Think: Sustainability

By 2SER 107.3

What's Think: Sustainability about?

From waste to wealth, and grids to growth, the show digs into the impact of consumption across all areas of life — it tracks the movements, discoveries and technologies making way for a sustainable future.

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Think: Sustainability episodes:

01.31.2024
Genocide in the suburbs
As a child, Shannon’s dad told her that her great-grandfather was supposed to be among the first to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the opening ceremony, but was robbed of the honour at the last minute by a white...
01.24.2024
The inner lives of wild animals: Conservation’s new frontier
Traditionally, attempts to save animals in the wild have focused on their population numbers and reproductive success. But new research exploring the mental quality of life experienced by wild animals could revolutionise conservation efforts. Featuring: Dr Andrea Harvey, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow Morgan Philpott, WIRES Volunteer...
12.06.2023
Rewilding the city
When we think of the city, “nature” might be the furthest thing from our minds. But we’ve found a hidden army of people bringing our cities back to life. Featuring: Dr Judy Friedlander, Founder and Director of PlantingSeeds Projects and Adjunct Fellow...
11.22.2023
Why we let corporations act like monsters
A pharmaceutical company profits from legions of addicted customers; a gambling company knowingly markets to people in debt; a hospital kills its patients. People who do far less damage are locked up for life, yet corporations act like horror villains and...
11.01.2023
How to make a new carbon tax that sticks
At least forty countries and the European Union now have a price on carbon. Australia tried, and failed in 2012. What do we need to do to make it work this time around? Featuring: Mona Mashhad Rajabi - Post-doctoral Research Associate,...
10.25.2023
Dark cloud: The true cost of data
Our online lives and the massive digital infrastructure that supports them are eating up our carbon budgets. But who's paying attention? Featuring: Jessica McLean, Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Macquarie University Gordon Noble, Research Director at the Institute...
10.19.2023
We make a pro-climate ad campaign
It seems like every product has an ad campaign. Cars, cereal, chewing gum, in-soles… What about the most important issue of our time? Featuring: Aimee Smith, Graduate Research Student and Sessional Academic in the Marketing Discipline Group at the University of Technology...
09.20.2023
The best (and worst) ads of the decade
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...
09.13.2023
The race to impregnate male seahorses
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...
09.06.2023
Forever chemicals: The poison in everyday items
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...
08.09.2023
Eco-anxiety: My two years in Sydney off the grid
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...
08.02.2023
Emotions let us make better decisions
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...
03.06.2023
#173 - Should we protect feral animals?
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
03.06.2023
#172 - Algae and the human right to clean air
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...
01.24.2023
#171 - Trees? Not in my backyard
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...
01.22.2023
#170 - Is capitalism incompatible with a healthy climate?
In this episode we ask a big question – can capitalism work alongside a sustainable environment? Featuring: Dr Jonathan Marshall Host: Lawrence Bull
01.17.2023
#169 - Microgrids
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...
12.31.2022
#168 - Watch out! Seasons are shifting
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...
12.18.2022
#167 - Tracking sustainable development goals in our boardrooms and classrooms
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...
11.18.2022
#166 - How vibrations change living things
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...
11.11.2022
#165 - Who pays the bill for the climate crisis?
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...
11.03.2022
#164 - Carbon capture – viewing CO2 as a resource
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...
10.26.2022
#163 - Building resilience into our homes
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,...
09.20.2022
#162 - The scientist meets the tourism operator
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,...
09.02.2022
#161 - Is Australian Law Protecting Threatened Species?
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...
08.26.2022
#160 - Farming Better For Phosphorus’s Sake
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...
12.19.2021
#159 - Celebrating Sustainability in 2021
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...
12.16.2021
#158 - Listening To Our Environments
What are five sounds you liked today? A lot of the time, we get through the day without listening much to the world around us. But if we pay a little more attention, what can we learn? In this episode, we look...
12.10.2021
#157 - Ecological Linguistics
What is ecological linguistics? How does the English language shape our perceptions of the environment? In this episode we discuss the different terms used to describe climate change and then highlight some more subtle ways language can shape our perceptions...
12.01.2021
#156 - Listening To Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are under serious threat, an IPCC report predicts that even if global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels it would result in a 70-90 percent decline of tropical coral reefs. In this episode we...
11.24.2021
#155 - Weighing up Glasgow
With the most anticipated international cooperation on climate change this decade now over, in this episode we reflect on what the COP26 conference has achieved, Australia's contributions, and consider its impact on those most vulnerable to the climate crisis. Featuring: Dr Sven...
