The Overview Effect with James Perrin

Welcome to 2023! After a short break, I'm so excited to bring you more conversations with incredible people this year, starting with a wonderful friend of mine, Blair Beattie. Blair is the Founder of Farmer's Footprint Australia, which is a not-for-profit that gives voice to Australia's regenerative food story, and inspires, educates, and supports farmers to integrate regenerative practices. Farmer's Footprint Australia shares a vision with its sister organisation, Farmer's Footprint US, which was co-founded by Dr Zach Bush and works collaboratively to create global programs and initiatives that support the regeneration of human and planetary health. Blair is a great conversationalist and, as usual, this conversation is wide-ranging covering topics from the impacts of industrial agriculture, the story of glyphosate, and the commodification of our food system, right through to Blair's spiritual experiences with plant medicines, and how these experiences can give us a glimpse into a world bigger than ourselves. And one of the core essences of this convo was the metaphor that regenerative farming is for our daily lives; just like when tending a landscape we need to shift our focus from extracting a yield to cultivating the soil and creating conditions for growth to occur... how can we create the conditions in our lives for growth to happen, naturally, as the path of least resistance? EnjoySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have an incredible guest for you today. Joost Bakker is many things. He's an artist, a florist, a restauranteur, designer, entrepreneur, father, and so much more, but most of all he is an inspiration. Joost's projects over the years have continued to capture our imagination about better ways in which we could be living in this world. Whether that's through zero waste restaurants, completely rethinking building designs, or integrating food and living systems, Joost's projects are known for their incredible impact and sheer audacity. One of most recent projects was Future Food System in the Fed Square; a zero-waste, sustainably built and operated building in the heart of Melbourne CBD which grew its own food on site for the chefs that inhabited it and cooked there, and it was fucking EPIC. If you didn't get a chance to see it or hear much about it, you're in luck, because his documentary, ‘Greenhouse by Joost' is out this week in cinemas across the country, which you should definitely check out. In this conversation we talk about a whole lot of topics including Joost's inspirations for his work, his stories from travelling the world, the impacts of the modern world on human health, the idea that technology will save us, our human tendencies towards comfort and convenience, and so much more. But the essence of this conversation, and what all of Joost's projects show, is that we don't have to wait for, or demand other people to, change. In Joost's words: “No revolution started with a politician”. If we want to create a better world, we need to be better. And it's not only possible; it's the only way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today I am excited to bring you a very interesting conversation indeed, with safe technology advocate and founder of We Are Not Sam, Rinat Strahlhofer. Obviously, the endless march of technological progress has and continues to bring us many amazing benefits in life. But we seem to be in a stage now where technological changes are being implemented so rapidly and with such complexity, that we're seeing either horrific societal impacts (like the psychological problems with social media), or we're just seeing the flat out misuse and corruption of certain technologies by governments and corporations. In a world of cyber attacks, data farming, surveillance, and intrusive technologies (such as facial recognition scanning), we can't keep up with the role and impact of tech in our lives. Well, this is what Rinat speaks to as an advocate for safe technology use, who asks ‘What is an appropriate relationship with, and approach to, technology?' Rinat shares her personal story from being a young marketer within Telstra, on a corporate career trajectory and being part of the rollout of 3G wireless network. Through that she saw the haphazard and frankly, unsafe way we approaching technological advancements in our society, which led her to want to use her voice to stand up for what she believes in. In this conversation Rinat shares a bunch of specific industry information such as the way in which technology standards are set and tested, and some of the practical dangers of being constantly exposed to electromagnetic frequencies. And much more than that, Rinat sheds light on the mental, emotional, and psychological problems that we're just not talking enough about; like the fact that we're just so addicted to and reliant on our phones to the point where can feel ‘naked' without them. We talk about A LOT of things in this episode, ranging from manipulative marketing tactics, cognitive dissonance, the lack of the precautionary principle, conspiracy theories, the growing influence of big tech, dopamine addictions, being apocoloptimists, and so much more. But the essence of this conversation is that we don't need to be asleep at the wheel, mindlessly scrolling our way through life. We can choose HOW we want to interact with the world around us (natural or engineered) in a discerning and meaningful way, and then take steps towards that, together. I think you'll find it fascinating and empowering, just like I did.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today, Benjamin Berry, is a Wim Hof trained breath work instructor who has had a variety of roles in emergency response and rescue operations. In today's episode, Benny shares not one but two incredible stories of transformation and growth. The first story is of his own personal health journey and his challenges with pain, that led him to embodiment and breathwork, and just some outcomes that will just blow you away.  We talk about the amazing physiological, mental, and emotional benefits of this work and more than that, the unquantifiable and intrinsic benefits that we just FEEL doing this work.  Like many things in life this work opened Benny up to seeing the world in a different way, and he shares that “we can't heal the physical body until we heal all of the other parts of the body first”. The second story he shares is of his experience during the floods here in Northern NSW in February and March this year. During this time Benny found himself right in the middle of rescue efforts, leaning on his former background in this area, and he kind of became the reluctant face of the civilian-led rescue operations in the media. He shares what happened during this time, how his message was skewed by much of the media, and how this ultimately led to an outflowing of generosity from across the country shortly after. The through line between these two stories is returning to ourselves. From the incredible healing benefits of the breath and our ability to look after ourselves, we can also create community that looks after one another. And this is exactly what Benny does in his work. We recorded this conversation in Newrybar hall on Bundjalung land right after one of Benny's ‘Conscious Club' breath and ice sessions. I was freezing and still shivering for much of this conversation, and I enjoyed every bit of it nonetheless, and I know you will too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm so excited to share this conversation with you today with two incredibly brave, articulate, and wise women: Isabel Lucas and Sally Townsend. Isabel is a well-known actress and activist who has stood up for many environmental and social justice causes. Sally is an ethical business leader, who has been on a journey with breast cancer. You may initially think, 'This is a bit of a strange pairing, why are they on the same episode?', but what they share is that they both have had their own health challenges, which have led them to natural healing modalities. But more than that… their health journeys have opened them up to listening to, and trusting, their own intuition and inner guidance system, especially in the face of criticism from people around them, and even the public at large. In this wide-ranging conversation we talk about a lot of things including some of the problems of the broader healthcare industry, the influence of big business and government, censorship, vaccine mandates, the changing political landscape, and much more…  But mostly this is a conversation about Bravery. And having the bravery to listen to what your inner conscience is telling you. I want to acknowledge both of these women for openly and vulnerably sharing their own stories. I want to acknowledge the country that we recorded this on, Bundjalung land, overlooking Wollumbin at the house I currently call home. And I want to acknowledge you, dear listener, for being open and curious, and tuning in to hear from someone else's perspective, and to hold the capacity for diversity of thought. So with that, I offer you this conversation with Isabel Lucas, and Sally Townsend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Earthlings, It's been a while since my last episode (4 months to be exact). In fact, I've only published 3 episodes in the last 8 months! And, after 50-odd conversations with other people about the times in their life that dramatically shaped them and the way they see they world, I have somehow manifested my own experience; my own 'Overview Effect' moment that has changed not only how I see the world, but how I see myself. In this episode I share what my journey to discovery has been over the last 6-9 months, and where the podcast heads to next. I'd love to hear your feedback. Send me a message on instagram and of course, if you're liking it, please share the show and and leave a review. We're back baby!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Earthlings! It's good to be back. It's been 6 weeks since the last episode, due to the catastrophic flooding that has taken place here in the Northern Rivers, on Bundjalung Country, as well as up and down the east coast of Australia. And look, you've seen the news, you've seen the photos, you've heard the stories... it's been absolutely devastating… AND… at the same time it has been so incredible to see the community connection that has come from it. In lieu of any centralised response, and after 2 years of separation, isolation, classification, and segregation, we have seen the community completely self organise and support one another out of the goodness of their hearts. There's been beauty in the chaos My guest in today's episode is the ever-dynamic Founder and CEO of Superfeast, Mason Taylor Usually I have a ‘skeleton' of where I'd like these conversations to go, but knowing Mason's tendencies I went into this one completely unstructured, and I LOVED where it went Mason starts by sharing his background to Daoist herbalism and how, through observing and understanding these principles, he gained a context for seeing the world in a more connected way We then go on to talk about a WIDE range of topics including the downsides of societal reductionist thinking; our experiences getting drawn into ideological pitfalls and becoming missionaries in the realms of health, diet, politics, religion; the importance of comedy in connecting us through a universal language but also in questioning the status quo; and so much more. You're going to love it And whilst we don't really talk about Superfeast, I highly recommend you check them out. They have a tonne of great online articles, podcasts, and of course incredible mushroom and tonic herb blends which I personally use and have noticed incredible change in my energy since taking them. (I have completely replaced my coffee addiction with the JING herbal blend and my energy levels have never been higher) Superfeast are offering 10% off if you use the code OVERVIEW in the checkout That's it for the intro, please enjoy this one, with Mason Taylor… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's guest is just an incredible person. James Bartle is the Founder and CEO of Outland Denim which, if you're unfamiliar with, get familiar with! It's a denim and clothing brand that doesn't just try to minimise its harm or footprint, but actively works to create change by taking women out of the human & sex trafficking industries, training them as seamstresses, and giving them the tools and responsibilities to create a new life. It's such a powerful example of how a business can take a weakness and turn it into a strength. Just like our personal weaknesses and traumas that can become our superpowers once we work through them and integrate them, Outland Denim is an incredible example of doing just that in a business context. But this isn't ‘How I Built This' with questions solely about what the business does; this is about James's personal story. What did he go through to want to create this impact in the world? What moments shaped him to go from being a motocross racer to creating a fashion company that is changing the world? James openly shares his personal and spiritual beliefs and values that are so strong that they have flowed into his work, and you'll just hear in his voice how genuine he is. You're going to love this one, you really will. I want to acknowledge the land of the Wannggeriburra people of Yugambeh country where we recorded this conversation, I want to acknowledge the land that you're on, and I want to acknowledge you, dear listener, for showing up and choosing to consume a form of media that is seeking to push us in the direction of connection, remembering, and love. ________ **As a special bonus to this episode, Outland Denim are generously offering listeners a 15% discount by using the code 'OVERVIEW15' on their online store. I don't get a kickback from this, this is purely the folks at Outland offering a straight up discount. Enjoy folks!** See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello there! I know what you're thinking... "New opening sequence, new background music, new artwork... is this a 'New Year New Me' situation??" The answer is... YES! Welcome to 2022, a year that will no doubt be FULL of change, growth, and transformation, and how exciting for all of us; we get to play a central role in that. Of course, transformation is the aim of the game on this show, and today's episode does not disappoint with the beautiful & wise soul of Pacha Light. Pacha is a surfer, model, environmental activist, and just a beautiful human, and she shares her story of awakening that started BEFORE she was even born! Yes, hers is truly one of a soul that didn't want to mess around finding her purpose. After being born into an environmental activist family and growing up in the cloud forests of Ecuador, Pacha went on to become 'the next big thing' in surfing and had a career laid out for her of sponsorships, fame, training regimes, and more, yet she turned it down only a few years ago to pursue her own sense of self, purpose, and meaning. In this conversation we talk about the processes of shedding our skin again and again, of unravelling, of constantly reinventing who we are, and finding what matters most to us, and so much more. Welcome to 2022. Welcome to the Overview Effect. Welcome to the Great Awakening. What an exciting time to be alive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damon Gameau is an actor and director, and most well-known for his documentaries ‘That Sugar Film', and of course ‘2040' His films and content are well known, so I wanted to know WHY he decided to make them… what was it that he saw in the world that he needed to address? Damon shares the power and potency of storytelling, and how we tell ourselves individual stories, but we also share collective stories, for example about how our economy ‘should' run, or how we ‘should' live our lives. The thing is, these stories are not very old in our history! Damon sees an opportunity for us to start sharing new stories, that will ultimately shape our culture and how we live. In a wide-ranging conversation we also talk about Damon's social and environmental impact campaigns to go with his films, which offer people an action they can channel their emotion into We talk about how we are developing ‘carbon tunnel vision', and the need to look at the world in a wholistic way rather than a reductionistic way We talk about our system of uninhibited economic growth, and how that plays out politically and how politicians are governing out of fear Damon shares his learnings living with indigenous cultures, and his experiences with psychedelics, and much more. And of course, we talk about his new film and body of work Regenerate Australia, which you will no doubt see a lot more about very very soon.   You're going to love this one, please enjoy, Damon Gameau See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode I sit down with one of the most successful inventors in the world, Cedar Anderson. His product, the Flow Hive, is one of the most successful crowdfund campaigns, EVER. In this conversation we talk about the Importance of Awe, yes, A-W-E, this incredible emotion that connects us to the world around us We talk about the unbelievable life of bees (honestly it's like listening to a David Attenborough doco... you'll BEE fascinated) He shares how Bees are such a window to our world, because they connect us to our food and the natural world around us and they are the canary in the coal mine too! Because, as we talk about, there are so many issues facing bees, largely based on our industrial human processes such as the use of insecticides, the transportation of species all over the world (out of their native habitats), mass monocropping, and more. So bees are not only a window to Nature for us, but they are also a window to our destruction OF Nature We talk a lot about this. We talk the early days inventing the Flow Hive. We talk the crowdfund campaign which kickstarted the crowdfunding concept into the mainstream. You will hear straight away that this is NOT your everyday business leader… He's just different. He's calm and considered and at the same time eccentric and unusual and weird and you're just gonna love him. Please enjoy this conversation with the Co-inventor of the Flow Hive and CEO of Honey Flow, Cedar Anderson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we think about our homes and how central they are to our very existence (our lives literally revolve around them), you would think that we would place the ABSOLUTE utmost importance and sacredness on both the land and the buildings Yet we continue to develop new structures that we don't necessarily need, without consideration of the natural landscape and conditions, using mass produced materials from all over the world, that are making us sick. Then any issues that arise in these homes we just band-aid with technology like air conditioning, lighting, fencing, etc. Here in Australia we are in the middle of a housing crisis where less and less people are able to find (even rent let alone actually own) a home, yet we have the biggest homes in the world with more space than we could ever need The combination of cheap loans (which means people are maximising their mortgages just because they can and so are buying to a budget rather than buying to a need) and cheap homes (made from destructive materials with a lot of dead space), leads to these massive social & health issues and enormous environmental destruction The building and housing industry is such a prime example of how out off-track big business is taking us. It's making people want more than they need, and then through industrialisation, commoditisation, & standardisation, the big global businesses control all of the supply chain, have massive marketing budgets, and a stranglehold on the industry such that alternative, local, and sustainable methods of building are SO hard to come by that most of us don't even bother to go and find out because it's just too hard and we don't know where to start! I could go on! This rant could seriously go on for much longer but I'm going to introduce you to just one person who is turning this tide… Michael Leung is an architect and Co-Founder of Balanced Earth, a building company that is completely changing the way we look at shelter both through natural and appropriate design as well as the use of local and natural materials, particularly Hempcrete Hempcrete, that is concrete made from hemp, has such unbelievable benefits for both human health & environment that when you learn about it you'll wonder why we don't use it everywhere This is about more than just building a house. This is a conversation about questioning the status quo. It's a conversation about educating ourselves and each other about alternative ways of living outside of the norm, and so much more See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever had a dream that you've wanted to pursue, but haven't known how to get there? What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? My guest today, Franck Gazzola, is a living example of an ‘everyday man' who redirected his life towards the extraordinary He's an underwater and adventure photographer who's most well-known for his work with Under the Pole; a series of underwater expeditions gathering scientific information whilst inspiring and educating people us life under our seas His work has found him diving in the Arctic north of Greenland, documenting stunning tropical coral reefs, and even being one of very few people who has lived and slept at the bottom of the ocean for days at a time! As if that wasn't enough of a premise for an incredible conversation, his story of how he became who he is, is even more impactful You see, he wasn't born into an exploration family. He wasn't an overly adventurous guy. He wasn't even a photographer until a few years ago But one day, after spending 15 years in the corporate world he took up photography as a hobby, and just persisted with it. He started displaying his work in a local gallery (often facing criticism) but continued to put himself out there day after day Then, he was asked one of those special questions by a friend: “What would be your ultimate assignment as a photographer?” He recalled his childhood in France and being inspired by Jacques Cousteau, which led to an introduction with some French marine explorers who, originally, didn't need a photographer. But he kept knocking on the door and putting himself out there They finally said ‘Yes, you can join us', then laughed after hearing his inexperience in diving. So, unrelentingly, he packed in his corporate job, did nothing but diving for 6 months straight, then was off to the North Pole This is a story about someone who has been willing to be constantly outside of his comfort zone, and be a beginner time and time and time again This is a conversation about following your dreams. That might be leaving your day job to travel the globe adventuring, or it might be just caring for your community around the corner and doing something meaningful Whatever your dreams are, this conversation has so many lessons to help you get there We went deep on this one; it's uncut and long-form… put the kettle on and enjoy

