Women for Conservation with Isabella Cortes Lara

January 23rd, 2023  |  Season 4  |  1 hr 3 mins

colombia, environment, family planning, isabella cortes, population, reproductive health care, women for conservation

On November 15 2022 the global population hit 8 billion. Despite the fact that half of all the world’s pregnancies are unplanned, any talk of global approach to family planning and reproductive health care in the global south remains controversial. So often, this is debated across the global north without including stakeholders who live in the global south and work with the issues first hand. PGAP aims to make amends for this oversight by inviting Isabella Cortes Lara to the podcast, Vice President of ‘Women for Conservation’, who work alongside rural communities in Colombia and Nepal. An incredible artist and storyteller, Isabella shares with PGAP how W4C started, the decision to focus on family planning and reproductive healthcare as a solution to the environmental and reproductive issues affecting rural Colombia, and how her artistic and spiritual approach to life intersect and inform her activism.

Fuzzy Logic on a Fragile Planet with Rod Taylor

December 19th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  59 mins 14 secs

degrowth, environment, holistic activism, mmt, post-growth, rod taylor, science, ten journeys

Rod Taylor is a multi-talented broadcaster, videographer and author based in Canberra. In addition to hosting the Fuzzy Logic Science show, he is author of the 2020 book “10 Journeys on A Fragile Planet”. This extraordinary book details the personal journeys of extraordinary environmentalists and game changers. This episode is dedicated the memory of Haydn Washington.

Organic, Regenerative & Carbon Negative: Oranje Tractor Winery with Murray Gomm

December 1st, 2022  |  Season 4  |  1 hr 8 mins

albany, carbon negative, degrowth, murrary gomm, oranje tractor, post-growth, regenerative farming, wa great southern

For season 4 of Post-Growth Australia Podcast (PGAP), we will be highlighting some extraordinary work being done by extraordinary Western Australians, who are bucking the dominant narrative of exploitation on scale on an ecologically unique yet fragile part of the world. In this episode, we speak to Murray Gomm from Oranje Tractor, award winning organic, regenerative and carbon neagtive winery/small farm holding near Albany.

Welcome to Asbestosville! Season 4 Premiere with Michael Bayliss and Mark Allen

November 7th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  1 hr 12 mins

8 billion, asbestos, degrowth, holistic activism, post-growth, sustainable population australia, town planning rebellion, urban planning

We can’t believe that PGAP is into its fourth season already! So, to shake things up, Michael is being joined by Mark Allen from Town Planning Rebellion and Holistic Activism as the co-host for this season. This first episode of the season is the culmination of a personal journey for them both. These experiences have also been written down in the form of a blog: “A Year in Asbestosville: A Farcical Tale of Systemic Failure.” In addition to our personal journeys, we also discuss some Degrowth related current affairs. These include 8 billion day on November 15 and Liz Truss and her unintentional launching of the Anti-Growth Coalition.

Season 3 Finale with Charlie Mgee from Formidable Vegetable

September 3rd, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 6 mins

charlie mgee, degrowth, formidable vegetable, music as activism, permaculture, post-growth

From the very beginning, PGAP has delighted in playing music from Formidable Vegetable on our permaculture themed episodes. So, for the final episode of Season 3, host Michael Bayliss is especially thrilled to meet with Formidable Vegetable mastermind Charlie Mgee at his new eco village home at Living Waters, Denmark WA. An engaging storyteller as well as musician and performer, Charlie shares the incredible history of forming the permaculture themed band and their mission statement from the get go. We also explore the role that music place in activism and societal change and we cap it off with Charlie’s vision for a Post-Growth future.

Greenprints with Dr Michelle Maloney

August 23rd, 2022  |  Season 3  |  44 mins 20 secs

aela, degrowth, greenprints, michelle maloney, nedna, post-growth

In this episode of Post-Growth Australia Podcast (PGAP), we welcome back Dr Michelle Maloney, National Convenor of Australia Earth Law Alliance (AELA), to discuss the exciting new Greenprints initiative.

Earth Overshoot Day 2022 with CASSE's Brian Czech

July 27th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 1 min

#movethedate, brain czech, casse, earth overshoot day 2022, steady state economy

For the 2022 Earth Overshoot Day special of PGAP, we observe the occasion by welcoming Brian Czech, founder of the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE). As a figurehead of the Degrowth movement, Brian makes a perfect voice of reason for this year’s Earth Overshoot Day, which falls on July 28th. In this episode, Brian reflects on the formation and history of CASSE with host Michael Bayliss and how the Steady State and Degrowth movements intersect. He shares his decades of experience and fascinating anecdotes to draw the point home that a steady state revolution is necessary to stop the endless growth paradigm from bringing earth overshoot day all the way to January 01st.

3 Women 2 Countries 1 Message: World Population Day 2022

July 4th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 17 mins

canada, degrowth, karen shragg, madeline weld, moving upstream, population institute canada, sustainable population australia, usa, valorie allen, world population day 2022

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.

PGAP goes Earthbound with Dan and Johanna McTiernan

June 19th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 12 mins

degrowth, earthbound, embodied meditation, holistic activism, permaculture, transpersonal psychology

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.

A Theological Perspective on Population with Dr Paul Collins

May 28th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  53 mins 19 secs

catholicism, ecocentrism, environmnet, ethics, paul collins, population, theology

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?”

Ecological Economies and MMT with Steve Williams

May 13th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  48 mins 39 secs

book, degrowth, ecological economics, modern monetary theory, stephen williams

“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.

Population and Climate Change with Ian Lowe and Jane O'Sullivan

April 15th, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 3 mins

discussion paper, ian lowe, jane o'sullivan, limits to growth, new report, population and climate change, spa, sustainable population australia

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.

Zero Input Agriculture with Shane Simonsen

March 21st, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 2 mins

collapse, fenner conference, food security, post-growth, shane simonsen, shock octopus, sustainable population australia, zero input agriculture

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.

Charles Massy: Making Agriculture Sustainable at the 2022 Fenner Conference

March 2nd, 2022  |  Season 3  |  43 mins 57 secs

charles massy, charlie massy, counting backwards, fenner conference 2022, fuzzy logic, regenerative farming, rod taylor, spa, sustainable agriculture, sustainable population australia

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.

Better Housing for a Better Planet with Simone Schenkel

February 22nd, 2022  |  Season 3  |  51 mins 50 secs

construction industry, gruen eco designs, passive house design, simone schenkel

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 Designs. 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.

A Public Housing Revolution for Degrowth with Dr Alex Baumann

February 1st, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 5 mins

alex baumann, degrowth, housing affordability, post-growth, public housing, urban planning

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!