A visual ecologist, a thoughtful vegan and a Climate for Change facilitator.

Listen to The Sustainable Hour no. 208 on 94.7 The Pulse on 21 March 2018:

» To open or download this programme in mp3-format, right-click here (Mac: CTRL + click)

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In this hour:
• Aviva Reed, visual ecologist, artist and book publisher, Biotic Potential

• Meg Odgers, blogger, lecturer and Thoughtful Vegan who co-founded Towards Zero Waste Geelong

• Tony Gleeson, Climate for Change facilitator and Sustainable Stand Up’er

• Kimchi, the new single from Formidable Vegetable Sound System

LISTENER SERVICE:

Content of this hour

Links, excerpts and more information about what we talked about in this Sustainable Hour

“I have studied and taught environmental science in 15 years. It is not an exciting subject, it is tragic. Most of my lecturers have cried in their lectures. So you do need to find a way through, and I guess that is art – art is useful for me in that way.

I have been in class rooms – I teach adults and children – where there is a lot of grief. I just try and create an activity that is a proactive or productive activity. And that might be making art works for politicians. Or it might be doing a large collaborative drawing of a coral reef…”
~ Aviva Reed

Aviva Reed: Reframing the paradigme with ecological storytelling

Could we use art and ‘ecological imagination’ to communicate complex scientific ideas and to unravel some of the perceived truths and invisible realities that shape the modern age?

Aviva Reed already does it. She is a ‘visual ecologist’ and the creative director at Oekologie Studio, an art/science studio which develops resources for training sessions.

Its first publication in 2017, ‘Eon – the Story of the Fossils’, explores what we can learn from billions of years of being part of an evolving ecosystem.

Illustrated adventures in time: ‘Eon – the Story of the Fossils’

Oekologie Studio uses the Biotic Potential methodology, a technique that incorporates art making, storytelling and educational theories to explore complexity to create experiences and training in the ecologies. The creative, interdisciplinary practice explores scientific theories from both philosophical and ontological perspectives.

Aviva Reed has a Master of Environment and teaches within tertiary, community and organisational environments. With combined concepts of arts-based pedagogy and ecological thinking, her training seeks to unravel complex ideas around human/nature divides and inspire participants to engage in creative critical thinking.

Her most recent exhibition in Melbourne was ‘HYDRO/LOGIC’ at Library at the Dock in Docklands.

» Aviva Reed’s home pages:
www.avivareed.com
www.bioticpotential.com

» Biotic Potential’s Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/bioticpotential

“Does rain make rainforests or do rainforests make rain? It’s not just a coincidence that all the rain goes where the forests are.”
~ Aviva Reed

» Pacific Standard – 27 March 2018:
Can evolution outpace climate change?
“At least one sea creature — the purple sea urchin — appears to pass on the ability to rapidly adapt to a harsh environment. It may be more resilient to the climate change and acidification than previously thought, a new study suggests.”

Make art – learn ecology

Learn something new in an intimate session with visual ecologist Aviva Reed. These simple and easy to learn workshops explore ecological ideas through art. Free.

What is Ecology? Ecology is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes biology, geography, and Earth science.

At the completion of each of these workshops, participants will have a richer, clearer understanding as to how to incorporate ecological knowledge into their everyday decision making processes, both at work and at home and have a take home illustration of the ideas.

Aviva Reed is an award winning illustrator, artist and scientist. She has been working in this field for over a decade, within tertiary, corporate and school environments. She refers to herself as a visual ecologist, someone who makes visible the invisible, through context, story and illustration.

Aviva combines art and science to encourage whole brain thinking. There will be 11 different themed sessions of visual ecology and illustrative techniques.

Drop in for one or come to all. No experience or prior knowledge required. Accessible to all! Materials included: paper, pencil, charcoal, pen and watercolour.

All workshops will be located in either the Community room (maximum 25 people) or Activities room (maximum 40 people) at The Library at The Dock in Melbourne. Tram 48 or 11 down Collins st, will get you here!

