Post-Growth Australia Podcast

World Population Day is approaching on July 11. According to the United Nations Population Fund, ‘8 billion people means 8 billion opportunities’, however many population sustainability advocates are not quite so optimistic. For this episode, PGAP welcome back Karen Shragg, American and Degrowth activist, along with two new guests, Madeline Weld and Valorie Allen from Canada. In this special four way discussion, we explore the similarities and contrasts of the population movement in across our respective countries and unite to shred the myths and misconceptions around population sustainability. Karen Shragg is a lifelong environmentalist, naturalist, educator, poet, author and overpopulation activist based in the USA. Her book ‘Move Upstream, A Call for Overpopulation’ was published in 2015. Her latest book ‘Change Our Stories Change our World’ was published in 2020. Karen maintains the ‘Moving Upstream’ blog and is a regular article writer. A recent article “For Your Consideration: To be Anti-Growth is to be Pro-humanity” can be read at Medium here. Madeline Weld is president of Population Institute Canada which seeks to inform the Canadian public and policy-makers about population matters. She has impressively held this position for almost 30 years. In the spirit of this episode of busting population myths, Madeline has published many impressive articles on this subject. Favourites include: “The 'Silent Lie' in Coverage of Madagascar’s Famine,” “The Myth of Canada’s Underpopulation: Lay it to rest” and “Deconstructing the dangerous dogma of denial”. Valorie Allen has been an activist for 35 years in the environmental, population and animal rights movements, receiving the Canadian Volunteer Award. Her first award-winning book “Growing Pains—A Planet in Distress” was published in 2010. This year, Val has published her new book “8 Billion Reasons Population Matters.” More information regarding her new book can be found here. Val’s website, Population In Sync here. Want to find out more about World Population Day? Considering we’re reaching an 8 Billion milestone very soon in a heating world running out of resources, you might imagine that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP) might sound a little anxious in their write up of the event. However, they sound pretty upbeat, showing more concern over population ‘alarmists’. Go figure. The UNFP also raise concerns around the historical legacy of family planning and reproductive health care. Jane O’Sullivan’s article for The Overpopulation Project “History was rewritten to delegitimize population concerns: we need to reassert the truth” challenges these notions and is essential reading. Given that the high court in the USA has just upended the Roe vs. Wade case, ruling no constitutional right to abortion in the USA, your PGAP host believes this is just the latest in a long trend of denying funding and support for family planning and healthcare. This impacts women for the worse and contributes to the 121 million unintended pregnancies worldwide every year. All the more need for episodes such as this one, bringing together a united female voice to the vexed population issue. Immigration was raised in this episode and on this topic I would like to invite you to watch a small video I made in 2020 for Sustainable Population Australia. “Migrant perspective - infrastructure and population growth in Melbourne” is unique in that a first generation migrant interviewee speaks directly to a population organisation in regard to growth based issues affecting his community in Melbourne’s growth corridors. Regardless of whether you believe this is a ‘population’ issue or merely ‘a lack of planning and infrastructure’, we can all agree that our current growth based paradigm is creating infrastructure starved ghettos that impact the prospects of newly arrived migrants. Can’t get enough PGAP? We don’t blame you! Click here and here for both World Population Day 2020 episodes, including recognisable guests such as Dave Gardner from Growthbusters and Terry Spahr, Director of ‘8 Billion Angels.’ Or our 2021 episodes with Sustainable Population Australia’s John Coulter and Nandita Bajaj from Population Balance. Links here and here. Karen Shragg was also guest on PGAP last year, her episode ‘Changing Our Story on Population’ can be found here. Finally, Jane O’Sullivan, quoted in this episode, was interviewed earlier this year, along with SPA Patron Ian Lowe, which can be heard here. That should be enough to keep you busy! Speaking of Sustainable Population Australia, SPA are proud supporters of PGAP. They are also very kind in allowing PGAP to venture beyond population into a broader conversation on Degrowth. This includes constructive conversations (we hope!) with guests who have very different or even oppositional perspectives on overpopulation. As the only Australian environmental charity currently willing to be centre stage on the ecological impacts of population growth, SPA relies on community support and donations to give momentum for their uphill battle. Consider giving them a little something here. If you’re still feeling charitable after that, please consider supporting PGAP. Podcasts like ours are the antidote and panacea to a mainstream media that has become corrupt, vacuous and dangerous. It is word of mouth that spread the work of the people, and PGAP is no exception. Please actively share this episode and others among your networks. Rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast. Please contact us to let us know what you think to this and other episodes of PGAP and what topics and guests you would like to see in future. More information on PGAP host Michael Bayliss can be found on his website here. _All views and opinions expressed by our guests, including references to their past and present work are totally their own and do not necessarily reflect any views or positions held by Post Growth Australia Podcast. _Special Guests: Karen Shragg, Madeline Weld, and Valorie Allen.

