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.
The latest episodes
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 Project & PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > The race to impregnate male seahorses | 14 Sep 2023
Watch out seasons are shifting
Have you noticed a change in the weather seasons? Is there such a 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 researchers investigating phenology shifts and predicting how plants could react to future climate scenarios.
Featuring: Professor Alfredo Huete, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney and Dr Nathan Emery, research scientist at the Australia Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust
LISTEN > Watch out seasons are shifting | 16 Jan 2023
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 that carbon can be captured, stored, and repurposed. While it’s not a simple task that can be pulled out of thin air, are we on the right track to meet 2050 goals?
Featuring: Dr Alex Thomson, marine ecologist, Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney and Professor Peter Ralph, executive director of the Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology in Sydney
LISTEN > Carbon Capture- Viewing CO2 as a Resource | 3 Nov 2022
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, we might be more likely to care about it.
In this episode of Think: Sustainability, we take a look at how tourism can create advocates, or sometimes citizen scientists, out of tourists. Tourism operators and scientists are working together to achieve common goals, and we see just what makes that relationship successful.
Featuring: Gemma Gillette, PhD Candidate, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Lorna Howlett, PhD Candidate, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney and Crew Member, Wavelength Cruises, and Hanne Nielsen, Lecturer in Antarctic Law and Governance, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania
LISTEN > The Scientist Meets the Tourism Operator | 21 Sep 2022
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 improve conservation. So, with the Australian government recently pledging to reform environmental legislation - could we close the legal loopholes and save our threatened species? In this special edition of Think: Sustainability a panel of experts tell us about the law reforms needed to conserve and protect threatened species.
Featuring: Dr Ian Cresswell, Co-chair of the 2021 State of the Environment Report, Rachel Walmsley, Head of Policy and Law Reform, Environmental Defenders Office, and Dr Leigh Martin, Ecologist and Environmental Sciences Program Director at the University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > Is Australian Law Protecting Threatened Species? | 2 Sep 2022
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 take a look at some success stories; from coral restoration in the Great Barrier reef to promising emission reduction targets. We speak to a Victorian community fighting against a mineral sands mine in their midst and track an exciting new hope Aussie icon the Tassie Devil.
Featuring: Professor David Suggett, Director of the Future Reefs Program at the University of Technology Sydney, Lise Walbom, CEO of Food Nation Denmark, Kelly Davis, Supervisor at Aussie Ark, and Debbie Carruthers, Campaigner at Mine Free Glenaladale
LISTEN > Celebrating Sustainability in 2021 | 20 Dec 2021
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 open our eyes, nose and ears to discuss the innovative ways coral reefs can be conserved. In the first half of this episode we learn about the sounds of coral reefs and in the second half the ‘smell’ of coral reefs.
Featuring: Dr Miles Parsons, research scientist, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Dr Caitlin Lawson, research associate at the Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney and School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle
LISTEN > Listening to Coral Reefs | 2 Dec 2021
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 health of the site going forward. Featuring: Wayne Olling, Manager of Flora and Fauna, Blacktown and District Environment Group and Leigh Martin, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > Why Biodiversity Offsets Aren’t Working | 12 Nov 2021
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 environmentally sound promises they make.
Featuring: Dr Unnikrishnan Kuzhiumparambil, Lead Chemist at The Climate Change Cluster at The University of Technology Sydney and Professor Leonie Barner, Director of the Centre for Waste Free World at the Queensland University of Technology
LISTEN > The Promise of Bioplastics | 14 Oct 2021
Australia’s Beekeeping 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 University of Technology Sydney’s ithree institute and Bruce White OAM, beekeeper, bio-security officer and a former President of the NSW Amateur Beekeepers’ Association
LISTEN > Australia’s Beekeeping Industry | 16 Aug 2021
Earlier episodes
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 sustainably produce our food.
This episode looks at how Algae biotechnologies are revolutionising the agriculture and aquaculture industry.
Featured: Professor Peter Ralph, Executive Director of Climate Change Cluster at The University of Technology Sydney, Dr Graeme Barnett, CEO and Managing Director of Qponics Limited and Bastien Finet, Operations Manager at Pacific Reef Fisheries
Sustainability in Space
In this episode of Think: Sustainability, we discuss space debris, what is it? And why is there more of it? This episode investigates the current and upcoming technology being used to remove space junk. We also speak with Dr Cassandra Steer, an expert in space law and policy, to find out who is held accountable for littering in space.
