Environmentality 26 November 2014, Liam Farrelly, Greens candidate for Pascoe Vale

The 3 R’s - Right to an education, right to access health services, right to a safe place to live. These are the three highest priorities for Liam Farrelly who is running in the electorate of Pascoe Vale for the Greens party. This week we were fortunate enough to have a candidate for the Victorian election come in to the studio to have a chat just a few days before the election. If you missed the show, you can listen here and you’ll hear Liam talking from the heart on issues such as education, health (including mental health), transport and energy as well as the traditional content of this show, environment!

One thing that gets brought up on this show through our conversations over and over again is Australia’s mind boggling fixation on protecting the fossil fuel industry at the expense of renewable energy and investment in new, green, innovative technology. There seems to be no logical and reasonable explanation as to why this is happening which has been demonstrated by the many guests on this show who have shared their knowledge in the area of their individual expertise. From all reports, it makes sense for Australia to be moving away from our dirty, ageing and redundant coal fired power stations and to stop thinking of gas as the next coal but rather invest in clean, green technology. The social, economic and environmental benefits of moving towards environmentally sustainable energy have been put forward time and time again and more importantly have actually been proven elsewhere in the world, especially in parts of Europe. Australia should be a world leader in renewable energy generation and clean technology innovation but instead we are lagging severely and if you think we are paying for it already, just wait until we decide to play catch up and have to purchase all the innovative products, technology and services from overseas because Australia chose not to invest in their development here and now.

theconversation.com

Auroralights.org

 

Some articles that are relevant for the election this week (warning: these will probably leave you feeling depressed):

Victoria at a fork in the road on energy Climate Spectator - This weekend’s Victorian state election provides voters with a fairly stark choice about the future of energy policy in the state. Yet the campaigns of the major parties have barely touched the issues of energy and the environment.

Shameful absence of environmental policies The Age - Neither of the major political parties have offered Victorian voters a coherent set of policies about the environment. Indeed, there is a deafening silence about environmental issues and much backtracking.

Vic Labor’s lame plan to move the climate deal Climate Spectator - The Victorian Labor Party has released its climate change policy – it’s below in all its four paragraphs of detailed glory.

Victorian election: built environment takes a back seat The Fifth Estate - In a state that has seen environmental and energy efficiency measures trashed by the Coalition government and created fury within the property industry and beyond, there has been a confounding failure by the Labor Opposition to seize the initiative and deliver meaningful policies as an alternative.

So with all this information, make your vote count on Saturday 29^th November.

Next week on the show we will be speaking to Eco-shout. Check out their website and tune in next week to find out more about the organisation.

Music tracks this week:

Cold Nights by How to Dress Well

Two Weeks by FKA Twigs
Come As You Are by Nirvana (Liam's selection)
Nakamarra by Hiatus Kaiyote

Environmentality 19 November 2014, Jodi Jackson, My Everyday Garden - Sensory Gardens

www.zoochat.com

A Sensory Garden is one that entices you (and other creatures) to enter and enjoy the garden through the use of colours, smells, sounds, textures and tastes. Imagine bright colours, sharp and subtle contrasts, sweet smells, plants you can’t help but want to touch and feel, buzzing bees and chirping birds and mouth-watering fruits and berries hanging around you, sounds like a kind of paradise and that is the idea of a sensory garden, a paradise for the senses.

This week we spoke with Jodi and she didn’t disappoint with her expertise and advice on sensory gardens. In the studio we also got treated to some show and tell from Jodi’s garden which really highlighted the way these plants can capture your senses in a variety of ways. If you missed the show, listen to the podcast here. Some of Jodi’s advice from the show on the plants for the various senses included:

Our studio turning green...

Sight:

(Grey Foliage) Salvia ‘Berggarten’, Senecio cineraria

 

Sound:

She-oak (beware that you will need a bit of room for these. They are often used as wind breaks

 

Smell:

Lime Geranium – Pelagonium nervosum

Kaffir Lime – Citrus hystrix

Lemon or Lime Verbena – Aloysia citrodora

 

Touch:

Balotta pseudodictamnus

Adananthos cunninghamii

Isopogon formosus

 

Taste:

Fruits, vegetable, herbs and edible flowers

 

 

Jaime with some Kaffar Lime

Balotta pseudodictamnus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to see more on sensory gardens then I would recommend heading to Jodi’s "Sensory Garden" Pinterest board where there are heaps of photos and examples of sensory gardens and interesting plants that would make a good addition to your sensory garden.

