In a time when headlines often stoke anxiety about climate change, ecological collapse, and social fragmentation, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But amidst the noise, there’s a quiet, powerful movement of people who are choosing to respond not with despair—but with dirt under their nails, seeds in hand, and stories of regeneration and hope for the future that is possible if we all play our part.

If you're looking to build real-world skills for sustainable living, find hope in community, and reconnect with the rhythms of nature, here are some deeply inspiring podcasts, books, magazines, and films to guide your journey.

🎧 Podcasts to Inspire and Empower

Future Steading by Jade Miles

Listening to Jade Miles’ Future Steading feels like sitting on a verandah with a warm cup of herbal tea, while learning how to build a life rooted in place, community, and purpose. Each episode explores how to "live like tomorrow matters"—with guests ranging from farmers and foodies to philosophers and doers—all offering tangible, grounded ways to embrace regenerative living. You can also check out her Future Steading Book here! 

ReSkillience by Catie Payne

ReSkillience celebrates the radical, beautiful act of remembering: remembering how to grow, preserve, mend, and live in tune with the earth. Catie brings humour, warmth, and fierce gentleness to each conversation, making this podcast a practical and emotional toolkit for anyone ready to reclaim lost skills and rethink what it means to be resilient in the modern world.

Catie Payne - Host of ReSkillience Podcast

Sense Making in a Changing World by Morag Gamble

Permaculture educator and global change-maker Morag Gamble goes deep in Sense Making in a Changing World, interviewing thought-leaders who are not only imagining but actively creating alternative futures. Her podcast explores systems thinking, regenerative design, and earth-centric solutions that restore balance and empower communities.

📚 Books That Nourish, Ground, and Teach

The Compost Coach by Kate Flood

This is not just a guide to turning food scraps into gold—it’s a joyful, vibrant manifesto on the circular magic of decomposition. Kate Flood breaks down composting (pun intended) into simple, empowering steps, helping households and communities embrace waste as a resource. 

Costa’s World by Costa Georgiadis

Beloved gardening guru Costa Georgiadis brings his boundless enthusiasm and deep ecological wisdom into book form. Costa’s World is a beautiful reminder of the joy found in gardens, the sacredness of soil, and the connections that bloom when people come together to care for the land and each other.

Everyday Permaculture by Anna Matilda

This gem is a call to bring permaculture into the nooks and crannies of daily life. Anna Matilda aka the Urban Nanna, writes with clarity and grace, showing how small, thoughtful changes in the home, garden, and community can ripple outward into large-scale transformation. 

Retrosuburbia by David Holmgren

This book has been around for a while but it is more relevant than ever. It is a monumental tome to living well in the “suburban” spaces many of us call home. David Holmgren, co-originator of permaculture, outlines a roadmap for retrofitting our homes, habits, and neighbourhoods for resilience. Richly detailed and optimistic, it’s both a manual and a vision for a re-localised future.

Milkwood Permaculture Living Handbook by Kirsten Bradley

Kirsten Bradley distills years of hands-on permaculture experience into this beautifully designed, deeply practical book. From growing food and fermenting veggies to building community, Milkwood is a generous guide for anyone yearning to reconnect with the land and live a more intentional, joyful life.

📰 Quarterly Inspiration: Pip Magazine

Known as Australia’s permaculture magazine, Pip is a quarterly publication that overflows with seasonal wisdom, DIY guides, regenerative farming techniques, community stories, and soulful slow-living inspiration. It’s a tactile treat for those craving knowledge and motivation beyond the screen—and a consistent reminder that another way is not only possible, but already unfolding in gardens, kitchens, and communities around the country. Check out the latest issue here!

🎥 Watch: Rachel’s Farm

This powerful documentary follows actor and farmer Rachel Ward as she transforms her conventional cattle farm into a regenerative one. Rachel’s Farm is a candid, hopeful exploration of what happens when we dare to change course—for the climate, for our soil, and for future generations. It’s a deeply personal journey that highlights the urgency of restoration and the beauty of doing things differently.

Keep an eye out also for the next film from Australian Film Director, Damon Gameau - Future Council - due for widespread release this August. Damon guides eight kids on the ultimate school journey - setting off on a European road trip in a bright yellow school bus to confront powerful leaders, political and corporate polluters, with challenging discussions and critical questions from our youngest citizens, whose future is shaped by their actions, all in the quest for solutions to the environmental crisies that we are all facing. You can watch the trailer here.

🌱 A Brighter Tomorrow Starts With Listening, Learning & Doing

What all these voices, pages, and stories share is a deep belief that we are not powerless. In fact, the most radical thing we can do in the face of uncertainty is to grow, build, share, and reconnect—with each other and the earth.

Whether you’re digging a compost pile, sowing your first seeds, reading by candlelight, or simply dreaming of a life more in tune with nature, these podcasts, books, and film offer not only information—but transformation.

Change starts right where you are. Let it take root.