11.10.2021
#154 - Protecting Our Swamps
What do you think of when you imagine a swamp? They may not be regarded as postcard-perfect environments but swamps play really mportant roles ecologically, regulating water and storing carbon. But they’re at risk, and the problems mostly boil down to...
11.04.2021
#153 - Why Biodiversity Offsets Aren't Working
Shanes Park is destined to be western Sydney’s new national park. The project aims to attract tourists to western Sydney, with visitor facilities and an education centre planned for 2023. But those developments and others, have ecologists concerned about the...
10.28.2021
#152 - Kids and Climate Change
Kids have come to represent the face of the environmental justice movement and for good reason. In this episode, we examine the work of young people fighting for a stable climate future, their ability to motivate change, and how they...
10.21.2021
#151 - Green Roofs Boost Solar Power
Green roofs have a myriad of benefits including attracting biodiversity, reducing air pollution, storm water management and reducing the impact of the urban heat island effect. Did you know that green roofs can also improve the efficiency of solar panels?...
10.15.2021
#150 - Building Resilient Food Systems
In a special World Food Day episode of Think: Sustainability we invite three guests to discuss what role short food supply chains have in supporting sustainable resilient food systems. How do we create contingency plans to build resilience to vulnerabilities,...
10.13.2021
#149 - The Promise of Bioplastics
Plastic pollution is an undeniable problem. One solution proposed to help solve our plastic woes is bioplastics. In this episode, we look at what bioplastics actually are, how algae is changing the industry, and whether they can deliver on the...
09.23.2021
#148 - Sustainable Fashion
How are fashion designers using digital technology to reduce textile waste? In this episode we discuss how digital technologies such as 3D pattern making software and body scanning are key to a sustainable fashion industry. Featuring: Dr Timo Rissanen, Associate Professor in...
09.16.2021
#147 - Not-So-Digital Workforce
Digital labour and remote working trends have seen incredible uptake due to the pandemic. Though we may think these changes to our lives exist only in the ephemeral online world, in this episode we explore whether the digital workforce could...
09.09.2021
#146 - Art and Climate Fatigue
Climate Fatigue is one of the many terms used to describe a sense of apathy or dread caused by the constant exposure to images of climate change. We explore how Art can help disrupt this feeling and revitalize how we...
09.02.2021
#145 - Tackling Energy Poverty
Energy poverty is a complex socioeconomic issue. Many people are experiencing the health, social, and economic disadvantages of living in energy inefficient homes. In this episode, we discuss minimum energy efficiency standards for renters and access to renewable energy. Featured: Riley Brooke,...
08.26.2021
#144 - Australia's Honeybee Industry
What are the threats to honeybees and what wider impact could this have for us? We discuss the impact Australia’s recent bushfires and floods had on beekeepers and the issues facing Australia’s apiary industry. Featuring: Dr Nural Cokcetin, postdoctoral researcher at the...
07.27.2021
#143 - Could Climate Change Make Australia Uninsurable?
Increasingly severe and frequent natural disasters are a part of our reality as a result of climate change. But how will this affect global economies? This episode explores how climate change is affecting the insurance industry. How this influences where...
07.16.2021
#142 - Electric Buses roll into Sydney
Globally countries are striving towards a transition from diesel and petrol vehicles to electric ones. In this episode we explore the electrification of New South Wales’ public transport, specifically buses. Featuring: Mathew Hounsell, senior researcher at the Transport Research Centre, School of...
07.08.2021
#141- How Algae is Changing the Future of Food
The way we produce our food needs to change. Our current practices will not meet the demands of a growing population and a warming climate. Algae, that slimy green stuff you find at the beach, might just help us more...
12.24.2020
#140 - The Limits of Rights of Nature Laws
Legal personhood or ‘rights of nature’ laws have been around since as early as the 1970s and have attracted lawmakers in jurisdictions all over the world. But what do these legal concepts offer? How do they interact with current environmental...
12.01.2020
#139 - Protecting Our Pacific Neighbours
In this episode of Think: Sustainability, is Australia doing its best to care for our Pacific neighbours as they confront the effects of a changing climate? How can we improve current labour programs and pathways? Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel Featured: Mesulame Ratukadreu, Pacific Labour...
11.15.2020
#138 - Celebrating Sustainability in 2020
In this episode of Think: Sustainability, we spotlight some exciting new developments in the sustainability sector. What projects have been underway while we’ve been glued to our TVs, following COVID and the US election? We talk to three experts in environmental...
11.06.2020
#137 - The Psychology of Climate Change
In this episode, we explore the psychology of climate change. With the help of Carl Jung’s analytical psychology, we look at how our internal disorder may be hindering efforts to solve external problems. What is holding us back from effective...
09.26.2020
#136 - Precarious Housing Part Two, International Students
This is the second-part of a two-part series of Think: Sustainability, where we speak to those living in precarious housing situations. In part one, we spoke to public housing tenants. In this episode, we hear from some of the half...

