Issue 3
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Contents
Welcome
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Your place of work - does it work for you?
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Fashion - What on earth are you wearing?
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Food - Thyme Roasted Pears
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Heartland - Is home really where the heart is?
57
She Endeavours
68
Everyday tips to help the planet
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25
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21 45 67
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Features
Mother Earth is feeling the change
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Who is there to help families in crisis?
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COVID and the Arts
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Unpacking Menopause and weight gain
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Cheree Stokes - Coming back to country
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Empire state of mind
67
Girls can do anything
73
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Mother Earth is Feeling the Change BY CATHERINE MORAN The next time you lament the private summers brought about by changing hormones, spare a thought for Mother Earth. Instead of hormones, greenhouse gases (or GHGs)are changing the way the global climate system works and causing higher temperatures and heatwaves across the planet, as well as other changes When we were kids, my brother draped a blanket over some chairs to make a cubby, inadvertently (or so I believed) trapping our body heat - and other gases - inside. In a similar way, the high concentrations of GHGs in our atmosphere today act like my brother’s blanket, holding heat and energy around our planet and changing global patterns of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather.
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Your Place of Work Does it work for you BY AMALIA CHILIANIS “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”
—Walt Disney
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ou might not appreciate the impact the built environment or a particular place has on you, until you no longer work there. You might not be aware of what type of physical work environment works best for you. Or assume that your place of work is not really significant, and you can perform at your best anywhere. But context and environment matters. All work happens in a physical environment, a place. Understanding both the physical impact of your place of work and your attitude toward it can improve your wellbeing, opportunities for flow, and increase your productivity and satisfaction. As humans, we have fundamental needs for comfort; first, for physical comfort and then functional and psychological com-
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Fashion
What on Earth are you Wearing? BY NIKKI HIND
Image of Rylie Baye by Levi VanderAa | Rylie is wearing Upcycled Vintage Linen Goddess Dress by Cee VanderAa - AUD $160.00 24
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he UN recently declared that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world; hot on the heels of the oil industry. It currently consumes more energy than both the aviation and shipping industries combined. By 2030 fashion industry emissions are forecast to grow by 63%. With its beautiful and disarming face, the fashion industry seems to be quietly getting away with environmental-murder, via its expediential growth and deceptively complex environmental impacts. According to a 2020 report by the World Economic Forum, clothing production has roughly doubled since 2000. In the decade from 2000 to 2010 the average number of collections released by European fashion labels more than doubled – from 2 per year to 5 per year. H&M currently release between 12 and 16 collections per year; whilst Zara blitzes the competition by releasing a ridiculous 24 collections per year. Consumers have obediently kept pace with the increasing speed of the industry, purchasing 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000, whilst keeping the garments for half as long, and wearing them an average of 36% less, before disposing of them. Worldwide, 85% of all textiles end up in landfill each year. We tend to think of Fast Fashion as the ‘$5 t-shirt’, but it’s far more pervasive and complex, spanning the entire spectrum of price-points. Whilst researching this issue, I found the majority of responsibility was being squarely placed at the fashionable feet of consumers. Apparently, if we all bought less, bought better quality, wore our clothes more often, washed them less often, kept them longer, disposed of them more responsibly and understood dying and production processes better, everything would be fine ! The more I read this, the more frustrated I got with such an over simplified industry wide copout. Surely it’s not entirely fair for a $1.78 trillion fashion retail industry, to spend obscene amounts of money on sophisticated marketing strategies, aimed at getting consumers to want more, buy more, spend more, to then turn the blame back onto their apparent ‘weakwilled’ over consumers ! So who should be held accountable: government, retailers, manufacturers, brands, industry bodies, industry shows, consumers, media … ? Certainly, as an Australian fashion designer myself, by far the most difficult thing I’ve encountered, is the lack of innovation and support for emerging designers who refuse to ‘buy into’ this culture of fast fashion excess. I know we have the technology to provide consumers with wonderful retail experiences, that have the combined benefits of bespoke and off-the-rack purchasing. We have the technology to allow consumers to upload a virtual version of themselves, that can try on clothing remotely, capture the correct measurements that best
fit the consumer, and then electronically alter a particular design’s pattern to match. Yet the way we create, sell and buy clothing has not changed since the industrial revolution. Clothing is still created in a standardised size 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 …, in huge quantities for economy of scale, pushed out to consumers, who rarely fit such standardised sizing, backed by expensive marketing, because otherwise we would never buy all this clothing we’re told we need; and of course while we’re deciding which shirt to buy, the industry is already working on how to ensure we buy the next lot of mass produced, ill fitting clothes they need to shift, in order to keep the industry growing. There’s currently no money to be made in consuming less. Economies are geared for growth via consumption. Such an unimaginative and archaic vision of growth. Consumption by its very nature, needs to be empty; that’s a cruel cycle to sell ourselves and our children into. We need to shift to an industry whose profits and growth can align with the health of our planet, and its occupants. From a personal perspective, I would love to see our government financially support emerging fashion labels to work in conjunction with Tafe, to develop and grow new sustainability technologies in the fashion industry. Australia certainly can’t compete on cheap manufacturing options; however, we can be world leaders in sustainable technology and policy within the fashion industry – and that’s what the future of the industry needs globally. It seems to me that investing in combining Australia’s all but dead manufacturing industry, with our world leading tertiary education, is an absolute win/win situation ! The cost of keeping up with the speed of new technologies within manufacturing, at the scale required for mass global markets, is understandably beyond Australian industry capacity. However, government investment in high turnover, cutting edge, small scale, sustainable manufacturing innovation, through our tertiary institutions, seems like a marvellous idea to me. While I’m waiting for Christian Porter to give me a call, I’ld like to leave you with the impressive wisdom of a young lady called Aditi Mayer, from her article ‘Sustainable Fashion Has a Diversity Problem’, for Teenvogue.
