What if we shifted to a needs-based economy? Join me in our episode today featuring the incredible Helena Norberg-Hodge, world-renowned linguist, author, activist and filmmaker, as we discuss why shifting to a needs-based economy (or localization) would be the best path to addressing multiple converging crises that we face in the world today. Helena is the founder and director of Local Futures, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the revitalisation of cultural and biological diversity and the strengthening of local communities and economies world-wide. Today we cover:  The economy as a root cause perpetuating the crises we see in the world today; The history of our economic system; What a “needs-based” economy is; Whether we can adapt our current systems (e.g. economic, political, legal, food systems) to be “needs-based” to address the current crises, or whether we need to implement a whole new system; Whether any economic models (e.g. Doughnut Economics, Degrowth Economics) appeal to Helena as viable systemic solutions; Helena’s experience in Ladakh (otherwise known as Little Tibet) witnessing the societal shift from a needs-based economy (based on a mentality of abundance) to a Western economic model (based on scarcity); A bit about World Localization Day, what it’s all about and how to get involved; The issue of economic illiteracy as a barrier to effective climate and environmental activism; Why we all need to be literate in the areas of ecological and economic literacy to engage in effective activism; Helena explains the main points to focus on when building economic literacy.Show links: Helena Norberg-Hodge, about: https://www.localfutures.org/about/who-we-are/helena-norberg-hodge/ Helena Norberg-Hodge publications: https://www.localfutures.org/publications/ancient-futures-book-helena-norberg-hodge/ Helena’s podcast episode with Dumbo Feather: https://www.dumbofeather.com/podcast/conversation-series-week-10-with-helena-norberg-hodge/ Helena’s podcast episode with Futuresteading:  https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/helena-norberg-hodge-charts-clear-path-towards-systemic/id1507885629?i=1000524419899 Local Futures: https://www.localfutures.org/about/who-we-are/ World Localization Day: https://www.localfutures.org/world-localization-day/ Local Futures Podcast: https://www.localfutures.org/programs/global-to-local/local-futures-podcast/ Localization Action Guide: https://www.localfutures.org/programs/global-to-local/local-futures-podcast/ Local Futures Recommended Resources: https://www.localfutures.org/action-resources/recommended-readings/ 

Today I am in conversation with Elisa Rathje of Appleturnover to discuss "what if we shifted to a needs-based economy. I was keen to discuss the economy as it is a recurrent theme when researching root-causes of the climate crisis. Today we have a relaxed conversation covering the following topics: a childhood book inspiring Elisa right now;the challenges inherent in climate activism; the pros and cons of a “climate action roadmap”; the importance of non-violent communication in climate activism; what the term “climate crisis” actually encompasses - defining the problem; the economy as a “root cause” of the climate crisis with reference to Manda Scott and Miki Kashtan's conversation on the Accidental Gods Podcast (link below); Kate Raworth’s “Doughnut Economic Model”; How to navigate fear and panic about the climate crises; “Active Hope” online course by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone; The role and impact of scarcity in economics; How the economic system we have in place is an agreed upon story that can be re-written; We synthesise how, in practice, we can challenge the scarcity mindset on individual and collective levels; How universal basic services could be beneficial going forward; The importance of making decisions that factor in the question “does this decision or action regenerate life?”; Some classic band-aid solutions to the climate crisis to watch out for; We sum up our “take-away” learnings from our discussion. Elisa Rathje lives, writes and films the small work at Appleturnover, a small farm on a small island. Tollow her new series on regenerative living, the journal of small work* at https://www.patreon.com/appleturnover in film form and in accompanying small works both written and audio. You can also find Elisa’s writing on Instagram @appleturnover and at appleturnover.tvShow links: Appleturnover Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmUCs7dQxh61NeZQLsyJ2g Accidental Gods Podcast Episode with Miki Kashtan - https://accidentalgods.life/miki-kashtan/ Kate Raworth, Doughnut Economics - https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/ Jason Hickel, Degrowth Economics - https://www.jasonhickel.org/less-is-more Active Hope Online Course – Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone - https://www.activehope.info/the-authors Cover photo credit to @stasia.garraway @folklifemedia

