CATALYST: 'SUSTAINABLE', Issue 3, Volume 73

sustainable

issue 3

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Contents

Editor’s Letter

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News Recap

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Immerse Your Senses : RMIT Floral Fashions

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RMIT Sustainability

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Arts & Environmentalism

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How to be Sustainable Around Campus

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Going vegan for the environment... is it worth it?

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Bushwalking in Melbourne via PTV

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A Sustainable Student

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The Hidden Problem: Economic Abuse in Young People

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Furnished by Nature

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Ballot Box

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Environmentally Unsustainable Advertising

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Unsustainable Growth

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Fashion; at what cost?

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The Psychology of Climate Change

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Sustaining Ourselves through the Seasons

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Sustainability on Film

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DIY Veggie Garden

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A Day in the Life of Eating Seasonally

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Contributors

Editors: Maggie Coggan-Gartlan Anthony Furci Kasia Kosidlo

Front & Back Cover: Elisa McTaggart from her Mending Nature series. elisamctaggart.wordpress.com Editorial Committee: Ben Madden Lisa Divissi Luke Michael Alayna Hansen Shannon Steuer Megan McKenna Tim Miller Abby Alexander Sophie Spence Kelsey Rettino Elizabeth Maidment Maddy Ruskin Sarah Dunwoodie Nicole Pereira Jack Hopkins Weijun Lam Natasha Lobo

Creative Director: George Coltman Design Team: George Coltman Paige Linden Social Media: Megan McKenna Shannon Steuer Sophie Spence News: Gus McCubbing Reviews: Ben Madden Marketing: Cait Speldewinde Visuals: Megan McKenna

Printer: Printgraphics Pty Ltd 14 Hardner Road, Mount Waverley, Victoria 3149 Australia PE: 9562 9600

Cataclysm EP: Natalie Pitcher

Special Thanks To: Sydney Road Brunswick Association - Primary Sponsor

Catalyst acknowledges that this magazine was produced on the stolen land of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their elders, both past and present. We also acknowledge the traditional owners of all the lands from where the stories and artworks were sourced.

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Editor’s Letter Maggie Coggan, @MaggieCoggan Anthony Furci, @AnthonyRFurci Kasia Kosidlo, @kasiakosidlo

Welcome to our third issue, and semester two!

As we’ve discovered, sustainability extends to much more than just the world of climate change and solar panels, even though those things are super important too. You’ll find all find all sorts of tips, tricks, and inspiration to become a more sustainable human and student, ranging from eating seasonably, the psychology behind climate change, the deal with slow fashion and where to go for a sustainable coffee around campus.

Half the year has already flown past, and you might be sitting back, thinking about all the things you said you’d get done by now but haven’t (or maybe you’ve actually achieved everything you wanted to do, and if so, well done, you freak.)

Luckily for you, a new semester means a clean slate.

Maybe you’re planning on smashing uni, or keeping it real and trying to just attend an acceptable amount of uni. One other thing you may have noticed is that the environment is kind of going to shit! (Sorry to break it to you.)

Will we find you trying to install solar panels on the roof of Building 80 after reading this issue? Quite possibly.

Get reading, get inspired, and have a wonderful start to your semester.

So, if you can’t be bothered making any uni related goals for the second half of the year, why not make some that’ll help the earth?! This is where we come in.

Over here at Catalyst, we’ve chucked on our gardening gloves and dug into the world of sustainability.

Love, the eds, Maggie, Anthony and Kasia

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News Recap Maggie Coggan, @MaggieCoggan Anthony Furci, @AnthonyRFurci Kasia Kosidlo, @kasiakosidlo

INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION FROM RMIT AT INTERNATIONAL EVENT Indigenous RMIT students Hayley Millar, Julian Wilson and Edward Morrissey will represent the university at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in Canada later this month. The conference, hosted every three years, has become a major international event for the Indigenous education movement. The event aims to bring together representatives from across the globe to discuss ways to promote Indigenous education programs and movements.

BOWEN ST REOPENING The New Academic Street Project will officially be complete on September 20. This will coincide with the reopening of Bowen Street, and the removal of those huge construction walls! To celebrate the occasion, which also happens to coincide with the 130th anniversary of Founder’s Day at RMIT, the University will be hosting a launch party. Visit nas.rmit.edu.au/events/celebratermit/ for more info.

INTRODUCTION OF DIGITAL TRANSCRIPTS For those graduating in July, RMIT is implementing automatic uploads of transcripts to be digitally issued via My eQuals. These will be certified and secure versions of academic documents, able to be shared with 3rd parties like employers and universities.

In coming months, My eQuals will also become available for current and past students to request documents.

FAST FASHION - THE DARK SIDE Fast fashion seems to be on everyone’s lips, but what exactly is it? In RMIT Gallery’s latest exhibition, opening on the 20th of July, the ‘dark side’ of the global corporations behind the fast fashion industry will be uncovered, exploring the socio-economic and ecological consequences. Presented in collaboration with the Goethe-Institute and the RMIT school of Fashion and Textiles, the exhibition will also showcase the work of RMIT’s Slow Fashion Studio. The Exhibition is running until the 9th of September at the RMIT Gallery on Swanston St. Interested? Read more about fast and slow fashion on page 40!

OPEN HOUSE AT RMIT 2017 sees the tenth year of Open House Melbourne, an event which opens many of the city’s buildings to the public. RMIT is getting a lot of attention this year, with New Academic Street precinct to be featured, alongside the Swanston Academic Building (Building 80) and the Design Hub (Building 100, the one covered in circles). Go check out the New Academic Street and the Design Hub - you’ve probably been to Building 80 enough. Open House Melbourne will run from July 29-30.

NEW TIMETABLING SYSTEM RMIT is rolling out a new timetabling system from semester two onwards. The new system, ‘myTimetable’, is replacing Student Timetabling System (STS) for higher education students and will expand to all courses in Semester 1 2018. MyTimetable allows you to plan your scheduling options before the dreaded 8am grab for classes begins.

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Immerse Your Senses: RMIT Floral Fashions Patrick Hooton Images by Fergus Bartram

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Every year, RMIT Bachelor of Fashion Design Honours students are given the opportunity to design and create a piece of ‘living’ fashion. They are invited to present a plant-based fashion outfit as part of the Floral Fashion Design Competition exhibit at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS), for the show’s five days in the Royal Exhibition Building.

This year’s competing students drew inspiration for their garments from the National Gallery of Victoria’s Offshoots, Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Artists Exhibition as well as a brief prompting them to work around the theme ‘Immerse yourself’.

While not an easy challenge by any means, RMIT students consistently produce outstanding pieces of fashion for the event. This year was no exception. These ecological garments are a highlight for many patrons of the event, with one even claiming they “come every year to see the outfits.”

The design must be 80% plant matter, with a further 20% to be used on structural elements.

These meticulous pieces are often entirely made of simple chicken wire, plants, and glue.

Our students spent two full days working on their fashion - all while ensuring that their piece remained alive for the entire five-day event. This is a unique project offered only to RMIT students, who must dedicate themselves to their dress and the plants from which it is made.

This year, Grace Cooper won Gold, Alice Kavanagh Federici won Silver, while Tara Ingram and Belinda Sorrento tied for Bronze.

Alice’s piece, entitled ‘Monarch’, was an attendee favourite for its magical design which captivated childhood memories and sparked the imaginations 8

of both young and old. Her design was inspired by a childhood fascination with fairies that she believed were living within her garden. The dress expressed the sense of awe and wonder she had felt while looking for fairies amongst the plants, with the aim of breathing botanical life into the fashion fantasy.

The regal yet wild piece transported admirers to a hidden garden, overgrown and lost to the modern world, where fantasy reigns.

Like all the hardworking students focusing on the project, though, Grace discovered new challenges in working with plant materials. She says that it established “a whole new ball game to a fashion designer.”

The RMIT Floral Fashion exhibit at the MIFGS showcased the remarkable talent and innovation of the University’s fashion students. It challenged students to think outside of the box, in an experience that few around the world will ever have the opportunity to engage in.