“If sustainable fashion exists to challenge the way the fashion industry has operated, then it must go beyond just the considerations of human labour and the environment and interrogate who has been able to exercise true agency. It’s a conversation tied to class, gender, and race.” To help shed some solution-seeking-light on the situation, I asked five women, who have placed themselves at the cutting edge of the problem, to share their collectively comprehensive expertise.
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Photo by Yaroslav Danylchenko from Pexels 38
COVID and the
Arts BY CARLY FINDLAY
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rtists are often called on to provide support for fundraisers and to build community spirit. But in 2020, the impacts of COVID-19 put the arts sector in crisis. Venues closed, shows were cancelled and artists and arts workers lost income. Who would be there to support the artists? The Australian Council reported on survey results from April 2020, stating that: “Hundreds of thousands of arts workers have had significant negative impacts to their immediate and future livelihoods. The original ‘gig’ workers, the vast majority of artists work as freelance or self-employed in their art form (81%), relying most commonly on contracts for fixed amounts (43%) followed by royalties and advances (35%).” And “A national cross-industry survey conducted by the ABS between 16 and 23 March showed that more than half of all arts and recreation businesses had ceased trading, the highest proportion of the 17 industries analysed. In addition, 73% of arts and recreation businesses reported that their business had been adversely affected by COVID-19 in the previous two weeks – second only to accommodation and food services businesses (78%). The most common adverse effect was reduced local demand (93% of those affected) followed by staff shortages2 (49%) and reduced international demand3 (32%).” (https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/workspace/uploads/ files/8042020-summary-of-covid-19-ar-5e8d010193a6c. pdf)
To support artists, arts workers and the arts sectors, federal and state governments mobilised to provide financial relief, as did local councils, philanthropists and arts organisations. In early 2021, the Australia Council reported “In 2020–21, the Government has announced around $800 million of additional support to strengthen Australia’s cultural and creative sector. This includes around $700 million of additional support to the sector in response to the pandemic, plus new support measures through the 2020–21 Federal Budget.” https://www.arts.gov.au/covid-19-update But even with financial support, impacts of COVID-19 on the arts sector will be long lasting - especially the emotional roller coaster that was 2020. It feels bitter sweet to remember my last big event on 8 March 2020. It was All About Women at the Sydney Opera House. Women writers came from around the world to discuss topics of technology, fashion, beauty, the climate crisis and more - all through a feminist lens. I had the best time - speaking at the event, watching events, talking to the other participants and eating and drinking with my mum and friends. At the end of that week, on Friday 13th, everything changed. COVID-19 got real. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival was cancelled. The Grand Prix didn’t go ahead. My speaking events had been postponed. And early the following week, we were advised to work
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Sandra Reynolds
o L er
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d o o f f o ve
If any one mantra rules my eating life, it is surely this: Eat what is in season. The reasons are simple. If it’s in season, it’s bountiful. When there’s plenty of it, it’s cheaper. When it’s in season, it is practically guaranteed to be locally-grown and easier on the planet’s resources. And, by eating only when food is in season, we are most likely to have a greater variety of food than by sticking to the same old favourites week after week. Which brings me to another food-related mantra - I love Autumn more than any other time of year. With late summer harvests, the frenzy of bottling and preserving, the amazing range of fruit and vegetables available in this short window, now is the perfect time to celebrate Mother Earth. I love pears at this time of year and perhaps more than any other fruit in their extended family, they offer much more in the way of subtlety and nuanced notes in whatever dish they are in. When we think of dessert we know pears go with honey, with butter, with red wine, with dark chocolate. But thyme?