 Tune in to the 6th and final episode of my deep dive into the hypothetical question “What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?Today I interview Dr. Hanabeth Luke, who is running as an Independent Candidate for the Electorate of Page. Hanabeth is a scientist and Senior Lecturer at the Southern Cross University. She helped found the world's first course in Regenerative Agriculture and was driven to run as an Independent candidate due to her concern with climate inaction in Australia. Today we discuss: How the campaign is going so far; How Climate200 has assisted Hanabeth during her campaign; How Hanabeth was selected to run as an Independent by the Voices 4 Page community group; Whether, if Hanabeth is elected,  she is open to considering the more progressive and "big picture" ideas in response to the climate crisis and 6th mass extinction; Why comments from the Nationals to the tune of "net zero is dead" are scientifically incorrect; Why it is essential for farming communities that Australia transitions to Net Zero, and how transitioning to more regenerative practices is of significant benefit to farmers; Hanabeth answers the question: will it be chaos if multiple Independents are elected into Parliament with a minority government? Hanabeth explains what she is disappointed by in politics right now and how she thinks things could be different; Hanabeth describes her greatest hardships in life and how they have shaped her to be the person she is today; and Whether Hanabeth thinks the Independents are in with a real chance this Federal Election. Show links: Dr. Hanabeth Luke Campaign Website - https://www.hanabethluke.com.au/  Dr. Hanabeth Luke, SCU profile - https://www.scu.edu.au/about/contacts/staff-directory/staff/36737.phpClimate200 -  https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=climate200

Tune in to the fifth episode of my deep dive into the hypothetical question “What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?Join me as I sit down with a friend we will call “John” - a person who has been involved in the “Voices 4” Democracy movement, to discuss: What the Voices 4 movement is all about;  Some of the issues with the democratic system in Australia; How the Voices 4 movement aims to combat the issues we face with democracy here in Australia;  How the mere presence of independents running in the Federal Election and in Federal Parliament can influence the conversation to create positive, tangible action;How John got involved in the Voices 4 movement to begin with;Some of the more practical considerations involved in setting up your own Voices 4 group; I ask who in Federal Parliament right now could be classified as a “climate denialist”; I ask who in Federal Parliament right now is acting in alignment with the science on climate.  Show links: Voices 4 Indi - https://voicesforindi.com/  Climate200 – https://www.climate200.com.au/ Voices 4 – general information on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_groups_in_Australia Zali Steggall – Climate Change Bill – further information - https://www.zalisteggall.com.au/media_release_zali_steggall_mp_presents_climate_policy_solution_for_cop26 

Tune in to the fourth episode of my deep dive into the hypothetical question “What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?Join me as I sit down with Dr Gretchen Miller, podcaster, documentary maker and former presenter on ABC Radio National of 20 years, who is producing the podcast “The Independents for Climate200”.  Gretchen has recently completed a PhD at the University of New South Wales, which focused on the power of podcasting in environmental communication. In the podcast “The Independents for Climate200”, Gretchen speaks with all candidates currently backed by Climate200 to get a feeling for who they are and what they stand for.  These are wonderful and engaging interviews that give insight into who the Independents really are. I highly recommend you give it a listen! I loved having this conversation with Gretchen and I found it really heart-warming in terms of restoring my faith in democracy and the upcoming Federal Election. Today we cover: The power of podcasting in communicating about the environment and creating empathy in the listeners;  Some of the themes to emerge from Gretchen’s studies at the University of New South Wales into podcasting, environmentalism and communication; Gretchen’s experience of learning about the severity of the climate crisis; A bit about the organisation Climate200; We discuss the intersection of climate activism and politics; We discuss some of our favourite moments from the podcast interviews featured on “The Independents for Climate200”; I ask Gretchen whether any specific moments from the interviews have stuck with her to create a lasting impression; How the podcast has been received so far; andWhether Gretchen thinks it’s possible to shake up Australian politics in the upcoming Federal Election. Show links: Gretchen Miller about - http://www.gretchenmiller.com.au/about.html Climate200 candidates - https://www.climate200.com.au/candidates Climate200 about - https://www.climate200.com.au/about-us Climate200 Podcast, “The Independents for Climate200” - https://www.climate200.com.au/podcast Australian Electoral Commission – Enrol to vote – last day to enrol 18 April 2022 https://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/ 

