Life on Planet A: Recent Episodes

Heidi and Bella

A sustainability podcast for those with good intentions. A podcast about sustainability, the environment, politics and all the craziness that’s going on in the world. You’ll hear it all from the perspective of Bella, the marine ecologist and Heidi, the sustainability consultant. Whether you're working in the field or you have never heard of the term sustainability, welcome to Life on Planet A.

Join us in this captivating episode as we explore the remarkable journey Erchana Murray-Bartlett, an athlete and environmental advocate who ran across Australia for a cause. Erchana started her 5 and a half month journey in August 2022 and finished in January 2023.

Discover how her sporting background shaped her passion for the environment and the inception of her 'Running to End Extinction' campaign. Erchana shares personal experiences connecting her with Australia's wildlife, the challenges and triumphs of her journey, and her collaboration with the Wilderness Society.

Erchana reveals her motivations, wildlife encounters, emotional moments, and how she managed to stay injury-free. Looking ahead, Erchana discusses her next daunting challenge in Death Valley and her continued efforts in conservation.

This episode is a blend of inspiration, endurance, and a deep love for nature, as Erchana shares her vision for preserving biodiversity and her message of hope through her adventures. Tune in for a story of determination and the power of one person's efforts to make a difference.

Learn more about Erchana here.

Time stamps:

3:00 - Who is Erchana?

8:30 - Combining forces to create Tip to Toe

11:10 - Pitching to clients

14:50 - Crashing a drone

19:00 - Avoiding getting injured

21:00 - Wilderness Society

30:00 - Trail runs

39:00 - Speed project

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Dive deep into the world of climate tech funding with Annelieke de Wit, PhD, and Joey Faust in this insightful episode of Life on Planet A. Discover why climate tech is unique, its challenges, and potential solutions. Learn about the Australian and NZ context, the role of government, and the power of collaboration. Timestamps included for key topics. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more!

Link to their journey - https://fundinginnovationinclimatetech.substack.com/

0:00 - Joey and Annelieke’s favourite thing in the world

6:15 - Joey and Annelieke’s backgrounds

10:50 - Defining climate tech

18:50 - Examples of climate tech

20:05 - Really smart thing from Annelieke

21:18 - Fund return timelines

23:28 - The challenges of fundraising / what do VC’s really care about?

28:40 - Impact locked definition

33:12 - Climate Tech landscape

37:51- The Climate Narrative

44:00 - Role of government in innovation

47:00 Collaboration between Climate tech firms

51:00 - Australian and NZ context

59:07 - Indigenous knowledge

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🌱 Episode Highlights:

The Oxygen Project's Mission: Vasser Seydel sheds light on the Oxygen Project's mission to ignite a community of climate champions and accelerate collective action through digital storytelling, activist trainings, and impact campaigns to build a climate-resilient tomorrow.
Deep Sea Mining Demystified: Delve into the fascinating world of Deep Sea Mining as we unravel its intricacies. Vasser Seydel provides insights into the extraction processes, debunk the need for minerals in the Deep Sea and which type of mining most interests people.
Environmental Impact: Discover the alarming consequences of Deep Sea Mining on our climate and biodiversity. Our discussion explores the devastating effects on marine ecosystems, the delicate balance of underwater life, and the ripple effects on the broader environment.
The Call to Action: Vasser Seydel discusses the urgency for countries to Stop Deep Sea Mining and the importance of collective action. Gain valuable insights into what individuals, organizations, and governments can do to mitigate the environmental repercussions.

Join us in this thought-provoking episode as we navigate the uncharted waters of Deep Sea Mining, bringing awareness to its environmental toll and exploring sustainable alternatives.

More information on DEM below:

https://www.theoxygenproject.com/deepseamining/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf1GvrUqeIA

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In this enlightening episode, we're joined by a very special guest, Jae Lubberink from the Blueprint Institute. We dive into a compelling conversation about Australia's energy policies, nuclear energy prospects, public private policy, policy and tech the importance of biodiversity conservation.

🔍 Key Highlights:

Discover Jae's journey through the Startmates Fellowship and his impactful research at Blueprint Institute.
Delve into the complex world of nuclear energy in Australia and its potential role in achieving net-zero emissions.
Learn about the challenges and opportunities of small modular reactors in the energy mix.
Explore the critical role of public-private partnerships in fostering innovation and economic growth.
Unpack the value of native forestry and the importance of rethinking how we value biodiversity.
Gain insights into Jae's views on the intersection of policy and technology in tackling climate change.
Finally, ponder the meaning of life and finding personal fulfillment in making a positive impact.
🌿 This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the future of renewable energy, conservation efforts, and how policy and technology can work together for a sustainable future. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow Life on Planet A for more thought-provoking discussions!

LifeOnPlanetA #BlueprintInstitute #RenewableEnergy #NuclearEnergy #Biodiversity #PublicPolicy #Innovation

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The future of sustainable agriculture and design with Orlando Hayes

In this episode, we sit down with Orlando Hayes to unpack his groundbreaking work with CH4 Global and the award-winning Camada daybed. Orlando sheds light on CH4 Global's mission, their focus on designing sustainable facilities, and the vital role of seaweed to reduce methane in agriculture.

You may have heard of feeding seaweed to cows in the news, this episode is a first hand look into what’s happening in the industry and what sustainability initiatives need to be considered!

We also delve into the world of sustainable furniture design, exploring the inspiration and intricate considerations behind the Camada daybed—a testament to the perfect balance of aesthetics and sustainability. Join us for this deep dive into the world of conscious design, environmental stewardship, and the future of sustainability in both infrastructure, agriculture and everyday objects.

This podcast was recorded and produced by CORSZA.

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Delve into the intriguing world of deep sea mining and the complex negotiations surrounding it, with our guest Emily Tewes, from Sustainable Ocean Alliance.

Join Life on Planet A as we plunge beneath the waves to uncover the untold stories of the International Seabed Authority,(ISA) the international body overseeing deep sea mining regulations.

In episode, we spotlight the compelling stories of nations that are championing a call for moratorium in deep sea mining. With climate change accelerating and concerns about environmental impacts mounting, countries are raising crucial questions about the sustainability of this nascent industry.

Time Stamps:
10:00 - SOA campaign to #DefendtheDeep and #StopDeepSeaMining

12:28 - Background on ISA

14:25 - Biases in ISA

20:00 - Exploration licenses

23:00 - Discussion on how ISA gives licenses to mine

29:00 - Moratorium on DSM

30:00 - Meetings in July

46:00 - SOA at the ISA meetings

54:00 - Meaning of Life to Emily

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In this episode, we are joined by Juliet Kirby, the CEO of Gentoo.Earth, a carbon removal intelligence platform. We will explore the ins and outs of carbon credits, providing you with valuable insights on how to navigate the complex landscape of carbon markets and make informed choices when purchasing offsets. We will discover what it truly means to be a quality offset.

Juliet provides share her extensive knowledge and experience, shedding light on the importance of high-quality offsets and their role in mitigating climate change. Whether you're an individual looking to offset your personal carbon footprint or a business aiming to become net zero, this podcast episode will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions in the world of carbon credits. If you are looking to purchase good quality offsets please reach out to Juliet.

Juliet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-kirby/

Website: https://www.gentoo.earth/

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro to Juliet

5:57 - Carbon Markets

9:36 - Types of carbon credits

14:00 - Additionally

17:20 - Quality

19:44 - Carbon removal technologies

28:00 - Green washing

35:00 - Chubb review

38:00 - Bad carbon credit practices

40:00 - Good carbon credit practices

42:30 - Who is Gentoo.Earth?

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🎙️ESG Podcast! 🌍🌱

Join us for an insightful podcast episode with Moana from Alphinity, where we delve into the fascinating world of ESG within factories in Bangladesh and Vietnam. 🎧✨

Discover the social cost of ESG in factories across Bangladesh and Vietnam. We will learn from Moana about the impact of ESG policy on workers, labor conditions, and the overall well-being of the local communities.

Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that sheds light on the intersection of sustainability, and social progress!

