I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the way we live - not just as individuals but as communities, and even as a species. It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed sometimes with how much seems to be going wrong. Climate change, inequality, loneliness - the list goes on. But there’s this idea that keeps coming back to me, and it feels simple at its core: What if we just lived differently? What if we focused on building something that works for people and the planet, rather than just trying to patch up what’s broken?

I know, it’s not a new thought. People have been dreaming about utopias and better ways of living forever. Plenty of communities have tried to create them, and let’s be honest - a lot of them have failed or fizzled out. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. In fact, I think we’ve learned so much from those attempts, and that’s what makes this time different.

The difference is that we’re not trying to build something perfect. There’s no such thing. It’s about building something real, something adaptable. It’s not about rejecting modern life entirely or pretending the world’s problems will just disappear if we all grow our own veggies. It’s about creating spaces where people can come together and figure things out as they go - a balance between innovation and simplicity, between individual freedom and community care.

The truth is, this idea isn’t mine alone. It’s built on conversations I’ve had with people from all walks of life - farmers, activists, educators, even random strangers at events. What’s struck me is how many people feel the same: that the way we’re living now just doesn’t make sense. There’s this shared longing for something different, something better. And it’s not about running away from the world, but about creating a way of life that helps us reconnect - with each other, with nature, and with ourselves.

What makes this feel achievable, for me at least, is that it’s not about starting from scratch. It’s about taking what’s already been done - the successes and the failures - and building on that. It’s about looking at the systems we have and asking, "What’s actually working? What isn’t? And how can we do it differently this time?" That’s where the difference lies. It’s not about pretending we’ve got all the answers. It’s about being willing to try, to learn, and to grow together.

I get that it sounds idealistic. And honestly, it is. But that’s okay. Sometimes you need big, bold ideas to start chipping away at the mess we’re in. If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What kind of changes would you want to see in the way we live? What would it take for you to feel like you’re part of something bigger? I think these questions are where the real magic starts - not in the answers, but in asking them. And if you want to really get involved in this sort of thing chuck me a DM :)

Never seen as much bottled water as I’ve seen in the stores this year. Turn on any tap in this country and you get safe drinkable water. Why isn’t bottled water just illegal by now?

Anyone here heard of the awesome Crazy Town podcast?

For this month's learning circle, we're going to do something a bit different:

1. Listen to an episode of Crazy Town
2. While listening, make a mind map of the episode together
3. Send the mind map to the folk at Crazy Town and see if we can get them to give us a shout out in a future episode!

Want to join us?

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1121115138559

Hunt individually or join a local event to hunt tadpoles / adults and send the numbers to the organisation

We're told we need to have an 'energy transition' in order to minimise climate change. But what exactly is the energy transition and what will it require of us? Who will lead the transition and who will do the transition? Can we transition quickly enough? Is it even possible to make this transition at all?

We'll be exploring these questions and more in this month's online Earth Crisis Learning Circle.

Wed, Dec 18, 7pm AEDT

Hope to see you there!

Find out more: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/energy-transition-online-learning-circle-tickets-1106887723979