Getting Hot In Here

Hello and welcome to another episode of Getting Hot in Here! After a short break between episodes, we wanted to talk about the economics of the lockdown. We know that rebuilding the economy after the recession caused by the lockdown will take some time and will be challenging - but what if it also provides an opportunity for growth in a greener direction?

Today's episode is an interview with a very special guest. Chris Core has been teaching economics for over 30 years, and has been passionate about sustainability for even longer. He also happens to be Nik's dad.

He sat down for a virtual chat about what a post-COVID rebuild could look like, if we decide to invest in renewable energy and transition away from fossil fuels. We start off with a bit of an 'Econ 101' - a crash course in key terms and concepts that we need to know when talking about rebuilding an economy. We talk about what economics can teach us about the way forward post-COVID, and the opportunity that a downturn presents to challenge paradigms that aren't working for us anymore. We also talk about what a sustainable transition could look like for the Australian economy, and how we could get there.

Note: since we recorded the episode, it was revealed that there was a miscalculation and that the $130 billion COVID-19 relief scheme JobKeeper will actually cost around $70 billion: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/27/work-in-progress-a-60bn-miscalculation-could-make-jobkeeper-fairer-and-lead-to-quicker-recovery#maincontent

Sources and further reading:

•International Monetary Fund - https://www.imf.org/external/index.htm

•The Dutch Tulip Market Bubble - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dutch_tulip_bulb_market_bubble.asp

•The Institute of Sustainable Futures (ISF) https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/institute-sustainable-futures

•Ross Garnaut book launch - Superpower: Australia's Low Carbon Opportunity https://www.uts.edu.au/news/social-justice-sustainability/book-launch-superpower-australias-low-carbon-opportunity

•Climate change and disease - https://www.echo.net.au/2020/05/planet-watch-climate-change-and-disease/

•For some great analysis of the decline of fossil fuel industry and the opportunity presented to rebuild sustainably after COVID-19, check out https://carbontracker.org/

Links to get involved:

•Get-Up - https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/covid-recovery/stop-the-ungi-keep-energy-funding-honest/sign-keep-energy-funding-honest?t=AX29wesNnz&utm_content=28898&utm_campaign=Coal_cash_grab&utm_source=blast&utm_medium=email

•Greenpeace -

Surprise! We couldn't wait a whole fortnight for this episode to drop because, well, we've had too much extra time on our hands. Which coincidentally is just what this episode is about!

Firstly, we want to acknowledge the huge impacts that the CoronaVirus pandemic is having on the world. We understand if this episode isn't for you right now. If you need to spend this crazy time with Netflix or a good book, come back after the crisis, our tips for sustainability in the home will still be relevant then (and we hope you enjoy your book).

Right now, for the lucky majority of us, this time is about staying inside, stopping the spread and flattening the curve. This extra time at home can also be a great time to get the ball rolling on some sustainable habits. Whether you are working, studying or simply existing from your home right now, we thought that we'd share some of our favourite tips and tricks on living as sustainably as possible while at home! Plus, these are all super easy quick fixes that give you a little win in your day - and right now, we're all hanging out there for the little wins.

We hope that you stay safe, stay well and can stay home - and we hope you enjoy this bonus episode.

As always you can find us @gettinghotinherepodcast on Instagram or at www.gettinghotinhere.com

Educate while you isolate-

For free short, online courses from universities https://www.edx.org/

For a great resource on global warming and climate change myths vs what science says https://skepticalscience.com/argument.php

For in-depth and globally researched reports and policy documents - the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - https://www.ipcc.ch/ (you can also follow them on instagram @ipcc to give your daily feed a boost!)

Check your carbon footprint and get some quick and easy tips on reducing your impact at the World Wildlife Fund https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/

Washing- Around 90% of the energy spent in a typical wash cycle comes from heating the water

https://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-laundry.html

Lighting - An LED, is around 75%- 80% more efficient than an incandescent bulb, and lasts around 25x longer so is better all round

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/when-turn-your-lights

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/led-lighting

Search Engines - Ecosia

https://www.ecosia.org/?c=en

https://charity-search-engines.no1reviews.com/ecosia.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs6DNsabM6AIVTLTtCh22jQB0EAAYASAAEgIgH_D_BwE

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of Getting Hot in Here, the podcast for anyone curious about the climate crisis and what we can do about it!