Don’t miss next week’s show with Liam Farrelly, Greens candidate for Pascoe Vale just 3 days out from the election. Send us any questions you would like answered.

Music tracks this week:
Daydream by Thriftworks
Starkville City Jail by Johnny Cash (guest selection)
These Days by St Vincent
All Your Gold by Bat for Lashes

Environmentality 12 November 2104, Robyn Deed, Editor of ATA's ReNew Magazine

It has become quite obvious now that sitting around and waiting for our governments to take action on the issue of addressing climate change is not an option. The good news is that there is a lot of movement from communities and organisations across Australia who are taking things into their own hands.

Issue 129

This week on the show we spoke with Robyn Deed, editor of Renew Magazine about the current issue (Issue 129) which has a strong focus on Community Energy including articles ATA and community energy, Community -owned microgrids, Community solar, Energising rural communities and piece on virtual net metering. If you missed the show, you can catch up on the discussion here.

Some of the things we touched on during the show include Fossil fuel divestment, transition towns, collaborative consumption and the future of global energy!
Here are some links to keep you following these topics:

Fossil fuel divestment (Superswitch)
Collaborative consumption (Open Shed, GoGet, Car Next Door)
Transition towns - Transition Sunshine Coast Australia's first transition town and is now a great resource and provide support services to communities looking to establish their own transition town.
Alan Pears Report - Future global energy giants



climateaction.org

If you'd like to find out more about the magazine or subscribe, please head to renew.org.au or ata.org.au

Next week on the show, we'll be speaking with Liam Farrelly, Greens candidate for Pascoe Vale just 4 days out from the 2014 Victorian election. If you'd like a question answered then let us know via twitter or text in during the show on 0447 777 989.

Music tracks from this week:
What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Home by Phillip Phillips
Rise and Fall by Craig David feat. Sting
Where I Stood by Missy Higgins (guest selection)

Environmentality 5 November 2014, Jaime De Loma-Osorio Ricon, The Australian Greens candidate for Broadmeadows

As the election draws closer, we are starting to see and hear more about the various political party policies, ideas and promises. This week we got in on more of the political action and had a great chat with Jaime De Loma-Osorio Ricon. Jaime is the Greens candidate for Broadmeadows in the upcoming Victorian state election. Regular listeners will probably know that Jaime is one of regular hosts of the show, however this week the tables were turned and Jaime was a guest on the show and subject to the tough interrogating interview style of Environmentality. Again, regular listeners will know that this is far from the truth as our interviews are casual and relaxed and this week was no different.

 

Jaime, like many politicians is very passionate about his work and this came across strongly during our chat this week. We discussed the important issues facing the Broadmeadows electorate including unemployment, public transport, education and health as well as some broader Victorian and Federal issues such as climate change, east-west link, renewable energy and we even touched on foreign policy.

 

Although it may seem that we diverted away from the usual environmental theme of the show on some of the topics during the show, I would like to point out that many of these issues are actually linked to the environment and it was great to hear many of these links being expressed and explored. If you missed the show, you can listen here.

 

Jaime has just released a YouTube video to launch his campaign, take a look here and let us know what you think in the comments below. You can also follow Jaime on twitter using @jaimeloma.

 

Jaime will also be taking part in a debate for the seat of Broadmeadows with other candidates including current Labor member and candidate Frank McGuire at John Fawkner College on the 11th November. See here for more details.

 

Earlier this week, the ABC launched its online Vote Compass tool which allows users to determine where they stand in the Victorian political landscape. The tool uses your answers to a set of simple multiple choice questions and provides a full analysis for you to review. Have and go and suggest it to all your friends and you never know, you may find that your usual preferred political party does not stack up with your personal views.

Some other useful links:

Latest unemployment figures from the Broadmeadows electorate - Herald Sun article

Victorian Election Environmental Expert Policy Review - The Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) and RMIT University are hosting a panel of renowned environmental practitioners to review the environment policies offered by the major political parties.

 

Don't miss next week, we will be talking with ReNew magazine editor Robyn Deed about the current Issue 129.

 

Music Tracks from this week:

Painted Black by The Rolling Stones

I See Fire by Ed Sheeran