Sue Stuart-Smith - The Well Gardened Mind: Natures Restorative Abilities

No doubt many of us know how good it feels to spend time in nature, but did you know that the act of gardening has huge psychological benefits for our brains, our relationships, and many other aspects of our physical and mental health?

In this episode Tessa sits down with Sue Stuart-Smith to discuss the positives of digging around in the soil. Sue is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who’s latest book The Well Gardened Mind explor...

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

Read more

In this episode we're diving into the ocean waters to learn about our incredible coral reef systems. As beautiful as they are important, coral reefs are often called the ‘rainforests of the sea’ and are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. But, they are struggling against the effects of climate change so Tessa sits down with tropical fish and coral reef expert David Booth to get the 411 on how reef systems function, th...

Read more

It's been three decades since the landmark Mabo decision overturned the concept of terra nullius - land belonging to no one - yet the idea of aqua nullius and the fight for restoring Aboriginal water rights remains. In this episode Tessa speaks to Wiradjuri Nyemba woman Dr Virginia Marshall about detangling the complex web of water management, the Royal Commission into the Murray Darling basin and the commodification of water. Vir...

Read more

Fashion, clothing, shoes, accessories .... we all buy them, use them, and dispose of them. But what are the environmental and human impacts of this? And as much as marketing loves to sell it - can the fashion industry ever be truely sustainable? In this ep, Tessa sits down with sustainable supply chain expert Kelly Elkin. Having previously co-founded online store Well Made Clothes, as well the Australian Ethical Fashion Associatio...

Read more

Bees are infinitely important to our food production, plant pollination and ecosystem biodiversity. You've probably come across a European honeybee before, but did you know Australia has over 2000 different types of native bees? In this episode, Tessa speaks with Dr Tim Heard - an entomologist and ex CSIRO research scientist who focuses on stingless and native bees. The pair get chatting about the differences between native and in...

Read more

In this ep, Tessa chats with Tishiko King, a proud Kulkalaig woman from the Island of Masig in Zenadth Kes (Torres Straight Islands). She's the Campaigns Director at Seed Mob, an organiser for the Our Islands Our Home campaign and an all-round legend who is passionate about sharing culture, amplifying social inequality, and advocating for the rights of First Nations people. Tish is currently based in Naarm but has bounced around a...

Read more

In the first episode of season 2, Tessa sits down with one of Australia's most accomplished climate campaigners, Anna Rose. Anna is the co-founder of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) and Groundswell Giving. She's on the board for Farmers for Climate Action, a Governor of WWF Australia and co-star of the ABC documentary I Can Change Your Mind on Climate Change. With the upcoming federal election and increase in extrem...

Read more

After a year of chatting, recording and editing (plus hiking a couple mountains in between)....your favourite enviro pod, The Nature Between Us, is back! In this season, Tessa delves into topics such as natural gas fracking, sustainable fashion, Aboriginal water rights, the plight of our bee's, diminishing kelp forests, migrating tropical fish, the psychological benefits of gardening and of course - climate change and the upcoming...

Read more

This episode is all about creating art in the era of climate change. Specifically theater, which has the power to connect, provoke and inspire people far and wide. Which got Tessa thinking....could theater be the answer to climate anxiety, science communication or even just a subtle push for action? Today's guest is David Finnigan, a writer and theatre-maker who works with earth scientists to produce engaging performances about cl...

Read more

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a well known and widespread problem, but because plastic never actually goes away, it just gets smaller and smaller, we are now fighting a new dilemma - micro/nano plastics.... and with recent studies suggesting seafood eaters consume around a credit card's worth of plastic each year, it's cause for concern. In this episode Tessa speaks with conservationist and marine biologist Alice Forrest, who...

Read more

Listening and learning from First Nations Peoples is crucial to a healthy environment. In this episode Tessa speaks with Christian Hampson, a proud Woiwurrung and Maneroo Aboriginal man who is interweaving Indigenous knowledge and collaborative design thinking to walk a new path - away from conventional approaches. In 2019 Christian co-founded Yerrabingin, a commercial design organisation that creates environmentally conscious na...

Read more

Cyrus Sutton is a professional surfer, documentary filmmaker, permaculturalist and DIY king. He's also a friend of Tessa's and in this episode the pair get chatting about small scale agriculture, surf adventures in Russia, life in a van, the commodification of nature and power of storytelling and mythology. Cyrus is a deep thinker with a clear understanding of the connectedness of our planet - from ecology to sustainability, to sur...

Read more

Talking about climate change can be riddled with pitfalls...and as it turns out - the scientific facts aren't necessarily the best place to start. In this episode Tessa speaks with one of Australia's best known social researchers and author - Rebecca Huntley. Along with degrees in Law and film studies, and a PHD in gender studies, Rebecca has written numerous books and essays, and is a regular commentator on radio and television. H...

Read more

The past 20 years has seen a staggering increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The cause? Scientific consensus says a warming climate is the culprit....but when you break it down, how exactly does that work? And how can futuristic technology and immersive storytelling help us to adapt? In this episode Tessa speaks with two weather obsessed guests. Nate Byrne - a meteorologist, oceanographer, Navy Lieuten...

Read more

In Australia, 71% of the population live in a major city - but how sustainable is this? And what exactly makes a city liveable? In this episode Tessa chats with Sydney City Councillor Jess Miller to find out. If you're a sydney local you might already know Jess. She was first elected to Council in 2016, and served as Deputy Lord Mayor from 2017-2018. She is currently the Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, sits on the Cyclin...

Read more

Environmental law has existed since around the 1960s, however only recently have litigations pivoted to address the concerns of growing emission levels and a warming climate. In this episode Tessa speaks with David Barnden, the founder and principal lawyer of Equity Generation Lawyers - a law firm that specialises in Australian climate change law. They discuss the history of environmental regulation in australia, the recent EPBC A...

Read more

Australia has over 600 national parks, taking up over 28 million hectares of land. Much of which was destroyed in the 2019-20 fire season. In this episode Tessa speaks with Peta Norris, a NSW National Parks veteran, who's worked in wildlife conservation, land management, fire prevention, and as a park ranger and professional firefighter. She breaks down what caused the catastrophic fire events earlier this year and why the tried an...

Read more

Every day, Indonesia generates around 175,000 tons of waste, and is believed to be the second largest contributor of ocean plastics, behind China. But it's not all their fault. In this episode Tessa speaks with waste management strategist Joi Danielson about what makes Indonesia's waste problem unique, why waste management systems are so complex, and her experience living and working on the frontline with Project STOP - a program s...

Read more

The Nature Between Us is a new podcast demystifying environmental issues in a bid to find solutions and positivity. Join host Tessa de Josselin in conversation with a variety of people working towards a healthier planet. These discussions are as much about unpacking climate change and sustainability issues, as it is about reigniting an appreciation for the natural world and how much we depend on it - as individuals, and humanity. ...

Read more