Tune in now to broaden your understanding of ESG in these dynamic regions. 🎙️🌏

PodcastAlert #ESG #Sustainability #Bangladesh #Vietnam #Investment #SocialProgress

Time Stamps:

0:00 - introduction to Moana and Sustainable Finance

4:50 - Changes in the sustainability space

6:06 - Safeguard mechanism

7:44 - Fast Fashion Introduction

11:35 - What are the factories like in Bangladesh and Vietnam

13:20 - Bangladesh vs Vietnam labor market

20:00 - Career progression for factories workers

24:09 - The social cost of fast fashion

31:50 - GDP and fast fashion

33:23 - Sustainability goals put pressure on the factories

43:17 - The future of sustainable fashion

45:60 - What can individuals do?

Key ideas and topics discussed in the podcast:

ESG - Environmental, Social, and Governance - ESG refers to a set of criteria used to evaluate the sustainability and ethical impact of a company's operations. The three pillars of ESG encompass environmental factors, social factors, and governance factors.

Safeguard mechanism - The Safeguard Mechanism is the Australian Government’s policy for reducing emissions at Australia’s largest industrial facilities. The Safeguard Mechanism applies to industrial facilities emitting more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) per year.

Fast Fashion - Fast fashion refers to a business model and trend in the fashion industry characterized by rapidly changing clothing collections, quick production turnaround times, and low-cost garments.

Ready Made Garment (RMG) - Ready-made garment (RMG) refers to clothing items that are manufactured and assembled in factories and are ready to be worn by consumers without the need for further alterations.

Modern Slavery Act 2018 - The Modern Slavery Act 2018 is a legislative framework enacted in various countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, to address and combat modern forms of slavery and human trafficking.

Piece rate - Piece rate is a method of payment where individuals are compensated based on the number of units they produce or tasks they complete.

Rhino Plaza collapse - The Rhino Plaza collapse refers to an incident in which a building named Rhino Plaza, presumably a commercial or residential structure, collapsed due to structural failures or other reasons.

Fashion cycle - The fashion cycle refers to the recurring pattern of trends, styles, and designs that emerge, gain popularity, and eventually decline in the fashion industry.

Natural fibers - Natural fibers are materials used in textile production that are derived from plants, animals, or other natural sources.

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Imagine you could eat a marbled eye-fillet steak, with the omega 3 of a salmon fillet with the smoky taste of woolly mammoth... AND no animals were harmed in the process and the meat was 98% more carbon efficient than native meat, with no paddocks involved. Sounds like a dream right? This could very soon be an exciting reality thanks to the team at Vow. Vow is a Sydney-based start-up that is creating cultured meat with the aim to make sustainable food both irresistible and available to billions of people.

We were joined by Vow expert and process development associate, Sam Rathbone for our first ever in-person interview! And we couldn't have found a better guest; we had so much fun and laughs recording this episode so we hope you have just as much learning and listening to it.

Why cultured meat?

Feed 10 billion: Our future population needs 50% more food than we’re able to produce today. We need reliable production methods that give us security and control.
Preserve the earth: Today’s food system places a heavy burden on our environment and has led to increased deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and land and water pollution and decreased biodiversity. We need an alternative.
Human and animal welfare: humans need protein to survive but current methods of accessing protein are intensive on Earth's resources and have led to human and animal rights issues. Every year trillions of animals suffer to meet our protein demands and this will only increase as the global population rises. We need a more efficient means of accessing protein that does not harm animals or the environment.

This is where Vow comes in.

Vow is not only creating cultured meat, but revolutionising the way we think of meat.
Just 4 species (0.02% of all species) make up almost all of our food. What are the odds there are better (tastier, healthier, etc.) animals out there?
Removing the need to paddocks, fields and domestication means Vow is free to explore all kinds of meat options.
What if we could eat unicorn: narwhal crossed with zebra?
Vow scientists only need a handful of cells and 6 weeks to produce a delicious finished product which means no animals need to be bred and killed.

Useful links:

About Vow
Vow Careers - they're hiring!
Watch co-founder and CEO, George Peppou on TEDx Talks
Vow featured on Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2022
Listen to Vow co-founder and CEO, George Peppou on Ep 246 of Humans of Purpose podcast.

Timestamps:
2:00 - Background on Sam Rathbone

10:00 - NeuraLink and becoming a robot

12:00 Getting a job at Vow via hinge?!

14:00 - Intro to Vow

19:00 - How is Vow cultured meat created?

25:00 - What does Vow taste like?

29:00 - Vow co-existing with argiculture - how will this work?

35:00 - Vow, the supply chain and carbon emissions

43:00 - Hybrid meats at Vow

44:00 - Getting Vow to market - how long until we're eating cultured meat in Aus? And how can you help speed up the process?

50:00 - The meaning of life

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How healthy is pet food? What if you could give your pet food that was good for them AND good for the planet? Well... you can, thanks to the team at Lyka.

This episode we'll stepping into the paws of our canine companions to learn about how we can improve their diet and the planet with Lyka. We'll be on this journey with this week's guest: Gabriel Guedes, COO and CFO at Lyka.

About Lyka:

Lyka is Australia's only carbon NEGATIVE dog food! All emissions are offset through Green Fleet, the first Aussie carbon offsetter.
In 2018, founder Anna (Gabriels partner), went on a journey to improve her dog Lyka's health. Anna put diet on a homemade diet of fresh, wholefood ingredients and the results were fantastic.
"Lyka’s transformation was incredible and noticeable within weeks. Not only was Lyka more energetic, but her coat was also glossier, and her skin was also no longer itchy. Even her tooth decay reversed. As a bonus, Anna also noticed her poo didn’t smell anymore and Lyka’s frequent passing wind had ceased completely."
Team Lyka is a group of ambitious and like-minded dog-lovers with a shared single goal: to serve you and your pupper with the best possible food on the planet (and give our office dogs endless belly rubs.)

Useful links:

Check out the Lyka website
Read more about the Lyka story
Learn more about Lyka's carbon offsets with Green Fleet
Check out Lyka's interactive breakdown of their scope 1, 2 and emissions here
Check out a review of Lyka dog food with more info about the nutritional value

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction

7:00 - Introduction to Gigi

10:00 - The story of Lyka

14:00 - What is pet food actually made of?

17:00 - What s the most popular pet food?

21:00 - Sustainability and Lyka

28:00 Experimenting with meats

34:00 Biodegradable versus Compostable?

40:00 Lyka packaging

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Ep 1 for our theme on Great Global Start-Ups! out from life on planet A! To kick this off we’ve travelled to the great USA to speak with Zach Stein, co-founder of Carbon Collective. Zach is a wealth of knowledge which is helpful when running a start-up all about investing!
Carbon collective helps American citizens to invest their money into stocks and companies that are working to solve climate change or helping the planet to reach net zero.

Useful links:

Carbon collective website
Sustainable investing 101

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction

5:00 - Introduction to Zach Stain

7:28 - What is an equity fund?

9:09 - Why did Carbon Collective start?

16:00 - Challenges at Carbon Collective

19:00 - Green Washing

26:01 - Project Drawdown

30:00 - Nuclear

42:00 - Hold or to sell?

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NEW EPISODE NOW UP: Part 3 of our epic journey across the vast and expansive Pacific. This week we’ll hear about traditional knowledge in the Pacific and how it can aid us in managing te environment. Our guest was the inspiring, Salanieta Kitolelei.

You’ll learn:

what it’s like fishing with indigenous groups in Fiji? (A crucial part of Sala’s research!)
different fishing methods
cultural keystone species
the relationship between government and indigenous groups in Fiji

Some extra information from the Episode:

Traditional Fijian calendar:https://fijiantraditionalcalendar.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-fijian-itaukei-traditional-lunar.html

Background on Sala: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Salanieta-Kitolelei

Information on island mangroves and crabs: http://coraltriangle.blogs.panda.org/seareefs/mali-island-mangroves-and-crabs

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What does renewable energy look like in the Pacific? What more needs to be done to help these nations in the transition? Join us with our captain, Associate Professor Atul Raturi as we take a virtual flight over the Pacific. We'll learn the good, the bad and the hopeful for renewable energy in this beautiful region.

You'll learn:

How much of the Pacific is currently powered by renewable energy?
What are the challenges to increasing this amount?
Is the Global North doing enough?
What is a CDM and CER? How are they helping or hindering this process?

Atul is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering and Physics at The University of the South Pacific, Fiji. You can learn more about his passion and work here.

