Think: Sustainability show

Think: Sustainability

Summary: From waste to wealth, and grids to growth, the show digs into the impact of consumption across all areas of life — it tracks the movements, discoveries and technologies making way for a sustainable future.

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Podcasts:

 #86 - Taking Back The Power | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:21:01

How a community in regional Australia has distanced itself from the electricity grid and powered the town through its own energy system. Featuring: Matt Charles-Jones - President of Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY) Geoff James - Research Principal from the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. Donna - Resident from Yackandandah. Producer: Emma Rapaport.

 #85 - The Push For Pumped Hydro | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:28:01

How would pumped hydro storage help us transition to 100% renewable energy? Featuring: Tom Morris - Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. Andrew Blakers - Professor of Engineering at the Australian National University. Giles Parkinson - Editor of Renew Economy. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #84 - The Rising Tides of Tourism | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:25:55

Will the political crisis in the Maldives unravel their tourism industry and bring about climate disaster? Featuring: Azim Zahir - PhD Candidate in the Centre for Muslim States and Societies at the University of Western Australia. Stephen Schweinsberg - Lecturer in Sustainable Management at the University of Technology Sydney Business School. David Beirman - Senior Lecturer in the Management Discipline Group at the University of Technology Sydney. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #83 - When The Levee Breaks | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:26:42

Will insurance companies ever offer cover for those living in a high risk flood zone? Featuring: Lance Leslie - Professor of Climatology in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Elizabeth Mossop - Professor of Landscape Architecture and Dean of the Design, Architecture and Building Faculty at the University of Technology Sydney. Tim Andrews - Principal at Finity Consulting. Gera and Cherina - Business Owners from Lismore, New South Wales. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #82 - How We're Failing to Regulate Air Pollution | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:20:58

Free public transport, road space rationing, banning diesel cars; there are plenty of efforts to control levels of air pollution, but with more than 3.5 million premature deaths each year because of it, we're failing to act quickly enough. This episode we unpick how the framework regulating air pollution in Australia is doing little to reduce toxic emissions, and how a small town in the Hunter region has been devastated at the hands of the coal industry. Featuring: Nic Surawksi - Lecturer in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Technology Sydney. Bev Smiles - Secretary of the Wollar Progress Association. James Whelan - Researcher and Networker from Environmental Justice Australia. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #81 - Why Photosynthesis Is Our Genesis | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:19:38

As humanity continues to ponder its existence, 'where did we all come from? Why are we here?', researchers have suggested we may be asking the wrong questions in trying to uncover the answers. This episode we explore our evolving understanding of photosynthesis, and why the answers to some of our biggest philosophical questions could be locked in the process that enabled life to inhabit the planet, rather than what birthed us. Speakers: David Suggett - Associate Professor in the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney. Tim Gibson - PhD Candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, Canada. Dr Robin Purchase from the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #80 - What Are We Doing to Our Water? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:21:13

Australia's long history with drought and fire has cemented a strong dependence to the water around us, so why do we continue to contaminate our finite supply? This episode we uncover what we're doing to our water in ways you may not know about, and look at the efforts trying to appease the damage before it's too late. Featuring: Simon Mitrovic - Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Maurizio Labbate - Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Lee Blaney - Associate Professor at the University of Baltimore County, US. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #79 - The Slippery Slope of Environmental Offsetting | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:20:56

When booking your last plane trip, you may have noticed the option to offset the carbon cost of your flight. Paying an additional fee to render your flight carbon neutral some say makes more aware of what they're doing to the environment, but others criticise the idea calling it baseless and not as transparent as it may seem. This episode we explore how environmental offsetting goes way beyond the world of air travel and how these offsets could in fact devastate some of our most crucial forest and bushland. Featuring: Dr Leigh Martin - Scholarly Teaching Fellow in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Daisy Barham - Campaigns Director at the Nature Conservation Council. Dr Simon Kilbane - Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture in the Faculty of Design, Building and Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney. Producer: Jake Morcom.