Dates: 3 April, 1 May, 5 June 2018

» Facebook event page with more info

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“Working to stave off the inevitable”

“Inevitably, the climate will warm; whole ecosystems will be lost; and someday, there will be a last generation of humans on Earth. But the years we can postpone each loss, and each wild place and creature saved, are incalculably valuable. And so I keep teaching, and processing, and working to stave off the inevitable. I don’t know if any of those things will truly prevent catastrophic changes on Earth; I suspect not. But I give these gifts freely, hopefully, and in the knowledge that they are all I have to give. Nothing we can do will prevent the Earth from being deeply transformed.

Maybe the next generation, my children or grandchildren, will be the last to live in large-scale human civilization. Or, maybe the efforts of me, my students, and millions of other like-minded folks will push back the inevitable collapse for another 100 years, or 500 years, perhaps allowing us to coexist longer with the wonder of wild places and creatures. There is no preventing the inevitable, but the delay is precious. It is all we have.”
~ Alison Spodek Keimowitz, professor, 9 March 2018, in an interview on Slate

“There is an increasing toxification of the entire planet by synthetic chemicals that may be more dangerous to people and wildlife than climate change.”
~ Paul Ehrlich, biologist and professor of Stanford University

» The Guardian – 22 March 2018:
Paul Ehrlich: ‘Collapse of civilisation is a near certainty within decades’
“Fifty years after the publication of his controversial book The Population Bomb, biologist and professor Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University warns overpopulation and overconsumption are driving us over the edge”

A different narrative

“Perhaps if we could popularise through the techniques of branding and consumerism, a different idea, a different narrative, perhaps the world can change. After all it changes constantly and incessantly, it’s just the perceptions that we have are governed by people with self-interest and are not in alignment with the health and safety of us as individuals or as a planet.”
~ Russell Brand

Meg Odgers: Towards Zero Waste Geelong

This six-minute interview with Meg Odgers in The Sustainable Hour starts at 29:00 in the podcast audio file.

Meg Odgers, 22, is one of the founders of the Towards Zero Waste Geelong group. She has a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours from Deakin University. She is currently a Case Manager and Group Facilitator at the Stepping Up Day Program in Geelong West.

“I believe the choice to live this way is the logical end for people who value their health, the environment and the rights of animals. My thoughts about each of these things radically changed the more I learnt about ethical veganism and my life has been enriched by living by this way.”
~ Meg Odgers

Dare to care

Meg Odgers explains in detail how Towards Zero Waste Geelong came about on her Thoughtful Vegan blog:

“Over the last few years Katie and I have grown to be very fond of each other, she has taught me a lot about gardening and many-a zero waste alternatives, as well as inspired me to be more active in the zero waste movement.

If you follow me on Instagram (@thethoughtfulvegan) or Katie (@seedblog) you’ll have seen that after the War on Waste aired that we did a Responsible Cafes flyer drop down the main street in Geelong West, asking cafes to offer an incentive for people who bring their own cup rather than using a disposable coffee cup. The support we received from this was mind-blowing, almost all the cafes that we spoke to put the flyer up in their window straight away, offing discounts of as much as 50c off – even the local bakery got on board!

This was such an empowering experience, we were so motivated to generate change of a bigger scale. The War on Waste had gotten the ball rolling and we were keenly pushing it so that it kept momentum. We wondered whether anyone in Geelong would be interested in learning about how to transition towards zero waste so we approached Katherine at Valerie’s Pantry, who graciously offered us the space in which to hold the workshops.

All forty seats for each of the two-part free workshops booked out within three days. Any doubt that we had about whether there was a demand for workshops quickly evaporated and we jumped head first into the workshops, which ended up being so much fun and so inspiring to be a part of.

