Posted by Sustainability Editor

How to Raise Sustainability Awareness in Your Community

These days, it’s more important to raise sustainability awareness than ever before.

A couple of decades ago, climate change was nothing more than an interesting topic for the far-flung future; today, it’s an urgent global matter – and Australia is no exception! While the degree to which we utilise renewable energy sources is steadily growing, the efforts in that department definitely need to increase. Which is precisely what we’re about to address right here, by providing a general overview of striving towards increased awareness.

Raising Sustainability Awareness

Luckily for Planet Earth, people are more aware of the urgency related to sustainability than they’ve been for the past 100 years. However, a large percentage of the general public doesn’t really consider this a pressing matter. And the issue of slow awareness growth isn’t just a local Australian question; far from it. People who follow global news are probably aware that the issue of sustainable energy is central to the public discourse in the United States as well. According to companies like Miami Movers For Less, more citizens are moving to Florida every day. But many of them are completely unaware that this state could be severely devastated by rising sea levels, according to current climate change models for the next half-century.

With that in mind, everyone needs to do what they can to raise sustainability awareness in their own communities. This is an issue that should be addressed from the grass-roots level, not top-to-bottom. However, that’s where a problem arises. Even those who want to aid Mother Nature in overcoming adverse human effects aren’t always sure of how they should go about doing it. Plus, many people have the wrong impression that going green and trying to be more sustainable on a local level is incredibly expensive; making the average lifestyle impossible. But while this does require changing your day-to-day habits, and making some investments; it’s still incredibly important.A large array of solar panels, representing ways to raise sustainability awareness.

Saving Trees

While there are many benefits to renewable energy sources for ordinary households, not all people are ready to make such a drastic change in their lives. Plus, the Australian solar power market for domestic use is still in its infancy. That’s why you could raise sustainability awareness in your community by suggesting people make some easier changes. For example, helping cut down on, well – the cutting down of trees. And there’s only one real way of doing this – not using as much paper.

Luckily, this is something that’s easier to do today than it has ever been; with the advent of the Internet, tablet and mobile devices, and digital content. There’s basically no magazine or publication of any kind that you can’t find online. So, exchange your paper subscription for a digital one. Sure, you’ll feel different not holding actual papers in your hand; but this is something everyone gets used to quite fast. When you recommend this move to other people, make sure you mention just how important such a small compromise is to the global ecosystem

Second-Hand Clothing

The fast-paced lifestyle of the 21st century means that everything changes pretty quickly – including fads. That’s why people find themselves throwing out last season’s clothes and buying new ones without a second thought. Plus, you can definitely notice that the synthetic fabrics of today aren’t as durable as organic materials; they break apart, their colors fade, and they rip apart quite easily.

So, why not go for organic clothing? With such a cool retro look, you won’t find yourself burning through an entire wardrobe’s worth of clothes in a single season. And perhaps even more importantly, burning through the entirety of your wallet. When you convince other people to go green even in their fashion – make sure to explain just how much money they’ll save this way. If you want to raise sustainability awareness in your community, it’s not always about appealing to people’s love for the environment. You should also make it clear to people that going green can be pragmatic and good for them on a practical level as well. If you declutter and recycle everything you don’t need, for example; you’ll find yourself living in a much more minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing environment. Indeed, caring about nature has all kinds of practical benefits for people as well.

Corporate Influencing

So far, we’ve talked about what you can do to raise sustainability awareness in your surroundings – but only in a personal capacity. And sure, talking to your friends and family about this, and showing them the importance of contemporary environmental issues is great. But on the other hand, depending on where you work – you might even be able to make a change in your corporate environment as well. For example, someone in a managerial position could do lots of things to steer the company culture towards sustainability awareness.

For starters, if your company already has a corporate policy about sustainability, make sure all of the employees know about it. Print some posters that shortly describe the sustainability goals and priorities of the firm. Also, talk to your CEO about mentioning green initiatives in their speech at an important meeting – like an annual gathering of the senior staff. You can also work to make regular sustainability reports, and distribute them as memos to the rest of the staff. That way, while everyone may not work towards sustainability all the time – at least they’ll keep it in mind. And if you can, consider pushing for energy-efficient changes around the office. There are financial advantages to having a self-sustaining home or office!

This article was kindly written and contributed by Sally Norton.

Sustainable Alternatives To Everyday Items We All Use

As we all know, our planet has a limited amount of resources, and unfortunately, we still aren’t able to go and live on Mars.