At PGAP, we have explored many different ideas and facets within the broad realm of Post Growth. Permaculture is a frequent topic on this podcast, so too is behaviour change and nature based spirituality. But what happens if you combine the best of both worlds? For example, the practicality of permaculture principles in conjunction with transpersonal psychology, energy meditation and nature connection facilitation? You get Dan and Johanna McTiernan, co-founders of Earthbound who live and manage a 6 acre homestead on Finland. Johanna and Dan are the guests of this episode of PGAP as we find out more about Earthbound. Dan McTiernan is a certified transpersonal psychology coach and subtle energy meditation teacher and has been deeply involved in the permaculture movement as a teacher, entrepreneur, writer and homesteader for 15 years. Johanna McTiernan is a certified subtle energy meditation teacher and a trained nature connection facilitator. With her husband, Dan, she has created permaculture projects including a community supported bakery in the UK, a regenerative olive and almond farm in Spain and a homestead in her native Finland. She is a lifelong seeker of meaning and meeting her family's needs in deep relationship with the land is her passion. Earthbound, the project Dan and Johanna run, offers 1-1 and group coaching facilitating growth, connection and healing at the fertile edge between transpersonal psychology, embodied meditation & permaculture. PGAP host Michael Bayliss first met Dan McTiernan through mutual connections with Holistic Activism founder Mark Allen. You can find out more about Holistic Activism here. Interested in listening to more PGAP episodes on permaculture? You might be interested in the season 3 episode with Shane Simon on Zero Input Agriculture or Season 2 episode with Tania Brooks for our Tasmanian Perspectives mini series of interviews. Would you prefer to listen to more episodes on behaviour change and spirituality? Our last episode with Paul Collins is a great listen. You might also like to travel back to season 1 for our interview with Darpan. Did you like this episode of PGAP? Then share it far and wide! Rate and review on Apple Podcast. Subscribe to PGAP here. You can contact us here to let us know your thoughts on this and other episodes and what topics and guests you would like to see for future episodes. The homepage for PGAP host Michael Bayliss can be found here. All views and opinions expressed by our guests, including references to their past and present work are totally their own and do not necessarily reflect any views or positions held by Post Growth Australia Podcast.Special Guests: Johanna McTiernan and Dan McTiernan .

In this episode of PGAP, we talk to Dr Paul Collins, former head of the religion and ethics department in the ABC. He is well known as a commentator on Catholicism and the papacy and also has a strong interest in ethics, environmental and population issues. Paul Collins is also patron of Sustainable Population Australia. Although Christianity is not often renowned in the broader community for its position on reproductive health care or environmental concerns, Paul challenges this presupposition. He is unique in his ability to weave theology into a discourse on environmental centred ethics. PGAP interviewed Paul on the back of his new book “The Depopulation Imperative. How many people can earth support?” Want to find out more about Paul? Visit his website here. You may also like to watch a short video on Paul from SPA’s meet our patron series. Want your own copy of the “The Depopulation Imperative?” A link to the book here. Paul was recently interviewed on ABC Radio National Science Show to promote 'The Depopulation Imperative'. Link to the episode can be found here Pope Francis’ position on choosing pets over babies as ‘selfish’ was referred to on the episode several times. A link to the article from The Guardian can be found here. What are your thoughts on the issues raised in this or other episodes of PGAP? Contact us here. Support PGAP by subscribing here and rate and review us on Apple Podcast. Share PGAP among your networks. This episode of PGAP is made possible from the kind support of Sustainable Population Australia. The perspectives and positions held by our guests are theirs only, this includes current and past published works. Not all views necessarily reflect those of PGAP. More information on PGAP host, Michael Bayliss can be found on his website hereSpecial Guest: Paul Collins.