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Let's take a deep dive into life in the Pacific with Fijian researcher and environmental advocate, Danian Singh. We're kicking off Pacific Islands month with a virtual trip to Fiji where we'll learn from Danian about fish and climate change, resilience and adaptation to climate change in the Pacific and the exciting opportunities the world has to embrace and amplify Pacific Islands voices and perspectives.

You’ll learn:

About Sustainable Ocean Alliance Pacific Hub: the SOA Hub for all things Pacific
What are the biggest threats to the Pacific?
What does climate policy look like in the Pacific? Is the community happy with current policies?
What have we learnt from the Our Ocean Conference in Palau this year?
What are we hoping to see at the UN Ocean Conference in July?

Useful links:

Follow SOA Pacific on Facebook (@soapacifichub) and Instagram (@soa_pacifichub)
Learn more about the upcoming UN Ocean Conference
Learn more about what happened at the Our Ocean Conference in Palau in April

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AUSSIES, it’s TIME TO VOTE. But the big questions on everyone’s mind is: who to vote for? And why?

This week Heidi spoke to Blair Palese, Managing Director & Global Climate Editor, Climate & Capital Media.

You’ll learn:

the independent movement in Australia
the risks of Australia not meeting the climate goals
who is on track to help us meet our climate goals

Tune in before you have to vote on May 21st, 2022, to learn more about the Australia parties and what they stand for.

australianpolitics #climatechangepolicy #labour #liberal #greens #independents

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This week we're transporting you to the lush, wandering hills and palm tree horizons of Papua New Guinea. Here, we'll discover some tiny freshwater fish ponds that are providing huge social and economic benefits to the local communities. All of this amazing work is made possible by our guest Associate Professor Jes Sammut and his teams and collegues at the University of New South Wales, ACIAR, ANSTO and the Papua New Guinean National Fisheries Authority (NFA).

You'll learn:

What does freshwater fish farming in PNG look like?
How are fish ponds putting an end to violence and tribal warfare?
How prisoners are learning to farm fish and the huge change this is making in their lives.

Acroynyms used in the episode:
PNG = Papua New Guinea
ACIAR = Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
ANSTO = Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
NFA = Papua New Guinean National Fisheries Authority

Useful links:

Watch this video to learn how aquaculture is changing lives in PNG - Heidi and I watched many many times!!
Learn more about the Fish for Prisons Program
Building research and project management skills in fisheries in staff in Papua New Guinea - Final Report by Janelle Allison
Read about the 2017 training program led by Professor Janelle Alison and UTAS that enabled fisheries officers to gain critical research skills.
Read more of Jes' research
Keep up to date with the work of Jes and his team at the UNSW Aquaculture Research Group by following their Facebook page

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You're 75 miles offshore of the Big Island in Hawaii in a floating sphere and you're surrounded by 2,000 of your friends. That's what life is like as a Kampachi fish in Ocean Era's offshore aquaculture fish pen (Velella Beta/Gamma/Epsilon).

This week Heidi and Bella spoke with Neil Sims, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ocean Era - a Hawaii-based mariculture company focused on expanding the environmentally sound production of the ocean's finest fish.

You'll learn:

What is offshore aquaculture? How is it different to land based aquaculture (hint: decreased electricity usage, better flow of nutrients)
What is a Velella?
What are fish currently fed in aquaculture? How can we make this more sustainable
More talk about seaweed! (can you ever have too much?)

Useful links:

Read more about Ocean Era's research projects
TIME Magazine’s “25 Best Inventions of the Year” for 2012
Scientific paper discussed at the start of the episode: Farming the Ocean – Seaweeds as a Quick Fix for the Climate? by Troell et al. 2022

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Imagine you're Larry the cow and you're uncontrollably burping methane into the atmosphere each day. It's not your fault, its all the good bacteria in your microbiome just doing their thing. But what if eating just 50g of a little red seaweed could change all that?

This week Heidi and Bella speak with Dr Javed Khan, the Aquaculture Manager for CH4 in New Zealand to learn all about Asparagopsis aramata, the little red seaweed making a big difference. CH4's goal is for agriculture to have zero methane emissions.

You'll learn:

What is Asparagopsis?
How can it stop the production of methane in ruminant animals? What is a ruminant animal?
More fun facts about sea cucumbers (Bella tries to talk about them every chance she gets)

Thanks so much for joining us Javed, we can't wait to dive with you in NZ soon!

Useful links:

Learn more about CH4 Global
Links to many more articles on methane reduction using seaweed
A video all about CH4's journey and mission
Learn more about the global exploitation of sea cucumbers

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For March we're turning away from farming the land for a journey out to sea to discuss aquaculture!!

This week, Heidi and Bella spoke with Thierry Chopin; presently Professor of Marine Biology at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Chopin’s research focuses on the ecophysiology, biochemistry and cultivation of seaweeds of commercial value and the development of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems for environmental and economic sustainability.

Thierry focuses his research on IMTA and spends his time working for his start up Turquoise Revolution. IMTA is a practice in which the by-products (wastes) from one species are recycled to become inputs (fertilizers, food) for another.

We also learn about how Thierry is brewing his own seaweed beer!

Useful links:

AboutThierry Chopin
Thierry's start up: Turquoise Revolution
Learn about IMTA
Seaweed Beer introduction

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Get ready to have your tastebuds tingling and mouth watering in our most delicious episode yet! This week, Heidi and Bella spoke with Craig Squire; renowned chef, owner of Ochre Restaurant and Aussie bush food connoisseur. For our last week on sustainable agriculture we're learning about the last stop from paddock to plate: restaurants.

Ochre restaurant celebrates Australia's native flora and fauna by using them in innovative and delicious ways (think wattle seed pavlova, lemon myrtle-infused chilli sauce, quandong glaze and smoked kangaroo... mouth watering yet? It will be!

Useful links:

About Ochre Restaurant
Bush food at Ochre
The Aus Gov and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 2009 report: Health Benefits of Australian Native Foods
Paper: Native Australian fruits — a novel source of antioxidants for food, Netzel et al. (2007).
More info about the crocodile farms in North Queensland

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For Ep2 of Regenerative Farming month Heidi and Bella are taking you on a virtual road-trip to Brookfarm in the hinterlands of Byron Bay - think birds tweeting, owls hooting and juicy macadamies falling softly to the ground. We're speaking with Will Brook, CEO of Brookfarm and member of the Book family, about how the family has restored the land to its native sub-tropical rainforest and made sustainable choices in every aspect of their journey.

You'll learn:

What is regenerative farming to Brookfarm?
How can farms control pests without pesticides?
What isRoll 'N' Recycleand why you should be excited for it
Can I walk through the rainforest, learn about regenerative agriculture and sip GnT? (YES)

Extra links:

Visit the Cape Byron Distillery to sip gin and explore the rainforest
Before and after photos of Brookfarm (1980 to now)
Buy Brookfarm products at your local Harris Farm, IGA or online.
Learn more about Brookfarm's Roll 'N' Recycle initiative

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

We're back baby and with a brand NEW THEME song written by local creative genius, Joseph Smallman. Listen to it on replay and let us know what you think @lifeonplanetapodcast

Joseph Smallman is a local musician and filmmaker who produces a variety of content for both commercial use and entertainment. With an idiosyncratic style and creative approach, Joseph creates unique original works with a smile and makes sure he is proud of every project he works on.

Find Joe on Youtube @joesmallman

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Starting 2022 with a loud MOOOO, we'll be hearing from Tim Wright, holistic and regenerative farmer at Lana Farm in the northern Tablelands of NSW. Over 95% of Tim's farm is in constant recovery mode, meaning that the land has time to heal and regenerate. Despite being a cattle and sheep farm, Lana farm is carbon negative! How is this possible? Listen to find out...
You'll learn:

What is holistic farming (why don't we say wholistic?) How are oranges involved?
What is natural capital accounting? How is this useful to farmers?
What are carbon credits?
What are biodiversity credits?
Are these realistic and practical measurements?