Grace Cooper’s design, ‘Flower Birth’, was an artistic interpretation of a blooming flower. Her attention to detail was to be commended, with intricate details of seeds in the bodice, twine sleeves to represent roots, exaggerated bell sleeves bursting with flowers, and a skirt made up of leaves. Winning the highest honour amongst RMIT Bachelor of Fashion Design students came as quite the shock to Grace, given the high level of quality of amongst the designs.

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EMISSIONS GO DOWN AS WATER USAGE INCREASES AT RMIT Claudia Long, @ClaudiaLongsays Illustration by Sarah Loo

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RMIT University has managed to reduce its carbon emissions for the first time in two years as water usage around campus has increased.

According to the University’s most recent annual report, released in mid-February 2017, emissions fell from 64,798 tonnes in 2015 to 55,917 in 2016.

The drop comes after a steady increase in emissions over four years from 2009 to 2013 of 61,414 tonnes to 65,192 and after another increase in 2015 up to 64,798 tonnes from 2014’s 64,402.

As emissions have been on the decline, water usage has gone up to 5.3 kilolitres (kL) per equivalent full-time study load in 2016 from 5.2kL in 2015.

Like emissions, water usage had been steadily increasing at RMIT between 2011 and 2014 with water use going up from 4.7kL to 5.8kL. Despite these increases in water usage and a pattern of rising carbon emissions prior to 2016, the University has made significant progress on its emissions reduction target.

Since 2007, RMIT has seen a reduction in emissions of 29.3%, amounting to 23,207 tonnes.

2016 also saw the University offset 13,000 tonnes of carbon emissions as rollout of a number of green projects began including the Sustainable Urban Precincts Program (SUPP) which aimed to “cut energy, water use and carbon emissions through sustainable design and innovation” according to the 2016 annual sustainability report.

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Arts & Environmentalism Catherine McLeod Artwork by Lynette Wallworth, Rekindling Venus

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Creativity has long been used as a tool to inspire political action and drive change. Artistic movements have been a way to both critique and document humanity; often responding to the natural world and our relationship with it.

scientific findings as unimportant, she believes that artists can interpret and communicate said information in different ways.

Throughout March, RMIT’s First Site Gallery was home to Anthropocene, in which students exhibited works exploring the connection between art, textiles, fashion, design and geology in this age of human impact. Zoe Jackson is a Fine Arts student who had four works featured; three embroidered pieces made from found materials including plastics, ribbons, wire, and beads, and a sound compilation made from voice memos recorded in both urban and rural places. While environmental issues were not at the forefront of the creation of these pieces, her invitation to enter the exhibition prompted her to realise that they are actually inherent in the way she gathers resources and generates work. She believes that art can “bring something to the surface that people don’t usually engage with,” while allowing issues like climate change to be “addressed in a way that’s accessible.”

Environmental art has become increasingly important as a form of activism; harnessing environmentalism and creativity to inspire sustainability and climate change action.

The movement has grown exponentially, and includes artists like John Sabraw, whose Toxic Art involves the production of bold pigments from the oxidized runoff from abandoned coal mines.

American photographer Chris Jordan, in his series Intolerable Beauty, captures the macabre excess of waste caused by American hyper-consumption.

Belgian artist Naziha Mestaoui spearheaded the 1 Heart 1 Tree project, which began with the Eiffel Tower in 2015, and allows people to “plant” virtual trees to be projected on monuments around the world. Donations fund the illuminations, and for every simulation a real tree is planted as part of a global reforestation program.

The idea of the environment as an entity from which humans are separate has to change if we are to heal the planet. We are closer to nature than we realise; the life we live is conducive to the world around us, yet the condition of the planet and its warming atmosphere is often ignored.

Important work in environmental art has also been taking place at RMIT. From May to July this year, RMIT Gallery hosted Ocean Imaginaries, which featured the work of twenty local and international artists across a range of mediums. It explored the ocean as a symbolic entity, as well as an ecosystem that has been affected by our way of life.

So far, scientific data hasn’t been able to sufficiently influence the way our society thinks about the environment or considers its future.

Associate Professor of Art at RMIT, and head of the AEGIS Research Network, Linda Williams was the curator behind Ocean Imaginaries. While planning the exhibition, Williams sought out artists that focused on both the poetics of the ocean and wider environmental issues. She is a proponent of the power of art, which she claims can “influence our hearts and minds a way that a table of statistics cannot.” But instead of dismissing factual and

Maybe a more emotional response is required; the kind that only the arts can create.

Ocean Imaginaries was a part CLIMARTE’s ART+CLIMATE=CHANGE series for 2017, a festival of exhibitions and events focused on the power of art to inform and engage audience action on climate change.

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How to be Sustainable Around Campus Maggie Coggan, @MaggieCoggan Illustrations by Ellisha Kriesl, @ellishamk

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Brunswick Acoustica Cafe, Union Street, Brunswick

School supplies: Beekeper Parade, Melbourne Central

This spacious café - conveniently located across the road from the RMIT Brunswick campus - is like walking into your arty cousin’s lounge room. Nothing quite matches, and it’s a little bit messy, but it’s still your favourite place to hang out. Not only is this place good for your tummy (the food is grand), but it’s good for the environment too *airhorns go off in distance!* The walls are constructed out of recycled timber, and in the warmer months of the year, there is a little veggie patch out the front which you’ll find in the food you order.

Finding the right backpack for uni is kind of like finding your soulmate. Too far? I thought so too - until I found mine. The thing is, it’s harder than it looks. Uni backpacks not only need to look funky (because you go to RMIT, and literally everyone looks really cool all the time), they need to be large enough to hold all your shit. “But what about the environment?!”, someone screams from the distance. Good news! There is a rad little business making backpacks from old clothing and textiles before they go into landfill. The money from every backpack sold also helps fund their education projects around the world.

Their store is conveniently located in Melbourne Central, so check them out there or at their website at www.beekeeperparade.com/backpack/.

Brotherhood of Saint Lawrence, Lygon Street, Brunswick If you’re into the whole second hand clothing thing (which you should be, because it’s better for your wallet, and the planet), Brunswick is where it’s at. While Savers is held up as somewhat of a student mecca, the Brotherhood of Saint Lawrence op shop (which is just a couple of streets over) is not to be overlooked. They always have a hectic bargain bin with all kinds of weird shit in there (full glitter jumpsuit for $3.50? I think YES), and because they are a charity organisation, you can feel good about where your money is going.

Bundoora RMIT’s Bundoora campus cops a lot of flack. “It’s so far away,” city students whine, “it’s pretty much in the middle of the BUSH.” While this may be true for us from the city, it also means there are a couple more ways to have sustainable fun which don’t just involve eating or shopping. Everyone knows that the best way to eat sustainably and cheaply is by growing your own food.

The Bundoora Park Community Garden has reasonably priced plots of land available for rent, so you can try your hand at being Peter Cundall in your spare time. If getting your hands dirty isn’t quite your thing, they have an entire farm within the park where you can actually handle the animals - pure, sustainable fun for everyone.

Find out more at www.bundoorapark.com.au

City Streat, various locations around the city If you want to talk about sustainable cafés, these guys have got pretty much every base covered. Their food is - where possible - seasonal, organic and locally sourced, and they only use ‘bio-pack’ biodegradable food packaging. Tackling youth homelessness is also a big focus for the business. They are well known for equipping disadvantaged young people with hospitality skills, in order to give them some valuable workplace experience and a more sustainable future. When you do pick up your coffee from these guys though, make sure you use a KeepCup - they’ll knock 50c off the price of your latte! Try to always use one, as disposable coffee cups are a major contributor to landfill. They can’t be recycled.

Luckily for those of you studying at the city campus, a brand new Streat café is coming to the Garden Building on Bowen Street, due to open in August. Find out what else they are up to at www.streat.com.au.

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Going vegan for the environment... is it worth it?

Stephen Smit, @StephenSmit92 Illustration by Charlotte Franks

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It’s one of the most pressing questions of our time, set to shape the very future of what we eat. How do we produce enough food for the world’s burgeoning population without causing irreversible damage to our environment?

Complicating matters, most of the world’s population growth will happen in developing regions such as South America, Africa, and Asia with a growing middle class to fuel most of the future demand for energy intensive agriculture. While the developed world has recently seen an increase in the number of people adopting plant based diets, Professor Eckard was quick to put things in perspective - only “10% of the world’s population” has a choice over their diet, he says. He explains that 84% of the world’s population lives on $20 or less a day. For these people, “they don’t get a choice of food, they just eat what they can get.”