That’s why it seems that we see a story about new things killing the Earth every day. Posters of things that we shouldn’t use are everywhere along with the pictures of polluted beaches and rivers. Of course, we all want to do our part in reducing the carbon footprint, but that’s not always easy. We don’t want to lose functionality and convenience that some items provide. Luckily, now we don’t have to. Sustainable alternatives to everyday items we all use are widely available nowadays, so we don’t really have an excuse for not getting on board.

Straws

You have probably already heard about some restaurants that announced that they’ll stop using plastic straws. California even completely banned them because of their harmful effects on the environment, and many states are up to follow. However, many people love to use these little plastic things for sipping their refreshments. For some, they’re a necessity because of their disabilities. 

Luckily, nowadays, you can enjoy all the benefits of straws with much less polluting involved. There are many alternatives to plastic straws. Paper straws seem to be very popular. And they offer quite an acceptable level of quality. However, they sometimes tend to break down after a while so they’re not exactly a perfect thing. If you want to go fully environmentally friendly, check out metal straws. They’re a little bit more expensive, but they’ll last forever.

Metal straws definitely are one of the sustainable alternatives to everyday items we all use.

Toothbrushes

We all know that plastic handles and nylon bristles are far from good for the environment, but we have to brush our teeth every day. Here again, eco options are ahead of us and you can make your daily routine eco-friendly. Toothbrushes made out of recycled materials are sustainable alternatives to everyday items we all use. Many of those are biodegradable, so you won’t pollute at all brushing your teeth.

There are many ways you can go. For starters, there are things called chew sticks. These are all-natural, plant-based sticks that clean your teeth, and they are made out of neem trees. You just nibble part of the stick to expose the bristles before you brush your teeth. After that, you simply cut used bristles off. This way you leave little to no waste.

You can also use bamboo toothbrushes which seem to rise in popularity quite a bit in the last few months.

Light bulbs

Did you know that LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than your traditional lighting options? If you’re wondering how, you’ll be glad to hear that only 5% of energy in LEDs is wasted on the heat. On top of all of this, they use much less power than conventional light bulbs, so the demand for power plants is much lower which reduces greenhouse gas emissions later on. These lights also have a few coloured options and you can dim them without any problems. Another plus thing is that you can control them via your Wi-Fi. Sustainable energy at home in the 21st century – not bad at all.

Flooring

Eco-friendly flooring is nothing new, but it is still worth mentioning as we keep losing forests. There is a variety of choices here. For instance, bamboo is one of the new top materials for this. Some of the other frequently used things are reclaimed woods, porcelain, glass, and even metal.

Now, because of the composition of some of these materials, it’s best to consult the professionals about what material is ideal for your budget, as well as for the area of the house. For instance, all-natural linoleum is extremely hard-wearing so it is a perfect eco-friendly flooring for your kitchens and hallways.

Besides being environmentally friendly, bamboo flooring looks amazing.

Binders

Pretty much all of us keep our important documents in binders. And there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s simply the best way. However, they can be used much longer and for multiple purposes, if you opt for a reusable material like vinyl or poly is. 

It’s simple really. Binders that we all know are made out of animal leather. This is harmful, primarily to the animals, but to the whole planet as well, because of toxic chemicals and all that fossil fuel that is burned in the production of livestock.

However, you don’t have to give up on style to save the planet. There are sophisticated vinyl binders that resemble leather ones and are much more durable and water-resistant. Many international companies such as fourwinds-ksa.com declared that they’re switching to those. Why wouldn’t you?

New vinyl binders are definitely the way to go if you care about the planet.

Linens

Many people already use eco-friendly linen, but it is very important to check if your bedding meets the Global Organic Textile Standard.

Many companies explore this market and some of them have made astonishing results. For example, some of them add eucalyptus and other plants to cotton. The reasons behind this are simple. Plants such as eucalyptus don’t need irrigation, pesticides, or even farming to thrive.

Here again, we see just how good of a plant bamboo is. Besides all the things that we’ve already mentioned, it is also used for sheets, pillows, and mattresses. On the other hand, bedding filled with polyester made from old recycled plastic bottles is always a good bet.

Bags

When you want to move your possessions overseas, you need a good bag for them. But it doesn’t have to be plastic. Or maybe it wouldn’t be able to be, as plastic bags are getting banned all over the world. If this is still not the case where you live, you can always ask for a paper bag next time you go grocery shopping. Or even bring your own.

Bags are a simple thing to manufacture, so it is not surprising that they made it to our list of sustainable alternatives to everyday items we all use. Recycled cotton totes and string market bags are getting more and more popular every day. And the same can be said for sandwich bags. Yes, a reusable, leak-proof bag for your snacks is a thing, and you can find them in a variety of sizes.

