Designing Transitions for Sustainable and Equitable Futures - Madness or Mission with Cameron Tonkinwise

Today's guest is Cameron Tonkinwise, a Professor in Design at the University of Technology here in Sydney on unceded Gadigal Land. Those of you who know me have probably either heard me speak about Cameron, have had me introduce Cameron to you or have brought Cameron in to work on a project you're involved in. He is someone I think very highly of and have a very strong regard for.I met Cameron a little over six years ago and we speak a little about how I insisted on us catching up when he had recently emigrated back to Australia from a ten year stint at some of the world's greatest design schools in the US and was at UNSW. That initial coffee in Paddington came after I heard Cameron give a keynote presentation on his work in conceiving what he and his co-creators defined as transition design. His thinking immediately appealed to me, and it still does.I've been really fortunate to work with and spend a lot of time with Cameron since then on all types of problems from domestic violence and financial abuse, to scams and fraud in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, to how to support Australian home dwellers take part in the energy transition, and how to address the growing impacts and risks climate changes poses to those living in harms way. He has been one of the most significant influencers on my career and it's a treat to have him on the show today and introduce him to you.We talk about a whole range of things in this conversation - from what transition is and is not, how visioning and imagination are practices being undermined by education and media systems and incentives and how that drives short terms and myopic decision making, to our own shared failures as professionals and also how emerging practices at the human scale like the cycling coup on the streets of Paris create glimpses of possible and plausible futures we could inhabit.The recording on this episode is a little echoey and I apologise for that. We also had a couple of technical challenges we had to fix on the run and hopefully that doesn't affect your listening experience.I'm really excited to share this conversation with you, share Cameron with you and I hope you glimpse the potential of what could be possible by listening today.Production, graphic and social media support comes from the wonderful Rob Rogers. I couldn't do this without his expertise and generous support.Take care out there, be kind and thanks for listening.Podcast Episode number two guest, Tash Ritz, has released her first book called Souling and as a listener you can get 10% off her book by using the code Finding Nature - all one word - at checkout.This book is phenomenal and valuable for anyone out there who is curious about better understanding themselves and some of the big questions in life - it's part revealing memoir, part helpful guide and part art project that blends the mystical with the tangible. It's a beautiful book, and I highly recommend getting yourself a copy - understanding myself and developing a healthier relationship with who and how I am has been vital in shifting parts of my life over the last couple of months, and I wish I'd had a copy of this book earlier.Head to souling.au to get your copy, and don't forget the FindingNature - all one word - code at checkout for 10% off.Send me a messageThanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram