Freedom of Species

In this episode of Freedom of Species we talk to Sammi Drew, an an Animal Rights protest photographer and advocate living in the UK. We touch on how she started capturing protests, what it's like to get that perfect shot and the power that art has to communicate the lives and emotions of animals. Sammi worked as a portrait photographer for 20 years and has a Master of Arts degree in photography. P...

Nick and Adam discuss the movie Don’t Look Up (Netflix) and compare individual actions for the climate commonly promoted in the environmental movement with scientific research on the most effective actions. We do this by discussing the actions promoted on the website https://www.count-us-in.org/en-gb/project/ and the following scientific article: Wynes, S. and Nicholas, K. A. 2017. The climate mit...

This Summer Special covers the movie Don't Look Up (Netflix), putting our energy back into climate action after the movement has lost momentum during the pandemic and avoiding burnout when coping with the reality of the climate crisis. It is hosted by Nick from Freedom of Species and his partner Katie. This show is a 3CR Summer Special: https://www.3cr.org.au/summerspecials2021-2022  Links: Graham...

Nick from Freedom of Species plays some of his favourite songs that were released in 2021. This show originally aired on Rotations on 3CR Community Radio on 9 January 2022. Rotations airs 2-3pm every Sunday and features music from a wide range of 3CR presenters. For more information about the Rotations show, see: https://www.3cr.org.au/rotations  Music played: All my favourite songs by Weezer – fr...

It is common for animal advocacy campaigns to describe animals as voiceless, and portray humans as speaking on their behalf. This is incorrect, animals DO have voices! Davita and Trev discuss the theory behind animal voices, with contributions from Nicole Beasley and Belinda Morris. We explore the links to other social justice issues, and why we should listen to and amplify animal voices with our...

 We discuss the Plant Based Treaty with Greta Cuthell, organiser for Youth Climate Save VIC and why our food systems are inextricably linked to the climate crisis. Greta is an animal advocate and activist, ambassador for climate action and a vegan.  The Plant Based Treaty has been designed as a companion to the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement and is the first of its kind to put food systems at the heart of...

Nick and Adam discuss COVID-19 vaccines, animal testing and pseudo-scientific/conspiratorial views in the vegan community and beyond.  We mainly focus on the article ‘Are COVID vaccines vegan? Should I get one anyway? An ethicist explains’ by Ben Bramble: https://theconversation.com/amp/are-covid-vaccines-vegan-should-i-get-one-anyway-an-ethicist-explains-155221  We also briefly touch on the artic...

Jamie Woodhouse discusses Sentientism – a worldview based on evidence, reason and compassion for all sentient beings.  Find out more about Sentientism at: https://sentientism.info/ Follow Jamie on Twitter @JamieWoodhouse  You can read about the life of animal rights and human rights advocate Bede Carmody at: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7489524/bede-carmody-remembered-as-a-true-advocate-...

 In this episode Davita and Caroline welcome Jo-Anne McArthur to Freedom of Species. We talk about HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene, published by We Animals Media. HIDDEN is an incredible piece of work that documents our violent relationships to the non-human animals across the world. It features the work of 40 international animal photojournalists.  Jo also shares her journey into activism, an...

Doug Gimesy and Heather Kiley join us for a Bat Chat! We talk about their stunning children's book, ‘Life Upside Down’ on Australia’s grey-headed flying fox. Flying foxes (and other bats!) have had some bad publicity over recent Covid years. They also face persecution, habitat loss, extreme temperatures and awful injuries from inappropriate fruit tree netting and barbed wire. We discuss with Doug...

In this episode "Are Vegan Products Always Ethical? (Part 2)" Jade joins Davita And Trev to talk about different business models used for some vegan products. We discuss MLM (Multi Level Marketing) schemes: What are they? How do they work? What are some of the criticisms that have been raised? Links: Are Vegan Products Always Ethical? (Part 1): https://www.3cr.org.au/freedomofspecies/episode-20210...

This Rotations show features live music as some kind of a substitute for the lack of live shows during the pandemic. It is hosted by Nick from Freedom of Species and his partner Katie. The show originally aired on Rotations on 3CR Community Radio on 17 October 2021. For more about the Rotations show, see: https://www.3cr.org.au/rotations  Music played:  The Opener by Camp Cope, from the album Trip...

Researcher Ben Hunt and Animal Rebellion activist Harley McDonald-Eckersall discuss the role of theatre and performance in animal activism.  Ben Hunt is a researcher at De Montford University focusing on Animal Rights and Performance. You can find out more about his work here: https://performinganimalrights.tumblr.com/about You can find out more about Animal Rebellion here: https://animalrebellion...

This show features Youtuber and podcaster Mexie on celebrating the victories that have already been won for animals as well as imagining what future victories can be achieved.  Links for Mexie: The Vegan Vanguard podcast: https://veganvanguardpodcast.com/ PLN (Positive Leftist News) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PLN_mex Mexie Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mexie  Links to some of the arti...

This Rotations show features musical comedy songs with some kind of political or social commentary. It is hosted by Nick from Freedom of Species and his partner Katie. The show originally aired on Rotations on 3CR Community Radio on 22 August 2021. For more about the Rotations show, see: https://www.3cr.org.au/rotations  Music played:  Comedy by Bo Burnham: http://www.boburnham.com/ Look Who’s Ins...

 Adam and Davita are joined by the wonderful author Kate Hall. Kate is currently working on a dystopian novel around xenotransplantation. She provides a powerful critique of the practice of using animal-to-human transplants. She also introduces us to her protagonist Mouse by reading a few vivid excerpts from her novel in progress.  Kate's published novel Kate Hazel Hall - From Darkness: https://ww...

Trev and Davita are joined by seasoned activist Claire to discuss the crossover between ableism and anti-vax sentiment in the vegan community. We critique issues around the accessibility within the movement, especially for people with an immunodeficiency. This is particularly timely considering the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccine hesitancy. Links: William Cooper (First Nations Anti-Nazi history) htt...

Dr Bianca Le and Ruth Purcell from Animal Agriculture Australia tell us about the developments in cell ag. Bianca is the Founder, Director and a Scientist at Cellular Agriculture Australia, an organization working to create a connected cell ag community in Australia. Ruth is a volunteer at Cellular Agriculture Australia and was previously a biologist at nourish ingredients, a food technology compa...

 Chay Neal (Executive Director) and Amanda Holly (Campaign Manager, Intensive Farming) from Animal Liberation Queensland speak with us about ALQ's approach to animal rights advocacy and some of their successful campaigns including their expose on live baiting in the greyhound industry, the amazing BEEF.ORG.AU campaign, their campaign for veganism Vegan4Life, rodeo campaigns and more.  Links:  Anim...

 Harley McDonald-Eckersall from Animal Rebellion discusses their campaign demanding McDonald’s goes totally plant-based by 2025. This campaign has included a blockade of a McDonald’s burger factory and distribution centres.  Links: Find out more about Animal Rebellion here: https://animalrebellion.org/ For more information on the McLibel case mentioned during the show, you can check out the docume...

 Trev and Davita chat with Vanessa Letico - author of the children's book Luca's Adventure From Table-to-Farm. Vanessa and the illustrator Diandra Hwan have published a compassionate and gentle book that vegans, vegetarians and vegan-curious people can read to their kids. Listen back for our interview with Vanessa about her book.   Links: You can find Vanessa's book here: https://www.dymocks.com.a...

On this show we analyse mainstream media reporting on plant-based meats and discuss the benefits of eating plant-based rather than animal-based meats, for animals and the environment.  Links: The article we discuss for most of the show is ‘Plant-based meat sales are soaring, but experts warn it may not be better for you or the environment’ by Cara Waters in The Sydney Morning Herald: https://amp.s...

Have you ever heard people discussing gene editing of predators to turn them into herbivores? Or to gene edit animals who have many offspring, to have them create far fewer offspring? These are some of the extreme suggestions coming from advocates to reduce the suffering of wild animals. So what’s up with WAS? Davita and Trev discuss ideas within this movement, and the many responses to it.   Link...

We speak with Robyn from Lamb Care Australia, a not-for-profit registered charity that resucues and rehomes orphanied lambs born during the lambing season in Victoria. We discuss how Robyn's experiences caring for newborn lambs prompted her and others to form the charity and how they help lambs in need with the support of exceptional carers. Robyn talks about some of the lambs that have really mad...

 On this show we are raising money to support 3CR Radiothon with our animal trivia show! Please donate via our GiveNow page: tinyurl.com/48yjk96v  3CR has supported Freedom of Species for over ten years. Anything you can donate is a big help! Thank you everybody who has donated already. Listen in and see if you can beat us to the correct answers! All hosts are live on air and the winner of this sh...