Saltgrass

S3 E13 Ecology and the Economy with Warwick Smith

In this episode we hear from Warwick Smith, a Castlemaine Local, about his dual careers as an ecologist and an economist. (You might remember him from the Student Strike Episode earlier this season) He is fascinating to talk to, I think, because so often we are presented with the idea that these two things are in competition with each other. According to Warwick this does not have to be the case. Today we are exploring how Warwick came to be both an ecologist and an economist, we also delve into how the economy came to be the way it is now and how that relates to our way of living and our way of treating our environment, our planet.
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Links:
The piece by Warwick has contributed to our local Zero Net Emissions Transition Movement about how our community could utilise alternative economics. 
 
The Price of Capitalism paper Warwaick did with GetUp!
 
There are more publications and videos by Warwick linked through his LinkedIn profile.
 
He is on Twitter as @RecoEco
 
He is a founding member of The Castlemaine Institute

S3 E12 Talking About Climate with Rebecca Huntley

If you find talking about climate change difficult, you are not alone! A complex and contentious topic that often makes people anxious and overwhelmed… of course it is hard to talk about. Yet that is exactly what we must do if we are going to make sure everyone is paying attention to this critical issue. In this episode we talk with Rebecca Huntley about her new book ‘How to Talk About Climate Change in a way that makes a difference’. We explore why talking about climate change can be so difficult and what we can do to navigate it. 
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.

S3 E11 Djab Wurrung Allies and Supporters

In this episode I have two interviews for you.  One with Gabe Lillington, the young man who was up the tree when the last show was recorded.  He spent two nights and three days up in what is called the grandfather tree to successfully halt works until legal processes mandated a stop work reprise – until the 19th of November – which is this week. The other interview is with a woman who goes by the name of Spring Blossom. Both are Castlemaine residents and both have been visiting and living at the Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy camp on and off over the last few years. We discuss what the action a couple of weeks ago was like for them and what it means to them to be an indigenous ally in times like this.
Though we are discussing action happening on Djab Wurrung land, both of these interviews were recoded back on Jarra country. I would like to pay respects to elders past, present and emerging as the struggles of being a traditional custodian of these occupied lands has not gone away.
 
Photo used in this image is by Warepul.

S3 E10 Djab Wurrung Sacred Trees

This week we chat to the people who have been protesting the controversial Western Highway upgrade near Ararat. The Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy has been existing amongst the contested trees for three years and this week one of the significant trees was cut down and others were at great risk. Protesters scrambled into action – some scaled trees and tied themselves in and others supported from the ground and started legal processes. In this episode we speak with the leader of the protest movement Zellanach Djab Mara and others who have been involved in the protest.
This episode of Saltgrass was recorded on Djab Wurrung country and produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Links:
The Djab Wurrung Facebook group
Go to this facebook group to join in on the benefit gig on the 7th of November.
 
News related to this weeks action:
ABC coverage
SMH coverage
 
Alternate perspective from Ruben Berg
 
Illustration for this episode by Trace Balla

S3E9 Solar Bulk Buys

In this episode we chat with Jo Kaptein, manager of MASH (More Australian Solar Homes) They are a not for profit project that is organising bulks buys of solar panels right through central and northern Victoria.  We discuss why rooftop solar is so important, the history of the project and what gets in the way of people getting solar on their roof. 
 
Links:
MASH
CVGA - MASH's parent organisation
The HUB Foundation - MASH's initiators
 
Victorian Solar Rebates
Australian Solar Rebates

S3 E8 Zero Waste Food with Madeline Hudson

Today we chat with Madeline Hudson about waste free cooking.  She is about to run a zero waste cooking course through the Castlemaine Community House and has been running the community lunch for four years. Those locals to Castlemaine may have seen her performing as Lilly Pilly Green in the Zucchini Clan… But people may not know that she comes from a background of frontline direct action and forest blockades.  Madz talks about it all today, with a few songs thrown in for fun!
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
 
Links:
 
Madz spent her 20s protesting deforestation in Gippsland with a group called Geco
She then moved on to work with Friends of the Earth Melbourne with ACE and did a radio show called Radio Active at 3CR
The music in this episode is all by the Zucchini Clan
We played the songs 'seasons' and 'water'.
 
