Farming, Fair Food and Fine Films

Documenting a revolution in food production.

It’s been a week of ‘foodie films’ with a twist – shining a spotlight on how our food is being produced and how this ‘production’ – both small-scale and large-scale – could be expanded to feed a projected global population of 10 billion people by 2050. There is growing awareness about ‘food miles’ and the health and environmental consequences associated with the highly processed western diet that many people consume. More people are starting to look at where their food actually comes from and what goes into it, and there is increasing support for local farmers and producers, through the likes of farmers markets and community supported agriculture.

Farmers Markets (like this one in Lancefield, Victoria) are growing in popularity.

There is also a grass roots movement evolving across the globe, with the practice of ‘urban farming’ really starting to gather momentum. Many people are wanting to reconnect with nature and the land or to cultivate the traditional skills associated with ‘growing your own’ – be that in community gardens or on rooftops, in paddocks, plots or pots, school yards, backyards or balconies.

As the two ‘food’ films that premiered in Australia and screened at the Transitions Film Festival in Melbourne this week highlight, we are in the midst of what is quietly but steadfastly becoming a social revolution. A small but significant percentage of the population is starting to shift towards becoming more localised and self-sufficient in terms of developing the skills and know-how to grow and source more of their own food. And the flow on benefits include re-invigorated local economies, an increased sense of ‘community’ and improvements in people’s overall health and well-being.

Community gardens are a great place to grow food and build a sense of community.

The ‘Plant This Movie’ is an award-winning documentary that tracks the rise of urban agriculture internationally, from the productive ‘Victory Gardens’ of the war years, through to the post-war ‘age of consumerism’ that took hold from the 1950s onwards, starting with the baby-boomer generations. Decades of disconnection from food production in the western world followed, with the increasing commercialisation and industrialisation of the food supply. To the point where many people have lost the fundamental skills associated with ‘edible gardening’ – a practice that was far more common amongst our great-grandparents’ generations.

However, in recent years, things have started to come full circle, as more and more people have started to seek out those traditional skills and reconnect with the art of growing, cooking and sharing good food. Fresh, healthy home-grown and community-grown food.

The ‘Plant This Movie‘, directed by Karney Hatch, is narrated beautifully by Daryl Hannah and provides an uplifting and tangible sense of global change taking place, providing examples from both the developing and developed worlds but mainly North and South America.

For me, sitting in the audience, there was definitely a “feel good” factor … and it reinforced why I love my work as a garden writer, with a special interest in the growing of food. I love meeting fellow gardeners across Australia, in the course of researching, writing and photographing my stories – home gardeners, guerrilla gardeners, horticulturists, educators, community builders and the like – people who are making a difference to their own lives and the lives of others, and who, through the simple act of productive gardening, are part of a quiet global revolution. The phenomenon of ‘growing your own’ and urban farming is something that I definitely observe taking place across Australia.

Australia is part of the revolution in community gardening and ‘urban farming’.

The second ‘food’ movie featured at the Transitions Film Festival this week was ‘10 Billion: What’s on Your Plate?‘ This German documentary with English narration, directed by Valentin Thurn (‘Taste the Waste‘ producer), provides a thought provoking and sobering look at the issue of how to feed the world’s growing population, which is expected to reach 10 billion by around 2050. In exploring the future of food, the film takes viewers on a journey across the globe, through both developed and developing countries, to explore the various options. From insects to industrial farming, from the roll out of big-business technological ‘solutions’, to the rise of organic, small-scale and community based farming practices.

While some of the high-tech options may at first appear to be bordering on the sic-fi, they are actual examples of research and development, or even implementation, in different parts of the world. These include ‘meat’ being grown from stem cells, in test tubes and petri dishes, within research laboratories (although a ‘burger’ currently weighs in at around $250,000) and genetically modified animals and plants designed to be fast growing and ‘high yield’ via the introduction of new genes from other species. Today, there are ‘plant factories’ in operation in  Japan, with food cultivated without soil, on multi-platform levels, under artificial lights. Such high-tech propositions currently carry high price tags, which make them rather prohibitive for developing country budgets.

