Beyond the Petri Dish with George Tsakraklides

May 8th, 2025  |  Season 7  |  47 mins 35 secs

collapse, degrowth, ecological overshoot, george tsakraklides, holistic activism, population, post-growth

In this latest episode we speak with scientist, researcher, and author George Tsakraklides about the deeper roots of humanity’s many crises. Drawing on his rich scientific background and corporate insight, George explores how our evolutionary wiring, societal structures and cultural narratives hinder meaningful change. We unpack the psychological forces driving self-destruction, the limitations of rational thought and the need to reconnect with a deeper sense of being. From the inherited challenges of activism in a world of algorithms to the quiet strength of grounded action and grief, this conversation offers a powerful lens on navigating despair and cultivating meaning in a collapsing world.

A Post Growth Approach to Urban Planning with Michael Buxton

August 14th, 2024  |  Season 6  |  48 mins 52 secs

degrowth, michael buxton, planning democracy, population, steady-state, town planning, urban planning

The way in which we plan our cities and towns has a huge impact on the way we live. This in turn impacts our carbon emissions and ecological footprints. Fortunately, there are a few urban planners who recognise that transitioning to a degrowth, steady-state system is imperative for the future of urban planning. Our special guest, Emeritus Professor Michael Buxton (OAM) is one such expert.

Mini Episode: Shane Simonsen on Farming, Podcasts, Books and Population

July 26th, 2024  |  Season 6  |  15 mins 13 secs

degrowth, going to seed podcast, our vitreous womb, population, shane simonsen, taming the acocalypse, zero input agriculture

We caught up with Shane to get an update of the farm - including the addition of some new four legged residents - only to discover that Shane has branched out accross many projects including: Cohosting the 'Going to Seed' podcast; authoring 'Our Vitreous Womb' and 'Taming the Apocalypse' as well as two articles on overpopulation written for 'Zero Input Agriculture'.

Conversation with Noongar Menang Educator and Storyteller Larry Blight

January 8th, 2024  |  Season 5  |  49 mins 5 secs

degrowth, first nations, larry blight, noongar menang, overdevelopment, population, western australia, yakamia forest

Happy new 2024! For this very special episode of Post-Growth Australia Podcast, we interview Menang Noongar educator Larry Blight on site at the Yakamia forest, one of the few remnant bushlands in Albany, which is currently under threat from overdevelopment (of course!) Larry discusses the environmental and cultural significance of the Yakamia forest. We then delve into a broader conversation across many issues such as overdevelopment, colonisation, the perils of neoliberalism and population policy. Larry incorporates his local knowledge and his connection to Boodja (Land) in what is a very deep and insightful conversation.

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.

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?”

Season 3 Premiere - Leadership toward This Sustainable Life with Joshua Spodek

January 2nd, 2022  |  Season 3  |  1 hr 2 mins

degrowth, joshua spodeck, leadership, population, post-growth, sustainability, this sustainable life

“I started bringing leadership into the environment. Because I felt like there’s a lot of people telling other people what to do, spreading facts and figures. But no-one really making it enjoyable. Saying you’re going to like this, you’re going to wish you started earlier, speaking from personal experience.”

Joshua Spodek is a bestseller author, multiple TEDx talker and host of award winning podcast “This Sustainable Life”. Joshua is a huge advocate for the environment and for system change toward a post-growth planet. He takes his politics into his home life and made some incredible life transformations in his mission to living more sustainably. So, how has a move toward a meat-free life of no food packaging and no plane miles played out for our special guest on the Season 3 Premiere of PGAP? Is this a life of wilful deprivation and martyrdom? Or have these personal challenges transformed his life into one of joy and a different kind of abundance? Joshua tells all through amusing personal anecdotes coupled with an incredibly well-read and researched outlook on the world.

PGAP Christmas Special with Michael's Seasonal Manifesto

December 24th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  51 mins 25 secs

counting backwards, degrowth, holistic activism, michael bayliss, population, post-growth, shock octopus, steady state, sustainable population australia, town planning rebellion

The festive season is upon us as we wrap close to another year in the decade of consequence. To ‘celebrate’, PGAP host Michael Bayliss shares his own personal vision for a post-growth future. He looks back nostalgically on his Melbourne years, reflecting on the many successes and challenges from ten years in many various grassroots community initiatives. He also plays a selection of songs, penned by himself or by friends that espouse the Degrowth values of this podcast even if they may not inspire complete festive cheer. Enjoy!

Season 2 Finale with Economic Reform Australia

November 3rd, 2021  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 4 mins

adelaide, degrowth, economic reform australia, era, mmt, population, post-growth

In this final episode of season 2, PGAP speaks with Economic Reform Australia (ERA) to find out why fundamental changes to our economic systems are a crucial part of a transition toward degrowth. Why do we have an economic system that prizes money and extraction over the environment and prospects for future generations? What is this ‘MMT’ that everyone is on about these days? Why is economics something that everyone should try to understand and not just leave to the academics and experts? PGAP travels to Adelaide to chat with ERA’s very own Bernard Thomson to find out more.

PGAP also speaks with freelance economic thinker Zoltan Bexley to find out more about why Australia’s current economic system results in many poor outcomes for many of us, such as the favourite bugbear on PGAP – Australia’s housing unaffordability crisis.

Please not that opinions of the Guest’s own and may not necessarily reflect those of the whole ERA organisation.

Smaller Families for People and Planet - With Florence Blondel, Maxine Trump and Tanya Williams

February 17th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 23 mins

childfree, degrowth, family planning, florence blondel, global south, maxine trump, population, post-growth, tanya williams, to kid or not to kid

Three inspiring women. Three powerful arguments why empowered women who choose smaller or childfree families are good for individuals, good for communities and arguably better for the planet. This is the case regardless of where in the world you happen to live - global north OR global south. Population is a contentious conversation starter - in large part because it is a very personal issue for all of us. Yet it is a conversation that we must have if we are to envision a future with less, rather than more, human impact. This incredibly special episode goes hand in hand with Sustainable Population Australia's 'Stop at 2' campaign as they launch Maxine Trump's documentary 'To Kid or Not to Kid' in Theatres across Australia in late February.