What do you think will happen when you die? Do you contemplate your own death? Or the death of your loved ones; maybe your partner or even your kids? It might sound weird for me to ask those questions, but why? Death is the most natural part of life. We're all going to die at some stage. It should be one of the most familiar parts of our society, yet for whatever reason we shield ourselves from death. We tell our children lies about the dog running away. We put blankets and sheets over bodies at the hospital. We allow private companies to take our loved ones away and bury or cremate them for us, thus separating us from experiencing that natural process. My guest today, Zenith Virago, is a 'deathwalker', or 'death doula'. She works with people who are dying, dead, or bereaved and she helps to usher them through the process of dying; both the philosophical and emotional elements as well as the practical and legal options of what we can do in those situations. In this conversation we cover a lot of things, including how the medical system classifies death as a failure and the influence that this view has on our society. Ee talk about the language around having a 'battle' or 'fight' with death as if we're fighting Nature and separate from it. We talk about the patriarchy and how we live in a world run by boys, not real men and women, and the influence of commercialisation of the death industry and how it disconnects us from the process and emotions that we go through when we're around death in a natural way. We talk about her experiences as a child and the small moments that have added up over time to make her stand up for who she is and what she believes in. And, like so many things, we talk about how we can question the status quo and take responsibility of and accountability for what happens in our life, including navigating death!