Then again, as the documentary highlights, we can learn much from the farmers of the developing world, with their age old practices and precious species diversity, held within seed banks. Although, many farmers did get caught up in the ‘Green Revolution’ that was rolled out in the west and beyond, as the ‘answer’ to improving crops and yields and feeding the world. However, as the big seed, fertiliser and pesticide companies prospered, poor farmers became increasingly dependent upon this high-input way of farming and mono-culture approach to agriculture.

Organic farming is one of the options explored in the film.

As a counterbalance, traditional and small-scale practices are steadily making a comeback, with the value of diversity and lower energy-input practices becoming more valued as viable options for the future.

Organic farming is one of the agricultural methods that is steadily on the rise as people look for alternatives to the agribusiness model and also look to repair the environment and produce healthy sources of food. The film also looks at community supported agriculture (CSA), the rapid growth of ‘urban farming’, and movements like the Transition Network, with its local currency (in the original Totnes, UK example of a Transition Town) and its support for locally produced food and the building of community resilience.

Backyard chickens are part of the urban farming revolution.

Good food for thought.

 All in all, both documentaries provide good food for thought, as we explore how to address potential food shortages for the globe’s growing population. Moving forward into the future, different approaches and solutions will be required in order to deal with the challenges ahead, which will inevitably include soil depletion and climate change. It is encouraging to see that re-localisation, creativity and innovation, the new phenomenon of ‘urban farming’, and equipping people once again, with the skills to sustain themselves, all look set to play an increasingly important role in addressing food security and in planning ahead to feed the world’s future generations.

 .

* The Transitions Film Festival runs through until 3 March in Melbourne (and 20-29 May in Adelaide). Its programme of thought provoking films aims to engage, educate and inspire. In essence, positive, solutions-focused films and cutting-edge ideas from around the world are showcased, often followed by Q&A and panel sessions with leading local thinkers and ‘agents of change’, drawn from the creative, academic, governmental, community and business realms. 

For more information, visit http://www.transitionsfilmfestival.com, where you can also sign up for their newsletter and event updates. The Transitions team also screens special sessions and hosts mini-events at other times of the year, which are well worth checking out.

For more information on the movies and their creators, visit:

http://www.plantthismovie.com

http://www.thurnfilm.de/en_doku_10Milliarden.php

* Thank you to farmer Fiona, from Adsum Farmhouse, and the Jills of Lancefield, and to urban farmers, Jen from Orange and Yasmine from Austria, for appearing as my farmers market and community garden ‘models’ in this blogpost.

 

The People’s Climate March

A global demonstration of support for action on climate change. 

‘People Power’ took to the streets of Melbourne on Friday 27 November, as the first of a weekend of Climate Marches took place across Australia. Tens of thousands of people added their voices to calls for action on climate change.

The ‘voice of the people’ echoed across the world, as citizens in towns and cities – from Argentina to Zimbabwe – poured onto their streets as well, in a weekend of global community action, sending a powerful message – loud and clear – to world leaders on the eve of the United Nations Climate Summit in Paris.

[* ‘Frontline’ montage photos (above) by ROWENA DELA ROSA YOON, images below by TESS HOLDERNESS]

The ‘voice of the people’ echoed across the globe.

Just as social movements have historically sprung up and been a catalyst for change in addressing inequities – like Apartheid in South Africa or the civil rights movement in the United States – this time, a world-wide revolution is starting to really gather momentum in response to a shared global issue which is increasingly and profoundly affecting humanity at large, socially and economically as well as environmentally.

People from all walks of life joined together as one united group.

Taking to the Streets

The reality of climate change can be sobering and even quite confronting, yet ‘inspiring’ and ‘heartening’ are words that spring to mind to describe Melbourne’s Climate March. Largely because people are starting to feel that change is in the air – literally.

A time of great change.

There was a strong sense of a critical mass of people joining together, locally as well as globally. These are people who are aware of the issues and what is at stake. People who are willing to show their support for a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the phasing out of fossil fuels and the roll out of clean energy technologies. Indeed, there is a sense that we are on the cusp of nothing short of a revolution whose time has come.

Calling for a clean energy revolution.

