The ReNewy Living Podcast: A Sustainability Podcast

When most people think of arborists…they think of chainsaws, wood chippers, and tree removals for “safety reasons” or “potential fire hazard.”
In this episode, I’d love you to meet Sam Hardingham, founder of Newcastle-based business Everyday Arbor. An experienced arborist, Sam is challenging that narrow view of what it means to be an arborist. His goal is to keep as many trees standing in our local environment as possible.
Rather than chasing profit by saying yes to every tree removal request, Sam is putting trees first. We talk about the role trees play in our neighbourhoods, the risks versus the benefits they bring, and how their presence connects us to the bigger picture of balancing urbanisation with environmental sustainability.
This episode is a reminder that trees come with issues and risks in suburbia, but should these risks outweigh the benefits of trees?
A summary, plus the links and photos of the pieces discussed in this episode are found here at Is there such a thing as an ethical tree arborist?
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

Choosing to knock down and rebuild a house is a big decision. But instead of a standard project home, what happens when you choose a passive house - a design built for comfort, efficiency, and sustainability?
In this episode, I’d love you to meet ReNewy Living community member Jess Bollinger from Lake Macquarie, NSW. Jess works in environmental sustainability for her day job, yet finds most meaning in making everyday choices that matter—for her family, her place, and her community.
We talk about her family’s journey to live lighter on the planet, what sustainable housing in a temperate climate means to her, and how her decision to build a passive house offers ideas and inspiration for your own lasting impact.
A summary, plus the links and photos of the pieces discussed in this episode are found here at Choosing to Build a Passive House Standard Home
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

In this episode, we’re at the closing of the 2024/ 2025 Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhoods Waste to Art exhibition. It’s a free, annual event that brings together thought-provoking artworks made entirely from waste by people across the community. Some of the pieces are so refined, it’s hard to believe they began as waste. For many households, waste is what goes in the rubbish or recycling bin. But waste is much broader than that. It can be surplus materials, duplicates, or offcuts. Even something brand new that just isn’t needed anymore. 
That’s the beauty of this exhibition. It helps you see waste differently.
You’ll hear from the two people’s choice award winners about their works along with the volunteer organiser behind the exhibition, and people who came along to the closing event.
A summary, plus the links and photos of the pieces discussed in this episode are found here at Seeing Waste Differently
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

In this episode, I’d love you to meet James Felton-Taylor and Annabelle Kater, who run Australian Sustainable Timbers in Dungog NSW.  As native forest managers and timber processors, they’re passionate about showing there’s a better way to work with the bush by rethinking timber production.
This conversation is a great reminder that when you lead with intention and work with the natural lifecycle of the trees, timber production and environmental care don’t have to be at odds. They can grow together in a way that respects both people and the planet.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at Shifting the Culture of Forestry in Australia
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word “activist”? It’s a word that can stir up a lot of feelings — but at its heart, it’s simply about standing up for what you believe in…and doing something about it. 
In this episode, I’d love you to meet Michelle Dado-Millynn, a Dungog-based film producer whose work shines a light on people doing what they believe in most.
This conversation is about what activism can look like for all of us… how it exists on a continuum and how this film can be the impetus for grassroots change in your own community.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at How a Ripple Sparks the Power of Activism
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

A community food co-op in the main street of a small regional town can have a massive impact, not just on the reduced environmental impact of locally grown food, but also the value of having access to healthy food, support for local growers and really strong community connections.
I'm having a conversation with Anna Crane from the Dungog Wholefood Co-op. It's an amazing conversation about community, the value of people, the value of local foods and how a community food co-op operates.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at How a Community Food Co-op Offers Fair Food for All
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

Let’s talk about plastic. We see it everywhere, even in places it probably shouldn't be. And while we all want to do the right thing by tossing it in the recycling bin, the truth is, plastic recycling is a lot more complex than it seems.
To help untangle that complexity, I’m joined by Jess Hodge co-founder of Resourceful Living.  Jess and her team are tackling the plastic problem head on, by turning unwanted plastic items into functional products, all made locally in Kurri Kurri NSW Australia.
Jess brings honesty, passion and deep knowledge to this conversation, along with practical solutions that actually make sense.
So if you’ve ever wondered what type of plastic is which, where it really ends up, or how we can give waste a second life through circular economy principles — you’re in the right place.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at Giving Plastic Waste a Second Life Through Recycling
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

In this episode, I’d love you to meet Anna Scobie and Kelly Lees from Newcastle-based business Urban Hum. We’re exploring the role of bees in our local environment and how understanding them connects us with the bigger picture of environmental sustainability. From permaculture principles to planting a tiny forest, and even facing the challenges of varroa mite, we’ll talk about what it means to respond with care and curiosity.
This episode is a reminder that living sustainably isn’t just about action — it’s about rhythm. It’s about learning from nature, working with the seasons and staying open to what some of the smallest creatures can teach us about a more connected and resilient future.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at What Bees Teach Us About Seasons, Place and Collective Actions
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

"Everyday Voices" is where I take the mic into public spaces, striking up real conversations with everyday people about how they live, care for, and tread lighter on the planet.
In this episode I’m talking to Sophie, a high school student who’s showing interest in sustainability and environmental change in government. She shares her early advocacy journey, which will become the building blocks for her continual path for change.
Stay tuned after our chat for a short reflection on my own journey — and how we can all become more informed citizens.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at Everyday Voices: A Young Persons Environmental Journey
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.

While most shopping centres are filled with cloned chain stores, it’s easy to forget that independent grocery shops are out there doing things differently—helping us live more sustainably, eat more mindfully and feel more connected.
In this episode, we sit down with Brent Fairns, owner of Organic Feast in Maitland. More than just a shop, Organic Feast is a vibrant local place that shows what’s possible when community and sustainability come together.
From certified organic produce to in-house cafe meals, this is a business made with intention. It’s a colourful antidote to the fast, bland world of modern retail.
A summary, plus the links from this episode are found here at Escaping Supermarket Sameness thrugh Local & Organic Food
The ReNewy Living Podcast is hosted by Mardi Lee, founder of ReNewy Living...
The ReNewy Living Podcast celebrates local sustainability by connecting you with the stories of people, places and projects from regional communities across Australia. 
Our sustainability podcast encourages a wholistic understanding of what living lighter on the planet means. We'd like to see a world where communities, resources, and nature thrive together—where sustainable living is a part of everyday life, to ensure fairness and care for people and place.
Each episode encourages critical thinking, inspires action and connects you with like-minded communities to help you thrive locally.
Based in Newcastle NSW Australia, we share diverse voices and stories, starting with local issues… and the solutions towards a positive social and environmental impact.