I have a treat for you today. This episode is the final live headline conversation from Renew Fest in May, with living legend, esteemed author, thinker, and Co-Originator of the permaculture concept, David Holmgren. We've all heard of permaculture; it's been a massive movement and so many people have taken on the concepts of permaculture design into their homes and gardens. So rather than just talk about what permaculture is or how we implement it, I wanted to take the opportunity step back and ask David about where it came from. Why did he feel the need to develop it in the first place? Truly, it was birthed from David's perspectives on what the future could look like, the challenges we may face as society, and what behaviours we can cultivate now to change our trajectory.  In this live conversation, we dive into his 'Future Scenarios' work, where he shares the potential futures we could face which he calls: Techno explosion Techno stability Energy descent Collapse We talk about our global over-reliance on centralised corporations and governments, and the importance of cultivating both self-reliance (taking things into our own hands) as well as collective reliance (building community connections). And of course, we dive into the content of his most recent book, Retrosuburbia: The Downshifters Guide to a Resilient Future. This is a truly incredible book which covers so much content about our built world, our biological world, and our behavioural paradigms. David is a rare mix of highly intellectual and genuinely down-to-earth and human. You're going to love this one.

Are you feeling burnt out at everything happening in the world at the moment? Recently we've had lockdowns, the IPCC report, the Afghanistan crisis, ongoing environmental campaigns such as PEP11, the Daintree, and the Tarkine, and we have ever increasing border restrictions. Overlaid over all of this in media and social media is this increased polarisation of society; where people with differing beliefs are placing themselves and others in opposing camps and arguing and fighting with each other. And it's intensifying. My hope is that today's conversation is a bit of an antidote to all of that… You see my guest today, Danny Almagor, is someone who has spent his life and career trying to break down these borders, walls, and divisions in society. He founded Engineers Without Borders Australia in 2003, and has since moved on to co-found Small Giants, which is an organisation that creates, supports, and nurtures businesses that shift us to a more equitable and regenerative world. They are truly trying to usher in the next economy based on passion, purpose, and empathy. Small Giants were one the pioneers of the B-Corp movement in Australia. Some of the organisations under their umbrella include Impact Investment Group, Dumbo Feather, The Sociable Weaver, and many more, and they now have the Small Giants Academy, which focuses on education, training, and transformational journeys for leaders of the next economy. In this conversation we start by talking about Engineers Without Borders, and how even the name ‘without borders' implies that traditionally, normally, we HAVE borders. And that this mentality creates a duality, or ‘otherness' or society, and that if you are one you must not be the other. We talk about how this mentality plays out so destructively especially in the political and business worlds, and how, if we want to truly change and usher in this next economy or new world, we need to move past this way of thinking

Today's episode is the second of three headline conversations that I hosted live at Renew Fest in May, and it's incredible to have such an energetic and progressive crowd in the background of the conversation. Mehreen Faruqi is a civil & environmental engineer, academic, lecturer, & researcher, and was Australia's first female Muslim MP in the NSW house, and is now Australia's first Federal Muslim Senator. In this conversation she shares her story of migrating to Australia in 1992 with her husband and 1 year old son, and how coming from Pakistan she just expected Australia to be this place that had it all figured out. You know, it's a developed and wealthy country, it has good ‘metrics of success' in terms of things like GDP and life expectancy, etc; and she tells how when she got here she experienced something completely different. She experienced what it's like to be treated differently for being different. She found that struggle for equality is universal Now, being an engineer myself I have been ‘trained', so to speak, to solve problems. Honestly that's what I was told all throughout my studies. Here is a problem, find the parameters, the set of numbers that represents the problem at hand, find the right formula to crunch them or manipulate those parameters, then solve the problem and move onto the next one. Mehreen is an engineer too, but we don't talk about the set of numbers or agenda items she's trying to 'solve' as a politician. We talk about BIG issues like racism, sexism, and environmental destruction, and how these are not problems that can be solved from that Engineering mindset. These issues are not isolated. They are coming from the same place, the same mentality, which is our lack of connection and relation to this planet and each other. We can't solve these issues by having isolated solutions. She shares that when facing these societal issues we all have choices. Those choices include who we vote for and the leaders that we put in place at the top, but also the actions that we take and the grassroots community campaigns that we show up to and support, and that THEY WORK. With that, please enjoy this conversation, as well as the energy from the live crowd at Renew Fest, with Federal Senator, Mehreen Faruqi

Have you ever taken something on that, at the time you thought, ‘I'm in over my head here, what am I doing?' Maybe it was moving cities, changing careers, building a house, going on an adventure? For me, it was running a marathon. I remember exactly how it happened. I was living and working in New Zealand, and the company that I worked for had sponsored the Auckland marathon and encouraged staff to enter. I felt pretty fit, and all my workmates signed up to the 10 or 21km runs I don't know why, but for whatever reason I signed up for the full marathon. It was a moment of inspiration, and I felt really good about it Now, I had NEVER run in a proper event before. Not even a fun run. I was healthy, but I was not, and still am not, by any stretch a gifted athlete And everyone around me started saying: “what are you doing? The full marathon? You're crazy” All of a sudden I was terrified I trained a bit but also had a newborn so juggled my time, and like I said I had never done any serious running before, and I was getting all sorts of cramps and pains in my legs and feet Race day came and I remember riding on the ferry, in the darkness of the early morning, to the start line all alone. All around me were people who looked like serious athletes, they all had the gear, seemed to know one another, and my heart was POUNDING. I felt nauseous and I wanted to give up and go home The race started and I tried to keep pace with the 3:30 pacer. About halfway through he dropped me and shortly after that I started cramping in my calves. I ended up walk/jogging the rest of the way in pain. It was a struggle, and it sucked I limped across the line very un-ceremonially in about 4 and a half hours. Then I got in the car and drove home thinking I'd failed But then, after a rest and some food, it hit me. I did it. All I set out to do was finish and I achieved that, literally all on my own And then I had one of those life lesson moments where I said to myself: “What else am I capable of?” __ Now, my guest today has a similar, albeit far greater and far more impactful story He is someone who stumbled into the everyday 9-5 office work schedule as an engineer (nothing wrong with that), but he itched for something more and he tried to scratch that itch with footy and drinking beer But one day he left it all behind to live a dirtbag life as an ultra-runner He too, started with a casual marathon, which grew into ultramarathons which then took him all over the world. He has raced in famous events such as the 170km Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, and the 230km Marathon Du Sables, and he has WON events in places from New Zealand to Canada And more recently, he has been the trail lead or ‘race director' for the takayna ultra in Tasmania (the event that I ran earlier this year) Not only that, he became actively involved in the rainforest protection campaign, supporting the blockade and even appearing in court in defence of protecting these forests He is now a co-founder of For Wild Places, a not-for-profit that holds events to raise awareness and funds to protect Nature through sports activism This is a conversation about questioning the comfort and leisure of life. It's about how everyday people can do amazing things It's about running, but more that, how a condensed event like running, or any other big life event, presents us with a metaphor to breakthrough and live a more conscious life So please enjoy this conversation with the brave, kind, and awkward, Majell Backhausen

It's NAIDOC week! A time to celebrate and amplify indigenous voices, and I have a great one for you on today's episode This conversation was recorded live at Renew Fest back in May. It was SUCH an amazing festival with just the most incredible people, thinkers, talks, workshops, performances, and ceremonies. I highly recommend if you can to get out to Renew Fest next year Today's conversation was with one of the headline speakers, and over the next few weeks I will be sharing more of these live headline conversations from the festival, interspersed between my regular episodes My guest today, Rachel Cavanagh, is a Minjungbal and Yugambeh woman from Bundjalung Nation; she is also a firefighter and cultural fire and land management expert who has studied natural & cultural resource management, and has worked for the Forestry Corporation of NSW, the Forest Stewardship Council of Australia & NZ, and Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation. (So she knows a thing or two about cultural fire and land management practices) We talk about a lot of things in this yarn, starting with the impacts of 2019/20 bushfires – not just the devastating environmental destruction, but also the deep cultural loss that aboriginal people felt and continue to feel from those events We talk about society's mis-management of country, and how externalising the cause of these fires to something like climate change is over-simplifying things, and is really reflective of our disconnection to land and country as a whole We talk about the need to have people on-country and looking after it, and some of the problems that sections of the environmental movement are causing by saying we just need to let things re-wild And best of all she beautifully shares her perspective of what connection to country is, and how that looks, sounds, feels, and smells, and what we can do to re-build that connection in our own lives Happy NAIDOC week everybody, and please enjoy this conversation, live from Renew Fest, with Rachel Cavanagh