We decided that these workshops are important for us to continue and so together we became Towards Zero Waste Geelong. We are not sponsored, we don’t have any affiliations, we are just two health professionals who happen to be friends and get excited about people making positive lifestyle changes, especially ones that reduce waste footprints. As proud vegans, we wish to acknowledge that food choice is the single biggest way to reduce your waste footprint, any other lifestyle choice is secondary. Although no effort is ever wasted, we encourage intention over perfection. If you’re only doing Meat Free Monday at this stage, we salute that effort!

Since our first workshops series in January we have kept the conversation going in our Towards Zero Waste Geelong Facebook group, which is an open groups were everyone is welcomed – even if you’re not in Geelong! This is a supportive space where there is always someone available to answer a personal question you have about transitioning towards zero waste.

Due to the demand we received, we will be doing more comprehensive two-part Towards Zero Waste Living workshops in June and October this year. These workshops are suitable for anyone who has made some changes and just wants to gain more tips and tricks in an interactive, informal environment. We aren’t sharing anything that you couldn’t already find yourself on the Internet (that’s what we did back in the day) but the beauty of these workshops is to see, hear and experience the simplicity and beauty that is living a zero waste lifestyle, as well as connect with others who are doing the same.

We split the workshops up over two 90 minute sessions on consecutive evenings. The first is focused on the kitchen, where most waste is generated and the second on other household waste. We do demonstrations of how to make your own household products and you will be electronically sent a hand out that covers all the practical steps covered during the workshops, as well as where you can get more information.

If you’re still contemplating whether this is too hard for you or feel overwhelmed with where to start, never fear, we will be doing a Towards Zero Waste for Beginners workshop where we start at the very beginning including how to break our conditioning about disposables and simple things to try to start reducing your waste.

We also hope there will be interest for a Zero Waste Advocacy Workshop, for those seasoned zero wasters in our community who are keen to spread the zero waste movement to their workplaces, schools and broader community.

In the Towards Zero Waste Living workshops we cover the importance of composting to reduce waste but in our Composting and Worm Farming workshop we will cover the intricacies, including getting your hands dirty with hands-on demonstrations and how to troubleshoot common composting problems.

Finally, during what is sure to be the month of peak waste generation around the world, we will be doing an exciting Zero Waste Christmas workshop with all our tried and tested strategies to reduce your waste footprint over the silly season.

Towards Zero Waste Geelong Workshop Calendar 2018

Below are the details of all our proposed workshop dates for the year:

[one_third]Zero Waste Beginners[/one_third][one_third]9 April 2018 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Towards Zero Waste Living[/one_third][one_third]18 & 20 June 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15 for one $20 for both[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Zero Waste Advocacy[/one_third][one_third]13 August 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Towards Zero Waste Living[/one_third][one_third]22 & 24 October 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15 for one $20 for both[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Composting & Worm Farming[/one_third][one_third]12 November 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Zero Waste Christmas[/one_third][one_third]3 December 7:00-8:30PM[/one_third][one_third_last]$15[/one_third_last]

*All dates, time and prices are subject to change. All workshops are likely to be held in meeting room beside Valerie’s Pantry located at 138 High St, Belmont. Tea and vegan nibbles provided.

We hope you’re as excited about our workshop calendar as we are and that there is something on there for everyone! If you enjoyed our first Towards Zero Waste Living workshop and know of a friend who would be interested, word of mouth is always the best referral.

After you’ve competed the workshops we hope to have you input in our Facebook group. This is the space that our monthly-ish meetings will be organised. These are very informal and will often include craft beer, but after our first meeting we are pleased to say they are definitely at least three times more productive than any other meeting you’ve been too.

After mine and Katie’s success with promoting the Responsible Cafes in Pakington Street last year, we were keen to become ambassadors for The Last Straw. This is a campaign, similar to Responsible Cafes, which asks consumers to refuse straws and venues not to hand them out unless requested. The people that attended our meeting a few weeks ago came up with some fabulous ideas about how to further this wonderful campaign in our community, some of which is already been put into action. There are of course several other zero waste campaigns we will passionately endorse in due time within the group. We hope you will join us or just come along for the sweet, sweet vibes generated by being around people who dare to care.”