Today we are getting down and dirty in order to tell you all about composting!! Curious about worm farms, tumblers, bokashi bins and compost bins? We are breaking things down (I would say excuse the pun but we are just getting started) to give you Composting 101: what goes on in your bin, what should (and shouldn't) go into your bin, and which bin is best for you. Composting is one of the easiest but also most impactful ways to start your climate journey, so we hope that this episode is a useful guide for anyone starting out.

If you already compost - first of all, AMAZING! You are a legend. But this episode is also for you! We talk about compost troubleshooting, soil science and Costa from Gardening Australia and we hope to reinvigorate your passion for the simple beauty of "black gold".

We did record this episode a few weeks ago, before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. We know that this is a scary time for everyone and we truly hope that you are all keeping well and staying safe.

And hey, if you're finding yourself with a bit more time at home while you're #socialdistancing, maybe this episode will give you a bit of inspiration to get your hands dirty to clean up your carbon footprint!

Thanks for tuning in - and please let us know what you think by leaving a review or finding us on instagram @gettinghotinherepodcast or at our website www.gettinghotinhere.com

Sources and links:

Science of composting: https://home.howstuffworks.com/composting.htm

50% of household rubbish sent to landfill is food and garden waste.

https://www.coolaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Wastefactsheet1-updated-logo-1.pdf

https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-much-landfill-does-australia-have-78404

Yearly, the average Australian family produces enough rubbish to fill a three-bedroom house:

https://www.samedayrubbishremoval.com.au/War-On-Waste-Statistics.php

More on A.D.A.M principle: https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/environment/reen/reen-term-1-2018-composting.pdf

The Bokashi Bin that Sam has:

https://www.biome.com.au/composting/7689-urban-composter-bokashi-bucket.html

(we would recommend looking on gumtree, facebook marketplace and other second hand selling areas for economical and sustainable composting options!)

Share Waste App (i.e. Compost Tinder)

https://sharewaste.com/

Other information:

General Info: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

The Rodale Book of Composting: https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/the-rodale-book-of-composting-by-grace-gershuny-and-deborah-mart...

FOOD WASTE! What is it? Why is it a problem? How big of a problem is it? And what are some of the steps that we can all be taking - people, farmers, industry, and government - to help fight food waste?

This episode is an interview with Annika Stott, the Sustainability Strategist at OzHarvest - Australia's leading food rescue organisation. She has been working on fighting food waste for years and shares her thoughts on the issue, and shines a light on the direction that we can move.

To find out more about the work that OzHarvest does, visit their website: https://www.ozharvest.org/

You can investigate any of the facts further here: https://www.ozharvest.org/what-we-do/environment-facts/

You can donate at: https://events.ozharvest.org/donate-to-ozharvest

Unhealthy and unsustainably produced food poses a global risk to people and the planet.

•EAT-Lancet: Food in the Anthropocene

How do you choose what to buy for dinner? Our choices at the shops have further reaching impacts than just the packaging. We will discuss these in today's episode and talk to a dietician about what we should consider if we want to change what we eat.

Sources and Links

WWF Ecological Footprint Calculator

https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live/ecological-footprint-calculator#gs.yqefmr

IPCC Special Report for Climate Change and Land

https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/summary-for-policymakers/

The Guardian - What milk should we drink?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/28/what-plant-milk-should-i-drink-almond-killing-bees-aoe?CMP=soc_567&fbclid=IwAR3M8aNvvi_lMr_M7iDR3f32HGvuiAuvHB4YIyoM8jJZ4VrIFGPRi4BTPlo

Global Environmental Change Journal - Greedy or needy? Land use and climate impacts of food in 2050 under different livestock futures

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378016306872

How much of the world's land would we need in order to feed the global population with the average diet of a given country?

https://ourworldindata.org/agricultural-land-by-global-diets

Climate change and livestock: Impacts, adaptation, and mitigation

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221209631730027X

The Conversation - How to reduce your kitchens impact on global warming.

https://theconversation.com/how-to-reduce-your-kitchens-impact-on-global-warming-68484

The Conversation - What's your beef? How 'carbon labels' can steer us towards environmentally friendly food choices.

https://theconversation.com/whats-your-beef-how-carbon-labels-can-steer-us-towards-environmentally-friendly-food-choices-108424

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Journal- Energy and the Food System

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935130/

International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development

https://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/about-the-iaastd-report.html

Welcome to Getting Hot in Here, the podcast for anyone curious about the climate crisis and what we can do about it!

Today we are undressing the fashion industry! We take a deep dive into fast fashion and the serious environmental and social impacts that "cheap" clothes are having on our planet! We chat about everything from our favourite apps that help us shop sustainably, to microplastic pollution and how we can stop it, and to brands that will repair your clothes for life... Andrew even confesses to composting his undies, so stick around for that!