It's coming up to July, and many people take part in Plastic Free July as an opportunity to assess and eliminate their plastic use for a month to have less impact on our planet We're going to see a lot of stuff over the next few weeks about it on social media, so I thought I'd get ahead of the game here and have a conversation with the expert herself, someone who hasn't used single use plastics in over TWELVE years, Plastic Free Mermaid But the thing about this conversation is, this is not just about some plastic reduction tips and tricks... this isn't about fiddling at the margins and virtue signalling. This conversation is about how plastics are a very visual and very tangible example of our consumerist habits, and paints the picture of how we are enmeshed in a system which is damaging our planet and ourselves In this conversation we talk about the pervasiveness and horrific broad-scale impacts of plastics; not just a straw in the ocean or a coffee cup, but major pollution problems exported to developing countries, the issues of micro-plastics in our food system, the disruption of our endocrine system, the ties to the global oil industry, and much more We go into detail the issues with the recycling industry – how it's actually a ‘down-cycling' industry that just delays the inevitable pathway of plastics into our environment, that was created by the oil industry to convince us that plastics are ok to use (essentially, ‘greenwashing') We also talk about environmental communication and we break down some examples of what works and draws people in, versus what fragments and divides people (we use the documentary Seaspiracy as an example of this) But the real core of this conversation is about how plastics are such a visible example of our general lack of accountability or responsibility of the impacts of our own lifestyle. We have this ‘put it in a bin and it's gone' mentality, which is so representative of the consumerist way of living that is imposed upon us But here's the thing: once we step out of this paradigm (for her that meant quitting plastics), we realise ‘I just stepped out of that way of living...what else can I do?' We start asking ourselves: 'What else in my life can I take responsibility and accountability for?' So this Plastic Free July don't just cut out a straw or a cup, take stock of your buying habits. Take your own responsibility and accountability into your own hands. Take your sovereignty back for the way you live your lifestyle This is a great conversation to get you started down that track

This episode follows on from last episode in that it was recorded in Tasmania; I had just come out of the takayna rainforest and I headed down to the CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research offices in Hobart to speak with a scientist who is working on new ways to link science with other sources of knowledge, including traditional wisdom. It's fitting that this episode is being released on World Oceans Day because she is a marine, atmospheric, and climate scientist who has studied ecosystems ranging from Indonesia to Antarctica. In this conversation we talk about her childhood experiences that built her deep connections with our ocean, and led her down this path to want to study and protect our marine ecosystems. We talk about the WAY science is presented, including the pressure environmental scientists feel when delivering ‘bad' news and perhaps feeling the need to sugar coat it. We talk about her current role as a ‘Transdisciplinary Researcher & Knowledge Broker', and we break down firstly what this is, and secondly, why this role is important. This includes discussing the limitations of science as we know it and use it in our current Westernised and corporatised system. She shares the importance of what she calls ‘Two-eyed seeing'; that is, not trying to blend science with traditional knowledge, but seeing the world through the lens of science in one eye, as WELL as traditional knowledge and wisdom in the other. As someone who comes from a STEMM background myself, it can be interesting at times to have these conversations with people about science being a tool in our arsenal and not the only way to see the world. We also talk about gender diversity in science, because she also co-founded Homeward Bound, which is a program to empower women and grow female leadership in the STEMM community. Oh, and on top of all of that she was the 2020 Tasmanian of the Year, and formerly a Rhodes Scholar. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas

This episode was actually recorded on lutruwita country back in March; I had just come out of the takayna/Tarkine rainforest learning about the plight to protect it with the Bob Brown Foundation, and I went to Launceston to meet with today's guest. It was first thing on a Monday morning and we jumped straight into some BIG issues. If I had to pick a theme for the conversation it would be: TRUTH You see in the first half of this conversation he shares his story; about being true to himself. He shares his story about being a big-time banker in the World Trade Centre in New York, and how he turned his back on that world to pursue his own truth, ultimately getting inspired by and involved in the protest against the Iraq War, then rallying against a pulp mill on his doorstep in Tasmania, to becoming a federal senator advocating for environmental and social causes. Quite the journey. In the second half of this conversation we talk about the post-truth world of politics and the media. He goes into detail the case around Julian Assange, the precedent that this case sets for media freedom, and the corruption by governments around both this case, and the Iraq War. It's heavy, it's dark, but it's SO important to have open conversations about these things. To learn the history, the details, and the reason why these issues matter so much to all of us. And of course, we talk about what we can do about it. It's not just about pointing the finger, but highlight actual opportunities for us to act upon. I was so happy to be able to reach out directly to one of our elected representatives and have this type of conversation. It's rare in our world of 24-hour news cycles and clickbait. And as soon as I sat down with him I could tell this was a really genuine human being who was just being true to himself, whilst fighting for the truth. So strap yourself in for this one, with Senator Surfer, Peter Whish-Wilson

My guest today is… pretty hard to miss. He's got half of a massive beard, talks like a kookaburra, and is a force of Nature in the charitable fundraising world. He and his organisation, Halfcut, have been campaigning HARD to raise funds for the protection and regeneration of our native Australian rainforests. I used to be a street fundraiser. I'd be out on the streets, Monday to Friday, 9-5, trying to stop people to get their credit card details for environmental causes. It's hard work, and you face constant rejection. My guest today, Jimmy Halfcut, has found that sweet spot in making fundraising fun and aspirational. Motivated by the shocking fact that HALF of our world's rainforests have been cut down, his organisation encourages people to shave half their beard, braid half their hair, or get creative in whatever way they can to raise awareness and funds for our rainforests. And the thing I really love about his approach is that it is so open and collaborative. In a world where we are always faced with competing interests, just think about political parties or corporations, the Halfcut crew are building alliances with businesses, other charities, and Aboriginal custodians, all to protect our rainforests. In this wide ranging conversation we talk about a lot of things, including the current situation with the world's and Australia's rainforest. We talk about the competitiveness of charities and how this plays into our existing capitalist paradigm. We talk about the growing divestment movement, that is, people switching from their existing bank, super fund, electricity retailer, and more, in an effort to put their money where they would rather see it used for good. And Jimmy shares his own personal stories, including how as a young kid he watched as his backyard was destroyed in the name of development for a highway and the impact that had on him; and how he and his partner went from exploring the world and seeing rainforest conservation globally, to going through a traumatic personal incident and how that gave them purpose to continue on for a cause bigger than themselves. I am so grateful to have met this guy and had the opportunity to connect. I just know you'll love him too.

Today's episode is from the fifth and final leg of the Resilience and Regeneration roadshow, this one live from Federal, in collaboration with Renew Fest and Resilient Byron. The timing is fitting because THIS WEEKEND, the 7th-9th May, is RENEW FEST! And if you are in the Byron region (or even not in the Byron region), get to Renew Fest, it's going to be a full weekend of deep listening, connection, systems change, and regeneration. I will be holding live conversations with some amazing people, and there are dozens more giving other workshops and talks. There will be stalls, there'll be music, you'll be inspired. Check it out: Renewfest.org.au OK, so back to Federal… I used to live in Federal; it's this beautiful hinterland town about 20-30 minutes out of Byron, and it feels like another world out there. It's full of very progressive thinkers, it's a very close community, and I had the pleasure of gathering in the Jasper Corner community hall with comedian, writer, and soon-to-be political candidate, Mandy Nolan. For those that don't know, Mandy is a local legend in the Byron region. She is a renowned comedian who uses humour to connect with and cut trough to her audience and to address real issues with real emotion. She's someone who has lived and faced the issues of domestic violence and mental health, she's advocated for environmental causes, and she's spoken openly and vulnerably about these things for a long time, both through her comedy work and through her regular column in the independent newspaper The Echo which she's been writing for 20 years now. Bets of all, she's someone who is willing to cut through the bull shit. She says what's on her mind, she calls it like it is, and, for someone who is entering the political realm, it is a breath of fresh air. This was such a fun conversation. In true Mandy style it's full of both hilarity and depth, two things that make us very human.

I don't know about you, but I really can't stand the divisiveness that we see in politics and the media these days. Every day it's he said/she said, this party vs that party, left vs right, black vs white, right vs wrong. At first it's infuriating (and a lot of people get swept up in the anger of it), but after a while it becomes debilitating, and I can totally understand why so many people become apathetic to politics or political issues. We have this two-party system and, let's be honest, they're not really that different from one another… I mean we've got the choice between an upper-middle-class-white-guy named Scotty or an upper-middle-class-white-guy named Albo... But even worse is that rather than have an assembly of independent representatives working collaboratively to achieve outcomes for the collective, we have this duopoly with so much power that the only way people can get elected in the first place is to align themselves with a party; to 'pick a side'. And that party has its decisions made from a few at the very top, influenced by lobbyists and businesses with vested interests, so it's NO WONDER people lose faith in the political system! My guest today is a retiring politician; he is retiring as the Mayor of Byron Shire Council this week on the 30th of April and (perhaps because he's retiring) he speaks freely and openly about the ego of party politics. He shares stories from his career and he shares his perspective on how we can approach the same issues that we ALL face by stepping back and seeing the bigger picture of us as a collective humanity. He opens up (from the get-go) about his personal life and his experience watching his wife go through cancer, and he shares how his views and approaches to controversial issues have changed over the years to be one of cooperation, of trying to achieve the desired outcome regardless of his identity or whether his ‘tribe' liked him. I can tell you that the Byron community (or Byron Bubble as it is often referred to) can be ruthless sometimes, and he has certainly had his fair share of criticism from both the right (for being a greenie), and even more so from the left (for not being green enough!). He himself will tell you how he went from being an environmental activist on the front lines at blockades to, as he calls it, 'putting on a suit and getting a haircut' to join the political realm. So like any politician he has been a lightning rod for people's opinions at times, but one thing I can't fault is that he has gotten up day after day for over a decade, he's faced criticism, he's faced disasters, community issues, and god forbid the never ending commentary around potholes (which I did promise him I wouldn't bring up), but he's approached each day with vigour, he's spoken his mind, and he's served to the best that he can, even whilst facing personal crises. Please enjoy this conversation with the outgoing Mayor of the Byron Shire Council, Simon Richardson