 

S3 E7 Student Strikers and Gas

Today's episode is all about the proposed gas lead recovery for Australia and what our young people are doing to try and stop it.
Firstly we will hear from Warwick Smith, an ecologist and economist, who lays out exactly why the gas lead recovery is a nonsense. 
Then we have two young people who have been involved in the school strike for climate movement.  They have created an event for Castlemaine that is in coordination with actions across Australia to protest the gas lead recovery.  I talk to them about activism, and how the school strike movement has changed their lives.
Then we throw back to an interview I did last season with Cam Walker.  He works at environmental organisation Friends of the Earth and I thought what he said in that interview back in May is pertinent right now, on this issue.
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Links and resources:
 
Student strike for Climate                             
The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC)                                    
 
References made in Student Striker interview:
The One Straw Revolution                
Effective altruism                             
Cohen spoke about being involved in the local Z-net effort which Saltgrass covered in Season 2 Episode 21.  
 
 
If you want to get active and contact your Australian government representatives here are some starting points:
Current Australian Ministry List
If you want to focus on the Labour party
This is the Labour members of parliament
 
Cam Walker works at Friends of the Earth (FoE)
This link is if you wand to listen to the whole episode with Cam.

S3 E6 Making Change with Natalie Moxham

In this episode we speak with Natalie Moxham, a Castlemaine resident of over 10 years. She was a driving force in the Castlemaine Commons you tube series, which was created recently to look at how our community was managing the various factors playing out in this time of pandemic.
She has traveled the world and worked in many vulnerable communities, helping people create change… which is what we all know is needed, but can be so hard to make happen. She calls herself a change maker and movement builder, listen to find out what she has to say about how communities can change.
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Jaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Links:
 
Natalie's website: Leanganook Yarn
Check out the You Tube series Castlemaine Commons
 
Mentions in the show:
Find out more about the Mabo case here
Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth
I couldn't find the exact you tube clip we discussed but George Monbiot is a great thinker and worth checking out.
 

S3 E5 Caring for Country

In this episode I speak with two Dja Dja Wurrung men about what they are doing to connect people to country and in doing that help protect it.
Harley Douglas is project manager on a project called Walking Together.  It is a four year project looking at two sites.  They are doing surveys of the flora and fauna in the parks, introducing cultural learning points and also asking for community input about these two parks.
Uncle Rick Nelson has been taking high school boys out bush to connect to them and strengthen community and also strengthen their understanding of this place and the culture that connects them to it.
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Jaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Links:
Some information about the Walking Together project:
From Connecting Country 
From Parks Victoria 
 
Djandak 
Dja Dja Wurrung clans aboriginal corporation
 
About the Eltham Copper Butterfly
https://connectingcountry.org.au/education-resources/eltham-copper-butterfly-in-central-victoria/
 
Friends of Kalimna Park
 
About the Pink Tailed Worm Lizard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink-tailed_worm-lizard
 
Nalderun
Bendigo District Aboriginal Co-operative
 
Uncle Rick and the first coronavirus rap 
Uncle Rick and the most recent corona virus rap
 
The episode mentioned with Aunty Julie McHale from earlier this season
 
The first episode of the Dja Dja Wurrung Radio series I did with Uncle Rick in 2016... the rest of the episodes follow on from this one. There are seven episodes.

S3 E4 Ethical Apparel with Ilka White

In this episode I am speaking with Ilka White, an artist and textiles worker who has been investigating ways to make wearing clothing more sustainable.  We talk about fast fashion and its antidote - the fibreshed movement - and everything in between.  Basically, what considerations come into play when you want to choose clothing ethically.
Saltgrass is produced in Castlemaine, on Djaara country, home of the Dja Dja Wurrung people.  We pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.
 
Resources and links:
 
Ilka White's homepage for her art, classes and textiles projects
 
Fibreshed movement's home in California
Fibreshed Melbourne 
Look for a Fibreshed group near you, they are all over the world!
 
Have a listen to a previous episode about conscious clothing with Wonderpants maker Kathryn McAllister and textiles up-cycler Linnet Good.
 
Hear Ilka talk about her art practice in this episode about art and sustainability.