We hope this episode is a helpful first step for anyone starting out on their sustainability journey, but we also have some recommendations that could be useful for even the most experienced eco-warriors among us!

Sources and links:

Fast fashion statistics and environmental impacts

•Australians buy on average 27 kilograms of new clothing and other textiles each yearhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/australias-obsession-with-new-clothes-hurting-the-environment/8177624

•80 billion pieces of clothing consumed each year, which is up 400%https://truecostmovie.com/learn-more/environmental-impact/

•Dye pollution colouring rivershttps://webecoist.momtastic.com/2012/01/10/water-colors-10-unnaturally-dyed-polluted-rivers/2/

•Other Statistics mentionedhttps://www.qut.edu.au/business/insights/from-fast-fashion-to-sustainable-choices

https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-donating-clothes-to-charity/

What is a fast fashion brand:

https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/29/fast-fashion-giving-way-sustainable-wardrobe

Microplastics and synthetic fibres

•From synthetic clotheshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/12/03/making-climate-change-fashionable-the-garment-industry-takes-on-global-warming/#17a5260d79e4

•Micro plastic found in the rocky mountainshttps://www.businessinsider.com/multicoloured-microplastic-particles-pollution-rain-falling-in-rocky-mountains-2019-8/?r=AU&IR=T

•More plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050, report warnshttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-21/more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-oceans-by-2050-report-warns/7105936

•Options to minimise microfibres (including filters)

BONUS EPISODE! Australia has gone from devastating bushfires to (literally) flooding rains. While the rains are so welcome in breaking droughts and putting out the fires, the sheer volume of water and the severity of the weather events can cause dangerous conditions for lives and property. We thought we'd give you a quick update on the situation, and explain how rising temperatures contribute to severe weather events and flooding. It's a short episode today - just a quick explainer and some tips about what you can do to lessen your personal impact, and how to let politicians know what you think about the climate emergency.

Sources and links:

•Live updates on the flooding in Australia: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/feb/10/nsw-queensland-floods-weather-rain-sydney-traffic-commuters

•Climate change and the water cycle: https://www.climaterealityproject.org/sites/climaterealityproject.org/files/WaterCycle.pdf; https://climaterealityproject.org/blog/climate-change-impacting-water-cycle; https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/water-and-climate-change

•Climate change and severe weather events/natural disasters: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/; https://www.vox.com/2020/1/15/21065557/australia-fires-climate-change-weather-extreme-heat-drought-flood

•Contact your Senator and/or Member of Parliament: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Guidelines_for_Contacting_Senators_and_Members

Thanks for tuning into our episode on waste and recycling! Today we're interviewing our friend and waste management expert/environmental educator, Andrew.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to your bin is the Waste hierarchy - that is, the best waste is the waste that isn't produced! The more we can avoid waste, the less demand there is for wasteful products and packaging, and the less waste will get produced. If you can't avoid it entirely, try to reduce it, then reuse it, then recycle it. If it is not recyclable, it might be able to be "recovered" or incinerated and turned into energy. Countries like Sweden actually import waste specifically for incineration. The final step for waste that cannot be avoided, reused, recycled or recovered is disposal; i.e., it will end up in landfill. Avoiding waste is always the preferred option:

Waste collection can vary between councils, so check out the website for the council in your area for specific information about their landfill, recycling, green waste and other services.

Sources and further reading:

•Waste hierarchy - https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/rubbish-tips-and-bins/recycling-and-reducing-waste/waste-hierarchy

•Waste Recovery -https://www.cewep.eu/what-is-waste-to-energy/

•Sweden importing waste for recovery - https://www.trtworld.com/europe/swedish-recycling-so-successful-it-is-importing-rubbish-24491

•Avoiding waste is always the preferred option - http://rethinkwaste.com.au/about/

•https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/rubbish-tips-and-bins

•Brisbane City Council website (including tips on waste reduction!) - https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/rubbish-tips-and-bins

•Materials Recycling Facilities, or MRFs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CFE5tD1CCI

•What do the triangles mean? - https://polychem-usa.com/plastic-coding-system/

•Australasian Recycling Label - https://www.environment.gov.au/australasian-recycling-label

•Lids4Kids - check out local facebook groups like this one in South East Queensland for topical information on collection points and other initiatives - https://www.facebook.com/groups/466584883913904/Ooooby (Out Of Our Own Backyards) delivers boxes of fruits and vegetables, sourced from local farmers, to houses in Sydney

We hope you enjoy this wrap up episode where we chat about the year that was and the year that we hope for. There's a lot to be sad and stressed about in the climate activism space, but we know the importance of staying positive so we wanted to focus on the wins of 2019 and our hopes for 2020. We chat about the year that was and what brought us joy - both the little changes that we made in our own lives and our favourite climate news stories. We also talk about what we hope to see in 2020 and (dare we say it) our resolutions for the new year/decade!