Today's episode is the fourth in a series of five live conversations as part Renew Fest and Resilient Byron's ‘Resilience & Regeneration Roadshow'; this episode from Ballina with special guest and local, Catherine Ingram. Keen listeners will remember Catherine from a previous episode on the show (Ep16) in which we spoke deeply on her essay called ‘Facing Extinction', and if you listened to that episode (which I *highly recommend*), you'll recall her profound thoughts and reflections on our life as humans and the possibility or, as she says, the likelihood, that we may not be long for this planet. In that episode she shares her wisdom on not what we must do, but how we must be; not the things we should do to ‘fix' the situation, but HOW we must approach life. So in today's live conversation, Catherine and I talk in more detail about what resilient and regenerative communities could and should look like... but not before facing some hard truths. And in the face of what feels like uncontrollable environmental and societal collapse she asks, “How do we manage our minds & hearts so that WE don't collapse?” We talk about the concept of resilience, and how many consider it to be quite rigid; this idea of things going back to the way they were. Catherine says this is a symptom of our privilege. That we have certain expectations of longevity and good health and lavish lifestyles and economic growth and we just EXPECT the party to continue. She offers us a different definition of resilience, true resilience, one of being open to change and uncertainty, which allows us a very different lens through which to see the world. She says that when our expectations don't meet our reality, for example when facing impacts of social and environmental crises, rather than thinking about how we can be individually resilient, we must consider what we can give and contribute to our ever-changing world This one, as all conversations with Catherine, was deep and profound. I think you'll love it.

Do you eat food? Do you care where your food comes from, how it was grown, and who grows it? If the answer is YES, then this is the episode for you, because today's episode was recorded during the National Sustainable Living Festival's ‘Great Local Lunch', where I had the absolute pleasure to join a bunch of legends who are re-inventing and re-imagining what our food system could & should look like. This was SUCH an interesting cast of characters, who are all at THE pointy end of regenerative farming, wild foods, and our future food systems. We recorded these chats whilst Costa was hosting a live production set in the background… so there is some background noise, but it all just adds to the vibe and the feeling from the day. In this episode you will hear from: Maree Lowes & Charlie Arnott – Co-hosts of new impact production 'Eat Dirt', which starts with the premise that we have only 60 years of topsoil remaining, and aims to use storytelling to connect people to their food Peter Hardwick - Wild food researcher and forager who has spent a career learning the wild origins of our foods. Peter speaks to how we limit ourselves from the enormity of edible plants out there that we don't regard as standard due to our societal norms; plants that grow without fertiliser, without irrigation, and are resistant to pests and diseases Blair Beattie - Co-owner of Harvest restaurant and currently working with to bring Farmer's Footprint to Australia. Blair is working to connect people to our food system in meaningful ways. He's also always good for an expletive-filled rant. Joel Orchard – A first-generation small-scale farmer and Co-founder and Chair of Young Farmers Connect, and someone who is really building this community of people re-connecting to food production and choosing to be custodians of our food system. Jacob Birch – an Aboriginal man and researcher at Southern Cross University exploring the nutrient profile of native grains, who explains the cultural and ethical challenges of commercialising these ingredients. Jacob highlights to importance of having native people involved in the growing and selling of our native ingredients, lest we extract and commoditise these ingredients at the detriment to their traditional custodians Venetia Scott – a new farmer working in the space of agroecology, and someone who re-structured her entire life from working in law and doing what society told her she should do to shedding her suburban life and working with the land. Venetia shares beautifully her story from turning her back on a secure income, turning to a different story, and reconnecting to Nature. This episode really has everything… life changes, indigenous perspectives, wild ideas…. Blair swears, I inhale one of Joel's dried crickets, there's a bunch of stuff going on in the background, and I really hope it gives you multiple perspectives from some incredible change-makers in our food system. So please enjoy these conversations from guests at the NSLF's Great Local Lunch :)

This conversation was recorded live, in Bangalow, as the third of five live interviews as part of Resilient Byron and Renew Fest's ‘Resilience & Regeneration Roadshow' These are community forums in villages around the Byron Shire bringing people together to discuss and action how we can create resilient communities. I was so grateful to have had the chance to sit in live conversation with Richard Jones who, back in the 70s wanted to make and sell ceramics at the markets but, by his own admission “kept getting side-tracked” Those side-tracks included supporting major environmental campaigns, helping to establish Friends of the Earth Australia and Greenpeace Australia, and THEN serving in the NSW parliament for 15 years, often holding the balance of power on the cross bench and using it to negotiate to save old growth forests, create new marine parks, and protect Aboriginal rights. Some side track! Richard is an absolute joy to speak with, and you can't help but smile listening to his bubbly enthusiasm. But his quirky nature has meant that during his time in politics he was often chastised as a 'pot smoking nudist'… (I don't know about you but a pot smoking nudist seems way more relatable than most politicians we see these days!) Richard and I talk about his trips to inner space (literally, his acid trips), his reflections on politics and using his position of influence for good, and what he wants to see to create resilient communities in our local regions. Importantly, he talks about how we need to change our expectations… for example how is it that one person can own a huge block of land and do nothing with it, or expect to rent it out at a massive price? What if we use our land resources for appropriate housing or small scale agriculture, creating opportunities for agricultural jobs for young people and local food production, whilst also helping to address the issues of housing security and isolation? Richard's zest for life is infectious, and I think you'll really enjoy hearing his perspectives and reflections on life. You'll also be pleased to know that Richard now has come full circle and makes and sells ceramics at the markets, under the banner Rainforest Ceramics, with a portion of all sales going to rainforest conservation. Please enjoy this conversation from the Bangalow leg of the Resilience & Regeneration Roadshow, with Richard Jones.

Usually I'm on Bundjalung country, but THIS episode was recorded on takayna land in lutruwita (otherwise known as Tasmania), and I'd like to pay respects to the takayna people, and all first nations people of beautiful lutruwita. I have been here in Tasmania for the last 5 days and if you've been listening to recent episodes or following me on Instagram, you'll know that I was running the takayna ultramarathon. This is a 51km trail through the pristine Tarkine rainforest, the largest temperature rainforest in Australia; and it was AMAZING. And brutal. The run was brutal. The course was super technical, with lots of really steep hills, climbing over and under fallen trees, bush bashing, heaps of rocks and mud, river crossings; it really was something else. But it was incredible, and I am so grateful to have experienced it, and I highly recommend anyone listening to come and do the run next year. And that's not JUST because of the specular running experience, but because it was all for a cause. See were running to raise awareness and funds for the Bob Brown Foundation to protect this place, which is every day under threat of logging and mining. The team and volunteers at the Bob Brown Foundation are truly amazing, and the passion and the community that they've been here around this cause is so special. I had the absolute pleasure of spending the day after race at their forest defenders camp meeting many of them and learning about their front line actions and seeing the devastation that they're trying to stop. So this is what I'm sharing with you today. I have two guests today: one of them is Scott Jordan who is a takayna campaigner, and we sat down in the rainforest at the defender's camp where he will take you through all of the details about what the forestry activities and doing to the landscape, the environmental impacts, the socio/political situation, the economics of the situation, and how this campaign is at the core of the politics in this country. MOST importantly, he shares what you can do to help the fight. This is really important because it's not just a local issue. In fact, people outside Tasmania have a really key role to play in this fight so please listen in to what Scott has to say about hat. But first, you'll hear someone to set the scene, and tell us about how special the Tarkine is, and the destructive societal mentality that is leading to these sorts of activities in the first place. He is the grandfather of the environmental movement in Australia. He led the successful blockade in the Franklin River in the early 80s. He helped establish both the Wilderness Society and Bush Heritage Australia. He co-founded the world's first Green political party, and held seats in various state and federal houses. He really needs no other introduction, of course I'm talking of none other than the man himself, Dr Bob Brown

Today, women across the country are marching for the #March4Justice campaign, demanding an end to gendered violence, investigations into past allegations of assault, and the funding and implementation of gender equality legislation and parliamentary practices. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to share this conversation with Zara Noruzi, author and activist, about her experience advocating for women's rights in her native country of Iran. This conversation was recorded live, at Brunswick Heads, as the second of five live interviews as part of the ‘Resilience & Regeneration Roadshow', in collaboration with Renew Fest and Resilient Byron This is where we are holding community forums in villages around the Byron Shire bringing people together to discuss and action how we can create resilient communities. It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved in these forums and the community involvement and enthusiasm has been just awesome. I really can't wait to bring you the rest of these live conversations with some other incredible Byron Shire locals, which I will be releasing in between my regular fortnightly long-form episode schedule. So to my guest today… Zara Noruzi is an Iranian born woman, activist, and author of the book 'My Life as a Traitor', where she details her experience advocating for her beliefs in her native country of Iran. As a university student she started standing up for women's rights by writing articles, organising peaceful protests, and asking questions of the regime as to why women were denied basic rights. All perfectly reasonable and fair things to do… or so she thought. At 19 years old, she was arrested. She was held in prison, questioned, tortured, and starved. Just for what she believed in. Zara tells her story with such deep reflection. She goes into detail the impact it had on her youthful optimism, and she recounts the very limited human connection she had through that experience, and how important that was for her. She then goes on to describe how truly impactful our beliefs and actions can be, and says that our ideas are a superpower, that can have an enormous impact on those around us. But we need accountability. And this is the thing; we all say we want connected neighbourhoods and villages. We all want renewable energy. We all want resilient communities. But Zara asks: What are we willing to contribute? What are we willing to give up? Is it some of our time, instead of watching Netflix? Is it opening our doors to someone facing rental challenges? Is it paying more for the things that we know are better? Is it giving up watermelons in the middle of winter? It's not enough to say ‘this is what we want' and expect someone else to deliver it to us. We have to take action, and we have to bring to life the ideas and beliefs that we express. Zara's story and her way of speaking is so real, and she truly set the tone for the rest of the forum. I had people coming up to me after our conversation saying ‘Wow, that put things into perspective for me'… so I hope it does for you. Please enjoy this conversation, live, from the Resilience & Regeneration roadshow in Brunswick Heads, with Zara Noruzi