Fortunately for us, there’s a simple way to achieve this.

But there’s a catch. Research has indicated that it could be as simple as moderating our consumption of land and energy intensive agriculture, particularly red meat, and moving to a more plant based diet. Feeding the world’s predicted 9.6 billion people in 2050 with our current omnivore diet isn’t possible without sacrificing the health of our planet, as 70% more food will be required than what we currently produce.

He points out that any sacrifices made by vegans and vegetarians in the developed world will have little effect upon emission reduction and deforestation. “I think the rise of vegetarians in the developed world is going to lead to a reduction in demand (for animal-based products), but that’s not where the problem lies,” he says.

But, theoretically, researchers from the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food have solved this problem. They compared four different hypothetical situations where the world either changed or continued its current diet, and how each scenario would play out by the year 2050. The results were startling - it found that adopting diets in line with current global guidelines would cut food related emissions by 29%, vegetarian diets would cut them by 63%, and vegan diets by 70%.

“The world’s rising middle class wanting a western diet is the issue. The population in Australia is growing by such a small amount relative to the developing world.

A decrease in meat consumption here will have only a small impact on global meat production”.

While the results are promising, a sustainable agriculture specialist at the University of Melbourne, Professor Richard Eckard, favours a range of strategies as a more realistic solution. He believes a move to a more plant based diet is the ideal solution and good for the wellbeing of the planet, but lower methane livestock, clean energy generation from livestock waste and cutting down on waste overall should also be part of the discussion.

Although Professor Eckard thinks that the efforts from the vegan and vegetarian community may be fruitless from an environmental perspective, it’s the responsibility of the developed world to set the right example and send a powerful message to the developing world on the importance of moderation.

“Symbolically, it actually means something. If you’re saying ‘I’m going to go vegetarian or reduce the amount of red meat consumption I have’, on the assumption that’s going to make a difference, then that will send a signal around saying ‘this is important, let’s have a look at other areas of our lifestyle’. If we can change the perception of the world’s rising middle class that the diet to aspire towards is a diet of moderation, then I think we can make effective change.”

“If we cut out wastage, which is about 40% of the food chain, we can currently feed the 2050 population,” he says.

Another study focusing on land sustainability by scientific journal Nature Communications found that 100% of the vegan scenarios would be successful in cutting food related emissions. Vegetarianism enabled success in 94%, while the meat-based diet would work in only 15% of the futures depicted. It concluded, in the unlikely situation that we all become vegan by the year 2050, we would require less cropland than was needed in the year 2000. An area around the size of the Amazon rainforest could be reforested.

As promising as all this research is, the reality is that cultural barriers, misconceptions about plant based diets and old fashioned resistance to change will need to be addressed to make all this research a reality and create a more sustainable future. The message from researchers is clear - it is possible to create a sustainable food system in harmony with mother nature, but it will require sacrifice on the behalf of the whole world.

Professor Eckard asserted that more factors would have to be taken into account, though, before any discussion around reducing livestock numbers or increasing cropland could begin. He says that where possible, preference should be given to increasing cropland rather than giving more land to livestock, as the crops would simply be able to feed more people.

As Professor Eckard says, “individually keeping all things in balance may not make a large footprint. But, like a domino effect, we can change the way we eat and thus create a more sustainable future.”

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Bushwalking in Melbourne via PTV Erica Murdoch Illustration by Elizabeth Darmawan Images by Ceren Ozcan

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So, you want to go bushwalking near Melbourne and leave your car at home? No worries—it’s possible. You just need to do some forward planning for public transport and pack the band aids.

Here are five walks to get you started (in order of distance from Melbourne’s CBD)

Yarra Bend Park, Dights Falls Loop Trail 8kms Who knew that one of Melbourne’s great hikes was within two kilometres of hipster cafes? Squashed in between Kew, Clifton Hill and Fairfield, Yarra Park offers many walking trails. Dights Falls Loop trail is a four kilometre hike allowing you to discover the site of the former asylum, venture through red gum bushland and have the company of many different kinds of birds.

How: Bus 200/201/207 from Lonsdale Street. Get off at Studley Park Boathouse bus-stop. There is a footpath to the trailhead at Kane’s Bridge.

Dandenong Ranges National Park Kokoda Track Memorial Walk 37kms Don’t let the name deter you. This 1000-step (actually 770!) hike can be for the super-keen planning an intense trek in Nepal, or a Netflix couch potato (like me) wanting to challenge themselves. I recommend taking it slowly and sauntering through the tree fern gully rather than bolting to the top. The sense of achievement you’ll get upon reaching the summit will be the same, whether you are a gung-ho climber or lounge lizard.

How: Train to Upper Ferntree Gully and walk to the Kokoda Track trailhead. (15-minute walk)

Braeside Park 26kms If you’re a bird-watcher, this suburban park is the place for you. Wetlands, billabongs, a circuit walk with no hills (yay!) and some pretty picnic areas.

And for the avid twitcher—a bird hide.

How: Train to Mentone, then Bus 811 from Mentone Station. Get off at Sandleford Place. The park entrance is opposite.

Point Nepean National Park 90kms If you’re a beach bum, this is for you. A lunch break may be needed as the commute time to the park is lengthy, but the spectacular coastal views make up for it. On days when the break is just right, you may see keen surfers carrying their boards down the cliff face to surf Port Phillip heads. Check out Cheviot Beach where Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared. Explore the historical buildings, or if you’re feeling energetic, hire a bike at the Information Centre and ride all the way to the Engine House for great views of the Heads. The bus ride back home is perfect for a nap.

How: Train to Frankston and Bus 788 to Portsea.

Warrandyte State Park Pound Bend Reserve 33kms If you really want to have a proper bush experience, head to Warrandyte and explore the Pound Bend River Walk. Keep an eye out for koalas in the treetops! It’s hard to believe that this pristine waterway turns into our own muddy Yarra, 40 kilometres downstream.

How: Bus 906 to Warrandyte from Lonsdale Street.

Alight at corner of Everard and Yarra Streets in Warrandyte and walk along Everard Street to Pound Bend Road. (20-minute walk.)

Note: Check the PTV website for service updates and Parks Victoria for more guides.

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A Sustainable Student Elena Webster

My house is brimming with students; there are five in total.

ceilings and walls becoming increasingly popular.

Anna assures me that this means actual plants on roofs and walls, which have effective insulation properties while also collecting rainwater for reuse throughout the building.

The newest of our motley crew is Anna.

I met Anna a month before we moved in together, and we clicked straight away. Her quirky and introverted personality makes it easy to like her.

She’s the one who will pick up my slack with the dishes and won’t complain if I wake her up when I get home late. But her resolute kindness isn’t the point of this article, it’s her commitment to sustainability.

Knowledge was what prompted Anna’s change in lifestyle. She believes that researching all you can about sustainability will change your perspective and your life. Anna made made the choice to live as green as possible as a teenager and she believes that everyone should know the impact they’re having on earth before they make changes.

Sustainability in the words of a environmentally switched on student, means “meeting the needs of the present, while also ensuring that the needs of the future can be met as well.” This is an integral part of Anna’s lifestyle, and she has become accustomed to sacrificing some of life’s luxuries in order to live as sustainable a life as possible. Anna believes that “we can’t live our lives too frivolously because humans are not going to be able to live this way forever.”

Anna made these lifestyle changes whilst living in her family home in Perth. Her diet differed greatly from the rest of her family and being independent when it came to food was the first step in living more sustainably.

As an adolescent, Anna lived on a pescetarian diet for a while as her parents didn’t allow her to transition immediately to vegetarianism, concerned about the sudden change in diet’s impact on her.

“I think once you realise how scarce our resources are, it becomes ingrained in you and you’re forced to change, it’s almost like you don’t have a choice.”

Anna is studying a Bachelor of Property and Real Estate, majoring in sustainability. This means her student life directly affects her lifestyle, and it keeps her curious and interested in her studies.

Her degree gives her an outlook on sustainable living that is not known to most students. Solar panels, double glazed windows and locally sourced materials are all smart options for sustainable housing.