» Join Meg Odgers and Katie Traill on Facebook and on Instagram for more details about workshops and campaign meetings.

» Meg’s blog: thoughtfulveganblog.wordpress.com

» Meg’s Linkedin profile

» Katie’s blog: www.seed-blog.com

The change.org protest against plastic wrap in Coles and Woolworths has become one of the largest petitions ever run on Change.org – now joined by the voices of over 376,000 people.

Unfortunately, this has still not been enough to get the supermarkets to change their plastic policy, or even make an official response.

» You can sign the petition on www.change.org

Tony Gleeson

Conversational seeds grow a social climate for change

In this 12-minute interview in The Sustainable Hour, Tony Gleeson explains how and why he is organising local Climate for Change gatherings and events in Geelong.

Climate for Change is a volunteer-powered organisation with a plan to facilitate face-to-face conversations about climate change with enough people to actually shift the social climate around climate change by 2019.

“We know that in order to stop global warming, humans need to make some huge changes very quickly. Most Australians are concerned about climate change and want Australia to do more, but our government and business leaders are not making the changes we need. That’s why we need a climate for change – a groundswell of support for strong climate action that those leaders can’t ignore.

Social research shows that it’s through face-to-face discussions with people we know and trust that we make sense of confusing information and decide what to do about it.”

» If you’d like to host a Climate for Change event, contact Tony

» Climate for Change’s home page:
www.climateforchange.org.au

» Climate for Change on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/Climate4Change1

» On 11 May 2016, Katerina Gaita, director of Climate for Change, was guest in The Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse.

“On Thursday the United Nations Word Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual report on the global climate—and it doesn’t make for comforting reading. According to 25th edition of the Statement on the State of the Global Climate, 2017 was the costliest year ever for extreme weather and climate events, while the past three years have been confirmed as the hottest on record. In addition, global sea levels continue to rise, ocean warming and acidification are on the increase and the extent of polar sea ice was well below the 1981-2010 average throughout 2017.”

» Newsweek – 22 March 2018:
UN: Last three years hottest since records began, extreme weather caused record-breaking damage in 2017 | VIDEO

“Infinitesimal impact, so stop the nonsense”

“We can close down Australia completely and it would have an infinitesimal impact on global climate change, so please stop the nonsense and hysteria.”
~ Dr Stretch Kontelj

» Read Mik’s response to Stretch Kontelj:
The shameful upside-down culture in Australia

“Doomed to extinction: The last male rhino of his kind dies in tragic circumstances”

20 March 2018: “The world’s last male rhino of his kind is dead – now there are only two females left on the planet. Goodbye to a species.”

In Australia, 1,800 animal species and ecological communities are threatened or endangered – right now. It’s a dire situation. What these threatened creatures need most is habitat – leaf-lined hollows in big old trees, safe places to burrow, forest litter for tiny communities to call home. Yet in response, the Australian governments are giving logging companies permission to destroy native forests, even when they’re home to threatened wildlife.

» TheNewDaily.com.au

What gets a bigger fine? Throwing a Coke can out the car window or dumping 15,000,000 tonnes of climate-wrecking greenhouse gas pollution into our atmosphere?

Mark Wakeham, leader of Environment Victoria, has the answer: “It’s the Coke can.”

The fine for littering in Victoria is $317.
The fine for climate pollution is… zero.

“Why? Because Victoria’s environmental watchdog, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), is doing practically nothing to stop the biggest threat we face – climate change.”  

“It’s our children and grandchildren who will have to pay the costs of more heatwaves, droughts, floods and crop failures from an overheating climate.

Why do the big polluters get away with it? Because our environmental watchdog isn’t regulating them: they haven’t set any limits on greenhouse pollution. None.