5 Ways to Make Your Business Sustainable

A business can either fail or succeed. Its outcome greatly depends on the consistency of the business in social, financial and environmental aspects. The ability to make your business sustainable comes from the effort of these three elements. In addition, we place the focus on the environmental aspects as your business’ sustainability depends on how eco-friendly it really is.

What is Sustainability in Business?

In order for a business to be consistent, it needs to assemble traction right from the start. With steady traction going forward you can make your business sustainable. A setback here and there is completely normal, as long as it’s not a full stop. For example, we can apply the automobile analogy here. When a car is going uphill, it requires a good speed start and a steady pace to reach the top. If the driver breaks frequently, it will need twice the energy to start over and get back to the steady pace at which it was initially going. In order to have your business be eco-friendly, you require a steady pace so that it can eventually create regular results. Sustainability is basically consistency. Consequently, it is the key ingredient to any type of success.

Make Your Business Sustainable

Follow these green tips and tricks to make your business eco-friendly.

Lists of tips and tricks are always beneficial and easy to follow. Below we list various ways to make your business sustainable:

  • Be in sync with your business mission.
  • Revise your business plan and highlight where you can do better.
  • Integrate green resources into your every-day business.
  • Keep up with the evolving technology.
  • Spread the environmental initiatives outside of your business.

Believe in Sustainability

As we mentioned above, effort and consistency are essential for business success. First and foremost, you have to believe in what you are doing. Also, believe that your business mission is efficient. Conducting business at a 50% energy level is basically the same as not trying at all. Number one on the list of tips and tricks states that you should be in sync with your business mission. If you understand why it is important and necessary to create value, then you can make your business sustainable.

Sustainable Business Plan

With a business mission comes a good business plan. Moreover, when you are trying to make your business more sustainable, it is a good idea to go to your original business plan. Review it, study it, and highlight the areas where you can implement more green steps in your daily operations. Look at your numbers and conclude whether you can smoothly accomplish the transition into a sustainable business. Ensure you have a firm plan of action and an objective. It will be that much simpler to share it with your employees and spread this positive change.

Go Green Daily

Take into consideration your daily business operations and performance, and let’s apply some alternative options. For example, the first on the list could be your supply chain. Evaluate it in order to figure out whether your business could rely on green energy as a means of power for your production plant. Also, can you switch to plastic when manufacturing your goods? Utilising green energy and plastic in your day to day business system would be a great start to make your business more sustainable. In addition, we eliminate the excess waste and unnecessary usage of harmful operations, while benefiting our business and community.

Meanwhile, take a look at your space of work and think about the changes you can apply there. Encourage everyone at the office to recycle. By recycling every day, your business becomes eco-friendlier as it reduces overall pollution that the waste causes. Maybe even come up with a weekly reward system for your employees so that the habit of recycling picks up quicker. Sometimes people need a bit of a push to implement changes, so why not positively influence your colleagues! Finally, this green initiative will also save you money, as you will be spending less on energy supply. Another way for your business to save money is to make your commercial relocation cheap, which will free up your budget for more important things.

Meanwhile, if you are using halogen or incandescent light bulbs, switch to LEDs. They require a smaller amount of energy usage while lasting longer. Moreover, if you are thinking of completely moving offices and starting fresh, that could be an option as well. Work around your business address and analyse where you could save money. Do your research and find a reliable moving company such as usantini.com.

Evolving Technology – Keep Up!

The 21st century is a digital sphere. Online businesses have been growing in numbers in the last couple of years, and if you do not have an online presence, your business might as well be out of the game completely. Nowadays, it is crucial to have an online platform. By being present online, you are multiplying your reach to international levels. In addition, by being more digital, you are minimising the negative effects on our environment and maximising the sustainability of your business.

Sustainable Business = Sustainable Community

Start in your office and continue throughout your whole business infrastructure. However, don’t stop there. Take the initiative to motivate your employees to implement these new habits at home as well. If we take the time to spread the implementation of more green culture in our lives, we can truly have a positive effect on our society and environment. Once people become more conscious of green initiatives at home, they are more likely to implement the same at work.

Work in Progress

A successful strategy to make your business more sustainable also means understanding that it is a big step. Things won’t simply change overnight, but it doesn’t mean they won’t change for the better. With a solid plan of action, a smart strategy, and a powerful presentation, your business can undoubtedly become more sustainable. Sometimes, the greatest impacts require multiple approaches. Make your ideas loud, visualise your mission and inspire others to implement all of these eco-friendly policies wherever they are. All in all, applying all these beneficial changes throughout your business will greatly affect society, our environment and each and every one of us.