“Sustainability and the New Economics: Synthesising Ecological Economics and Modern Monetary Theory” is a new book fresh off the print and on the shelves. It is an impressive volume containing chapters from a host of Australian game-changers including Michael Kirby, Ian Dunlop, Will Steffen and last episode’s guest Ian Lowe. The book details sobering realities regarding business as usual economics, while offering many realistic and applicable solutions based around ecological economics and modern monetary theory. PGAP spoke with lead editor Stephen Williams to find out more about this impressive book, and why economics is front and foremost of the world’s problems and why things need to change. Stephen Williams has a background in newspaper journalism and law. He began his journalism career at The Canberra Times in 2000 and subsequently specialised in environmental matters. His overarching interest is in designing sustainable societies. He believes mainstream economics can only provide a path to collapse. He is the co-editor of Sustainability and the New Economics: Synthesising Ecological Economics and Modern Monetary Theory (Springer, 2022). Want to find out more about “Sustainability and the New Economics: Synthesising Ecological Economics and Modern Monetary Theory”, purchase your own copy or encourage your local library to stock up? Check out the link to the book here Want to find out more about some of the topics that Stephen brought up in the interview? Modern Money Lab (courses, info): https://modernmoneylab.org.au Herman Daly essay (with top-10 policies): https://www.greattransition.org/publication/economics-for-a-full-world Did you like the economic focus of this episode? You might also like season 2 finale episode with Economic Reform Australia or The Economics of Arrival with Katherine Trebeck. Season 1 has the budget special with unconventional economist Leith van Onselen, or reimagining an earth centred economy with Michelle Maloney. SUPPORT PGAP! Rate and review us on Apple Podcast [here. Subscribe here. Contact us here. See you next episode? You wouldn't miss it for the world! PGAP is made possible with the kind support of Sustainable Population Australia. If you would like to find out more about PGAP host Michael Bayliss, his website can be visited here (All opinions, publications and positions held by PGAP guests do not necessarily reflect the positions held by PGAP).Special Guest: Stephen Williams.

Did you know that climate mitigation models show that the only scenarios that avoid dangerous climate change are those which assume global population peaks in the next decade and then declines? Why is no-one talking about this? Luckily for us and the future of the planet, PGAP’s two guests for this episode, Professor Ian Lowe and Doctor Jane O’Sullivan, have written a new discussion paper ‘Population and Climate Change.’ Co-written with Doctor Peter Cook and commissioned by Sustainable Population Australia, this new report uses clear concise language with thorough scientific research to make a very strong case for the role that population plays in this warming world. PGAP speaks with Jane and Ian to unwrap the key points behind the discussion paper and to find out more about the stories behind these two inspiring people. The discussion paper ‘Population and Climate Change’ can be downloaded from the Sustainable Population Australia website here. You can find out more about SPA and their recent campaigns here and here. Ian was recently interviewed on ABC’s Radio National Science Show on the ‘Population and Climate Change’ discussion paper here. As a patron for Sustainable Population Australia, Ian was also interviewed for SPA’s ‘Meet the Patrons’ series of short videos here. Ian’s interview can be heard between 00:07:10 and 00:29:52 Jane has just had a very topical article published in The Overpopulation Project: “Ukraine war: temporary glitch or tipping point?” Last year, she was guest on the award winning US based podcast “This Sustainable Life” to discuss SPA’s previous commissioned report “Silver Tsunami Or Silver Lining: Why We Should Not Fear an Ageing Population” - which Jane authored. Jane’s interview can be heard between 00:33:08 and 01: 01: 50 I note that the New Economy Network Australia (NENA) were very kind in sharing the ‘Population and Climate Change’ discussion paper. Their director, Dr. Michelle Maloney was one of the first guests on PGAP and both Jane and I have presented at NENA run conferences. NENA is collaborating with Griffith University's Yunus Centre to deliver a short course: " Building the Wellbeing Economy: Foundations for Learning and Practice." The course brings together 21 thought-leaders over 8 weeks to discuss how we might reshape the economy in which both people and the planet thrive. This is critical for any Post-Growth person to consider. To register go here, or follow the poster below! Loved the episode? Hated it? Love the episode but hate PGAP? Firecely undecided? We’d love to hear your (constructive) thoughts and feedback by contacting us here. Word of mouth is our main tool to crack the mainstream, so please consider sharing this episode, subscribe to PGAP or rate and reviewing this episode on Apple Podcasts. Want to find out more about the host? Check out my website here.Special Guests: Dr. Jane O'Sullivcan and Prof. Ian Lowe.

