Think: Sustainability - podcast cover

Think: Sustainability

2SER 107.32ser.com
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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Episodes

#80 - What Are We Doing to Our Water?

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...

Mar 26, 201821 minSeason 3Ep. 3

#79 - The Slippery Slope of Environmental Offsetting

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 a...

Mar 19, 201821 minSeason 3Ep. 2

#78 - Should We Capture and Store Our Carbon Emissions?

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 ...

Mar 12, 201821 minSeason 3Ep. 1

#77 - The Hunt For Coral Superheroes

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

Dec 04, 201723 minSeason 2Ep. 80

#76 - The Age Of Citizen Science

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: Le...

Nov 26, 201720 minSeason 2Ep. 79

#75 - Why We Shouldn't Chop Down Our Logging Laws

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

Nov 20, 201720 minSeason 2Ep. 78

#74 - What Happens When A Species Goes Extinct?

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, ...

Nov 13, 201724 minSeason 2Ep. 77

#73 - Turning Cane Toads Into Sausages

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.

Nov 05, 201720 minSeason 2Ep. 76

#72 - Should We Put A Price On The Environment?

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...

Oct 29, 201719 minSeason 2Ep. 75

#71 - What's A Future Without Phosphorus?

It's one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time, but no ones seems to be talking about it. And that's because a lot of us don't know that much about it. Dana Cordell from the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney has spent the past decade researching phosphorus, what it is, what it does, why it's so important and how quickly we're running out of it. Producer/Presenter: Jake Morcom.

Oct 22, 201719 minSeason 2Ep. 74

ENCORE - Australia's War On Feral Cats

We're on break this week while 2SER is in the middle of Supporter Drive. 2SER Radio is the station that makes Think: Sustainability and our two sister programs Think: Health and Digital Futures possible, however running a radio station doesn't come cheap. You can support the Think programs, 2SER and make a tax deductible donation by heading to 2ser.com/donate.

Oct 15, 201724 minSeason 2Ep. 73

ENCORE - A Legal Regime To Save Aboriginal Knowledge

We're on break this week while 2SER is in the middle of Supporter Drive. 2SER Radio is the station that makes Think: Sustainability and our two sister programs Think: Health and Digital Futures possible, however running a radio station doesn't come cheap. You can support the Think programs, 2SER and make a tax deductible donation by heading to 2ser.com/donate.

Oct 08, 201732 minSeason 2Ep. 72

#70 - The Carbon Footprint Of Your Facebook Posts

Today on the show, the carbon footprint of data. On paper that sounds like a contradiction - how can a photo I post to Facebook be affecting the health of the planet? Well, it's not the post itself that's doing the harm, it's the technology that makes it possible. And it's these tech that live in places known as data centres. Speakers: Ella Barclay - Artist and Graduate Student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Rodney Gedda - Senior Analyst at Tel...

Oct 02, 201719 minSeason 2Ep. 71

#69 - Gassy Corals

The Great Barrier Reef has taught us much about marine ecology, but there's still so much we don't know. Do we have enough time to learn everything we can before the natural landmark is lost forever? Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producers: Miles Herbert and Jake Morcom.

Sep 24, 201721 minSeason 2Ep. 70

#68 - Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is the only cardiovascular risk that can't be resolved by doctors or medications, it's purely up to the politicians. Speakers: Kirsten Parris - Associate Professor of Urban Ecology at the University of Melbourne. Thomas Muenzel - Chief in Caridology in the University Hospital in Mainz, Germany. Dino Pisaniello - Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health at the School of Public Health at University of Adelaide. Xiaojun Qiu - Director of the Centre for Audio-acoustics and ...

Sep 19, 201719 minSeason 2Ep. 69

#67 - What Ever Happened To Acid Rain?

The first recorded acid rain events date back to the 17th century, but it wasn't until the early 1970s that it became a huge problem. Today, while the global community seems focused on dealing with climate change, what's important about the story of acid rain is not only can it teach us how we can tackle global climate issues but also why we're so bad at doing it. Speakers: Derek Eamus - Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Charles Driscoll - Professor in t...

Sep 10, 201722 minSeason 2Ep. 68

#66 - When Algae Turned The Water At Bondi Beach Blood Red

On 26 November 2012, Australia's iconic Bondi Beach was closed as the crisp, blue coastline turned red. And although many likened the newly blood red waters to that written in scripture, it was in fact algae that was responsible for the beaches temporary pigmentation. Although not necessarily life threatening algal blooms as they're known can be harmful, as dangerous toxins can reside in the water where the bloom occurs and damage important marine life and ecosystems. Presenter: Jake Morcom. Pro...

Sep 03, 201727 minSeason 2Ep. 67

#65 - Clean Coal And The History Of Climate Denial

Australia is in the middle of a debate about coal. The Queensland government is determined to expand its coal production. Indian billionaire Gautam Adani continues to gather support from politicians for his Carmichael Coal Mine in the Galilee Basin. There has been significant push back from scientists and citizens who know that coal production is the leading cause of CO2 emissions and a huge contribute to global climate change. Despite this fact, politicians and resource companies either are con...