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Ways to Make Your Daily Routine Eco-Friendly

If you sit down and think about it, we live in somewhat crazy times.

We cause irreversible damage to our environment, while being eco-friendly has never been easier. In fact, we are going to give you a couple of ways to make your daily routine eco-friendly just to show you how easy it really is. And, with any luck, some of you will implement these little changes and make our environment that much better.

Easy ways to make your daily routine eco-friendly

The great thing about the ways in which you can make your daily routine eco-friendly is that they are also good for you. Most of them will not only help you preserve the environment but will also help you lead a healthier, happier life. So, do yourself a favor and at least try a couple of them.

Limit your electronics

The first thing you should do if you want to make your daily routine eco-friendly is to limit your electronics. Every electronic item that you use requires energy. And, since we are still working out the kinks in how to harness solar energy, this means that you are hurting the environment. So, if you really want to go greener, start by putting away your phone and laptop. Limit yourself to only using the electronics when necessary. And, instead of endlessly scrolling on Instagram, go for a run or read a good book.

Going outside to read a book can be a great routine to have.

Recycling

You cannot talk about keeping your environmental footprint low without considering recycling. The amount of materials that people throw away in western societies is simply staggering. And if there is one thing that different-coloured bins have shown us , it’s that recycling takes very little effort. All you have to do is to sort out your rubbish and put it away accordingly.Ways to Make Your Daily Routine Eco-Friendly - recyclable cups

Eco-friendly containers

But, even before we come to recycling our plastic and cardboard containers, we should consider which ones we use. After all, the biggest amount of plastic in nature comes from containers. So, if you really want to start being eco-friendly, start thinking about the containers that you use. There are numerous eco-friendly options for packing and containing that are quite easy to use. You can, for instance, opt for renting plastic containers and make your relocation that much more eco-friendly. Plus, by getting different coloured bins, you can make unpacking fun for your kids. Not to mention all the different alternatives to plastic grocery bags and cardboard coffee mugs.

Carrying your own coffee cup is a great way to make your daily routine eco-friendly.

The ways in which you can make your everyday containers more eco-friendly are endless. All you need to do is to research them a bit.

Reduce meat

The meat industry is one of the worlds largest contributors to greenhouse gasses. Therefore, if you want to make your daily routine eco-friendly, the way to do so is simple. Reduce the amount of meat that you eat. Most people in western countries eat way more meat than they actually need. And, if you read up a bit more on diet and nutrition, you will see just how important it is that you eat your vegetables and fruit. Try to purchase only local products and make your food at home, if you want to increase your sustainability even more. You don’t have to go vegetarian or vegan. Instead, simply try to have a more balanced diet.

Clean plate

And, while we are on the subject of food, we would also advise you to clean your plate. Another plague of western societies is that we throw away a lot of our food. In fact, about one-third of the food produced in the world gets thrown away. This, form our point of view, is atrocious. But, if you want to make a change, start with your own plate. Make sure that you only prepare enough food consumption and that you don’t throw any away. If everyone would simply do so, the amount of wasted food would be much lower.

Walk or use a bike

Most of us lead quite a sedentary lifestyle. We spend almost all our days sitting, either at work or at home. So, if you want to lead a healthier life, consider cutting your driving time. Not only will you not driving reduce the amount of CO2 that gets into the environment, but you will also do your health a huge benefit. After all, one of the oldest Tibetan proverbs is that the secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.Ways to Make Your Daily Routine Eco-Friendly - cycling

Riding a bike is both a great exercise and an easy way to go about.

Carpool

But, if you do need to take a car to your work, consider carpooling. Carpooling is a great way to not only help the environment but also to make new friends. There are even apps you can download that will help you find people to carpool with. So, doing carpool is easier than ever. All you have to do is have a bit of environmental awareness.

Paperless work

Another way to make your work more eco-friendly is to avoid using paper as much as possible. While there are some eco-friendly alternatives to paper, the best way is simply to avoid using it altogether. After all, we are living in the age of smartphones and high-speed internet. Therefore, there is little reason for you to still base your work on paper documents.

Use your blinds

Having a self-sustaining home is a great way to lead an eco-friendly life. But, it is not the easiest or the cheapest one. So, before you go buying solar panels and making your home more energy sustainable, consider simply using your blinds properly. People waste a lot of energy by keeping their blinds open when they want to cool their homes, and closing them when they want to heat it. Remember, the sun plays a big role in temperature levels, even indoors. So, if you want to reduce your energy wastage, just manage your blinds properly. 

