Change is hard. So is cooking.

Sarah: I am not someone who happily reads instruction manuals.

Perhaps this says a lot about my personality: I can be inflexible, I think I know the best way to do things, and I regularly resist change.

For example, although I see many benefits associated with buying a Thermomix — on demand, yummy, lump-free custard being right up there — the thought of having to read step-by-step guides, and learn new techniques for making risotto, soup and sorbet turns me right off. It’d be an expensive outlay too, and take many years of use to pay for itself.

And hence I’ll avoid that purchase even in the face of very good evidence (I’m looking at you, Scientist Mags) that a Thermomix is an effective tool .

It takes lots of energy and commitment to learn new skills. You need even more passion and drive to change something that already seems to be working adequately. My old-fashioned approach to cooking works just fine, ok?

Our electricity supply system is another good example. Electricity was first used to power Australian homes in the late 19th century. At the time, coal was a familiar and available source of power. Australian towns and businesses thrived on finding, mining and selling coal.

Our electricity supply systems were set up with a constantly-burning coal station at the centre, and surrounded by extensive grids. Still today, transmission lines carry power from distant stations to specific areas, and then distribution lines carry power from each area to each individual consumer.

It works so well! Incredibly well. We built modern Australia on coal-fired power.

But there is a downside. Burning coal releases not just a constant and collectable source of energy, but also smoke and gases like carbon dioxide. We cannot ignore the impact these by-products are having on our world.

And so we must change.

It’s going to take effort. It’s going to cost money. It’s going to require a period of transition. But with new technologies and growing social demand we will eventually reach a point where the arguments for holding on to coal as a power source will be overwhelmed by the opportunities and clear benefits of using renewable sources of energy.

Just like my family thumps the table and demands Thermomix desserts, momentum will build towards an Australia that runs on renewable power.

Now excuse me whilst I go and hand-whip an omelette.

[photo thanks to https://www.flickr.com/photos/philgradwell/]

 

 

 

 

The flurry before the calm

Sarah: My Christmas tree is up, I’m online shopping like a demon, and the house is an obstacle course with half chewed pencils and piles of never-to-be-opened-again school books (thanks kids). It’s December!

There has been a flurry of science in my life in recent months. Creating stories around the science, technology, health and other research that takes place in South Australia is a large part of my work portfolio. Here’s a snippet of recent cool stuff:

• Big data and bacteria explain why your diet isn’t working
• Where did it go? Following cancer with tiny magnets
• Why foods that make you fart are a good thing
• Stop the clot! Just 6 extra minutes to save cancer patients
• 10 visions of the future you’ve never even thought of
• Twenty years to make a baby: a story of collaboration and persistence
• Prenatal test finds one cell in a million
• New therapy calms skin in ‘butterfly’ children 
• ‘I don’t eat wheat’ decision could mask other digestive problems

Can you guess which story has been the most popular amongst those?

I’ve also been:

• Working with scientists to craft compelling funding bids
• Putting together applications for science prizes
• Writing case studies for client websites
• Crafting content for health and wellbeing magazines
• Lapping up all things journalism, digital, social media and at the Storyology conference
• Developing science communication know-how in South Australia through our chapter of the Australian Science Communicators and with Inspiring Australia

I love it all, but looking forward to a summer holiday too.

[image thanks to Kiran Foster]

Leave it in the drawer

Sarah: We’re about to launch into term 4 of the Australian school year.

The past 2 weeks have been work-free and somewhat luxurious, with lots of extended family and friend catchups, and a 6-day trip to Queensland for my husband, myself and our three children.

Northern Australia turned on magnificent clear blue skies and moderate, sunny temperatures. Perfect for swimming, canoeing and runs on the beach.

However the best part of my holiday was that I managed to read two books: The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham, and The Knowledge Wars by Peter Doherty.

I reckon I’ve nailed the sole factor that contributed to me completing these: each morning I put my mobile phone in a drawer, and left it there for most of the day. Minutes and even hours normally spent scrolling, searching, flicking, liking and sharing were instead spent with eyes on paper. And thinking. Occasionally dozing.

It felt so good.

No-vember

Sarah: Saying ‘no’ on a daily — if not an hourly — basis is one of my challenges of being a parent. It doesn’t feel good to be the constant bearer of bad news.

But kids aren’t the only ones who have to get used to ‘no’. There’s an awful lot of self-imposed ‘no’ in most of our lives every day.