An estimated 60,000 Victorian citizens – of all ages and from all walks of life – came out onto the Melbourne streets to voice community concerns about global warming and to demand action on climate change. As people gathered together, there was a real buzz in the air and an electrified feeling of anticipation. Looking around at the diversity of the different groups that were there to demonstrate, a real sense of camaraderie and support was quite evident.

There was an air of hope and camaraderie amongst the demonstrators.

Many disparate groups had coalesced in a common cause, brought together by a desire for greater action on climate change. From indigenous people to trade unions and supporters of various political parties, from church and religious groups to artists, musicians and representatives of conservation organisations, from youth groups to baby boomers, teachers, office workers, emergency service personnel and health professionals. From parents with babes in arms to community elders and everyone in between – all singing from the same hymn book. As one young mother commented on the crowd as she walked past, “we are all in this together”.

A family friendly event, for people of all ages.

Calls for Action

The rallying speeches articulated the calls for action but more than that, they also laid out a vision for the co-creation of a more sustainable, equitable future, based on the use of clean energy technologies. Such a future will be filled with a range of new opportunities and possibilities, accompanying the transition to a more sustainable society, powered by renewable sources of energy.

There is strong community support for a shift towards a more sustainable way of life. 

Within the ‘broad church’ of civil society calling for such social change, there exists a sense of hope and a willingness to help facilitate such a shift – through personal and professional actions. In fact, many people just want to “get on with the job”. Such a proactive and positive approach provides an important antidote to the concerns, fears and anxieties that surround the growing number of reports of environmental crises and further climatic changes, the consequences of climate disruption that have already begun.

People want a transition away from fossil fuels, to a renewable energy economy.

Companies and politicians with vested interests in continuing with the ‘business as usual model’ and people who choose to remain in ignorance or denial about the changing climate, can be sources of great frustration to those who are looking to move forward and transition to a less polluting and less environmentally damaging economic model.

People want their politicians to do more and to show some leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.

Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, after the Melbourne march, reiterating the Labor Party’s plans for zero net emissions by 2050.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Richard di Natale, was warmly welcomed by the crowd.

In Our Hands

Awareness is certainly building in regard to what is happening to our environment and our climate system and importantly, what needs to be done to address the underlying root causes. Tipping points for the ‘solutions revolution’ are coming more clearly into view. However, this comes at a time when the climate system itself is heading towards its own tipping points – with global mean temperatures increasing, icecaps and glaciers melting and sea levels rising.

Climate change is affecting the world’s biodiversity and habitats.

An increasing frequency and severity of droughts, heat waves and fires, torrential rains and floods, and more intense storms are occurring across the globe as the early consequences of global warming and climate change kick in. Species diversity, along with many habitats and marine environments, are in decline. Oceans are experiencing increased rates of acidification and the world’s beautiful coral reefs are being subject to more bleaching events. Such observations and reports provide further impetus for change – social and economic change.

Young people were out in force to draw attention to the plight of our environment and to call for change.

What is at stake is the very future of the habitable planet that we inherited and became environmental stewards of. But what will we be passing on to the young people of today and future generations to come? We still have time to take part in what has been termed a critical ‘Transition Decade’ – a window of opportunity to “turn the Titanic” – but we are approaching a very important fork in the road.

Time to “turn the Titanic” and chart a new course for humanity.

Up to Us

As a global society that shares the ecosystems and climatic systems that support and sustain us as one human family, we have choices to make in terms of how we move forward and how fast we transition to a clean energy economy. We have the skills, knowledge and know-how and the technical capacity and expertise to enable this shift. And we are steadily building the necessary social capital and ‘community will’ to drive and facilitate such change.

Think of the type of future we want to create.

Future generations will look back on this time as an important junction in human history. Lying before us now, is the opportunity to redefine our future. It is in our hands and the eyes of the world now fall upon Paris. We will stay tuned to see if the necessary ‘political will’ to make a timely transition to a clean energy economy is to be demonstrated.

We are all ‘climate guardians’.

… And we never give up hope.

As Adam Vaughan, Environment Editor of The Guardian UK reports, the first day of the UNFCCC COP21 gathering began with strong rhetoric from the world’s leaders … will it translate into strong action?