This ideology is how Anna keeps focused on her mission. If she forgets her Keepcup at home, she won’t let herself have a coffee that day. If she leaves her shopping bags at home, she will carry all her groceries home in her arms.

It’s not likely that a large percentage of students are even thinking about buying houses, especially with current trends in housing markets within Melbourne and Sydney’s inner suburbs. With millennials struggling to even broach the world of real estate, spending more money on sustainable options is out of the question. Commercial infrastructure is leading the way, with green

“It definitely can be more expensive”, admits Anna, who has had to make many sacrifices in order to live sustainably whilst studying full-time and working part-time. By prioritising needs and wants, she is able to afford products that are more environmentally friendly.

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“I guess I’m at a point now where I’m starting to realise that there are a lot of things we spend our money on that we don’t need, so I started giving up things like clothes and that sort of stuff and spending more on food that I know is sustainably sourced.”

KeepCups Anna is a big believer in KeepCups, because really how many coffees do uni students need?

The answer is endless amounts, which is also the number of paper coffee cups tossed out. A Keepcup is a reusable and easily transportable cup. The cost can be anywhere from $3 - $20, dependant on the brand and design. It will minimise your impact on the earth drastically while also making you feel better about the amount of coffee you’re consuming.

Her shops of choice are opportunity stores (a now popular post hipster hobby) and she only uses sustainable products. Our bathroom is filled with Thank You products and a stockpile of various creams and face treatments from Lush. Living sustainably and ‘treat yo self’ definitely aren’t mutually exclusive.

Join a group Anna may not attend RMIT, but if you’re reading this I’m guessing you probably do. Joining groups is a great way to be supported and be sustainable.

Join the Sustainability Champions at RMIT and/ or get involved with some of the programs at RMIT’s Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation.

The difference between Anna and the majority of university students is that she is actively trying.

That’s it. The copious amount of empty glass jars and piles of plastic spinach packets in our house, waiting for a second life and her enduring spirit to be sustainable in modern society, sets her apart.

Save your spinach bags!

Coles have free soft plastic recycling. This means that any of the following products can be dropped at the recycle bins outside a Coles store; bread bags, biscuit packages, frozen food bags, rice and pasta bags, confectionary packets, newspaper wrap, plastic shopping bags, old green bags.

The items are recycled into outdoor furniture for schools and communities.

Her sacrifices have not held her back. She isn’t drowning in debt or unable to party on Saturday night. Being sustainable does not mean giving up a ‘normal’ lifestyle, it means being smart about what you buy. When you enter Anna’s room you are surrounded with an eclectic mix of furniture, clothing and décor that could easily grace a magazine cover. Second-hand items, plants and discounted home wares from her part-time job create an environmentally aware bedroom and a more refined room than anywhere in my parents’ house.

Be aware of what you’re doing Knowledge! Find out where all your plastic goes when you throw it away. Know where your dairy products are sourced and just make sure you’re informed!

She knows living sustainably can help future generations thrive. However she hasn’t lectured or tried to discourage other housemates from making their own choices. Living with an assortment of different people makes her aware that not everyone wants to live sustainably, but just in case you’re thinking about it…

Anna abides by these rules, with no exceptions.

Although she’s not living completely sustainably yet, she aims to eventually purchase all her groceries at farmer’s markets and to only buy sustainable clothing.

Anna’s Simple Sustainability tips:

“I’m still not living a fully sustainable life,” admits Anna, “I think that I have so far to go but… I’m enjoying the ride.”

Reusable shopping bags This is the easiest step, but no one ever remembers.

Keep your plastic bags in the boot of your car or in an easy place to reach, so you can remember on your way out the door!

Putting in a little effort makes a difference and it can change your perspective. Caring about the environment is a lifestyle. It takes only 66 days to form a habit, and now is as good a time to start as any.

Think about the products that you’re buying Learn about the products you buy and whether there is a sustainable option. If there is, then why not pay an extra few dollars to help out the planet? And maybe cut out something that you really don’t need, like that iPhone case I bought on Amazon for $18.

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The Hidden Problem: Economic Abuse in Young People Isadora Bogle Images by Cait Speldewinde

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Picture yourself having an argument with your partner over money.

That then could put you in a more vulnerable situation, where you may have less economic power in future. The element of control is particularly significant when identifying economic abuse.

Your boyfriend never brings his wallet, and you end up paying for everything. Or, he offers to take care of all your banking, but ends up controlling your account.

“It doesn’t mean that just because someone is looking after everything that it’s abusive. It’s abusive when you’ve got no voice, when you can’t question - when you are actually too scared to question,” Kutin says.

Say you break up, but your ex is still causing you problems.

Maybe you bought a phone for your partner, but you’re still paying for it. Maybe when he left, he smashed up the house, but your name is on the lease and you have to pay for the damage.

The issue of economic abuse is a hidden one, as many victims don’t equate it with domestic violence. Therefore, researchers suspect that it is underreported. Kutin explains.

You probably don’t think of those examples as domestic violence, but that’s exactly what they are. Defined as economic abuse, it occurs when someone controls your access to your money, assets, or your capacity to acquire assets, in order to control you.

“People recognise that something is wrong, they recognise that they’re being exploited, but what they may not do is see it as family violence.”

James Tresise, from RMIT’s Student Legal Service, agrees. He says students, international students in particular, fall victim to this issue.

Recent RMIT research analysing Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data has found 15.7% of women and 7.1% of men had experienced economic abuse in their lifetimes. As with other forms of domestic violence, women are more likely to experience economic abuse than men, though it ultimately doesn’t discriminate.

“Sometimes they’ll know that something is wrong. They’re sometimes upset about it, but they don’t think to themselves ‘this is violence, this is something a lawyer can help me with, something that is not put up with in Victoria.’”

CEO of WIRE, a support network for women, Julie Kun says “it’s young women, it’s people in same sex relationships, it can happen to young men, it could happen to anyone.”

The research revealed the risk of experiencing economic abuse peaked between the ages of 40 and 49, where 20.9% of women and 10.3% of men have experienced it. The rates are far lower for 18 to 29 year olds, with only 9.7% of women and 4.6% of men reporting it. This is likely to be an underestimate however, as the statistics didn’t include defacto relationships. It also excluded people who are in a relationship but not yet living together.

Your ability to acquire assets is affected by both your study and work arrangements, as well as your credit rating. Lead RMIT researcher in economics, finance, and marketing, Jozica Kutin, says a partner might suggest you stop working or studying as they will “look after you.”

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This distinction in the data is also found in the way people identify economic abuse when seeking help. Kun explains, “a lot of young women don’t come forward, maybe because they don’t see it as financially abusive if they’re not living together or something like that, but there can still be financial abuse there when you’re not living together.”

young people a bit vulnerable is housing.

Everything is so expensive. So, you slide into a relationship, and you go ‘oh yeah, let’s live together - it’ll be cheaper!’ But that also puts you at risk of a situation of dependence,” Kutin says.

So what should you do if you want to know more about economic abuse? WIRE’s Women Talk Money website outlines the sorts of financial issues you should be aware of when in a relationship. Kun says WIRE is trying to inform women of any potential dangers.

Similarly, Tresise feels students sometimes view their own relationships as less important or legitimate because they aren’t married, and therefore they don’t identify the problems they are experiencing as economic abuse.

“It’s easier to get out of the relationship the earlier it is. We’re really keen (to let people know) that when they can identify those red flags, they can go ‘ok, it’s time to get out.’”

Kutin’s current research is now focusing on 18-29 year olds, to try and better understand the issue experienced by a younger demographic. Kutin says young people may be more vulnerable than older people as they are in the process of becoming financially independent, and may not completely understand their financial rights and responsibilities.

WIRE’s Women Talk Money website www.womentalkmoney.org.au For support and information about economic abuse and other forms of family violence contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

While young people start negotiating this financial system, they’re likely to also begin developing long-term relationships.

If you are aged 18 to 29 years and would like to tell your story of economic abuse for an RMIT research project, contact jozica.kutin@rmit.edu.au.

“We find one of the issues is that what makes 26

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Of course you are!

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Get in touch at rmitcatalyst@gmail.com to get started!

