Afternoons for Monday 25 February 2019

1:10 First song: Kaylee Bell

Award winning Kiwi country singer, Kaylee Bell is a big fan of Keith Urban - so much so her new single is called Keith. She performs it for us live.

1:15 A low footprint life in the NZ bush

Howard and Yvonne Collins live up a 6 kilometre bush track in the Tararuas. They live entirely off grid, generating their own power with mini hydros and solar. they have no neighbours, grow all their own food and try to keep their lifestyle as simple as possible.

The pair are visiting Wellington today so join us in our studio to tell us about their life in the bush.

1:25 Older adults need more nature in their lives

Spending more time among nature helps the body and mind, but as we age our mobility starts to decline, and this can make it harder for older people to get to these places. 

A team of researchers at Otago University has been looking into this issue. Lead author Yolanda van Heezik explains the physical and spiritual benefits older adults gain from going outside. 

1:35 The cost of raising children

Choosing to have children can be a blessing but it can also be expensive, there's clothing and shoes, food and health care to think of. 

Many parents go to work but there's another cost with that - child care. New research shows the cost of raising a family has risen more than 60 percent in the last five years, and the biggest cost is child care. 

IBIS World Analyst Hayley Munro-Smith breaks down the costs for us.

1:40 Great album

2:10 Television Critic Briar Wyatt

Briar discusses

Russian Doll (Netflix) - created by Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler. A Groundhog Day type scenario where the protagonist, Nadia, has to relive the day she dies over and over again.

Fresh Eggs (TVNZ) - a local “black comedy”  following an Auckland couple who decide to try make it in rural New Zealand

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix) - a superhero type series based on the comic book series written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and full of nostalgia for those of us who had an emo phase. Featuring Ellen Page.

2:20 Essential oils - are you using them safely? 

Essential oils are often marketed as a natural solution for stress, sleep problems, and other ailments.

But some of that marketing is done by those who aren't qualified in the field, so it can be hard to know what is safe and what is not.  

Qualified practitioner Gillian Parkinson knows that overuse or incorrect use of essential oils can be dangerous. She tells Wallace why it's important to seek expert advice. 

2:30 Expert on wildfires

The Nelson region is dealing with the aftermath of the damaging wildfires that swept through the area this month. The annual average direct impact of rural fires on our economy is estimated at $67 million. So, we thought we'd take a look at the "nature" of wildfires and we have Grant Pearce as our Expert today. Grant is a fire scientist, based in Christchurch.

3:10 The forgotton story of Antarctic aviator, Lincoln Ellsworth

Lincoln Ellsworth hated the cold, couldn't even navigate, but in 1935, the heir to an American coal fortune  was determined to be the first man to fly  completely across Antarctica and land in the Ross Sea.  

With a nearly bottomless budget, and encouragement from Roald Amundsen, the famous Norwegian explorer, Ellsworth set off to make history. Author and documentary maker Jeff Maynard tells the almost forgotten story of  the fateful expedition of Lincoln Ellsworth, the unlikely hero whose name is written across the South pole. His book is called Antarctica's Lost Aviator.

3:35 Voices

3:45 The Pre-Panel Story of the Day and One Quick Question

4:05 The Panel with Amanda Millar and Matt Nippert