Steve Baty (He/him)

@docbaty.bsky.social

2156 Followers 1207 Following

Public prosperity through strategic design, policy and advocacy. Public spaces, public infrastructure, public services, and nature. Co-author: Designing Tomorrow. 2nd book underway Wangal country Interests include: policy, cycling, bonsai, Design

Photo of a pie sitting on a paper bag
Photo of a bottle of wine - a 2014 Chateau Laroque
Three news headlines from the Associated Press: - “New York Times reporters are subpoenaed after Air Force One stories, raising press freedom concerns” - “Judge tosses remnants of Proud Boys seditious conspiracy case after Trump’s broad clemency” - “Trump administration rolls back a key protection for imperiled wildlife”
Heart rate showing on a monitor
Photo looking across the water from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair towards the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
Beer in a plastic cup. SCG blurry in the background
Screenshot of SBS On Demand ad preferences
Screenshot of an Apple announcement from WWDC26. Announcement reads: "Tons of improvements all around"
Photograph shows a baking dish containing cooked potato gratin covered in melted cheese
Image shows a chart plotting the rise in data center construction spending in the US each year against spending on public transport infrastructure. Data center spending now exceeds transport infrastructure
Seedlings sprouting through the soil
Screenshot of a CNN post. Headline reads: ICE agents shoot and wound man during traffic stop in Central California
Cheesecake with strawberries on a plate
Photo of a cheesecake, light golden brown in colour, still in its baking frame
Photo of a person in a white shirt lying on a sofa with the book "Designing Tomorrow" over their face. They appear to be napping.
Photograph showing the Sydney Opera House in the pre-dawn light. The view is looking east from under the Harbour Bridge across the bay at Circular Quay. A blurred lamppost and palm tree sit in the foreground.
Photo showing the Sydney Cricket Ground under lights
News article screen capture: Melania Trump arrives at UN headquarters. Quote: “She will be presiding over a UN Security Council meeting”
Photo of the album cover for The Church LP Heyday
Screenshot of a post to X from a US congressman. Post reads: “Proud to cosponsor this bill. In America we cherish dogs - loyal companions, beloved family, and yes, true gifts from God. Any foreign ideology that tries to strip Americans of our right to own dogs is not welcome here.” The post is responding to another congressman: “I am proud to introduce the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act”
Headlines from the ABC News site: - “Heavy rains for almost 300mm for parts of Queensland with much of the state in flood watch” - “Water woes for livestock producers [in Victoria] as drought drags on”
Photo of a freshly-cooked pizza
Photo of a forearm showing a freshly done tattoo. Tattoo is of four children standing on a bench looking away from the viewer
Image shows an old advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarettes implying that smoking cigarettes can help you stave off poor eating choices and help you lose weight.
Photograph showing an outdoor table, notepad, pen, glass, book and pencilcase with the sky and ocean in the background.
Screenshot of an article from the ABC News app. Headline reads: Heatwave and fire threat forecast for NSW, Victoria and SA as temperatures nudge all-time record highs. Accompanying photo shows people at Bondi beach
Photograph showing two pine trees silhouetted against an orange dawn sky and ocean
Screenshot of an article from the ABC site showing people jumping into the water from a pier. Headline reads: “Heatwave breakdown state-by-state as breeze offers just a brief reprieve”
Photo of a cold beer sitting on a wooden table
Designing Tomorrow - co-written by Martin Tomitsch and I - on the shelf for sale at Kinokuniya in Sydney
Children standing in front of a bet365 logo at the cricket
Photograph showing the Parramatta river, parkland, an historic sandstone bridge and office buildings
Image shows the temperature reading inside a car of 49C
Designing for Circularity: A Systems Approach to Reducing Material Intensity Abstract This paper discusses the role of design in advancing circularity in developed nations by reducing material intensity – the amount of material used per unit of manufacturing value added. It introduces a systemic circular design framework comprising three layers: products, business and service models, and communities and societies. Each layer is illustrated through Australia-based cases: The Reconnect Project (device repair and redistribution), King Living (furniture longevity through services), and Community Gardens Australia (education and advocacy for local food production). The framework maps design activities across these layers, highlighting opportunities for intervention beyond product design – such as reframing human needs and restructuring business and service models. By integrating design and systems thinking, the paper offers a practical approach for identifying the different types of design activities and interventions needed to reduce the material footprint of developed nations while maintaining the quality of living. Keywords: Circularity, circular economy, material intensity, strategic design, systems thinking.