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Furnished by Nature Jasmijn van Houten, @jasmijnbianca

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Ballot Box Declan Williams, Liam Straughan Images by Wynona Stock

Welcome back to the Ballot Box, where students from opposite sides of the political spectrum provide their stance on a topical issue. This month, we’ve posed the question: is Australian democracy sustainable?*

dictatorial leaders. Robert Kaplan discussed the issue with democracy in his book ‘Warrior Politics’; he makes an apt point that democracy was a system created over generations rather than overnight.

Declan Williams / Left Wing

Some countries have pulled it off – the USA being the prime example. However, many democracies that we see in the West today needed centuries to develop. Although the book was published in the early 2000’s, he made a prediction that if democracy were to be forced onto less democratic Middle-Eastern states that their immediate reaction would to elect a party that is against democracy and wishes to rule with a style akin to totalitarianism – he was correct.

The simple answer is yes, of course democracy is sustainable – but we must stop flirting with dictators. Dictatorship, in the modern world, is synonymous with evil. There have been many instances throughout history however where ceding total power to one individual was not only logical, but necessary. The Romans were a prime example of this; in their Republic system (before Julius Caesar) the Romans would routinely elect a ‘Dictator’ in times of great strife – which, in the Ancient world was common.

Lack of stability was leading to food shortages, corruption and increasing hostility – if a dictatorial structure can fix that then is it still evil by its oppressive virtue?

Against the modern concept of a dictator, many Roman dictators bolstered the power of the working class and gave greater rights to non-wealthy citizens. There were of course bad Dictators, however, it’s clear that when a situation appears dire, some societies find a more totalitarian regime to be appealing.

So, if we’ve established that a dictatorial structure is not an inherently ‘bad’ system and that democracy may not always suit a people at a certain time then why shouldn’t I say that democracy IS in fact an unsustainable system?

The question calls into account ‘democracy’ as a concept. Australia follows a system of democracy that is effectively ‘representative democracy’ – where we elect people to represent their electorates on issues.

The answer is simple; in Australia we have never been able to create a system that empowers so many at the expense of so few.

We are undoubtedly in a fractured time constantly embroiled in war, and the effects of climate change and global financial insecurity are impacting our everyday lives. The path forward for Australia may need to enact change – Republicanism, constitutional change and political attitudes can all lead to a solution.

In a rudimentary interpretation of democracy the majority should be able to make all of the decisions by the virtue of them being the majority. Our system protects against that by adhering to rules that give protection to those who may be at the mercy of said majority.

Leading on from my point about a situation that creates a dictator; it is clear that conservatives in Australia are desperately trying to push that view.

The system is, of course, sustainable but for it to continue to exist we must stop flirting with 32

Fear and hatred are their weapons of choice when arguing for a less democratic state.

on Australia’s right side of federal politics. We saw Pauline Hanson’s One Nation coming under investigation for financial disclosures (or lack thereof) during the 2016 election. Then, Cory Bernardi formed his Australian Conservatives Party after breaking ranks with the ‘large tent’ of the Liberal Party, and speculation rose of yet another looming leadership challenge.

Don’t buy the hard conservative viewpoint on how to change this country for the better. Don’t believe that the discrimination of minorities and a divisive mentality towards our society will lead to an answer on how to fix this great country of ours.

Don’t believe in the totalitarian answer that the conservatives put to society.

Australia’s system of democracy is specifically designed so that it is stable, and it ensures that despite all of the chaos afflicting both the left and the right sides of politics, that our society remains similarly stable. It maintains that not one branch of government has overwhelming power.

Their viewpoint is an affront to the basic modern democratic virtue of protecting the rights of the people. Scapegoating only seeks to empower those who want to believe that a false answer is indeed still an answer.

Yes, it is sustainable. Democracy isn’t going to hell in Australia. It should be protected and maintained the way it is at the moment. It prevents our elected government or other select groups from having too much control on our lives.

The Westminster system, although not perfect, ensures that our elected government may pass laws faster. However it ensures that the government must contend with and cooperate with others, in order to pass the laws efficiently.

The power is divided up within the two houses of our Parliament, to ensure that power over different matters is in the hands of multiple people, as opposed to just one.

I was posed the question of whether Australia’s system of democracy is sustainable, in the context of the greatly publicised series of events

You may be asking yourself, but what about the Prime Minister? Don’t they have all the power? No, the Prime Minister serves merely as a representative

Liam Straughan / Right Wing

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of the country, but not its head of state, or the all-powerful identity of Australia. They remain only the influencer of policy by a government which can be (and has been) changed in a number of ways, when things don’t objectively work.

Recently, a proposal for controversial changes to our democratic system has been put forward.

These arguably contravene the purported values of egalitarianism and equality embedded into our nation’s social and political fabric, and within our code of Common Law.

before the law.

It will drive our country into two distinctive groups; Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians, which both hold power and influence at the local level. This goes against our ideals of a successful multicultural Australian society.

It poses a major challenge to our democracy.

Where would we draw the line if this is successfully implemented?

I think that any change such as this, which is a shift away from our existing system, will unbalance our ability to live peacefully as a multicultural society, under one set of standards and with one elected body to represent us at the national level. We must maintain our nation’s democracy and ensure that it is sustainable.

This proposal is the Uluru summit, calling for an advisory committee comprised of purely Indigenous Australians, to act as an authority within Parliament. If implemented, this proposal would place the influence of a particular demographic above all other Australians. I believe it would dilute the purpose of our institutions of democracy, as it wouldn’t protect and ensure equality of all men and women in this country

* The opinions expressed here belong to the writers.

They do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or Catalyst as a whole.

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Environmentally Unsustainable Advertising William Ton @WilliamHTon

As the threat of climate change pushes people into an era of sustainable practices, many companies and products are increasingly appealing to concerned shoppers by selling themselves as an eco-friendly alternative.

“Greenwashing” is when a company markets itself as ‘green’, but doesn’t implement sustainable practices within the organisation. This trend has infiltrated many sectors including the coffee, seafood and cleaning industries.

Biodegradable coffee cups are able to break down at a faster rate. However they are not separated from the ones with plastic lining. They are also sent to landfills as most places don’t have machines to recycle them.

Coffee Pods These are capsules used to dispense coffee in single serve coffee machines, as a simple alternative to coffee beans. It was estimated that Australians forked out more than $215 million on these products in 2015. The global market for these products increased from $7 billion in 2010 to $17 billion in 2015.

Disposable Coffee Cups Estimated to be the second biggest waste contribution in Australia. These paper cups are a major pollution hazard, with Australians using up to a billion of them every year.

How it is advertised Companies have come out with their own recycling programs for used coffee pods.

How it is advertised People who drink from these cups think that because they seem to be made from paper or cardboard on the outside, then they must be recyclable.

Some businesses have created biodegradable pods which can break down in landfills.

How it actually affects the environment Coffee pods are made of a combination of aluminium, plastics and organic matter.

The pods take between 150 and 500 years to degrade in landfills.

Some cups have the recyclable ‘mobius loop’ symbol on them, which signifies they can be recycled.

How it actually affects the environment These coffee cups actually contain a layer of plastic on the inside to keep the liquid from seeping through the cup. This makes the cup very difficult to recycle since the plastic does not break down.

Company recycling programs are limited to select stores which means many pods are not actually recycled properly. The recycling process which includes shredding, burning and re-smelting also uses up a lot of energy.

Even if people put them in recycle bins after finishing with them, they end up in landfill where they remain for thousands of years.

Biodegradable pods take up to six months to break down, a long time considering the size of the pod and the harm they can cause to animals who ingest them.

Many end up in oceans where they break into smaller pieces and kill marine life, who mistake it for food and eat it.

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Fish Farming Salmon is Australia’s favourite fresh seafood product. It’s estimated that we eat tens of thousands every year. Tassal and Huon Aquaculture are our biggest suppliers of salmon.

How it actually affects the environment The problem is, you only start to see the environmental benefits of the bags after 53 uses. The bag should actually be used 104 times to be truly environmentally friendly. If the green bags are only used 52 times, their impact on climate change is higher than the single-use plastic bags.

How it is advertised The Australian branch of WWF has certified Huon Aquaculture and Tassal’s salmon products as ‘responsibly sourced’.

The label which appears on both companies’ packaging indicates they have put in place regulations to keep their farmed salmon in humane and sustainable conditions.