Aug 27, 201729 minSeason 2Ep. 66

#64 - Australia's War On Feral Cats

In 2015 Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner Gregory Andrews announced a plan to kill 2 million 'feral' cats in an effort to save the countries native species from extinction. More than two years on the feral cat population has not decreased. So are culling techniques an effective and humane way of population control? Producer/Presenter: Miles Herbert Speakers: Alex Vince: Animal Liberation Kristina Vesk: Cat Protection Society Dr Daniel Ramp: Associate Professor and Director, Centre for ...

Aug 20, 201723 minSeason 2Ep. 65

#63 - Algae And All It Can Be Used For

You might already eat algae when you pick up a sushi roll. But it turns out algae may be a sustianable substitute for everything from Legos to surfboards to health products. Presenter/Producer: Miles Herbert Speakers: Dr Janice McCauley: Research Fellow, Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney Judy Friedlander: Research Assistant, Institute for Sustainable Futures at the Univeristy of Technology Sydney Ross Thompson - Chair of Water Science and Director of the institute for...

Aug 14, 201729 minSeason 2Ep. 64

#61 - Can Co-housing Solve Australia's Housing Affordability Crisis?

Where will you live when you're 65? Or perhaps you're retiring now, and you're thinking about your options? Cooperative living has come a long way since the hippy communes of the 1960s. It's a choice that's not only good for social wellbeing, but could be helping the environment too. Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producer: Jake Morcom, Lia Tsamoglou, Cheyne Anderson.

Jul 30, 201726 minSeason 2Ep. 63

#60 - Why Lake Chad Is Shrinking

Between the 1960s and early 2000s, over 90% of Lake Chad has shrunk. Today, the lake provides water to over 68 million people in both Chad and Nigeria, and to the surrounding countries of Cameroon and Niger. But as water resources continue to dwindle, how long until Lake Chad is lost for good? Speakers: Danladi Yunana - Research Teaching Assistant at the Federal University Wukari, Nigeria. Dr Leigh Martin - Scholarly Teaching Fellow in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology ...

Jul 24, 201724 minSeason 2Ep. 62

#59 - Bill Gates Really Loves Chickens

Last year, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates announced his foundation would donate 100,000 chickens to impoverished nations in an effort to help bring them above the poverty line. But with the Bolivian government already slamming the gesture calling it 'offensive', is the plan as feasible as Gates says it is? Producers: Miles Herbert, Jake Morcom, Lia Tsamoglou. Presenter: Jake Morcom.

Jul 16, 201724 minSeason 2Ep. 61

#58 - Pour Yourself A Sustainably Sourced Cocktail

Straws and plastic cups aside, how else might your beverage carry a carbon footprint? This week we meet up with the guys from Trolley'd, a bar venture hire with a sustainability ethos to talk how they make a good drink using only organic produce. Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producers: Cheyne Anderson and Lia Tsamoglou.

Jul 09, 201724 minSeason 2Ep. 60

#57 - How Can We Escape Plastic?

They're tailored to the bottom of your shoes, they line the coffee cup you drink from, they're even fixed to the outside walls of your home - how can we possibly escape a world that's dominated by plastic? Presenter: Jake Morcom. Producers: Jake Morcom, Lia Tsamoglou and Cheyne Anderson.

Jul 02, 201730 minSeason 1Ep. 43

#56 - The Dread Of Environmental Change

When Jason was living in New York, he knew the city inside out. Which 24 hour diners were the best for a 3am feed, which cafes had the best lattes. But due to rapid urbanisation, the city he once knew quickly began to change, which brought other complications along with it. Speakers: Jason Twill - Innovation Fellow in the Department of Design, Architecture and Building at the University of Technology Sydney. Producer/Presenter: Jake Morcom.

Jun 25, 201723 minSeason 2Ep. 59

#55 - How Drone Technology Is Engaging With Conservation

Where many Australians have strong ties with the beach and coast, too comes the love-hate relationship we have with what lies beneath the water's surface. A new research project involving two researchers from the University of Technology Sydney could help identify sharks before they reach close to shore using an artificial intelligence drone technology. Producers and Presenters: Jake Morcom and Lia Tsamoglou.

Jun 17, 201725 minSeason 2Ep. 58

REBROADCAST - Why They Named A Fly After Beyoncé

As 2SER heads over to New York for the New York Radio Awards, we bring you the episode of Think: Sustainability that was nominated in the Environment and Ecology category. Why'd they name a fly after singing megastar Beyoncé? What do the sounds of small sea creatures say about the wellness of the ocean? And what does a sustainable house look like? Presenters: Jake Morcom and Ellen Leabeater. Producer: Jake Morcom.

Jun 12, 201730 minSeason 2Ep. 57

#54 - Is Being A Vegan Sustainable?

Does steering off meat and turning to a leafy green diet lower the impact of our global carbon footprint? Hosted by Jake Morcom. Produced by Lia Tsamoglou.

Jun 04, 201722 minSeason 2Ep. 56
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