Read the full story at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/live/2015/nov/30/paris-climate-summit-world-leaders-meet-for-opening-day-live?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=KIITG_PCC_Day1_301115&utm_term=140554&subid=11356678&CMP=ema-60

For full coverage of the Paris Summit from The Guardian, visit:  http://www.theguardian.com/au/environment

Our common future.

For a short video and recap of the Climate Marches in Australia, visit the Australian Conservation Foundation, at:           https://acf.exposure.co/peoples-climate-march?&utm_medium=email&utm_source=acflive&utm_content=2&utm_campaign=PCM-final-reminder-CCL-PTW-2015-11-26&source=PCM-final-reminder-CCL-PTW-2015-11-26

For accurate and independent information from Australia’s Climate Council, including reports from the Paris Climate Change Conference, visit: http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/

For updates from Melbourne Uni researchers, from the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, who are attending the Paris conference (including authors Tim Flannery, Kate Auty, Don Henry and John Wiseman), visit: http://sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/cop21blog

For official information about UNFCCC COP21, including background details, webcasts and the e-newsroom, visit: unfccc.int/2860.php

For background information about climate change and ideas about what you can do to play your own role in the ‘solutions revolution’, or to request a presntation on climate change in your area, visit The Climate Reality Project (a not-for-profit organisation founded by Nobel Prize Laureate and former US Vice-President, Al Gore): https://www.climaterealityproject.org

* Words and images by TESS HOLDERNESS

NB – ‘Frontline’ montage photos (at the start of story) and portrait of the author (above) at the Melbourne Climate March by ROWENA DELA ROSA YOON (portraits below by TESS).    Thanks Rowena! T  : )

 

Australia’s First Eco-School

I’d like to share a story I wrote about primary school principal, Andy Best – a quiet achiever in the realm of environmental education in Australia. I first met Andy in the café during Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership training in Melbourne last year, and he told me about his school, Harrington Park Public School in NSW, becoming Australia’s first Eco-School. That’s what the 6-page feature story that I wrote for a gardening magazine is all about … but it’s also about acknowledging Andy’s great leadership work, both within the education sector and the broader community.

Andy Best in the indigenous garden at Harrington Park Public School.

Sharing the stage with Al Gore at the Melbourne training, as part of a session on education, Andy acknowledged Al as an important inspiration and mentor. Leading the way in terms of showing what’s possible in sustainability education in Australia, this humble teacher and school principal has actually gone on to inspire many others and become a mentor himself.

At the end of the year Andy will retire as Principal of Harrington Park but he will continue to assist with the roll out of the Eco-Schools initiative in this country. Best of luck with this new role Andy – and thanks for all the great work that you do in the spheres of climate change advocacy and education for sustainability.

A totem pole in the school grounds.

Principal Andy Best chats to some Grade 6 students.

Students Codi and Nicholas share Andy’s interest in the environment and sustainability.

The feature on Andy Best/Harrington Park Public School appeared in ‘Your Vegie Patch’ magazine (Vol 5 No.6) – a gardening publication reflecting the revolution occurring in ‘urban agriculture’ and the increased interest in living more sustainably and ‘growing your own’. Both education and communication will remain important keys in assisting people to make the transition towards more sustainable ways of living.

To view the full article, click on the link below:

 YVP_Australia’s First Eco-School

Bike riding is a popular mode of transport at this school.

Stephanie Alexander – Leading a Revolution

Stephanie Alexander – Leading a Revolution

The inspirational story behind the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

It was really nice to meet with Stephanie Alexander recently and talk about her inspirational journey with kitchen gardens in schools. There are now more than 700 schools across Australia involved with her healthy living program. But it all started with just one – in Collingwood, Victoria. It was lovely to take Stephanie back to Collingwood College, where it all began. And it all began with just the seed of an idea and a desire to make a difference.

To view the full feature story, which appeared in Your Vegie Patch magazine, click on the link below.

YVP_Stephanie Alexander feature

Eingana – The Journal of the Victorian Association for Environmental Education

I enjoyed working as the interim Editor of Eingana – the Journal of the Victorian Association for Environmental Education, for its April-June 2015 edition. It would have been nice to have continued on in the role but I have too many other work and travel commitments at the moment. Perhaps another time …

It is always good to share stories about the journey towards sustainability and how we can engage others, as educators and communicators.