The green bags require more energy to be used in creating them since they are thicker than plastic bags, so encouraging people to buy the green bags and then not using them enough, may actually be worse for the environment than using plastic bags.

How it actually affects the environment It was revealed, late last year, that both Huon Aquaculture and Tassal paid $250,000 to WWF, in an arrangement which allowed the companies to use the WWF logo on their products.

Despite their message, biodegradable bags leave the environment even worse off than normal plastic bags. They break down into tiny pieces, which means there is a risk smaller animals could mistake the broken down bags for food.

The government has also been provided with reports showing temperature spikes and drops in the water’s oxygen levels, due to overcrowding.

Washing They may be a necessary product, but certain clothes materials could be having a detrimental effect on the environment. Soaps and washing machine products also pose a threat to waterways and marine life, if used incorrectly.

The report said that fish were struggling to breathe and got extremely stressed so they stopped eating and went into survival mode.

The farmed fish then started dying due to overcrowding.

How it is advertised Countries have issued bans on microbeads due to their detrimental effect on the environment.

Tassal have also revealed they were dealing with other disease outbreaks which killed some more stock.

Companies have introduced biodegradable phosphorus based detergents, which they say are environmentally friendly since the bacteria consumes the products.

Shopping Bags Plastic bag waste is rife in modern society. Almost four billion lightweight plastic bags are used every year, with many ending up in waterways and landfills. Green bags, made from polypropylene, are seen as a ‘green’ alternative but they could also be damaging the environment if used incorrectly.

Non-phosphorus based detergents have also been sold as an alternative to the phosphorus based ones, to stop bacterial and algae growth in waterways.

How it actually affects the environment Although microbeads are banned, microfibers are not. Washing clothes sheds hundreds and thousands of microfibers. The microfibers are made from plastic and come from clothing materials like fleece, nylon, polyester and spandex.

They are then sent through the sewerage and make their way to waterways.

How it is advertised The green bags purchased from supermarkets are seen as a sustainable and viable option to the plastic bag. What’s not to love? They can be reused as many times as you want, are far more durable, and reduce the number of plastic bags floating around in our oceans and national parks.

Marine life then mistake these plastic microfibers for food and ingest them. The plastic fibres make the animals feel full, which results in many animals dying of starvation since the plastics don’t break down in the animals’ stomachs.

Biodegradable bags sold at shops are seen as more environmentally friendly since they break down faster.

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Biodegradable detergents are only supposed to feed bacteria in waste treatment facilities under controlled conditions. After the process is completed, the clean water is safe to be sent back into the environment.

With the Greenwashing trend on the rise, individuals must stay vigilant and be active consumers of the products they purchase, by doing research to avoid being victims of Greenwashing.

It is important to be critical of products advertised as ‘green’ by researching the company thoroughly, to view their sustainable practices as a whole.

Looking at alternatives such as ‘KeepCups’ for coffee, consuming other sustainable fish options, bringing your own bag when going shopping or avoiding the use of detergent where possible would do a great deal in preserving both the environment and our future.

Untreated phosphorus based detergents that get into waterways feed bacteria and increase growth.

Excessive bacterial growth will decrease oxygen levels in the water, which negatively affects the marine life.

Non-phosphorus based detergents contain alternative elements which must be treated in sewage treatment facilities. Some elements have negative effects on marine life if they seep into waterways, including affecting population growth.

Even after treatment, the water may still contain traces of the alternative elements.

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A unique shopping strip Just a 3 minute walk from the Brunswick campus or No. 19 tram from the city @SydneyRoadBrunswick

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www.SydneyRoad.com.au

Unsustainable Growth Patrick Hooton Illustration by Charlotte Franks

An unnatural haze hangs lazily around the roots of the distant glass and concrete canopy.

Stretching outwards, this invasive sprawl continues its spread across the landscape, dominating the horizon with a crown of buildings in front of an open sky.

The skyline, once a single solitary monolith, has continued to grow ever upwards, more sprouting further away from the centre.

Nothing which is old shall remain, as even the older versions of the city itself must be torn down and built anew, lacking nostalgia in the pursuit of unrelenting growth.

Invading neon flora and four-wheeled fauna chasing out those who once resided there to a few small refuges in smaller parks where they have become unwelcome pests.

Soft pink and orange hues break across the clouds above and around, swirling about the heads of buildings and enclosing the caps of sleeping penthouses on the tops of spires.

In the cool pre-dawn, cascading light shimmers down from the heights of the urban jungle falling to the shrubbery of waking life below.

The golden glow, the signal of a new day, missed by the unaware and lonely mammal trudging through the concrete below.

So used to the ever-presence of artificial light in this modern bush that its inhabitants barely recognise the traditional hours of the day.

Missing the simple majesty of the morning sunrise, skyrises blocking an outlook beyond the maze of our city.

Uncomfortable are those old creatures, now dwindling, with such light they too struggle with the recognition of their normal waking.

We wish to see further out past ourselves and rediscover the bush that once was, but our view is blocked and our paths ever growing, as we search for a natural world that no longer exists.

Nocturnal animals roam till late morning, daytime colonists stumble until night, the two often crossing paths both being reminded of the other’s unwelcome place in their lands.

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Fashion; at what cost?

Words and Images by Jasmine Mee Lee, @jas_m_l

In Australia, 6,000 kilos of clothing is thrown out every 10 minutes. That is approximately 3,000,480 tons of waste every year.

her blog and Instagram, Her Random Outbursts, Liana focuses on teaching her viewers that upcycling is something to be celebrated.

Sustainability has become a buzzword in the fashion world. But what does it really mean?

“I want to get rid of that negative stigma. Every vintage piece has a story, a personality. By upcycling I can create a new story for someone else to enjoy.”

Consultancy firm, Green Strategy, defines sustainability in fashion“as clothing, shoes and accessories that are manufactured, marketed and used in the most sustainable manner possible, taking into account both environmental and socio-economic aspects.” But can it work in this fast-paced, trend focused world of fashion?

Not so long ago, ethical and sustainable clothing was associated with hippies and hemp clothing.

But this is no longer the case, with sustainable clothing expanding and coming back into fashion.

Consignment shops and clothes swap meets are becoming more popular and are educating a whole new audience that there are ways to save the environment while shopping.

On the show War on Waste, co-ordinator of Fashion Revolution Melinda Tually described how fast fashion works. “Fast fashion is typically characterised as high volume, low margin. It comes into store almost once a week, new designs... it can bring an item from the factory to the shop floor in around three to four weeks... people can keep buying it in high amounts.”

Pop-up stalls and markets are catering to this growing interest with events such as the Suitcase Rummage. App companies are also exploring this market with Carousell and Shedd, where users can buy and swap clothes with each other.

Blogger and RMIT fashion student, Liana Hardy believes that ethical fashion is the only option.

After watching The True Cost, a documentary on the darker side of fast fashion, her views on fashion were drastically changed. The documentary delves beyond the glitz and glamour of the fashion industry and conveys the human cost of these quick trends. It focuses on the clothing factories in Bangladesh, where workers are forced to undertake long hours and work in unsafe conditions to create cheap clothes, which are often thrown away.

Independent corporations are also making it harder for big companies to use unsustainable means of creating clothes. Ethical Fashion Guide has created a report that grades companies. It focuses on three stages of supply: raw materials, inputs production, and final manufacturing. Each company is then given a grading, from A+ to F-.

“Transparency is a big part of the problem,” Liana explains. She says consumers often don’t know the implications of their shopping habits.

“They don’t think about the social and economic impact of their purchases, which is something big companies rely on. The push for new trends... makes these big corporations billions of dollars at the suffering of so many.” Documentaries and shows like The True Cost are forcing consumers to question the true value of their clothes.

Liana explains how this raw footage made her consider how she consumed fashion. “The impact emotionally was intense. It is not an exaggeration.

Consumers need to be more aware of what they are paying for.” Being a designer, Liana believes she has her part to play in educating others. In 41

First coined by Kate Fletcher in the early 2000s, ‘slow fashion’ is the new and improved term for sustainable clothing. Rather than just thinking about manufacture time, slow fashion is about the quality and longevity of clothes.

Curated Melbourne, hosted emerging designers and held talks on how to build a sustainable wardrobe and a care, repair, wear workshop. When first creating his brand, Warren felt that ethically, slow fashion was the only option.