Do you remember 'Planet Earth'? The original big, bold nature documentary starring David Attenborough? Of course you do. Chances are you own or owned it on DVD, because it's the highest selling DVD in the world, by FAR. My guest today is the filmmaker and director behind not just Planet Earth, but Planet Earth 2, Frozen Planet, Frozen Planet 2, Seven Worlds One Planet, and more. Yes, he is the guy that led the teams to gather the footage and put together these incredible documentaries. Would you believe Planet Earth came out 14 years ago? Which feels like a long time ago, and it is in a way, but in the scheme of things, it's just a blip on the radar. And it's easy to think that we're not doing enough or moving quickly enough to protect our planet, but how's this… that original Planet Earth series had ZERO mention of conservation or environmental issues. It was purely entertainment. Fast forward 10 years later and its sequel, Planet Earth 2, had so much environmental conservation messaging built in. It just had to, it would have been rejected otherwise. My guest today goes into detail his journey making these epic wildlife films over his career, and beautifully articulates the importance of storytelling, and presenting nature as an art form to be truly appreciated, in its own right. I've said in previous conversations with guests that we shouldn't be motivated to protect nature because we see its value to us and 'ecosystem services' it provides … that's a very selfish way of thinking of it. We should want to protect Nature just because it exists, and we love it and appreciate its beauty. This is what these big, bold, and beautiful documentaries have done for me, and this is what we talk about in this conversation today; the role of art and storytelling in our lives. We also talk about the limitations of science and why many people don't get motivated by numbers and statistics. We talk about the changes in habitat and wild places around the world and the impacts that humans are having. And, I ask some critically important questions about these films like, "What was it like when you first shot the ‘snakes and iguanas' scene?", and "When you see an animal suffering in the wild, how do you know when to intervene?" And most importantly – we talk about what YOU can do, as an individual, to have an impact because we DO all have a voice and we CAN all play a critical role in protecting wild places. So please enjoy this conversation with wildlife biologist, director, and filmmaker, Dr Chadden Hunter

Today's episode takes a bit of a different format. Usually I have long-form, intimate conversations with people, often in their home. And I like that. Something I really love about this podcast medium is its long-form, grassroots, intimate nature… which for me is completely different to our 24hr media & social media clickbait society. But today's episode was a live interview. Yes this is the first conversation in a 5-part series of live workshops, as part of Renew Fest and Resilient Byron's 'Resilience & Regeneration Roadshow'. This is where community forums are being held in 5 different villages in the Byron Shire, bring locals together to talk about and workshop what resilience could and should look like, and to build community networks and plans It's really exciting to be part these workshops and let me just say, these are not just fluffy conversations where people go home feeling warm and fuzzy. These are serious, in-depth, big thinking forums and I have been blown by away by the interaction and effort that participants have been putting in. All of these forums booked out very quickly and people are getting stuck in to these issues, which just speaks to our collective awareness and desire for connecting our communities. So like I said this is a new format… and given that this is the first in a 5-part live recorded series, I'm actually going to start by sharing the live introduction from the day. The forum is MC'd by Jean Renouf, who is a former international aid worker who has worked in developing countries all over the world, including in disaster relief and war torn environments. He is now a lecturer in the areas of climate change and community security at Southern Cross University, and he is the co-founder and chair of Resilient Byron; a not-for-profit that builds capacity and social infrastructure in the Byron Shire Region. Jean starts by introducing the purpose of the workshop, and gives a flavour of Resilient Byron. He then introduces me as the interviewer for the speaker who was supposed to be local Arakwal custodian, Delta Kay. Unfortunately Delta got caught up in last minute in Victorian coronavirus restrictions and couldn't be with us, which is actually quite symbolic given the purpose of the whole forum was to discuss resilience and adapting to change. But what it meant was that Jean stepped in as the main speaker for this one… and his stories are incredible, particularly his work in disaster areas. Not only do they put our ‘first world problems' into a bit of perspective, but they also have so many learnings and parallels that we can draw and compare to what we are going though collectively right now, especially following droughts, bushfires, pandemic, and economic uncertainty. For the four future live workshops with different speakers, which I'll release fortnightly in-between my normal, long form episodes, I'll jump straight into the interviews, but I really hope this introduction from Jean helps paint the picture of the importance of community assembly like this, and makes you feel, at least somewhat, like you were a participant. With that, I hope you enjoy the very first Resilience and Regeneration Roadshow, live from Byron Bay, and my conversation with Dr Jean Renouf

My guest today as a young adult was one of the best young surfers in the world. He had world at his fingertips, he was going to be one of the great competitive surfers, with sponsorships, prize money, and all that stuff coming his way. And at a relatively young age, he stepped away from the competitive surfing scene. He describes how he kept seeing how the act of surfing which is simple, wonderful, & therapeutic, was being complicated with money, fame, & competition. So he forged a different path and became one of the first really well known ‘free surfers', which he describes as being ‘let out of a box', as he was able to try different boards, go to unusual places, and be creative. Isn't that such a synonym for our current world? Isn't that a great example of an activity that started as a creative and free spirited endeavour, but then fell victim to commercialisation and standardisation. Then as a free-surfer he travelled all around the world and saw first-hand the environmental changes and destruction, year on year, from human activity. Motivated to do something, he started his own not-for-profit called ‘Surfers for Cetaceans' focussed on conservation of whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals. His environmental activism grew. He was involved multiple movies including 'The Cove', and he did a series of awareness raising adventures all around the world. Now, all of that stuff alone would be more than enough for us to hold a powerful and meaningful conversation. But the thing about this guest is that through all of that, just like he broke out of the commercialised surfing box, he seems to also have broken out of human-centred world that we put ourselves in. He lives at the whim of the weather, the seasons, and nature. In this conversation he shares his perspective that because we're all focussed on human activity all the time, we're missing so much else which is going on around us. He shares some incredible stories and experiences he's had with creatures in the ocean; stories that will blow your mind hearing them. He is now a global surfing ambassador for Patagonia, public speaker (if the surf's no good), and runs his own podcast with his partner Lauren called the Waterpeople Podcast (which I highly recommend) Please enjoy this conversation with none other than, Dave Rastovich.

Today's episode is not for the faint hearted. My guest today is an internationally renowned meditation practitioner, author, and dharma teacher, who has spent a lifetime specialising in the issues of consciousness and activism. As a former journalist she has travelled the world interviewing highly influential people, including Ram Dass and the Dalai Lama (twice, mind you); she's authored books including In the Footsteps of Ghandi, and Passionate Prescence; and for decades she has organised and led silent meditation retreats, Dharma Dialogues (which are public events which focus on awareness in one's personal life), and her own podcast called 'In The Deep', which I highly recommend. About 2 years ago she penned as essay called ‘Facing Extinction', which has been downloaded and read over a million times. Now, 15,000-word online essays do not usually go viral, which speaks to just how profound this essay is. It's a reflection of where we find ourselves, as humanity, in the current state the world with the climate crisis, ongoing environmental degradation, and our societal unrest, distraction, and denial. It's heavy, and it goes into detail the challenges we face as a species. There's a consciousness shift when we reflect on our own mortality. Just like someone lying on their death bed, it crystallises the important things in life. In her essay, Catherine describes not what must do, but how we can be. In this conversation we talk about how getting to a stage of acceptance is a radical act. In a world that wants us to fight with everything, where arguments, divisiveness, and different data points of proof are rife, acceptance is a shift in energy. It gives us back our agency, rather than reacting to someone, or something, else. It can help us get to a place of being grateful and enjoying being here, just because we are. But it doesn't come without grief, of which there is a lot in this conversation. Just like when we lose a loved one, we can only find acceptance once we fully feel and move through (and oscillate between) denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. With that, I ask that you lay down your arguments, and open your mind and heart to the wisdom of Catherine Ingram.