Extra links:

Volunteer at Lana Farm
Farm Online article feat. Tim, about natural capital accounting on farms
TED Talk from Alan Savoury, the father of holistic farming
The Australian Gov's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot
ABC article about carbon credits and their role in Australia's emissions reduction plan

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

For our final week of climate change Heidi and Bella take a dive underwater with Dr Alex Campbell to see whether there’s a blue solution to the climate crisis and... there is! Seaweed and seagrass could be an unlikely hero in the battle against climatic change and not just because of carbon storage; this slimy macroalgae is used in food, make-up, plastic-alternatives and so much more. Through the work of research centres such as the USC Seaweed Research Group, we’ve found countless applications for seaweeds! What you’ll learn this ep:

Seaweed is VERY cool
How seaweed and seagrass differ and why this is important for storing carbon
What is Crayweed? Why did it entirely disappear from the Sydney’s East Coast? And what is being done to bring it back (cue Operation Crayweed)?
Over the last century the UK has lost 92% of it’s seagrass cover and this continues to decline by 7% every year!
Which other countries are implementing restoration projects? Hint: check out the WWF Seagrass Restoration Project, a plan that aims to restore seagrasses to the shores of the UK.

Thanks again for joining us Alex!

Useful links:

Operation Crayweed - http://www.operationcrayweed.com/

USC Seaweed Research Group - https://www.usc.edu.au/research/seaweed-research-group

People can also find links to all my socials on my own personal webpage - https://www.alexandracampbell.com.au/

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Climate Change: an unlikely comedy? This week Heidi and Bella spoke with Australian comedian, performer and writer, Issy Phillips, about the intersection between climate change and comedy.

You'll come away with a barrel of laughs, plus a knowledge of:

ASMR and how the heck is relates to climate change
How we could use comedy to cope with climate anxiety
How the media talks about climate change
That Heidi and Bella's microphones really aren't equipped to do ASMR and we'll leave it to the professionals (much to everyone's relief)

Some more useful links to things we spoke about:

Issy's TEDx Youth talk 'Could ASMR be the Answer to Climate Change?'
Barnaby Joyce embarresing himself on live TV claiming that he 'did not sign' the COP26 agreement, signed by the Morrison Gov
The Juice Media's Honest Gov Ad about COP26

Thanks again Issy for joining us and you can find Issy on Insta (@issyphillips) or listen to her show on FBi Radio!

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Welcome to Wk 2 of our month on Climate Change: Facts, Denial and Solutions! This week, in honour or COP26 and net zero targets, Heidi and Bella spoke with Professor Mark Howden, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at ANU.

What you'll learn:

What is COP26 and what pledges came out of it?
What is Australia's net zero target and how do we plan to reach it?
Is this a good target? Can we reach net zero sooner?
How much warming are we likely to experience?

Useful links:

Learn more about Mark's work at ANU
Read the IPCC 6th Assessment Report
Read more about Australia's fossil fuel expansion plans
Read Australia's Long-Term Emissions Reduction Plan

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

What is the greatest human rights challenge of our time? and what are the solutions? For our final week of International Politics month, India and Heidi spoke with the inspirational Negaya Chorley, CEO of Results Australia. Results is an organisation dedicated to empowering women and girls around the world through providing everyone access to healthcare, knowledge and education.

You'll learn:

What are some of the greatest human rights challenges of our time? And what is #1? (the answer may surprise you!)
What are some of the solutions to these challenges?
How is Results Australia at the forefront of these challenges?
How can you help? and volunteer opportunities with Results Australia

To find out more about Results Australia check out their story, current campaigns and how you can volunteer/work with them.

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Icy landscapes on the largest desert on Earth, adorable fur seals, wind turbines on research bases... can you guess where we're travelling to this week? For our 3rd week of International Politics, Heidi and Bella learn all about Antarctic landscapes, governance and wildlife from PhD candidate and Antarctic researcher, Natasha Gardiner.

What we learnt:

What's it really like to research in Antarctica? Like, how cold??
Does Antarctica have a government? Can you be 'President of Antarctica'?
How is Antarctica governed? Who's calling the shots?
How is research in Antarctica important for the rest of the world?

Natasha is a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury where she is studying the interfarce between science, research and politics and she also works as an environmental advisor at Antarctica New Zealand. Follow her on Twitter @nb_gardiner and let us know what you think of the episode by tagging @lifeonplanetapodcast !

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This week India & Heidi learn about 'the accountability trap' with Prof. Susan Park from the Sydney Environment Institute. What you'll learn:

What incentives do states have to meet their agreed climate targets? (hint: not a lot)
What happens if states don't meet these targets (hint: not a lot)
What is the 'accountability trap'?
How can we hold states responsible for not meeting these targets?

Also listen in at 17:48 to hear the sweet sweet voice of Sir David Attenborough as he calls out the Aus Gov for their lack of action on climate change.

Susan Park is Professor of Global Governance at the USYD and acting deputy director of the Sydney Environment Institute, where she focuses on how state and non-state actors use formal and informal influence to make the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) greener and more accountable.

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Climate change, climate emergency, the climate crisis - so much talk about climate change but so little talk about other issues... like biodiversity. Why? This week Heidi, Bella and India spoke with Associate Professor Charlotte Epstein about biodiversity and why we need to be talking about it.
What you'll learn:

In 1992 leaders from around the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for 3 major conventions:
1. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
2. Convention on Biological Diversity
3. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Why then do we only hear about climate change?
Why should we be talking about biodiversity?
How can we mobilise action on this?

To read more about Charlotte's work see University of Sydney profile, read about the Carlsberg project she's leading on decolonizing political action or follow her on twitter @Prof_ch_epstein. Thanks again for joining us Charlotte!

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The final week of Australian Politics month has arrived!! We are sad it’s over but we look forward to next month which is International Politics. In this Ep, Bella speaks with Australian Federal Liberal MP, Jason Falinski. Jason was elected the Member for Mackellar in the Australian House of Representatives at the 2016 Australian election. We spoke with Jason about:

What is the philosophy of the Australian Liberal Party? Is this always practiced?
How and when can Australia reach net zero?
What is stopping us from achieving net zero in Australia?
Are electric vehicles and systems the key to net zero?

Thanks so much Jason for joining us! Enjoy the show and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials!

We also state that Jasons views and opinions are his own and for any information on health or science - please refer to a professional in that field.

politics #australianpolitics #liberals #lifeonplaneta #climatechange #climateemergency #climatecrisis #climateaction #australiangov #ausgov #uspolitics #un #globalgoals #carbonemissions #podcast #sustainabilitypodcast #listennow #newepisode

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BONUS episode for week 3 of Australian Politics! This week Heidi and Bella spoke with PhD candidate, Bhiamie Williamson about Native Title and how we can strengthen ties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; ties that have previously been severed by colonisation. What you'll learn:

What is Native Title? What does it mean? How is it granted?
What is cultural burning and what does it do for Indigenous communities?
What unique opportunities does climate change provide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
How can we re-connect the ties that have previously been severed, and work with these groups?

Bhiamie Williamson is a Euahlayi man currently undertaking his PhD at the Australian National University Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, where his research focuses on Indigenous youth, Indigenous Governance, Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management & Indigenous Men and Masculinities.

If you want to learn more about the Uluru Statement from the Heart visit: https://ulurustatement.org/faqs
https://fromtheheart.com.au/

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For Episode 3 of Australian Politics month, Heidi and Bella spoke with the inspirational Dr Christine J Winter about intergenerational environmental justice theory, and more specifically...

What is Intergenerational Environmental Justice (IEJ)?
What is our relationship to nature?
Time is a spiral of past, present and future in which, we are all connected.
Why have some people lost their connection to nature? How can we repair this?
How can we (as individuals and the gov.) work with Australian Indigenous communities to re-connect with nature and embrace IEJ?

Christine is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Sydney Environment Institute where her research focuses at the intersection of intergenerational, indigenous and environmental justice. Thank you again for joining us Christine!

Some of the concepts this week were tricky so we'll be posting helpful socials throughout the week to help, as well as a summary in our monthly resource sheet available on our website: https://www.lifeonplanetapodcast.com/

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Week 2 of Australian Politics month has arrived!! On Ep #48 Heidi and Bella talk with Dean Bialek about Australia's role (or lack of) in the COP26 summit and in the global race to net zero carbon emissions. Dean is the Head of the International Politics Unit for the COP26 Climate Champions Team and is leading the development of renewable energy projects across Australia.