Slow fashion has become much more than a term; it is a movement. Local designer Warren Harrison, from Scott Benedictine, says people are pushing for change. “Everyone is more vocal.

There is actual engagement and awareness.”

“It was the only rational choice. The fashion industry is imploding on itself. It’s not sustainable.”

So the next time you want to treat yourself to a new outfit, take a moment. Think to yourself— in 10 years time, will I remember these clothes?

As Liana says, “making clothes is an art form, it can be intricate and special. So why not make it long lasting?”

Warren was recently part of an event created by the Council of Textiles and Fashion, an independent non-for-profit Australian organisation that focuses on “developing industry practices in ethical and sustainable product.” The pop up, 42

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The Psychology of Climate Change Louise Angrilli, @swirlability Illustration by Charlotte Franks

Research shows that 97% of climate scientists agree that not only is Earth’s overall climate warming up, but that humans are fundamentally responsible for the rapid acceleration of this warming. Therefore, it can be difficult to understand why climate change skepticism is so rife. We might feel inclined to claw at our hair and scream, “How can people be so blind?”

When those with conservative, market-driven politics hear suggestions of government regulation and reduced consumption, they are motivated to disbelieve the very existence of the climate change problem, as a form of ideological protection. This triggers a strong ‘us against them’ tribalism, with members of the ideological divide resorting to stereotypes in order to discredit the opposition.

As humans, we like to think of ourselves as inherently rational beasts. It can therefore be surprising, even unsettling, to realise that the veneer of human rationality glosses over a deep foundation of unconscious psychological motivation. Climate change could well be one of the most difficult global problems to solve due to a myriad of interlocking psychological biases.

Humans are wired to ignore climate change.

“I think one of the hardest things is trying to engage the public on the streets,” says Mia Papp from Fossil Free RMIT. “People have a perception that you’re uneducated. It’s really hard when someone just yells something at you and then walks off. You can try and say, ‘No, listen, this is true’ but once they see you like that, they’re not going to believe you.”

Also from Fossil Free RMIT, Nicholas Dureau agrees.

“It also sounds a lot like what an extremist left group might say. They think, ‘This is just that same rhetoric about how the world is about to explode’.

That’s just crazy. I’m more central. I’m just staying with the mainstream.” In fact, the mainstream tends to be a very comfortable place to be, as reflected by ‘system justification’, our inclination to maintain the status quos. Climate change science is complex, seeming even impenetrable without a science degree, while the success of the solutions it proposes can be uncertain. ‘Wait and see’ is sometimes the easiest choice.

It’s not a coincidence that the climate change debate has a political edge. It’s an issue that people wear as a badge to proclaim their worldview. “Climate change denial has become what some people call the ‘litmus test’ to be a part of certain conservative groups,” says the Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Oregon, Troy Campbell. He suggests that it’s not the climate change science by itself that’s the problem, but to a certain degree, the solutions proposed to counter it.

“When we pair global climate change science with solutions that are less aversive to conservative ideology (e.g. free market solutions), conservatives are more likely to agree with the climate change science. This suggests that the denial of climate change science is not, at least completely, due to other factors, such as exposure to information, skepticism of science in general, or differences of fears about the problems and their magnitudes, but (is related to) the solutions that have been associated with climate change.”

‘Wait and see’ also applies when considering the effect of bystander apathy. Climate change is a global problem. No single person or country can solve it. We need a collective solution. However, the ‘bystander effect’ demonstrates; that the more parties that witness a crisis, the more diffused the responsibility becomes of any one party to jump in and take action, so we all wait for others to do it first.

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Fossil Free RMIT has struggled with this hesitation when it comes to recruitment. Papp says, “I feel like they don’t have that urgency that some people have. Climate change has always been a very important issue for me, but if you don’t think it’s super important, you’re not going to come to a meeting.

a step in the right direction, but there is a fear of greenwashing,” says Papp. The University’s current policy lacks a timeline and a target for divestment, and risks falling prey to tokenism by feeling good about making a relatively small change.

While climate change resistance presents a messy psychological conundrum, that doesn’t make it insurmountable. Research and experimentation (such as that by Campbell) can pull us closer, little by little, to a framework for change. If an understanding of unconscious psychological motivation can help reduce littering, road death, and tobacco use, then there’s no reason to believe that psychology can’t reduce our carbon impact as well.

“After I’ve had a few drinks (with friends) I get even more passionate, but there’s this feeling of people just not caring. They say, ‘Listen, Mia, I care about the environment. I just don’t have time.’ You’re actually offending them because it’s a sore spot.

They know they should be doing something.”

Fossil Free RMIT has been campaigning over the last three years for the University to divest their investment portfolio of fossil fuel producing institutions. Recently, progress has been made with the establishment of the Responsible Investment Policy, but there are still concerns. “It’s definitely 45

Sustaining Ourselves through the Seasons Zara Marimuthu Illustration by Ellisha Kriesl

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“When it comes to winding down, I make sure that at least once a week, I pencil in a ‘me day’ - quality time by myself, for myself.“

Your to-do list seems never-ending. Notes and books scatter across your desk. You have a hundred tabs open on your laptop. Clothes are abandoned on the floor. Plates and cutlery are unwashed.

Your fridge is half empty. You haven’t been grocery shopping in weeks. You’re drowning in assessments.

You can’t remember the last time you showered, or drank water, or looked out the window. Dark circles form under your eyes. Not even coffee can wake you up. Time is ticking. You can’t breathe. You need to breathe. You stop and shut your eyes tight, hoping everything will sort itself out. Inhale, exhale.

You repeat this a few times.

For me, studying a creative writing course can be draining, both creatively and mentally. Life also tends to take its own course, forgetting that I need a second to rest and rejuvenate in order to catch up. These are the times when solitude is an absolute.

Depending on my mood, and the weather, I find comfort in taking long walks in the city (or away from the city). With my earphones plugged in, I meander through lanes and streets I’ve never been down. Sometimes, I rediscover the same streets I’ve always been strolling along and happen to notice the things around me. Like how the little girl in a purple jumper skipped with so much wonder and zeal through Swanston Street. How the wind blew everyone’s hair wildly until it covered their faces.

But there are times where I just sit by myself with sand wedged between my toes as I watch the waves crash and curl into one another.

Ever experienced that spiralling madness?

I know I have. I felt like I was being pulled from every corner, filling up schedules and trying to accomplish everything I thought I could handle.

And then, it came to a point where there wasn’t purpose in what I did. At times, I would drag myself out of bed just to fulfil the university requirements.

As long as I pass the class, I told myself. But I knew this cycle needed to stop. I couldn’t barely manage to keep my eyes open and live every day without any meaning. In the midst of the beehive lifestyle, I learned to get to know myself again. I discovered different ways to live each moment to its fullest capacity, no matter how big or small.

If you can’t find me in parks, at the beach or exploring alleyways, you’re sure to find me in cafés.

With my sketchbook, I let my pen take me from random shapes and patterns to lines and curves.

It’s the little details, like dots and swirls, that keep my mind fixated on my piece and nothing else.

I keep a journal that is scribbled with specific moments I don’t want to forget, quotes that inspire me and other sporadic blurts I just need to pen down.

Exercise is key, they say. I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes right about now. But I have to agree. Now, I don’t exercise as regularly as I should. It’s getting real cold, and my cozy bed and pajamas seem more appealing. But I find that keeping my body active never fails to paint a smile on my face. I don’t just look better, I feel better.

I don’t know about you, but moments like these are what calm me down in the midst of storms. Maybe you can try them, or maybe you already know they don’t work for you. But wherever your place of solace is, remember to revel in every moment - the small, the simple, the ordinary. Whether it’s walking around the bustling streets or sitting in my room basking in sunsets that my camera will never do justice, I’ve learned to surrender in the moments of interlude. Through the seasons, growth flourishes and I know I want to be fruitful in every aspect possible. There is so much more to life than our mundane everyday routines.

Being a dancer, keeping my limbs stretched and my body in shape are ideal. But whether it’s in a gym or in a dance studio, people forget to have fun. Want to know a little secret? I dance and prance and have the time of my life in my tiny room. From R&B to dancehall to salsa, I turn up those tunes and let the rhythms flow through my body. I drip with sweat, my mind wanders elsewhere and my burdens somehow feel lighter. In that moment, I am free. That’s the definition of a great work out to me.

