The Great Southern Reef spans the entire bottom half of Australia, and 70% of our national population lives within 50kms of it. Yet, it's largely unknown. In this episode Tessa sits down with Dr Sahira Bell to chat about this vital cool water ecosystem, and a marine plant they both adore: seaweed! With its many benefits and uses, seaweed is becoming a hot topic in the climate conversation and on The Great Southern Reef it's the 'kelp forests' that have Sahira's heart.  Sahira is marine ecologist at the University of Western Australia's Ocean Institute and a self confessed kelp enthusiast ..read more

In this episode we're diving into the ocean waters to learn about our incredible coral reef systems. As beautiful as they are important, coral reefs are often called the ‘rainforests of the sea’ and are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. But, they are struggling against the effects of climate change so Tessa sits down with tropical fish and coral reef expert David Booth to get the 411 on how reef systems function, their current state and what we can do to help them thrive. David is a Professor of Marine Ecology at UTS, and the past-President of the Australian Coral Reef Society ..read more

It's been three decades since the landmark Mabo decision overturned the concept of terra nullius - land belonging to no one - yet the idea of aqua nullius and the fight for restoring Aboriginal water rights remains. In this episode Tessa speaks to Wiradjuri Nyemba woman Dr Virginia Marshall about detangling the complex web of water management, the Royal Commission into the Murray Darling basin and the commodification of water. Virginia is a practicing lawyer and a duty solicitor specialising in intellectual property and traditional knowledge. She's also an Executive Officer of the Aboriginal W ..read more

Fashion, clothing, shoes, accessories .... we all buy them, use them, and dispose of them. But what are the environmental and human impacts of this? And as much as marketing loves to sell it - can the fashion industry ever be truely sustainable? In this ep, Tessa sits down with sustainable supply chain expert Kelly Elkin. Having previously co-founded online store Well Made Clothes, as well the Australian Ethical Fashion Association - Clean Cut, Kelly has been on the forefront of sustainable fashion in Australia for decades, helping both emerging and established brands build strategies driven b ..read more

Bees are infinitely important to our food production, plant pollination and ecosystem biodiversity. You've probably come across a European honeybee before, but did you know Australia has over 2000 different types of native bees? In this episode, Tessa speaks with Dr Tim Heard - an entomologist and ex CSIRO research scientist who focuses on stingless and native bees. The pair get chatting about the differences between native and introduced bees, the types of native species here in Australia, the challenges they are facing and what we can do to help our buzzy friends thrive. Keep up to date with ..read more

In this ep, Tessa chats with Tishiko King, a proud Kulkalaig woman from the Island of Masig in Zenadth Kes (Torres Straight Islands). She's the Campaigns Director at Seed Mob, an organiser for the Our Islands Our Home campaign and an all-round legend who is passionate about sharing culture, amplifying social inequality, and advocating for the rights of First Nations people. Tish is currently based in Naarm but has bounced around a bit throughout her interesting life. Hear about her journey to studying marine biology, how she went from working for a mining company to fighting gas exploration in ..read more

In the first episode of season 2, Tessa sits down with one of Australia's most accomplished climate campaigners, Anna Rose. Anna is the co-founder of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) and Groundswell Giving. She's on the board for Farmers for Climate Action, a Governor of WWF Australia and co-star of the ABC documentary I Can Change Your Mind on Climate Change. With the upcoming federal election and increase in extreme weather events supercharging the climate conversation, Tessa wanted to hear from someone who's experienced political change first hand, and knows exactly how to turn ..read more

After a year of chatting, recording and editing (plus hiking a couple mountains in between)....your favourite enviro pod, The Nature Between Us, is back! In this season, Tessa delves into topics such as natural gas fracking, sustainable fashion, Aboriginal water rights, the plight of our bee's, diminishing kelp forests, migrating tropical fish, the psychological benefits of gardening and of course - climate change and the upcoming election! It's a smorgasbord of enviro thoughts, feelings, solutions and fun. Tune in to keep your mind ticking over and the fire in your belly raging. Launching Apr ..read more

This episode is all about creating art in the era of climate change. Specifically theater, which has the power to connect, provoke and inspire people far and wide. Which got Tessa thinking....could theater be the answer to climate anxiety, science communication or even just a subtle push for action? Today's guest is David Finnigan, a writer and theatre-maker who works with earth scientists to produce engaging performances about climate and global change. His plays include Kill Climate Deniers, You're Safe Til 2024, and 44 Sex Acts In One Week. Outside of being a playwright he is also a member ..read more

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a well known and widespread problem, but because plastic never actually goes away, it just gets smaller and smaller, we are now fighting a new dilemma - micro/nano plastics.... and with recent studies suggesting seafood eaters consume around a credit card's worth of plastic each year, it's cause for concern. In this episode Tessa speaks with conservationist and marine biologist Alice Forrest, who has spent the past decade traveling the world, researching plastic pollution and marine conservation, freediving with whales and teaching people about the importance ..read more