17.12.24
What Happens Next?
The Mess We’re In – How Do We Start Tackling Waste? | 3

Environmental issues have become a focal point for many Australians in recent years, but the enormity of the problem can often feel overwhelming for individuals. Today, Dr Susan Carland’s expert guests outline actionable steps for everyday people to contribute positively. Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) experts Dr Kim Borg and Dr Mark Boulet emphasise the importance of waste hierarchy – avoidance, reuse, recycling – in addressing plastic and food waste.

MSDI’s Dr Ruth Lane delves into the societal and systemic barriers hindering individual action, while Monash Business School’s Fiona Newton, Associate Professor of Marketing, emphasises the need for individuals to engage with corporations and policymakers to influence systems that constrain behavioural change.

Dr Stefan Kaufman, also part of MSDI, acknowledges that not everyone may fit the mould of a traditional activist, but underscores the importance of various roles in effecting change. 

Whether as an activist, supporter or conscious consumer, each of us can contribute to the collective efforts towards environmental sustainability and a reduction in global waste.

A full transcript of this episode is available on Monash Lens.

In this series:

• Part 1: Trash Talk – Are We Facing a Global Waste Crisis?
• Part 2: No Time to Waste – Can We Recycle Our Way Out?
• Part 3: The Mess We're In – How Do We Start Tackling Waste? 

Learn more about the global waste crisis:

• Four recycling bins will help, but more needs to be done 
• Coming full circle on fast fashion for a sustainable future
• Tips to reduce your festive waste 

If you’re enjoying the show, don’t forget to subscribe, or rate or review “What Happens Next?” to help listeners like yourself discover it.

Subscribe to Monash’s YouTube channel to watch the video version of the podcast.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.