Overwhelmed by climate change? Want to make an impact?Tune in to the third episode of my deep dive into the hypothetical question “What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?Join me as I sit down with Sarah Wilson, best-selling author, podcaster, climate activist, philanthropist and so much more. While Sarah is not running in the upcoming Federal Election, she is working hard on the campaign trail to get Aussies to vote in a “climate safe” way.  This got me to wondering, what would a “best case scenario” for climate look like in terms of outcomes in the next Federal Election? Tune in to find out.   Today we cover: How the campaign trail for a “climate safe” Australian Federal Parliament is going. How Australian climate policy shapes up on the global stage. I ask Sarah to imagine a best-case scenario for climate in this Federal Election (that is strategically achievable) – and to describe the mechanics of what this Parliament might feasibly look like. The amazing independents running in this Federal Election and the underlying commonalities of their policy platforms.The kind of policies we need to see implemented following the Federal Election to rapidly and radically address the climate crisis (that are practically achievable).The importance of anti-corruption measures to limit the funding and power of fossil fuel companies. The role of Climate200 in backing community supported Independents.Strategies to engage the community to vote on climate; The importance of enrolling to vote and how optimising enrolment could radically impact the outcome in this Federal Election (LAST DAY TO ENROL TO VOTE IS MONDAY 18 APRIL 2022 - https://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/). I nerd out by asking Sarah a question on her creative process and Jungian theory – that we manage to relate back to the Federal Election (to keep it tidy).Show links: Sarah Wilson – about - https://www.sarahwilson.com/about/ Sarah Wilson Podcast – Wild - https://www.sarahwilson.com/podcast/ Sarah Wilson books - https://www.sarahwilson.com/books/ Enrol to vote - https://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/ Climate200 - https://www.climate200.com.au/ The Big Deal, documentary ABC - https://iview.abc.net.au/show/big-deal IPCC Reports - https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/  Climate Action Tracker - https://climateactiontracker.org/ 

Overwhelmed by climate change? Want to make an impact?Tune in to the second episode of my deep dive into the hypothetical question “What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?When I was researching this question, I asked myself, which steps would practically be required to “take control” of the upcoming Federal Election? In response, I came up with the following: We understand the process – how Federal Politics works and how to effectively engage in the process; We have a solid grasp of what we want - both as a Nation and also individually; We know which candidates are running, what they stand for, and how to call the bullsh*t; and  We encourage and inspire those around us to get involved in the Federal Election – so that we maximise our impact in regards to taking action on climate. This week I sit down with Audrey Quicke, a researcher from The Australia Institute (an independent think-tank based in Canberra) to find out - what do Australians really want in terms of climate action? We discuss the Australia Institute's survey, “Climate of the Nation 2021” which deciphers how Australians really feel about climate change, what climate action they want, and in what time frame. We then contrast these findings with the discussion paper “Undermining Climate Action”, which examines the Federal Government’s current policies on climate and the glaring inconsistency with their stated goal of net zero by 2050.  Show links: Audrey Quicke, researcher from The Australia Institute - https://australiainstitute.org.au/expert/audrey-quicke/ The Australia Institute - https://australiainstitute.org.au/  Climate of the Nation 2021, research paper - https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/climate-of-the-nation-2021/  Undermining Climate Action, discussion paper - https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/undermining-climate-action/ IEA Pathway - https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050 Whistleblower for carbon credit system, Professor Andrew Macintosh - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/insider-blows-whistle-on-greenhouse-gas-reduction-schemes/100933186 