Close your eyes and imagine you're sitting in your home. You're minding your own business and just enjoying your place. A place you've looked after for a long time. Someone comes in. They don't knock, they just roll through the front door, look around and say “I'm just going to change this”. Maybe they pull out some of the plants in your garden, they trash your living room, eat all of your food. You'd be livid! And rightly so, of course you would. When you try to talk or fight back, they attack you with weapons and overpower you,. Then they tell your children that you weren't living the right way. They take them away from you. And then, every year on that day, they throw a huge party at your place, to celebrate their achievement. How would that make you feel? It's ridiculous right? That would never happen. We couldn't as humans, as neighbours, as brothers and sisters, possibly let that happen to someone… could we? You see as I record this episode, we are coming up to Jan 26th here in Australia. Most of my listeners will know what that day means, but for anyone overseas, Jan 26th is ‘Australia Day' Australia Day is the day where we celebrate the colonisation of this country. The day when the first fleet landed here 233 years ago and raised a British flag. And we generally celebrate it with heavy drinking, BBQs, fireworks, temporary tattoos, Aussie flags, maybe some loud music at the beach, maybe a burnout or two, and just generally being obnoxious. I mean, how else should we celebrate the colonisation of a foreign land by a monarchy? How else should we celebrate the disruption of the world's oldest living culture? How else should we celebrate and commemorate such a significant date? __ My guests today, brothers Kyle & Josh Slabb, are Bundjalung men – men whose families, whose ancestors have been living in the same place for tens of thousands of years. They're men who have been brought up learning from their elders, learning the stories of how to live, how to help each other, and how to be in harmony with and respect Nature. And you would think they have every right to be vindictive, to be unforgiving, to shut down from approaching our society. They are the polar opposite of those things. And it just goes to show the strength of their culture, their community, and their mindset, that they have spent their lives actively engaging, embracing, educating modern society about better ways to live for all of us. They reflect on the last 200 or so years and say, “yeah, we need to acknowledge the truth of what happened, but what kind of world do we want to create, TOGETHER, for the next 200 years?” These guys are such talented people. Between them they've done everything from curating musical productions (including at the 2018 Commonwealth Games), completed education in environmental management and gone on to be a National Park and Marine Park ranger, successful competitive surfing, business owners, and more… and one of their current projects is Banaam Cultural Intelligence, where they hold workshops for companies, schools, organisations all about principles of Indigenous culture that have successfully governed Indigenous societies for tens of thousands of years. Now more than ever we need to highlight and hold up Aboriginal voices.

My intention with these conversations is to bring you a unique perspective. To hear from someone who maybe sees things a bit differently. Well, I can guarantee this episode's guest fits that bill perfectly. He sees the world though the beautiful and complex web of the fungi kingdom. Fungi. They're Nature's recyclers. The decomposers of our world. The nutrient cyclers. They turn waste into new life. They're also valuable sources of food, medicine, environmental services, and SO many other practical uses. But despite their abundance in our world, they're still quite cryptic to us. We humans think we've described maybe 5% of fungi, and it's quite possible there are so many more out there that we don't know about. It really is a different world down there. Enter my guest today. Julian Mitchell is the Co-Founder & CEO of Life Cykel, which started out as a mushroom farming business but has now quickly grown into a cutting edge mushroom biotechnology company. On top of being well and truly in this magical mushroom kingdom, he's also a future-focussed entrepreneur who truly sees the power of ethical business as a means of improving our world. In this conversation he shares the Life Cykel origin story, about how he went from being a sports physio in the English Premier League, to growing mushrooms out of coffee waste, to being on the forefront of fungi biotech. We talk about the role that good businesses can play in society, and the importance of transparency, localization, and redefining success as not monetary return but positive impact on the world. And of course, we talk ALL things fungi and get into the woods on its potential uses. Everything from environmental services like repurposing waste products, cleaning up oil spills, sustainable packaging, breaking down textile wastes, & enhancing soil health. We talk about the medicinal elements of mushrooms including stimulating nerve growth, increasing our body's oxygen uptake, mental health benefits including psychoactive properties, antibiotics, ... and SO much more. Julian really paints this picture of mushrooms being a teacher, and explains the parallels that we can draw between the interactions that happen under-ground through the mycelium network, and how we can view that and ask ourselves "How should we be living and interacting with nature and each other above-ground'? I really think you're going to love going down the mushroom spiral on this one.

In this special, short, interim episode, I reflect on my experience launching this podcast just a few months ago. I talk about the inspiration behind the 'Overview Effect' and what that means, and I give an example of taking the bigger picture perspective around Christmas, and the origins and meaning of Christmas (is it the 'birth of Christ' or much, much more??) I then reflect on the incredible guests I've had on the show so far, and give a brief glimpse into some VERY exciting stuff planned for 2021. Thank you to everyone for listening and supporting the show so far this year. It's been such a fun project to launch; it's still very early days, and I really look forward to bringing you some great content in the new year. Cheers!  

Here we are in mid-December… 2020 is almost finished; a year where we became accustomed to things like 'self-isolation' and 'social distancing'. Did you know that the Australian National Dictionary Centre's word of the year was ‘iso'? Because we all had to experience isolation for a brief period of time. And that was WITH things like Facetime calls, Netflix accounts, and food delivered to our door. Even with all of those things we still experienced hardship. We found out that it's really tough not be connected to your community and the people around you. Can you imagine what it must be like for someone living rough all of the time? Someone who feels disconnected from society on a daily basis? Someone who doesn't even know where or if they're going to sleep safely that night? The fact of the matter is that 116,000 people in Australia sleep homeless every night. That's one in every 200 people. And a quarter of those people are indigenous, despite Aboriginal people making up just three percent of Australia's total population. Lucas Patchett has spent the last 6 years of his life getting to know these people. When he was 20 (yes, just 20 years old) he and his best mate Nic put a washing machine in the back of a van and set out to not only improve the sanitation and hygiene challenges faced by the homeless, but to connect with them... to converse, learn their stories, and treat them like fellow humans. Their organisation, Orange Sky, has grown to have 33 vans across the country and in NZ, including in remote areas, and, most importantly, has engaged in almost 250,000 hours of positive conversations. In this conversation we talk about the prevalence of homelessness and the depths to which it affects someone's life. We talk about the importance of being connected in the community. And critically, we talk about what we can do to help our brothers and sisters, our friends as Orange Sky would say, who could use our help. I mean, we're coming into Xmas. We're all buying stuff for loved ones, we're probably going to go see family and friends, share time together & connect… but not everyone is so lucky. This holiday season, consider giving a gift to someone who truly needs it. That could be donating to Orange Sky (who by the way this month have all donations matched dollar for dollar so you double your impact), or any other number of charities or groups helping others. This year more than anything, we've realised how important community is. I think you're going to really love this conversation. It's full of stories from Orange Sky on the road, about how these two guys started this crazy journey, and it's full of optimism about how we can help and support each other to stay connected. Please enjoy this chat with Co-founder of Orange Sky and former Young Australian of the year, Lucas Patchett OAM.

This weekend the 'Black Friday/Cyber Monday' madness has taken hold. In a year where we all paused. Where we all saw the devastating impacts of lockdowns on local businesses. Where we all said we were going to support local. Where panic buying was shamed and our purchasing choices were restricted for the common good. Now... we're being told to 'buy buy buy' because there are 'deals deals deals!'.  Despite our best intentions, this year we've seen the consolidation of power and wealth to the big, multinational juggernauts. Jeff Bezos's wealth is now upwards of $180 billion. The Walton family (of Walmart) are well over $200 billion. This is an obscene and saddening amount of money, especially when there are hundreds of millions of people around the world who don't know where their next meal is coming from, or even have the ability to go to a clean and sanitary toilet each day. Enter Helena Norberg-Hodge. Helena is an internationally renowned author, filmmaker, and philosopher, and is the Founder and Director of Local Futures. She tells her story of how she entered Ladakh in Tibet when it was first opened up to outsiders, and how she witnessed first hand its transition from a thriving, self-sufficient, cultural community, to one that felt the impacts of globalisation, commercialisation, and materialism. She has produced and directed the award winning documentary 'The Economics of Happiness', which further tells the story of the issues of economic globalisation. And she recently hosted the World Localization Day summit, featuring incredible people such as Noam Chomsky, Jane Goodall, Russell Brand, and more, and was officially endorsed by H.H. the Dalai Lama. In this conversation we talk about her experiences living in and out of Tibet, and seeing the year on year erosion to our globalised world. We talk about the importance of localization and 'Big Picture Activism'. We talk about the distinction between localization and nationalism, especially given this year as we've seen people's nationalistic tendencies come out. We talk about this year and the pockets of people supporting local, but at the same time the consolidation of wealth and power to the big multinationals. And so much more. Thank you for enjoying the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers, James

Can you believe it was over a year ago that the Black Summer of bushfires in Australia started? In the news cycle we get bombarded with, we can almost lose touch with these once-in-a-lifetime events. Last week was also NAIDOC week here in Australia, and it was so great to see so many indigenous voices and platforms over the week and the support from a wide range of the general public. So in a beautiful harmony of those two topics, today's guest is Oliver Costello. Oliver is a Bundjalung man who started Firesticks Alliance, a not-for-profit that uses cultural indigenous fire practices to maintain landscapes and keep a balanced ecosystem. But more than that, Firesticks brings together indigenous people and puts them back on country, and back practicing their cultural ceremonies. There's something special about fire that brings us together. We gather around it. We connect over it. Firesticks Alliance does exactly that too… it brings people together in a ceremonial and purposeful way to connect with each other and the land. In this conversation we talk about the impacts of climate change on worsening bushfire conditions. We talk about our mismanagement of the land, where our Western lens seeks to homogenise and try to control the landscapes rather than working with Nature's cycles. We talk about our disconnection from Nature, and how the media narratives around ‘fighting fires' and ‘war on fires' are fuelling our separation from country. We talk about the power that fire has to bring us together, the amazing work that Firesticks is doing, and so much more. Thank you so much for supporting the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers! PS - I considered releasing this episode to fall in NAIDOC week but I decided against it for two reasons... One, to allow what (little) space and airtime this podcast uses to be taken up by indigenous platforms; Two, to keep the conversations around Aboriginal culture going after NAIDOC week finished. The intention is certainly not that we stop and wait until next year to cherish and learn from the world's oldest living civilisation!

