Bicycle User Groups, Beyond Zero Emissions, Doctors for the Environment and Transition Banyule, to name a few.

We had a very interesting chat with John, who brought some music that unfortunately we were not able to play (more technical issues!!). Luckily his daughter Sam brought some that we could play. In her selection, we particularly enjoyed a band called Otouto.

For the last few minutes, we connected with Georgina Murphy, Environment Education Officer at Hume City Council. Georgina told us about the event that council is preparing for National Ride to Work Day - 12 October 2011 and about some Environmental Workshops coming up in the next few weeks.

The podcast for this show is not available due to the problem with the transmitter, which is a shame. However, that gives us an excuse to have John again soon. We look forward to that!