 #78 - Should We Capture and Store Our Carbon Emissions? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:21:00

As global carbon emissions rise year in year out, many are brainstorming creative ways to reduce how much we're spitting out into the environment. However, there's one technology that's raising just as many eyebrows as it is has others hopeful. This episode we explore the potential of carbon capture and storage, and why around the globe we're seeing a lack of political will and investment into the technology. Featuring: Rebecca Cunningham - Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. DETAIL UPDATE The UK government, not Drax, pulled out of the CCS Project at both White Rose and Peterhead. More information here.

 #77 - The Hunt For Coral Superheroes | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:23:19

As global sea temperatures continue to rise, our coral reefs are turning from thriving marine ecosystems into underwater graveyards. But scientists have discovered a set of coral superheroes who might save the day. Speakers: David Suggett: Associate Professor The University of Technology Sydney Martina Doblin: Associate Professor The University of Technology Sydney Producer/Presenter: Miles Herbert

 #76 - The Age Of Citizen Science | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:19:58

Citizen scientists and members of the public have done everything from discovering species, to documenting sea temperature changes. Just this year in Australia, an amateur astronomer named Andrew Grey, a mechanic from Darwin, helped scientists discover a whole set of new planets. But why are people like you, donating their time, to help scientists document and discover. And is crowdfunding the scientific method really trustworthy? Producer/Presenter: Miles P Herbert Speakers: Annette Scanlon: Lecturer School of Natural and Built Environments John Turnbull: Marine Ecologist and Social Scientist, University of New South Wales Shuanna Murray: Associate Professor, Climate Change Cluster Core Member, Climate Change Cluster

 #75 - Why We Shouldn't Chop Down Our Logging Laws | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:19:44

Illegal logging is an immensely profitable global activity, linked to corruption, human rights abuses, criminal networks, and environmental destruction. So why is the federal government currently considering significantly weakening regulation that prevents the import of illegal timber? Speakers: Beatriz Garcia: Lecturer, Western Sydney University Lance Leslie: Professor, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney Producer/Presenter: Miles P Herbert

 #74 - What Happens When A Species Goes Extinct? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:23:29

Scientists have warned we are facing another mass extinction event. The last one occurred over 65 million years ago, but due to global warming and human caused habitat loss, the next one is just around the corner. So what do we do when a species goes extinct? Are our efforts helping or making things worse? Speakers: David Bader, Communications Officer for Vaquita CPR Professor Michael Archer, School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales Peter Banks, Conservation Biologist at The University of Sydney Erick Lundgren, PHD Canidate at The University of Technology Sydney Producer/Presenter: Miles P Herbert

 #73 - Turning Cane Toads Into Sausages | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:20:18

Naomi has spent the last two years living in a tent in regional New South Wales. But she's not a backpacker, she's not doing a roundhouse trip of the Australian countryside. Naomi is capturing cane toads and turning them into sausages. Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producer: Jake Morcom and Miles Herbert.

 #72 - Should We Put A Price On The Environment? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:18:46

In April 2010, the largest environmental disaster in US history struck the Gulf of Mexico - the explosion of oil rig Deepwater Horizon. After burning for more than a day, Deepwater Horizon sunk taking with it 11 lives, costing oil major BP more than $40 billion and an onslaught of environmental damage still being felt today. Over the last seven years the blame game for who was responsible and liable jumped back and forth with payouts being made to certain bodies who brought claims against BP for financial losses. But the blowout of a disaster to this scale goes far beyond a slump in tourism or trade in the region. Speakers: Jesse Fallon - PHD Student at Virginia Tech. Dr Stan Palassis - Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Technology Sydney. Ana Bugnot - Research Associate at the University of New South Wales. Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producer: Jake Morcom and Miles Herbert. Editorial guidance from Miles Herbert and Ellen Leabeater.

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