Sustainable Voices

Redesigning the show. Part 1

At the moment I am busy coming up with ideas for the new show and I thought that I would take the time out from this process to give you all some insight into the redesign of the show. So here is the first in a series of articles detailing some of the ideas, processes and concepts that will influence the content of the new show. 

Premise and propaganda.

A premise is an assumption or an assertion that forms the basis for an argument or position.

 As an example, have you ever heard someone comment, 'Crime is too high, we need more cops'? Most people would probably nod along in agreement with that statement as at first glance it seems pretty reasonable, right? But what are some of the underlying assumptions that support this argument? 

 1. Crime is too high.

2. That increasing the numbers of 'cops' will result in a decrease in crime.

 The point is if you agree with the statement 'Crime is too high, we need more cops'. Then you are accepting the validity of the underlying premise. But is this acceptable? What information have you been given to prove that crime is in fact 'too high', what reason do you have to believe that an increase in the number of 'cops' will decrease crime? What about other factors such as education and unemployment?

 The first rule of propaganda is that 'if you can slide your premise by people you've got them'. So if your able to get people to agree with the above statement than you've also got them to agree with the underlying premises without having them examined.

 So what does this have to do with the show?

 I don't want to 'slide' my premises by people. I intend on including the premises for each show at the start of that show's transcript. I hope that this will help listeners to come to a greater understanding of the arguments that I present so that if they choose to agree with a certain statement or point of view then they will also understand and agree with the premise that supports that argument.

Episode 9 - Farmers markets

Graeme George is a permaculturist from Healesville in the Yarra Valley, where he has been teaching Permaculture Design since 1994. Graeme lives on a 5 ha property, in a bushland setting, where he grows heirloom vegetables and fruit trees. He is an active member of Permaculture Melbourne participating in the Heritage fruits and Victorian Educator's Group, is convenor of the Yarra Valley Permaculture group and Coordinator of the Organic Farmers Market held every Saturday morning at Healesville.

Download Episode 9 Here.

Duration 11mins

Episode 7 - Creating Healthy Communities

Mark Boyd and Helen Clough work on municipal public health projects for local government. Both have extensive experience in community development and health promotion actvities.

In this presentation they talk about the leverages available to local government to address the structural determinants of health which can improve food security for local residents and increase environmental sustainability.

Download Episode 7 here.

Duration 22mins

Episode 6 - CERES and the Local Food system

Our food system is dominated by big retailers and industrial farming that deplete natural systems and communities by treating people as passive consumers and food as just another commodity. CERES is a microcosm of a local food system; with elements such as seed saving, plant propagation, market and community gardens, markets, co-ops and a cafe. CERES hopes to demonstrate and inspire others to the joy of becoming farmers, distributors and chefs in control and responsible for our food

Download Episode 6 Here.

Duration 24mins

Episode 5 - Garden of Eden. Community Gardens everywhere.

In this episode we hear from Les Tate and Amadis Lacheta from the Garden of Eden project. Together they show us how vesitile community gardens can be and how they provide an excellent container for not only the benefits of food gardening, but mental and physical health, the creative arts, community collaboration, learning and vital green space in our cities.

Download Episode 5 Here

Duration 23mins

Episode 4 - Peak Oil and it's effects on Food Security

This is the first of a series of presentations recorded at a conference on 'Peak Oil and Food Security' organised by the Garden of Eden project.

In this episode we hear from Richard Heinberg, author of 'Powerdown' and 'The Party's Over' two best selling and influential books on the topic of peak oil. In this presentation he talks about the effect of peak oil on food security

Download episode 4 here 

Duration 43mins

Episode 3 - Seeds of Change, Part 2.

Here's part two of the conference

Click here to download Episode 3

Duration 25mins

Episode 2 - Seeds of Change, Part 1.

This show was recorded at the Sustainable Living Foundations opening presentation entitled 'The Seeds for Change'.

The authors of "Seeds for Change" analyse the past 25 years in the light of their influential book. "Seeds for Change" is a book on the energy crisis and its implications for Victoria and Australia. But it is also about people and lifestyles, government and decision-making, and many other issues that are rarely linked with energy.

Here you will find a probing analysis of the disastrous energy problems towards which official planning is leading our society. But you will also find a detailed plan with which we can creatively confront the energy crisis and build a more convivial low-energy society.

Many thanks to Jim Castles for the invite to record the show.

Guests included:
Doctor Ian McPhail (Victorian Minister for Environmental Sustainability).
Alan Pears. (Adjunct Professor at RMIT).
Chris Mardon. (retired from CSIRO ).
Philip Sutton (President of the Sustainable Living Foundation).
Deborah White (retired from School of Architecture. Adelaide University)
John Dick (Energy Action Group).

Click here to download Episode 2.

Duration 29mins

Episode 1 - What is sustainability?

The first episode! Listen to the producer (that's me folks) Talk about his thoughts on just what is meant by the word sustainability.

Click here to download Episode 1

Duration 25mins