It's been a crazy year.  One of the things we've seen is people choosing to flee the cities to the regional areas, partly to reconnect with Nature. We've also seen people turn to gardening in a big way, reconnecting with where their food is coming from and this push towards localisation.  So it was really fitting to talk to Geoff Lawton, one of the gurus of permaculture. Geoff is a world-renowned permaculture designer and teacher. But more importantly than that, he is someone who really embodies his own philosophy and practices what he preaches. Through his online permaculture design courses and his youtube channel, Geoff reaches thousands of people teaching them not just about how to manage landscapes, but how to see the world through the permaculture design principles. Because here's the thing... permaculture is not just a set of organic gardening tips.  It's a philosophy.  It's a way of interacting with our world in a mindful, natural way.  It's a revolution of thought.  And I think as a broader society, that's what we're doing. We've had this year of pause. And many of us are reconsidering the way in which we want to live, where, and how, and with who, and doing what. This is how Geoff sees the world every day. Geoff graciously invited me to his home at Zaytuna Farm where we discussed managing landscapes (of course), the importance of diversity on a grand scale, natural systems and about how we as humans have no idea what's truly going on (as much as we like to think we do), and about the sense of wonder that 4 year olds have and how we can get that back through connecting with Nature.. and just so much more. Thank you so much for supporting the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

Alison Crook AO is a former Australian Business Woman of the Year, and is the Co-Founder and Chair of Enova Community Energy; Australia's first community-owned and social enterprise energy retailer. After a long and successful career in the business and government sectors, Alison was spurred into action to support environmental causes and found herself joining the Bentley Blockade protesting the coal seam gas industry in the Northern Rivers. After the success of stopping the fossil fuel advance, she found herself asking what we can do to accelerate the transition to renewable and community-owned energy, and started a new electricity retailer with ZERO experience in the energy industry! We often hear people talk about elements of society or the economy of how the way things 'should' be, but we don't hear a lot of ideas of how to transition there. Well Enova is a living example of how to make change happen. Alison joined me at The Corner Palm in Byron Bay, where we talked about renewables, community ownership, localisation, and people taking back their power (literally). I really hope you're enjoying the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

Tim Silverwood is a good man... a really good man. He is a well-known and well-travelled environmental advocate, who has seen first hand the issues of pollution, particularly in our oceans, and has spent the better part of his working life educating and inspiring people to care about our planet. He co-founded Take 3 for the Sea, which has grown into a movement helping to bring the issue of plastic pollution in our oceans to the forefront of society's consciousness. (He was advocating for banning plastic bags, container deposit schemes, and reusable cups and straws WELL before they were cool). In his newest foray he is the co-founder of Ocean Impact Organisation, a startup accelerator helping businesses to positively impact our oceans, which you can learn much more about in this episode.  I was able to intrude into Tim's brief holiday in the Byron region, where we talked about his love of and connection to Nature at an early age, why storytelling and building that connection is so important, the current state of the world and how it's a really pivotal moment in time, Ocean Impact Organisation's work, what they're doing and why, and so much more. I really hope you're enjoying the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

This episode's guest is Mark Joiner. Mark is the former Executive Director of Finance for NAB, the current Chair of QBE Insurance, and has previously held a myriad of top-tier roles in the financial sector. I know what you may be thinking... "what in the world does and banking/insurance executive have to say about environmental and community issues?" The answer will floor you. Mark is a deeply caring and thoughtful individual, and someone who beautifully articulates many of the structural problems with the corporate world that give rise to environmental and social injustice. The things that he says in this conversations you would expect to hear from an activist, or a scholar, or an independent thinker. Mark is all of those things, and speaks about his 'highest value point of intervention' being in the board room rather than the protest rally (which would probably mean he wouldn't be allowed in any more board rooms!) The truth is, we need people from all backgrounds and parts of society to collectively want to create positive change, and rather than try to point the finger at each other we should be asking ourselves, 'what can we do together?' Mark graciously invited me to his home in the Byron hinterland where, after a tour of the property surveying all of the tree planting he has done, we sat down to discuss society at large; including the problems with our current capitalist system, the structural pressures of working in large corporations, and what people can do on an individual level to create change, no matter how small. Thank you so much for listening. I'm having fun and I hope you are too. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

This episode's guest is Ella Noah Bancroft. Ella is an artist and Bundjalung woman, and is a powerful and growing voice advocating for Aboriginal culture and reconnecting to our land and to each other. She is becoming a regular as a public speaker and interviewee (appearing recently on World Localisation Day, and in the latest edition of Dumbo Feather) because of her unique and profound way to cut right through our social conditioning and ask questions that challenge our shortly-held societal beliefs. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and is willing to be vulnerable and courageous in following her convictions. Her perspective on the world could be considered by some as 'radical', or it could be considered necessary. Ella joined me at The Corner Palm in Byron Bay, where we talked about her dramatically different childhood experiences living in 'normal' western culture vs on an Aboriginal community, her work in finding her voice as an activist, and on decolonisation; what it means and what we can do as individuals. Thank you so much to everyone's feedback from the first month of the show. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

This episode's guest is Pete Ceglinski. Pete is the Co-Founder and CEO of Seabin Project, the incredible invention that has not only removed over 1million kg's of marine litter from our waterways, but also runs educational courses in schools and businesses about preventing pollution in the first place. But the true power of Seabin Project is not just what they do, but they way they engage people and build community. Through fundraisers, online content, educational events, and more, Pete and his team have truly built a movement. The power of this was obvious earlier in 2020 when Seabin Project ran a successful crowdfunding campaign raising over $1.8million from over 1600 investors. Pete graciously invited me to Seabin's head office in Mullumbimby where we talked about not just what he does, but the way he sees the world. His unassuming and grounded nature makes me think about how many other great ideas people have dreamt up before but have never seen the light of day, simply because we haven't taken that first step. Key point... don't overthink things! Pete's a legend and you'll quickly hear why in this episode. Thank you so much to everyone's feedback from the launch with the first few episodes. Keep the good vibes rollin' by hitting subscribe and sharing on instagram. Cheers!

Welcome back! This episode's guest is Charlie Arnott. Charlie is a multi-generational farmer who transitioned his family's land from conventional industrial high-input farming to biodynamic and regenerative practices. He's an educator and advocate for regenerative farming and his public talks and biodynamic workshops have become hugely influential. He is a recent winner of the Bob Hawke Landcare Award and is a Landcare Australia Ambassador. His podcast called 'The Regenerative Journey' launched earlier this year, and follows him as he travels around Australia interviewing farmers and environmental advocates about regenerative practices. Charlie joined me at The Corner Palm in Byron Bay, where of course we talked about farming, but so much more too. Throughout our conversation I got the feeling that regenerative farming for Charlie is a symptom of a deeper cause of the way he lives his life... one of compassion and wanting to give to the world. We got philosophical. We went deep. We talked about being a vegan vs. a beef farmer without hating on each other. I hope you enjoy. If you're feeling it, please hit subscribe and share on instagram. Cheers!

Welcome! This is the first official episode of the Overview Effect Podcast with James Perrin. If you haven't already, please go back and listen to the 8 minute introduction (Episode 0), which will give you the background and context to the show. This episode's guest is Mara Bún. Mara has spent her career working with and advocating for environmental causes and charities. She's previously been the CFO of Greenpeace Australia, Director of Business Development at CSIRO, and CEO of Green Cross Australia. She is currently the first female President of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), which is an organisation very close to my heart. She also sits on the boards of Australian Ethical Investments and Enova Community Energy, both highly respected and hugely impactful companies. So yeah... she knows a thing or two about good business and environmentalism. Mara graciously invited me into her home in the Gold Coast hinterland where we discussed her influences to get to where she is in life, and her outlook on the world. I think you'll find Mara's enthusiasm, hope, and optimism for the future to be a breath of fresh air, and my hope is that this conversation will leave you buzzing with excitement and opportunity. If you're feeling it, please hit subscribe and share on instagram. Cheers!

Welcome to the Overview Effect with James Perrin! In this intro I talk about the inspiration behind starting the podcast, a bit about my background, and what you can expect in upcoming episodes. If you're a nature lover, sustainability professional, regenerative farmer, clean tech entrepreneur, or someone who just cares about our planet and the beings that inhabit it, then you'll love the convo's on this show. This is an exciting new project for me so please give me some feedback! You can find me on instagram at @overview.effect.podcast And if you're into it, please subscribe and share with your friends. Good karma awaits :)