It’s something that struck me in the Post Office just this week. As we lined up with my parcel — an item of online-bought clothing to be returned — my son and I were confronted with an aisle of temptations. New drink bottles, books, fancy pen holders…the list went on. At the desk, miscellaneous bags of chocolates and lollies were everywhere we looked. The kid asked me in a half-hearted, I-already-know-the-answer-kinda-way, ‘Can we have one, Mum?‘ Answering in the negative, I had a sudden craving for sugar and had to make a conscious effort to stand my ground.

It got me thinking.

The first world in which I live is full of excess and choices.

The service station, the stationary shop, the swimming pool, the school tuck shop, the netball courts, the tennis club and more; all offer lollies, ice-blocks, chips and sweet drinks. I say no in all of these places many, many times each week. To my kids, and to myself.

I’m online working every day, and to take a break will browse around on Facebook and clothing websites. The temptations continue — T shirts for less than $20. Bargain summer dresses. Cheap ‘n’ cheerful scarves. Just say no, Sarah! Usually I do. But sometimes I don’t (and sometimes it bites me on the bum; refer above to item of clothing to be returned via the Post Office and at my cost).

–> Electronic devices – don’t use them too much!

–> Quick and easy take-away dinner options – not a good idea!

–> Staying up late and watching TV — ’cause there’s always something on — you’ll regret that tomorrow!

Saying no, staying in control, knowing when to switch stuff off. It’s hard. But I think it’s important.

What I do wonder is whether there is a psychological cost to telling yourself ‘no’ on a constant basis.

[image thanks to abhi on flickr]

Day 358. I said no!

I seem to say no! to my kids an awful lot.

No, you can’t play Wii unless it’s the weekend.

No, you don’t need over-packaged deep fried ‘portioned’ snacks in your lunch box.

No, you can’t have Coke at the movies.

No, I’m not buying you McDonalds for dinner.

No, you don’t need a Playstation.

No, you’re not wearing an off-the-shoulder-crocheted slouchy T shirt with something that resembles a bra underneath. You are eight.

I say no because I have strong feelings about what is healthy and reasonable for children. And although I know it can’t last forever, I hope that somewhere deep down it rubs off on them.

But sometimes I wonder if I’m just creating more work for myself.

Each weekend is spent negotiating and dividing screen time on a limited number of electronic items between three children.

Dinner time is often accompanied by food refusal and demands to know what is for dessert.

I battle with the little one to actually go and watch a sibling play sport without resorting to games on my phone after five minutes. It inevitably turns into a prolonged whining session by the kid, and me speaking from behind gritted teeth, searching for new ways to say,

“No! And stop asking me!”

I imagine other parents look at him as an eternal whinger, and me the constant nasty mother.

Perhaps I should just suck it up and give in?

Eat whatever you want.

Play electronic games in every spare minute, go on then.

Spend your money on lollies and super-sized bottle of soft-drink, yeah sure!

It’d be a hell of a lot easier in the short term.

[image thanks to Punk Toad on flickr]

Day 116. The future

The future. What does it look like for you?

Do you imagine you will own lighter and faster computer devices? Drive a more efficient car? See more solar panels in your neighbourhood?

Perhaps you create a mental image of your children’s children, and wonder what their lives will hold. Will my grandchildren live under warmer conditions? What will they eat? How will they communicate – will there be more to life than the latest iPhone?

When governments think about the future, they need to think about people not individually, but as a whole.

Today South Australian Minister for Science and Information Economy, Tom Kenyon launched recommendations from a report Australia’s population: shaping a vision for our future. The report stems from a two day Think Tank held in July 2012 which picked the brains of more than 60 top young researchers working in science and other fields.

“Population is a critical issue for Australia and the Think Tank identified the need for a national grass roots discussion to inform future government policy, including on productivity, diversity in education, health and wellbeing, urban planning and use of resources”

said Dr Kristin Alford, Co-Chair of the Think Tank, futurist and my previous employer at Bridge8.

Proposed topics for national discussion include:

• Addressing gender inequity in paid work and family care;
• Creating transition pathways to retirement;
• Increasing migration intake;
• Emphasising learning of languages other than English;
• Introducing a ‘health and wellness rebate’ to help with the prevention of disease;
• Reassessing priorities for end of life care;
• Leveraging high-density urban environments for transport and health benefits;
• Strengthening the railway networks;
• Making mining royalties more uniform across states; and
• Speeding uptake of renewable energies.

From my own perspective, I think all of these are important and if addressed could improve the lives of my future descendants.

The question is, will the governments listen?

[image thanks to backofthenapkin on flickr]