For Green Desk, Mitch Fuller and Sherry Zhang talk to Hexacycle’s founder Neil Birrell about how maggots can close the loop on our existing and linear waste cycles and how insects might be part of the future of animal and human consumption.

E whai ake nei, Coming up on the show today!

Known to get drunk on berries, fall out of trees, and hang around humans, Kererū have become something of a New Zealand icon. They are also the only bird left in New Zealand that can distribute large seeds, and their disappearance would be a disaster for our native forests. 

Rachel Simpson spoke to Victoria University biological science lecturer Stephen Hartley about the Great Kererū Count, the largest citizen science project in New Zealand.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced plans last week to make the teaching of New Zealand history compulsory in schools. Reporter Felix Walton spoke to University of Auckland senior history lecturer Dr Aroha Harris to find out more, and started by asking whether New Zealanders know much about NZ history.

Jack Marshall talks to Gisborne Councillor Amber Dunn about ocean erosion and why building homes on our sandy coastlines is problematic.

For decades, dairy farming has been damaging New Zealand’s environment, and new legislation aiming to protect our rivers and wetlands is coming into action. However, some groups have been wary of these changes, believing it will negatively impact the industry and its economic contributions. In response, a study was commissioned by Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, and Fish and Game to understand the economic impacts of this new freshwater legislation (if any)! To find out more about the legislation and report, Olivia Holdsworth spoke to Forest & Bird’s Annabeth Cohen and began by asking why we even need freshwater legislation in the first place.

This week on the Monday Wire, Sherry interviews Cotton On workers on strike over the living wage in Auckland. Jemima speaks to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about the government's progress on the climate crisis and compulsory Aotearoa history in schools. Southern Cross is back with the latest in Pacific news. Lachlan talks to Dr Natalie Walker about vaping as a way to quit smoking. Finally, Sherry speaks to Human Rights Watch reporter Andreas Harsono about the rise of political Islam in Indonesia. 

Sherry spoke to Human Rights watch reporter for Indonesia Andreas Harsono on the rise of political islam. Theyalso speak on discrimination between minority religions, LGBTQ community, the ethnic Chinese and the 2019 Indonesian elections, one of the largest democratic processes.

Vaping is on the rise, with many people turning to them to help quit smoking cigarettes. While many still contain nicotine, they do not contain many of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes that can often lead to death. A New Zealand study has found that those who use nicotine e-cigarettes in conjunction with other nicotine supplements such as patches have a higher chance of quitting than those who don’t. Lachlan spoke with the study’s lead researcher Dr Natalie Walker about the results.

With the announcement that the University of Auckland will divest from fossil fuels, producer Bronnie Wilde speaks to Isaac Ottley from Fossil Free UoA.