Presenter/Producer: Marlene Even. Featuring: Dr. Martin Bell, astrophysicist, and lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Dr. Cassandra Steer, a lecturer at the Australian National University College of Law and a mission specialist at the Australian National University Institute for Space, and Mike Lindsay, Chief Technology Officer, Astroscale.
LISTEN > Sustainability in Space
The Search for Koalas
In this episode, we take a look at the world of conservation after two major blows: the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19. How have these crises affected the work of conservationists? And what are their demands of government, heading into the future?
Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel
Featuring: Dr Kellie Leigh, Executive Director, Science for Wildlife, Jonathan Webb, Associate Professor and Wildlife Ecologist, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Reannan Honey, PhD student, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > The Search for Koalas
Preparing for the Next Fire
How do we heal an ecosystem traumatised by fire? How will climate change result in more intense fires? And why aren’t we listening to Indigenous fire management recommendations from past inquiries?
Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel
Featuring: Oliver Costello, CEO, Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation, Kevin Tolhurst, Associate Professor, Fire Ecology and Management, University of Melbourne and Brad Murray, Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > Preparing for the Next Fire
Explosive Remnants of War
Warfare is destructive and absolute, but when conflict ends there is often surplus of weaponry. However, in burying or dumping these munitions when they’re no longer needed, we’ve threatened the fabric of fragile ecosystems.
Featuring: Stephen Billings – Geophysicist with GapEOD (Gap Explosive Ordnance Detection Pty Ltd), Julie Konzuk – Principal Environment Engineer with Geosyntec Consultants and Dr Megan Phillips – Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences at Head of PhytoLab at the University of Technology Sydney.
LISTEN > Explosive Remnants of War
Future Foods
Thanks to overpopulation and man made climate change, global food stocks are running low. Enter ‘future foods’ – the gross, weird and wonderful things clickbait articles tell us will be on our dinner plate in ten years time. But as Think: Digital Futures host Cheyne Anderson finds out, there’s more to this debate than just eating worms.
Featuring: Jacqui Newling – Colonial Gastronomer at Sydney Living Museums, Dr Janice McCauley – Research Fellow in the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney, Judy Friedlander – Researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney and Olympia Yarger – Insect Farmer with Go Terra.
LISTEN > Future Foods
Open Space
The data we collect via satellite informs almost all climate research undertaken today. So, why do half of the earth monitoring satellites currently in orbit restrict the use of climate data?
Featuring: Alfredo Huete – Distinguished Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, Mariel Borowitz – Assistant Professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology and author of Open Space and Rachel Licker – Senior Climate Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
LISTEN > Open Space
When the Levee Breaks
Will insurance companies ever offer cover for those living in a high risk flood zone?
Featuring: Lance Leslie – Professor of Climatology in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, Elizabeth Mossop – Professor of Landscape Architecture and Dean of the Design, Architecture and Building Faculty at the University of Technology Sydney, Tim Andrews – Principal at Finity Consulting and Gera and Cherina – Business Owners from Lismore, New South Wales.
LISTEN > When the Levee Breaks
Why Photosynthesis is our Genesis
As humanity continues to ponder its existence, ‘where did we all come from? Why are we here?’, researchers have suggested we may be asking the wrong questions in trying to uncover the answers. This episode we explore our evolving understanding of photosynthesis, and why the answers to some of our biggest philosophical questions could be locked in the process that enabled life to inhabit the planet, rather than what birthed us.
Featuring: David Suggett – Associate Professor in the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney, Tim Gibson – PhD Candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, Canada and Dr Robin Purchase from the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University.
LISTEN > Why Photosynthesis is our Genesis
What Are We Doing To Our Water
Australia’s long history with drought and fire has cemented a strong dependence to the water around us, so why do we continue to contaminate our finite supply? This episode we uncover what we’re doing to our water in ways you may not know about, and look at the efforts trying to appease the damage before it’s too late.
Featuring: Simon Mitrovic – Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, Maurizio Labbate – Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, and Lee Blaney – Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, US
LISTEN > What Are We Doing To Our Water
The Slippery Slope of Environmental Offsetting
When booking your last plane trip, you may have noticed the option to offset the carbon cost of your flight. Paying an additional fee to render your flight carbon neutral some say makes more aware of what they’re doing to the environment, but others criticise the idea calling it baseless and not as transparent as it may seem. This episode we explore how environmental offsetting goes way beyond the world of air travel and how these offsets could in fact devastate some of our most crucial forest and bushland.
