Think: Sustainability

A good ad campaign can change your behaviour for life. A bad one can hurt a good cause. But both can be very entertaining! We rate and review some of our favourites. Featuring: Aimee Smith, Graduate Research Student and Sessional Academic in the Marketing Discipline Group at the University of Technology Sydney Producer & presenter: Lawrence Bull

How do you repopulate a native species in steep decline? Join us on a dive into the front lines of our marine ecosystem to peek through the curtains on Australia’s most romantic animal. Featuring: Mitchell Brennan, Project Manager of the Sydney Seahorse Project & PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney Mentioned: Faithful pair bonds in wild seahorses, Hippocampus whitei - Amanda C. J. Vincent A seahorse father makes a good mother - Amanda C. J. Vincent iNaturalist: Sydney Seahorse Project Instagram: Sydney Seahorse Project Producer & presenter: Lawrence Bull

They’re in pizza boxes, toilet paper and dozens of other common household items, but chemicals such as PFAS are likely making us very sick. Featuring: Joanna Pickford Dr Rachael Wakefield-Rann, Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Executive producer: Lawrence Bull Producer & presenter: Wendy Frew

After reading an online rant about energy use, I took immediate action to radically reduce my carbon emissions. But after two years of chaos, I became worried about my wellbeing. Was I destroying my mind to save my soul? Featuring: Dr Tania Leimbach, Research Assistant at the School of Communication, University of Technology Sydney. Christina Brauer, Postgraduate Professional Development Learning Designer, University of Technology Sydney Producer & presenter: Annamarie Reyes Executive producer: Lawrence Bull

When Elliot returned to the office after a brain injury, his colleagues struggled to understand his bizarre behaviour. His experience could help us ignite widespread action on the climate crisis. Featuring Professor Chris Riedy, Associate Director of Learning And Development at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Mentioned: Antonio Damasio, Professor of Psychology Philosophy and Neurology, University of Southern California Martha C. Nussbaum, Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago Marshall Ganz, Senior Lecturer in Leadership Organizing and Civil Society, Harvard University Imagining Transformation: Change agent narratives of sustainable futures by Chris Riedy and Sandra Waddock Good Energy: A playbook for screenwriting in the age of climate change The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson This episode was produced and presented by Lawrence Bull

We kill millions of animals at a cost of tens of billions of dollars a year. What would happen if we stopped? Featuring: Dr Eamonn Wooster, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Technology Sydney Host: Lawrence Bull Music: Epidemic Sound

With most of us breathing air that is causing us harm is Algae the key to a world of clean air? Dr Alex Thomson is an Industry Engagement Manager for the Climate Change Cluster (C3), UTS Professor Sara Wilkinson, School of Built Environment at UTS Professor Andrew Tovey, TULIP Program Manager, Senior Research Consultant, Urban Systems, UTS

There has been a great amount of focus on planting trees in public spaces but what about in the private realm, in your very own backyard? Is there space for you to plant a tree? If developments do not include space for vegetation within their designs, what happens to the future of our cities? Join us as we explore the opportunities and challenges of increasing the urban forestry within private properties.    Featuring: Associate Professor Abby Mellick Lopes, design researcher in the School of Design, and Course Director of Postgraduate Design Studies, University of Technology Sydney. Associate Professor Joe Hurley, Center for Urban Research at the RMIT University Host: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

In this episode we ask a big question – can capitalism work alongside a sustainable environment? Featuring: Dr Jonathan Marshall Host: Lawrence Bull

With the ever presenting threat of climate change looming, and the increasing severity of natural disasters it will bring, concerns on the reliability of Australia’s regional power grid during times of crisis. Due to Australia’s low population density particularly in rural and regional communities, electricity travel great distances from power stations to these communities. This makes them particularly vulnerable to failure during natural disasters, cutting off residents’ access to basic necessities and hindering rescue efforts. Research into microgrids shows promising results that the implementation of small, local electricity grids powered using renewables can provide a stable source of electricity when mainlines fail during times of crisis. Featuring: Dr. Sarah Niklas; Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures University of Technology Sydney. Host: Cameron M. Furlong Music: Web Building Serge Quadrado, LASERS Porto  

Have you noticed a change in the weather seasons? Is there such thing as a normal summer or a normal spring anymore? In this episode, we discuss how the shifting seasons are impacting plant behaviour and entire ecosystems. Meet two researchers investigating phenology shifts and predicting how plants could react to future climate scenarios. Featuring: Professor Alfredo Huete, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Dr Nathan Emery, research scientist at the Australia Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Host: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