Oh yes indeed. Th earthiness of thyme adds a perfect end-note to a rich caramel syrup. With added Vincotto in place of vanilla and a few almond biscotti on the side rather than a sweet cream or ice cream, the thyme shines through without overwhelming the dish or reminding you of a pork roast. With most varieties of pears at their seasonal best throughout the country right now, do try this dessert when you get the chance for a grown up version of an old favourite. I used Buerre Bosc for this recipe but Bartlett or smaller Corella pears work just as well. I left the skins on so look for unblemished specimens where possible. It’s the perfect taste of Autumn.
THYME ROASTED PEARS 45
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Unpacking Menopause And Weight gain BY CATHERINE MCKENNA
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enopause should be a reason to bust out the bubbly and celebrate the end of periods, period pain, leaking, mood swings and for any women living with daughters or other women, shark week. However, most women will report that menopause has been the cause of unwanted fat that has besieged their bodies. It’s not fair that menopause can deliver a coup de grace of kilos after all we’ve been through. But is menopause really to blame for our middle-aged expansion? What do we know? We know women tend to gain weight around menopause. Also, we know most Australians don’t meet the exercise recommendations. Plus, we lose muscle as we age, and we don’t make a compensatory reduction in our diets. These four factors are the perfect storm for weight gain. Let’s examine these points in detail. Firstly, between 45 and 55, women gain an average of half a kilo a year and a total of 2.3 kg during perimenopause. Unfortunately, the decline in oestrogen tends to shift fat from our hips, butts and thighs to our waistlines. The hormonal changes that accompany menopause are associated with increases in total body fat and abdominal fat, even in lean women but not necessarily weight gain.
Dr Mia Schaumberg
Dr Mia Schaumberg is a Senior Lecturer in Physiology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She says that without the protective effect of oestrogen after menopause, more fat, that is, adipose tissue, is deposited around the waist. The problem with adipose tissue is that it produces adipokines, molecules that are associated with chronic inflammation.
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Heartland Is home really where the heart is? Is home really where the heart is? Thanks to technology, the freedom to work from anywhere and the ability to fly around the world, more and more people are becoming ex-pats. There are many reasons why people move from their homelands, from career and life experiences to searching for a safer life. Wb40 chatted with women who have, for various reasons, left their homelands to plant roots in another country about the lessons they have learnt, and what they miss the most. 57
GIRLS CAN DO
Anything
What being an extra on the set of teen drama Dive Club reminded 2 menopausal besties! BY SANDY DAVIES
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Growing up in the 1970s the messages on the posters on the walls of Greensburg Elementary School boasted ‘Girls Can Do Anything’. As a small town Kansas girl in the Midwest of the United States, I internalised that message and took it to heart. But what we girls weren’t told was it would be an uphill battle. We could and did do anything, but among our wb40 readership I doubt there are many of us who don’t have a story of a major career battle that was fought because of our gender. Learning to navigate the issues of gender bias, handsy bosses, and male colleagues who still believed a woman’s place was in the home were essential skills in the unwritten playbook of making it to the top in the 1980s. I’ll never forget heading to the podium at age twenty-four for one of the proudest moments of my academic life only to feel a sharp pinch on my bottom as I made my way past the vice chancellor. The colleague beside him confirmed in a not so hushed tone that indeed they both felt I was a ‘bit of all right’. I can confirm the bloke who received the identical research fellowship the year prior didn’t cop a pinch.
Sandy Davies and Eileen Burchill as extras on the set of dive club
A recent foray into the world of being a film set Extra brought home how much the world has changed. The message is no longer ‘Girls Can Do Anything’; today the message is ‘Women Are Doing Everything’ and it is not a big deal. And that discovery is how my feminist brain came to explode with resounding joy. Side comments and unwarranted physical advances like so many of us experienced in previous decades today result in the offenders being walked off set and struggling to find industry work ever again. Those Hollywood changes have occurred across the industry both overseas and here in Australia. And wider scoping change is happening in Canberra as you read these words. Brisbane based production house The Steve Jaggi Company made Port Douglas in Far North Queensland their COVID-safe home for the filming of series one of teen/family drama Dive Club. This ray of hope during an otherwise rather dreary year injected nearly $8 million into the local Queensland economy. The region was abuzz with excitement having a major film company in a regional area instead of the usual big city studio locales.
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5 Everyday tips to help the planet
We only have one planet, and currently we share it with 7.8 billion people! So it seems logical that we all want to take care of the planet on which we live. Sometimes the problems of climate change, environmental issues and a booming population might seem overwhelming but there are some simple things we can all do at a local level that can help the world we live in. 78
Tip 1
e h t y u B
d e e n u o food y
As technology evolves, and wages have risen, we have more choices than ever before. It’s true that buying things we like can cause a dopamine rush, but what we also know is it doesn’t last! Humans consume (and waste) more food than ever before but the processing of these things can be detrimental for the environment. Buying only the food that you need to cut down on wastage can make a huge difference to your health and also the environment! If you can, try growing your own herbs and vegetables. It’s healthier for you and gardening is helpful in reducing stress. 79