Featuring: Dr Leigh Martin – Scholarly Teaching Fellow in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, Daisy Barham – Campaigns Director at the Nature Conservation Council and Simon Kilbane – Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture in the Faculty of Design, Building and Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney.
How Data Visualisations of Plankton Can Connect Us To Underwater Ecosystems
Martina Doblin, from the University of Technology Sydney is asking the public to come with her on an underwater journey with drifting microscopic plankton to help build a global picture of how the organisms are affected by changes in ocean conditions.
These microscopic organisms play a hugely important role in our ecosystem. Not only do they fuel the underwater food chain, but it is estimated that over 90% of the world’s oxygen is produced by marine plankton.
Martina has spent her entire career looking at microscopic plankton under a microscope, and is excited the public will finally get a chance to see the underwater species that has such a large impact on our oceans, up close.
LISTEN > How Data Visualisations of Plankton Can Connect Us To Underwater Ecosystems (2SER)
The Hunt for Coral Superheroes
As global sea temperatures continue to rise, our coral reefs are turning from thriving marine ecosystems into underwater graveyards.
But scientists have discovered a set of coral superheroes who might save the day.
Speaker: David Suggett, Associate Professor at The University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > The Hunt for Coral Superheroes
The Age of Citizen Science
Citizen scientists and members of the public have done everything from discover species, to document sea temperatures changes.
Just this year in Australia, an amateur astronomer named Andrew Grey, a mechanic from Darwin, helped scientists discover a whole set of new planets.
But why are people like you, donating their time, to help scientists document and discover. And is crowdfunding the scientific method really trustworthy?
Presenter: Miles P Herbert
Speakers: Annette Scanlon: Lecturer School of Natural and Built Environments, John Turnbull: Marine Ecologist and Social Scientist, University of New South Wales and Shuanna Murray: Associate Professor, Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney
LISTEN > The Age of Citizen Science
What Does the Indian Ocean Have to Say About Tropical Cyclones
Australia’s tropical cyclone season began on November 1st and will run in till April of next year. The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted we will be impacted by 11 to 13 tropical storms.
But ocean temperatures are rising globally, and the BOM predicts the chances of more cyclones impacting Australia is 50 percent.
Think Sustainability spoke with Lance Leslie, Professor in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney about what we should be expecting from this tropical cyclone season and how we might not be measuring the rising sea temperatures well enough.
LISTEN > What Does the Indian Ocean Have to Say About Tropical Cyclones (2SER)
Turning Cane Toads Into Sausages
Naomi has spent the last two years living in a tent in the Kimberley in Western Australia. But she’s not a backpacker, she’s not doing a roundhouse trip of the Australian countryside. Naomi is capturing cane toads and turning them into sausages. Speakers: Naomi Indigo – PHD Candidate in the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology Sydney.
LISTEN > Turning Cane Toads Into Sausages
Why Are Corals So Gassy
The Great Barrier Reef has taught us much about marine ecology, but there’s still so much we don’t know.
Do we have enough time to learn everything we can before the natural landmark is lost forever?
Speaker: Caitlin Lawson – PHD Candidate in the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney.
LISTEN > Why Are Corals So Gassy
Can We Better Predict The Upcoming Bushfire Season
As the temperatures slowly begin to warm as we move into the summer months, so do our anxieties around bushfires.
Nearly 4 years on from the New South Wales Bushfires that resulted in two deaths, 500 destroyed buildings and $100 million in damages, it’s safe to say our relationship with these unpredictable blazes remains tense.
But what if we could tell ahead of time how bad the bushfire season was going to be?
Speakers: Rachael Nolan – Research Fellow in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney.
LISTEN > Can We Better Predict The Upcoming Bushfire Season (2SER)
Whatever Happened to Acid Rain
The first recorded acid rain events date back to the 17th century, but it wasn’t until the early 1970s that it became a huge problem. Today, while the global community seems focused on dealing with climate change, what’s important about the story of acid rain is not only can it teach us how we can tackle global climate issues but also why we’re so bad at doing it.
Speakers: Derek Eamus – Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, Charles Driscoll – Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University, New York.
LISTEN > Whatever Happened to Acid Rain
Think: Sustainability is produced by 2SER in partnership with UTS Science