We learnt:

How do Australia's climate goals compare to the rest of the world?
The U.S. aims cut 50% of their emissions by 2030, why don't we?
Why isn’t Australia more ambitious in our targets?
What is 'the Race to Zero' and how is it helping companies and governments become net zero as soon as possible?

Thanks so much Dean for joining us! Enjoy the show and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials.

Useful links:

Guardian article: ‘No action on anything’: Australia increasingly isolated as US and others ramp up climate ambition, which Dean is featured in.
Dean and his work at CWP Global
Learn more about the UNFCCC Race to Zero campaign

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EPISODE 47: Strong Indepdendent Women in Australian Politics with Zali Steggall. This week Heidi and Bella spoke with inspirational sportsperson, speaker and independent member of Australian Parliament, Zali Steggall. We discussed:

What was Zali's experience as a woman in Australian politics?
What is the latest news on her climate action bill?
What keeps Zali so motivated to push for climate action despite frequent pushback from the Federal Gov?

Learn more about women in Aussie politics by watching Ms Represented.
Listen now on your favourite platforms and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials. Thanks again for joining us Zali!

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Yes. According to many economists, climate change poses the biggest long-term threat to the global economy. This week Heidi and Bella strapped on their economist hats to review our month on economy and understand:

what is economic risk?
what risk does climate change pose to the economy?
how do we calculate such risk? (hint: DICE)
is the Paris climate agreement useful or redundant?
what can governments do to halt climate change?

This left us thinking, what is the solution? "I dont know any question to which the answer is so simple as what is the most efficient climate policy - it’s harmonised carbon prices around the world." - Professor William Nordhaus.

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Let's talk CRYPTO. This week Heidi and Bella travel into the hyperverse, accompanied by guest and crypto-expert, Prof Barney Tan. Barney is an associate professor at the University of Sydney.

You'll learn:

What is blockchain?
How do we 'mine' cryptocurrency?
What effect does this mining have on the planet?

If you want to know more about the cryptocurrency, the energy usage of it and the future of crypto, then this is the podcast for you!

Thank you Barney Tan for all your work and expertise. Learn more about Barney's work here.

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It's hard to be optimistic about climate change with all that's going on at the moment, but this week's guest is able to do and can give us all the inspiration we need to keep fighting.

This week we interview Tom Quinn, Head of Policy and Research at Beyond Zero Emissions.

You'll learn:

What is there to be optismitic about?
Australia has incredible opportunities for green jobs, particularly as demand for sustainable products and services increases.
Beyond Zero Emissions aims to help Australia create more green jobs and a more sustainable planet. As part of this is their 'Million Jobs Plan', which plans to rebuild our economy after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that secures a cleaner future for all Aussies.
In just five years, renewables and low emissions projects can deliver 1.8 million new jobs in the regions and communities where these are needed most.

Useful links:
Read more about the Million Jobs Plan from Beyond Zero Emissions

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Guest: Maddy and Sophie from the podcast You're in Good Company We're jumping into Economics month with a collab episode! We're joining by the lovely, intelligent, smart and wonderful girls from You're In Good Company Podcast, Maddy and Sophie!

You'll learn:

How do I even begin to invest?
What should I know about a company before I invest? Where can I find information?
How do I know if a company really is 'sustainable' or 'green'?

You’re in Good Company is an investing podcast striving to disrupt the norms in the finance industry. Check out there podcast here and there Instagram is @yigcpodcast!

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

It's a busy time of year with COVID-19 lockdowns across the globe and Olympic news dominated our newsfeeds. In all this excitement you might've missed a few stories that we think are worth talking about. This week Bella and Heidi discuss the UNESCO World Heritage Commitee's recent recommendation to add the Australian Great Barrier Reef to the 'in danger' list. The Australian Government faught hard to block this, despite top Australian scientists supporting the choice. Take a listen to find out how this played out and why we should be talking about it.

Next, we'll discuss the multitude of natural disasters that have swept across the globe in the past 2 months (from wildfires to floods to drought).

Enjoy the episode and as always, let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta in your socials. Got a topic you want us to talk about? Email lifeonplanetapodcast@gmail.com

Time Stamps:

0:00 Introduction

5:05 - UNESCO and the Great Barrier Reef(GBR)

7:44 - Bleaching Events in the GBR

12:58 - GBR and the UNESCO 'In-danger' list

14:00 - Natural Disasters

15:00 - Floods in China

17:13 - Floods in Tajikistan

19:42 - Floods in Germany

19:57 - Floods in New York

21:12 - Wildfires Across the Globe

23:14 - Famine in Madagascar

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This week Heidi and Bella spoke with ocean governance and marine debris researcher, Jordan Gacutan. Jordan is a PhD candidate at the University of NSW who is working closely with NGOs such as Tarangoa Blue to collect big data and identify the sources and sinks of plastic. What you'll learn from this episode:

what is the source to sink pathway of marine debris?
what is the role of NGOs and the government in this space?
are we doing enough about the plastic problem?
extra link: NSW Plastic Discussion Plan

Thanks again for joining us Jordan and as usual, let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplaneta on our socials.

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

This week Heidi and Bella discuss the pathways to the future, the non-plastic pathways to be exact. In this episode you'll learn:

What is Plastic Free July about?
What is biobased plastic? And is it always biodegradable?
What are the best options we have for plastic alternatives? Incl. Loliware, B'zeos, Ecovative Design.
Can we start wearing mushrooms and eating seaweed!? (and if yes, where do I sign up?)
How can we all be futurologists?

Thanks for listening and let us know your thoughts by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials.

futurology #mushroombioplastic #bioplastic #seaweedbioplastic #lolliware #plasticfreejuly

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To kick off Plastic Free July we spoke with Life on Planet A's resident marine ecologist, Bella Charlesworth about all things plastic! We discuss the unlikely places where plastics have been found, as well on tips on how you can reduce the plastic you're using, wearing and chucking. Did you know you could be shedding plastics into the environment every time you wash your clothes? But what happens next? Press play to find out.

In honour of #plasticfreejuly we're dedicating the entire month to focus on plastic contamination and research as well as getting to know the start-ups give us a much needed solution to the plastic problem.

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Last week we traveled (virtually) to the Philippines to interview biologist and conservationist Jean Utzurrum about Seaspiracy; here's Part 2 of our chat! In this episode we learned:

does the film over-dramatize the dangers of South East Asia?
what struggles do conservationists go through (often daily) in South East Asia?
should we stop eating fish?
what positives are there to look to in the future of the fishing industry?
what is the meaning of life?

Also, stick around at the end for some news about Life on Planet A's cheeky relaunch. Thanks again Jean and we'll see you all in July!

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Chances are you've heard of the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, and you're probably also familiar with the controversy that came with it (if not, where have you been!?) Did the documentary make you question your actions? and everything you thought you knew about the fishing industry? Us too! But then we saw the mixed reviews appearing in the media and thought this was a dilemma we had to get to the bottom of. That's why we traveled (virtually) to the beautiful oceans of the Philippines, to get in touch with ocean conservationist, Jean Utzurrum.

In this episode, we discuss alternative methods of fishing, sustainable fishing, and the racist undertones throughout the film.

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

How would you debate with a climate change denier? This week Heidi and Bella will do it for you as they take on new personas to battle it out about the climate change debate. Heidi will play De Ny, a coal lobbyist and firm denier of climate change and Bella will be Cli Mate, climate scientist, and activist. Extra points if you spot the name puns!
Special guest appearances:
1. Shane Cornell discusses the price of renewable energy (from Episodes 23 & 24)
2. Richie Merzian discusses jobs in the non-renewable vs. renewable industries (Episode 28)

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Elsa has a degree in Geography and Sustainable development and is currently finalizing her Master's degree in Comparative Public policy. Elsa is particularly interested in the relationship between political trust and political participation (their undergraduate thesis topic) as well as environmental politics, circular economy and different forms of governance, and the intersections of social sciences and sustainability more broadly.

Time Stamps:

1:07 - Comparative Public Policy

10:38 - Epistemic Governance

18:22 - Circular economy

23:16 - Minimal state intervention

27:34 - Fairness versus Entitlement

32:00 - What is a policy?

