EarthChat

Listen to EarthChat this week. Jacqui Fulton and Mark Lyons are exploring the truth about renewables, working their way through quite a few interesting topics of huge relevance to our times, including:

• The gap in availability of solar and other renewable power, which are bei...

What if regional communities owned their own power instead of multinationals? What if that power came from reliable renewables, instead of fossil fuels controlled by foreign powers and at risk to global geopolitics? What if locals got the dividends instead of big companies? The Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative in NSW (GCEC) is doing exactly that, all through the power ...

Ruth Yeatman invites Phil Bourne and Russell Fisher to join her to reflect on the interconnected crises threatening humanity and the planet today, primarily driven by climate change, extreme poverty, and geopolitical conflict. “Humans are social beings. We need to communicate, make connections, share how we feel, and truly listen to what others are going through. And to do a...

The reason for discussing this topic is that national and global demand for flowers is increasing due to a number of factors such as: increasing urbanisation and reduced opportunities to garden; a desire to bring “nature inside” for beauty and well-being, at home and in business and event settings. The Australian industry generates about US$ 812 million currently and is expected to grow another ...

Marie chats with Michael Watson from the upper Plenty  Merri Creek Landcare Group about the enormous diversity across Mitchell Shire. We look at the various different environments that are represented across the Shire.

There are particular issues affecting the  areas from the high level of development in much of th...

Seymour Vet, Andrew Hogan, and wildlife rescuer and carer, Jenny Oakley, join Ruth to discuss the impact of the recent fires that caused tragic losses of livestock and native wildlife, not to mention the cruel experience of being burnt alive. As well, we’ll hear how we (humans) are generally managing our duty of care for wildlife, farm, and domestic animals. As of 2019, over...

What do you do when you see someone’s house being stolen or confiscated, their olive trees chopped down, their ground water diverted. What do you do when you see someone’s child stopped at a military checkpoint and harassed by soldiers who won’t let them get to school? What do you do when all these crimes are excused or ignored or the victims blamed? John and Di are part of ...

Our guest this week is local environmental legend Jacqui Fulton. Mark Lyons talks to Jacqui Fulton from Broadford about her connection to various conservation groups. Her work on various aspects of Biolinks and biodiversity recovery is a fascinating topic and of interest to local and other listeners. Be ready too for a discussion about the environmental damage caused by wars...

Our guest this week is Dr Christlina Zdeneck from birdlife Australia. We discuss the major problem caused by the poisons commonly used to kill rodent pests. These poisons are readily available and widely used. The problem is that they are slow acting and when birds of prey kill the poisoned rodents the poisons accumulate in their bodies over time and sicken them. The birds th...

Imagine 3,000ha of beautiful wetlands linking Merri Creek and the Southern reaches of Mitchell Shire. Imagine a space to be used by 200,000 people that would preserve natural beauty forever, maintain wetlands and habitat for all kinds of species. This proposed parkland, extending north from the existing marram baba Upper Merri Creek Parklands, would protect a significant gree...

As a follow on to last Tuesday’s program on Eco-Anxiety, we now shine the light on Eco-Grief, a profound sense of loss felt in response to the negative impacts of global warming on the planet. It is an experience of deep sadness about the consequences of environmental degradation of our air, land, and waters, and the subsequent loss of many species, along with natural systems...

The Rise of Eco-Anxiety: positive and practical ways to prepare for and process climate related events.

Climate anxiety is increasing worldwide and affecting a wide range of groups, especially younger people and other vulnerable groups such as older people and those with limited resources to take preventative action or adapt to climate risks. A 2023 Mission Australia study of 19 000, 15-19 year olds found that 60% have some level o...

This week Marie  chats with  Julian Cribb. He is a very experienced science communicator specializing in environmental issues, the problems and what we need to do to alleviate them.

He has written several books including "The Earth System Treaty" which presents a plan for humanity going ahead and outlines the issue we are facing which wi...

Tim chats with Anthony Radford about how stories can have a positive impact on how people think and act. Anthony grew up in Broadford and is now a Bendigo-based media professional who cares deeply about good storytelling and strong local communities. Through Radford Media, he works with community organisations, Traditional Owners and businesses to help them tell clear, hone...

Ruth welcomes back Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth (FOE) to talk about FOE’s current environmental focus including the latest fires in Victoria, both from FOE’s perspective and his own personal experience, having been on the ground as a CFA volunteer firefighter in the recent Harcourt-Ravenswood fires that destroyed 48 houses earlier this month. Cam brings a fresh perspective on how to prep...

2026 has started with heartbreaking fires in central Victoria, floods on the South West Coast and political tremors around the world. Many of us are directly affected by the impact of the local fires and any sort of recovery will take a long time. Local communities have rallied with dedicated emergency support and compassion. The best of human behaviours is there in the mid...

Following the Victorian fires, on EarthChat we discussed the importance of a respectful  immediate response to people who are seriously affected.  We also acknowledged the fantastic efforts of our first responders who did such a wonderful job.

On a related topic, we discussed the central role of bees and other pollinators in the health o...

From our "best of EarthChat series"

You may not know the name Violet Coco, but you would have seen her on the news, arrested for protesting in different places, all to highlight the precarious state of our planet. Violet is a passionate environment and social justice activist. She has been arrested 49 times in 6 years as a non-violent, direct action, change maker.  She was the first person sentenced under controversial new anti-pro...