With the twin horsemen of climate change and diminishing fossil fuels impacting food security (did you know that 10 calories of fossil fuel are required per calorie of food?) it is evident that the future of industrial agriculture looks more than a little grim. Given that food is critical for survival, PGAP continues to explore the essential answers to the question: how do we radically change our approach to growing food in the years to come? Dr. Shane Simonsen operates a ‘Zero Input Agriculture’ farm in the highlands of South-East Queensland. What does zero input mean and does it work? Shane shares with PGAP how a zero input system works, in addition to weaving his vast knowledge and unique insights into a very pithy conversation with PGAP host Michael Bayliss. Shane regularly posts on his farm and his worldly observation on his website, Zero Input Agriculture, which we encourage you to explore. Shane has also been a guest on podcasts such as Abundant Edge. Shane and I are mutual contacts of Michel Stasse and Doon Wyborn, both doing great things in permaculture and collapse awareness. Both have also been previous guests on PGAP. You can listen to Doon’s interview here and Michel here. Do you enjoy this episode? Then please Support PGAP. Subscribe here. Contact us here. Rate and review us on Apple Podcast. Last episode I interviewed regenerative farming icon Charles Massy to promote the Fenner conference ‘Making Australian Agriculture Sustainable.’ The Fenner conference proved to be fantastic with its array of fantastic speakers and its juggling of the precariousness of Australia’s agricultural predicaments while also offering many hopeful solutions. I certainly learnt a lot more about dung beetles! The conference was supported and sponsored by Sustainable Population Australia, who also support this podcast. Good on them! These are a couple of online screenshots from the first day of the conference. I am sure higher quality photos, taken on ground, will be available soon! The song of choice for this episode is ‘Safe Room’, the first recorded single from my band ‘Shock Octopus’ back in 2011. Back then, songs about collapse were still seen as somewhat niche in the WA music scene (and in mainstream society more broadly). These days, collapse is so obviously a thing that even the Murdoch Press are talking about it! What can I say, I was there first. You can find out more about ‘Safe Room’ at the Shock Octopus Bandcamp page here (you can even support the artist and buy a copy – hint). Would you like to find out more about PGAP’s host, Michael Bayliss? You can find out more at my website here. Disclaimer: All opinions from PGAP’s guests are theirs alone, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or position held by PGAP, Michael Bayliss, or Sustainable Population Australia. This includes all current and previous research, work, advocacy or opinions attributable to our interviewees.Special Guest: Dr. Shane Simonsen.