37:38 - Book recommendations

39:00 - Democracy

42:00 - Human Rights

50:00 - Assigning Responsibility

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The episode is out with Ryan Collins from Planet Ark. We discuss Circular economy and all things recycling!

Timestamps:

2:50 - Planet Ark - Circular Economy Hub

3:17 - Introduction to Ryan

6:03 - Background on Planet Ark

8:18 - Recycling the Un recyclable

11:00 - Australasian recycling label

13:50 - Circular Economy

21:00 - Data and recycling

23:50- Will a circular economy solve our problems?

43:00 - Can everything be made of the same thing?

49:00 - Biogas

53:00 - Advice from Ryan

This week we speak with Ph.D. researcher, Babet de Groot. We discuss:

the plastic problem
ocean gyres
Biodegradable vs. degradable
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the difficulty in controlling/governing plastic in the mid-ocean.
UN Conventions for Ocean Plastic
NSW Plastic Discussion Plan

Babet is currently researching at the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. Thanks for joining us Babet! Let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast on your socials.

3:53 - The struggles of doing honors versus a thesis.

6:00 - Working at GHD

7:02 - What Babet does?

7:17 - Marine Plastic Pollution

7:41 - What is an ocean gyre?

9:07 -Degrading versus biodegradable

10:38 - Photodegradation (plastic degradation)

14:00 - Great Pacific Garbage Patch

20:00- UN Conventions for Ocean Plastic

27:00 -NSW plastic discussion

33:00 - Whose responsibility is it to deal with waste?

36:41 - China’s operational national sword

39:22 - Social and economic effects of plastic pollution

55:03 - Common but differentiated responsibility

57:15 - Transboundary issue of problem

1:02 - Plastic Myths

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Heidi talks to the listeners for a short rant to discuss the David Goggins Challenge she and her friend Diana are doing this week. She also gives an update about Life on Planet A and what is in store for the future.

Heidi and Diana wanted to run the 4/4/48 challenge to raise money for Deadly Science.

Deadly Science's aim is to provide science books and early reading material to remote schools in Australia. As of now, they have shipped over 16,000 books 500 telescopes and other STEM resources to over a hundred schools with more to come.

The Deadly Science LTD Charity started after Corey Tutt found out that some schools were completely under-resourced this is what created what is now known as DeadlyScience.

We know from personal experiences that books & resources change lives, and these kids deserve nothing but the best. DeadlyScience wants to ensure all schools have access to our history of Science by providing resources that connect schools to the First Scientists of Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To raise money for Deadly Science we will be running 78 km. If you want to join us for parts of the run on it starts Friday, March 6th at 8 pm and/ or you can donate to Deadly Science- our goal is to raise $3,000. In total, we will be running 78 km or 48 miles and we want people to join us for each of the 4 miles we do along the way.

So What is the 4/4/48 running challenge?

The 4/4/48 running challenge requires you to run 4 miles, every 4 hours, for 48 hours. This was made by David Goggins, a tough ex-Navy Seal.

Why is the 4/4/48 running challenge difficult?

At first, the idea of running 4 miles, every 4 hours, across 48 hours seems easy. For those who run regularly, 4 miles isn’t a huge distance. However, the number of times 4 miles is required across the 48-hours quickly makes the feat grueling as those undertaking the challenge clock up almost 50 miles. That’s nearly 2 whole marathons in 2 days.

One reason some find this challenge difficult and refuse to undertake it is the frequency required. Because you have to run 4 miles every 4 hours, it means you can’t get quality sleep. Sure, you might get a decent 2 and a half hours in but alarm bells will soon awaken you from a peaceful slumber and you will need to do your 4 miles. Sounds like hell to a lot of people.

We will be doing this to raise money and get our friends and family to push themselves outside their comfort zone. We will be posting more information soon about the route we will be taking and where everyone can join us along the way if they want to run parts of it with us!

Donate to the (not so) run fun here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fun-run-deadly-science-fundraiser?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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Part 2 or our talk with Tierney George - a graduate transport engineer at GHD, she is passionate about creating a safe, efficient and sustainable transport future

She wrote a thesis entitled, "The contribution of zero emission vehicles in meeting Queensland’s carbon targets". The reason that this is an important topic is that transport is one of the top three polluting sectors in Australia. However, Tierney in her thesis tells us that emerging technology such as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuels may assist in changing this scenario.

Her project sought to answer the question of if and how Queensland can reach zero transport emissions by 2050, with a particular emphasis on the impact of electric passenger and low emission freight vehicles. It investigated whether it was possible for Queensland to eliminate transport tailpipe emissions by 2050. It was confirmed that the goal could not be achieved under business as usual conditions, and that government controls on vehicle sales and registrations would be required. To attain near complete emission abatement by 2050, sales of light internal combustion vehicles would need to cease by 2030. Similarly, the sale of heavy vehicles with internal combustion engines would need to end by 2035, with the remaining ICVs in the 2050 fleet to be de-registered.

She recommends at the end "that policy makers consider boosting investment in the electrification offreight vehicles as well as the industry sectors that underpin the development of a successful hydrogen fuelled fleet." As well, future studies may consider repeating this process for the remaining vehicle categories,motorcycles, buses, and non-freight trucks, to develop a complete profile for the entire roadfleet. Further, the work may be adapted for non-road transport.

It was a very interesting interview - Follow us on @lifeonplaneta on Instagram and Facebook and our website lifeonplanetapodcast.com.au

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Heidi spoke with Saul Griffith this week and had a great chat about life, climate change, hydrogen, and some of the work Saul has done throughout this career. It was a pleasure speaking with him and this is one of my favorite chats so far.
A bit of background on Saul, he is an inventor and entrepreneur but was trained as an engineer. He received his Ph.D. at MIT in the junction between materials science and information theory. Prior to MIT, he studied in Sydney, Australia, and at UC Berkeley in metallurgical engineering.
He founded and co-founded numerous technology companies based in the Bay Area. These include Treau, Sunfolding, Roam Robotics, Fablight, Wattzon, Canvas Construction, Makani Power (acquired by Google), Instructables.com (acquired by Autodesk), Squid Labs, Howtoons, Optiopia, and Potenco.

Currently, he is Founder and Chief Scientist at Otherlab, an independent R&D lab that helps government agencies and Fortune 500 companies understand energy infrastructure and build transformational technologies that bring us closer to 100% decarbonization.

Thank you for all the work you do Saul!

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This talk is with Tierney George who is a graduate transport engineer at GHD, she is passionate about creating a safe, efficient, and sustainable transport future

She wrote a thesis entitled, "The contribution of zero-emission vehicles in meeting Queensland’s carbon targets". The reason that this is an important topic is that transport is one of the top three polluting sectors in Australia. However, Tierney in her thesis tells us that emerging technology such as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuels may assist in changing this scenario.

Her project sought to answer the question of if and how Queensland can reach zero transport emissions by 2050, with a particular emphasis on the impact of electric passenger and low emission freight vehicles. It investigated whether it was possible for Queensland to eliminate transport tailpipe emissions by 2050. It was confirmed that the goal could not be achieved under business as usual conditions and that government controls on vehicle sales and registrations would be required. To attain near-complete emission abatement by 2050, sales of light internal combustion vehicles would need to cease by 2030. Similarly, the sale of heavy vehicles with internal combustion engines would need to end by 2035, with the remaining ICVs in the 2050 fleet to be de-registered.

She recommends at the end "that policymakers consider boosting investment in the electrification of freight vehicles as well as the industry sectors that underpin the development of a successful hydrogen-fuelled fleet." As well, future studies may consider repeating this process for the remaining vehicle categories, motorcycles, buses, and non-freight trucks, to develop a complete profile for the entire road fleet. Further, the work may be adapted for non-road transport.

It was a very interesting interview - Follow us on @lifeonplaneta on Instagram and Facebook and our website lifeonplanetapodcast.com.au

Here is a breakdown of the podcast:

0:00 - Heidi Introduction

3:56 - What does Tierney think of nuclear?

5:50 - Introduction to Tierney

8:49 - Australia's carbon targets

9:21 - Paris Agreements

11:04 - How Australia is doing against Paris Agreement?