Be warned - we did record this with a glass of wine in hand, so it is possible that this episode will be best enjoyed with a glass of your own!

We also just wanted to say that our focus on the good news stories here is in no way meant to detract, or distract from the bushfire crisis. Here in Australia, we are pretty much constantly surrounded by stories of the bushfires that have been devastating homes, communities, bushland and native wildlife for the past few months. It has and continues to be incredibly full on and our hearts go out to everyone affected.

For more information on the link between these bushfires and climate change, check out episode two. If you want to help, consider donating money to those on the frontlines and those who have lost everything. We've put links below to sites where you can donate to recover efforts or to the Rural Fire Service - the NSW RFS donations page allows you to select a specific brigade to donate to. Have a plan, stay safe.

Links to donate to the bushfire crisis:

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/news-and-media/general-news/how-you-can-help

https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate

https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw

Good news stories:

•Using google search data to inform global climate change adaptation policy - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-018-2289-9

•Australia's Google Trends for 2019 - https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2019/AU/

•Companies cutting ties with Adani - https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/cardno-to-cut-ties-with-adani-20191010-p52zh2; https://thewest.com.au/business/cardno-plans-to-cut-ties-with-adani-chair-ng-s-1972632

•Renewable Energy Investment to Surpass USD 2.5 Trillion for 2010-2019, UNEP Report Finds - https://sdg.iisd.org/news/renewable-energy-investment-to-surpass-usd-2-5-trillion-for-2010-2019-unep-report-finds/

•Waorani indigenous tribe are celebrating the decision of a court in Ecuador that will prevent the sale of land in the Amazon rainforest to oil companies. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/indigenous-tribe-celebrates-court-decision-to-protect-amazon-rainforest

•University of Sunshine Coast installed 6,000+ solar panels to power a "water battery" th...

Welcome to our first episode of 2020! There has been a barrage of information circulated about the current Australian bushfires - in the news, on our feeds, at our workplaces and even by friends and families. So today we wanted to add on from our previous episode on the bushfires and give an updated summary of the facts. In this episode we talk about the clear link between climate change and bushfires, as well as some of the controversial myths and misinformation currently circulating. So if you want to know why Australian's are coming for Scott Morrison, how Twitter bots could be behind a misinformation campaign and a happy story about knitting scientists - this is your episode.

We would like to thank the amazing firefighters who are working tirelessly to control the fires and save lives and property. If you and yours have been affected by bushfires, know that our hearts go out to you and we will continue to not only donate, but use whatever platforms we have to encourage others to do the same, and get as many resources to the people at the front line as possible. If you're in a position to donate, check out the links in the show notes and on our instagram @gettinghotinherepodcast for options. Please listen and share this episode as we also chat about other ways you can support the bushfire response and recovery effort.

Please stay safe and look after yourselves. Safety is the number one priority.

What we discussed in this episode:

Current figures as of the 12th of January 2020.

More than 10.7m hectares of Australia has burned since October. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/09/australia-fires-victorians-urged-to-leave-amid-fears-heat-spike-will-cause-bushfires-to-merge

At least 29 people have died, with many more missing. Largest peacetime evacuation in Australia's history. Over 100 thousand Australian's have become climate refugees - forced to flee their homes to save their lives.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/jan/03/australia-nsw-fires-live-news-victoria-bushfires-rfs-tourist-leave-zone-south-coast-cfa-traffic-near-roads-closed-sydney-melbourne-latest-updates

Estimated 1.25 billion animals deaths. https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/bushfire-emergency

Myths and Misinformation

Hazard Reduction

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-10/hazard-reduction-burns-bushfire-prevention-explainer/11853366

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-09/indigenous-cultural-fire-burning-method-has-benefits-experts-say/11853096

Misinformation surrounding temperature records

https://theconversation.com/factcheck-was-the-1896-heatwave-wiped-from-the-record-33742?fbclid=IwAR2v5-TtNyOERn_ZgG47t-iH6HonhCzcZL63BXOS6xcFFFuiV4gTPcnpagY

Murdoch news misinformation

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/world/australia/fi...