Will we meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030? This episode focuses on how the United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals are being used and measured within the education and business sector.   Featuring: Associate Professor Melissa Edwards, Director of the Executive MBA program at the University of Technology Sydney Business School Dr Rosemary Sainty, founding Australian representative to the UN Global Compact   Alex Fransen, Sustainable Development Goals Project Manager, University of Technology Sydney Host: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

It turns out there really are “good vibes”! Scientists and engineers are decoding the vibrational languages of plants, insects, and other animals. If they succeed, we could reduce the need to water crops and poison insects; we could tell plants to grow quicker and stronger, and even help heal broken bones. Featuring: Dr Sebastian Oberst, Associate Professor at the School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney Producer & Presenter: Lawrence Bull Music: Epidemic Sound

Climate change doesn’t impact all countries equally, often it is the countries that have contributed the least to the climate crisis that are the most vulnerable to it. In this episode, we focus on one of the main topics on the COP27 Climate Summit agenda- loss and damage. In this special edition of Think: Sustainability, you will also hear from a campaigner attending COP27 about a separate campaign led by Vanuatu advocating for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on human rights and climate change.   Featuring:  Vishal Prasad, Campaigner, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change PISFCC Professor James Goodman, a Professor in Social and Political Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Dr Melanie Pill, a Research Fellow at the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Host: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

To meet global net zero 2050 targets we need to not only reduce carbon emissions but capture the carbon already within our atmosphere. So, how do we go about this? In this episode, find out about the myriad of ways that carbon can be captured, stored, and repurposed. While it's not a simple task that can be pulled out of thin air, are we on the right track to meet 2050 goals? Featuring: Dr Alex Thomson, marine ecologist, Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney Professor Peter Ralph, executive director of the Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney Host: Marlene Even Production Assistant: Jessie Kay Music: Epidemic Sound

Current climate change predictions means we will see an increase in extreme weather patterns. So what does the inevitable rise in temperature, increase in flooding, hail, and other extreme weather events mean for the future of our houses? In this episode, we look at why you should, and how you can, build resilience into your home. Whether you’re a tenant or a homeowner, building resilience is more about planning for the future or as the scout motto goes; be prepared!  Featuring: Simon Anderson, Director of Anderson Architects Caitlin McGee, Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures University of Technology Sydney  Producer: Melanie Scott Host: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

Many of us want to see the Great Barrier Reef before it’s too late. There’s something about the experience of seeing its vast coral shelves in real life that makes it more real to us. And once we’ve experienced it, we might be more likely to care about it. In this episode of Think: Sustainability, we take a look at how tourism can create advocates, or sometimes citizen scientists, out of tourists. Tourism operators and scientists are working together to achieve common goals, and we see just what makes that relationship successful. Featuring: Gemma Gillette, PhD Candidate, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney Lorna Howlett, PhD Candidate, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney and Crew Member, Wavelength Cruises Hanne Nielsen, Lecturer in Antarctic Law and Governance, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Producer: Josh Green Presenter: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

The State of the Environment 2021 report paints a grim picture of Australia’s biodiversity, including an increase in the number of listed threatened species. Experts have continuously pointed to legislation as a major hurdle to improving conservation. So, with the Australian government recently pledging to reform environmental legislation- could we close the legal loopholes and save our threatened species? In this special edition of Think: Sustainability a panel of experts tells us about the law reforms needed to conserve and protect threatened species. Featuring: Dr Ian Cresswell, Co-chair of the 2021 State of the Environment Report Rachel Walmsley, Head of Policy and Law Reform, Environmental Defenders Office Dr Leigh Martin, Ecologist and Environmental Sciences Program Director at the University of Technology Sydney. Producer/Presenter: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

How do we sustainably use phosphorus fertiliser? A large amount of phosphate rock-a finite resource used for fertiliser- is being wasted across the supply chain, with very little being recycled or recovered. In this episode, we investigate the methods to manage phosphorus supply sustainably from using fertiliser efficiently to changing our diets.  Featuring: Professor Stuart White, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney. Chris Hall, Regenerative Farmer and cherry grower. Stephen Annells, Chief Executive of Fertilizer Australia. Producer/Presenter: Marlene Even Music: Epidemic Sound

2021 has been another challenging year for the planet. But it hasn’t all been doom and gloom. In this episode we look at some success stories; from coral restoration in the Great Barrier Reef to promising emission reduction targets. We speak to a Victorian community fighting against a mine in their midst and track an exciting new hope for Aussie icon, the Tasmanian Devil. Featuring: Professor David Suggett, Director of the Future Reefs Program at the University of Technology Sydney Lise Walbom, CEO of Food Nation Denmark Kelly Davis, Supervisor at Aussie Ark Debbie Carruthers, Campaigner at Mine Free Glenaladale Producer/ Host: Sophie Ellis Music: Epidemic Sound