Former Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne Arron Wood Returns!

Arron Wood was Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne until 2020 and served on council for 8 years. He has a long resume of environmentalism that began when, after swimming in the family billabong, he emerged with a rash all over his body due to blue-green algae blooms. Since then, he has taken a practical approach to environmental campaigning and seeks outcomes that benefit not just the environment but also the people and businesses that operate within it. He serves on boards such as South East Water in Melbourne and the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, combining his environmental and business nous to create a sustainable and profitable future. He is currently the Chief Industry Engagement and Education Delivery Officer for the Bendigo Kangan Institute. Follow Arron Wood: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arronwood/ http://arronwood.com/ Arron’s book ‘Billabong Boy’: https://www.amazon.com.au/Billabong-Boy-Arron-Wood-ebook/dp/B005PSUMAU -------------------- Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/jm_8b56LZEg Subscribe to Discernable on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/discernable?sub_confirmation=1  Stay connected in case we disappear: https://www.discernable.io/crew -------------------- 0:38 Receiving the Order of Australia 2:16 The ‘Billabong Boy’ from Mildura 4:20 Realising that environmentalism is good for people and business too 5:42 Kids Teaching Kids environmental program 7:05 Working with country people 10:25 Modern day environmentalism is fashionable 11:15 Finding common ground to champion the environment 13:08 The psychology behind environmentalism 16:48 The polarization of the environment debate 19:18 Opinions are the new facts 20:10 Australia’s penetration of rooftop solar 22:12 Government incentives renewables vs coal 25:04 You don’t have to shut down business for sustainability 27:28 Australia’s new export market: green hydrogen 30:45 The transition to renewables globally 34:40 The failure of governments to manage transitions to renewable energy 37:20 The middle ground is the hardest place to be 41:07 Is Nuclear an option for Australia? 46:52 Be honest when discussing renewables! 49:08 Melbourne council’s failure in recycling waste 53:03 What is humanity’s role in nature? 56:10 Adapting to natural cycles and businesses moving due to climate 1:06:00 Urban wetlands to slow down water 1:09:25 Misanthropy: humans are not a ‘cancer on the planet’ 1:14:30 The art of compromise 1:15:40 Running for Mayor of Melbourne 1:21:03 Impact of lockdowns on Melbourne CBD 1:22:58 Arron’s struggle finding identity and purpose 1:27:08 The world is going through a collective trauma 1:30:45 Governments must adapt their pandemic response 1:33:55 Censorship culture: media shuts down debate 1:37:18 Creating a culture of fear is dangerous 1:39:16 In real pandemics governments fight fear (not create it) 1:45:40 What will businesses do if there is another lockdown? Non compliance. 1:51:00 Korean Fried Chicken and cuisines around Melbourne 1:52:21 Behind the curtain of Melbourne local politics 2:01:07 Predictions for the new Mayoral team 2:07:10 The Magic Wand Question