Eingana is the great Earth Mother. She is fertility herself. She is the source of all life forms, of all being.

DJAUAN TRIBE, NT

To view the Eingana e-publication, click on the link below …

VAEE Eingana Journal_Vol 38 #1

At VAEE, it was also wonderful to meet with VCE Environmental Science teachers and contributors to discuss plans for the new VCE textbook for 2016. Such a committed group of people!

FROM THE EDITORS

…………………..

By Sarah Houseman and Tess Holderness

Environmental educators, like gardeners, take a long term vision for their work. Observant of small changes and indicators of a healthy eco-system, they are encouraged and re-energized by new growth and short term projects which flower to the wonder of all. Some change is incremental and subtle in character and can only be discerned in reflective moments. Failure to thrive invites some deeper questions and enquiry. At other times a number of factors come together to create change that is profound and impactful, even revolutionary. Professional educators are driven to ‘make a difference’.

In the current edition of Eingana, we hear from some of these educators (and students) and look at how those seeds of change are being planted, nurtured, pruned and harvested. How can we bring people, schools, businesses, institutions and communities together to learn about and explore pathways to sustainability? In ‘From Lectures to Conversations’, Ian McBurney, creator of the Talking ecoLogical card deck, explains how the cards can be used to inspire and encourage conversations about sustainability.

Monash University researchers share their findings about the value and effectiveness of Sustainability Victoria’s ResourceSmart Schools program and how it can be further improved. Tracy Young reflects on the future of early childhood environmental education, while Kirsty Costa, 2013 VAEE Environmental Educator of the Year, suggests that it’s time to change the way we talk about sustainability in an education context. We also hear a student perspective, with Year 9 Cornish College student, Katja Jansen, sharing her investigation into the health of the Murray River.

In this edition, we also welcome our new Eingana Editor, Tess Holderness. With a background in biology, she comes to us with extensive experience as a science and environmental journalist, editor and photographer – making a valuable addition to the journal and VAEE team. Tess is looking forward to sharing stories that help to connect, inform and inspire members of the environmental and sustainability education communities.

It was lovely to catch up with some of our members at the recent VAEE Community Gathering, convened to provide an opportunity for educators to connect with and learn from each other and build our community. The second Community Gathering will be held in late May – look out for more details in the next edition of EnviroEvents.

The next edition of Eingana will focus on the theme of Advocacy – both within environmental education and for the environment. If you would like to submit an article relevant to the theme please contact Sarah Houseman via vaee@vaee.vic.edu.au.

We hope that you enjoy reading this latest edition of Eingana and find the contents to be good food for thought. As one of our contributors, Tracy Young, points out so well in her article:

“The intent must be to not only create inspiring messages that hopefully enact environmental change as the seeds of change are sown, but to also consider how these seeds can develop deep rhizomes that spread in multiple directions and build firm foundations of change.” ●

A Budding Green Thumb

In my last post, I shared a feature profile on school teacher, Mick Bourke. The accompanying story in the current edition of Your Vegie Patch magazine, is on 10 year old gardener and sustainability advocate, Jamie van Wensveen – who just happens to be my son! Although, in this story, I focus on the inspiration that his class teacher has been, in inspiring him to take up gardening and an interest in the environment, not to mention learning to cook. Bless you Mick Bourke!

Needless to say, I had plenty of pics to choose from for this feature. And I am pleased to say that Jamie now shares my interests in gardening and sustainability – a kindred spirit! From the feature article …

A BUDDING GREEN THUMB

In the previous gardener profile we met a Kitchen Garden teacher … here, we meet one of the young students who has been inspired to set off on his own gardening adventures.

      

To view the story, click on the link below …

Your Vegie Patch Magazine-Feature Story on JAMIE

Teachers – Sowing the Seeds of Change

It’s been a while between blogs! I have been busy working and travelling … But back in Melbourne now, and it is high time to share some of my recent stories, on gardening and sustainability – two of my favourite themes. This feature story, for Your Vegie Patch magazine, is on environmental educator and primary school teacher, Mick Bourke, from Preshil – the Margaret Lyttle Memorial School in Kew.

SOWING THE SEEDS OF CHANGE

For primary school teacher, Mick Bourke, engaging students in learning about Kitchen Garden activities and sustainability is one of the highlights of his job.

 

To view the story, click on the link below …

TESS_YVP_GARDENER PROFILE_MICK BOURKE_FINAL

Magazine Feature – ‘In Conversation with Stephen Ryan’

A garden tour with Stephen Ryan provides an insight into ‘unusual edibles’.

Time to share some of the work that I do … writing about the realms of science, sustainability and gardening. The latter is particularly good therapy – wandering around gardens, taking photos and interviewing people who are growing interesting things. It inspires me to try new things on the home front, and slowly my humble vegie patch is starting to transform itself into quite a productive food garden. I have even donned the gloves to help with the kitchen garden and sustainability programs at my son’s school, Preshil – but more about that in a future blog.

An abundant vegetable garden, with towering amaranth – a source of edible flowers, greens and grains.

The vivid colour of flowering amaranth heads.

Today’s post is about magazine features … using the case in point: ‘In Conversation with Stephen Ryan”, which currently appears in the September-October edition of ‘Your Vegie Patch’ – a magazine all about growing your own food. I really enjoy contributing to this publication, especially features for the section on ‘Gardener Profiles’.

At the end of each month (or two for bi-monthlies) there occurs the ritual changeover of magazines on newsagency shelves, so I am about to bid Stephen (and also a piece on ‘Caroline’s Courtyard’) farewell to make way for a couple of different features in the next edition of the magazine.

At a time of high turnover, 24-hour news cycles and ever-present internet availability, magazines, unlike their newspaper counterparts, are tending to hold and even increase their circulation figures. This is due to a number of factors – including readership loyalty and the existence of niche genres – which is nice to see.

Tending the vegetable patch.

Stephen’s garden is full of meandering pathways and little surprises hidden around corners.

Personally, I love writing and creating photographic features for the magazine format. I am definitely an advocate for this type of ‘slow journalism’ (think the ‘slow food’ movement and simply apply it to writing).

I first met Stephen Ryan, former host of the ABC TV series ‘Gardening Australia’, at an Open Garden Day in the Macedon Ranges, when I was farm sitting out that way. I went to visit his beautiful property, Tugurium, and we had an interesting chat during a tour of his garden. I quickly planned a return visit, camera in hand. The garden is a wonderful example of beauty and productivity – a real labour of love that is filled with all manner of rare plants, given Stephen’s expertise and interest in this area. He just happens to run the Dicksonia Rare Plants Nursery up the road.

The unusual ‘medlar’ – a beautiful fruit tree or a productive ornamental – depending on how you look at it.

The medlar fruit is like a cross between a pear and a hawthorn and tastes somewhat like a baked cinnamon apple.

In addition to all the interesting plants I had never laid eyes on before … and his fabulous vegie patch … one of the things that really appealed to me was Stephen’s interest in “usual edibles”. These added beauty and interest to the garden in their own right and they weren’t simply confined to the vegetable beds or the orchard, rather they were peppered throughout the property, skilfully interwoven amongst the ornamentals, to great effect. Given Stephen’s wealth of knowledge, effusive enthusiasm and remarkable garden, I thought that this was a story well worth sharing …

The photo-feature, as it appeared in ‘Your Vegie Patch’ magazine, can be found at the following link:

‘In Conversation with Stephen Ryan’

Relaxing in a tranquil spot by the back pond. Stephen and botanical illustrator Craig Lidgerwood.

Drawing inspiration from the garden, literally  – one of Craig’s illustrations. Hardenbergia violacea.

About

This is me with my 9 y o son, Jamie, at the Melbourne Aquarium – one of our favourite places. The preservation of nature and the life support systems that sustain us all, is what will determine the type of planet and future that we pass on to current and future generations. What will our legacy be?

This site is where I will document not just my own journey towards living more sustainably but also the experiences of others. The plan is to write occasional blog posts on interesting developments in the realm of renewable energy, productive food gardening and addressing climate change, etc. And to profile those working within this sphere. Early days yet but as this all develops I will continue to add useful links and resources, along with some samples of my published work.