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Sustainability on Film Kelly Lindsay

Climate fiction, or ‘cli-fi’ as it’s often shortened to, is a genre of films which focus on the topic of climate change and global warming. These are often dystopian in nature, set in a doomsday future with the intent to scare us into action or suffer the apocalyptic consequences.

within nature in this film is both a solace and a reward. It offers peace and space against an everencapsulating technological world.

Conversely, Hunt for the Wilderpeople offers a parody to the role of sustainability in film. Critique is made at the authorities who try to enforce narrow-minded views on the ‘best environment’ for children - the nuclear family. Mockery of the authorities ultimately undermines the suburban world against the logic of the natural world, with the message being that man can never simply be left to be man. The laws of society will always overregulate and impair individual freedom. Thus, the natural environment is shown to be better.

Sustainability sets new ground in cli-fi. Instead of being set in the future, we stay in the present, forced to reflect on the changes we can make to ourselves, rather than relying on a mass of others.

Films such as Into the Wild (2007), Wild (2014), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), and Captain Fantastic (2016) are not simply wilderness retreats - they add insight to sustainability within the genre, while adding to the overall importance of cli-fi.

While Captain Fantastic incorporates similar comedy, it’s much like Into the Wild in that it pits two extreme worlds against one another.

The characters in the film must ultimately find a middle ground if they are to find peace between both. Captain Fantastic teaches us that we cannot escape consumerism entirely, and that as individuals, it is upon us to find the ability to live sustainably by whatever means possible.

Overall, the film suggests a version of trendy sustainability, while also setting a bar for it.

In doing so, it prompts the audience to follow.

In the biographical film Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless is a radical who opposes his consumerist, nuclear family upbringing in the belief that it corrupted him. He retreats into the wilderness as a way to be reborn. But from a viewer’s perspective, the film is difficult to grapple with emotionally, as both the suburban and the natural scenery can be empathised with. On one hand, we can relate to Chris’s anger when asked to place his name on a thirteen year waiting list just to kayak down the Colorado River. Yet, we can also relate to his parents, who clearly love their son but have allowed the picture of the ‘perfect family in suburbia’ to cloud their decision making. In terms of sustainability, the film forces the audience to see both the pros and cons of the two worlds, which in turn triggers self-reflection on what we choose to live with and what we choose to live without.

Finally, just as sustainability is important to widening the branches of cli-fi, its importance goes beyond the genre - to the medium of film itself. It shows us a way to change, and not by simply painting a portrait of a possible future if we don’t change our ways. It also appeals to popular culture, by using our still natural world and promoting a visual that can be aspired to and achieved. Sustainability as a cinematic theme offers new stimulation, and it sends a message much stronger than its predecessors.

Similarly, Wild follows a retreating protagonist who hopes to rediscover herself in the wilderness. The difference here is that the protagonist retreats to the wilderness as a punishment, as she feels she deserves to be bare and exposed. Her survival represents a forgiveness by nature. Surviving 48

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DIY Veggie Garden Words and Images by Alice Rennison, @AliceRenni

You might’ve seen your parents or grandparents growing veggies when you were growing up.

Well - it looks like they were on to something.

Step 2 - Select the plants Now choose the plants you would like to grow.

Belinda suggests herbs, such as basil, coriander, or mint, as a good first edible plant to grow.

Growing your own veggies takes time, but it’s worth it for the countless health benefits you’ll reap by doing some physical exercise and getting some Vitamin D. Another benefit is being aware of the chemicals that are going into the food you’re eating, but one of the best benefits is that your garden will save you dollarydoos.

Darren says lettuce is another good option, as it grows well in pots all year round. You can also try tomatoes in larger pots.

Seeds and seedlings are quite cheap, but you could also use seeds from fruit and vegetables that you eat. You might also be able to get some off cuts from friends.

So, how can you make your very own veggie garden, regardless of whether you live in an apartment, small building, or a house with a backyard? I spoke with Belinda Kennedy and Darren Tinker from CERES Community Environment Park in East Brunswick about how to make this happen.

Step 3 - Get planting The next stage is to pot the plants. Belinda recommends buying a higher quality soil, as this will help promote the plant’s health.

Ingredients: • Seeds or seedlings • Pots or cans • Soil • Compost

Fill the pot three quarters full of soil and make a small hole. Then, put the plant or seeds in the hole and cover it with more soil. Make sure you water your plants regularly, approximately once a day.

Particularly vegetable plants, as they require more water.

Step 1 - Prepare the garden First, find a sunny spot for your veggie garden.

A windowsill, balcony or a sunny spot outside is ideal. If you are short on space, you can try hanging pots. Or, if a lack of sunlight is an issue, you can try hanging mirrors to reflect sunlight onto the plants.

Veggie gardens also thrive on food. You can make this yourself by having a compost bin, which is a great way to reuse food waste.

Once you’ve found a spot for your garden, you’ll need to prepare the area. You can grab cheap pots from plant sales, such as the ones advertised on Facebook, garage sales, op shops, or even on the side of the road. You can also use leftover cans for pots - but try to steer clear of cans that had chemicals in them at some point, such as paint cans - by drilling a small hole in the bottom.

Or, you can upcycle old shoes and turn them into pots.

Step 4 – Ongoing T.L.C. for your veggie garden Now, you should have a veggie garden! Don’t forget to water your garden daily, and make sure it gets plenty of sunlight.

Your veggie garden may not work out the first time, but if you keep experimenting with what plants grow well, you’ll eventually get the hang of it.

Happy gardening!

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A Day in the Life of Eating Seasonally Gracyn Willoughby, @gracynwm Illustrations by Meg McKenna, @meg.mckenna

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BREKKIE:

In a nutshell, eating seasonally means consuming locally grown foods that have a short distance to travel from farm to plate. These recipes include vegetables and fruits that are all in season (for winter), which means they’re cheaper, more abundant and less taxing on the environment.

What’s not to love?

To get the most value for your money, try a local farmer’s market or small supermarkets.

APPLE AND YOGHURT PORRIDGE •

1 red apple, grated

•

¼ to ½ cup oats

•

1 cup preferred milk

•

1 tbsp maple syrup

•

1 tsp cinnamon

•

1 heaped tbsp yoghurt

Combine the oats, milk, cinnamon and half the grated apple in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Once hot and thickened, pour into your bowl of choice and top with the rest of the apple, maple syrup and yoghurt.

SNACK: SWEET POTATO WEDGES: •

Medium sized sweet potato (approx. 150g)

•

2 tbsp olive oil

•

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced/200°C conventional.

Cut the sweet potato into wedges and coat with oil and seasonings on a baking tray. Make sure the wedges are not touching each other so they can crisp. Place tray onto the top oven rack and cook for 35 minutes. Once done, let cool for around five minutes.

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LUNCH:

DINNER:

BROCCOLI AND RICE SALAD WITH JAMMY EGGS

LENTIL AND CARROT PASTA SAUCE

• Half a head of broccoli

•

1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked

•

1 white onion, sliced

• ¼ lemon

•

2 carrots, diced

• 50g sundried tomatoes

•

2 tsp of Italian herbs

• Olive oil

•

3 tbsp. of tomato purée

• 2 eggs

•

400g tin of lentils

•

2 veggie stock cubes (dissolved in 500ml hot water)

•

1 can of chopped tomatoes

•

Sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced/200°C conventional.

Start by chopping the broccoli into florets then coat them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on baking tray and let bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring two cups of water to the boil, then add in the eggs. Set a timer for 6 ½ minutes, then place eggs in cold water once finished. Peel once cooled.

Place the oil in a large pot, add the onion and sauté with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until golden. Add the carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and tomato purée then add in the lentils, stock and can of tomatoes. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, adding a little water if it gets dry. Season with salt and pepper and serve over your favourite pasta.

To finish, plate rice, broccoli, sundried tomatoes and jammy eggs. Serve with lemon squeezed over and season.

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Earth and his perpetually bad day

Earth is having a rough time at the moment

it never stops raining when he’s around.

People hide because they don’t know how to help him.

Earth felt like he would never belong...

...that was until someone made a small difference that made his rain cloud go away.

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