On March the 17th, a conference will be converging in Canberra called ‘Making Agriculture Sustainable’. As we all know, Australian agriculture today is largely unsustainable. Soils are degrading and are in need of regeneration and broad acre farming is delivering food in quantity but not always in quality. So this conference will include an exceptional group of speakers to address the question: Can we feed ourselves and not destroy the Earth? One of the keynote speakers, Charles Massy, has become a household name in regenerative farming. He has a bestselling book ‘Call of the Reed Warbler: A New Agriculture’ and has been the subject of an Australian Story episode. PGAP is delighted to have Charles join us to discuss regenerative agriculture in depth and tell us more about the upcoming Fenner conference. (a sample of the many speakers at the 2022 Feneer conference) To find out more or to register for the 2022 Fenner conference ‘Making Agriculture Sustainable’ click here. The Australian Story episode of Charles Massy can be found here. To find out more about his book ‘Call of the Reed Warbler,’ start here Rod Taylor, one of the Fenner organisers, has also recently published a book ‘ Ten Journeys on A Fragile Planet.’ Agriculture and care for country are both reoccurring themes in this book. You can find out more here. This year’s Fenner conference is made possible by the generous support of Sustainable Population Australia (SPA). SPA are also the main supporters of PGAP. You can read more on their recent discussion paper of ‘Population and Climate Change’ here. If population policy in Australia is a concern for you in the lead up to the election, SPA offers come handy hints on making a difference here. SPA relies on grass roots donations, supporters and members to ensure that their important message has cut through in a generally unforgiving media environment. To support SPA, find out more here. It has been 50 years since that wonderful but intimating book ‘Limits to Growth’ was published in 1972. It is as relevant as ever (especially as the worst case projections in the book are all playing out on cue). A great article was recently written on the anniversary which can be read here. Got feedback? Post-Growth ideas? Or would you like to be a guest on PGAP or contribute your music? Then please say hello on our contact page here. Rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast. Share PGAP far and wide – with your kind support PGAP is becoming increasingly known and popular Thank you! The music of choice for this episode is 'Blame It On The Sun' by 'Counting Backwards'. A link to their Bandcamp page can be found here. Want to find out a little more about PGAP’s host? Michael’s website can be visited here.Special Guest: Charles Massy.

It is true that new houses require a lot a resources and emissions to build. So, it is critical that when we must build, that we do it right. Otherwise we waste so much in heating, air conditioning, repairs, demolition and all the other emission trappings with running a house. For this episode of PGAP, we chat with Simone Schenkel, award winning certified passive house designer and director of Victorian based Gruen Eco Design. Simone explains to host Michael Bayliss the fundamentals of passive housing design, how to make eco housing more affordable and why eco building should be the rule and not the exception in Australia’s construction industry. In true PGAP fashion, we also discuss the systemic issues that result in Australians paying high prices for what have been described as ‘glorified tents’ and what needs to change. Thinking of building your eco-home or want to find more about the fundamentals of passive housing design with Gruen Eco Design? Check out their Website, Instagram or their Facebook page and group. The way we plan and design our homes, communities and cities are an overlooked but critical component of the Post-Growth transition. You may be interested in our previous episode, ‘A Public Housing Revolution’ with Degrowth academic Dr Alex Baumann. This episode has proven to be very popular, touching a nerve with many new listeners. What are your thoughts on the state of Australia’s housing and urban planning systems? Most of us have very strong opinions on these issues as they have a huge impact on our time, money and lives. Share your ideas with PGAP by contacting us on our contact page. Rate and review us on Apple Podcast and share this podcast widely to your friends, family, archenemies and the neighbourhood cat. The music of choice for this episode was ‘Little Pete’s Playground’ from West Australian band ‘Soon’. For anyone into early 90s Shoegaze, the entire EP is a delight and one of my favourite albums of all time. PGAP is made possible with the kind support of SPASpecial Guest: Simone Schenkel.