What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election? – Part 1, with David Cox, Political Educator, Auspol Explained. Overwhelmed by climate change? Want to make an impact? Tune in to the first “what if?” installation where we deep dive into the question:What if we (the Australian people) took control of the next Federal Election?It IS possible for us to radically reshape Federal politics in the upcoming Federal Election. It is imperative that we take urgent action on climate change, and getting involved in the upcoming Federal Election is the best way to scale up our activism on this issue as a Nation . It's a big job, and it's going to require YOU getting involved in the process – but don’t worry, we are going to work our way through it together with some reassuring expert guidance.Today, David and I cover off: The structure of Federal Politics and how it works; What the job of being a Senator or Member of the House actually entails; How a person actually becomes the Prime Minister; What a leadership spill is – and how the rules have changed; A bit about electorates; A bit about preferences; Voting for an Independent or Minor Party – is it a waste of time?We discuss the power of your Vote; Where to find unbiased information (or minimise the bias); When the election candidates will be announced; How to go about researching the candidates; Tips to call out politicians on their BS; The practical process of voting – how to vote correctly;  Is it possible to radically reshape politics in the upcoming Federal Election to take action on climate change? I am anticipating 5-7 installments in response to this “what if?” question, taking the form of podcast interviews, written discussion pieces and artworks.I invite you to participate in helping to shape a better future – in a very practical and tangible way. Show Links: Auspol Explained Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/AuspolExplained?app=desktopAuspol Explained Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuspolExplained/They Vote For You - Researching the voting history of politicians - https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/about Update your enrollment details (or enroll to vote) - https://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/update-my-details.htm 

Tune into episode 20, a reflection episode, where I am interviewed by Bec Shann (@thinkbig_livesimply) about:Who I was before Season 1 of "Big things. Little things" and who I am now (surprise - I am actually the same person); Whether I view myself as a conventional or unconventional person, and a little about my upbringing and education; Some common themes I have identified throughout the Season; The importance of the "struggle" and finding the lessons in it;Some struggles I have been facing of recent times; Some coping strategies for when I am experiencing extreme emotions; Comparing the vision I had for 2050 before and after Season 1; and What is to come in Season 2 of the podcast. Northern Rivers flood donation links: Bundjalung Community Flood Relief, by Koori Mail - https://www.gofundme.com/f/bundjalung-community-flood-relief?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer Northern Rivers Pregnancy & Birth Flood Support - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-birthing-families-with-support-and-supplies?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer Show Links:Big Things. Little Things. Website - https://www.bigthingslittlethings.com.au/Bec Shann, Think Big Live Simply Website - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjk87DGsa32AhUL3jgGHWcmCREQFnoECAwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthinkbiglivesimply.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw1YBmrZcjw5eTxul7yIsBWh Jess Andrews, Birth Keeper - http://www.jesszoe.com/ 

Tune in to episode 19 where I chat with Brenna Quinlan, permaculture designer and teacher, illustrator, activist and general ray of sunshine about: How she maintains the purity of her artistic creations from the ever encroaching  capitalist growth machine; Brenna's artistic process and where her creative ideas originate from; Who Brenna is inspired by and who has influenced her thinking over the years;How Brenna navigates ecological grief; How Brenna feels about the future in light of climate change; Crucial skills Brenna thinks are necessary to learn looking to the future (spoiler, it’s not what you think); How Brenna has approached her own permaculture design in the eco village; Some practical things to keep in mind when designing a house and thinking about future-proofing for climate change; What the ultimate “spa-day” would look like for Brenna; Show links:Brenna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenna_quinlan/ Brenna's website: https://www.brennaquinlan.com/ Grow Do It website: https://www.growdoit.org/ Grow Do It YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/growdoitCharles Eisenstein, The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible book - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-more-beautiful-world-our-hearts-know-is-possible-charles-eisenstein/book/9781583947241.html