What's Think: Sustainability about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Think: Sustainability episodes:

Genocide in the suburbs

The inner lives of wild animals: Conservation’s new frontier

Rewilding the city

Why we let corporations act like monsters

How to make a new carbon tax that sticks

Dark cloud: The true cost of data

We make a pro-climate ad campaign

The best (and worst) ads of the decade

The race to impregnate male seahorses

Forever chemicals: The poison in everyday items

Eco-anxiety: My two years in Sydney off the grid

Emotions let us make better decisions

#173 - Should we protect feral animals?

#172 - Algae and the human right to clean air

#171 - Trees? Not in my backyard

#170 - Is capitalism incompatible with a healthy climate?

#169 - Microgrids

#168 - Watch out! Seasons are shifting

#167 - Tracking sustainable development goals in our boardrooms and classrooms

#166 - How vibrations change living things

#165 - Who pays the bill for the climate crisis?

#164 - Carbon capture – viewing CO2 as a resource

#163 - Building resilience into our homes

#162 - The scientist meets the tourism operator

#161 - Is Australian Law Protecting Threatened Species?

#160 - Farming Better For Phosphorus’s Sake

#159 - Celebrating Sustainability in 2021

#158 - Listening To Our Environments

#157 - Ecological Linguistics

#156 - Listening To Coral Reefs

#155 - Weighing up Glasgow

#154 - Protecting Our Swamps

#153 - Why Biodiversity Offsets Aren't Working

#152 - Kids and Climate Change

#151 - Green Roofs Boost Solar Power

#150 - Building Resilient Food Systems

#149 - The Promise of Bioplastics

#148 - Sustainable Fashion

#147 - Not-So-Digital Workforce

#146 - Art and Climate Fatigue

#145 - Tackling Energy Poverty

#144 - Australia's Honeybee Industry

#143 - Could Climate Change Make Australia Uninsurable?

#142 - Electric Buses roll into Sydney

#141- How Algae is Changing the Future of Food

#140 - The Limits of Rights of Nature Laws

#139 - Protecting Our Pacific Neighbours

#138 - Celebrating Sustainability in 2020

#137 - The Psychology of Climate Change

#136 - Precarious Housing Part Two, International Students