Housing is an essential human need, but as the average median house price in Australian capital cities now exceed $1 million, this requires some very significant dropping into the marketplace in order to afford a roof over our heads. According to the research of PGAP’s esteemed guest Dr. Alex Baumann, the act of owning a property of one’s own can place one in that dreaded 1% richest people in the world. Alex discusses why the privatisation of land forces us all into lifestyles that are antithetical to the degrowth movement and why housing needs to be at the core of post-growth activism. Alex also explains why public housing is one overlooked solution and how reinvigorating this asset is part and parcel to a degrowth future. Ready to have your whole perspective on housing turned around? This is the episode for you! Dr. Alex Baumann and I found each other on the Town Planning Reblellion (TPR) Facebook group. Find out more about TPR and its parent organisation, Holistic Activism here. Want to be an ACTIVE part of the housing revolution? This is a great place to start. I interviewed TPR founder, Mark Allen on season 2’s “Exploring Christie Walk EcoHousing with Adelaide Chronicles and Town Planning Rebellion.” If you liked the themes in this episode you’ll love that one. I first came across Alex’s good work in an article in The Conversation titled: “We are the 1%: the wealth of many Australians puts them in an elite club wrecking the planet.” The article was co-written with Samuel Alexander, whose has been a inspiration for me in the Degrowth movement. Speaking of Samuel Alexander! The song of choice for this episode, “Meditations on Simplicity” is from the Mortimer’s Method album ‘Dreaming Backwards, Falling Awake’, based on excerpts from the Degrowth fiction novel ‘Entropia’ by Samuel Alexander. ‘Entropia’ isn’t the only fiction work on post-growth out there. PGAP interviewed Sharon Ede, post-growth activist and author of ‘Mage’, in season two of PGAP. Alex is even more animated on video! He explains many of the points raised in this episode and more in the YouTube video “A New Path to Sustainability.” Ted Trainer is an inspiration for Alex and was brought up several times during the interview. You can hear the PGAP interview with Ted in full here. Finally, Martin Tye, Australian regional chapter director of CASSE, will be giving a zoom presentation for the Sustainable Living Festival on "Degrowth & the Steady State" on 06th February, 9am AEDT. More information can be found on the SLF website. Martin was a guest on the first ever episode of PGAP and I’m sure he will be just as excellent in his presentation as he was on the episode! Essentially, I can't recommend him enough. Please contact PGAP with your thoughts and feedback or rate and review us on Apple Podcast. Share PGAP with your friends, families, network, your bitter enemies and the neighbourhood cat. Basically, everyone. Post-Growth Australia Podcast is made possible from the kind support of SPASpecial Guest: Alex Baumann.

Permaculture is a popular topic on PGAP. Many who practice permaculture tend to also resonate with post-growth ideas. But for those in the post-growth movement who don’t like to garden, are there still things we can learn from permaculture? Can permaculture principles be applied to the wider economic, political and social change movements, or should permaculture keep itself to the garden bed? A new book, ‘The Politics of Permaculture’ endeavours to unpack the theory and practice of this popular and broad social movement. Author Terry Leahy collated many interviews and points of view from permaculture practitioners across the world, from Australia to Zimbabwe and everywhere in-between, to capture the many perspectives of how permaculture is understood. He shares this and more with PGAP, including his own vision for a future gift economy. Having crossed paths with Terry Leahy through several community, gardening and permaculture initiatives in Melbourne, it was fantastic to reconnect with Terry again and dig in deep (literally and figuratively) over this very fascinating and thought provoking book. Support Post-Growth Australia Podcast. Subscribe to us through this link . Contact us on the contact form here. Rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast here. PGAP exists free of corporate sponsorship and advertising, so we rely exclusively on word of mouth to sow the seeds of the podcast that explores the most critical issues facing the planet. Would you like your very own copy of 'The Politics of Permaculture?' You can acquire it through Pluto Press here The song of choice from this episode is the very topical 'Climate Movement' from Formidable Vegetable. . Given how many times I have played Formidable Vegetable on PGAP, it is fair to say that I am quite the fan. It was wonderful to see them play live at New Years Eve in Albany and to discover we are (sort of) neighbours. If you would like to find out more about Terry Leahy's work he has kindly provided some links below: Leahy, Terry (2019) Food Security for Rural Africa: Feeding the Farmers First, Routledge. Leahy, Terry (2017) Humanist Realism for Sociologists, Routledge, Leahy, Terry, Website – [The Gift Economy](www.gifteconomy.org.au) Leahy, Terry – YouTube channel: What’s Wrong with the World and How to Fix it. Leahy, Terry and sister Leahy, Gillian (2013) The Chikukwa Project documentary - 53 minutes version Leahy, Terry and sister Leahy, Gillian (2013) The Chikukwa Project documentary- 20 minutes educational version And if this wasn't enough links: I recently had my 'post-growth manifesto' published on the Ending Overshoot blog. It is based on the script I used for the Christmas 2021 PGAP special. In Season 1 of PGAP I interviewed Anitra Nelson who had just co-authored an exciting overview of the Degrowth movement. I actually met Anitra through one of Terry's day parties. It is all one big happy and most functional family at PGAP! Too much permaculture barely enough? PGAP has interviewed David Holmgren, Caroline Smith, Tania Brookes and Artist as FamilySpecial Guest: Terry Leahy.