23:57 - Hydrogen

25:25 - Bella Enters the Show

29:40 - Hydrogen Freight Vehicles

32:35 - Transport Sector emissions

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EPISODE #28: Climate and Energy Policy with Richard Merzian from the Australian Institute. Richie Merzian is the inaugural Climate & Energy Program Director at The Australia Institute. Richie is a former Australian Government representative to the UN climate change conference and worked at the Department of Climate Change and the Department of Foreign Affairs for almost a decade on both domestic and international climate and energy agendas.
We speak with him about Australia’s attitudes towards climate change and energy, assessing the fairness of emissions targets, hydrogen, and coal. It was great to speak with him and listen to this podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts.

climatepolicy #theaustralianinstitute #Energy #podcast #lifeonplaneta #hydrogen #sustainability

Outline of Podcast:

0:00 - Introduction

10:41 - Intro to Richie

13:06 - The fallacy of coal providing stable jobs

16:42 - How to respond to people who claim coal is important for the economy

17:41 - Jobs generated by Renewable Energy

19:14 - Why are we not transitioning to Renewables quicker?

21:11 - Hydrogen

23:20 - Carbon Capture Storage

31:15 - Individual Impact

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PART 2 of our chat with Anthony Parrington! For our final episode on Energy we're going to talk about green cement, steel and hydrogen.

You'll learn:

What is hydrogen?
How do we use it for energy? Get your chemistry hat on tight! We're in for a bumpy ride
What is green cement and steel (hint: not just a pretty colour)
Can we store energy in hyrogen batteries? Is this viable compared to storing in electric batteries?

Thank you for joining us Anthony.

Useful links:

Read more about Anthony's work here.
ABC YouTube video about green hydrogen

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In our final episode for the year, we reflect on this crazy year: we take a look at some of our favourite guests, discuss sustainable gift ideas, New Year's resolutions, and a positive outlook to the future. We are super excited to be making this podcast and want to thank everyone for your support this year! Into the new year, we will continue to make podcasts and learn with you all. There is no Planet B, so let's learn and save Planet A.

Here is a breakdown of the episode:

0:00 - Heidi Introduction

1:03 - Summary of the world events which happened this year - 2020

5:19 - Thank you to our listeners

6:15 - Lockdown in Sydney

7:21 - Summary of our guests this year

9:30 - Some excerpts of our favorite episodes from the year

19:56 - Discussion on the brand Amazon with Daisy

35:55 - What Bella and I learned this year!

40:11 - Favourite Christmas movies

41:11- Christmas present ideas.

49:30 - New Years Resolution

52:04 -Meaning of Life

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Strap your chemistry hats on because this week we're learning all about hydrogen with engineer and hydrogen expert, Anthony Parrington.

You'll learn about:

Basic definitions of hydrogen and fuel cells
Collecting waste from cows & wastewater to turn into hydrogen
Hydrogen is already used in crude oil and petrol production
Biomass gasification

Useful links:

Australias National Hydrogen Strategy
Video on Hydrogen Strategy
Read more about Anthony's work here.
ABC YouTube video about green hydrogen

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

This is part 2 of our incredible conversation with Shane Quinnell about renewable energy and the future of energy in Australia. This week you'll learn about:

What does the future of wind and solar look like in Aus?
What are the roadblocks slowing down our renewable future?
Do wind turbines injure as many cats as Trump claims?

Enjoy and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta and #lifeonplaneta. Email lifeonplanetapodcast@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to get into contact with Shane.

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

This week we speak to motivational speaker and renewable energy Jedi, Shane Quinnell from Akuo Energy! You'll learn about:
- life advice on how to be resilient and bounce back from hard situations
- solar and the different forms (residential, utility solar, industrial, concentrated)
- the state of renewable energy in Australia
Let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta on your socials!

Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

This is the final segment of our interview with the incredible Stephen Hinchliffe. We will be discussing and learning about hydrogen energy, the uptake of EVs and how they compare to hydrogen, hot sediment aquifers (what are those!?), and the potential of geothermal energy in Australia.

As always, let us know what you think or if you have any questions by getting in touch on our socials!

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Part 2 of our series on Energy with Stephen Hinchcliffe. We discussed the extra expenses involved with manufacturing wind and solar which are come from more grid infrastructure and power storage being put in place.

In the future, renewable energy will be a mix and Stephen thinks nuclear should be considered as a part of the energy mix.

Benefits of Nuclear:

The new nuclear reactors have less waste than the first nuclear reactor.
Nuclear also has zero carbon emissions (besides the manufacturing of the plant).
The new nuclear reactors are modular reactors and are pre-constructed and sent to sites; therefore cheaper.
Floating nuclear power stations.
Blockchain technology is being used to track where the fuel rods go and then reprocess them.

Stephen suggests reading the report Managing System Strength during the transition to renewables.

Managing System Strength During the Transition to Renewables is a report intended to promote a broader understanding of system strength.As Australia’s power system transitions toward renewable forms of power generation, system strength has emerged as a prominent issue and has led to difficulties in developing and operating renewable generation projects.Here is the report.Support the show (https://www.patron.com/lifeonplanetapodcast)

Part 1 of our chat with Stephen Hinchcliffe. About Stephen: Stephen is a Chartered Engineer (UK), a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (UK), has a Ph.D. in power inverter technologies, Masters’ degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Business Administration and in Commercial Law with more than twenty-five years' energy sector working on projects in the UK, Europe, Northern Africa, Indonesia, Chile, PNG, Australia, and New Zealand. Impressed yet?

We learned:

What is system strength? In short, a measure of the network’s ability to maintain voltage levels during fault conditions
What will the transition to renewables look like?
As Australia’s power system transitions toward renewable forms of power generation, system strength has emerged as a prominent issue and has led to difficulties in developing and operating renewable generation projects.

Further reading: Stephen suggests reading the report Managing System Strength during the transition to renewables.

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This week we interviewed our friend Regina who works with her family in creating pineapple shoes. The pineapple shoe company is called Westrive. The companies mission is to minimize waste by creating vegan, biodegradable, ethical shoes from plant-based materials. Designed in Australia, sustainably handmade in Hungary, Europe.

There are issues with traditional shoes but Westrive is trying to resolve these issues by making shoes from Pi±atex®, a material made from pineapple leaves, which usually go into landfills after harvest.

The sole is natural and **made from virgin rubber milk, the natural milk of the lactate hevea tree. No deforestation takes place to harvest the milk - this is the fruit of sustainable forestry.

Then they ship directly from the factory to you, meaning that you don't have to pay for a middle man to ship your shoes. If you fancy a trip to rural Hungary or happen to be in the area - you are welcome to pick your shoes up in person! Peter is happy to give you a tour of the factory, he is a nice guy.**

It was great to speak with Regina this week and if you want to donate to this great shoe company go to their Kickstarter page below and check out their Facebook!

On this episode we also learn about starfish - you do not want to miss out on all of the fun facts!

Facebook pageKickstarter page

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This week Heidi and Bella talk about something we all know (and probably love): something that gets you up on the early, frosty mornings, something that gets you through the uni all-nighters and 8 am lectures...coffee, of course! This week we spoke with David Siegel, the Head of the Sustainability Scale at Tripod Coffee. What you'll learn:

Tripod Coffee is an Aussie brand creating certified compostable, Nespresso compatible, deliciously sustainable coffee pods.
These pods are made from plant-based materials making them 100% compostable
The pods are broken down into methane and fertilizer - some of which are used at a local NSW succulent farm!

Thanks for joining us David and we hope you guys enjoy it! Let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta and #lifeonplaneta

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Here's Part 2 of our talk with Kel and Em from FolkTribe Clothing! In Part 2 we talk about:

why use hemp fabric? what are the benefits?
Heidi's obsession with robots
What can individuals do to be fashionable and sustainable?

Thank you Kel and Em for joining us, we had so much fun talking to you!

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This week we're continuing with our theme on consumerism, by looking at what sustainable fashion can look like in practice. Heidi and Bella spoke to Kel and Em, two sisters sustainably leading the way. Kel and Em founded Folktribe Clothing - a clothing brand that makes beautiful, timeless, and 100% biodegradable dresses. Every part of their design is thought of from the fibers to the dye, to the buttons. Take a listen and hear how one small business has paved the way for a fashionably sustainable future.