This article was kindly written and contributed by Sally Norton.

Hotels Embracing Renewable Energy

The first two decades of the 21st century have brought a plethora of changes to the world of energy, on a global scale.

Sure, the effects of energy pollution on climate change have been apparent to both the scientific community and the wider public for ages. However, it’s only recently that both countries and large corporate entities have truly seen the need to go green in order to save the planet from negative climate change and actually started working on it.

You’ll find this idea in basically all industries – and, perhaps not quite obviously – the tourism sector. If you want to find out all about hotels embracing renewable energy: read on below!

Hotels embracing renewable energy in Australia

The Australian tourism sector is quite developed. But despite the need to chase profits, the industry leaders in this sector have put a lot of effort into hotels embracing renewable energy in the past couple of years. Plus, with the awareness of climate change becoming basically omnipresent, people have started thinking about the pollution effects even when they choose where they’ll go on holiday. Thus, going green even has some palpable fiscal benefits for the hotels which are willing to invest the time and money to do this. Indeed, it’s become more about the journey, and less about the destination. People don’t want to go to hotels which are obvious contributors to global energy pollution, especially if we’re talking about large resorts, with a major energy footprint.

 That’s why an ever-increasing number of hoteliers in Australia have made themselves a mission to change how they view energy consumption. En masse, they’ve begun embarking on a switch to renewable sources of energy. Sure, they’re doing this to help the environment, somewhat; but their main goal is still attracting people going on holiday. And if you ask us, there is nothing wrong with this; a good deed is still good even if it’s driven by self-interest. Plus, you’ll find that industries can have a hard time going green; not only is the transition expensive, but it can be costly to maintain as well. Especially when you need to be transporting commercial supplies in no time, and quick transport usually means leaving a carbon footprint. hotels embracing renewable energy

Combining the pleasant with the useful

While most hotels embracing renewable energy still need affordable units for storing commercial supplies and similar amenities, they’re finding ways to utilise their natural locations to sustain themselves via renewable energy. Indeed, the very geographical features which the hotels use to their advantage when it comes to attracting tourists are now used to power them as well. We’re talking about using the natural tidal and solar capacity of remote beach locations, as well as the potential for being powered by geothermal power when it comes to hot spring hotels and resorts.

 That’s why you’ll find that in places like Queensland, resorts have been more prone to using solar panels to utilise their locations. Plus, the effort to reduce carbon energy usage is also tied to the need to preserve the Great Barrier Reef which is visited by most of the guests. For resorts which are located in locales that are abundant in desert heat, there’s really no reason not to try using renewable energy sources.

Ecotourism is all the rage

Indeed, ecotourism is becoming a viable way to go on holiday, and more and more hotels are keenly becoming aware of this. For example, take a look at the Bass Strait. This location separates Tasmania from Australia proper. And there, you’ll find ecotourism spots like Flinders Island. The hotels in this intriguing location utilise an energy system based on tidal changes; harnessing the titanic waves which hit the Island’s coastline. Or if you have a look at the Blue Mountains located near Sydney; you’ll also find hotels using wind energy to power themselves almost indefinitely. All of these natural locations allow for sustainability with minimal effort.

This is something that the local tourism sector in Australia is keenly observing in an effort to stay ahead of the curve. In fact, the most remote destinations for a holiday in Australia are actually using it the most. The reason is fairly simple – in such locations, resorts would otherwise have to use smaller sources of fossil fuel power – which are noisy, and could disrupt anyone’s location. Plus, such remote locations usually have the geographical properties which are best suited for hotels embracing renewable energy. Generating diesel-based power would simply be the worst choice, both fiscally and economically. Once the hotels construct sources of solar and wind energy, no further diesel fuel deliveries are needed, while also cutting down on long-term maintenance costs.

The trip itself

Naturally, when people visit far-flung hotels embracing renewable energy, that doesn’t mean that their holiday is completely in sync with their ecological stances. Let’s remember – such trips usually involve carbon-heavy means of transportation, such as long car rides, or flights which are obviously carbon-intensive. But as an increasing number of industries starts caring about building a sustainable world, even this may not present a problem in a couple of years.

In the meantime, eco-conscious customers are finding ways to make up for their carbon-heavy flights to remote locations. A couple of hostel chains in Australia have even made an organised effort for people who book their rooms to donate money towards organisations battling carbon pollution. And once more eco-friendly ways of travelling quickly across greater distances become an option, even this won’t be needed.

This article was kindly written and contributed by Sally Norton.