For me, both gardening and garden writing are good therapy!

Photo-journalism has always been a special interest for me – having grown up on a diet of National Geographic and wildlife documentaries – and I continue to love its ‘story telling’ role. With a background in biological sciences, my early work centred mainly around journalism and reporting, primarily for magazines and broadcast media, generally with a special interest in science and nature.

I have enjoyed writing for science and gardening magazines and working on shows like ‘Talk to the Animals’ with Dr Harry Cooper, doing feature stories on wildlife and meeting lots of salt of the earth people along the way. Sometimes my work would also branch off into general reporting or areas more foreign to me, like producing stories on women’s sport for SBS television … although I must admit that somehow the stories tended to morph into segments on the science of sport!

It has all been a very interesting journey … and great food for thought, as you never stop learning.

Testing out a solar vehicle designed and built in Australia by engineering students at UNSW. The Sunswift prototype holds the world record for the fastest electric car over 500 km. Renewable energies are the way of the future.

Over the past 15 years or so my work has evolved into science writing and editing for international scientific research institutions. I’ve really enjoyed assisting scientists and researchers from around the world (including places like Africa, Asia and South America), often with English as a second language, to prepare their work for publication or presentation at major conferences. I love what I do because I am forever meeting interesting people and learning about the important research that they do.

WHY THE BLOG?

A couple of key reasons … Journalism and communications have moved into the digital age. So it is time to get with the programme and I am seeing increasing value in what the blogosphere has to offer in terms of connecting people and sharing information. Another inspiration has been the work of climate protection advocate and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Al Gore, the former Vice-President of the United States. In 2014 I was selected to do some training with Mr Gore in Melbourne. I had been following his work with great interest, since the release in 2006, of the Academy Award-winning documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and I was quite keen to gain more of an insight into the work that his Foundation (The Climate Reality Project climaterealityproject.org) has been undertaking in the intervening years.

Nobel Laureate, Al Gore, Founder of the Climate Reality Project, at a Leadership training session in Melbourne.

As a science journalist, I accept the consensus science and research behind human induced climate change. My interest is particularly on the ‘solutions’ – those approaches designed to move us forward and help us to adapt and mitigate (that is, reduce the impact of and factors leading to) a changing climate. Attending the training really reinforced for me, the importance of effective science communication in helping to create a better informed public and a civil society better equipped to make decisions about the challenges we face and identify the best pathways forward.

The training programme also highlighted the importance of seeing this not just as a scientific issue but as an issue that affects each and every one of us, globally – socially, economically and politically. As a result, I am choosing to refocus my work, in alignment with my background and interests, to produce more stories about sustainability, including profiles on those who are getting on with this important work. I am really looking forward to sharing ideas, information and inspiration from the people that I will be meeting with, interviewing and photographing, as a way of highlighting the great work that is unfolding in this area.

Fellow members of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps in Melbourne.

Despite the challenges, I believe there are positive signs of change everywhere we look, reflecting the transition that is currently underway towards the creation of a more socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Change will not simply come from the top down and this is far too important an issue to just leave to our politicians. Change will come from the ground up, from people like you and me, and from every direction in between. Working together, in a shared direction, is what will enable transformation. This is not just for our sake but for the sake of our children and for future generations – those who stand to inherit the earth that we will leave behind for them.

This decade has been termed the Decade of Transition. We have the skills, technology and knowhow, we just need the social capital and political will, and this is continuing to build towards a critical mass – a tipping point if you like, as the climate system also heads towards some crucial tipping points.

Learning about renewable energy technology, research and solutions at the recent ‘Clean Energy Show’ in Melbourne.

As one of Australia’s leading atmospheric scientists, Prof David Karoly, points out, with the help of a Goldilocks cartoon, we can no longer offer the future generations that follow us, the climate system that we grew up with. There is no longer a “just right” option – the options now on the table are for “hot”, “hotter” or “boiling”. The changes we make now will determine our future and theirs. The choice is ours and the time is now.  Welcome to the Transition Decade! I do hope that you will be part of this exciting journey.