Black and white photograph of Steve Portigal right before I answered a question in an unexpected manner…
Photo of people serving up Thanksgiving lunch
This is a screenshot of a post to X from the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, in which he criticizes Senator Mark Kelly, former pilot and astronaut, for wearing his medals in reverse order. A community note attached to the post indicates that the medals are in reverse because it’s a mirror image.
Screenshot of an article from the Australian Financial Review. Headline reads: House prices jump in first home buyer suburbs as deposit scheme kicks in
Photograph of two young girls eating fruit
Screenshot of a post from the AFR. Text reads: Premier offers state funeral for Laws, Russell Crowe pays tribute Lucy Slade NSW Premier Chris Minns says he will speak with talkback icon John Laws’ family about how is best to honour him as tributes flow after the announcement of his death on Sunday. “We’ll do everything we can to acknowledge his legacy and reputation for Australia and broadcasting. So if they would like [a state funeral], we’d love to offer it,” Minns said on Nine’s Today show. In a statement, Minns said: “His legacy lies not only in the thousands of hours on air, but in the connection he forged with millions of Australians. Vale John Laws.”
Screenshot of the ABC’s live news blog showing three headlines: “Australia must develop nuclear energy industry now, Bridget McKenzie says” “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen: Henderson doubles down on comments” “Jane Hume doesn’t think Ley is losing support in Liberal party room”
Photo of a street filled with trick or treaters
Screenshot of an ABC News article
Screenshot of an article from afr.com. Headline reads: Amazon plans to replace more than half a million jobs with robots.
Screenshot of the Live Updates ticker from the Australian Financial Review website. Update reads: "Jobless rate jumps, ASX resets record high"
Photograph of a pizza - pepperoni, capsicum and onions; charred slightly
Photograph showing the mezzanine escalator banks at the Gadigal Sydney Metro platform. Centre of the image is a new, large advertising video panel.
ABC News headline: Gas needed to support renewables Bowen is asked how Australians can reconcile the language in the report and the government's decision to approve the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project. The climate and energy minister says the government has "always been upfront" with Australians and that gas is required to support renewables. "Gas is a flexible energy source. Gas-fired power stations can be turned on and off," he says Bowen says the government will be "holding the course on climate action". "It's in the country's best interest and decarbonising our economy and helping others to as well," he adds.
Newspaper article clipping from the Australian Financial Review: “Aldous Huxley was right about eugenics”
Photograph of Bumbunga Lake - a lake showing pink water, a lakeshore, and a road
The image is a screenshot of two headlines from the Australian Financial Review, which appear side-by-side on the publication's website. The first reads "Long-term vision for universities hung up on short-term politics: Jason Clare's blueprint calls into question the raison d'être of universities and whether they should exist merely to fill the pipeline of human capital for industry." The second, written by Jennifer Westacott, Chancellor of Western Sydney University, reads: "Universities must be reimagined for the AI age: Australia's competitiveness depends on how quickly we can align education, technology and workforce development."
Lamb roast
A chart showing the level of unemployment over the past 10 years, with indicators for the period of Coalition government, COVID, and Labor government. Unemployment during the Coalition period of government (Jun 2015 - Feb 2020) is consistently above 5%. The COVID period ends - for the purposes of the chart - in Jun 2022 with the election of Labor; unemployment is chaotic through this period. Unemployment during Labor's government has been gradually rising from around 3.5% to the current level of 4.3%.
Handwriting on white paper
Google street view image showing an alleyway lined with small office blocks. Garages open off to left and right.