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Part 2 of our chat with Jo Cramer! This week we look at Dr. Jo Cramer’s fascinating solution to fast fashion - extending the garment-USE phase. This week we talk about:

what is the ‘living wardrobe’?
how to extend your garment lifetime
how important are consumers and influencers in promoting slow fashion?
what can you do as an individual to be fashionably sustainable?

Find Jo's website 'The Living Wardrobe' here, where she has created beautiful, timeless, and innovative garments. For each piece, she has included instructions on how you can repair and modify the garment to prolong its lifetime.

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EPISODE #14: What is fast fashion and what are our other options? This week we spoke with Dr. Jo Cramer from RMIT about fast fashion and her thesis "Outfit From the Living Wardrobe".

This week we learn about:

What is Fast Fashion?
What is Slow fashion?
How does fast fashion affect the environment?

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 where we learn the solutions Jo is proposing (hint: she focuses on the garment use phase). See you then!

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This week you'll hear from... Heidi and Bella! We want to answer one of sustainability's biggest questions: what can we do as individuals to help the planet? We'll cover some of the big and small changes you can make to slow the climate emergency and help the planet. Topics include:

Veganism/plant-based diet
Collective action
Travel consciously (less flying)
Reduce waste & reduce consumption
Fast fashion and thrift shopping

You can find lots of useful links on a blog written by Bella, here.

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This week we spoke with Simone Unanue about her work as a sustainable architect and as sustainability manager for the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. She even had to manage dogs and alligators as part of her work! In this ep we cover:
- sustainable infrastructure rating tools (LEED, HQE, BREEAM)
- how sustainable supply chains work on small scales and large scales (e.g. the 2016 Rio Olympics)
- why did Simone need to manage dogs and alligators at the Olympics? (new event!?)
- how many stray dogs in Rio found new homes leading up to the Olympic Games as a result of the efforts of Simone's work and her team?
- how the Rio Olympics got their Gold medals - how hard is it to find sustainable gold?

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This week we spoke with activist and researcher Daisy Charlesworth about cooperative cohousing projects around the world. Here are the key points:

why is it unsustainable to buy/own investment properties?
what are cohousing and cooperative housing?
what do cohousing and cooperative housing look like in practice?

Here are the links for some of the projects discussed:
Nightingale Housing, Melbourne, AUS
LILAC, Leeds, UK
Mietshäuser Syndikat, Germany

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This week we were honoured to be joined by Prof. David Schlosberg, Director of the Sydney Environment Institute and Professor of Environmental Politics in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney.

You'll learn:

What is environmental justice? What is multi-species justice?
Can we give rights to the environment?
How can we put this into practice?
How are we adapting to climate change?
What are some of the contemporary environmental justice movements in this space? - who are they, where are they happening?

Useful links:

The Sydney Environment Institute and find them on socials @SEI
Learn more about Prof. Schlosberg and his work here
For more info on carbon capture technology, read here
The Guardian article about the trouble with gas in AUS
Plastic Rain!?
Wilflife caught in shark nets

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This week we spoke with Corey Tutt, an Indigenous mentor and STEM champion. He is the founder of DeadlyScience, an initiative that provides science books and early reading material to remote schools in Australia. Tutt is the 2020 NSW Young Australian of the Year and he was born in Nowra, New South Wales. He is an aboriginal of Kamilaroi country.

We spoke with Corey about Deadly Science and some of the amazing work they are doing; as well as what it has been like growing up as an Indigenous man. Corey also described to us what life is about and how we should all take care of ourselves and the environment instead of hate and biases.

https://deadlyscience.icu/

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This week we talked with Dr. Adam Lucas about the web of connections between coal lobbies, conservative media, and Australian politics. This is one of the interviews we've been most excited about and what we learned truly shocked us.

EDIT The Heartland Institute think tank is based in Chicago, Illinois, NOT California.

What you'll learn:

the various methods used by the fossil fuel industry to deny climate change
these include creating think tanks such as The Heartland Institute and funding climate science denial research
the 'revolving door' and 'golden escalator' movements of staffers between coal lobbies and government
how to talk to climate deniers and internet trolls (and learn from Bella about what not to do)
traceable and untraceable donations

To learn more:

Watch the Greenpeace documentary 'Dirty Power' and visit their website.
visit the Michael West Media website and learn about the staffers and MPs moving through these 'revolving doors'

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Take a listen to learn from Heidi and Bella about SOA, sea cucumbers, and anal teeth.
This week Heidi and I founded an organization called SOA Australia and we want to tell you what it's all about. We've had a full-on few weeks of interviews, so take this week to digest what you've learned already, and learn about an awesome project that we've started in Aus and one that you can be a part of!
What is SOA?
SOA stands for Sustainable Ocean Alliance and is a global non-profit organization that promotes the protection of Earth's oceans by supporting ocean start-ups and hosting Youth Ocean Summits.
SOA Australia, started by Heidi and Bella, is the Australian mentor hub for all Australian SOA hubs. Take a listen to hear what we'll get up to and like our Facebook page to become a member.

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This week we strapped our historian boots on and took a virtual flight to Malta where we met with maritime archaeologist Mieke Kassulke! This episode you'll learn about:

maritime archaeology in the Meditteranean and worldwide
fertility cults (Heidi's like of 3 nipples and excitement over hot, Paeonian singles)
what is a Paeonian single?
sustainable tourism
has Mieke found Atlantis?

Thank you, Mieke for joining us and letting us dive into your fascinating world of maritime archaeology

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This week, apart from learning how to make a Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich, we interviewed the incredible Dr. Ainsley Elbra to break down some key concepts surrounding renewable energy and mining. You'll learn about:
- the renewable energy race and its environmental impacts
- the concerns we should have about renewable energy
- the effect of mining on community displacement
- mining multi-national company (MNC) tax avoidance

In a recent article titled ‘A typology of Avoidance’ (we'll post the link) for the Sydney Environment Institute, Ainsley highlighted how the global race to address the climate crisis has overlooked the negative impacts of the global shift to renewable energy.

We tackle a lot of big questions this week, so strap your boots on and get ready to learn!

About Dr. Elbra:
For her master's thesis, Ainsley examined private governance as a solution to Africa's resource curse. Lately, Ainsley’s research seeks to understand the displacement effects of mining and renewable energy, with a focus on developing states. She is currently co-leading a research project on multinational corporate tax avoidance. This work looks at voluntary governance solutions and firms' responses to calls for greater tax transparency.

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This week we spoke with Orlando Hayes. Orlando is an ecological consultant at the Engineering company Arup and the co-founder of a non-profit called ShoutOut - a non-profit focused on connecting service providers and people experiencing homelessness (link to their Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/shoutoutsyd).

We speak with him about ecological cities, some of the cool things cities are doing to promote ecological diversity in the city, what being carbon neutral versus carbon zero means, and why we should all just stay home forever (animals should rule the environment - not us). All jokes aside - please enjoy this episode with ORLANDO HAYES.

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This week we talk about all things plastic with 'Plastic Free Boy' Arlian Ecker and his mum Karin. Already at 13 years old, Arline was 2019's Youth Ambassador for 'Clean Up Australia Day, has been nominated for the 'Green Globe Awards', was interviewed by A Current Affair, AND was the youngest person to speak at last year's Asia-Pacific Sustainability of Cities Summit!
This is a timely topic with the NSW discussion paper 'Cleaning Up Our Act' currently under review. Have your say before May 8th!

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Sustainability News This week:

Earth Day: How far have we come in 50 years since the first Earth Day
Micro-plastic contamination in East Antarctic sea ice
The environmental price of fast fashion

We talked to Kara Robinson from the company the South Pole to discuss environmental policy and break down some of the common terms we hear and describe what it means for emissions.

For example, some of the questions we asked were:

Companies such as New Forests have committed to becoming carbon-neutral businesses under a new climate action plan. Rio Tinto has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 and BHP last year confirmed its own net-zero target. What does this mean?
Is carbon offsetting the answer? What role does offsetting play in reducing carbon emissions?
What is your opinion of the Scope 3 Bill? What does this Bill say about the NSW government's motives towards combating climate change?

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Welcome to Ep 1 of Life on Planet A. We'll introduce our two hosts, Heidi and Bella, to talk about why we're here, where we're from, what we've got planned, and how we define sustainability.

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