No doubt many of us know how good it feels to spend time in nature, but did you know that the act of gardening has huge psychological benefits for our brains, our relationships, and many other aspects of our physical and mental health? In this episode Tessa sits down with Sue Stuart-Smith to discuss the positives of digging around in the soil. Sue is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who’s latest book The Well Gardened Mind explores the psychological significance of gardening. A Sunday Times bestseller, Sue combines observation, horticulture, brain science, literature and history.  The p ..read more

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 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

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

Listening and learning from First Nations Peoples is crucial to a healthy environment. In this episode Tessa speaks with Christian Hampson, a proud Woiwurrung and Maneroo Aboriginal man who is interweaving Indigenous knowledge and collaborative design thinking to walk a new path - away from conventional approaches. In 2019 Christian co-founded Yerrabingin, a commercial design organisation that creates environmentally conscious native landscapes enriched with Indigenous narratives. One such project was the world's first Indigenous rooftop farm, that hosts over 2,500 Australian native edible pla ..read more