Right now, the EPA is reviewing the licences of Victoria’s coal-burning power stations – meaning we have an unprecedented opportunity to change this.”
~ Mark Wakeham, CEO, Environment Victoria

» You can get more info and take action here:
www.environmentvictoria.org.au/campaign/licence-pollute

“Bike paths are sexist”

Cars cost their owners more than $300 per week on average. This limits travel options for youth, low-income people and women… failing to fund cycling and walking projects can make their situation worse. @ConversationEDU @victoriawalks @CCouzensMP https://t.co/9jnnIx0Oai

— Bike Geelong (@bugeelong) March 20, 2018

Equality for High street #Geelong #Belmont https://t.co/rRC4zbTpIm

— Bike Geelong (@bugeelong) March 20, 2018

» Read more

ADDITIONALLY:

In other news

From our notes of this week: news stories and events we didn’t have time to mention but which we think you should know about

“London is taking action by being old-school! What are your #plasticfree initiatives?”

Coffee in exchange for beach litter

» The Guardian – 15 March 2018:
WHO launches health review after microplastics found in 90% of bottled water
“Researchers find levels of plastic fibres in popular bottled water brands could be twice as high as those found in tap water”

» ModestFish.com:
Ocean Pollution: Simple, Everyday Ways You Can Help Make a Difference

Microplastic pollution in oceans is far worse than feared, say scientists https://t.co/pzjugF1X0d

— myvironment (@myvironment) March 13, 2018

Whitepaper on circular economy

GE plans #renewables expansion as it cuts jobs in gas and coal-fired power operations https://t.co/uTNwwKoswJ via @Ed_Crooks

— Simon Nicholas (@simonjnicholas) March 19, 2018

Podcasts and posts about climate change

Acknowledgement

We at The Sustainable Hour would like to pay our respect to the traditional custodians of the land on which we are broadcasting, the Wathaurong People, and pay our respect to their elders, past, present and future.

The traditional owners lived in harmony with the environment and with the climate for hundreds of generations. It is not clear – yet – that as European settlers we have demonstrated that we can live in harmony for hundreds of generations, but it is clear that we can learn from the indigenous, traditional owners of this land.

When we talk about the future, it means extending our respect to those children not yet born, the generations of the future – remembering the old saying that…

The decisions currently being made around Australia to ignore climate change are being made by those who won’t be around by the time the worst effects hit home. How utterly disgusting, disrespectful and unfair is that?

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“Participation – that’s what’s gonna save the human race.”
~ Pete Seeger, American singer

Reframing evolution and the climate that changes

Content of this hour

Aviva Reed: Reframing the paradigme with ecological storytelling

Make art – learn ecology

“Working to stave off the inevitable”

A different narrative

Meg Odgers: Towards Zero Waste Geelong

Dare to care

Towards Zero Waste Geelong Workshop Calendar 2018

Conversational seeds grow a social climate for change

“Infinitesimal impact, so stop the nonsense”

“Doomed to extinction: The last male rhino of his kind dies in tragic circumstances”

“Bike paths are sexist”

In other news

Acknowledgement

Streaming live

Podcast archive

Help us promote sustainable living

Receive our podcast newsletter in your mailbox

The Sustainable Hour on social media

Share on Twitter

Share on Facebook

Share on Pinterest

Like this:

Related

Content of this hour

Aviva Reed: Reframing the paradigme with ecological storytelling

Make art – learn ecology

“Working to stave off the inevitable”

A different narrative

Meg Odgers: Towards Zero Waste Geelong

Dare to care

Towards Zero Waste Geelong Workshop Calendar 2018

Conversational seeds grow a social climate for change

“Infinitesimal impact, so stop the nonsense”

“Doomed to extinction: The last male rhino of his kind dies in tragic circumstances”

“Bike paths are sexist”

In other news

Acknowledgement

Streaming live

Podcast archive

Help us promote sustainable living

Receive our podcast newsletter in your mailbox

The Sustainable Hour on social media

Share on Twitter

Share on Facebook

Share on Pinterest

Share this:

Like this:

Related