The Sustainable Hour no 370

In The Tunnel today we have two musicians who are part of the support group Musicians’ Climate Crisis Network:

Simon Kerr was a guest five years ago with his project Music For A Warming World – a powerful multimedia-backed album of songs on the climate issue. This time he is back with his latest musical project which will be launched in August.

Simon explains why it was necessary for him to produce this second album and use the “Lentil As Anything Restaurant”-approach with it. He is determined that the album is accessible to everyone, so it has been made available online for no set cost. Simon simply asks that if people like it, they pay what they can afford for it.

There was a personal reason why Simon wrote this music and that was to help him deal with the grief he is experiencing as he observes the climate crisis unfolding around him all over the world. This also led him to form a support group for musicians who were experiencing similar feelings.

Simon talks about the discussions we need to have to prepare us and make us more resilient to what we are going to face. He has a fervent hope that music can help us to do this.

You can learn more about both projects at the website www.musicforawarmingworld.org which features the projects of climate-thinker and musician Simon Kerr and his band, Climate Change Music.

Jeannie Marsh heads up Melbourne’s Climate Choir, and she is also in the Musicians’ Climate Crisis Network. She tells us how, in a similar way to Simon, singing with a number of choirs, as she does, helps her cope with her grief and keeps her sane.

We learn how her choirs support a number of campaigns with a number of stirring songs, some of which have stood the test of time and some have had their lyrics changed to suit current times and issues.

Jeannie also samples some of the songs they sing. We hear of the euphoria and feelings of solidarity that comes from singing with a group of people.

You can find out more about Melbourne Climate Choir by following them on Facebook.

This leads Colin Mockett to tell us about a show coming to The Potato Shed in Geelong next week. It’s called “If I Had a Hammer” and features songs of the Wobblies in the early 20th century.

We start out today’s hour listening to a recording of Greta Thunberg as she spoke very articulately and very passionately to yet another international gathering, this time the Austrian World Summit last week.

Mik Aidt then introduces a photo of a very graphic and ...