Renewable Energy – The Way of the Future

There are positive signs that a cleaner, greener future is indeed achievable. We have the technology, the capability and know-how. What we seem to be lacking the most, in Australia, is the political will as a major driver for transformational change. However, other background dynamics are certainly at play, and the world overall is moving towards the implementation and uptake of renewable technologies, in the bid to curb greenhouse gas emissions and address global climate change.

This fundamental shift in energy use is occurring at an increasing rate. For the “early responders” – those who envisage a more sustainable future and who are taking steps towards achieving this – significant economic opportunities exist. As countries like China have now realised. The tide does indeed appear to be turning, although the Australian government is positioning itself politically, to be lagging behind, instead of playing a leadership role.

China has a strong presence in the global solar industry and is supporting the further expansion and development of its renewables industries.

Chinese companies were present at The Clean Energy Show exhibition, promoting solar and renewables technologies.

After spending the last two days immersed in the All Energy Australia Exhibition and Conference space, I am heartened by the innovation, R&D and suite of emerging technologies that have either entered the marketplace, are under development or are poised for release.

Leading researchers from Australian universities and CSIRO presented at The Clean Energy conference.

The Smart Home – with integrated renewable energy supplies and an electric vehicle charging station, facilitated by energy storage devices.

Time and again, I came across examples of innovative initiatives, which had been developed in Australia but which had to move offshore to attract funding, lacking the homegrown financial support or a conducive policy framework or regulatory environment to enable and encourage further development within Australia. It is interesting to hear from the perspective of the original development teams, who are now in partnership with foreign companies and together, are taking their technologies to world markets.

There are some prime examples of this within the solar photo-voltaic industry – where cutting edge science and technology, developed within Australian universities and CSIRO labs, have been taken up overseas and are now contributing to the solar revolution. Looking back, there were certainly missed opportunities here. But let’s hope we can learn from such experiences and not just repeat that scenario again, for example in the realm of energy storage solutions. This remains a key issue for renewable technologies and electric vehicles. The further development and roll out of such technology will be a “game changer” and will allow for widespread and rapid expansion. So stay tuned. Once again, Australian researchers are playing a pivotal in this area of investigation and the development of such new technology is well underway in current laboratory and field trials. Not only can we see these changes on the horizon – they are almost at an economically viable roll out stage. Exciting times!

Similarly, the front lines of research and development are also focusing on other technological challenges, like “smoothing technology” to facilitate the smooth feed in of fluctuating renewable energy inputs, from the likes of solar and wind energy, back into the power grid. A range of international experts delivered presentations and took part in panel discussions on such topics. Other specialist sessions covered the key areas of energy efficiency, solar, wind and bio energy, energy storage, policy and the future of the grid.

The solar revolution continues, with a strong presence at the exhibition and conference.

Energy from the sun – of which we have an abundance in Australia.

As usual, some scientists and engineers are not all that great at communicating their work in a user-friendly way and those lectures can be a bit heavy going! However, a burning desire to communicate was probably not why they entered their area of research and expertise in the first place but rather, a desire to explore new boundaries, investigate and innovate, with an enquiring mind – that is what they are good at and this comes through in their work. There are also some excellent communicators, who are very dedicated, even passionate about the work that they do. The overall picture is one of inspiring developments and steady progress in the realm of clean energy.

A cleaner, greener future is very achievable and makes economic as well as environmental sense.

There is a large amount of inertia in the traditional energy sector, requiring a long lead time to change and adapt – not to mention the time and energy required to address internal resistance by those who want to see the status quo maintained. But adapt and change we must if the citizens of the world have any chance of the planet and the delicate balance of the climatic system that sustains us staying under the 2 degree rise in global mean temperature that the world’s nations and the UN have agreed to limit global warming to. It’s a bit like trying to turn a planetary Titanic – that’s one big ship to redirect and it’s going to require concerted efforts. However, we do have the technology and capability. We just need the social, economic and political will to implement the changes required.

The Clean Energy Show in Melbourne.

All-Energy Australia is an annual, free-to-delegate, business-to-business conference and networking forum hosted alongside an exhibition showcasing renewable energy, clean energy, sustainable transport and energy efficiency. The 2014 event took place on 15-16 October at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, as part of Australian Sustainability Week. It will be held again on 7-8 October in 2015.